A/N: Hey, everyone! I do apologize if this chapter was a little late for y'all! And when I say "a little late", I mean almost three months late. Yes, yes, yes, I know, shame on me for not proceeding with this project in a more efficient and timely manner. Especially when I promised a chapter to be up last month, only to not live up to that promise.
However, if any of you have been following my story and profile updates, then you'll know that I have been preoccupied with another fic of mine, "Judgment's Fall", which has been a passion project of mine for quite some time now. And, on top of all that, I've recently had some scheduling and updating problems with that one. I have been able to get past that for now, but please be advised, I'm still not entirely sure how much of an effect "Judgment's Fall" will have on my update schedules for this story and others, because I strongly intend to update that one around three times a month, every ten days. Rest assured, I also strongly intend to keep you all in the loop through future updates to my profile.
Speaking of updates, I want to beg you all to please, please, please not review any of my other "Pokémon" fics if all you are going to do is spend a considerable portion of that review asking if I will update "The Way We Will Be". I got a review asking about it in recent weeks, and I honestly, I'm quite irritated at this point by such reviews. I know that I promised a chapter for this story that would come out last month and that I didn't pay up on that, and for that, I strongly apologize. BUT. There's absolutely no need to waste a review on asking an unrelated question like that when you could've just used a PM to remind me of my promise, or ask.
Now, I understand if there's still some lingering concern about email notifications not working for PMs on this site, but for those of you who weren't in the loop, rest assured, they're working now. And even if they aren't, I visit my profile many, many times per day. What people don't seem to remember is that there's also a notification for newly-received PMs that is visible, first thing upon entry into my account. That function continued to work even while email notifications for PMs were down for all that time. I have a pretty watchful eye, so trust me, I will see if I got a new PM that I was not notified about via email beforehand.
So, next time, if you ever want to know how things are going with "The Way We Will Be" and you feel my profile updates aren't satisfactory answers, just PM me. Don't review another story just to ask. The only reasons I won't answer your PM is if I don't have computer access for whatever reason (of which I'll let you guys know beforehand), or if I somehow die or get hospitalized for an unexpected, severe condition (of which I obviously cannot let you guys know beforehand, LOL).
Alright, enough of this rambling! On with the long-awaited chapter. And my, my, my, what a chapter it'll be! ENJOY!
P.S.: Due to the ever-worsening situation regarding the coronavirus outbreak, I'm going to have to remind you all about the basic steps you should take if you want to stay healthy, courtesy of my university's reminder emails:
-Wash hands often with soap and water for 20-30 seconds at a time, and/or use hand sanitizer
-Avoid close contact with people who are sick
-Keep your hands away from nose, eyes, and mouth (I can't imagine how difficult this part is probably going to be)
-Eat well, get adequate rest, and exercise regularly
-Get a flu shot if you haven't already and are able to
-Stay informed on the COVID-19 vaccines and get shots if you're able to
And if you ARE sick (I hope you get better if you are), please be a good sport and save other folks the trouble of getting sick. You can do this by:
-Covering your mouth and nose with your sleeve, elbow, or a tissue whenever you sneeze or cough
-Not sharing food and drinks with others
-Avoiding touching your mouth, nose, and eyes (Again, I understand this is probably going to be difficult)
-Avoiding close contact with others
-Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and objects
-Staying at home if you're unwell (PRIORITY NUMBER ONE!)
-Staying calm and keeping yourself well-informed (My personal advice)
If you already know this, then great! If you didn't know any of this beforehand, please keep that information in mind as we all go through this trying time. It's a realm of unknowns at this point, and I wish myself and all of humanity well.
Temporary Pokémon Center
Laurier Maison, northern Kiloude City
"And what a surprise our new judge is! She has experience in the world of Pokémon Showcases, an experience like no other! She has watched, with her very own eyes, this graceful and beautiful competition evolve from its humble roots to the marvelous spectacle that it is today! She has an unrivaled etiquette when it comes to judging Performers and their abilities to display beauty in their own unique ways! And most of all, she is the one who mentored and nurtured our very own Kalos Queen, Aria herself!"
From the safety and luxury of his bed, a bandaged Ash watched as Monsieur Pierre twirled his staff around. Beside him, resting on a bed of his own, was an equally bandaged Greninja, while Pikachu was perched on the bedside table propped up between the Trainer and his Ninja Pokémon. He could still see Yancy, Blanche, and Clarice off to the side on the stage; apparently, something had just happened to prompt a change in judges for the Theme Performance.
"So, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, give a round of applause for one of the foremost producers in the Showcase arena, a prodigy in the art of beauty between Performer and Pokémon, the shining light of our venue...PALERMO!"
"Good luck, Yancy," Ash thought, just as Palermo made her entrance. "You can win this Theme Performance. I believe in you."
Just then, the door to his room burst open.
"Ash!" a familiar voice cried, making his heart jump in surprise and a little something else.
The Pallet Town native looked at the doorway. "Serena?!"
The honey-blonde immediately rushed to his bedside, concern etched on her fair, beautiful face. The intense, emotional way she was looking at him prompted Ash's cheeks to turn slightly florid.
"I...I don't believe it!" Serena exclaimed, scanning his body. "You're...You're alright!"
"O-Of course!" Ash gave her a wide, toothy grin of optimism. "Why wouldn't I be? Ack!"
A subtle movement of his arm had triggered an abrupt, noticeable twinge of pain through his limb. Pikachu's beady eyes widened in concern.
"Pikapi!" he squeaked.
As for Serena, her face became even more hardened in concern at the sight.
"That's why," the Performer replied. She then pulled a chair and sat down beside her longtime crush. "How do you feel?"
Ash looked down at his own body to survey his many bandages. "Aside from what you just saw...fine, for the most part." Then, he turned his head to look at Greninja. "How about you, Greninja? You feeling alright?"
Greninja nodded and gave a sound of affirmation as a response. Serena blinked incredulously, before gently placing her left hand on Ash's bandaged, sinewy shoulder. This triggered another faint blush from the raven-haired boy, followed by another slight wince of pain.
"G-Greninja took quite a beating from that guy, Ash..." the honey-blonde remarked. "And...that means you did too..."
Ash chuckled in embarrassment. "Maybe I did..."
"S-So..." Serena scanned Ash's body again, taking note of how his bruises seemed to have faded so quickly since the last time she saw him, mere minutes ago. "I don't understand how you look healed for the most part. I know Nurse Joy is an expert in healing people and Pokémon alike, but she can't possibly be that good-"
"Wow." Ash's smile became wry and joking. "Nurse Joy's not gonna appreciate that if she heard you-"
"Ash!" Serena's bark quickly silenced the boy and even Pikachu into submission. "I'm being serious! I...I saw how badly you and Greninja were being beaten up, and now...you look like you two are in the hospital f-from a little tumble down a big hill! I can't even begin to imagine how that's possible!"
"Me neither, to be perfectly honest. I don't feel as bad as I did several minutes ago. Just some aches and pains here and there, but..." Ash looked down at his bandaged body again. "I feel like a totally new person..." He narrowed his eyes. "M-Maybe it has something to do with my connection to Greninja..."
Serena quirked an eyebrow in confusion. "If Greninja had astounding healing powers, then...don't you think we would've found out about it by now? I mean you two have been in sticky situations before, and yet there haven't been any healing powers to show from any of them. Just a great amount of synchronization."
"That's true. Whenever Greninja goes into its other form, I feel as if I'm in his body. I feel every inch of him, as if it was every inch of me. But I've never felt any sort of heightened healing ability from him every time he powers up, not even earlier today. And I think I would've noticed something as weird as that..."
Ash's brow became furrowed in intrigue, and he let out a soft hum of contemplation. However, Serena's face slackened, and she took a deep breath of relief. There was something almost adorable about the way he was actually trying to think. After all, Ash Ketchum was never one for thinking over things, for he liked to follow his heart over his head. And that was one of the things she loved about him, after all.
"Well," she said, "at least you're almost fully healed. That's what counts."
"Yeah..." Ash replied, his mind slipping away from his curiosity. "Yeah, I suppose so."
The two teens stared at one another in silence for a long moment, and as they did, the strong emotions bubbling within them became even more palpable than what could previously be deemed possible. It was almost like their eyes, blazing auburn and sapphire-blue, were joined together by an unseen force. Realizing the nature of the situation, Pikachu quickly hopped off the table he was standing on and ran off for a more secluded corner of the room. Meanwhile, Greninja nodded twice with approval before moving his head away, pretending to fall asleep.
"Hey," Serena said softly, after an extended period of silence, "Ash..."
"Yeah...?" Ash asked, unable to tear his eyes away from hers.
"We're...We're looking at each other..."
"That, we are..."
Another awkward silence hung over them. Knowing poker-faces appeared on Pikachu's and Greninja's expressions.
"Hey, Ash...?" Serena asked, finally breaking the silence.
"Yeah...?" replied Ash.
"D'you...remember when we were looking for Selene, a-and you said...Selene was our daughter?"
"Yeah..." Confusion started to fill the boy's face. "Wh-What about it?"
"Look, Serena, I do know how important this is. Selene's our...our daughter."
"Yeah, I'm worried about Selene too. Really, really worried. You're right, Serena. I...I shouldn't have stepped in when that fire broke out. I should've stayed close to Selene, kept an eye on her...like any father would do."
"But I shouldn't just leave you to take over the duty of watching Selene! If we're gonna be married and have kids together, th-then we need to be a team! And teammates don't handle individual responsibilities on their own."
"Yes, Serena. I... I want to-"
Serena blushed at the memory of Ash accepting his future responsibilities as a father. A small part of her quickly cursed their unknown attacker, the man with the Aggron, for cutting him off before he could say anything further.
"Y-You said that...i-if we're gonna be married and have kids together, then we need to be a team."
To her dismay, Ash quirked an eyebrow in confusion. "Really? I said that?"
She began to profusely sweat out of nervousness. "Y-Yeah... D-Did you really forget that?"
"I...I think so..." Ash's face became wrinkled as he strained to think. "I...I can't recall that memory at all... M-Maybe the beating took a lot more out of me than I previously th-"
"Ohhhhh, nooooo!" Serena buried her face in her palms in horror. "Now we're gonna have to start all over ag-"
Just then, she was cut off by a bout of lighthearted chuckling. Stunned and confused, the Performer lifted her face away from her hands and saw Ash laughing to himself with amusement. She could literally feel the gears in her head grind to a sudden halt in all of her confusion.
"A-Ash?"
"I'm sorry!" Ash replied between laughs. "I'm so sorry! I was just...I was just messing with you!"
"You were..." Serena cocked her head slightly. "What?"
"Sorry, so sorry, I was just, you know, trying to make things less awkward." With a slight grimace, Ash lifted his shoulder to wipe a tear from his cheek. "Did it work?"
...
"Serena?"
...
...
...
"Hello, Serena?"
...
...
...
"S-Seriously, you're scaring me, Serena. Did...Didja hear me?"
...
...
...
...
...
Ash looked at Pikachu and Greninja next. "G-Guys? D'you know what's wrong with Serena?"
Instead, he was met with looks of dismay and bafflement from both of his Pokémon. They slowly glanced at one another, as if to silently communicate with their eyes, before looking back at their Trainer, their disappointment immeasurable and their day ruined. Finally, Pikachu turned his back on Ash, while Greninja gave him the cold shoulder.
"Guys?" he asked, feeling a wave of icy coldness sweep into the room.
"Ash Ketchum?"
A colder shiver traveled up the boy's spine in mere milliseconds as he looked back at Serena. This time, the Performer's expression was a lot more readable, and it signaled nothing more than killing intent masked behind a mask of innocent sweetness.
"I suppose your head isn't working right," Serena said, her upbeat voice not missing a step. "Maybe I should help screw it back into place?"
Ash didn't like the sound of that, so he chuckled nervously and replied, "No, no, I'm good. My memory's all fine now."
Serena's smile widened slightly. "You sure...Ash?"
"Yep." Ash nodded meekly. "Double-sure."
"Good."
This word was punctuated with a sweet yet sinister-sounding giggle. Ash chuckled again while sweat-dropping coldly.
"Jeez, Serena," he commented. "No wonder I'm that successful in the future. I've got you to scare me back into shape."
Upon hearing the sound of that, Serena's terrifying face vanished in an instant, and it became as pink as a Pecha Berry.
"Yeah," she replied. "I suppose, huh? Maybe I should write some notes..."
An awkward silence built up between the two of them again. Knowing poker-faces appeared on Pikachu's and Greninja's expressions.
"Hey, Serena...?" Ash asked, finally breaking the silence.
"Yeah...?" replied Serena.
"About us being a team if we're gonna be married and start a family together..." Then, he began waving one of his hands in alarm. "A-And I'm being totally serious now!"
Serena's head perked up. "Yes, yes! Did..." She gulped. "D-Did you really mean it?"
"O-Of course!" Ash's face suddenly started to glow brightly with emotion. "I-I mean, th-that's our future, right? T-There's no avoiding it, even if either of us wanted to."
Serena's heart fell at the lackluster response. "Oh..."
"Plus, I-I really like Selene a-and Yancy. And I'd love to raise them properly, as a father."
Serena's heart fell even more. "I see..."
"And..." The boy's face turned just as pink as Serena's. "I'd truly love to raise them together with you..."
Serena's heart leaped with joy at the sound of those words. "O-Oh?!"
Ash averted his gaze. "As my wife..." he completed.
...
...
...
The two looked at one another again, their minds and hearts joined together by a common emotion. There was no longer any turning back for either of them now. Ash acknowledged his true feelings about the whole situation, while Serena was faced with the undeniable fact that her crush on him was finally being reciprocated.
"Ash..." Serena whispered fondly, all the while struggling the urge to swallow nervously, lest she wound up embarrassing herself in front of her crush. "I..." She placed a hand over the blue ribbon that she wore. "I too would love to raise Yancy and Selene together with you...as my...my husband..."
Then, she lifted her hand away from the ribbon and gently placed it over Ash's own hand. Reacting instantaneously, the raven-haired boy grasped it, their fingers intertwining with one another. Pikachu felt an irresistible urge to squeal loudly in joy, while Greninja simply gave Ash a nod of approval.
"Ash..." Serena said.
"Serena..." Ash said back.
"I..."
"I..."
"So, the rules are simple!"
Ash and Serena both yipped in shock and tore their hands away, as if someone had walked in on them. But instead, they quickly realized the person who interrupted their lovely, life-changing moment was Monsieur Pierre, who was still onstage at the Laurier Maison. Both of them blushed in embarrassment but continued to watch him make his announcements.
"The Performer must dress up their Pokémon in a way that communicates their beauty, first and foremost," Pierre continued. "Once they are done, they must take a walk on the runway and show off that beauty. And once all three Performers are done with their presentation, Palermo will cast her final judgment. The lucky Performer who receives the brightest accolade from her will be declared the winner! Comme c'est magnifique!"
"Didn't I see this exact same thing before?" Serena asked curiously.
"Huh, you did?" Ash replied. He felt somewhat relieved and yet so disappointed that he didn't have to deal with what was about to come next in their earlier conversation. "I guess this TV's a little behind. Maybe I should tell Nurse Joy-"
"No, no, it's alright..." A blushing but smiling Serena took her future husband's hand again. "This time, we can watch our daughter perform. Together."
Ash blushed as well, but he inwardly rejoiced at the sensation of Serena's hand on his. With a nod of approval, he lifted his hand and reached for the bedside table, all the while feeling as if the lingering pain was finally fading away.
Then, at that same moment, Ash felt the remote being placed into his groping hand. Looking across his shoulder, he saw Greninja withdrawing his arm back to his side. The Ninja Pokémon gave him another approving nod, while Pikachu was giving him a satisfied poker-face at the same time. Ash rolled his eyes at his first Pokémon before aiming the remote at the TV and using it to raise the volume.
"Let us begin this newest round of our Theme Performance! Dress-up time!"
"WHOO!" Serena cried encouragingly. "Go, Yancy! You can do this!"
As for Ash, he took a quick mental note of how Blanche had said something to Yancy that made the pink-haired girl look shocked and a little mortified. Slight concern welled up inside the future Frontier Brain as he watched his future daughter and her fellow Performers towards the stage, where a vast myriad of clothes and makeup sets awaited them.
Laurier Maison
"Jeez. Who knew Showcases could be such a cutthroat competition?"
The thought passed through Yancy's mind several times as she put the dress that she retrieved on Flo, who quickly and graciously accepted it. As she began to properly fasten it to the Garden Pokémon's slim, sleek body, the pink-haired girl looked over her shoulder to observe the progress of both Blanche and Clarice.
Blanche was currently busy applying the appropriate shades of makeup to her male Meowstic. The Constraint Pokémon, understandably, was somewhat uncomfortable over having such a do-over, but it didn't protest for the sake of its loving Trainer. As for Blanche herself, her normally cheerful and upbeat face was now wrinkled in concentration, analyzing her handiwork for even the most minor of imperfections that she could rectify straight away. Yancy couldn't help but wonder how her newfound friend was able to conduct herself for the duration of the previous Showcase season if she seemed so determined to win, a stark contrast to her usual optimistic personality.
As for Clarice, she had already put on a black-and-red top-hat and ribbon on her Fletchling and...was already on her way to the catwalk?!
"And there we have it!" Pierre announced, gesturing to the brunette girl with a wide smile. "Clarice has already finished with her styling and is about to take on the catwalk!"
"Huh?!" Blanche exclaimed in surprise.
In the seats, Selene, Nate, and the others watched with varying degrees of surprise as Clarice strutted onto the catwalk, her gait brimming with confidence while Fletchling proudly flapped its wings from her shoulder.
"That's it?!" Bonnie cried in disbelief.
"She just put a hat and a ribbon on her Fletchling!" exclaimed Selene. "That's sooo uncreative!"
"Pichu, pichu-pi!" Pichu squeaked in agreement.
"Nenene..." Dedenne added, shaking his head in disappointment.
Selene was about to stand up on her seat and call Clarice out, but Nate noticed and grabbed her to stop her.
In Ash's hospital room, he sweat-dropped nervously while Serena pouted in disappointment with crossed arms.
"That girl will never learn..." Serena remarked.
"Aw, give her a break, Serena," Ash replied modestly. "I'm sure Clarice is trying her best."
In the dressing room, all of the Performers stared on flatly at Clarice's odd choice of clothing for her Fletchling, Shauna, Miette, Nini, Kazalie, and Shulin included.
"What does that girl think she's doing?" Shauna whispered incredulously.
"Guess she's done for," Miette commented flatly.
Up in her personal booth, Aria was shaking her head while her face was buried in one of her palms. Every time she saw Clarice perform onstage, she always had a sinking feeling of what her outcome would be in every Showcase. Of course, as Kalos Queen, she couldn't spend her time thinking of such negative things. However, with a predictable style such as Clarice's, the outcome for anyone would never be lost on everyone else, not even the village idiot.
"Oh, Clarice..." Aria whispered to herself. Then, she remembered that it was Palermo who would be judging her. "I'm so sorry, but I'm afraid you've dug your own grave for this one."
Palermo already knew what her verdict was going to be, the moment she saw Clarice pick the top-hat and ribbon on the stage. Upon finishing what she had to say in her mind, the Showcase producer redirected her gaze back towards Yancy, who was still hard at work picking the right clothes and makeup sets for her Florges.
After all, she was the one who required her attention the most.
Upon reaching the end of the catwalk, Clarice aimed her shoulder at the audience's direction, showing off her Fletchling.
"Alright, Fletchling!" she cried. "Time for you to shine!"
With a cheerful chirp, Fletchling took off into the air and using intricate maneuvers in midair, showing off its great flying prowess to the audience. The reactions to Fletchling's well-trained flight patterns were mixed: some let out gasps of awe, others continued to watch wordlessly, and even more others didn't seem particularly enthused by Clarice's performance. However, Clarice ignored the audience's reactions, instead choosing to focus on Fletchling and make sure that its top-hat wouldn't fall off mid-flight.
Fortunately, the show didn't last long. With another chirp, the Tiny Robin Pokémon made its descent back to its Trainer's shoulder and landed with one last flap of its wings. Resisting the urge to kiss her beloved Flying-type in gratitude, Clarice chuckled and did a proper curtsy to the audience. This triggered a round of applause, with many in the crowd clapping to show their respect.
"There we go, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls!" Pierre announced. "That marks the end of Clarice's performance!"
The audience kept up the applause, but they never picked up more speed. Meanwhile, further in the middle of the stage, Yancy, who had been watching the proceedings while applying last-minute changes to Flo's uniform, felt a large pang of sympathy for her fellow Performer. Even though Clarice never caught on to the audience's true opinions, the pink-haired girl did, for it was as clear as day: her performance wasn't exactly the most compelling or flashy.
"Oh, boy," Yancy thought. "She may look happy now, but that's gonna change in a few seconds..."
"Now, then!" Pierre continued, once the applause quickly died down. "Let's get on with our judge's- ACK!" He had turned towards Palermo at that moment, only to be stunned. "O...Opinion..."
Everyone else followed Pierre's gaze and saw that Palermo, who had been sitting on a simple-looking chair ever since the Theme Performance started. But that wasn't what stunned the entire auditorium into awkward silence. A single thought raced through the minds of Yancy, Clarice, and Blanche.
"She's fallen asleep?!"
"She's fallen asleep?!"
That was the same thought shared by Selene, Nate, Clemont, and Bonnie in their seats.
In Ash's hospital room, Serena was gawking at the televised image of the sleeping Showcase producer, shock and horror intertwined in her expression. As for Ash, he was blinking every couple of seconds, unsure if what he was seeing on the TV set was real.
Meanwhile, Pikachu and Greninja had also fallen asleep.
In the dressing room, all of the Performers observed the live recording of the dozing Palermo. Some were snickering with derision at the quality of Clarice's performance, others felt immensely relieved that they weren't selected for that Theme Performance, and even more others were simply stunned by Palermo's reaction, wondering if this revealed a side of the Showcase producer that no one had previously been privy to.
As for Shauna, Miette, Nini, Kazalie, and Shulin, all of them looked dismayed and concerned for Clarice's wellbeing on the stage.
Up in her personal booth, Aria had just sighed in disbelief and was now face-palming.
"Ummmm...M-Ms. Palermo?" Pierre asked, trying to make sure his voice remained upbeat and professional while he still had his microphone on. "Th-The first performance is over now..."
A small round of nervous, unsure laughter swept through the audience. Unfortunately, that and Pierre's call did nothing to pull the elderly woman out of her slumber. Pierre awkwardly looked back and forth between Palermo and the audience before strolling over to the producer's chair. His face was turning pink, and he was beginning to sweat bullets from all of the stress accumulated from the series of unexpected occurrences. As soon as Pierre approached Palermo, he hesitantly tapped her on the shoulder.
"Ms. Palermo!" Pierre whispered harshly, this time making sure his microphone was lowered away from his mouth. "With all due respect, I need you to get up! This Showcase is still in full swing!" He tapped her shoulder once again. "Get up!"
When Palermo didn't respond, Pierre gently took her shoulder and lightly shook it. Fortunately, this stirred the producer awake; her eyelids fluttered open, and she winced from the flood of stage-lights.
"Hrmmm..." she moaned. "Wh-What...?"
"Clarice just finished her performance," Pierre whispered urgently. "You're up."
"Hm? Oh. Oh, yes, yes..."
With that acknowledgment, Pierre quickly rushed back to his original spot and raised his microphone back to his mouth, while Palermo straightened herself and her clothes out while shaking off her lingering drowsiness.
"I apologize for the delay, everyone," Pierre announced. "Now that we have Palermo back with us, it is time for Clarice to receive her final judgment for this performance that she gave to all of you today!"
At the front of the stage, Clarice felt her entire body grow cold, and she remained rooted to the spot, frozen in fear. She thought the audience loved her performance and felt encouraged over her chances as a result. But after seeing Palermo sleeping on her chair, the brunette quickly realized what was truly about to happen. If a woman with as much renown as Palermo fell asleep to her performance like that (and there was no denying that her performance was the cause behind that embarrassing display), then it was clear that she needed to go back to the drawing board for all of her performance styles right away.
"Clarice, huh?" Palermo asked, her voice still slightly heavy with drowsiness. "Well...the first word that comes to mind is, well...astounding."
Clarice felt as if her heart would burst through her chest at that word. Perhaps she was wrong about Palermo's reaction?
"Yes, astounding," Palermo continued while rubbing her eye. "'Astounding' would be the perfect word to use in regards to your painfully repetitive use of that Fletchling."
Now, Clarice felt as if her heart had been split in two by a butcher knife. "What?"
"Indeed, anyone would find it astounding that you continue to use a mere Fletchling for the duration of this whole season despite the results it has given you."
There was a loud, collective gasp in the auditorium, erupting from the audience. Clarice squeaked in horror, and she shot a momentary glance at the audience. Some spectators were whispering amongst one another, while others continued to watch on with various looks of judgment, interest, shock, and sympathy.
"Huh?!" Clarice's face was turning crimson, and she could feel the pressure of all the stares on her. "B-But...But I-"
"Tell me, Clarice," Palermo interrupted, her voice sharper this time, "how long have you had that Fletchling?"
"H-How long?" The girl looked at the Tiny Robin Pokémon, who was now shrinking in humiliation on her shoulder. "Since I was a kid!"
"Since you were a kid..." A certain glint passed through Palermo's eyes as she thought over her next words. "Now, what kind of significance does Fletchling hold for you?"
"S-Sig-Significance?" Clarice's heart was pounding rapidly against her sternum, and the girl was unable to stomach what she knew was likely about to come next. "I-I don't-"
Palermo's tone was so sharp that it could cut through fabric like a knife. "Was it your first capture? Was it a gift from one of your parents? Was it-?"
"Y-Yes, yes!" Clarice squeaked. "I-It was a gift from my mom!"
"From your mom, you say?"
"Y-Yes, Paler- I-I mean, M-Ms. Palermo, m-ma'am!" The Performer then started twiddling her fingers in embarrassment. "Wh-Why'd you ask, i-i-if you don't mind me a-asking...?"
"It was a gift from your mom..." Palermo repeated, almost to herself. Then, she spoke out loud again. "So that Fletchling of yours must mean quite a lot to you, doesn't it, Clarice?"
"Ye-Yes, Ms. Palermo! I-I mean..." Clarice shyly cast her gaze to the floor. "It was the last gift my mom ever gave to me, b-before she...she..."
Her voice trailed off, but everyone understood what she was about to say. Palermo's face became slightly more wrinkled.
"And so you and Fletchling have been inseparable since then?" the Showcase producer asked.
Clarice nodded meekly. "Yes..." she whispered.
"Then I'm afraid you're not going to get far in the Showcase venue, sweetheart."
"HUH?!" Clarice's head perked upward. "Wh-What?!"
Palermo continued frowning at the girl. She was casually resting her head on her palm, while her unoccupied hand was tapping on the armrest of her chair.
"It's clear to me that your mind is stuck in the past, Clarice," the producer explained. "After all these years, you still have not made any attempt to evolve Fletchling, which tells me you want to preserve the memory of your mother giving it to you for as long and as much as you possibly can. At the very least, you have not made any attempt try to shake up your usual strategies, despite the simple fact that they haven't gotten you very far over this past season."
Clarice tried to protest, but she couldn't find the willpower to form the right words and express them. Instead, she stood there on the stage and unwillingly continued to let Palermo offer her harsh feedback.
"Clarice, my dear, there's only so much you can do with a tiny, low-leveled Pokémon like a Fletchling." Palermo lowered the palm on her cheek and leaned forward slightly, her judgmental eyes narrowing more. "There truly is only so much. I can't even begin to imagine what sort of performance your Pokémon could do that would be considered so unequivocally creative, fanciful, and most of all, enthralling for the audience. Fletchling's size limits the amount of clothes that you can use for a Theme Performance such as this. It only knows lower-level moves such as Peck and Ember, and those will only provide a minimal supplement for its Freestyle Performances. You'll need to think fast and hard on what kind of creativity you could apply to those performances."
Then, Palermo's pursed lips relaxed somewhat, and she released a soft hum as she asked, "Clarice, d'you have any other Pokémon under your ownership, aside from Fletchling?"
"Any other Pokémon aside from...f-from Fletchling?" It was at that point where Clarice's eyes narrowed, her lips became pursed, and her fists were clenching. "No, I do not, Ms. Palermo, and I don't plan on catching any new Pokémon to help me out in my performances, if that's what you're implying!"
Palermo's eyes widened slightly at Clarice's outburst. "Really? Even if the Theme or Freestyle Performances necessitate the use of more than one Pokémon?"
"Yes!" Clarice stomped her foot down angrily. "Fletchling and I promised to take on the Pokémon Showcases together, in memory of my mom! We never needed anyone else!"
"Even if evolving your current Pokémon, a new set of strategies, or additional Pokémon to your team would improve your chances at winning a Showcase, no matter how slight?"
"YES!" The girl screwed her eyes shut as tears started to flow from them. "The two of us promised to take the bond that we have and make it our own power in these Showcases!"
However, Fletchling looked at its Trainer from her shoulder. The expression on its face was not one of support, but rather sympathy and doubt. Though Palermo couldn't see it from where she was sitting, she also came to the same conclusion.
"My apologies, Clarice," the Showcase producer said, her voice still stern and sharp, "but as long as you continue to keep up that attitude, as long as you continue to let your love for Fletchling, and your efforts to immortalize the memories you have for your mother, determine your strategies in this venue, then I'm afraid you'll never attain the title of Kalos Queen. Ever."
Clarice's eyes shot wide open, and the tears that she had been trying to hold back were now cascading down her cheeks like waterfalls. Palermo's remarks were very hurtful, and she felt as if she had been stabbed through the heart with the sharpest knife available. The stage and the entire auditorium around her was crumbling away...
"That is all I have to say for now, Clarice," Palermo said, bringing her back to reality. "You may leave now."
"Wh-What?" The girl's worries began to spike even more. "B-Bu-But I have to know i-if I-"
"Won?"
Clarice flinched at Palermo's interruption. The producer's eyes narrowed again.
"You'll know if you won once I am finished with the rest of my verdicts." Then, Palermo cast her attention towards Yancy and Blanche, both of whom had stopped to gawk in horror at her scathing review of Clarice's performance. "Speaking of which, I suggest you two better get moving. This audience doesn't have all day for lollygagging."
Both Yancy and Blanche became as rigid a board upon being addressed by the producer. "R-Right!" they both cried at the same time.
And with that, they resumed straightening out their respective Pokémon's clothing and makeup applications. Meanwhile, Clarice continued to stand awkwardly in the middle of the stage, her brain still trying to absorb Palermo's comments like a sponge.
"It's clear to me that your mind is stuck in the past, Clarice."
"Clarice, my dear, there's only so much you can do with a tiny, low-leveled Pokémon like a Fletchling."
"My apologies, Clarice, but as long as you continue to keep up that attitude, as long as you continue to let your love for Fletchling, and your efforts to immortalize the memories you have for your mother, determine your strategies in this venue, then I'm afraid you'll never attain the title of Kalos Queen. Ever."
"Clarice?" a voice asked. "Clarice?"
With a gasp, the brunette was shaken from her thoughts, and she looked over her shoulder to see Pierre standing there, right behind her. He was wearing a nervous, awkward look on his face.
"You heard Ms. Palermo," he said, trying to sound as professional as possible. "You may leave now. We'll call you back on the stage later on."
A tiny but sweet chirp from Fletchling punctuated the announcer's concerns. Clarice glanced at her Tiny Robin Pokémon for a moment, before she finally felt the dam break. She ran off the stage, covering her teary eyes with her elbow. She ran away so fast that Fletchling was knocked off her shoulder and had to recover by flying in the air. It chirped after her in concern and followed after its Trainer, leaving behind a stunned and sympathetic audience.
As for Yancy, she watched Clarice go, her sapphire-blue eyes softening with utmost pity.
"Oh, Clarice..." she thought.
"Well... That didn't go well..."
Ash and Serena also observed Clarice's reaction and clearing of the stage through the TV. Both of them had sympathetic looks of their own on their faces.
"Ohhhh, poor Clarice," Serena commented. "Now that I know why she's so attached to that Fletchling of hers, it makes a whole lot of sense." Then, she gazed at her lap regretfully. "And now I feel like a total jerk..."
"Huh?" Ash looked at his future wife. "What do you mean, Serena?"
"I... I-" The honey-blonde hesitated for a brief but tense moment, as she reflected on all of exchanges with her rival and fellow Performer. "I insulted her and her Fletchling..."
"Huh?" The bedridden boy quirked an eyebrow in surprise. "You, insulting someone? No way." He smiled brightly at her. "You're way too nice for that, Serena-"
"But it's true!" Serena closed her eyes in anguish. "I called her 'Fletchling girl'!"
"Fletchling girl?" repeated Ash. "I mean, I guess that's kinda uncalled for, but I don't think you knew-"
"And we..." Her lip quivered. "We were competing for your love!"
...
"Hold up, what?" Ash asked, dumbfounded.
"Yeah, that's right." Serena chuckled mournfully. "Clarice likes you too, and I knew about it, an-and she knew I liked you too, so we pretty much just bickered like little children until we made a stupid deal wherein the winner of this Showcase was gonna go out with Ash."
"Hold up, winner of this Showcase?" Then, to Serena's surprise, Ash chuckled warmly. "Serena, you know the Exhibition Showcase doesn't require any winners."
"That's exactly my point, Ash! We were so wrapped up in our love for you that we made it into our own competition! And now..." Serena looked back at the TV, which was currently showing a replay of Clarice's evaluation by Palermo. "Now that I know I've pretty much won anyway, what with you already returning my feelings and all, I...I feel so bad for her... She got chewed out hard by Palermo...and now, on top all of that..."
Serena's voice trailed off as her mind became overwhelmed with thoughts of what was about to come. She couldn't even begin to imagine the anguish Clarice would feel the moment she realized Ash loved Serena over her, all because of things that were completely out of her control...
"Hey."
Serena looked at Ash, who was looking at her with a firm but sincere expression. "Yes, Ash?"
"Whatever happens, we'll explain it to her however we can," he replied. "The only way we can shorten the pain for her is to be as honest to her, but also just as kind. She can't hate either of us forever if we still want to be her friends."
Serena blinked in awe before smiling and nodding. "Right. You're absolutely right, Ash." Then, she giggled sweetly. "You are always so kind and understanding to everyone, Ash. Even when you're in the middle of a love triangle, all you want is for everyone to come out of it smiling in the end."
Ash's smile widened with relief that he managed to make his future wife feel better. "Well, I'd hate for everyone to cry all because of me. It's not exactly the kind of thought you'd like to have linger in your mind, after all."
"Yes..." Serena took his hand and gently held it in her palm. "And that's exactly what I love about you."
"Heh heh heh..." Ash blushed intensely, for he still wasn't used to all of the cheesy romantic praise. Then, he reflected on Serena's earlier words and sighed. "Y-You know, Serena...winning a Showcase wasn't ever going to get me interested in you. Or anyone else, for that matter."
"Huh?"
Serena looked at Ash as he continued with his explanation. His auburn eyes were glimmering with utmost sincerity.
"The only reason I would ever fall for you will have more to do with your personal qualities, not any kind of skill that you have." Ash blinked slowly at her. "You know that, right?"
"O-Oh..." Serena blushed just as furiously. "I...I do..." She scratched her cheek sheepishly. "Yeah, I should've known that in hindsight. I was just caught up in the moment, what with Clarice showing her interest in you and all."
"It's alright. I know how worked up you can get when another girl tries to flirt with me."
"H-HUH?!" Hot steam jettisoned out of every last orifice belonging to Serena. "Wh-What?!"
Ash chuckled again at the honey-blonde's embarrassment. "Well, I mean, I figured out what was really going on between you and Miette."
"Y-YOU DID?!"
"Yeah. Well, just now, I mean. Now that we are together, a lot of things make more sense in hindsight...such as the time you dressed up as a Fennekin for that PokéVision video of yours. Another instance where you didn't have to go that far-"
"OOHWILLYOULOOKATTHATTHETHEMEPERFORMANCESUREISRAMPINGUP!"
Serena whipped her head back towards the TV set to hide her red face. Ash blinked at her in momentary confusion, and then, he burst out laughing, prompting the girl to purse her lips in grouchiness.
"Not funny..."
"Now that I'm thinking over things a second time, I just realized that so much stuff makes a lot more sense in hindsight. I can't believe I've got a girlfriend who's been so obvious about her feelings this entire time! I feel like such an idiot! No, I AM an idiot! HA HA HA HA HA!"
Serena's lips twitched upward at the sound of Ash's laughter, and she couldn't help but add in a chuckle of her own. She was so glad that Ash was taking the entire thing in stride. But then again, it was just like him to accept things and lead on with his heart.
"The only reason I would ever fall for you will have more to do with your personal qualities, not any kind of skill that you have."
The sudden memory of Ash's admission spurred another spike of curiosity within Serena. She held a hand over her blue ribbon as she reflected on what her future husband and current boyfriend just told her.
"My personal qualities," she thought. "Huh... I wonder what exactly Ash sees in me that he finds appealing, if it's not my competitive spirit...?"
Back on the Showcase stage, Yancy narrowed her eyes as she kept her mind focused on the competition. Right now, she had finished applying makeup on Flo and was now preoccupied with finding the most pretty yet appropriate accessories to put on her Garden Pokémon. Since Flo's lower body naturally resembled a dress already, she knew it made the actual dress Flo wore somewhat redundant. That meant she needed to balance it out with other flashy objects that would catch the audience's attention.
At least, that was the knowledge she attained from her experiences in the Pokémon Showcases of her timeline. She had no idea of that would work in the Showcases of the past, especially an Exhibition Showcase such as this.
All of a sudden, Yancy felt an icy-cold sensation sweep through her entire body, just as she retrieved a beautiful-looking necklace of sapphire-blue pearls. She shuddered but refused to look around for the source, for she already knew where to look. Instead, the pink-haired girl went over to the waiting Flo and gently put the pearl necklace on, already liking the way it complemented her longtime Pokémon's predominantly light-green color.
"Palermo's watching me," she thought. "There's no doubt about it. She knows I don't belong on here, and she's trying to figure out what the heck's going on. Well...I'm already participating. The Showcase staff let me in without any problems, and even Monsieur Pierre is comfortable with me proceeding even though he never recognized my name. There's no way Palermo can have me kicked out that easily, not when I've already gotten so far. But then again, she is a producer with the Showcase biz, so maybe she's got a lot of special pull?"
Yancy quickly shook those thoughts away as she patted Flo's shoulder. "You look great, Flo," she whispered. "Just let me find a couple more accessories for you, and you'll be conquering the catwalk in no time."
Flo nodded loyally, allowing the pink-haired girl to return to the drawers. As she did, Yancy noticed Blanche, who was still applying some last-minute touches to her male Meowstic's uniform, a prim suit with an adorable-looking, minuscule staff that resembled Pierre's.
"I know we're friends. But I want you to know that I'm in this to win it."
"Win it? But...we aren't winning any-"
"Not officially. But to get the praise of the most famous Showcase producer out there, and a former Kalos Queen at that, is nothing short of a prize in of itself. If I am going to get some inroads as a Pokémon Performer, then I need Palermo's acknowledgment. I know something like that isn't important to you, but it is to me."
"Um, o-okay. I understand completely, Blanche-"
"Which is why, as your friend, I'm gonna give you this warning in advance: I'll crush you."
"Jeez," Yancy thought. "Blanche's really determined to win this thing, even if the Exhibition Showcase doesn't require any winning. It's...It's such a far cry from the sweet girl that I met all those days ago..."
Southern Kalos
One week ago
"Slow down, Yancy. Kiloude City isn't going anywhere, you know."
"But I have to know if Selene, Nate, or Evelyn are still over there, Flo."
Yancy picked up the pace as she followed the lonely, forested trail. Her entire posture was rigid and alert; she kept track of everything within her peripheral vision, and her arms were instinctively raised and in a defensive position. Back where she came from, the nature trails leading to Kiloude City were more abundant and well-kept, not to mention designed in a way where wild Pokémon wouldn't wander onto them by accident; the only way a Trainer could be able to encounter one was to actually, consciously wander into the surrounding forests. But in the timeline she was in, it was clear that was not the case yet, and she had to be on the lookout for anything willing to attack her in order to defend their territory...
Or get themselves a midday snack...
"Bzzzzz..."
"EEP!"
Yancy's skin crawled at the distant but menacing buzzing sound. Overhearing her Trainer's terrified squeak, Flo instantly rushed to her side.
"Be on the alert, Yancy," Flo said. "I sense a number of Bug-types nearby."
"Gee, you think?!"
Just then, the bushes next to Yancy and Flo began to rustle, catching their attention. Yancy hiccupped in fear again, and Flo quickly jumped in front of her Trainer, ready to use an attack. The two eyed the rustling bushes, waiting to see who, or what, would come out at any second.
Eventually, a wild Pokémon did hop out of the bushes: a Marill.
"Awwwww!" Hearts practically appeared in Yancy's eyes. "It's just a cute lil' Marill!"
"CHAAAAARRRRR-BOK!"
A barrage of Poison Stings pelted the ground beside Marill, scaring it off. Flo went on the defensive again, just as another Pokémon emerged from the bushes: an Arbok. Its eyes narrowed and its forked tongue twitched out from its mouth in a hiss as it watched the Marill flee. Then, the Cobra Pokémon glared at Yancy and Flo, and a familiar glimmer of unbridled hunger passed through its slit-like eyes.
"AAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!" Yancy shrieked, her heart pounding a mile a minute. "A-A-AN A-A-A-AR-AR-AR-ARB-ARB-ARB-ARBOK!"
"CHAAAR-BOK!" Arbok roared.
"Your orders, Yancy!" Flo cried.
But Yancy was too paralyzed in terror to notice. "P-Po-Po-Poison-type, Po-Poison-type, P-Po-Poison-type, Poison-type, P-Poison-"
Flo stared at her in alarm, well aware of her Trainer's strong fear of Poison-types. "Yancy!"
Arbok hissed again, its eyes trained on the pink-haired girl and her Garden Pokémon. All three were as silent and still as statues for the longest time, everyone waiting for someone to make a move. Then, after a while, Arbok licked its lips and reared its head in preparation...
"Meowstic, use Psychic!" another voice cried.
Before the Cobra Pokémon could lunge at Yancy and Flo, the outline of its serpentine body suddenly started glowing in a light-blue color. Gagging in surprise, Arbok could do nothing as it was lifted high in the air and then violently thrown into a tree trunk, knocking the wind out of it. It straightened itself out and stared further down the trail, hissing furiously. Flo followed Arbok's line of sight and spotted the people who had intervened.
"Lilligant, use Energy Ball!" Kazalie ordered.
"Accelgor, use Swift!" commanded Shulin.
The two Pokémon fired their respective attacks, forcing Arbok to slither to the side in order to dodge them. After staring down its would-be attackers, all of whom glared back at it with disgust, the Cobra Pokémon quickly slithered off with a furious hiss of defeat, evidently uninterested in continuing the fight.
Once Arbok slithered out of sight, Blanche ran up to Yancy, who was still staring at the spot Arbok was once on; her eyes were wide and bloodshot with fear.
"Hey, there!" Blanche greeted. "We heard you scream and saw you needed help. I hope we-" Then, she noticed Yancy's petrified expression for the first time. "Uhhhhh, hello? Are...Are you okay?"
Yancy didn't respond, for she was too overwhelmed by her fear to even be receptive of basic stimuli. After a few seconds, she collapsed on the ground before Blanche's feet, stunning the blue-haired girl.
"AGH!" Blanche squeaked. "Oh, my Arceus! Kazalie, Shulin! I need help here!"
Pokémon Center
Near Kiloude City
"Uuuuugh... Wha...?"
Yancy's eyes fluttered open, and she groaned when the first thing she saw was bright rays of light. Wincing, the teenage girl raised one of her elbows and used it to shield her face while her eyes continued to adjust themselves. Once her sight was fully readjusted, Yancy lowered her elbow and looked around.
She was no longer on the trail. Instead, she was in a Pokémon Center, or the past version of it, at the very least. To her relief, she could immediately see Flo sitting on a chair beside her, sleeping.
"Oh, hey!" a voice cried cheerfully. "You're awake!"
"Huh...?" Yancy asked, glancing at the other side of her bed in drowsiness-addled confusion. "What's going on...?" Then, she laid her sapphire-blue eyes on Blanche, Kazalie, and Shulin, and they shone with surprise. "What the-?!"
"Whoa, whoa, cool down!" Shulin interrupted, while Blanche stuck out her arm and held Yancy's shoulder to prevent her from moving any sudden movements. "It's alright, you're at the Pokémon Center!"
"Yeah, I've noticed..." Yancy used her unoccupied arm to rub her eyes. "What happened...?"
"You got into a bit of trouble with an Arbok," replied Blanche.
"More like a lot of trouble," Kazalie added. "We had to step in for you."
"But it looked like the damage was already done," said Shulin. "You froze up like crazy, and then you fainted faster and harder than a Snorlax going to sleep."
"I...I did?" Yancy strained her brain for a moment, before the memories of her encounter with the Arbok returned to her. "Oh! Now I remember!"
"What was up with that, anyway?" Shulin crossed her arms. "You got a thing against Poison-types or something?"
"M-More like a fear of them." Then, before Yancy could help herself, she blurted out, "And Steel-types as well."
"Wait, you're also afraid of Steel-type Pokémon?" Kazalie asked, dumbfounded.
Yancy didn't respond, but her reddening face confirmed what Kazalie and Shulin needed to know.
"Well..." Shulin commented, "that's a little, uh..."
She looked at Kazalie and raised her index finger to make a circling motion beside her right temple, accompanying it with a soft whistle; Kazalie nodded in slight agreement. However, both Yancy and Blanche were quick to notice; the former's face became redder than ever before, while the latter puffed her cheeks in defiant anger.
"Hey!" Blanche barked, startling the other two. "We are not gonna judge a girl by the types of Pokémon she fears! If she doesn't like Steel-types, then it's gotta be for a good reason!"
"Oh yeah, th-that's true..." Kazalie replied, hanging her head low in shame.
"Oh, darn right, it's true!" Blanche crossed her arms. "And how exactly are we gonna be Kalos Queens if all we're gonna do is judge people for their phobias?! Remember what we've traveled all this way for, girls!"
Kazalie nodded again, while Shulin respectfully bowed her head at Yancy.
"I'm so sorry for my comments," the green-haired Performer said regretfully. "I've never heard of someone being afraid of Steel-type Pokémon, but I should've known better than to say that."
"O-Oh! It-It's alright." The redness receded from Yancy's face, and she smiled at Shulin, all the while feeling relieved that there was someone in this timeline who didn't judge her for her unusual phobias. "I get that all the time."
"Even so," Blanche replied, "it's not fair. Everyone's afraid of something, whether it be heights or clowns or Steel-types!" She gave Yancy the brightest, warmest, most cheerful smile the pink-haired girl had ever seen from someone, even her own mother. "All that we can do now is be strong and face those fears as best as we possibly can!"
"Yes..." Yancy felt impressed by Blanche's compelling words. "Th-That's true..."
"Anyway, are you good now?" asked Kazalie, her voice now filled with apprehension. "Will you be able to take things from here? Because my friends and I have someplace to be-"
"The Exhibition Showcase is only a few more days away, Kazalie," Blanche interrupted. "I don't think it will kill us to stay here for a bit and keep track of her progress."
"But Blanche-" Shulin pleaded.
"Wait, did you say the Exhibition Showcase?" Yancy piped up.
"Yes, the Exhibition Showcase." Shulin looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Why? What's it to you?"
Yancy immediately remembered a story her mother had told her a long time ago, in her own timeline. It was about how she and her father finally realized their feelings for one another during an event going by that same name, and it was in Kiloude City, no less...
"I was on my way there too," Yancy lied.
"You were?" Kazalie asked.
"Yeah. I'm..." Yancy paused for a quick second to think over her next words carefully. "I'm a Performer too."
"You...You are?"
"Y-Yeah!" Yancy felt her heart beat faster and her body heat up considerably, but she kept up the lie. "I'm participating in the Exhibition Showcase too!"
"Really?" Shulin asked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Huh... I don't...remember seeing you in any of the PokéVision recordings of the past season..."
"Oh, no!" the pink-haired girl thought, her body quaking from terror. "I thought I could use the three of them as a cover while I get back over to Kiloude City and find the others, but-"
"Really now, Shulin?"
Gasping softly, Yancy whipped her head at Blanche's direction. The sweet-looking, blue-haired girl was staring at Shulin in disappointment, much to Yancy's surprise.
"When was the last time you actually watched one of those PokéVision recordings?" Blanche asked. "And be honest."
"Well..." Shulin's brow furrowed in concentration. "N-Not for a while, I'll admit..."
"Well, then!" Blanche looked at Yancy with a smile. "If she's a Performer, then she's a Performer! I mean, the first thing Performers are always expected to do is tell the truth, after all! Isn't that right?"
Yancy blinked twice, overcome with confusion, before quickly recovering and reciprocating Blanche's kind smile.
"R-Right!" she replied, suppressing all the guilt that she felt from keeping up the lie.
"So, you want to participate in the Exhibition Showcase, huh?" Blanche crossed her arms. "Well, I hope you've prepared yourself for that moment, because we're gonna end it all with a cooperative, multi-Performer Freestyle Performance with the one and only Kalos Queen Aria!"
"Y-Yeah! I-I remembered that."
Truth to told, Yancy didn't fully recall her old Auntie Aria being involved in the same Exhibition Showcase that her mother had once mentioned to her. However, she simply wanted to go along with whatever descriptions Blanche gave it, hoping it would give her more credence with the trio of fellow Performers.
"So," Blanche said, "when you're done being treated here, wanna tag along with us?"
Yancy blinked in surprise. "Huh?"
"Huh?!" Kazalie and Shulin both cried in surprise.
"B-But Blanche!" Kazalie continued in a whiny plea. "Are we really gonna let this strange girl tag with-?!"
"Uh-uh-uh!" Blanche silenced her friends with a wag of her index finger. "There's another thing Performers are expected to do, and it's look out for those who are on their own! And given the state we found her in, I'm pretty sure this girl's on her own." Then, she glanced at Yancy with an arched eyebrow. "You are on your own, right?"
"Y-Yes!" Yancy replied quickly. "I-I mean, I do have people out there that I care about, b-but I'm journeying on my own. I-I mean...I was, b-but..." She lowered her head bashfully. "I-It wasn't exactly working out well for me..."
"Well then, it wouldn't hurt for the three of us to take you in for the moment. That is, if you're willing to bear with us."
Yancy's response was almost instantaneous. "YES! I'm absolutely willing to bear with you three!"
"That's great!" With the widest, sweetest smile ever, Blanche held out her hand. "I'm Blanche. What's your name?"
Yancy stared at Blanche's hand for a moment before taking it. "Yancy. Yancy Ketchum."
"Yancy." The blue-haired girl nodded in approval. "I like that name. Yeah, I think I like it very much!"
"S-Sa-Same here!" Kazalie squeaked in agreement, almost shouldering Blanche aside while holding out her own hand in front of Yancy. "And I'm Kazalie!"
"I'm Shulin," Shulin added, proudly gesturing to herself. "Nice to meet you."
Yancy looked from Blanche to Kazalie and then to Shulin and back. All the while, her entire soul welled up with immense relief over her having found a bunch of people who were understanding and accepting of her, despite all of the white lies that she gave them. Even so, she completely understood what was at stake, and what would happen if she wasted even one more second in this Pokémon Center rather than at Kiloude City, where her sister and friends undoubtedly were.
"It's so nice to meet all of you too!" the pink-haired girl proclaimed. "I hope we can all be good friends for the duration of this journey!"
Laurier Maison
Northern Kiloude City
Present day
Yancy looked back at Blanche, her heart becoming filled with uncertainty over the fellow Performer's motivations, as well as intimidation towards the resolve that she showed in winning. Whatever was driving the normally sweet and accepting Blanche to strive for a no-holds-barred victory, it was clear to Yancy that it was quite a strong motivator.
"I hope that whatever happens in the end, it doesn't get in the way of the friendship that I struck with her," she thought.
Mt. Kiloude
"I wanna be the very best, like no one ever was!"
"To catch them is my real test, to train them is my-!"
"YO! Shut your trap, you Psyduck-brained nincompoops! I'm pretty sure that's copyrighted!"
"S-Sorry..."
Parker rolled his eyes derisively as his group neared the base of Mt. Kiloude. The Pokémon poacher gazed upwards at the towering mountain, almost admiring the way the Sun was completely blocked by its massive, rocky, snow-capped body. Whether or not he was stuck twenty years in the past, Mt. Kiloude was still the tallest mountain in all of Kalos, and an in-person experience did nothing to minimize that fact. Moreover, the forestry and wildlife surrounding the mighty mountain was diverse and bountiful, a natural tour de force that would move the hearts of any scientific-minded person and bring any casual environmentalist to their knees.
And if his technology was correct, and it always was, then it was no small wonder that no one had been able to catch the foreign presence dwelling within the vast confines of this nature preserve.
"Yo, Parker!" a voice called, the whining tone unmistakable. "Paaarker! Parker, Parker, my man. Are, uhhh... Are we there yet?"
Parker sighed in a gravelly voice and turned to face Nick, Floyd, Lloyd, Sid, and Cecile, all of whom were in various states of exhaustion. Nick was sweating so much that his clothes looked as if they had been dipped into the swamp water. Floyd and Lloyd were both wheezing and looking as if they were about to faint. Cecile's own face was absolutely streaked with makeup that had been liquefied by the temperature and the elements. Even Sid, in all of his stoic calmness, was florid in the face. He rolled his eyes for a second time, annoyed and dismayed to have such bad luck that would allow him to be cursed with incompetent teammates such as them.
"Fortunately for you five," the poacher replied, not even bothering to suppress his irritation, "we are here."
The others' heads perked up in almost an instant. Floyd and Lloyd whooped and hugged one another in jubilation, Cecile looked like she was close to breaking down in tears of relief, and Sid simply heaved a sigh of relief as he rested against a nearby tree trunk.
"We are?!" Nick wheezed in happiness. "Ohhhhh, thank goodness!"
Parker scoffed before checking his wristwatch again. It was still displaying the small but detailed holographic 3D map of Kiloude Forest, but this time, it was zoomed in to account for the group's immediate surroundings. As such, the map was even more detailed, and it gave Parker a more specific idea on the location of the blinking red dot he had been seeking out.
"Nick," the poacher said in a loud voice, startling the man in question, "that pigsty we came from. It's supposed to be a construction company?"
"Uhhhhh, it...it is a construction company," replied Nick. He then puffed out his chest with pride. "Nick and Sons Oil and Construction Company, Kiloude City's leading supplier of oil and gas, and its top-rated construction company!"
"Oh, don't get me started on that crud again..." Floyd moaned.
"Seriously, who needs gasoline nowadays?!" demanded a dumbfounded Lloyd.
However, Parker was satisfied by the answer. "Good. Go back to your office."
"Wait, go back?" Cecile asked, stunned.
"What for?" asked Nick.
"Whatever we're looking for," Parker replied with a sneer, "we're going to extract it out of the ground." He turned towards Nick and his cohorts. "Oil and gas extraction is a field of specialty for your company, isn't that right?"
"Y-Yes, but-"
"So you have to return to your office and retrieve all your extraction equipment and vehicles."
"But..." Nick's eyes started to water in dismay. "But we just got here! A-And we don't even know what we're extracting!"
"Too bad. You should be well-versed in the process of digging something out." Parker then narrowed his eyes ominously. "Or have I been mistaken about your abilities this entire time?"
He rejoiced in the sight of Nick's skin crawling.
"N-N-No, man!" the rotund man exclaimed. "N-Not at all! W-We-We'll get on it r-right away!"
"Good. Now, get back and retrieve everything I need."
"W-Well, i-it actually depends on what the size of the object is-"
"Assume you'll be digging something big from the ground. And when I say big, I mean BIG."
"O-Ohhhhh..." Nick bowed his head loyally. "On it, Parker!" Then, he turned to his companions. "Sid, Cecile, you two stay here and help Parker out while we get the equipment and extra manpower. Floyd, Lloyd, you're with me!"
"Awwwww, come ON, Nick!" whined Floyd.
"Yeah!" Lloyd moaned with a disbelieving shake of his lowered head. "We just got here, and we came a long, long, long way to do so!"
"Can't we just take a-?!"
"No!" Nick snapped, his voice cracking in the process. "No breaks!"
"But-"
"No buts! Nick and Sons finally has a new customer, and we're not gonna waste this opportunity just because we're tired as heck!" Then, Nick approached the twins from behind and slung his arms over their shoulders. "Come on, you guys! A few miles of walking should be nothing compared to the reward that awaits us!"
"A few miles?" Floyd asked disbelievingly.
"I feel like I just walked across the world without stopping..." deadpanned Lloyd.
"And what the heck do you mean 'new customer'?! I doubt this guy's gonna pay us-"
"Oh, I'll definitely pay you," Parker lied, not even bothering to suppress the sarcasm in his voice. "In fact, if you do what I ask and deliver results, then I'll see to it that my colleagues and I make it worth your while-"
"WE'LL DO IT!" Floyd and Lloyd both cried, startling Sid and Cecile. Their eyes were wide and shimmering brightly in awe and anticipation.
"AGH!" Cecile squeaked in surprise.
"Idiots..." Sid grumbled as he rubbed the inside of his right ear.
But Floyd and Lloyd ignored them. Instead, they skipped off jubilantly, followed closely by Nick. All the while, they sang and chanted in the air in celebration.
"We're gonna be the very best, like no one ever was! To catch 'em all is-"
"HEY!" Sid barked. "You idiots do know that's still copyrighted!"
A/N: And that marks the end of this long-awaited chapter! And at long last, we finally get some concrete AmourShipping moments! HOORAY! I know you guys and gals have been wanting those for quite a while! I do hope I delivered on them, but if not, we've still got the dance sequence to go! ;D ;D ;D
That aside, we now have an understanding of Clarice's backstory, while Yancy contemplates her newfound friendship with Blanche. Whatever will happen next? Stay tuned to find out!
Now, I'd like to thank the following for reviewing:
-Captainsquid12:
1) Of course! You guys deserve a breather from all the action, plus the Exhibition Showcase is what's most important at the moment, after all.
2) As you can obviously see, Serena is quite the motherly type, and to full effect, even if she's twenty years in the past.
3) Well, fortunately for Serena, Clarice screwed up her chance at winning Ash's affections (as if she even HAD a chance in the first place), thereby securing Serena's place as Ash's future wife. :D
4) But of course, the Performers still need to be judged by someone. Therefore, it doesn't matter if you reach first place on the catwalk; if you don't get the most raving review possible from the judge, then all of that effort is rendered moot, as this chapter can attest to.
5) Looks like Palermo won't be acting on her suspicions until the next chapter, so keep your fingers crossed for that! :D
-ValorFennekin:
1) Yep, and as we can see in this chapter, Palermo is quite a harsh judge if she sees something she doesn't like in one's performance. Yancy's gonna have to be on the tips of her toes for this Theme Performance!
2) One step closer for Aria is better than two steps backward, I suppose...
3) As you can see, Serena and Ash have a lovely, romantic moment wherein Ash finally accepts his destiny as Serena's future husband! HOORAY!
-MythGirl Writes:
1) Yep! Plus, Serena's just that predictable, so it would be natural for them to assume something's up with her planned visit to Ash's room. :P
2) Well, looks like the winner will have to be decided in the next chapter! Gotta love two-parters! :D :D :D
-Amourshipper35:
1) Well, Yancy hasn't exactly performed yet, so...
2) Oh, definitely! And as you can see, that hospital visit paid off well, and then some! :D
-Ander Arias:
1) You're welcome! Unfortunately, I had to make you guys wait for this update. Man, do I suck or what? :P :P :P
2) Yeah, Yancy really needs to focus up more often, now that she's competing in a Showcase. XD XD XD
3) Well, Yancy may not have personally met Palermo back in her timeline, but as a Performer who inherited her mother's passion for Showcases, she most certainly learned about her from anecdotal stories from her mother and others.
4) I guess it seems like that Blanche is just as two-faced as the other Performers can be. Makes one wonder what would happen if she lost to Yancy in the Theme Performance...
5) And it looks like all of your patience has finally paid off! I do hope you enjoyed the AmourShipping hints! :D
-Dragon King Ryouga:
1) XD XD XD Shhhhh now, this is a K+-rated story, after all.
2) Just wait until she has to reckon with Palermo's judgment. :P
-Ann1amour:
1) It's alright. Do take your time. It's your life, after all.
2) Yeah, Serena is always pretty cute whenever she's embarrassed. XD
3) Once again, I am super-glad that my characterizations are top-notch and hit the mark perfectly. I always try my best to keep my writing in sync with the show's spirit, and it's good to see it showing judging by the reviewers' reactions.
4) Don't worry. Clarice will be getting an eye-opener in the near-future. ;)
5) Sorry about the overdone stuttering. Sometimes I think about how I would say such things in a similar context, and I am a bit of a stutterer, I'll admit.
6) Yes, Serena's embracing the role of motherhood quite fondly, and Yancy's relishing in that all the way.
7) Don't worry. Yancy's fears about messing with the timeline are completely unfounded, and you'll see how soon. ;D
8) Expect to see more masterful battle plots in the future. :D :D :D
-AmourshippingSatoSereCanon:
1) Yeah, Serena's starting to become a Showcase mom and Yancy's already feeling the pressure. Fortunately, it seems as if Serena's already starting to see the error of her ways.
2) Of course Serena has some sass! She's always needed it to deal with her mother, after all. XD
3) Not to mention adorable. :3 :3 :3
4) Looks like it was a little more than just that too! :O
-KHfan98:
1) Yeah, it's really stupid whenever that happens. I've had that happen with me for a bunch of fics in the past. But don't worry, for I would never do that. I used to do that, but not anymore, especially after I did that with an extremely popular fic of mine (fortunately, it's been restored in full). Nowadays, if I feel like I can't continue a story anymore, I'd just leave a note on the plot summary saying the fic has been discontinued, but otherwise, it'd be left on the site.
2) Well, I hope you also enjoyed the supplementary cliché of the hero and his love interest confessing on a hospital bed. :3 :3 :3
-Ellie (guest reviewer): I know, sorry about the lack of AmourShipping hints as of late. I do hope this chapter fulfilled at least some of your expectations. And don't worry if this didn't live up to what you were hoping for. There's still a dance sequence that will definitely round everything out in a good way. Just keep your fingers crossed for that! :D :D :D :D :D
-Ooobserver:
1) Maybe it's because a lot of friendships and other relationships are being put through the wringer because of this "non-competitive Showcase"? XP
2) Ohhh, definitely. As we can see, we're already turning over to the next stage in terms of this beef, and one could only assume what comes once Yancy and Blanche's turn is done. :O
Well, hope you enjoyed this late chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!