(rated E10+ for fantasy stage violence)

Prologue: Chelsea's Decision

The neon lights of Nimbasa City lit up the night as people came and went about their daily routines. But the busiest district of all was the Trinity District, Nimbasa's famous theater district, with hundreds of glittering theaters and thousands of performances going on every night, there was something for everyone to enjoy.

But in one apartment complex overlooking the colorfully lit district, a black haired girl looked out on the glittering lights with a sigh. So close...I was so close...

She looked over at her awards cabinet near the living room entrance; where a Spotlight Button with seven Star Pins was among the many trophies, ribbons, and other prizes on display. The city lights outside projected the glint of the Star Pins on the well, giving the girl a visual reminder of how close she had come to making it into the cast of the Unova Grand Musical the year before. What I would give to try again--and this time make it to the Grand Musical! Or better yet, go somewhere else and try to take part in their Grand Musical...

"Is everything okay, Chelsea?" an older girl with wavy black hair asked as she arrived in the room with her dinner for the night. "It's not like you to be this quiet." She set down the plate on the coffee table, found the TV remote, and flicked on the TV.

"I've been thinking...how could I have come so close to making it in to the Grand Musical last year, and failing?" Chelsea sighed as she brushed some sandwich crumbs from her lavender T-shirt that displayed a smiling Espeon on it. "I did everything right..."

"Sometimes you can do all the preparation in the world, and still be told no." the older girl explained. "It may be true that you had every right to be there, but the audition committee may feel someone else deserved the role you wanted more than you."

"Yeah--I've had my share of rejected auditions..." Chelsea replied. "But this one hurts because of when it came, Christine...so what can I do to redeem myself? Unovan Grand Musical rules say I have to wait a year before trying again...is there anywhere else I can go that has a Musical or Revue challenge?"

"Well..." Christine was snapped to attention by a segment on the show she was watching. In Pokemon Musical and Pokemon Revue news, trainers from Kanto can now experience the magic of the Pokemon Musical and Pokemon Revue! Champion Lance announced today that the Musical and the Revue will be viable options alongside Gyms and Contests..."

Chelsea couldn't believe her ears. "Christie, you know what this means? I can finally see Ash, Misty, and Brock as the Three Musketeers! I will never forget your playing Diana in the Melody's sakura version..."

"You could also travel to Kanto, and learn from them." Christine agreed. "There's a reason they are Kanto's biggest triple threat superstars--they are very good at what they do."

"Maybe, if I travel to Kanto, I can ask them to travel with me as my mentors for this new Musical Challenge!" Chelsea went on, her mind spinning with ideas.

Chelsea reached for her PokeNav, and brought up TravelNav. "Let's see here...fights to Kanto from Unova are actually pretty cheap right now. I can get you there as soon as tomorrow, if you don't mind a red eye flight."

"Book the first flight at a decent hour you can find." Chelsea smiled, now in a better mood. "What should I pack for Kanto?"

"Here...I'll print you a packing list, and leave it on your pillow." Christine offered. "I'll do the heavy lifting of getting your flight booked and getting you signed up for the challenge. If I have to, I'll even rally the other girls to take up a collection to get you to Kanto."

Chelsea ran to hug her elder sister. "Thank you..."

She glanced back at the nearly completed Spotlight Button in the awards cabinet. "This time, I'm gonna make it into the Grand Musical!"

Christine just smiled. "I believe you would, with the same spirit and energy you give to the Revue."

"You've been to Kanto before, right?" Chelsea asked as she opened the closet and retrieved a suitcase. "What's it like over there?"

"It's beautiful over there." Christine replied. "Even if you don't get to travel with Ash, Misty, and Brock, it's worth your while to see them perform."

Chelsea nodded. "I can't wait--maybe there is some hope for me as a great Musical performer after all." she mused before returning to her bedroom for more clothes.

"Well, no matter what happens, you'll always be a great performer to the Revue." Christine assured Chelsea. "You don't need a prize to tell you that."

To Be Continued...