Chapter 34 - Twilight Topaz
The applause didn't die as fast as Celeste expected. She felt her heart pulsating with a mix of disbelief and joy that she could not put into words. They won! They truly, really, actually won. She and Powder—
The girl's eyes locked onto her pokémon, peacefully sleeping in the middle of the arena. Celeste didn't waste a second. She ran towards her vulpix, kneeling by her side and picking her up. She ran her fingers through Powder's hair-puffs and hugged her tightly.
Powder woke up startled and still squeamish. Her large blue eyes darted around, confused, before they rested on Celeste's. Upon seeing her trainer's gentle smile, the pokémon relaxed, but only a little. She nudged the girl's shoulder with her snout and once more stared at her, expectantly.
"We won," Celeste whispered. The words out of her mouth seemed surreal.
The girl held her pokémon more tightly, but stopped when the vulpix winced. Her leg was injured. She had bravely fought through it during the battle, but now she needed rest. Probably also a potion or, better yet, a visit to the pokémon centre.
"You were marvellous," Celeste added, gently touching Powder's leg and nodding to reassure her partner.
"You both were," Lorelei said as she approached her opponent.
She still had her smoochum's pokéball in her hands, but, despite the defeat, she looked perfectly happy as she squatted down beside the younger trainer.
"The way you two are growing, I need to watch out," she continued, giving them a wink that was almost reminiscent of her pokémon. "After all, I don't want to lose to my newest rival again."
At Lorelei's compliment, Celeste blushed profusely and babbled incoherently. Luckily, Aria soon came to the rescue. The eevee tackled her trainer's back and jumped on her shoulders, positioning herself to face Powder directly. The girl almost lost her balance, but Aria didn't seem to mind at all. She barked with as much excitement as she could. If anyone looked at her proud face, they would say it was she who won the battle.
The trainer giggled. She was too happy not to.
After Aria, Delia, and Luan arrived. The boy had Pat in his arms, as well as his munna, who was perched on his head. Celeste had left her pokémon with them so they could have a better view of the battle.
Luan looked up at Rev and nodded, then he carefully put the slowpoke on the floor. The pink water-type wasted no time in walking towards his trainer and placing his two front legs over her own. He beat his tail happily on the ground and blinked several times.
Everything was perfect.
"Your pokémon were really nervous, Cee. You almost gave them a heart attack," Luan chuckled, watching his munna fly curiously towards Celeste and her pokémon. He blew his trunk in excitement before spinning back towards the boy.
"It was Celeste's team who was nervous alright," Delia said, nudging her shoulders against Luan and laughing. The boy's face changed shades immediately. Delia's cluelessness was almost perverse, yet she kept talking, seemingly unaware of anything. "He was so nervous he closed his eyes in the end."
Celeste was too happy to let Luan suffer like that. She raised her eyebrows at him meaningfully before changing the subject. "I've heard there is a prize for the winner, courtesy of Razzo. Any idea what it is?"
"O… Of course," Luan said, recomposing himself. "Mia made me go TM shopping because she thought the prize we were giving was lame."
"Uhh, what TM did you get us?" both Celeste and Powder exchanged an excited look and perked up at the mention of the prize.
Luan hit his palm on his forehead and shook his head. "It's not just a TM. It's a whole thing, and it's meant to be a surprise." The boy turned to Lorelei, who was still around, and smiled shyly. "There's also a second-place prize."
"Come on, tell us!" Celeste insisted. "Or better yet, give it to us already."
"And here I thought you'd start behaving gracefully now you won against the other babies," Rey said, as he entered the girl's little circle of friends. Following behind were his mother and her vanillite.
Celeste turned to Rey, ready to give him a witty comeback, but despite his comment, he didn't have the usual smugness. He wasn't happy for her, either. However, it looked as if he was angry at something else entirely.
"Thanks for the compliment," the girl said, grimacing. She narrowed her eyes at the lack of a reaction from him and continued. "I guess we are pretty amazing."
"Whatever you say," Rey said, crossing his arms and huffing. A loose strand of his silver hair fell over his eyes and he jerked his head to the side, groaning. It was impressive how much like his mother Rey could be sometimes, Celeste thought, turning to Olga.
Speaking of which…
It took Celeste a moment to detangle herself from the pile of pokémon she was in. A little too shyly, she stood up and walked towards Olga and gave her a small, courteous bow. "I couldn't have done this without you. Thanks so much for putting up with me the past two weeks."
Olga, as usual, was quiet. However, Celeste could see she was trying to hide a very small, almost imperceptible smile. Her efforts to maintain her expression unmoving and neutral only deepened her frown lines.
She waited a moment before bobbing her head towards Celeste. That was all Olga would ever give her, but the young trainer was fine with it.
"Do you need a potion?" the shop-owner eventually asked, gesturing to Powder's leg.
Celeste once more trailed down to her pokémon's injury, but shook her head. "I think we better go to the centre so she can rest and heal properly."
"Good luck with escaping," Rey muttered through his teeth, which made Olga sneer at him and Lorelei chuckle.
Celeste's eyes moved from the boy to his mother, then back to Lori, who had stood up and fished a potion from her bag.
"Am... I missing something?" Celeste asked, confused, as she took the potion.
Lorelei gestured to some people who were already building a structure at the back of the arena. It looked like a small stage, with a podium on the side.
"Today is the last day of the festival," she said. For a moment, she seemed to remember something, and her expression changed, but she shook her head and turned not to Celeste, but to Powder this time. "You don't want to miss the big award ceremony, do you? It's in about two hours."
The trainer looked at Rey, who was whispering something to Luan, and then at Delia and Olga, who were talking about something in Viridian City.
"Are you going to be okay?" Celeste faced her vulpix again, trying to make a better assessment of her leg injury. Powder simply wagged her tail and barked. She was definitely not skipping the award ceremony.
Gently, Celeste sprayed the potion on Powder's leg, and a wave of relief washed over the pokémon's face. The trainer was still not convinced, so, to make her point, the little fox kicked the girl, making Aria snort in approval.
Celeste shook her head. "You are being a terrible influence on her, Aria." She looked at Pat, still by her leg. "If you start attacking me, I'll just give up on training all of you."
Lori laughed at that exchange and stretched her arms behind her back. "Kristal wasn't so lucky," she said absentmindedly. "I guess I'll have to go to the centre now..." She stopped and looked into the distance. "I might use the trip to leave my other pokémon there for a checkup too. I'm..." She looked around as if she was searching for someone. "Olga, I think I will leave for Cinnabar tomorrow... That ranger..."
"Don't worry about it," Olga said, shrugging. "If he asks about the lapras again, I'll say something came up and you had to leave." The woman gazed at the sky with a serious expression. "If you leave early, I think you might beat the storm. Shortly after that, the lapras will continue their migration anyway, so there is no point in you wasting time here."
Lorelei nodded. "It's not a lie that I need to go, though. I looked up at Cinnabar's gym calendar. It seems Leader Blaine will go on holiday from late November all the way to the end of January. If I miss my window, I'll have to wait two more months for my last badge."
"You're justifying yourself too much," Olga said, crossing her arms. "Do what's best for you. Remember your goals."
Lorelei nodded quietly before smiling. "By the way, I went to the shrine this morning. Are you taking them there?"
Celeste, who had only been half-listening to the conversation, looked up. She had never heard anything about a shrine. Were they religious on Four Island?
"I was taking Rey," Olga said, crossing her arms and looking at Celeste and Delia. "But I figure those two also have a lot to be grateful for."
The girls exchanged uncertain looks.
"It's a whole thing the old people here do this time of year," Rey muttered, diverting his attention from Luan. "Go to a shrine, light a weird candle, litter the ocean with it. Honestly, I don't know how you agree with that, Lorelei."
The redhead smiled. "The candles are made with combee wax. They are sustainable. Come on, Rey, you should be proud of the cultural heritage of your people."
"I am... very lost," Celeste said, looking at Delia's and Luan's equally confused faces.
Olga grunted. "Come on, we're wasting time with all this talking." She turned to Lorelei and nodded again. "She needs to go to the centre before the award ceremony, and I think a little history appreciation will be good for all of you."
"History appreciation?" Celeste frowned.
"What did you think this festival was even about?" Olga said, grabbing Rey's wrist and tugging him along as she started to walk away. She gave one last glance at the others' confused expressions and snorted. "I can guarantee you, this wasn't about some battles."
—*—*—
Despite the plummeting temperatures, the town's streets were bustling with people enjoying the last day of the festival. The afternoon sun cast its warm glow over the ocean, drawing in groups of people seeking warmth. Some lounged on the sandy beach, talking, laughing and drinking. Others explored the vibrant array of stands that were offering last day sales. Amidst the vibrant scene, a pair caught Celeste's attention at a nearby café. A boy and a girl cheerfully experimenting with different eyeshadows. She'd typically ignore that, but she couldn't help but notice the brand on their makeup kit: Razzo Cosmetics.
"Razzo is really leaving their mark here," Celeste muttered, turning to Powder still in her arms. Her vulpix tilted her head, confused, making the girl smile at the cuteness of her pokémon.
Up ahead, Olga continued to pull Rey along, determinedly leading the way to their destination. She had let go of his arm, but vanillite was holding the boy at gunpoint. Lagging a little behind, Delia was strolling absentmindedly, looking at the stalls. By her side, Luan was nervously marching in an awkward silence.
Further back, Pat and Aria formed their own duo. Celeste had asked her eevee to keep the slowpoke company, ensuring he didn't fall behind. However, Aria's interpretation of the task involved perching on Pat's back and hitching a ride on him.
The girl shook her head and skipped to Olga's side, who was keeping a brisk pace ahead of the group.
"Can we slow down a little?" she asked, glancing back, hoping her two pokémon would catch up. Olga responded with a silent frown, her gaze fixated on Rey.
Celeste rolled her eyes in frustration.
Olga was in the not answering questions mood, which made the young trainer grin mischievously with a new idea forming in her mind.
"So," Celeste said, pointing to the clear blue sky above them, "you told Lori there would be a storm tomorrow. How come?"
Olga remained silent, continuing to walk without responding.
"And why are you taking us to a shrine?" Celeste continued, gesturing towards Rey. "And why does he hate it so much?"
The silver-haired woman groaned but continued walking. Her vanillite moved from Rey to some commotion up ahead.
"Come on, you said it's good for us to go to this shrine, but you still refuse to answer my questions," Celeste grimaced and narrowed her eyes. "At least tell me what this is all about."
Olga came to a halt before the crowd of people, briefly scanning the area for her vanillite. The pokémon flew towards her, sporting the happiest expression Celeste had ever seen on his face. This, in turn, only deepened the frown on his trainer's face.
The girl smiled anyway. Her plan had been to annoy Olga enough for her to stop walking. Well… she stopped. Pat could catch up with their group now.
Intrigued, Celeste directed her gaze ahead to see what vanillite was gesturing towards. She couldn't help but wonder what could have brought such joy to the usually serious ice-type.
With growing anticipation, she sidestepped and rose on her tiptoes, hoping to catch a glimpse of what lay beyond the crowd.
It was not what she expected.
"A puppet show?" she muttered, glancing at Powder, who was also craning her neck to catch a glimpse. She lifted her pokémon up above her before looking around for her companions.
Olga seemed just as captivated by the puppet show as her vanillite. Unbeknownst to her, Rey slowly stepped away, but she remained oblivious to his escape. Celeste chuckled as she witnessed him bump into Luan and Delia.
"Olga is definitely losing him," the girl commented to Powder, but the vulpix was watching the puppets with too much awe to care for a conversation.
Once Pat and Aria had caught up, Celeste turned her attention to the performance. If a puppet show could capture Olga's and vanillite's attention to such a degree… It just had to be the best puppet show in the world.
The theatre cart where the performance took place exuded an old-time charm, with its large ornate wooden wheels and a coat of blue paint. The simplicity of the cart's middle section drew Celeste's attention to the grandeur of the golden letters spelling out "Twilight Topaz," followed by the understated inscription, "a puppeteer's travelling troupe." Just above, a wide-open window, with navy blue drapes on the side, revealed the enchanting stage where the puppets came to life.
The scenario and the puppet itself were meticulously crafted, evoking a sense of artistry and precision. The current scene depicted a silver-haired, dark-skinned man aboard a ship amidst a raging storm. The undulating waves of the sea were created using large plaques adorned with intricately painted spirals, and they exhibited an uncanny motion as they surged up and down. Behind the waves, the ship, also masterfully crafted, swayed in a manner that defied gravity, almost giving the illusion of floating in mid-air. Adding to the intrigue, the central puppet moved with remarkable fluidity, seamlessly traversing the ship from one side to the other. Perplexingly, no strings were visible to connect the puppet to its manipulator.
The girl furrowed her brow, pressing herself closer to get a better look.
"There are definitely no strings," she told Powder, who just barked, requesting to be lifted again for a better view.
After making sure her pokémon was satisfied, Celeste scanned the surroundings for more information about the show. Her attention was drawn to a smeargle and what appeared to be the largest bibarel she had ever seen, lounging in a nearby tree. Neither of them seemed interested in the performance, but their gaze was fixed upon the crowd of people watching the show.
"Mighty thundurus," the puppet spoke in a smooth, low, female voice, capturing Celeste's attention once again. It was evident that a girl was attempting to emulate a male tone, but the performance was not bad. "Fearsome tornadus," the puppet continued. "Is this our punishment for forsaking the devastated land you have left us? Are we not destined to find abundance?"
A radiant light emanated from within the cart, followed by a resounding bang. It was undoubtedly intended to simulate thunder, although anyone could tell that was the sound of banging pots.
The puppet lowered its head, pausing in silence as another 'thunder' resonated. "Our provisions are depleted, and we are adrift in this storm..." the puppeteer cried, infusing her voice with poignant emotion. "Is this our demise? The end of our cherished ambitions?"
A hush fell over the audience as the ship's rocking motion gradually slowed and the spotlight closed in on the silver-haired puppet.
"No. I refuse to accept that," it declared resolutely, extending its arms in a remarkable demonstration of fluidity for a puppet. "I am Captain Oliver Silverwind, do you hear? No storm shall deter me! No ocean shall quell our determination! I will find sanctuary for my people. This cannot be the end."
Another bolt of lightning illuminated the stage, prompting Celeste to ponder if they were overusing the effect. Almost as if defying her scepticism, a brilliant blue light accompanied by the thunderous banging of pots appeared. When the sound quieted down, there was a blue energy orb before Captain Oliver Silverwind.
"Polaris…" the puppet said slowly.
Damn, Celeste thought. She was invested.
"Stop right there!" another female voice exclaimed from behind her. Celeste swiftly turned, thinking this was some cheap plot twist of the play, only to find Officer Jenny pushing her way through the crowd toward the cart.
More people gathered to witness the unfolding scene, but Celeste's attention was drawn to the bibarel and smeargle who jumped on alert. Her gaze then shifted to Olga, who was calmly approaching the officer.
"You don't have a permit to operate here, miss," the officer stated, knocking on the cart with authority. "Please exit your...vehicle...so we can talk."
Officer Jenny was followed by two other policemen, and trailing behind them was a small, rotund man. His thinning patch of hair was carefully combed to the side in a futile effort to conceal his bald spots, and he sported a tightly fitted, impeccable grey suit. There was an unmistakable air of superiority about him, which quickly morphed into contempt as he noticed Olga approaching.
"Mayor White," Olga said drily. Celeste, growing increasingly curious, edged forward to get a better view of the unfolding situation.
"Olga," the man—the Mayor—replied through gritted teeth. He pointed towards the theatre cart just as Jenny knocked on it once more. "Is this your doing?"
Olga huffed and jerked her head towards the police officer. "Is that yours?"
"Our esteemed chief of police is merely making sure all visitors abide by the law." The Mayor flashed out a politician's smile as he pivoted toward the crowd, waving and projecting his voice. "Making sure our festival runs smoothly is my top priority. Even on the very last day."
Just as he finished, Celeste reached the front of the crowd. She stumbled towards the small man and he gazed at the girl before him with an annoyed grimace. "Isn't this your new protégé?"
Olga approached Celeste and helped her up, but before she could utter a word, a loud thump came from the nearby cart. Emerging from within was a flustered girl, accompanied by a mr rime.
The girl had vibrant blue eyes and sported her hair in two braided pigtails cascading down her back. However, it was her attire that truly caught one's attention. She wore a long, dark frock coat with pointy ends at the bottom, complemented by a bowler hat. The peculiar aspect was not just her fashion choice, but that she seemed to match the pokémon on her side.
Celeste was fascinated.
"I..." the puppeteer girl began, her gaze fixed on the floor.
Before she could continue, the bibarel and the smeargle positioned themselves protectively by her side. While it was natural for most people to feel apprehensive in the presence of a towering bibarel, the Mayor seemed terrified of the smeargle. Gold paint dripped from the pokémon's tail, creating splatters of ink wherever it moved. That prompted the politician to take several steps back in apparent discomfort.
Empowered by her pokémon, the girl looked up at the officer with a mix of fear and defiance. "My troupe and I did nothing wrong. We are just telling a nice story… Your story!"
"And do you have a permit for that?" the officer asked, crossing her arms but keeping a safe distance from the six-foot-tall beaver that stared intently at her. "This place is too crowded. We should settle this somewhere..."
Officer Jenny's words were cut short as the mr rime swiftly tapped its cane on the ground, casting a pale blue light that enveloped the surroundings. In an instant, shiny tiles materialised beneath their feet, and Celeste felt a peculiar sensation in her body. Her movements became a strange combination of swiftness and sluggishness, as if she had been caught between two contrasting forces.
While everyone was distracted, the puppeteer seized the opportunity. She leaped onto her bibarel, which surprisingly bolted away in a swift yet clumsy sprint.
No bibarel had any right to be that fast.
"Get back here!" Jenny shouted, her hands instinctively reaching for a pokéball on her belt. She released a growlithe, ready to give chase.
The other officers sprang into action, joining Jenny in pursuit of the escaping performer.
Celeste, however, silently wished for the girl's escape. Her troupe was too charming for prison.
"Don't you think that's going too far, White?" Olga grumbled, directing her words at the man standing beside Celeste. "That kid wasn't causing any harm."
The Mayor let out an exasperated sigh. "She was about to depict us as star-worshiping fanatics. The public doesn't want that. They want a lighthearted festival with lots of fun attractions they can spend their money on." To emphasise his point, he gestured towards the fading glow on the ground. "Besides, can anyone honestly say she didn't cause any harm?"
Olga gritted her teeth, and a swirl of snow began to envelop her vanillite. "That is not—"
"Please Olga." Mayor White raised his hand, interrupting her. He then chuckled, clearly pleased with himself, and continued, "I know you enjoy your fairy tales, and I allow you to have your little shrine. But you would do well to remember that my vision for a better and grander festival is what attracted the big leagues to our doorstep. I am the one putting Four Island on the map."
Olga let out a loud groan, and Celeste felt a significant drop in temperature. It was the first time she had witnessed vanillite ready for battle.
"Progress, Olga," the Mayor said, grimacing as he observed the ice cream-shaped pokémon. "You should look at the future for once, and not the past."
With those words, the Mayor departed, leaving Olga, Celeste, and their pokémon amidst the dispersing crowd.
Olga took a decisive step forward before abruptly halting, searching her surroundings once again. "Where on earth is Rey?"
A/N:
So I might have changed the chapter name :D
Once again I ended up having a 7k+ chapter and decided to split it into two. I was initially trying to pack too much into this one.
Anyway, I really enjoyed my troupe of pokémon pupeteers, there will be more on them soon, as well as more some development on the history of Four Island.
Mayor White first appeared in Chapter 27 - Pumpkaboo Night (the Olga focused one).
Like before, since I already have the next part all written up and edited, I'll post it tomorrow. I kind of wrote a whole lot this week, so I'll try to keep up with the two chapters a week at least for a bit :)
Next Chapter: The Ice Fall Festival (for real this time)