B4 — 18. The Dynasty of Vaporeon

3:57 p.m. October 22nd, Thursday, 106 PH (Post Hoopa Event).  Day 135. Events:  Rhea and the girls are on a Badge Hunt, trying to get all the Kanto Encrusted Badges before time runs out!  Our girl started her journey on the 9th of June, and the end of registration for the Winter Indigo Cup is December 5th (43 days away).

Goosebumps cascaded down Rhea’s arm as she walked down the hallway and into the bright stadium.  A platform was raised off to the side, allowing them to see the stage and their Pokemon.  The cheers that erupted from the crowd made her heart skip a little as she saw a few big posters of Nova in her various forms spaced across the sea of people—the stadium had roughly 5,000 seats, and all of them were filled.

Rising up the stairs beside Amira, surprisingly, she didn’t feel apprehensive or any nervous Butterfree.  If anything, she was excited to see what they could come up with in the randomness of this mostly impromptu battle of characters; they had a theme and their own created persona.  The Trainers wove the narrative, and the Pokemon acted out the scene.  If one Trainer said she was supposed to lose, then she had to lose the fight, but she could choose how that was done.

The elderly gentleman in the judges’ box clapped his hands as the curtain surrounding the inner stage was pulled back, showing a small Kanto-style Pokemon castle—they’d made the right call not to go with the Kalos-style—with a miniature town for the other Pokemon to occupy.  Drones silently zoomed around it, giving multiple angles on the displays around the main monitor, showing their entrance.

“Welcome, welcome, our young stars of this Rookie Contest, and don’t think I’m forgetting about the silent supporting cast, as well!  I’m sure many agencies will see your work here today.  I am Mr. Raoul Contesta, Chief of the Pokemon Activities Committee, and I have the honor of starting off this wonderful event.”

He adjusted his black bow tie as the side monitor showed him sitting beside Erika and Sabrina.  “This is a Themed Improv Contest Night, with the Saffron Special Props Company generously sponsoring it with their fantastic services.  Starting us off at Rookie and working our way up to our Super Contest Impromptu Stars!

“That being said, do not think that these Rookies will not surprise you!  For our first 30-minute showing, our Rookie Contestants will have the opportunity to show us their raw talent; all of them are within the Silver Battle Bracket, and some are already qualified for the Indigo Silver Cup.  This is sure to be a firecracker showing, and I can already see fans in the crowd!”

Raoul shifted to the side to smile at the dark-haired and well-mannered woman beside him; Rhea heard her name among a few others being chanted, yet the man plowed right on.

“Lady Erika, would you lay out the rules for our fine lads and ladies?  We have three teams, each comprising two members.”

Erika’s soothing and whimsical voice drew in the noise of the stadium, hushing the audience to listen to the Grass Specialist as Rhea reached her designated place in the spotlight.

“It is a Partner Star League Contest, which means we will be judging them both individually and as a group based on the six standard categories: coolness, beauty, cuteness, cleverness, toughness.  More specifically, how each team is able to work off one another to provide a tense and enjoyable drama that they will unfold to captivate the audience’s hearts.”

“Excellent explanation,” Raoul nodded, looking to his left to where the Psychic Specialist sat on air, outlined by a light pink glow.  “And Gym Leader Sabrina, do you have anything to add?”

The woman eyed them for a moment in the ensuing silence, a small smile playing at the edges of her lips.  “I hope to see an individual touch from our Contestants.  Each person will be given a chance to briefly elaborate on their own actions in the story in order of their introduction.  Why don’t we let them introduce themselves?  Play nice and mean.”

“Fair enough!  We will start from Group One to Group Three.  Begin!”

The lights dimmed, and a flash of white cast down on the man and woman beside Amira and her, allowing the pair to step forward as the drones projected them across the screen.  Behind them, the silent cast waited to direct their own Pokemon into whatever scene they’d craft.

The woman in her mid-twenties went first, dressed in an orange and tan-themed kimono.  She took a deep breath, smiled, and presented her gown-wearing rat.

“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance; I am Kate, and before you is Lady Julia Sinister, 1st daughter of the Lesser Noble House of Ratatouille.  She has been bullied by her peers growing up, due to her middle name, implying she is a schemer and is not to be trusted.  Yet, she has worked hard for her declining family, and is trying to support them as they are on the verge of losing their nobility status.”

Her smile turned more devious, tilting her head to the side to brush her loose bangs behind her ear as Julia put off a cute, lady-like vibe.  “Could there be something behind these rumors involving her family being up to something?  We shall see.”

Rhea’s hands tightened at her front, her stomach squirming as she edited Nova’s story to the girl’s introduction.  I guess Kate is a popular name.  And it looks like you have a lady-in-waiting!

The woman’s partner came next, showing a sweeping bow as his Noctowl mirrored his action atop his bag.  “My name is Harvy, ladies and gentlemen, and my poor bird has led a rather sorted life among the streets in the Dynasty of Vaporeon; water may be plentiful, but its restrictions due to royal decree limit its use.”

As he rose from his bowed position, his golden eyes twinkled, and a rumble came from below as the background stage crew shifted the environment from underneath.  Sections of the stone floor sank, and water filled them to create a small river that ran through the miniature town.  It seemed they were already on the offensive in this drama, his framing making Nova frown.

“It is due to the strict edicts of the nobility that Adam Becker grew his name in the darker circles of the kingdom, providing things that are not easily… or legally obtained.  In the dead of night, Adam’s silent wings carry him through the night on his jobs for the criminal underbelly.  Could there be more to this Noctowl, though?  Not everyone is rotten to the core.”

The spotlight darkened before momentarily blinding Rhea as the glow fell on her.  Without skipping a beat, she stepped forward with Nova; her geta clicked against the tiled platform as she held her hands at her front and showed her best charming smile while blinking rapidly to adjust to the brightness.

“I am honored to have this opportunity to entertain you all.  I am Rhea, and this elegant Vaporeon before you is Princess Nova, the sheltered heir to the Dynasty’s Coral Throne.  Having grown up in isolation, excluding the nobility allowed to interact with her, Princess Nova has never had the opportunity to leave her oppressive castle grounds.”

Nova held her shiny black head high.  Her white fins and spine sails fluttered a little with her big ears, and she chirped cutely while being introduced.

“A little socially awkward around new people, Nova longs to make friends and see what her kingdom is like.  Ever since the previous war against the Dynasty of Flareon, which took her eldest brother’s life, she has been a prisoner in her own home.

“Often, she will sit by her tall tower window to overlook the kingdom and pretend she’s down there, mingling amongst the bread-makers and whatever else the average citizen did… because she doesn’t know how they live.  Her only stories come from her dutiful lady-in-waiting, Lady Julia Sinister Ratatouille.”

She saw a curious smile come from Kate in the dark next to her as she finished, allowing everyone to see Amira’s ratty red hair—a wig—and her modest rags; she’d even smudged a bit of dirt and dusted herself up a little.  Serenity’s half-unique and half-normal Feebas paint job flashed across the screen with her.

“As I am sure everyone is aware, I am Amira Rocket, and this trodden-upon River Pokemon has been kicked out of her home to wander the streets of the Vaporeon Dynasty.

“Many of the Feebas she knew died in the war instigated by Flareon, and she has no one to rely on but herself.  Without the means to pay for the yearly Coral Tax, all of her family possessions were repossessed, and now she works in the Coral Mines to provide for herself.

“Known in town as the Ugly Fish, Serenity pays them no mind; knowing her own intrinsic worth from the teachings of her deceased mother and father, she dreams of someday showing everyone how beautiful she really is and not to be judged by her tarnished scales.”

Whispers passed amongst the crowd as Raoul spoke up, “What a cast we have so far, ladies and gentlemen; the scene is being set; we have a princess and her lady, a criminal, and an outcast in a water-based dynasty of coral, war, greed, and fear!  What will our final two pieces add to this puzzle?”

The dainty Steenee and her prince-like Trainer took the stage with a dashing smile as the princess gave a short and imperial nod to the crowd.  His colorful and fancy kimono was themed a flashy lime green and purple to match his Fruit Pokemon; she radiated a sweet scent as she showed a dazzling, bubbly smile.

“Salutations, my subjects; I am Prince Isoroku Yamamoto, and this lovely bowl of fruit is the 2nd Princess of the Vaporeon Dynasty, Stella Vaporeon, being a child from King Vaporeon’s 2nd wife.  Having a somewhat turbulent relationship with her older sister, Princess Nova Vaporeon, because of how neglected she feels, Princess Stella spends much of her time with her fellow nobles.

“Having a desire to be loved due to her mother’s death from illness leaving a hole in her life no one was able to fill, she seeks to please those around her.  She is sweet to everyone, and tries to do everything in her power to stand out to her father and step-mother…”

He paused, his tone lowering a tad as he moved closer to the mic he spoke into.  “Unfortunately for Princess Stella, no matter how hard she tries, her father refuses to see how amazing she really is.  It has gotten to the point where her own lady-in-waiting was taken from her by her older sister—the one person she thought would never betray her.”

Rhea gulped as the story went on; this plot was putting a lot of pressure on her little Eevee, but she knew it probably would if they took the princess position.  There was more to this story, though.

“After year after year of fruitless attempts to gain her father’s approval, someone else has approached our young princess with a new plan.  Who could it be, and what do they want?  Can Princess Stella finally achieve the love she so desperately needs and not pointless platitudes from the nobles around her?”

Finally, the last member of their drama took the spotlight.  The tall, brown-haired man had a five-o’clock shadow and a somewhat disheveled knight’s appearance.  His Escavalier had makeup on to mirror his Trainer, and the intimidating Cavalry Pokemon floated up to be viewed by his yawning Trainer.

“Greetings, I guess…  I’m a soldier by trade, Sir Something-Or-Other—doesn’t matter—and this is Captain Argenti of the Dynasty Knights.  Argenti’s best friend used to be in his very position—one that was forced upon him when she died during the war.  No one knows why the war happened, which bugs Argenti because he doesn’t know what the point of Captain Valier’s death was.

“He does the bare minimum, and his neglect puts a lot of pressure on his subordinates, who cover for their comrade, who saved many of them during the war.  Yet, he couldn’t save his best friend, and that haunts him.  He is often drunk, disheveled, and sleepy.

“The most annoying person in Argenti’s life isn’t Lieutenant Shiva,” his eyes darted to his right, sweeping their silent supporting cast, “an Alolan Sandshrew who is constantly and respectfully harping on him to finish his work.  No, the most agitating person in Argenti’s life is Princess Nova.”

Rhea felt an indignant flare of emotions pass through their connection, yet the explanation was even worse, causing the heat in her chest to expand and threaten to turn her into a Flareon to spark this Dynasty War all over again.  It was an option, Rhea playfully teased to her Eevee.

“Argneti hates the spoiled and confined princess because his task is to safeguard her and prevent her from harming herself by sneaking out into the city, where her naivety and minimal battle experience would most certainly lead her to being kidnapped or killed.”

Nova internally growled, making Rhea giggle inside.  I know, he’s trying to make you weak, so you can’t defend yourself.  Just play along.  I know you could kick his butt.

Raoul chuckled as the characters and some backstory were revealed.  “And the opening is set!  We will now give our cast five minutes to prepare their places.  Send in your Pokemon!”

Rhea and her other girls internally cheered as the curtains lowered to veil them.  Lulu popped out of her kimono’s front to peek out and wave at her teammate as she zipped down the stairs with the other Pokemon, chatting to one another as they went.

Behind them, the silent cast’s Pokemon darted below the stage to the props and costumes provided, getting into the various roles presented, including the minor side character, Lieutenant Shiva, nobles, and the current king and queen.  They only had a single other female Vaporeon, who took the king’s role since no one would know the difference, and, apparently, a Krabby hilariously took the spot of Nova’s mom.

Rhea leaned against the railing next to Amira, smiling as she saw the rush of Pokemon dispersing around the faintly lit center stage beneath the veil.  “It was pretty mean to make Nova not know how to battle.”

Isoroku chuckled as he joined them by the rail, arms folded in his kimono sleeves.  “You should have mentioned her hobbies or something in her opening.  Interesting touch with the war stuff, coral economy, and background.  Does that imply we’re near the ocean, as well?”

“No spoilers,” Amira playfully returned, chuckling as Serenity searched for a good alley to make her home.  The prop team finished filling out the area with things they’d described, coming in from hidden entrances in the stone floor.  “Let’s let the judges do the speculations.”

The redhead glanced at her with a half-smile.  “Keep in mind, Rhea, Sir Something-Or-Other was only speaking about what he knew of Princess Nova.  Who is to say she doesn’t have any secrets he doesn’t know about?”

“Good point!”

* — * — *

With her tail and dress weaving behind her, Nova paused for a second at the bottom of the stairs, seeing the Steenee taking a far less rushed approach.  “We only have five minutes to get into position.  Shouldn’t we run?”

She giggled and gave her a graceful smile while hopping down the final few steps.  “We are already dressed up and know our positions.  I will take one of the room windows in the castle, and you will take the highest tower.  Five minutes is plenty of time.”

“Oh, okay…  Umm.  What made you choose to go into Improv Dramas?”  she asked, wanting to get to know the people she’d be competing against as they walked toward the gatehouse leading into the small castle courtyard.  “Did you always want to do this?”

“This?  No!  No!”  she protested, waving at Argenti while the knight floated to a guard position at the gatehouse.  “You probably smell it, but I was born with my Hidden Ability, Sweet Veil, which has caused me… trouble sometimes when doing serious battles.  Isoroku has been very supportive, and we even managed to place 4th in the Indigo Bronze Cup a few years ago, but battling all the time is hard on my body, so this works out for me.”

“Wow…  I wouldn’t have even guessed by looking at you,” Nova whispered, feeling bad after hearing her story.  “You look so cheery and happy, but you’ve had a really hard life.  It’s cool that you managed to place so high in a tournament, though.  I know a Pichu who had that problem, too—she has Lightning Rod, and would always shock herself.”

The Steenee’s leaf-like hair drooped a little.  “It was Mimi, right?”

Nova’s ears flipped out in surprise as they passed Argenti, being actually pretty cool and wishing them luck as they passed.  “You know Mimi?”

Stella shook her head, hands rubbing together before hugging herself.  “Not personally, but she’s on a forum where Pokemon with Hidden Abilities post to support one another.  It’s amazing that she was able to find someone who was able to help her…  Most of us aren’t that lucky.  It’s… pretty common to have your parents abandon you in the wild, so it helps to have other Pokemon you can talk about it with that understand the hurt.  Still, I can have a fun life like this!”

Nova’s heart melted as the girl leaned over to hug her as they entered the small castle’s rather simple interior design.  “Let’s have an awesome performance, Nova!”

“Yeah!”

“Whatever story our Trainers come up with, know that I’m not trying to be mean to you on purpose!  It is all a part of the show.  I think you’re gorgeous and cool, personally—well, from what I know from news stuff and meeting you right now.”

“Thanks!  And understood, Lil Sis,” Nova chirped, bringing her tail around to salute her co-princess.  “Let’s fluff their tails up!”

Breaking away to jog up the spiral staircase leading to the fourth level, she noticed a lot of the walls were missing so the drones could spot them.  Entering the room that looked very princess-like, she saw Julia already sitting in one of the small chairs a bit away from the window.

“Hello!”  she greeted, slowing to a stop at the open wall to stare down at the city, where Pokemon bustled about, getting into place or finishing the prop setup.  “How many Contests have you been in?”

“Quite a few,” she said with a strained smile, showing her big front teeth.  “Not a lot of people think Raticate are all that beautiful, but I’m determined to win a Beauty Contest at least once in my life!  I’ve… only won a Coolness Battle Contest, but it was kind of scuffed.  Umm.  Yeah, so, we saw this was going on, and we decided to shoot our shot!  And… then your team joined at the last minute.  I think it’s fair to say you’ll win, hands down.”

“Aww, don’t say that,” Nova frowned, glancing over at the rodent as the rat fidgeted with her dress.  “I lost my first and only Contest.  We just have to give it our best!”

“Yeah…  I try,” she mumbled with a weak smile.  “Adam has won a ton of ribbons; he says we’ll do fine, and I shouldn’t worry, but I still kind of want to hide my teeth…  I know they’re not the most shiny or white.”

Nova glanced over at the dressed-up Raticate, trying to release the tension in her chest.  “Personally, I think you look cute in that dress.  Sure, the elegant Pokemon probably have an advantage in Beautiful Contests, but you take good care of your fur, and it looks like your Trainer gives you plenty of berries because you smell nice, too.”

Julia blushed and shifted a little in her chair.  “You really think so?  I mean, this is me at my best…  I just didn’t really think I was princess material, so I went with the lady-in-waiting angle.  Thanks for hyping me up.”

“Not all hype,” Nova reassured.  “Amber tells me almost all of it is confidence!  We can only do so much about our looks, but how we present ourselves is 100% on us.  I think we’re all winners; we may not win all the time, but we’re all winners—because winners try and try again!”

“I guess that makes sense,” Julia whispered, sounding better as she put on her noble facade again.  “I will play my part to the best of my ability, Princess Nova.  It is an honor to serve you.”

“Let’s just do our best to make this the best performance we can!”  Nova chirped, bouncing over to hold up her fin for the Raticate to slap; the countdown started.  “Ready to get in character?”

“Uh-huh!  Thank you for cheering me up, Nova.”

“I think we all need to be happy to be a part of this if we’re going to make it good.  Let’s get lots of claps and cheers!”

Retaking her position, Nova tried to get into the mind of who she was playing; in a way, it was kind of how Rhea felt growing up.  She put on a longing mask, watching the small town of bustling Pokemon going about their daily business.  The curtain lifted, the drones descended, and Julia’s Trainer started the story.

“It was a cold November night in the Vaporeon Dynasty, and a light veil of snow fell over its land, but the chill didn’t bother Princess Nova since she was accustomed to it as a Pokemon who could survive in chilling waters.”

Powdery flakes floated down from above, blanketing the area in a soft sheet of white as the scene played out.  Nova, however, could feel the cold; it wasn’t like she was in her Glaceon form, and now she was wondering why she hadn’t gone that princess route as she tried not to shiver.

“Lady Julia’s fur helped to combat the frost, but the biting cold made her huddle in her chair.  Princess Nova often forgot that others didn’t have her resilience to the weather, and Lady Julia didn’t want to upset her; after all, she hadn’t known or been in Princess Nova’s service for long.

“Princess Stella had a sharp aversion to the elements, so Julia would usually be making hot chocolate, tightening up the windows, and bundling up the leafy princess at this time.  She had not expected to be sitting in an ice-cold room, waiting to be of service as the princess stared out of the wide open window.”

Great, Nova internally sighed, I’m weak, neglectful of others, and kind of a Jinx…  Help, Rhea!

Sadly, she still had one more person to get through before her Trainer could counter the narrative, and Harvy’s suspenseful voice pricked Nova’s ears as the Noctowl’s Trainer spun his angle.

“Adam shivers in the Icy Wind, gliding through the chilly early night to reach his client’s house, silent as the falling snow.  The streets are nearly empty, and only the silhouettes of guards patrolling or the shadows that slunk through the alleyways gave movement to the silent city.  The snow would decrease demand and lower the guard of the soldiers—a double-edged Honedge—but Adam could adapt to the volatile market during this time of the year.

“Water could be melted from the snow without risk of getting caught stealing pure, life-giving liquid from the Royal Riverway.  The polluted stream, where most of the poor drank, would be a prime spot to find potential informants desperate to make a sliver of coral.  Of course, tonight, he wasn’t aiming for the riverway; his eyes were set on larger prey.”

Adam touched down on one of the bigger houses in the small, makeshift town as his Trainer directed him.  “He taps his claw in rhythm, four times, then three…  It was returned in reverse, and the shutters open, allowing the bird to silently swoop inside, where a small Espurr waits…

“ ‘Do you have the letter?’  he softly asks, keeping an eye out for any trap.  The broker didn’t know the details; if he did, things could get complicated.

“The broker looks at the bag he’d set beside him, greed glinting in his big purple eyes as he licks his lips with anticipation of the coral payment; it was Adam’s life savings, but he trusted his source, which was rare for him.  Then again, when they had so much skin in the game, trust could be assured through mutual destruction.

“The broker takes out a letter from a drawer, saying, ‘Open the bag and show me, then we’ll trade.  It’s not easy getting unfiltered letters out from the castle these days… not cheap, either.  I still have plenty of contacts, though, if you need a letter slipped inside—a bundled deal.’

“ ‘That’s what we agreed on,’ Adam muttered, spreading out the bag to show the glinting, colorful coral inside.  ‘Top grade,’ he said.  The letter?

“The broker grinned, holding it out, saying, ‘Straight from Lady Julia—I recognize the handwriting on the front.’  Adam’s eyes narrow as he accepts the item.  ‘What could someone like you possibly have going on with the failing Ratatouille family?  I could become a partner… if it turns a profit.’ ”

Nova caught Julia’s tightening hands at her front as she waited to be given an action.

“ ‘No need,’ Adam gruffly muttered, ‘and I pay for discretion.  Also, it could be from Princess Nova, for all you know…  Best keep your eyes where they should be, no?’  With that, he fits the letter between his beak, and takes off into the night.”

Rhea’s voice was like cake on Nova’s tongue as she wove her own tale into the story.  “Staring into the white, Nova patiently waited for the glint that would tell her that the way was clear—a signal she’d only recently made with her new friend in the city.

“Her nerves were getting the better of her as she glanced over at Lady Julia, realizing that the Raticate might be feeling the weather by her huddled posture, trying not to be a burden or draw attention to herself.  She was a little worried that her new lady-in-waiting was getting suspicious of her activities.

“Illiana had been sent off to the north after someone told her parents she’d been secretly training her in military arts at night, and Julia was a kind soul, from what she’d seen thus far.  Everyone thought Nova was a ditzy princess, but she was sharp, and always paid attention to what everyone did around her home—she made a game out of it as a kid since she didn’t have much to do or any friends.

“She knew the Ratatouille Family was struggling, and it was a big deal that a Lower House’s daughter was selected to cater to her.  She had to wonder if her little sister had something to do with it since Julia had been her lady-in-waiting before.  Tonight, she’d find out how loyal Lady Julia was.

“A glint in the corner of her vision snapped her eyes to the source—Serenity—the kitchen staff would be leaving soon, and she could slip out behind them if she timed it right.

“Turning to her lady-in-waiting, she told her what she was about to do—that she was sneaking out—and wanted to know if she’d help her, or betray her trust.  Lady Julia had to make this decision for herself…”

Julia’s eyes widened at the news—she really looked like she’d just been told something crazy—and after a second’s thought, she nodded and got up.  Moving to a drawer, she rummaged through it to find a cloak in the back and draped it over Nova.

“Unsure if she was being genuine or not, but wanting to have faith in the girl who had served her little sister, Nova thanked the Raticate and slipped out as the guards changed shifts.  Argenti was too drunk during this time of night to fully notice how many people were exiting during the snowfall—she was trained now—or so Nova thought.  Little did she know, he was just letting her sneak away to figure out how she was getting information on her escape routes because they had been improving as of late…”

Nova let her excitement show a little as she carefully jogged down the stairs with a cloaked Julia.  Passing through the snow, she was careful with the guards’ positions, who purposefully turned their backs to her as they went about their changing shifts.

“All of it was an elaborate plot… but for what?!”

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