A/N: The matinee is a performance of The Complete Works from the Reduced Shakspearow Comany, in case you're wondering.

Hilda

Hilda knelt in the morning sun. Her two pokémon stood across from her and listened intently as she outlined her plan. "We can do this," she told them before fighting off a yawn. She had not slept well at the Ranger Station sat night. Too many thoughts; too many tears.

"You guys will do magnificently," she encouraged. Blitzle stamped his hooves in agreement. Patrat cheered in his snippy little chirps from his post on Blitzle's back.

Hilda rested he hand on it's common post, petting the polio between Blitzle's ears and faced the Striaton Gym. She walked past the empty ticket booth and entered.

The cavernous dinner theatre reflected each of her booming steps. Small tables pooled in the center of the hall, each one set for two or four and draped in blue, green or orange linens. A gilded proscenium stood against the wall on the far side of the room. The stage curtain was black velvet, embroidered with three swirling spheres of green, orange, and blue. The entire theatre was empty.

A shrieking whine cut the silence in two. "Welco-" "Gimme that!" "Dude, it's my-" "Let me do it!"

Hilda's head flicked from side to side searching for the voices but she still couldn't see anyone. A small speaker imbedded in the ceiling directly above her in the entrance howled again as the voices continued to fight over the microphone.

"ENOUGH!" one shouted."Ugh, fine!" "Whatever!" said the two others.

Hilda couldn't help but to chuckle slightly at the unprofessionalism.

"Welcome foolish trainer, to the Striaton Gym. Here you will face your doom!" "Doom? Really? That is so passé" the second voice cut in. "Just let him speak," argued the third voice.

The lights facing the stage brightened. The curtain parted, revealing three men in a gold waistcoats and bow ties that matched the decor.

"Welcome to our gym!" said the first man, who had spiky red hair. "What is your name, fair challenger?" he asked.

"Hilda. Hilda Henderson."

"Excellent, I'm Chili and I light things up with fire types!"

The man on his right snatched the singular microphone out of Chili's hand. "I'm a water specialist," he said. "My name is Cress." His blue-black hair clumped limply on his head, like he hadn't washed it in a while.

The third man only held out his hand for the microphone. Cress deposited it there in the blond's hands quickly. "And my name is Cilan. I like grass-type pokemon."

Chili grabbed the microphone out of Cilan's hands. "As for the reason there are three of us, we-"

Cress whacked Chili and took the microphone. "The three of us will decide whom you will battle. Can you please display your pokedex?"

Hilda clumsily fished out her pokedex from her bag. This gym was nothing like she had expected. The dark room muted the prismatic sparks in the red enamel as she held it up.

Cress smiled. "What incredible luck for you, darling! It shall be I and my esteemed water types that must face you and your tepig."

"But," Hilda began, "I don't have-" All lights in the theatre cut out and the floor began to rumble.

When the lights flicked on again, the floor had been swept clean. Each table had been moved to either the left or right. A plain field, once obscured by seating, was tiled into the floor. At the far end stood Cress, ready and waiting.

"Please release your pokémon," he said.

"But I don-" Hilda tried to explain again.

"You will do fine, don't worry."

"Okay," she muttered. Hilda turned to her two pokémon. "Patrat," she said, "Blitzle is going to take care of this one, is that okay?" The scout pokémon nodded and leaped off of Blitzle's back. He rushed up Hilda's body and settled on her hat to spectate. Blitzle stood calmly as Hilda unhitched the packs, leaving only Blitzle's harness on.

"What?" said Cress as Blitzle trotted onto the field. "How can this be?"

"I tried to tell you," Hilda said. "I don't have a tepig."

Cress gulped audibly. "Very well," he decided. "Hilda, darling, you shall still face my panpour!" The water monkey released itself from her pokéball and flowed from pirouette to bow to a ready stance.

"This shall be a single matchup: Blitzle vs Panpour," said one of the other brothers. They both stood in the referees box, Cilan with the green flag and Chili with the red. "The challenger will be conferred the Trio Badge if she defeats Leader Cress."

"Panpour!" Cress commanded. "Work Up, please, and then Fury Swipes."

"Blitzle!" cried Hilda. "Charge up then charge it! Quick Attack!"

Panpour began stretching her arms up and out, building up a pinkish glow. Blitzle was also glowing. He closed his eyes and focused on the small yellow sparks of electricity that cascaded down his mane as he shook his head. He focused on feeding them energy and shunting the sparks down to his legs and the muscles there. He charged.

Hilda threw up an arm against the sudden flash of light. Blitzle had built up too much energy in his legs and hooves and they had grounded somewhat when he tried to run. The wave of electricity arced across the tiled floor to Panpour who convulsed, then recovered.

Hilda's mouth split wide open in a huge grin. "Shockwave?" she asked herself. Patrat chattered an agreement. He thought that was the attack as well. "Do that again!" she called to Blitzle. "But this time, try and make direct contact!"

Cress's eyes bulged. "WAIT!" he almost screamed. "I forfeit!" His brothers looked on in confusion as Cress walked into the field. He snapped his fingers and a spotlight grew in the field. "I, Cress, Leader of Striaton City Gym, forfeit this battle. The challenger Hilda Henderson has defeated me." He motioned for Hilda to join him in the spotlight. "I therefore confer on you the Trio Badge."

Hilda was still slightly in-pardon the pun-shock. Patrat had to jump on her head to get her moving. Cress retrieved a brass pin from his trouser's pocket and handed it to her. "Your blitzle looked really young," he said. "As long as it didn't know any offensive electric attacks, I had a chance of winning. With that shockwave, my defeat was ensured, even if it hadn't happened yet."

Hilda blinked slowly. She was still trying to puzzle out the reason for the battle's stop. "But, why didn't you keep fighting? Blitzle hasn't battled much, he would have made a mistake soon."

Cress softened his look. "That's not the point of battling, darling. We compete as friends. Some pokémon will go until they have to be dragged off of the field, but that isn't right. We let them compete, not make them fight."

Hilda was still unsure, but she nodded all the same. She mechanically began hooking Blitzle's bags back on him, getting ready for the next leg of her journey.

"Would you like some tea?" Cress asked. "We don't have to get ready for the matinee for at least another couple hours." he motioned her over to one of the tables beyond the sideline.

"This is an actual theatre?" Hilda asked.

"Oh, yes," said Cress. He was handed a pot of hot tea by a passage that Hilda assumed was Cilan's. It had the same bouffant. "My brothers and I were members of an acting troupe in Nimbasa City for several years. When the Pokemon Musical started up, it eventually drove off much of the human actors. We decided to move down here and start up a gym."

"Oh," said Hilda softly. "That's kinda sad."

"It isn't that bad, darling, so don't worry overmuch. I actually like battling more than acting, though I'm not the best at it,"Cress said. "One sugar or two?"

"Two, please. So how long have you guys been here?"

"We just opened up a few months ago. We haven't exactly worked out all the kinks for the dramatic entrance."

Hilda chuckled. "I heard." She drained her tea quickly. "Thank you, but I will be having to go now," she said. "My brother should be challenging this gym soon, and I don't want to be here when he loses."

"Understandable," He said. "Have a good day, Hilda. Remember to smile.