Chapter 16

Somewhere in a dark place on Remnant, there is a scary looking palace in some sort of wasteland full of purple crystals, desolate wastes, and black tar-like pits that produce Grimm. This is where Salem lives. Salem, along with Dr. Watts, Tyrian, and Hazel are in some sort of meeting room where they have a discussion.

Salem looks at the doctor, "Dr. Watts. I believe you have some information about what is happening in Vale."

Dr. Watts is looking at his scroll. "I do, my lady. It appears that some ruins have mysteriously risen up from the ground in the Emerald Forest. Apparently, it has something to do with this new show that everyone is watching."

Salem extends her right hand. "May I see it?"

Unable to refuse her, the doctor gives Salem his scroll for her to see. Salem looks at some of the events that are happening at a secret temple that has risen. She reads from some intercepted messages from a research team over at the site. From what she is able to read that wasn't censored, the show that features Team RWBY is linked to the temple but it's also linked to the two god brothers. The ones that cursed Salem for her immortality when they refused to resurrect someone she once loved who later betrayed her in one of his earliest incarnations. She looks at the images of the site and notices all the strange creatures made of precious stones and metals.

Salem looks at Dr. Watts, "What exactly are these? These...creatures?"

"I am uncertain my lady. But from what I manage to gather so far, it is connected to the gods and to where first year Huntress team disappeared to."

Tyrian chuckles a bit. "Oh really?" He gives Dr. Watts a creepy smile. "Is it alright if I get to go on this excursion?"

"No." Salem replies.

Tyrian moans in disappointment but accepts the order nonetheless.

Hazel suggests, "Perhaps we should get Cinder and her allies to investigate."

Salem agrees with Hazel, "That is a good idea. Send word to Cinder. I have a new task for her."

Now back to the Pokemon world; Team RWBY, Franklin, Dawn, and even Max are watching the Freestyle Performance of the Pokemon Showcase that is about to begin.

"Bonjour ladies and gentlemen and Pokemon trainers alike!" Monsieur Pierre is on stage. "Now it is time for the Freestyle Performance!"

Song: Pokemon Theme (Version XY)

Artists: Ben Dixon and the Sad Truth, John Siegler, and John Loeffler

I wanna be the very best
Like no one ever was
To catch them is my real test
To train them is my cause

(Pokémon!)
(Gotta catch 'em all), it's you and me
(Pokémon!)
I know it's my destiny
(Pokémon!)
Yeah, you're my best friend
In a world we must defend
(Pokémon!)
(Gotta catch 'em all)
Gotta catch 'em all
Gotta catch 'em all!
Pokémon!

"Now it is the time for our finalists to show us the bond between them and their Pokemon as they perform to you, the audience, as the judges. Once all the performances from out princesses are over, you may use your glowcaster to cast your vote to the corresponding color. Once your vote have been counted, the winner will receive a princess key! Maintenant commençons! Now let's see our first performer...May! Who came all the way from the Hoenn Region."

The curtain opens up to reveal May who is wearing a pink outfit that looks familiar from the trailers of Pokemon Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby (watch the trailer to understand). She is also beside her Venasaur, Blaziken, and Glaceon.

"What are those?" Ruby pulls out her Megadex to learn about the Pokemon that May has. "Good to know."

May says, "Alright Venasaur, use vine whip!"

Venasaur uses vine whip and juggles May in the air with Blaziken and Glaceon dancing around with Blaziken using fire kick with Glaceon using mirror coat to show-off some dancing lights. What happens next is that Venasuar uses petal dance to scatter some beautiful petals that woo the audience. What happens next is that Glaceon uses ice shard to round up the petals to create some sort of pink ice chandelier with beautiful petals right before Blaziken uses over heat. This cause a major, flower-like explosion that erupted with sparkles of blue and red with a few pink ones that came down onto the audience which they were impressed. Then May and her Pokemon do a finishing pose as everyone gives her an applause.

"Très magnifique!" Monsieur Pierre is impressed. "What a wonderful performance from Princess May!"

The audience continue to cheer for May's performance as May takes a bow, "Thank you all so much!"

The Freestyle Performance continues on with a few impressive performances from many other Pokemon performers until they met Ariel. Ariel not only has Popplio but also a Starmie and Psycolt (which is a white pony with purple mane and some purple side mane and pink hooves). Team RWBY learned about Starmie but here is a little something about Psycolt:

Psycolt. The mysterious Pokemon. Psychic-type. Beautiful flowers sprout from the ground wherever it treads. Seeing this Pokémon is said to bring good luck.

"Now that is one Pokemon I would ride on." Yang says. "It's like a little pony that I always wanted when I was a little girl."

"Same." Ruby says.

"I have to agree." Weiss says as she admires the Psycolt. "We should get cute ponies when we get the chance."

Dawn laughs a little but realizes, "Do you mean, a Ponyta?"

Which Team RWBY almost got busted until Max pointed out, "Probably referring to Pokemon of the equestrian nature that haven't evolved yet like a Ponyta, a Psycolt, a Spony, and many other such Pokemon."

Saved by Max, the girls laughed a little. Although Franklin suspects something is a little off with Team RWBY.

Ariel is dressed up in a mermaid costume before Popplio jumps on her head and starts using water gun like a fountain. Then Psycolt uses psychic to levitate the water slowly to form a bubble made of water around Ariel. Then the bubble is lifted into the air with Starmie jumping in. Ariel, Starmie, and Popplio swim in this bubble as Psycolt slowly lowers it onto its back and gallops around the stage. It is almost like a water show and a circus performance all at once. Ariel does jump out and does some acrobatics in order to catch her breath. Then Starmie comes out and spins across the stage while using hydro pump and combines it with psywave that makes the water from the hydro pump look colorful. The audience is amazed by such a colorful and talented display and the use of water. Psycolt stops in the middle of the stage and lifts the bubble high in the air as Starmie comes in and make the bubble colorful with its combo moves. What happens next is Psycolt uses energy ball and hits the bubble, in which everyone gasps, which pops the bubble into a colorful rainfall as Ariel's mermaid costume started to shine brightly and in a wide array of colors. She and her Pokemon do a pose on Psycolt's back as Psycolt shouts a victory yell. The audience, after getting showered by colorful rain and became sparkly, gave her an applause. A standing ovation for such a tricky performance.

Dawn claps, "That was amazing! No, the most wonderful performance ever!"

Max just stares at the stage, "Looks like May is gonna lose."

Franklin has the same thought. "For that, I have to agree. Her use of such techniques and skill is like that of a water and psychic-type master. I say she must have done this before and practice daily to perfect such moves. I wonder if she has received special training from a former Pokemon Performer or of someone of equal level. So who taught her?"

After that last performance, all the girls that participated are lined-up after the stage gets cleaned-up from all the water. There are holographic hearts over the heads of the performers.

Monsieur Pierre is on stage as he says, "And now, please cast your vote with your glowcaster on who do you think performed merveilleusement and that performer will be one step closer to the Master-class Pokemon Showcase. Un, deux, trois!"

Everyone has their glowcasters out and cast their vote on who gets to win the Freestyle Performance. At the end of the glowcasters, orbs of light of different colors fly their way to the special jewels on the performer's costume. May is red and Ariel is blue. The holographic hearts over them gradually fill for each speck of light that accumulates from the votes. Team RWBY, Dawn, Max, and even Franklin voted for May (and Yang is gripping tightly on Franklin's arm to make sure he votes for May). After every vote has been voted, it is now time to announce the winner.

"And the winner of the Ecuador Town Pokemon Showcase Rookie-class is...Ariel!"

"What?!" Yang went.

Max looks down and sighs, "I knew it."

Ariel has won and May came in second place by one point behind Ariel.

"So close." Dawn says.

Monsieur Pierre then awards Ariel the Princess Key from Klefki. The key looks like it has a palm tree on it but it looks like the palm leaves are made of different colored jewels and at the bottom of the tree are four silver metals that look like waves in a spiral. Almost like a whirlpool. Ariel shows it off the key as she lifts it high in the air with the audience cheering for her victory. Once that is over, everyone left. Outside the theater, our characters gather around and talk about what happened.

May looks down, "I almost had it."

"But look on the bright side." Dawn tries to cheer May up, "At least you get to do the Freestyle Performance." But looks down, "Unlike me."

May giggles a little and says, "You're right. And like you say, 'No need to worry.' Besides there will be plenty of chances to win some keys."

"That's true." Max nods in agreement. "Besides, the Pokemon Showcases have just begun."

"That's right." Ruby agrees. "Plus Weiss and Blake are gonna enter them too."

Dawn looks at the members of Team RWBY and goes, "Really?"

"Guess that makes us rivals." May says. "But let's give it our all if we meet again!"

"You can count on that." Blake nodded.

"I guess we could do our best." Weiss says in her usual attitude.

Yang says, "Not only that, Weiss is also gonna do Pokemon Contest along with me and my sis."

"Guess we are all rivals them." May says.

"Guess we could make time for our a-rival. Eh?" Yang makes a very terrible pun with no one laughing. "Oh come on!"

Franklin pointed his noir hat up and says, "Well, time for me to get back to training. I have to get ready for some gym battles in Brazil City and Hotwater Gym."

"WAAAAAAAIIIITTT!" says a voice running straight towards them. It is Rusty running at full speed. He stops and asks loudly, "THERE ARE TWO GYMS ON THIS ISLAND?!"

"Um...yeah... Wait, where's your Rotomdex?"

"Oh, he's in my backpack resting. He used up all his energy yelling at me for some reason."

Yang rolls her eyes and cross her arms, "Gee, wonder why." She says it in a sarcastic tone. Some of the girls giggle at Yang's sarcasm. Yang look at the girls, "You girls will laugh at my sarcasms and not my puns? Lame."

Rusty asks Franklin in disguise, "So where are these gyms?"

Franklin sighs and tells him, "The Brazil City Gym is located northeast of here along the coast. The Hotwater Gym is southeast somewhere in the Salsa Jungle near Mt. Cayenne."

"Got it! Thanks!" Rusty then tries to run west but Franklin stopped him.

"Hold on there, little guy! I said northeast, not northwest. Northeast! North-EAST! Got it?"

"I think so." He pointed his finger northeast and asks, "That way?"

"Yes. But I think the simplest way is for you to follow the coast."

"Got it! Thanks Franklin!" and Rusty runs off.

Some of the girls in the area looked at the direction where Rusty was and looked at Franklin in disguise.

"Is that really Franklin?"

"That guy looks just like him."

"It IS him! He's wearing his noir detective outfit from that movie, Pokemon Noir!"

"You're right!"

"Oh crude." Franklin runs off as his fan girls chase. Franklin started shouting, "I'LL GET YOU FOR THIS RUSTY! YOU STUPID JERK!"

Ruby reaches out put he is too far away for her to reach. Then starts to tear up.

Yang pats her on the back, "Cheer-up Ruby. We'll meet him again. The guy is participating in the Pokemon League and Pokemon Contests. So we'll see him around."

Weiss looks at Dawn, Max, and May; "Do you guys know where the Onsen Resort is? I almost forgot about one of the main reasons why we are here."

May gets starry eye and says, "THE ONSEN RESORT!? THE HOT SPRINGS RESORT NEARBY A LAKE FILLED WITH HOT SPRING WATER!?"

Max says, "The quickest way to there is by passing Greendale Town just east of here." He pointed the direction where it is, "Head there, keep heading east, and you should see some steam rising up in the air. It is a four day walk from here."

May grabs Max by the shoulders and shouts, "WE NEED TO GET THERE! GORGEOUS HOT WATER! REFRESHING MINERAL BATHS! WE NEED TO GO!"

"Calm down, sis!" Max is startled. "First we need to get ready for the trip!"

Everyone laughs at Max and May. Although it is understandable where May is coming from. Who doesn't love a good hot soak in rejuvenating water that has been heated naturally by a volcano? With that out of the way, Team RWBY heads back to the Pokemon Center.

It is nighttime over at the Pokemon Center where Team RWBY is staying at as they prepare for bed. Yang is doing some last minute push-ups, Blake is reading a book, Ruby is also checking on her Megadex to see where all potential Showcases and Contests will be at, and Weiss is brushing her hair. While getting ready to sleep, there is a knock on the door.

KNOCK KNOCK

Everyone stops what they are doing and look at the door.

Ruby says, "Come in."

The door opens to reveal Nurse Joy and Franklin, who is in his original cowboy outfit, as they enter. Ruby's face turns red and buries her head in her book and Yang smacking her lips.

"Please forgive the intrusion." Nurse Joy apologizes, "But we ran out of room and Franklin needs a place to sleep."

"Why can't he sleep in the lobby?" Weiss asks.

"Weiss!" Blake shouts at Weiss. "That is disrespectful for hospital standards!"

"This is a hospital for creatures." Weiss counter argues.

"A hospital nonetheless."

"But he's a boy! And this room is full of girls! We can't have a boy sleeping in an all girls room!" Weiss made a valid point.

Franklin sighs before saying, "It's okay, I'll sleep on the tree close by."

Yang dashes and puts Franklin in a stranglehold, "Hold it there, cowboy! I think we could make room for one more. As a matter of fact, how about you and I share a bed."

"YANG!" Ruby drags Yang away from Franklin. "I SAID I GET DIBS!"

"Awww!"

Sylveon pops out and looks threatening towards Ruby and Yang. With the sudden appearance of Sylveon, Weiss starts to have a change of heart.

"Okay, he can stay. But he sleeps in a sleeping bag."

With that resolved everyone make the last few preparations before going to bed.