I've decided I will not write a chapter based on the Radio Tower takeover from the games. I already wrote a huge Team Rocket scene in the Kanto Saga and adding another one will just disrupt the flow of the Johto Saga.
Instead I'm giving you a chapter based on the seventh episode of "Pokémon Evolutions"; the Performance. I cry every single time I watch it; it's simply beautiful, a masterpiece with the story, the art style, the colors and especially the music. How can somebody hate Pokémon when we can create such beautiful media?!
Disclaimer: I do not own any Pokémon characters! I only own my OCs!
Chapter 41: The Legendary Performance
We took a flying taxi to return to Ecruteak City for the third time to catch one of the Kimono Sisters' performances while our reserved tickets were still valid. My stomach felt like it was full of Butterfrees. I was getting a little nervous seeing the Kimono Sisters again, especially Naoko. I hadn't seen her since the time we met her in the Ilex Forest. I was getting the same nervous feelings thinking about her just like when I thought about Ritchie. What was happening to my body?
We got out of the carriage and paid the cabbie before we walked down the streets of the beautiful city. "Ecruteak City, we're back!" Ash yelled out excitedly.
"Pika pikaaa!"
"This time I hope Team Rocket won't make the same mess like last time", Misty commented.
"Togi prii!"
"Yeah, they are smart enough not stealing the Crystal Bells twice and anger the wild Pokémon", Brock nodded.
"Yeah…", Misty shivered while her face turned paler than a geisha's white makeup. "I don't want to see bugs for a long time!"
"Don't Jynx us, guys", I told our friends while we walked toward the Kimono Sisters' theater. "I want us to relax for a short time before we're moving on to Blackthorn City for the final badge."
"And then we have months to train and prepare ourselves for the Johto League!" Ash pumped his fist eagerly. "And this time, I'm gonna win the League!"
"Pi pikachu!" Pikachu hissed excitedly.
"Not if I do it before you", I grinned.
"Let's have a great battle if we get paired up in the finals, sis!"
"Absolutely", I nodded and bumped fist with my brother.
"Let's go to the theater and grab our tickets!" Brock called out, walking ahead of us in a fast pace. "I wanna meet the Kimono Sisters before the show!"
"I think Brock's more eager to see the sisters rather than the show itself", Misty sweat dropped with a soft giggle.
"What else is new?" Ash laughed and shrugged his shoulders.
We found out fast there was a summer festival ongoing in the south part of the city. There were different vendors selling food and toys and games people and Pokémon alike played. The scent from food made my stomach growl including my brother's. We swiftly went to the theater where there was a line for people who had reserved tickets for the show. It took time before it was our turn and got our tickets for the performance the next day.
With the tickets secured in our bags, we returned to the festival and bought food for a late lunch. I had some fried noodles that were cooked to perfection. The savory flavors were almost the same as mom's noodles, but it tasted amazing.
We had just finished our food when we heard a familiar noise echoing through the city. I snapped my head toward the Tin Tower, realizing it was the bells.
"The Tin Tower is making sounds again!" somebody called out.
"Is it a real sign that Ho-Oh is returning?"
"Not sure, since last time we were invaded by the wild Pokémon!"
"Oh no!" Brock gasped. "Don't tell me Team Rocket went and stole the Crystal Bells again?!"
"So much about them learning their lesson from last time…", Misty sighed.
"Togi?"
"Guys, c'mon, we've gotta go and check it out and make sure it's not Team Rocket messing around again!" Ash exclaimed and dumped his food container in a trash can.
"Pika pika!" Pikachu shrieked and climbed onto my brother's shoulder.
I quickly wiped my lips clean from the soy sauce with a napkin and dropped it in the trash can along with my empty food container. "Wait for me!"
We ran down the streets heading toward the Tin Tower as the bells kept making noise. The closer we got to the tower, the more I realized the sound was a little different compared to last time. It had a different chime like the bells were trying to tell something had arrived.
A crowd had already gathered outside of the gate around the Tin Tower. We pushed ourselves through the people and made it to the front where the gate was closed. It was guarded by Officer Jenny and her colleagues and a couple of Growlithes.
"Officer Jenny!" Brock shrieked happily with hearts in his eyes. He bounced over to her and grasped her hands. "Oh, beautiful officer, you've stolen my heart just like the sound of the bells chiming for our big day!"
Misty pulled him back by the ear with a growl. "You'll hear the bells once you're in the hospital, Brock!"
"Owowow! Not the ear!"
"Officer Jenny, what's going on here?" Ash asked politely.
"We don't know, young man", the officer replied with a shake of her head. "We have the Gym Leader Morty, his friend Eusine and Kuni the Kimono Sister investigating right now to make sure no one has touched the Crystal Bells."
"So they are there already…", I sighed in relief, knowing there were two strong Trainers already here checking the bells and one of the Kimono Sisters.
"And there's no wild Pokémon on rampage in the city?" Ash asked.
"I haven't received any reports about it", Officer Jenny replied.
"Thank goodness…", Misty sighed in relief after she and Brock came back to us.
"Ash? Is that you guys?"
My heart nearly leaped out of my heart when I recognized the voice. I turned around and was met by Lance and Silver. The Champion had a hand on Silver's shoulder while the boy himself had his hands in the pockets of his jacket avoiding eye contact.
"It's Champion Lance!" somebody shrieked from the crowd.
"No way! The Champion himself!"
"Oh no…", Lance said nervously, now realizing his presence had caused a disturbance.
The fans got very eager to get a close up of the Champion, so he pushed himself and Silver forward, requesting help from the police. Officer Jenny urged us through the gate and swiftly closed them before we could get squashed by the crowd. I sighed in relief that we didn't turn into mash by the crazy people.
"I didn't expect us meeting like this again", Lance laughed sheepishly.
"Yeah, it was a big surprise seeing you two again", Ash nodded with a smile. "How are you, Silver?"
Silver shrugged lightly with a frown. "Good, I guess."
"What are you two even doing here?" Misty questioned.
"We came to Ecruteak City to watch the Kimono Sisters' performance", Lance replied. "It's part of Silver's therapy."
"Therapy?" I tilted my head to the side.
"I've decided to take Silver under my care after the charges against him were dropped", Lance explained. "It's part of his rehabilitation."
"That sounds like a great plan", Brock nodded. "I'm happy for you, Silver."
Silver arched a confused eyebrow. "You're happy for me?"
"Because…you have a new family", I tried explaining. "You may not be blood, but…the bond you have with the people you meet and your Pokémon is like having a family."
Silver rolled his eyes and turned away with his arms crossed. I didn't know if my words made sense, but rehabilitation could take lots of time depending on how much the individual had suffered.
I suddenly got the chills like somebody was watching me. Even Ash and Silver reacted because their eyes widened a lot and they looked around the area. "You guys sensed that too?" I asked.
"I did", Ash nodded.
"Mm", Silver hummed.
"Sensed what, guys?" Misty wondered.
"Something…is watching us", Ash replied.
Pikachu's cheeks began sparkling as his body started reacting to something. "Pi…"
"Even Pikachu is sensing something!" Ash gasped.
The next thing we knew, a bright light erupted from the sky that made us blind. I shielded my eyes as I heard a bird's cry above us overpowering the bells. The light faded away and revealed a large rainbow above the Tin Tower. I lowered my arms and looked up to see three familiar hounds I hadn't seen for some time now. The bells had become silent now.
"Suicune…", I mumbled.
Ash and Silver made eye contact with the two other hounds.
"Entei…"
"Raikou…"
"Where did they come from?" Misty gasped.
"They must have spawned during that sudden light that summoned the rainbow!" Brock exclaimed.
"Three Legendary Pokémon… Astounding", Lance commented in awe.
I snapped my eyes from Suicune when Morty, Eusine and a geisha dressed in a blue kimono hurried out of the now silent tower. A Vaporeon stood next to the geisha who stood close to Morty.
"Suicune! And the other two Legendary Beasts!" Eusine gasped in surprise.
"And everybody else is here too", Morty commented, noticing us.
"Hi, Morty!" Ash waved to the Gym Leader.
"Gee-he-heeen!" Gengar popped out of nowhere between me and Ash, its face with a wide grin turned to me. I screeched in shock at the sudden appearance and tripped backwards, landing on my rump.
Before I could process what just happened, Suicune jumped forward and shielded me from Gengar growling aggressively at the ghost Pokémon. Gengar panicked and made itself invisible before it appeared next to Morty.
"Gengar, you can't play pranks with people who fear ghost Pokémon", Morty scolded his partner.
"Gehen…"
I was surprised to see how quickly Suicune jumped in to protect me from Gengar. It must have thought the ghost Pokémon was to attack me. "Suicune…"
"Kuuuh…", Suicune howled softly and walked back to its brothers who remained in their positions.
"What is going on here?" Misty wondered. "Why are they just standing there?"
"It's like…they are waiting for something", Lance said.
The geisha stepped up and walked until she and her Vaporeon stood in front of us. "Kuni…!" Morty called worriedly.
Kuni studied the Legendary Pokémon's silent behavior for a short moment. "It appears to me they are ready to become tamed…by their chosen Trainer."
"Tamed?" Ash blinked confusedly.
"You mean…they want us to catch them?" I asked.
Eusine walked over to Kuni, crossing his arms while staring at the hounds. "I have studied all the text and scriptures about Suicune and its brothers and dreamed of one day catching it. But… It's clear Suicune hasn't chosen me. And I will respect its decision."
Entei let out a snort and took a step forward. It stood in a pose like it was ready to have a battle with somebody, and that somebody was my brother.
"Entei wishes to battle you, young man", Kuni turned to Ash. "It wants to test you and your Pokémon's strength and bond."
Ash and Pikachu shared a glance before they nodded silently. Pikachu jumped off his shoulder and rushed past Kuni and Eusine before he took his position. His cheeks sparkled, eager to battle a Legendary Pokémon.
"I accept the challenge, Entei!" Ash ran after Pikachu and stood ready to give commands to his partner. "It's a huge honor battling you!"
"Raaah!" Entei howled and kicked up some dirt with its paw.
Eusine and Kuni stepped back to join the rest of us. Morty stood especially close to Kuni and even rested a hand on her shoulder. I heard a sad snort coming from Brock. He looked heart-crushed and wiped his tears with a tissue he fished up from his pocket.
"Let's go, Pikachu!" Ash yelled out eagerly.
"Pikachuuu!"
"RAAAAAH!"
XXXXXXXXXX
Ash and Pikachu had a very rough and aggressive battle with Entei. Pikachu's electric moves clashed with Entei's fire attacks creating an inferno in the garden outside of the Tin Tower. Thankfully, the fire didn't spread and cause damage, so the tower was safe. Besides, Suicune was there extinguishing sparks of ember that were thrown from the battle with its water moves.
Pikachu was down and exhausted after fighting intensely for several minutes. He was covered in burns and bruises. Entei's fur was a little scorched by Pikachu's Thunderbolt, but it didn't look exhausted.
Ash rushed to Pikachu and gently picked him up. "You did your best, Pikachu. I'm so proud of you."
"C-Chaa…", Pikachu whined exhaustingly, a sad smile on his face.
Ash turned to Entei and bowed his head. "We admit defeat, Entei. Thank you for the battle."
Entei stared at my brother and returned the respect with a nod before it stepped back to its brothers. Next to step forward was Raikou, its purple mane sparkling by stored electricity.
"It's my turn", Silver spoke and stepped forward while Ash walked back to us with Pikachu resting in his arms. The redhead threw a Poké Ball and summoned a Haunter.
"Haaunter!"
I flinched in disgust for seeing another ghost Pokémon and hid behind Misty. No matter how much I wanted to get used to ghost-types, my brain still sent warning signals that they were bad Pokémon. Not evil, just bad.
"Interesting choice of Pokémon", Lance commented with a nod.
"I have a good feeling Silver has a strategy", Morty spoke up. "I can see it in his eyes."
Brock grabbed a Super Potion from his bag and treated Pikachu's wounds. "Even so, I doubt Silver and his Haunter will be able to defeat a Legendary Pokémon."
"All we can do is watch", Misty commented.
"Togiprii."
"Haunter… Let's go", Silver commanded with a cold but determined voice.
"Hauunte-e-er!" Haunter laughed and stuck its tongue out.
Raikou glared at the duo and released a screech that sounded like thunder. "RAAAUGH!"
XXXXXXXXXX
The air was filled with static by Raikou's intense electric moves. Haunter put up a good fight, but just like with Entei and Pikachu, it fainted after battling fiercely. The ghost Pokémon had used Confuse Ray to catch Raikou off guard, but the Legendary Beast wasn't so easily affected by status moves. It first looked like it was going to be game over when Haunter used Curse on Raikou to chip down its energy, but a Legendary Pokémon clearly had more energy compared to a fully evolved Pokémon.
Haunter laid on its back with its body sparkling due to paralysis. It grunted in pain and couldn't move a budge. Its compact gas body was burned by Raikou's electric moves while the legendary itself had some scratches and dirt on its fur.
Silver said nothing to show his disappointment. He silently recalled his Pokémon and stared at the Poké Ball in his hand for a moment. "Good job, Haunter." He strapped the device on his belt and turned to Raikou. "Thank you… It was a good battle."
Raikou nodded, accepting the words, before it walked back and allowed Suicune to have its turn. This also meant it was my turn to battle it. I walked past Silver who returned to the others so I could have space for the battle. I had thought long and hard during the first two battles of which Pokémon I should use against Suicune. The perfect Pokémon should be Hikaru, but he was still in Professor Oak's laboratory.
I took Mystic's Poké Ball from my belt and threw it to summon him. "I choose you, Mystic!"
"Togitiiic!" Mystic shrieked and flapped his tiny wings to stay flying.
Suicune stared at him with a deep glance in its eyes. Mystic glared back at the beast waiting for instructions from me.
"Suicune… Mystic, let's have a great battle", I nodded.
"Togitic!"
"KUUUUUH!"
Suicune's roar sounded very intimidating, but I didn't back down. I knew Suicune was just as eager to battle like me and Mystic.
"We'll do our first move!" I called out. "Mystic, use Charm!"
"Tic!" Mystic twirled in the air before winking at Suicune. The hound Pokémon grunted as its body turned red for a brief second, showing Suicune's attack had been sharply lowered. Now its physical moves didn't do much damage, but the problem was I had no idea what kind of moves Suicune could use.
"Kuuuuh!" Suicune howled and fired a Bubble Beam.
"Dodge it, Mystic!" I shouted quickly.
"Tic!" Mystic chirped and quickly flew to the side, dodging the Bubble Beam. The bubbles of the move struck the ground and caused a soft explosion of water and dirt.
That move alone told me Suicune's strength was on par with Entei and Raikou. "Mystic, confuse Suicune with Sweet Kiss!" I yelled.
Mystic hummed before he placed his tiny hands on his lips and blew a big kiss. A large heart surrounded by other tiny hearts flew toward Suicune who watched the incoming move. Just when I thought the Sweet Kiss was going to be a success, but Suicune summoned the power of the wind with its tails.
"KUUUUH!"
A Gust was thrown from the whipping tails and intercepted the Sweet Kiss. The hearts split apart into million pieces and swirled around in the tornado until the cold wind calmed down, dissipating along with Mystic's Sweet Kiss.
I gritted my teeth, feeling a little frustrated that none of Mystic's moves had hit Suicune so far. Then again, Pikachu and Haunter struggled too of striking the other hounds.
"Mystic, let's move up a level and use Extrasensory!"
"Togii…!" Mystic closed his eyes before he opened them, revealing they were enveloped in psychic power. "TIIIC!" He fired a rainbow colored beam from his mouth aimed at Suicune.
"Kuuuh!" Suicune fired an Aurora Beam and intercepted the attack. They collided in the middle of the air, but some of Mystic's Extrasensory slipped by and struck Suicune on its crest. The legendary hound yelped out and moved back a little, shaking its head to get rid of the brief daze.
"Awesome, Mystic!" I praised him.
"Togitic tiic!" Mystic chirped happily.
"Heads up!" Ash yelled out.
I turned back to Suicune seeing its body was coated in a mirror-like light. It shifted in rainbow colors before it faded away when Suicune fired a beam of the remnants of Extrasensory, but it looked bigger than Mystic's move.
"It's Mirror Coat!" Eusine yelled.
"Dodge it, Mystic!" I panicked.
My warning came too late. Mystic didn't have time dodging the bouncing move. He got hit by the Extrasensory and cried out in pain. He crashed onto the ground throwing up dirt and pebbles.
"Mystic!" I shrieked worriedly. "Are you okay?"
"T-Toge…", Mystic grunted as he forced himself up with his tiny arms.
"That Mirror Coat reflected back the Extrasensory with double the power", Brock explained in the background. "And Mystic took lots of damage."
"But we're not done yet… I think", I cold sweated. "Mystic, do you feel like you can continue?"
Mystic got himself up on his feet before he slowly flew up. His body was covered in bruises, but he refused to give up yet. "To-Togitic…!"
"Let's try battling a little more, Mystic!" I nodded. "Time to use your new move! Ancient Power!"
"Togic!" Mystic summoned five boulders with fossils surrounded by purple energy. He threw them at Suicune who didn't move a budge to dodge them. Instead, Suicune activated Mirror Coat, its fur reflecting like a mirror. The boulders hit the hound in the crest, but they bounced back with twice the power.
This time, I was ready.
"Crush them with Extrasensory, Mystic!"
Mystic swiftly fired a psychic beam at the boulders. It made contact with the boulders, but the Extrasensory beam was pushed back by the Ancient Power. I realized I had underestimated the strength of the attacks. The boulders broke through Mystic's move and smashed themselves into him.
"TIIIIIC!"
"Mystic!" I screamed worriedly.
Mystic crashed down, almost buried by the boulders before they dissipated into million particles. I swiftly rushed to him to check how he was doing. He was hurt and had tons of bruises. He whimpered in pain as I cradled him in my arms.
"T-Tic…"
"You were great, Mystic…", I whispered, feeling bad for seeing him being in such pain. I brought him up to my face so I could plant a kiss on his forehead. "I'm sorry for failing as a Trainer…"
"T-Togi…", Mystic opened his eyes and gave me a pained smile which tugged my heart.
A few tears fell down my cheeks and landed on his body. Now in the aftermath, I felt terrible for putting one of my Pokémon in danger and fighting a Legendary Pokémon. My Pokémon and I were still far away from being so strong to defeat Legendary and Mythical Pokémon.
I looked up when I sensed something nudging my head. Suicune had walked to me and comforted me by nuzzling its nose against my hair. It was like it told me it was okay and I didn't have anything to be ashamed of.
"You three may have failed defeating the hounds…but you have earned their respect, kids", Eusine spoke up.
Entei and Raikou nodded, like they confirmed what the adult told us. They stepped over to Ash and Silver while Suicune remained in front of me. I made eye contact with the water legendary and felt the connection get stronger than the first time I saw Suicune.
Kuni walked up with Vaporeon and Morty. "These beasts may have selected you three as their Trainer, but they still have their objective of observing humans and look over them and Pokémon. So if you choose to catch them, they might want to continue their own journey and remain as Ho-Oh's eyes."
"Vapoo!"
"It makes sense, since Ho-Oh revived them as its servants", Morty nodded. "They still have a mission to fulfill."
I nodded to Suicune, understanding the circumstances. "I get it. So as soon as I catch you, I will let you roam free because I know…you will sense when I need your help, Crystal."
"Kuuh!"
"I'm counting on you in the future, Entei", Ash said and lightly brushed Entei's brown fur.
"Raah!"
Silver slowly reached his hand out, but he didn't touch Raikou. Instead the Pokémon pressed its nose against the boy's palm with a soft purr. "You will know when I need you…right?"
"Raugh…!"
Brock took Mystic to treat him while I could catch Crystal. I had the perfect Poké Ball for it. I still had the Friend Ball Kurt made for me a long time ago. I saved it to use it for a special Pokémon like a Dratini, but I guess it was meant to catch Crystal.
I held the device out to Crystal, letting it choose to get caught. It touched the Friend Ball with its nose, activating the device. The Friend Ball opened while Crystal transformed into red energy and was absorbed in capture device. The ball shut itself and shook thrice before it stopped and let out a ding noise.
I heard two additional dings and saw Ash and Silver had used regular Poké Balls to catch their Legendary Pokémon. Seconds later, we simultaneously called out the hounds before my and Ash's devices dissipated, teleporting straight to Professor Oak's laboratory.
"I can't believe it… You guys caught Legendary Pokémon", Misty said in absolute awe.
"It's almost like Ash and Ashley were meant to catch one Legendary, since they did see Ho-Oh on their very first day as Pokémon Trainers", Brock commented.
"And Raikou chose Silver because it sensed there was hope in him", Lance nodded.
Mystic flew back to me and settled down on my shoulder, now fully healed after Brock had treated him. "Togitic tic!"
"Welcome to the family, Crystal", I smiled. I reached for a ribbon in my bag and tied it around its crest, a symbol to show Crystal belonged to a Trainer. I caressed its jaw and pressed a kiss against its nose. "Be careful out there. And I'll see you soon."
"Take good care of yourself, Entei", Ash told his Legendary.
"We'll meet again", Silver said simply to Raikou.
The three hounds walked away from us before they suddenly cried out and dashed into the nearby woods, leaving behind a trail of sparkles, ember and water drops on the dirt. Everyone including myself remained silent as we sensed the presence of the Legendary Pokémon fade away with the wind.
The silence broke when Ash's PokéGear started ringing. He grabbed the cellular device and answered the call. "He-"
"Ash! Ashley! Why did you two send two empty Poké Balls that have energy traces of two Legendary Pokémon?!" Professor Oak yelled out panicked.
Ash and I laughed sheepishly while the rest laughed or giggled heartedly at the situation. My brother and I had a lot of explaining to do for the professor.
XXXXXXXXXX
The theater was packed by the time we went there next evening to watch the Kimono Sisters' performance. We got good seats a few rows away from the stage and sat down on floor cushions. It was a little loud with the people talking around me. Even the Pokémon were chirping or growling in response to their Trainers and friends. I covered my ears to endure the noise around me. I didn't want to exhaust my senses before I got to watch the performance that was said to be a masterpiece.
I sat between Ash and Brock and Misty sat on my brother's other side. Pikachu crawled onto my lap while the boys patted my shoulders, silently telling me they were here for me. I nodded my head in response, hoping they saw my appreciation.
A buzzer set off which caused everyone in the theater to slowly go silent. The lights turned off, which meant the show was about to start. I felt the hair on my body stand up by the sudden tension in the air. The light of a projector shone on the curtain on the stage showing a picture of Ho-Oh and Lugia tangled together into a ball. The picture swirled around into a vortex vanishing like water paint while the curtain was pulled to the side, revealing an empty stage except for two pillars and Kimono Sister Zuki standing between them dressed in her Umbreon-pattern kimono and Moon Ball decorations in her hair. The music started playing and it gave me the chills. The background looked like it was on fire, but it was actually showing the colors of a strong sunset with maple leaves flying around.
"Many centuries ago…", Zuki began the performance. "The people of Ecruteak City built two towers, nine tiers each, reaching high up into the sky. The Bell Tower…" She moved her arms like soft waves to her right and then left, the silhouettes of two towers appeared on each pillar. "And the Brass Tower…"
Those were clearly the old names of the current towers in Ecruteak City, which I learned from Sayo before.
"The towers attracted two Legendary Pokémon guardian", Zuki spun around and hid her face behind the long sleeves of her kimono like she was bowing to welcome the mythical creatures. "Ho-Oh, guardian of the skies."
I nearly jumped from my seat when the image of Ho-Oh suddenly rose up with a loud shriek. The pillars were quickly removed from stage so the towers were projected on the wall behind Zuki. Ho-Oh flew in the sky and then seemed to fly toward us before it flew upward, leaving the stage in a cloud of glitter and rainbow spotlight.
"Lugia, guardian of the seas."
An image of Lugia replaced Ho-Oh with a shriek of its own and flew around before it left the stage in another cloud of glitter and spotlights moving down with silver light.
Zuki moved her head up from her sleeves. "Ho-Oh rested atop the Bell Tower, but the Brass Tower was the roost of the legendary Lugia."
A beautiful flute played while the pillars automatically returned to the stage and the two towers appeared on them. Ho-Oh came down and sat on top of the Bell Tower. Lugia followed suit and settled down on the Brass Tower.
"The people would commune with the Pokémon, and a harmonious friendship grew between them." There was a drop of music as it became ominous like a threat was coming its way. "Until one fateful night, one-hundred and fifty years ago…" Zuki did a soft twirl on her feet and brought out a Poké Ball from her kimono. "…As the towers were bathed in moonlight."
The Poké Ball opened and released Zuki's Umbreon. Right on cue, the yellow rings on its body glowed with its shriek, using Moonlight to enhance the magic on the stage, the background turning into night with a silver moon glowing among the tiny stars.
A small chord of drums was played as Sayo entered the stage, the spotlight shining upon her entrance. Zuki stepped back and blended herself with the shadows in the background. A close up picture of Lugia briefly appeared on the wall behind the Kimono Sisters before it faded away. Sayo was dressed in her lightning bolt kimono with Fast Balls attached to her hair. She pulled a Poké Ball from her sleeve while she took over the performance.
"But then Lugia's peaceful rest was disturbed by the tumult of a lightning storm", Sayo raised her hand high up and opened her Poké Ball. Her Jolteon bounced up in the air and unleased a controlled Thunderbolt that resembled a Discharge. At the same time, lightning bolts came crashing down at the very front of the stage resembling a thunderstorm.
Pikachu chirped lightly on my lap. His cheeks sparkled as a reaction to the electricity that surged around the stage.
"The storm grew", Sayo continued, her voice getting emotional. "The sky filled with lightning. The city shook with the sound of thunder…" The flute started playing again with a hint of sadness. "Until a tremendous thunderbolt came down and struck the tower."
Lugia rested on its tower, but then swiftly flew up to dodge an incoming lightning bolt. Instead of hitting the legendary beast, the nature struck the tower. Fire grew immediately and engulfed the tower.
Sayo stepped backwards to join Zuki when a hole opened on the floor. Miki was elevated to the stage with her Flareon already outside of its Poké Ball. Miki had her fiery kimono with Level Balls in her hair. "Setting the lofty spire ablaze…"
Flareon growled and used its power to spread a thin layer of fire across the stage while it turned into burning red like everything was catching on fire. "…Until it became a mighty inferno!" Miki, Sayo and Zuki and their Pokémon stepped forward and did a small dance with fans in their hands.
I noticed from the corner of my eye a Totodile that leaped forward ready to use Water Gun to extinguish the fake fire. Its Trainer jumped in and covered its mouth before it could interrupt the performance. The Trainer ended up getting sprayed by water in return.
The Lugia on the moving picture flapped moved its wings casting gust after gust on the burning tower with no result. The fire set on the Brass Tower only grew wilder just like the music. "Then Lugia flapped its wings and summoned a powerful wind to extinguish the fire. But the fire threatened to spread to the rest of the city."
Zuki and Sayo calmly left the stage with their Eeveelutions while another spotlight lit up a path that was connected to the stage. It was Kuni who had appeared out of nowhere, Lure Balls attached to her hair, dressed in a kimono with pattern resembling Vaporeon's scales. She walked toward the stage in the same calm pace while the music came to a slow halt like it was waiting for a battle.
"So Lugia called for rain, and the skies above Ecruteak City answered", Kuni spoke before she grabbed her Poké Ball and summoned Vaporeon. "The rain battled with the fire…fighting back the flames until the fire was vanquished." Vaporeon howled and went into battle with Flareon, firing a Water Gun as the music got intense again. Flareon responded by clashing its Flamethrower with the Water Gun in the middle of the stage. The moves were weak enough to form steam that made it act like the rain that poured down around Lugia and its burning tower.
Miki and Kuni collapsed on the floor with their Pokémon when the stage got filled by thick dark smoke. I didn't know if it was part of the performance or somebody was attacking the theater. Nobody was yelling for help, so perhaps things were okay.
The music stopped playing as the smoke engulfed the stage. Everybody was silent and waited anxiously for the rest of the performance. I couldn't help but hugging Pikachu for comfort. I almost felt a little sick by the distressful wait. The smoke dispersed and the stage came to life with the background replaced by the sun slowly coming up from the horizon illuminating the darkness revealing the destruction of the Brass Tower. My heart leaped in relief when Naoko stood up from the shadows, posing with her fan. It was such a beautiful scene I lost my breath.
"After that dreadful night, a new day dawned with the morning sun", Naoko's soft voice echoed along with the now soft music that played a sorrowful melody of the aftermath of the catastrophe.
The projected sun's presence was enhanced by Naoko's Espeon who used its red jewel on its forehead to control its Morning Sun like how Umbreon did at the beginning with its Moonlight. The light calmed down revealing Naoko in her pink kimono and Love Balls in her hair. The picture Lugia flew above the two towers, one now burned to the bottom, disappearing in the horizon.
"Overcome by the destruction the fire had wrought… Lugia fled."
The background shattered into bubbles, revealing the depths of the ocean where Lugia floated, curling itself into a ball, as it fell into a deep sleep. The rest of the Kimono Sisters joined Naoko on the stage with their Pokémon as the music shifted to a classic melody.
"Hiding in the ocean's depths, awaiting the call of someone pure of heart before it can return to Ecruteak City."
I clutched my heart as I remembered how I met Lugia not long ago and saved it and its child from evil hands. The Silver Wing I received from Lugia was a reminder of how it had chosen me and yet it decided to stay in the ocean to protect its child. Perhaps when then baby Lugia grows up, only then will Lugia return to this city.
The music almost turned a little playful, but still had a serious note. The Kimono Sisters brought out their fans and started dancing like moving flowers with their Eeveelutions dancing along with them. The background changed into a colorful rainbow that danced along with everyone on stage.
The music came to a slow halt along with the Kimono Sisters who quit dancing. They split up and left the stage except for Naoko who remained with her Espeon. The wall behind them showed a picture I remembered from the old scrolls Morty showed me and the others before when the Crystal Bells got stolen by Team Rocket.
"The city became silent, distraught by the destruction nature had caused, until the bells in the Bell Tower started ringing when Ho-Oh left the tower to observe the ruins of the Brass Tower."
The picture of Ho-Oh sitting on top of its tower was displayed while the legendary rainbow bird flew up and went to the Brass Tower. The sun behind it was enhanced by Espeon's Morning Sun once again. The music turned into a solemn and sad tone.
"Ho-Oh discovered three bodies in the midst of the burned rubble, three Pokémon who came to aid to extinguish the fire…only for their fate to be sealed by the hungry flames", Naoko's voice a little emotional while she sat down on her knees and held her arms wide open. "Saddened by the Pokémon's lost lives, Ho-On shared its Sacred Ashes and revived them into three legendary beasts."
The picture Ho-Oh screeched and emitted a bright golden light that spread across the stage. Naoko and her Espeon vanished as the light blinded my sight a little. A large silhouette of Raikou replaced Ho-Oh as Sayo and her Jolteon appeared on the stage, dancing with electric sparkles released by the electric Pokémon. The background music speeded up and sounded like a thunderstorm.
"The first beast was revived with the power of the lightning bolt that struck the tower, a beast that descends with the lightning and races across the land barking a cry that sounds like crashing thunder, Raikou the thunder Pokémon."
Jolteon shrieked as loudly as it could together with the picture Raikou that roared louder than the Eeveelution. Jolteon released a lightning bolt and struck the ground, blinding everybody, as the silhouette Pokémon jumped off the screen.
I closed my eyes to endure the light before it faded away. Now the screen was replaced by the silhouette of Entei and Miki and Flareon were dancing on the stage, the background acting like it was on fire. The music felt powerful and yet smooth like the calm fire projected.
"The second beast came back to life with the power of the fire that burned down the Brass Tower, a beast whose roar awakens a dormant volcano wherever it roams and embodies the passion of magma, Entei the volcano Pokémon."
Flareon howled in the same high pinch like Jolteon, but the silhouette Entei's roar was much deeper and dominated the noise. Flareon released a shockwave of fire as the fake fire engulfed the wall as the silhouette Entei jumped off the screen.
The brightness of the fire blinded the stage before it faded away, revealing the third and final silhouette of Suicune on the wall with Kuni and Vaporeon dancing like waves clashing against the sand on the beach. The music was just as calm and soothing like the dance.
"The third and final beast returned to life with the power of the rain that extinguished the fire, a beast that travels around the world like the north winds and purifies fouled water with gliding elegance, Suicune the aurora Pokémon."
Vaporeon howled almost in the exact same tone as the silhouette Suicune as the water in the background shifted into the colors of the aurora, the spotlights adding the effect of the multiple colors. The background turned into a scene of the three revived Pokémon standing on a cliff with Ho-Oh flying above them, the music turning powerful. Sayo, Jolteon, Miki and Flareon returned to the stage and danced with Kuni and Vaporeon until they positioned themselves in a triangle like the legendary beasts.
Zuki and Umbreon walked out on stage and stood in the middle of the triangle representing Ho-Oh. "Ho-Oh believed the humans were responsible for the destruction of the Brass Tower and chased Lugia away. Angered, it gave the revived beasts a mission to watch over the mankind before it left the city, promising to return someday when its fierce anger melts when the hearts of Pokémon and humans finally beat as one."
Naoko and Espeon walked out to the front of the stage before the five geishas unfolded their fans and started dancing again with the same music they played after they finished the tale of Lugia. Their Eeveelutions danced together with their partners for about half a minute before the Kimono Sisters stood in a row now holding a bell each. Their Pokémon silently sat next to their Trainers.
"To this day, the ruins of Burned Tower remain as a reminder of what was lost", Naoko spoke.
"And what will be again", Zuki finished.
The music reached its end and the geishas rang their golden bells, sparkling like tiny fireworks. I was teary-eyed at this point. Everything about this performance was just beautiful and so majestic. I bit my bottom lip to hold back the sobs in my throat while the audience stood up and applauded wildly. I heard other also crying their heart out and somebody from a balcony yelling bravo repeatedly. That voice sounded slightly familiar, but I brushed it off.
I wiped my tears and stood up to join the applauding. I felt so blessed receiving this opportunity to watch something so stunning. A flute started playing as the curtain was pulled over the stage, the performance now have come to an end.
I stood close to Ash as we walked out of the theater. My lungs were filled with fresh air as the buzz around me was a little too much for my mushy brain to handle. "T-That was…beautiful…"
"It really was", Ash held back his own sobs and wiped a stray tear. "I had to hold back myself so hard not to cry."
Misty wiped her eyes with a tissue, lightly sobbing. "The theater truly lives up to its name. And the Kimono Sisters were so elegant and danced in harmony with their Pokémon…"
"My heart!" Brock yelled out, surprising us by his sudden cry. "I couldn't take it much longer! The sisters are so beautiful! My heart can't choose who I want!"
Ash, Misty and I laughed sheepishly at him together with Pikachu. Togepi happily chirped, not caring much about our love-struck friend. I looked up at the night sky hoping Ho-Oh could see that not every human being is evil and we can one day have a world where we can live in peace and harmony together with Pokémon.
XXXXXXXXXX
Ashley's party:
Cedric the Pupitar (male)
Mystic the Togetic (male)
Victor the Houndoom (male)
Lily the Espeon (female)
Queendra the Seadra (female)
Poseidon the shiny Gyarados (male)
XXXXXXXXXX
Ashley's Pokémon at the Lab:
Trica the Furret (female)
Wanda the Gyarados (female)
Aria the Lapras (female)
Hikaru the Ampharos (male)
Axel the Scyther (male)
XXXXXXXXXX
Ashley's roaming Pokémon:
Crystal the Suicune (genderless)
XXXXXXXXXX
Ash's party:
Pikachu (male)
Bayleef (female)
Cyndaquil (male)
Dunsparce (male)
Heracross (male)
Phanpy (male)
XXXXXXXXXX
Ash's Pokémon at the Lab:
Tauros (male)
Ivysaur (male)
Snorlax (male)
Kingler (male)
Poliwrath (male)
Wartortle (male)
Shiny Noctowl (male)
Croconaw (male)
XXXXXXXXXX
Ash's roaming Pokémon:
Entei (genderless)
XXXXXXXXXX
Misty's party:
Staryu (genderless)
Psyduck (male)
Togepi (female)
Poliwhirl (male)
Lanturn (female)
Corsola (female)
XXXXXXXXXX
Misty's Pokémon in the Cerulean Gym:
Goldeen (female)
XXXXXXXXXX
Brock's party:
Geodude (male)
Onix (male)
Crobat (male)
Pineco (male)