Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Performers of Harmony

[EmeraldSky]

Act 5: The First Show (part 2)


"That night, Gaia watched the king's party disappear, and then made her way to the temple." Brenna narrated from her nook.

Backstage, Lita watched as Sakura carefully but quickly climbed to the top of an ornate temple set. I worked so hard planning out that set...the real challenge was deciding whether or not to stick to the real story, or expand on how the heroes got to the three Hydreigons.

As Sakura carefully rolled away a foam rock to reach the temple set's next level, she thought back to when the group was first brainstorming the script...

"How can we make the battles interesting?" Lita asked as she settled before the table. "We know we want three unique challenges for each hero..."

"I know we said we were going to have a unique challenge for the Legendary and the princesses..." Shimmer explained. "But the more I think about it, that may make the play run too long."

Murmurs filled the kitchen as the group thought of another solution to their dilemma. "We know we don't want to play out the exact same scenario three times..." Brenna explained. "But we also don't want to add in too many challenges..."

"Either way, we risk boring the audience..." Lita sighed.

"Maybe we can add subtle variations to three different temple sets?" Charlotte suggested. "While the three actors go through the same basic scenario, the sets have slightly different challenges that play to the actors' strengths and their character's abilities."

"Great idea!" Ruby smiled. "That should solve our major problem!"

"In our version, let's have each hero slay the Hydreigon on their own... Brenna suggested as the group huddled to discuss the finer points of their script...

The rip of a prop bag snapped Lita back to reality--the first Hydreigon battle was coming up! "Peace--I've come to rescue you." Sakura assured the shiny Vulpix in the role of Princess Orla. "My name is Gaia."

"Thank you for releasing me, lady of magic." the shiny Vulpix smiled before hurrying to the nook she was supposed to hide in for the fight.

The orchestra played some ominous music. "Quickly! Get down behind the rock and hide there while I meet the creature and cut off his ugly heads!" Sakura called.

The audience gasped in both awe and fear as a majestic Hydreigon puppet emerged from the "water" on the set a few moments later. Boladh mé rud éigin go maith!
Beidh mé ag titim air agus a dhéanamh cothrom air!
Feicfidh mé pioc a chnámha agus deoch a chuid fola! it chanted, its deep and ominous voice rumbling through the theater.

"Stop boasting, underling of Eternatus!" Sakura shot back in character. "You'll have time enough to boast after you fight."

"Fight? You want to fight, then, do you?" the puppet challenged the Snivy at the top of the temple set. "Very well! Blow then with your sweet breath, blow out a long level platform of gold where we can meet and try our strength!"

"No, you blow, and instead of gold, we will have a platform of iron." Sakura smirked.

Excited murmurs filled the air as an iron platform seemed to appear from thin air. The orchestra struck up an exciting melody as Sakura ran to "battle" the puppet.

Lita watched from backstage as Sakura jumped, poked the various targets on the puppet with a prop rapier, and fired blasts of light standing in for spells. The crowd's really getting into it! she smiled as she watched the audience cheer for the Snivy battling the Hydreigon puppet. But I have to hand it to Ruby for planning the fight scenes!

In the theater, the audience roared as Sakura delivered the final blow to the Hydreigon puppet. But the cheers almost drowned out the orchestra's victorious song as a Jirachi puppet flew from the "dead" Hydreigon's body, creating stars in the night sky set. "Jirachi! Jirachi has returned!" a Fletchling playing a herald cried as the Jirachi puppet soared overhead. "Arceus bless the one who has released Jirachi!"

"While there was rejoicing for Jirachi's return, there was still great sorrow at the palace, and the king knew that two more of his daughters were still in danger." Brenna was quick to calm the audience down. "Our heroes returned to Kitsune's cave to learn what to do next."

The lights came back up on the crystal cave set from before. Ruby, Rio, and Sakura listened as Charlotte greeted them. "Milady, I have returned victorious!" Sakura smiled.

"That you have, for the stars above herald Jirachi's safe return." Charlotte smiles. "But Solgaleo, Lunala, and two more princesses remain."

Rio nodded. "I will save the silver one, milady. Tell me what to do."

"You are correct that Princess Ariana is in danger." Charlotte told Rio over some mystical music. "Unless her father, the king, gives her to the six-headed Hydreigon, the monster will come and eat half the kingdom, half the castle, and half the shining stones. He also holds Lunala captive, and the hero that slays him will release her."

"Here is work for me!" Rio smiled, holding his prop sword high to some giggles and "aw"s at his heroic pose before the lights went down for the intermission...

To Be Continued...