blueteamnovel Chapter 266.5: Proi Proi
Chapter 266.5: Proi Proi
Author's note:Sorry guys, I forgot to schedule the chapter.
I actually noticed an hour ago but wanted to keep sleeping instead... >.<
***
“Haaaaa…!” Melody took in a deep breath, puffed her cheeks up, held the air in until her face became red, then exhaled in a cough. And when that wouldn’t work, she resorted to writing the ancient Kantonian character for ‘human’ on her palm and pretended to swallow it. Again, and again, and again…
“Are you okay?”
“Hiiii!!!” The sudden grasp on her shoulder startled Melody and caused the girl to flinch back in fright.
“Oops! Sorry about that, didn’t mean to startle you. Melody, right? I think we’ve met before. Good to see you’re doing so well.”
Bright almond eyes, lustrous black hair, warm smile and supple olive skin; it was none other than Melody’s idol, the face she dreamed of in her sleep. “Aqu— I mean, Senior Nina! Y-you remember me…”
The older girl laughed. “I see the twins have rubbed off on you — just Nina’s fine. But are you surprised? Our first meeting wasn’t under the best circumstances, and quite traumatic, all things considered…”
“I-!” The girl shook her head in response, twin-tails flailing against her face. “I took your advice and joined the Little League! I made sure to show everyone how much I loved Pokemon! And, and… it worked! Thank you! All I wanted was to be like you and, and, I saw your race in Johto— Rice Shower was so cute! And, and…” Melody rambled.
There was so much she wanted to say but she just didn’t know how, so it all came pouring out like a broken dam — all of her long held wishes, her gratitude, those imaginary words and made up conversations swirling together into one incoherent mess.
Nina chuckled and placed a hand atop the girl’s head for a gentle pat. “Wow there… Slow down~ I’m glad everything worked out. And don’t misunderstand, everyone has dreams but not everyone is willing to put in the work to achieve them. So the fact that you’re here now is a testament to how hard you worked — no need to thank me.”
Melody nodded, tears welling in her eyes at her idol’s praise.
“So? Are you ready for the show?” Nina added, in an attempt to divert the conversation.
“I-! Nghhh….!” Melody pursed her lips, then vehemently shook her head in distress. As much as she wanted to look good in front of Nina, she could hardly lie to the girl.
The older apprentice giggled. “It’ll be fine. Kerry’s the star of the show today and the rest of us are just backup.” Her words weren’t meant to disparage, it was just a statement of truth. The spotlight wouldn’t be on Melody today, so she was afforded some leeway.
“B-but it’s going to be my first time… And, and, I don’t want to disappoint Miss Kerry…” Because Melody really liked Kerry. She had never really talked with a Nurse Joy outside of a Pokemon Center before, but Kerry was everything she imagined the glamorous pink-haired beauties to be; gentle, kind and super-duper nice.
Not to mention, she was Nina’s best friend and her parents had always warned her to always be polite to a member of the Joy Clan. Partially because of how much the clan of nurses had done for their region, and partially because they knew that the pink-haired women were secretly the most powerful force in the Eastern Regions. All of that combined to instill Melody with an almost cautious reverence towards Kerry, much to the other girl’s chagrin.
“You’ll be fine~” Nina pulled the adorable little girl in for a hug, nearly sending her to the afterlife in glee. “Kerry’s very forgiving and the rest of us will be with you every step of the way.”
Because every apprentice in the Cerulean Gym would be performing today; Nina, Beverly, the twins and even Hime. Every one of them was older and more experienced than Melody, which only served to compound her anxiety.
“If not, then trust in your Pokemon.” Nina added in haste, after realising that her words weren’t helping. “You have an Azurill right? Great choice! They’re just the cutest little blobs aren’t they? Mind introducing us?”
Melody loosened and responded with a nervous nod as she picked up her little blue mouse. “Y-yes, erm… This is Rainy, my partner…”
“Hi Rainy, I’m Nina. Nice to meet you!” Nina cooed as she gingerly grabbed hold of the sentient polka dot, nibbling at Rainy’s mousey little ears all the while and eliciting giggles from her. “Hehehe. Aren’t you just the cutest!”
Melody giggled as well, glad to see her partner getting along so well with her idol. But at the same time, she also couldn’t help but harbour just a touch of envy towards pampered Azurill.
“Nina!” cried Mizuho, the girl’s manager. “Stop messing around, it’s time to get dressed! You too, Melody!”
““Osu~””
***
Kerry wrote the character for ‘human’ on her palm, then pretended to swallow it in one big gulp
“You too, huh?”
“Nina!” The nurse girl blushed red with a pout. “It’s a trick Mel-Mel taught me! Helps with the nerves.”
The mermaid girl stepped to the side, to reveal a tiny, red-faced girl clinging to her back.
“Mel-Mel! Thanks for teaching me your trick! It does kind of work… I think.” Kerry beamed, her anxiety melting away at the adorable sight.
“Y-you’re welcome… Miss Kerry…”
“Hehehe! C’mon! Come sit with me, Peppy was just helping me with my make up.” Kerry beckoned with a few forceful pats on the stool to her side.
“Chansey, chance!”
Nina grinned as she pushed her junior forwards and sat herself down. “You made sure to use the non-water soluble stuff right?”
“Of course! I had help from the Gym’s staff.” This was Kerry’s first time performing in front of a live audience, so she had made sure to get to the Gym extra early today. Which meant dragging her best friend along with her sleep deprived anxiety as well, much to Nina’s chagrin.
“Did you go play with the Spheals like we told you to?” Nina asked. She and the other members of the Gym had desperately wanted to get the hyperactive girl to loosen up and off their backs when they made that suggestion.
“Yup! They were so round and squishy — kinda makes me wanna catch one of my own…”
Nina chuckled. “Not a big deal, we can just talk to the Sisters and get them to let you adopt one. I think Ra-Ra made a friend there, so maybe they’d be willing to join the family? Fair warning though, the little snowballs eat a LOT once they Evolve.”
Kerry practically lit up at the suggestion, head swirling with the imaginings of cozy nights spent cuddling with the squishy furball.
“Wassuuuup, bitches?! Time to get this show ON. THE. ROAD!”
Until those fantasies were dashed by a brash-mouthed Beverly loudly barging into the dresser with tall cups of colorful and sugary frappuccinos in hand.
Nina sighed. “Urgh… Bev, language.”
“And no fraps for your diabetic ass, grandma!” Beverly declared with a pointed finger, eliciting giggles from Kerry. The rough banter was doing wonders to ease her nerves. Not so much for Melody though — the girl still looked as tense as ever.
Kerry made a mental note to reject Beverly’s offer of sugary caffeine on Melody’s behalf. The former might help but the latter was ill-advised in her current condition. “Can’t have her performing in an inebriated state.”
Oddly enough, her concern for the girl’s fragility only served to calm Kerry even further — the nurse girl had always been at her best when caring for others — lulling her into a deeper state of focused determination. A state that was briefly interrupted by a beep from her Pokedex; a message from Ohm showing a picture of him and her parents in front of the Gym.
“Ohm made it. And he brought mom and dad too!” Kerry grinned with barely contained glee.
***
“I have to say… Did they get your clan’s permission for this?” Dr Hugo House mused as he fumbled with the bag full of Poliwhirl themed merchandise in hand, most of which featured a legally distinct silhouette of a cartoonish pink-haired girl.
Nurse Maria-Anne Joy gave her husband a playful smack on the shoulder. “Oh shush, you... It’s your daughter’s journey year. Let Kerry have her fun.”
“Of course. But that’s not the point, dear…”
Ohm smiled at the wholesome banter as he sat down by their side, making sure to take a selfie of himself with the couple to send to his friend. No doubt Kerry was losing her mind over her parents’ attendance. Try as they might, those two had always been a bit too busy for their daughter — an unfortunate fact that Kerry and he had in common. The two legacies were practically raised by their respective clans.
The difference being, at least there was genuine love between Kerry and her parents. “Mine on the other hand, treats me as nothing but a pawn…”
“Do you know when the show is starting, Ohm?” asked Maria, knocking the boy out of his musings.
“Hmmm? Shouldn’t be much longer now. Why? Is there a medical emergency?” Because Kerry would be devastated if she looked over and found that her mom’s seat was empty.
“Oh, no. Not at all! I wouldn’t miss this for the world, dear… I was just wondering if there was enough time for me to make a run to the bathroom?”
Ohm chuckled. “I think it’ll be fine, Maria. No need to rush. The show isn’t due to start in another half hour yet.” The older teen had made damn sure that they arrived nice and early, even splurging on a Teleport from Vermillion City just to guarantee they had time to spare.
The Joy woman giggled. “Thank you, Ohm. Kerry is so lucky to have a friend like you.” Maria got up and excused herself while Ohm moved over to help Hugo sort through his daughter’s merch as they waited. The man might’ve been grumbling earlier but that did not stop him from sweeping the store of everything even remotely resembling Kerry’s likeness.
As time went on, more and more people filed into the mezzanine; parents with their kids, couples on dates, tourists visiting the city… each of them wearing various merchandise from the gift store — mostly of the Gym’s better known apprentices like Nina, much to Hugo’s disgruntlement. And not long after, the show began.
“Welcome one and all to the Cerulean Gym’s monthly water show!!!”
The speakers blared and the audience cheered.
“We got a really special show for you fine folks today! A full line up of our Gym’s most promising, up and coming talents alongside a veeeery special guest! So, give it up for… Nurse Kerry-Anne Joy and the Young Cerulean Mermaids!!!”
“““WOOOOO!!!””” The audience cheered and Kerry’s parents cheered even harder. Because although Ohm’s friend was a relative unknown, the Joy name was ubiquitous all throughout the Eastern Regions.
Sparkly, almost fantasy-like music blared as a whole troupe of colourful Water Pokemon emerged from the water, dragging mist and rainbow in their trail. The start was calm and serene — a showcase of the Gym’s Pokemon without any human presence.
Seeles flipped through the air as Goldeens sang. Cloysters and their band of Shellders clapped rhythmically while a freaking real-life Gyarados with a scarred face emerged from the water, much to the audience’s delight.
Then, when things began to settle once more, a squadron of dainty little human legs poked out from the water, so slight that Ohm might have missed it were it not for the big screen focusing in on the uncanny sights.
The music ramped and the legs bent and waved, swirling around like a blooming flower along with the rhythm.
“Kerryyyy!!! We love youuuuu!” Maria cried, right as the legs submerged again and a septet of young girls in dazzling swimsuits shot out into sight.
“““WOOOOO!!!””” The audience cheered alongside the older Joy woman, after having finally caught a glimpse of their favorite talent.
The mermaids danced with Kerry in the center, her Poliwhirl by her side and flanked by the dazzling figures of two Primarinas, much to the audience’s delight. “One of them belongs to Nina, I think…” Ohm mused. “Not sure about the other one though…”
A dazzling pink mist formed over the pool and formed discs of rainbows in the air, imparting an almost ethereal quality to the venue. The human talents floated gracefully above the Misty Terrain, occasionally dipping back into the waters before shooting back out again, just like Togekisses in the sky.
“““WOOOOO!!!”””
The audience was ravenous. It was a big enough spectacle to feature even a single one of the rare Alolan Water starters, but to have two of them out in full force… It seemed the Cerulean Sisters, true to their reputation, weren’t shy about flexing their overwhelming influence.
Ohm wasn’t as pleased though, because the pair of Primarinas completely overshadowed Kerry’s presence. But seeing the brilliant smile on his childhood friend’s face only prompted the teen to cheer her name even louder to compensate.
Eventually, the music slowed and the lights dimmed. The army of Water Pokemon receded as the humans disappeared out of sight. The audience waited with baited breath, painfully aware that there was more to come. Until the spotlight shone, to highlight Kerry and her band of mermaids reemerging atop a central platform — the girls now dressed in what Ohm recognised to be more traditional idol outfits over their swimsuits, complete with all the associated ribbons and frills.
“““WOOOOO!!!””” The audience cheered and the music began anew.
“You look beautiful, Kerry! Everybody look! That’s my daughter in the middle!”
Ohm chuckled at Maria’s enthusiasm. She wasn’t wrong, Kerry did stand in the center of the spotlight, with Beverly Mizuhana to her right and the Tendou twins behind her. To Kerry’s left was a girl with distinctly Alolan features that Ohm did not recognise, likely the trainer of the second Primarina if he had to guess. And further behind her was Nina and a little whelp of a girl barely of age — likely the Gym’s newest apprentice.
The music steadily began to ramp as the audience settled from their fervour. Then, a choir of voices echoed from the girls surrounding Kerry.
“Wo-o-oah~
Wo-o-oaaaaho~
Wo-o-oah~
Wo-o-oaaaaho~
Wo-o-oah…”
The mermaids slowly lowered their form, bodies undulating like waves. And in the midst, Kerry stood tall, head held high as she beheld the audience and flashed a radiant smile at Ohm and her parents. Then— then she belted her voice out…
“WO-o-O-o-O-oOoOahhhhh!!!”
Ohm gasped, his heart hitching in his chest while goosebumps travelled all the way down his arms as the powerful voice of his childhood friend resonated deep within his soul.
“You and I… are weak like the reeds~” Beverly stepped forth at the first drumbeat, face lowered to the side while her arms danced in a dramatic gesture.
“But chasing flames is carved into creed… Ohhh~” Followed by the Alolan girl singing her part of the verse.
“Cleave the darkness, and seize the LIIIIIGHT!” Kerry sang once more.
“““Daybreak's meant to be free~ We are gonna shatter the ties!!!”””
The music crescendoed and the audience cheered, their heated fervour completely dispelling the chilly air.
The whole show seemed to be themed around a heaven-descendant saintess battling against an encroaching evil. But Ohm wasn’t artistic enough to interpret all the symbolisms, so he just held his breath as he admired the way the Cerulean mermaids danced all around his friend, who was singing her heart out with a joyful smile.
“That’s my girl… That’s my girl…”
Ohm looked to his side, expecting to see Kerry’s mom in tears, only to find the snivelling form of the normally-stoic Hugo sniffling in his wife’s arms instead. The boy snapped a picture in mirth. “Kerry’s gonna have a field day with this…”
And so they continued watching over her, heart pounding from pride at the girl’s majestic form. Until the grand showcase ended with a bang of fireworks and water fountains.
“““WOOOOO!!!””” The audience exploded in a standing ovation, and Ohm and Kerry’s parents were no exception. Seeing the tear-filled visage of Kerry’s face being embraced by her fellow performers down at the arena made even the stoic teenager break out into tears.
“I’m so happy for you, Kerr… You shone so bright today…” The boy was already wondering about procuring a recording of today’s show. No doubt somebody made a download of the livestream. Otherwise, the Cerulean Gym would likely release an official recording for sale in due time — alongside an official album of the song Kerry sang most likely.
***
Author's note:
Retcon alert!
I came to the belated realisation that two of the characters in this story ended up with overlapping names. An oversight on my part.
So I will be making a minor change. Specifically, the name of the Ace Trainer Nina met on Mount Silver will be renamed from Valerie to Jessica.
This is to avoid causing any confusion with Valerie the mystery trainer that Nina battled in the Cerulean Gym in Chapter 266
Quite minor in the grand scheme of things since these two are just side characters. This is just to avoid any mix ups in the future.
Additionally,
Fellow HSR players will recognise this song as Proi Proi, the Aquilla boss theme, which is greek for Morning Dawn, I think?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loWA5o1RdTY
Anyways, it might come across as an odd choice for an idol performance but I wrote this chapter around the time that Patch 3.7 was going on so I listened to a lot of HSR music at the time.
Also, Hyacine, the character attached to this song gives off cutesy idol vibes, has pink hair and is also a healer. So, yeah... You can see where I made the connection.