The camera jostles as Mei steps back into focus. The room is dimly lit by a standing lamp at the corner of a room. Sunlight is filtering in through the cracks of a drawn curtain.
Mei: Okay…ready! Hello, faithful fans! Today we have a little change in command! This chapter is co-written by justforfum! But don't tell Touko yet! I want it to be a surprise. It should be fine so long as nothing bad happens-!
The lamp at the corner of the room flickers, and static fills the screen briefly. Through the curtains, a flash brighter than the sun seeps through the material, catching Mei's attention.
Mei: Of course…Of all the times-!
Chapter 12: Touko's Screaming Debut?!
The threat of a large Kugeki rampaging through a dense urban city is never a situation Cure Bolt would pray for. But a smaller Kugeki, like the one she is facing now, is equally dangerous.
Cure Bolt is out of breath, standing at a junction that leads her to a crowded street. A dark aura blankets the street in a heavy miasma. Civilian bystanders caught within its wake are rendered completely helpless. Cure Bolts trains her gaze upward to a cloaked figure atop one of the commercial buildings.
"Ugh, where did it go?" Cure Bolt grumbles.
The ninja merely stares at her just as the sound of screeching tires fills the streets.
Cure Bolt feels the hairs on her body jolt up. Electricity fills the air as arcs of lightning fly out towards the nearby street lamps and electronic shops that lined the road, zapping and knocking out everything in its vicinity.
What appears is a Pikachu-like Kugeki, standing just above waist height. While it closely resembles the Mouse Pokémon, the cap covering its eyes and the black hair sticking out from its ears are signs that its trainer has been fused with it.
The distraught Kugeki flies off like a mad bull against oncoming traffic before nimbly breaking off into another alleyway.
"And there it goes again."
"Thankfully, the damage it is causing is minimal. But we need to corner it somehow."
"I know that, Zekrom! But how am I supposed to even fight that thing if all it does is run away? At this rate, I'm going to be late for work!"
Stretching her wings, she lifts herself above the crowd as the Kugeki barrels through the cluttered alleyway like a miniature freight train.
"Is work really that important, considering our circumstances?"
"Well…no. But I can't just tell them I can't be there because I'm busy being a magical girl!"
"Then, would it be wise to call an understudy as a replacement?"
"Zekrom, I AM the understudy. Though…now that you mention it, I've got an idea."
"Touko!" The heroine hears her mother calling for her from the kitchen, catching both her and N's attention from the porch.
"Yeah?" Touko answers back, running an arm over her forehead to wipe the beads of sweat pouring down her face. She and her Pokémon have just finished piling the rest of the debris that had fallen from the rooftop out of the walkway. The hole on the side of her house has already been patched up.
"You're getting a call," her mother says from the kitchen, holding up Touko's Xtransceiver, "Looks like it's Mei."
"Ah!"
Touko moves to answer but quickly remembers what she's doing. She turns to N, who waves her off with a small grin.
"Go ahead. You've been working longer than I have, so you deserve a break."
"Thanks. I'll be back as soon as I can."
"Don't worry about it. We're almost done anyway."
Touko heads inside, nearly tripping over the power wire for the vacuum cleaner. By the time she reaches the kitchen, her Xtransceiver has registered three missed calls from Mei.
"It seemed urgent," her mother comments as she continues to clean up the dust in the kitchen, "It was just one call after another."
Her Xtransceiver rings again. Touko answers the call, expecting to see Mei with a wide grin and sparkles in her eyes. Instead, she is greeted with a display reading "Audio Only" followed by heavy gasps of air.
"M-Mei? Hello?"
"Oh! Good, you answered!" Mei answers in between pants, "Touko, sorry to quickly drop this on you, but I'm sort of in a pinch here."
"Are you okay? Where are you?"
"A-Ah! I-I was just running!"
Touko and her mother share glances as the young trainer takes a seat at the dining table. "Running from what?"
"R-Running from my urge to be lazy! An actress...has to look her best, after all, and...woah! Almost tripped on a rock there! I have to stay in tip-top shape! But speaking of which, I've...lost track of time, and I'm actually running...late for something important. I need you to do me a little favor."
"I'll see what I can do. What do you need help with?" Touko replies, her concern never leaving her voice. At the same time, a sinking feeling begins to well in her gut. For some strange reason, she could almost picture Mei smiling at her.
"Well, you see..."
Touko stares up at the gates of Pokéstar Studios, the pit in her stomach sinking deeper as she tries to remind herself that Mei is depending on her to do this. Mei's reasoning for choosing Touko doesn't help much to ease her nerves, but she can't say no to a friend.
"Still, why me? Just because I have free time doesn't make me the most viable option. There has to be a system for handling absences for stuff like this, right?"
"After your fight against your mother's Kugeki, I was expecting you to take a well-deserved break. You had every right to say no. Plus, Mei's behavior was suspicious," Reshiram explains matter-of-factly.
"I know I do, and yeah, her reasoning doesn't make any sense. I mean, she has a Pokémon that is fast enough to take her anywhere. She's hiding something, but I never got the chance to figure out what that is because my mom kept insisting that I was the right person for the job."
"Well, you have already accepted her request, so right now, you should focus on fulfilling it to the best of your abilities. We can speculate later."
"But-!"
Seeing as how Touko is staring blankly ahead for a while, N frowns and brings a hand to her shoulder. She jumps, surprising him in the process.
"Touko? Are you alright?"
"A-Ah, yes! I've just been thinking..."
"About what your mother said?"
N isn't exactly right, but Touko agrees anyway.
"It's strange," she says, "I thought she'd ask me to stick around to keep her company since I've been gone for so long."
N rubs his chin before crossing his arms, "There will be plenty of time to do that when we return from this job. For now, she says she wants you to progress with me."
For a brief moment, Touko is unsure if she had heard him right.
"What?"
"'I hope to hear some progress with him soon' is what she said, isn't it?"
"You heard that?!"
N nods. "And I don't believe she was referring to anyone else. It feels as if she's looking down on me or thinks of me as a stray Pokémon who needs training or..."
"N-No. She doesn't think that," Touko defends.
"Oh? Do you have any idea what she meant, then?"
"Who knows!" Touko blurts out suddenly before laughing it off. She turns her head away, quietly lamenting her mother's intervention. "Anyway, we should stay focused!"
"Good idea," N agrees, clearly trying to get a look at Touko after she breaks eye contact, "Mei said the movie was being filmed at the big green building, if I remember correctly."
"Oh, that's right. You've been here before."
"Yes. Shall I be your tour guide?"
"Yes, please!"
Pokéstar Studios is divided into four sections separated by wide avenues that cut through the center in a cross. Upon entering through the rather elaborate gate featuring posters of the newest and upcoming movie titles, Touko and N are greeted with the lavish grandeur fit for movie stars to work in.
To the immediate left of the wide, neatly swept avenue, they stand in is the prop storage area, where many of the more expensive-looking stage props are put on display for visitors to view and learn about. To the right is the visitor's shopping plaza. Large billboards advertising the latest movie tower above the moderately crowded walkways. Windows displaying the most eccentric trends and home decor line the narrow sides that surround a massive open food court. Amidst the outdoor tables are families and their Pokémon donning the most recent collectible merch. Touko notes the frilly, sailor-themed outfits some of the trainers and their Pokémon are wearing.
Towards the back-right corner of Pokéstar Studios, past the large palm-tree roundabout, is the premier movie theater. Even from the gate, Touko can read the gigantic "Coming Soon!" banner plastered on the ground-level billboard. Yet, as she stares at the multiple heart and star-shaped glitter printed across the banner, it sails over Touko's head as to what kind of movie she is looking at.
Touko and N's destination is at the far-left end of the studio grounds: a rather peculiar building built under an arching green roof. A projected screen hangs above the entrance, and two metal cutouts, one of a typical superhero and one of a giant robot Tyranitar, loom over the two trainers.
Touko nearly falls back as she looks up at the brightly lit cutouts. The transparent doors lining the entrance emit a warm, candescent orange light that seems to beckon her in. She can hear stage crews barking at one another as they rush to move props around for the next scene. Just the thought of stepping through those doors is giving Touko-!
"Goosebumps. You have goosebumps, Touko," N states, a little too close to her as she turns to find him hovering over her shoulder.
"Oh? I do?" She follows his gaze, giving N a chance to inspect her. The amount of attention he's pouring into his examination causes her to feel more self-conscious than what she is used to, and after feeling N has had enough of an eyeful, she clears her throat. Hearing this, he realizes he must be within that invisible personal-space-bubble of hers again and takes one very clear step back and away from her.
"Are you going to be alright?" N asks.
"Yeah, I'll be fine. Just a little nervous."
N doesn't look convinced. "You've been strangely silent the entire trip here, and I could hear your Pokémon worrying about you. If there's anything we can do to help you, please tell us."
Touko mulls over her answer for a while before grasping the black and white cap on her head with both hands. "I just don't understand why Mei thought I'm the best person for this job! I have absolutely no experience!"
"Now that you bring it up, it is odd that she requested your help. Still, I don't think you need to worry. From what I have gathered from the tour that she gave me, most of the people here are very patient. It is a place for both beginners and veterans to grow at their own pace. I believe it's because Pokéstar Studios is the only movie studio in Unova."
That makes her feel a little better. Touko claps her hands on her face to psyche herself up. "Okay, if that's the case, then there's only one thing I can do! Time to give it my all!"
With renewed vigor, Touko steps into the filming studio. The fairly spacious lobby is largely empty save for some of the filming crew occupying the open seats to the far left of the room near the vending machine. From the looks of it, the crew appears exhausted with one hunching over and rubbing his temples while the others silently sip their coffee. Tension hangs heavily between them, and it seems like one is ready to call it quits for the day.
"Sorry, sir, ma'am, but our tour services are closed today for filming," the receptionist says just as the two enter the building.
"We're… actually here to replace one of your absentees," N explains as Touko eyes the men gathered in the corner. Unbeknownst to him, her energy is already starting to diminish.
"Just what am I getting myself into?!"
Hearing this, the receptionist sighs and pulls out a list. "Which one, specifically? We have a few no-shows that I've been spending all day trying to contact. Not that I blame them for not showing up, considering who they have to work with."
"Anyone named Mei on that list? I'm here to fill in her role," Touko says.
The receptionist takes a moment to look back at her list. She's about halfway down the page when she nods and shows Touko the list, where Mei's name is labeled as an extra. A wave of relief washes over her. At least she doesn't have a major role to fill.
"Who do they have to work with?" N questions, having latched onto the receptionist's last sentence.
"Mr. Hyacinth. The Hyacinth. Multi-award-winning director for several years in a row. Great at making movies. Not so great at making friends," the receptionist puts a finger over her lips, "But you didn't hear that from me."
Touko sucks in a deep breath. "Okay, no pressure."
The receptionist then writes a note next to Mei's name. "Right. Straight through that door is the filming area. Just let them know who you're replacing, and they'll fill you in. Break a leg!"
"Why would people say that? I've even heard Mei say it a few times. Do they really want to wish harm on others…?" N mumbles, only to be tugged along by Touko.
"It's just an expression wishing for luck!" the trainer explains quickly.
"I don't see how that means wishing someone luck. It sounds like the opposite of that."
Touko stops, her forehead scrunching in concentration. "It's...reverse psychology. Something about wishing for something other than what you want so that you can get what you actually want. It's honestly superstition, but it's harmless."
N tilts his head as he's dragged along. "I see. Well then, I hope both of your legs are broken."
Touko doesn't say anything, but her lips form a shaky smile.
"I, too, wish for your limbs to be broken, Touko."
"Now that you've said that, they definitely will break!"
As they enter the filming area, they see a man sitting on the director's chair shouting at his stage crew about the orientation of a giant aluminum sphere against a green screen backdrop. He is a large man, round in both limb and torso. His chair can barely support his size and weight.
"No! No! Wrong! Absolutely wrong!" The director screams, slamming his fist on his armrest. At the same time, a smaller, thinner male who looked frail enough to be whisked away by a stiff breeze, matched the director's jeering with equal, although somewhat confused, scolding.
"T-That's right! I mean, no. That's wrong! Yes, Director Hyacinth is right that you're wrong!" the smaller man says.
"Mr. Rosemary!" the director turns to his yes-man.
"Y-Yes, sir?"
Hyacinth pulls the smaller man closer in an arm lock as he directs his gaze towards the metal ball prop, "You see what I see, right?"
"Y...Yes, sir?"
The director cocks a brow at the smaller man. "What did you say?"
"I mean no, sir. I couldn't possibly understand your genius."
"Of course you can't," he motions at his surroundings, "Where are the cameras?"
Rosemary tentatively points at the rather expensive-looking set of equipment just over Hyacinth's shoulder.
"Then why is the orb of time facing the wrong way?"
"S-Sir?"
"The orb is facing the wrong way! It should be facing the camera!" he then turns to his baffled stage crew, "Turn it!"
The confused crew rotated the perfectly round, reflective metal ball around, stopping at an equally identical side.
"A little more. A little more…and perfect!" the director leans back on his chair, squeezing the bridge of his nose as Touko and N approach him. "Honestly, it's like I'm surrounded by imbeciles."
"Yes, sir…" Rosemary sighs in defeat.
The color drains from Touko's body as the crew return to their original positions. "It's even worse than I thought!"
It's then that Hyacinth notices the two young trainers standing directly behind him.
"And you are? Please let this be good news for once."
"Suck it up, Touko! This is for Mei!" Taking a deep breath, the heroine steps forward and puts on her most serious expression.
"I'm Touko. I'm here as Mei's replacement."
"My name is N. You could say that I am her moral support."
"Who?" the director questions. Upon hearing her name, several of the crew members, including Rosemary, gawp in awe.
"Mei. She's an extra for this movie."
"Mei…Mei…" the director scratches his armpit in thought before extending a hand towards Rosemary. Rosemary promptly hands the director a clipboard, and he begins flipping through the pages.
"Ah! Extra number 287. The screaming woman. We aren't ready for you yet. But since you're here, I'll have Rosemary fill you in on your role. In the meantime-!"
The director claps his hands together. "Why wasn't I told that Ms. Mei wasn't going to attend?"
"Erm…" Rosemary chimes in, "We've been trying to get a hold of her. But she hasn't answered her Xtransceiver, sir."
"I see. And who's been trying to get a hold of her?"
"Uh…the receptionist, sir."
"Right. Fire her."
"W-We can't fire her! S-She's under direct employment of Mr. Stu Deeoh!" Rosemary retorts, shrinking away when he is met with a fierce glare from the director.
"Then get someone else to contact her!"
"R-Right away! Y-You heard him! Someone put Mei on the line immediately!"
As Hyacinth's lowly workers tap away on the Xtransceivers on their wrists, the director then turns to Touko, "My assistant will be back with the script. Look over your lines while we finish this scene. Even though I have never heard of you before, I expect utter perfection."
Once he makes that clear to the heroine, he shouts at his crew again. "Everyone! I want this next shot done perfectly! We were supposed to be at the next scene an hour ago!"
Touko can feel the pressure just crash onto the tired crew. Rosemary walks to the petrified trainer, holding out a rolled-up script to her. "Here's the script. Your line has been highlighted in yellow. They're going to shoot your scene next, but since you have an easy part, I'm sure you'll have no problem handling it," Rosemary assures, practically shaking in her presence. Touko grabs the thick pile of papers.
"I have a line? I thought I was an extra."
"Oh yes, you are. But some extras have lines. Mei's character has only one in this movie, and I wouldn't even call it a line."
"AND CUT! Alright, everyone, let's move to the outdoor set! Come on, chop chop! We're on a tight schedule! And Rosemary! Get Touko dressed for her part!"
Touko flinches at the sound of the director's command. "T-They're finished with this scene already?!"
Rosemary shoots her an apologetic grin. "Follow me. You can look over your part while we get you into costume."
Touko can only nod. "R-Right."
It doesn't take her long to find her part.
Apparently, the film is one of those experimental live-action adaptations of an animated TV show. However, what catches Touko off-guard is that it's adapting an arc from Ritsu's first-ever magical girl show.
"What are the odds?"
"This is quite exciting. How fitting that my heroine will be partaking in such a wondrous film."
She can feel her team rolling around in her bag, ready to spring out all at once and terrorize the studio with their love for the show. N, thankfully, doesn't seem to know the series that well. She doesn't want to explain how Ritsu can do the main character's signature pose...even after evolving into a Samurott.
"Hmm...this should be easy enough," Touko says as she re-read the stage direction preceding her part.
"What scene are you in?" N questions.
"The scene I'm in is around the beginning of the movie. The main protagonist corners a giant Tentacruel on a cliff near the ocean after it had kidnapped a civilian on the nearby beach. That's me, by the way. After she shoots it with her…" Touko squints at the words, "'ultimate star shower attack', the Pokémon reels in pain and loses its grip on its captive. My character then flies over the cliff towards 'cold, icy waters' and screams for her life."
"So, your one line is a scream?"
"That's right. I'm sure I can handle that much. I've done it be…" she trails off as she attempts to draw up a memory that can back up her claim. However, after seconds of frantic recollections, the panic within her rises to the surface again.
"Wait, I don't remember me ever doing that in my life!"
"There has to be a time where you were so afraid that you could not help but scream, Touko."
"Maybe when Cheren tried to scare us on Halloween that one year...No, it was Bianca who screamed while I was pinning him down. Team Plasma was never scary. I've never been afraid of heights or Ghost-type Pokémon. Oh no...I don't know what that feels like!"
"It seems your fearlessness is more of a hindrance than a blessing this time around. This will make for great entertainment. Maybe I will ask Lillil to get me some popcorn."
"It's hard to imagine you being anything other than fierce and unrelenting," N lightly notes.
"I'm not always like that, you know," Touko meekly responds back.
N grins as if he's been handed a year's supply of berries. "I'm looking forward to your performance. I know that you'll be great."
Rosemary leads them to one of the movie trailers near the entrance of the studio. After handing her bag and her Pokémon to N, on Rosemary's insistence, Touko walks into the vehicle and finds herself dragged to the nearest chair by a horde of makeup artists.
"Everyone, this is Touko," Hyacinth's assistant introduces, "She's here to cover Mei's part, so please dress her accordingly."
Like a switch flipping on, the makeup artists swarm around the trainer. They start speaking all at once; a storm of whispers floods her ears.
"For a trainer, your hair is super soft. What do you use?"
"You kind of look like Mei. Are you two related?"
"I've heard all about you, Touko! The mysterious trainer who relinquished her title as Champion and disappeared for three years! You gotta tell me why!"
"I bet it's because of the guy with her! Who is he?"
Overwhelmed by the barrage of comments, Touko can only stare at the mirror as they buzz around her. One of the makeup artists, a man with sideswept bangs and thick frames, shakes his head and mumbles, "I swear all they do is gossip. You don't have to answer them, Touko."
"It's fine...ummm…"
"Edwin."
"Edwin," she parrots, "They're just curious. I'm not against it, but it'll take me a while to answer all of your questions. It's probably best if we don't keep the director waiting. Speaking of, is director Hyacinth always so strict?"
The makeup crew all exchange shaky grins with each other.
"Apparently, yes," Edwin answered for them, "This is his first time filming in this studio, but he's acting as if he owns the place. Did he forget that we've only been open for a year? If it wasn't for Mei and Brycen, we wouldn't be where we are today."
"Well, he does have a reputation to maintain. All of his films become blockbusters. Have you seen how much money he brings in whenever one of his movies are shown in theaters? To stay at the top, you need to constantly maintain a high level of quality."
"Even so, we have our own reputation for fostering upcoming stars in an environment where they can grow at their own pace. Dumping such high expectations onto them is only going to intimidate the people he's working with."
"If Isabella heard what you just said, she'd shut you up quick."
"She's the worst offender! Ever since she debuted, she's always been spewing stuff like 'elevating the studio to new heights'. The only person who can keep up with her is Mei. Then again, Mei is on a whole other level. Kind of makes you wonder why she's been taking more background roles."
"Isabella?" Touko tilts her head at the unfamiliar name.
"The lead actress of this film. She...well, she's out there. You'll see once you meet her."
The heroine nods once, but internally, she's already beginning to sense the birth of a new headache. "A director who demands perfection and a possibly crazy main lead. Mei, you owe me big time for this!"
When Touko steps out of the trailer, N first notices that her hair is down. Some of it hangs over her shoulder, while the rest is swept behind her. She's wearing a windbreaker with the colors of the rainbow gliding across the fabric and ripped denim jeans that are curled up at the base of her feet. A clothed belt is snapped against her waist. There are several rips in her jacket near her stomach.
Touko catches him staring at her. "Do I really look that strange?"
He blinks, not expecting to get caught. "Yes. It's a new and interesting sight."
"It's kinda comfy, but this jacket is not my style."
N lets out a hearty laugh. Not expecting his sudden outburst, Touko rests her fists against her waist, a disgruntled frown on her face.
"What's so funny?"
He quickly recovers. "It didn't seem like the sort of thing you would care about."
She drops her hostile expression. "I-I do care. Just not as much as other people."
The pink bag resting on N's shoulder shakes, and five rays of blue light spring out, which manifests Touko's team. Her Pokémon all crowd around her, fawning over her costume. Ritsu, in particular, nods approvingly and releases a series of light growls. Touko nods as if she understands what her starter Pokémon is saying.
"Thanks, everyone. And yeah, sure. You guys can watch, but you all need to keep yourself in check while we're filming. If any of you step one foot onto the set or make the director yell at you, you can say goodbye to your weekly dessert."
All of her Pokémon straighten themselves immediately. Scoria looks ready to flatten herself onto the ground and beg Touko to not take away her dessert privilege. N chuckles at the display and adds, "I'll also watch over them. I know that they'll behave themselves, but just in case."
Touko's shoulders visibly relax. "Thanks, N."
He doesn't miss the way she's clutching her script. Before he can point out how the paper is threatening to cut into her skin, Rosemary gestures for Touko to follow him.
"Hurry, Touko. We're all waiting on you."
"R-Right!"
They dash back to the filming studio. Director Hyacinth is sitting on his director's chair, hollering at the crew to move the backdrop slightly to the right. There is a giant slab of rock shaped as a cliff's edge pressed up against the green backdrop. A green air pad lies in between the rock and the oceanic background. On top of the makeshift cliff is a Tentacruel robot the size of the movie theater, but its eyes are small, almost bead-like. Standing in front of this massive robot is a young woman with long, curly, light-blue hair tied into pigtails. The sailor outfit she's wearing is similar to, if not exactly like, the ones some of the tourists are wearing, with thigh-high boots and a short skirt that gives a hearty amount of leg service to whoever lays their eyes on her.
When Touko, Rosemary, and N reconvene with the crew, the woman dressed in the sailor uniform snaps her head back. "You two are late! What took you so long, Mei?"
Touko blinks and rubs the back of her head. "Umm, I'm not Mei."
The blue-haired actress squints, leaning forward to scrutinize Mei's replacement. "Rosemary, who is this?"
Hyacinth's assistant lightly shoves Touko forward. "Isabella, this is Touko. Mei apparently can't make it today."
"Haahh?! That little…! Is she mocking us, going off to who knows where and sending in this...amateur? She's the understudy! They're supposed to be free! It's bad enough that the extra originally hired for this role suddenly bailed on us!"
"W-We're trying to contact her, but…"
"Hmph, I bet she thinks she has it easy, being this studio's poster girl. Does she even know how important this film will be to this studio?"
"Ahh...so she's the main lead...Just my luck."
"I must say she definitely looks the part, even though her hair is off-color. Perhaps I should take notes on adjustments to your magical girl outfit."
"I think what we have is perfectly fine. I swear, if the skirt gets any shorter, I'll pull another disappearance act."
Caught in between their argument, Touko looks over her shoulder, where she sees N and the rest of her team all wearing worried frowns. After a quick glance back to ensure that they won't notice her, she sneaks away to her Pokémon's side. Lillil points to the exit and holds up Reshiram's luxury ball, a hungry gaze in her eyes. The rest of Lillil's teammates salivate with her. Two more popping sounds, this time emerging from N's pockets, register in Touko's ears, and N's team, Zoroark and Vanilluxe, joins in with their own drooling grins.
"All of you want popcorn?" N questions. They all nod, but then everyone except Lillil and Zoroark looks down to highlight that they have no hands. The two trainers get their message.
"Alright, I can go get some," he acquiesces. As he pulls out a small, worn wallet, Touko mentions, "Put less salt in Reshiram's popcorn."
"Touko, I am not a baby Pokémon! I should be able to have as much salt in my popcorn as I want!"
"I need my entire team at peak performance. That includes you! Just because you're a legendary Pokémon doesn't mean you have special privileges. The last thing I need is the rest of my team whining to me that I pamper you too much."
"But you do not!"
"And I intend to keep it that way!"
A metaphorical light bulb turns on in N's mind. "Oh, I see. If Reshiram ingests too much salt, then its firepower will decrease. It's the same as dumping salt on a grease fire."
"Bingo! So that's why..." Touko tilts her head up to stare directly at N, "Whatever you do, don't fall for anything Lillil says."
The grass-type Pokémon sheepishly lowers her head, caught before she has even done anything. N meekly nods and ushers both Lillil and Zoroark towards the movie theater. With her fists by her hips, Touko observes them with a thin frown.
"Everyone, places!" she hears Hyacinth holler, "We're wasting time here!"
The heroine takes a deep breath and heads back to the set.
"Lights!" Hyacinth orders. The entire studio's lighting, save for the ambient 'moonlight' lamp, dimmed, casting the stage in a pale, bluish glow.
"Cue in waterworks. Rain Dance!"
A rain cloud ominously culminates and douses the entire set in gallons upon gallons of water.
"Camera rolling," the cameraman reports as everyone took their respective positions.
Touko's legs dangle helplessly as she is hoisted high into the air. The robot gently guides her into its slimy grasp, while doing its best to make itself appear like it's carrying her weight.
"Lightning!" Hyacinth orders through the pouring rain.
Additional lights flash in the trainer's eyes, and a loud crashing of thunder reverberates around her.
It suddenly settles on Touko that she's about to be filmed. Despite how fake everything looked when she was standing on the sidelines, with the green screen backdrop and the plaster-casted cliff edge sitting in front of a giant air pad, being on stage with everything happening around her feels unbelievably authentic.
"And… action!"
Isabella flies in with a guided wire, safely onto the cliff edge. Her clothes, already pre-soaked before the scene began, still sparkled in the dim moonlight. Her hair, which should have been a mess in these stormy conditions, remains well-kempt and tightly bound by the magic of concrete hairspray. She looks every bit as courageous as a magical girl should when staring into the eyes of a monster. There is no fear. Only righteousness.
"Oh, miserable beast of the deep, I have come to end your suffering!" Isabella cries, her voice carrying a tone of virtue that reminds Touko of every magical girl protagonist ever, "Release your captive. She has nothing to do with your tormentor!"
The arm pulls Touko back, far enough over the air pad below. It jostles her around back and forth roughly, and the off-screen screech of a giant Tentacruel blares just behind Touko's head. The arm turns her, and she is laid out horizontally where she can see her landing point directly below.
"You leave me no choice! I'm sorry, poor beast, but I cannot allow you to endanger another innocent life!" Isabella waves her staff as the lighting dramatically shifts from blue to red.
Another cry from behind her and Touko could feel the grip around her loosen, exchanging her to gravity's grasp. Touko fights the urge to close her eyes. The camera locks in on her. Her mouth opens.
N's heart jolts. A memory flashes before his eyes, of him sitting on the floor of the adoption center in Driftveil City with Mei, Hugh, and the rest of the staff. The girl on the television was running for her life in the alleyway of a deserted city. She turned around and stopped to catch her breath once she noticed that whatever was chasing her was gone. Her wide eyes scanned the area as she leaned against the broken wooden planks blocking the path, unaware of the blinding red lights seeping through the cracks.
The monster's scream and Touko's scream mesh together, and it is enough for N to quake.
"Cut! C-CUT!" The director hastily commands, a drop of sweat falling down the side of his face. Touko's team, after recovering from the initial scare, erupts into a chorus of laughter and inhales another scoop of popcorn.
"Oh, miserable beast of the deep, I have come to end your suffering! Release your captive. She has nothing to do with your tormentor!" Isabella proclaims, pointing a finger at the Tentacruel robot. The monster flails its arms about, shaking its captive like someone would shake a soda can. Touko feebly shoves against the tentacle around her waist.
"You leave me no choice! I'm sorry, poor beast, but I cannot allow you to endanger another innocent life!" Isabella raises her staff. The robot recoils as the lighting changes, sending its captive over the cliff.
N watches with bated breath as the camera zooms in on Touko. Surely, her first attempt had failed because of nerves, right?
His hopes are quickly dashed when her voice burns with agony. It's a bloodcurdling sound, reminiscent of the cries that used to haunt his childhood. Of broken and battered Pokémon and of his own tears of loneliness, begging for anyone to be there for him.
N steps onto the set and approaches the air pad just as the director, with tears streaming down his face, orders the crew to stop the scene. Touko looks back at N with a confused and frustrated frown.
"No good?" she sheepishly asks.
With a small exhale, N shakes his head. "No good."
Touko keeps her head down as Director Hyacinth calls for a break. They've been at this scene for hours now, but she still hasn't been able to scream the way the director wants her to. She exits the studio and swallows a few times to soothe her sore throat. Her team, having finished their popcorn halfway through the shoot, glances up at her with worried expressions.
"Here, drink this," N says as he hands her a cup of water. Without a word, she grabs the cup and empties the content in seconds.
"Thanks," she coughs several times to clear her throat, "I needed that." She shoots him a small grin, but he can see that she's forcing herself to.
"Your acting was very impactful," he mentions, trying to cheer her up.
It has the opposite effect. Touko turns away. "But it's not what the director is looking for. I didn't think this would be so hard."
"This is your first time, is it not? You shouldn't be too hard on yourself."
"I have to meet their expectations. If I don't get this right, it'll look bad for Mei. I can't let her down."
N can tell that his words aren't reaching her. Touko clenches her fists as her face scrunches up. Her nails are threatening to dent her skin. He reaches out and grabs her left hand, coaxing her fingers open so that her palm rests on top of his. Touko's body tenses up as her head snaps towards N, who has now placed his other hand on top of hers.
"You won't," he unwaveringly says, "But we do need to figure out how to get the right kind of scream. As it stands right now, it is more terror-inducing than shocked."
N looks up and finds Touko struggling to keep eye contact. She nods once at his criticism but doesn't say anything. He's about to ask if she's alright when Isabella strolls up to them with a Ditto in her arms.
"This is a surprise," Isabella's voice interrupts, attracting their attention, "You are surprisingly forward for a guy who's like a Lillipup following its trainer around."
N tilts his head, but once the actress gestures to their hands, his eyes widen a bit. He slowly releases Touko, who finally snaps out of her daze.
"I was trying to comfort her. Even though Mei asked her to take over at the last minute, she's doing her best to fill Mei's role."
Isabella frowns and talks to Touko's back. "I'll admit you have potential. Your acting has left a strong impression on the director. However, you must reign it in and hog the spotlight as little as possible. Your job is to make the main character look good."
The extra straightens and turns around. "How do I do that?"
"Excuse me?"
"How do I-?"
Before Touko can further expand on her question, they hear director Hyacinth's voice shouting at someone to get off the set. Isabella heads back inside, grumbling to herself what the fuss is all about.
"We should go, too," N suggests.
"Yeah…"
The noise from inside escalates into chaos as the sound of a Pokémon being released sets off a chord of screams. There's a scuffle, with stuff slamming into the walls and footsteps tapping towards the exit. The two trainers quickly realize that they aren't shooting another scene.
N grimaces. "I hear the Pokémon calling for help. We have to hurry!"
"Touko! On the roof!" Reshiram warns just as the heroine is about to join him. She tilts her head up and catches a glimpse of someone with black clothes and white hair escaping from the roof.
"The Shadow Triad?! That means-! Oh no, N!"
"Wait, don't go in there!" Touko feebly warns, dashing into the studio with her Pokémon just as the lights die. Darkness engulfs the building.
"What the blazes is going on?" Hyacinth can be heard in the dark amidst a wave of confusion within the studio, "Someone, get the lights working!"
"I got it!" a nearby stage crew calls as he begins feeling around for the switchboard.
The room falls silent as they wait for the lights to come back on. All the while, Touko becomes acutely aware of the sound of straining metal and snapping wires.
"Touko? Touko, where are you?" N calls.
"I'm right here," she whispers, eyes searching wildly in the pitch-black void for any kind of movement. There's no dark aura. Everyone around her seems to be conscious. This isn't good.
"N. I'm going to need you to keep your head down. Don't move from where you are."
"Why? What's going on?" N questions, picking up on the panicked tone in Touko's voice.
Suddenly, the film crew searching for the switchboard yelps. "Eugh! What is this stuff?"
Touko can hear the man nearly losing his balance as each step he takes emits a distinct squishing sound. Like a sponge or…or…
"Scoria!" Touko calls, "Sunny Day!"
The Megapede Pokémon fires off an orb of light that bathes the entire room in a bright flash.
It takes everyone in the room a moment to realize they are all staring at a face. The entire northern wall was covered in pink-purple flesh with an eye and a mouth. Flesh hangs haphazardly on top of the light fixtures, running along the floor and blocking the doorway to the set.
It's an atrocity: a giant Ditto with the top half of a familiar female actress hanging out of where its other eye should be.
Touko hisses under her breath. Somehow, Isabella has been turned into a Kugeki.
The moment after is followed by a unified scream as the studio falls into a panic. N's skin crawls at the sight. Why is Isabella's partner suddenly attacking her? "Please let her go, Ditto! Tell me what's wrong. We can work this out!"
The Kugeki shows no signs of registering N's voice. He pleads with it again, but the monster only screeches and snaps an elongated arm at him. Touko steps in front of him and commands Scoria to use X-Scissors. The Scolipede attempts to slice the gooey appendage in half, but she only succeeds in parrying it back to the Kugeki.
N widens his eyes. With Scoria's strength, she should have easily disarmed the monster. "What is happening? Are Pokémon attacks not effective?"
"Not just that," Touko says, "It doesn't seem to recognize your voice. Can you hear anything, N?"
He takes a moment to focus his hearing, trying to pinpoint the Kugeki's heart. His face twists with frustration when all he can hear are the screams of the people around him. It isn't hard for him to zone everything else out when he needs to, but even then...nothing, not even Isabella's voice, comes to him.
"I-I don't hear anything."
The hysterical shrieking of the movie crew is starting to aggravate the Kugeki, and it peels off of the wall, coming down on the crew like a slow-moving wave. Without missing a beat, Touko grabs N's arm and drags him out of the building.
"Help! Help me!" Mr. Hyacinth cries as he disappears under the undulating mass. The rest of the crew who aren't able to outrun the wave are swept away and swallowed up. Touko has a brief flashback of the Kugeki she fought in the Castelia Sewers.
"What can I do?" N mumbles to himself, brainstorming for a solution. The heroine only spares him one pained frown before turning back to the entrance. She takes a step forward.
"Touko? What are you doing?" he asks.
"Get the people in the surrounding area to evacuate," she commands, "I'll buy you some time."
"I'm not going to let you fight this alone!"
"Please, N! We don't have time to argue about this!"
An internal battle wages in N's mind. That troublesome feeling is back, stronger than ever before. He finds that the last thing he wants is for her to face this danger alone.
"I'm sorry. Lillil, Sleep Powder!"
N barely has the time to register her words before a sleeping spell hangs over him. "Why…are you-?"
The heroine catches him in her arms before he collapses onto the concrete walkway. Scoria helps her trainer place the unconscious man on Ritsu's back. N's Zoroark and Vanilluxe watch the scene before them, and the dark-type Pokémon snaps at Touko, demanding to know why she has knocked N out.
"I don't have time to explain! You're going to have to trust me!" Touko pleads to N's Pokémon. Ritsu howls once, and Zoroark gives one last glare before following the retreating crowd into the city.
"Touko. You must transform!"
"Got it! No better time than now! Curing Fusion!"
A ring of orange embers circles rapidly around her ankles, burning away the legs of her loose denim and replacing it with knee-high boots. Her faded windbreaker is swallowed by the embers, replacing it with a white short skirt that flares out over her thighs as the rest of her dress is magically constructed out of nowhere. The ring pulses outward, creating her wings before looping back and swirling over her hair, extending it and splashing it with a bright orange hue. A silver choker clasps around her neck and circle earrings gleam into existence, completing her ensemble with an audible, pleasant pop.
"The Heroine of Truth! Cure Flare!"
The sight of the heroine causes the fleshy mass to come to a rumbling halt, and Isabella can be seen clutching her head with agony.
"No…" Isabella's voice echoes throughout the empty studio just as the light from Flare's transformation begins to fade, "That's my line! My spotlight! Stop taking it away from me!"
Flare frowns. "The Shadow Triad has cast you as a villain. I'll give you back your role once I revert you back to normal."
"Let us show this Kugeki the results of our training!"
Flare extends her hand forward, igniting a small orange ember in her open palm. She is well aware of the victims still caught under the Kugeki's body, and as much as she wants to end this fight as quickly as possible, she can't immediately resort to her most powerful attacks.
But more importantly, she needs to prevent the Kugeki from entering the city.
She claps her hands together, dividing the tiny ember and spreading it over her head in an arc. The orbs of flames dance around her as she avoids an incoming mound of flesh. The orbs hone onto the pink surface as it draws closer, engulfing the area in a burst of flame that leaves a distinct burn on a column of blobby skin.
The Kugeki groans in mild annoyance as it pulls the burned appendage back. Isabella can be seen hugging herself in pain before clutching at her head and screaming, sending out more fleshy arms to crush the magical girl. Now aware of the actual threat Flare poses, these appendages are a bit faster and move with more purpose in catching her, which forces her to leave the building in order to give herself more space. The Kugeki bursts forth from the entrance, effectively destroying the doorframe and disrupting the flashy displays anchored on top, and continues its attempt to catch the magical girl.
Flare sidesteps each lunge as the orbs of flames dancing overhead swat them aside. Seeing as it is getting nowhere, the Kugeki slouches forward as a whole, its mass expanding across the concrete walkway. It raises its body in order to consume her. As she spreads her wings and runs away from the Kugeki, she catches a glimpse of the director and his crew on the floor next to the entrance of the filming studio.
"Okay, now to drag it away and finish this in one fell swoop."
Flare soars towards the movie theater and begins charging up her special attack. The blob retreats as if bracing for impact, but it's actually clumping together, growing until it easily towers over the buildings around them. The distinct scent of burned flesh is heavy in the air as the Kugeki lets out an almost disappointed sigh. Flare notices the slime beginning to recede. Or at least it appears that way.
"What's going on…? Is it stopping?"
"No! Flare, be on your guard! It is transforming!"
Large appendages appear among the receding pink mass. A massive Tentacruel stands before Flare, with Isabella at the place where its eyes should be. The Kugeki concentrates an orb of water and unleashes a Hydro Pump at the Precure.
Flare gasps and immediately switches to the defensive. A red barrier meets the beam of water, and a cloud of steam hides the Kugeki from her view. She tries to bat the mist away with her wings, but a tentacle from out of her field of vision comes sweeping in from her right, slamming into Flare's side and sending her flying in the water fountain.
As she coughs water out of her throat, Reshiram cries, "Flare! Look out! Above you!"
Not taking the time to see the threat, Flare quickly rolls forward and out of the fountain as another tentacle narrowly misses crushing her under its weight. The assault doesn't stop there; more tentacles are flailing her way, flinging aside billboards and creating craters into the concrete.
"A magical girl shouldn't look that pathetic," the Kugeki taunts, "That won't do. This won't do at all! At least do your job right when you take the spotlight!"
Flare's eyes flash dangerously as she eyes the onslaught of tentacles heading her way. She jumps over the swarm of appendages and lands a flying kick on the Kugeki's head. As the monster topples over, the Precure grabs one of its tentacles and tosses its body over her head onto the ground.
"I'm just getting started!" the magical girl retorts back. The Kugeki is quick to get back on its feet, standing mere inches away from the unconscious crew. Flare takes one glance at their prone bodies.
"Incoming!"
Taking her eyes off her opponent proves to be a fatal mistake, as Flare finds herself moments away from being flattened under a giant tentacle. Suddenly, a powerful stream of water intercepts the strike, knocking the arm far enough away to just narrowly miss its target. From the entrance, Ritsu closes his mouth and unsheathes his seamitar. The rest of her team is behind him, waiting to jump into the fray and help out their trainer.
"Thank you, everyone!" Cure Flare shouts before punching away another tentacle, "Get the director and his crew out of here!"
Without hesitation, her Pokémon dash around the Kugeki towards the victims. As they sprint past the monster, the Kugeki picks up the two trailers in front of it and hurls them at the magical girl. Flare retaliates by throwing two fireballs the size of an enlarged Poke Ball, causing the vehicles to explode in the air. Metal debris begins to rain onto the studio grounds.
Having picked up Director Hyacinth and a cameraman, Scoria and Pele weave through the shower of metal hail with quick footwork. Lillil, with a woman on her back, slides on the icy walkway that Valyn has created while the ice-type Pokémon liquefies his body and hovers over the Lilligant, acting as a makeshift umbrella.
Seeing as the remaining victims have been safely evacuated, Flare is now able to unleash her full power. She begins to soak in the sunlight, pooling the energy into one point. While she charges her special attack, Ritsu stands between her and the Kugeki, slicing away at any tentacles that threaten to break her concentration.
"Precure… Solarbeam Flare!"
The fiery burst of energy swallows the entire area in retina-burning white light. The beam exploding from the palm of her hand pierces through the Kugeki and cuts upward before petering out in the stratosphere like the remnants of a shooting star. The Kugeki falls to the ground, slumping like a pile of goo.
"Impressive. You are able to control the path of your Solarbeam Flare now."
"J-Just a bit," Flare pants out as the attack concludes, "M-Mom was a big help. I'm just glad...that I can stop blowing stuff up-!"
Ritsu's growl stops her sentence prematurely. The magical girl turns to the sound of reforming flesh.
"It is transforming once again!"
The Kugeki has changed into a Mandibuzz-like creature. The sinister intent behind its flirty stare and cocky sneer is undermined by the large bone lodged within its throat. It tries to caw, but it quickly spirals into a coughing fit as the bone scraps against its wind tunnel.
"Is this…?" Flare mutters, frowning at the pitiful sight.
"Perhaps we have blown away her persona, and we are now left with her true self."
"I can't be left behind!" Isabella's raspy voice pokes against the choking sounds, "I've been pursuing this for years, but then some rookie, a replacement, shows up and manages to move someone as Director Hyacinth on her first try! A-At this rate, I'm going to be replaced! Ahhh, it's no good. I'm no good!"
"You're not the problem, Isabella!" the Precure says, "I'm not here to replace you!"
It doesn't seem to hear her. The Kugeki beats its wings, summoning a gale of brown and black feathers. Flare and Ritsu instinctively close their eyes as they raise their arms to defend against the wind. When the gust dies down, Flare lowers her arms and gasps.
An unconscious N is lying face-down on the floor, right in front of the Kugeki.
"W-Why is he here?! I thought Zoroark and Vanilluxe are looking after him!"
With one last cough, the Kugeki screeches, "Show me that performance again!"
It steps forward. Adrenaline prevents Flare from hearing anything else other than her deafening heartbeat. Without thinking, she lunges toward him and stretches her hand out.
Another step. The Kugeki lifts its feet up, ready to crush N under its weight.
"N!" Flare's heart-stopping scream echoes across the studio. Stunned by the intensity of the Precure's desperation, the Kugeki pauses mid-stomp and pathetically caws at the brilliant performance, and that precious second is enough for fury to invade her veins.
Ignited by unbridled emotions, Flare reaches N's side and presses her hand against the Kugeki's claw. Hot blue flames gather in her palm.
"Precure!" the magical girl hisses, "Blue Flare!"
The Kugeki is engulfed by her signature move, but instead of crying in pain, it seems to embrace the attack. Isabella and Ditto are reverted back to normal, and after undoing her transformation, Touko bends down and checks up on the unconscious actress.
"Touko, I do not see N anywhere."
The heroine whips her head back, and indeed, there is no one lying behind her. She turns back to Isabella and lowers her head.
"The Kugeki must have transformed a part of its body into N in order to provoke you."
She stays quiet, but her body begins to tremble.
"Touko…?"
"How dare you!" the heroine suddenly shouts, "I get what you were trying to do, but how dare you resort to using him! If that's how you want to play it, then I'll give you the most girlish scream you've ever heard! You won't believe your ears!"
Reshiram lays one of its wings onto its nose. "I was worried for nothing."
Ritsu lets out a low growl, asking if they should stop their trainer. The Vast White Pokémon shakes its head. "Let her. It is good to vent once in a while."
"If you ever try something like that again, I will end your career just like I did with Ghetsis's. Just try me, ya bit-!"
Ritsu's mouth hangs open as the fur on Reshiram's body bristles.
"So, the takeaway is that it is not a matter of staying in character, but getting into character."
A few days later…
Touko, N, and Mei exit the movie theater as the crowd disperses. Mei leads the two to the giant screen next to the exit and points to the top.
"Wow, the movie's already made 900 billion Pokédollars! That's a first-rate director for you!" The twin-bunned trainer marvels.
Touko widens her eyes. "W-Woah, that's a lot of money! I would be set for life!"
N chuckles. "Well, some of that money will be going to go into repairing all of the damaged equipment. None of the buildings have gone down, thankfully, but they're in pretty bad shape."
"I'm sooo sorry!" Mei exclaims as she claps her hands together, "It was supposed to be an easy job. I didn't think that something like that would happen."
"It's alright," Touko reassures, "The important thing is that no one got hurt, and they were able to finish shooting before the release date. All's well that ends well."
N fiddles with the tip of his cap. "What was that creature, though? Could it be like the specter we faced in Nacrene City? We weren't able to inflict any damage to it, and I could not hear its voice."
Touko turns away and bites her lips. A wave of anger washes over her as she remembers how the Kugeki used a fake N in an attempt to catch her off guard.
"Whatever it is, it's gone now. If you weren't able to hear its inner voice, then maybe it's not a Pokémon," Mei says, effectively ending the conversation there. As the three trainers are about to exit the building, the owner of Pokéstar Studios, Stu Deeoh, and Isabella approach them. While the elderly man has a pleasant smile on his face, the actress is staring intently at Touko.
"Ohhh, if it isn't Mei! Congratulations on yet another successful movie appearance."
"I can't take all the credit this time. My understudy did a great job covering for me."
Stu Deeoh peers at the heroine. "Touko, was it? I'm grateful that you were here when the studio was attacked. We'll be sending you and your friend compensation for the trouble you went through."
"I'm just happy to help, sir," Touko says.
Isabella shakes her head. "Why am I the only one who can't remember anything? Clearly, I would know if the studio was in trouble."
"You were one of the first people to be knocked unconscious by that thing. It. Can't. Be. Helped."
The actress frowns at Touko's punctuated words but ultimately shrugs. "Well, one thing I do know is that after that whole mess, you were finally able to play your part correctly. I guess Mei's judgment wasn't wrong this time."
"It's never been wrong, Isabella," Mei counters, "But I'm sorry for bailing at the last minute. Something really important came up and-!"
"Save it. Just make sure your next appearance surpasses everything you've already done. You have a standard to uphold."
Isabella strolls out the door, leaving behind an exasperated Touko, a grinning Mei, and a pondering N.
"That's all I get for all of my hard work?! How do you keep up with these people, Mei?" Touko whines.
"She's ambitious, but I'm unstoppable."
"She certainly cares about the growth of this studio and the people she works with in her own way," N pitches in, "Different ways of thinking can bring about different results."
Stu Deeoh nods in agreement. "It's important to let everyone pursue their dreams in their own ways, but it is also equally important to help each other out whenever we can. Speaking of...Touko, have you ever considered starting a career in acting?"
She frantically shakes her head. "I-I'm good."
"Never again. I'm never doing this again. This is a. One. Time. Thing."
"Where have I heard that one before?"
Profile: Ritsu
The Formidable Pokémon. Touko's starter Pokémon and the final evolution of Oshawott. Given to her by Professor Juniper, Ritsu has been with Touko since the beginning of her journey. His loyalty to his trainer and his friends is something that he inherited from the heroine herself. Despite being a deeply respected leader, Ritsu is a nerd for all things related to chivalry. He is an avid fan of magical girl shows, and that love has spread to the rest of his teammates. His distinct battle style, which consists of waiting for his enemies to attack and countering accordingly, has been inspired by historical dramas involving samurais.
Gender: Male
Type: Water
Nature: Adamant
Characteristic: Hates to lose.
Ability: Torrent
Move set: Ice Beam, Waterfall, Revenge, Hydro Pump