kodachi | ARE YOU A POKÉMON MASTER?

[Somewhere in this unseemly rabble she has a husband. And how typical of him to have disappeared among the plebeians, pulled along on whatever fanciful whimsy has caught his attention. The fact that she knows him to be inordinately capable only makes his frivolousness all the more frustrating.

Riane pauses at the edge of one stage, caught by a jaunty melody that can surely only be a Pokémon Musical performance. It's not that she doesn't appreciate art, gracious no, but this sort of mass appeal is so very beneath her. Tsing is, if anything, even more discerning, and yet he seems to enjoy the spectacle of these absurd performances. Perhaps she'll find him here.]

[Fila looks forward to this event all year. There are no musicals near their small town—at the beginning of the line for serious trainers—and little of excite or interest otherwise. Malis came here with her, but the musicals don't fascinate her the way they do Fila and, before long, she found herself alone before the stage.

Well, relatively alone; the crowd presses excitedly on all sides as the music skirls about them and she feels threatened by the size of all of them. She squeezes her way out to one side, coming into open air near a beautiful woman with sharp eyes. Isn't she one of the Elite Four... ? Fila smiles politely at her, and clasps her hands together as she curtseys to hide their excited shaking.]

Aren't the musicals wonderful, m'am? They're my favourite event!

[Tsing will suffer for this.]

Please, Miss Riane is fine. And I'm glad to hear you're enjoying them, dear! It's so important to me that everyone see the best that Pokémon have to offer, no matter where their talents lie. They're all valuable in our their ways. That's just one of the things that people and Pokémon have in common, don't you agree?

[What revolting sentimental drivel - if she simpers any more people will start mistaking her for Kristopher. But no one can possibly fault her manner; an unfortunate necessity of her position. Let the little girl remember her fondly, tell all her insignificant little friends about it. At least something good can come of this.]

Yes, that's just it! [She nods rapidly, rising to her tiptoes without meaning to.] It's like me, I'm not very tall or very good at fighting, but I can be useful in some way, even without that! Maybe one day I'll get to be on stage too...

[She looks wistfully back towards the stage and its performers, then bites her lip and looks to Riane again.] But you're very good at battling, Miss Riane, and everyone respects you for it. Me too!

As they should! [So the girl has some wits after all!] We should always respect the talent of those better than us. And aspire, of course. I see no reason whatsoever you shouldn't be able to earn a place on that stage.

[Such a doll-faced child would probably be beloved by the crowds, in fact, if she had the right Pokémon to mask any lack of talent. A simple-minded dream - perfectly attainable indeed.]

I trust, then, you'll be supporting me in the Championship Tournament? It's nice to see someone younger recognising the power and elegance of Poison-type Pokémon.

[She flushes pink when Riane says she might be able to perform in musicals someday, and further when Riane speaks again. The Championship Tournament... Drael'd been talking about it plenty for the last several weeks. She glances down in embarassment all the same; she doesn't want to disappoint the elegant Riane.]

Um, well, I'm a member of Drael's gym... a-and someone I know is really fond of Hassan, so we cheer for both of them. I like Kristopher a lot, too, he's— [She cuts herself off as her cheeks go even redder, then brightens.] But I'll definitely support you too, Miss Riane!

[Nevermind. The girl is absolutely witless. And mercy, is she blushing over Kristopher?]

How bighearted you are! It's strange to imagine such an uncompetitive spirit is actually a trainer in a Pokémon Gym. Does Drael know about your musical ambitions?

Drael's gym is for everyone. [She speaks with quick confidence, not thinking about the fact that this woman might find such arrangements inappropriate.] We just make sure trainers are capable enough to fight Drael. Beating me isn't a very good measure, but beating Malis or Shryke is... But he doesn't. No one does, except Malis. They think I just like to watch. When I'm strong enough, I'll go on and start by myself.

[For everyone, hm? Well, it's none of her business, is it? Certainly it's not in her jurisdiction. And thank goodness for that - why should she have to deal with that sort of remedial level of skill? She didn't advance this far to spend her time babysitting talentless children. Three days a year is more than enough slumming to keep her satisfied.]

And what sort of strength do you need to follow this dream? Not the sort attained by battling in a gym, surely. You already know what you'd like to do, don't you? Will learning to battle really help you with that?

[Just how had she got involved in this sort of prattling conversation, anyway?]

[Fila's eyes go wide at Riane's words, and she looks down as she considers the proposition. She doesn't need to ever be good at battling, does she? It isn't what she wants to do. She just... she murmurs the answer aloud.]

I just need to be brave enough to go on. I should. Maybe... maybe when I get back, I'll tell them I'm going.

Do whatever you think is right, my dear. But follow your dreams, always. Don't let anyone else tell you how you should live your life.

[That last piece of advice, at least, is sincerely meant. What would Tsing make of her, chirping away like some interfering mother hen? Mercy, better not to think of such things. His silly assumptions would only hurt him.]

I'm afraid I have a husband to attend to. Should you ever make it to the stage, perhaps I'll have him buy us tickets to attend your showing. Will you write to me, if you're successful?

[How delightfully affirming it would be, after all, to think a few easy words from her could shape this child's entire life. Amusing, at the very least.]

ARE YOU A POKÉMON MASTER?

POKÉMON MUSICAL STAGE

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