Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Performers of Harmony

[EmeraldSky]

Act 21: A Show in Silver (part 1)


"I can't believe it! Arceus was watching us perform for Shaymin!" Lita gasped, skipping down the road ahead of the caravan of wagons.

"Now we really have to make it to Luminous City." Ruby agreed. "So we can come to the divine realm."

"What kind of show would the Creator of all Things like?" Charlotte wondered as the caravan approached the top of the hill. Silver Town was off in the distance--a shiny beacon of civilization for travelers to rest after their trek through Jade Forest.

"We'll have plenty of time to worry about that as we travel across the continent." Lita smiled. "For now, let's focus on our performance in Silver Town."

She motioned for her friends to follow her. "Last one there's a rotten Exeggcute!"

"Hey, wait for us!" Ruby, Charlotte, and the caravan were not far behind as the the shining gray rooftops of Silver Town came into view...

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The Diamond Theater rang with applause as Shimmer departed the stage. Brenna appeared in a spotlight at stage right. "There was once a king and queen, who had three daughters." she began over the orchestra's overture. "The two eldest were twins—Homura and Sora—and their parents loved them dearly. They were beautiful and intelligent to be sure, but they were not very good in heart. The third princess was named Kiiro, and was three years younger than her sisters. She was beautiful, wise, and as kind as she was beautiful."

Intrigued murmurs filled the theater as Brenna continued over the orchestra "The light fairy Hikari was Kiiro's godmother, and this made her two sisters, Homura and Sora, very jealous. Some days after Kiiro was born, the king and queen sent her to the country, on a farm, to be nursed. Kiiro lived there happily for fifteen years without her parents coming, not even once, to see her. Every year they sent a little money to the farmer to pay for Kiiro's expenses, and asked some questions pertaining to her health and well-being, but they never came to see her nor cared about her education."

The murmurs in the audience started to turn angry, but Brenna assured the audience "Kiiro would indeed have been very rude and ignorant if her good godmother, the fairy Hikari, had not sent her teachers to teach her everything a princess needed to know. Kiiro learned to read, write, do math and build things. She also became an accomplished musician, knew how to draw, and spoke several languages. In fact, some said Kiiro was the most beautiful, attractive, friendly, and excellent princess in the world. She had never disobeyed her nurse or godmother, and therefore never needed to be disciplined. She did not regret her father and mother, as she did not know them, and she did not desire any other home than the farm where she had been so happy."

She intoned as the long overture finished "It is there that our story begins..."

The lights came up on Lita, in the role of Kiiro, sitting on a bench before the door of a farmhouse set, reading a novel. After a few tense moments, a Treecko in a laced hat and coat approached her. "Pardon me, good lady, but may I speak to the princess Kiiro?"

Lita looked up from the book. "I am her, and she is me."

"Then, princess, be graciously pleased to receive this letter, which the king your father has charged me to deliver to you." the Treecko replied as he handed Lita a fancy prop envelope.

Lita took the letter, carefully opened it, and read "Dearest Kiiro: Your sisters are now eighteen years old and it is time they were married. I have invited princes and princesses from all the kingdoms of the world to come join us for a festival, which I intend to give in order to choose husbands for Homura and Sora. You are now fifteen years old and can properly appear at this festival. You may come and spend three days with me. I will send for you in eight days. I cannot send you any money for your room as I have spent plenty for your sisters; besides, no one will look at you. Come, therefore, in any clothes you wish. Regards, The King Your Father."

After folding up the prop paper, Lita hurried into the house, where Charlotte, as the nurse, was tidying the kitchen area of the set. "I've received a letter from the castle--the king wishes me present at a great festival." she explained as she set the letter on the table.

"Do you wish to go to this festival?" Charlotte asked as she set down before Lita at the table.

Lita nodded. "Yes, my good nurse, I am delighted and honored to be invited. I will enjoy myself and get to know my father, mother and my sisters, and then I will return to you."

"But what will you wear?" Charlotte asked.

"The beautiful robe of white satin that I always wear on holidays and festival days." Lita smiled.

"That robe is suitable for the country, but would appear miserably plain at a party of kings and princes." Charlotte mused.

"Why does it matter? My father himself has said that no one will look at me. This thought will make me much more at ease. I will see all and no one will see me." Lita assured Charlotte.

The lights blinked over to Brenna as Charlotte pantomimed sewing and ironing a white gown. "The nurse sighed, but started to mend, whiten and smooth Kiiro's white robe. The day before the king was to send for her, the nurse called her and said..."

"Here is your dress for the royal festival." Charlotte began as she delivered the gown to Lita. "Be very careful with it, as I will not be there to whiten and smooth it for you."

"Thank you so much." Lita smiled as she watched Charlotte pack the satin robe and white skirt, a pair of cotton stockings, black shoes, and a little bouquet of flowers as a hair accessory.

Moments before Charlotte closed the trunk, a light appeared in the window as the harpist started a familiar melody, revealing a Dedenne in a sparkly yellow fairy's costume. "Hikari!" Charlotte gasped.

"You are going, then, to your father's court?" the Dedenne asked Lita.

"Yes, Hikari, but only for three days." Lita replied.

"But what dress have you prepared for those three days?" the Dedenne asked

"Look here!" Lita proudly showed the Dedenne the white gown.

The Dedenne "flew" down to the gown. and laid her paws on it. "I wish that my dear Kiiro will create a sensation with her dress. This is unworthy of her."

With that, she sang Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul... making the gown and its accessories seemly transform into junk.

Laughter went up at Lita's and Charlotte's shocked reactions. "In this manner do I wish my Kiiro to appear. You must dress yourself in all this, and to complete your ensemble, here is a necklace of nuts, a hairband of burrs, and bracelets of dried beans."

More laughter went up as the Dedenne gave the confused Lita a hug, and disappeared in a flash of light and a harp flourish. "Alas! it was not worth my while to go to all the trouble of preparing this poor robe." Charlotte cried through feigned tears. "Oh, my poor Kiiro! Don't go to this festival. Say you're sick, or something!"

Giggles went up at Charlotte's melodramatic pose. "No, that would displease my godmother Hikari." Lita replied. "I am sure that she knows what is best for me, as she is much wiser than I am. I will go and I will wear all that my godmother has brought me."

The lights went down as Brenna continued "Kiiro had hardly arranged her hair and dressed herself the next morning when Hikari's coach came for her. She embraced her nurse, took her little trunk and departed..."

To Be Continued...