Episode 5a: We Will All Do Pokemon! (part 1)


"What a day! We help someone out, and I get two more Pokemon for my new team in return." Ash smiled as he watched Tintri and Kaitou romping down the road ahead of him, as well as a familiar Rufflet on his shoulder. "His name will be Washi--Kantonian for 'eagle'."

Misty nodded in approval of the Rufflet's new name. "Well, here's hoping Dan, his family, and the local Sandiles get along."

Ash nodded back in agreement, but did a double take as the group emerged from the forest to find a sprawling city in the distance. "Wow! That has to be Striaton City! Maybe we can see if Cilan, Chili and Cress are as strong as Blair and Whitlea said they are!"

"Hate to break it to you, but Striaton City is the next town over." Brock interjected, prompting Ash to sigh. "The good news is, there should be a Pokemon Musical theater here, so there's something we can try for."

"Wonder if I'll finally get to do a Revue Battle or a proper performance with you guys..." Ash mused, now in a better mood.

"Actually, when you get to a theater, you do a proper performance." a male voice explained.

Ash whirled around to find Blair and Whitlea joining them on the path leading into the city. "Oh, hi! As you can see, I've gotten pretty popular with the local Pokemon."

"I remember the Oshawott, but who's the Rufflet?" Whitlea asked.

"I decided to name the Oshawott Kaitou..." Ash explained, gesturing to Kaitou. "...and this is Washi." The Rufflet happily spread his wings as Ash gestured to him.

"Nice to meet you, Washi." Whitlea smiled.

"If you're planning to take part in the Pokemon Musical, you need to head for that building right there." Blair pointed out a large green building in the distance, where a line was forming. "There are several different ways performances work on the Stage Challenge, but the two most common are the Star Musical, and the Speed Musical."

"The Star Musical is your standard musical performance, no frills or gimmicks." Whitlea explained. "The Speed Musical is where you're given a role and have to play that role on the fly, with minimal rehearsal. You may not always have to sing in a performance, either."

She looked at the theater's marquee as the group approached. "...and there's a Speed Musical going on today...care to give it a try?"

"Would I ever!" Ash gasped, excited.

"I'll be happy with any role you give me." Misty agreed.

"Tell me the role, and I'll do my best to perform it, mistakes and all." Brock replied.

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Applause filled the theater as the Speed Musical began. "There was once a king and queen, who had three daughters." Brock, now in a majestic purple, red, and gold costume, 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 Brock 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 Brock 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."

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

The lights came up on a wavy haired girl 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 boy in a laced hat and coat approached her. "Pardon me, good lady, but may I speak to the princess Kiiro?"

The girl 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 boy replied as he handed the girl a fancy prop envelope.

The girl 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, the girl hurried into the house, where a dull blonde haired woman playing 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?" the woman asked as she sat down before the girl at the table.

The girl 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?" the woman asked.

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

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

The lights blinked over to Brock as the woman 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." the woman began as she delivered the gown to the girl. "Be very careful with it, as I will not be there to whiten and smooth it for you."

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

Moments before the woman closed the trunk, a light appeared in the window of the set as Brock started a familiar melody on his own harp, revealing Misty in a sparkly yellow fairy's costume. "Hikari!" the woman gasped.

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

"Yes, Hikari, but only for three days." the girl replied.

"But what dress have you prepared for those three days?" Misty asked.

"Look here!" The girl proudly showed Misty the white gown.

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

With that, she sang Seios, higarima laisido... making the gown and its accessories seemly transform into junk.

Laughter went up at the girl's and the woman's shocked reactions. "In this manner do I wish my Kiiro to appear." Misty explained. 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 Misty gave the confused girl 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." the woman cried through feigned tears. "Oh, my poor Kiiro! Don't go to this festival. Say you're sick, or something!"

Giggles went up at the woman's melodramatic pose. "No, that would displease my godmother Hikari." the girl 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 Brock 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..."

Blair and Whitlea smiled as the lights went down. "Ash, Misty, and Brock have this acting thing down..." Blair smiled over the orchestra's interlude.

"I know..." Whitlea agreed. "I can't wait for Ash's first scene!"

To Be Continued...