As it turned out, Hikaru's worry was unnecessary.
Pokéstar Studios is a film lot, after all—if they say "music showcase," it really is a music showcase. Under normal circumstances, no one is going to jump out and shout, "Battle me!"
And among the contestants were acts that didn't even bring Pokémon—like the dark horse favorites, the Go-Rock Quads.
Back in Fiore, people aren't big on battling with Pokémon in hand. Fieldwork runs on their own grit. If you demanded a "Pokémon battle," they'd only be able to jump in themselves.
The contest kicked off fast. The grand music showcase drew huge crowds from all over Unova, with a simultaneous TV broadcast and even remote scoring.
One of the chief judges, of course, was Pokéstar's boss, Mr. Studio.
"Burgh and Elesa are watching this too… interesting! They're the remote judges! So we'll have critiques from Mistralton—no, Santalune—wait, correction, Mistralton is Skyla—this feedback's from Mistralton and Nimbasa."
As leaders in the arts, the heads of Mistralton's and Nimbasa's scenes would naturally be invited. Pokéstar Studios has long wanted to poach Elesa—if she became a film star, her popularity would go supernova.
And Burgh's fashion would shine on the big screen. But neither of them needs film to boost their names; they already sit at the summit of fame.
If anything, getting them to appear would mean Pokéstar pays through the nose.
"You know Burgh-san and Elesa-san too?"
Roxie had gone a bit numb.
"I did say we'd win on merit, but at this point the onsite judges and the remote scorers all seem to be your acquaintances. Why don't you just hand me the trophy already?"
Hikaru laughed. "Backdoor deals are a no-go."
"I'm just kidding." Roxie patted her cheeks and focused up. "We're on soon!"
"Oh? Next up from Galar's Spikemuth—Piers's 'Obstagoon Band'! After that, the Go-Rock Quads!"
On stage right now was Piers's band—and unlike the others, most of his bandmates were Pokémon.
Obstagoon took lead vocals; Toxtricity (Amped Form) was on lead guitar; Toxtricity (Low Key Form) handled bass; and Rillaboom pounded the drums.
The distinctive setup drew sharp attention from the judges and the musicians alike—even Roxie was surprised.
"That singer Piers is good! Playing with Pokémon on the stage! I totally thought those punk fans of his were human bandmates!"
"Whoa, that little girl over there is super cute."
Hikaru thought, Sure, Marnie is adorable—but Roxie, you're not much older than Marnie yourself.
"You're about the same age," Hikaru couldn't help saying.
"A year older is still older. Three years and you've got a generation gap!" Roxie wagged a finger.
The Go-Rock Quads were thoughtful too. The youngest sister, Tiffany, had white hair like Roxie—though hers was long and straight.
Watching Piers's show, she looked fascinated.
"So this is a Pokémon Trainer? The lead singer is a Pokémon!"
"Woohoo! The outside world is amazing! Way more interesting than Fiore. You can sing with your captured Pokémon? I've never seen anything like this!"
Tiffany's eyes practically sparkled into stars as the black-and-white Obstagoon howled into the mic.
Too much fun!
"Those Pokémon don't exist in Fiore anyway," the second brother, Garret, waved it off. "But it is tempting."
"Mm… and if we brought a Pokémon partner, we'd be like those Rangers."
"It's impressive, but we're a world-famous band. We can't lose to a small-time singer. Get ready—our slot is next," the eldest, Billy, coughed and reined them in.
Piers's set triggered a wave of cheers. The composite score landed at 92, surprising a lot of the earlier bands. The judges praised the coordination between Pokémon—eye-opening stuff.
"Stage presence was outstanding. The artistic impact rivals classic pieces."
"Pitch and rhythm were laser-precise; vocal control left nothing to nitpick. Originality and individual expression were delightful surprises!"
"There's a touch missing in completeness, and the emotional transmission has a tiny rough edge."
Listening to the judging, Piers thought the score wasn't low at all—and he'd already made a splash. This was a breakout.
By comparison, Ryuki had come up a bit short.
He loves to roar—so some judges found his wild style hard to swallow. Still, he trounced a pack of middlers and currently sat below Piers.
"Are you saying my high notes aren't as good as an Obstagoon's?!" Ryuki bellowed.
A blast of fanfare and fireworks—and the Go-Rock Quads took the stage!
"Even if you're in a hurry, stop and listen!"
"Raise your ears to our melody!"
"Let the rhythm of rage weigh the earth!"
"Let the invading riff scream at the sky!"
The crowd detonated—compared to most bands, the Quads were big. They hadn't been around long, but their superlative musicianship had won swaths of fans across regions.
And their level was beyond dispute.
Their rousing rock rippled through the arena, tugging every listener's heart.
"Ghh—so strong!"
Roxie drew a deep breath, recalling last night's rehearsal—a song even more explosive than theirs, a piece that hit the soul.
It's fine. We've got this!
"Thank you for listening!"
The Go-Rock thunder ended. Applause crashed like surf. The judges dropped a 95+ aggregate—first place, for now.
"Damn it—is my superstar dream gonna vanish?"
With another band over him, Ryuki fumed. One more act scoring higher, and he'd get bumped out of the top three—no podium.
So he prayed the later acts wouldn't be big names.
"Next—Gas Bomb Band!"
"Roxie! Roxie!"
No such luck. Roxie was a star too. Even if her band was small and her live house wasn't huge, her name carried weight across Virbank and all Unova. That pressure pressed down on Ryuki—and Piers had long heard tales of the prodigy bassist.
"I came for Gas Bomb's set."
Piers watched with expectation. Team Yell, however, pouted—if Gas Bomb posted a big number, their big bro's rank would slip.
But this was a live showcase; Team Yell couldn't pull any stunts. All they could do was glare.
"Marnie, that's Roxie-san," Piers pointed at the white-haired girl walking on stage, giving his still-young sister a proper intro.
Marnie blinked.
Younger than her game look by a hair, but cute enough to have already snagged fans.
She had no plan to be a singer, though—she was here to support her brother.
"I want to challenge her. I heard she's vying to become the Gym Leader here."
That cool voice carried a hot resolve; it caught Piers off guard. He considered, then nodded:
"Alright. If I can hold third place, I'll ask her to battle you."
"If I can't even make top three, I've got no face to approach Gas Bomb."
"But… today's Gas Bomb is different from what I saw before. The guitarist isn't the punk girl—it's some young guy. Huh… he looks familiar."
"Only three members?" Marnie counted on her fingers. "Everybody else has big bands."
"Lead, backing, bass, guitar, drums, keyboard. Sometimes two guitars," she recited.
Piers: "From what I know, Gas Bomb really is a trio. Roxie-san doubles as vocalist. Huh… do they have Pokémon performers too?"
"Today… Roxie-san doesn't seem to be lead vocals."
Playing with Pokémon was Piers's hallmark—and a huge draw for fans. Even among this all-star showcase, his team had a unique edge; the thought made him a little nervous.
Am I really at this level? If we blow up here, Spikemuth might truly revive.
Aside from him, no other act—including the Quads—had Pokémon bandmates. Now, though, Roxie's band did.
Two, in fact—Larvesta, and a humanoid-looking Pokémon…?
No entry in memory, never seen. Trainers and researchers would go wild—but musicians?
"As long as the music's good." Piers smiled.
On the other side, Tiffany was practically buzzing.
"Another group with Pokémon on stage? So excited!"
Her gaze darted between the players and their Pokémon.
Brother Clyde couldn't help muttering: "Tiff, why're you hyped? If Gas Bomb plays better than us, we won't get the crown."
"Pokémon are a bonus, y'know." He rubbed his brow.
Tiffany only spread her hands.
"That's impossible. No band performance ever gets a perfect score. That is music. Live shows always have blemishes; even 'perfect' leaves regrets."
She shook her head with a soft hum. "Besides, I looked into Gas Bomb. Today's guitarist isn't their usual one."
"How much can a temp do? They may even stumble from poor cohesion."
"A band isn't solo. If my brothers weren't together, I wouldn't bring in subs either—it would break our Go-Rock performance."
"Gas Bomb is in danger today—in every sense."
"But I still want to hear what she plays."
"Even a failure has meaning. Perhaps… this is a swansong. It deserves careful listening."
Tiffany twirled a coil of her white hair, studying Roxie with keen interest.
Same white hair, same surging popularity, both fresh stars in music—Roxie was even younger. The spirit of rivalry flickered.
But Roxie was a bassist; Tiffany was a violinist. Their band roles didn't overlap.
Garret stuck his tongue out and glanced at Billy. "We got this?"
"No reason to lose to a hastily reformed band."
"Gas Bomb isn't quite world-tour class yet. Famous, sure—but a lot of acts here are famous."
Billy crossed his arms; his forked hair stabbed at the ceiling. Sure of victory:
"This time, we win. She's the challenger."
Spotlights came alive!
No time to mourn the Quads' early victory speech—Gas Bomb hit the stage!
Roxie raised her bass.
"Poison plays my life—this is the Toxic Riff Stage!"
"C'mon—I'm gonna blow your reason to bits!"
With Roxie's classic opener, the band took their places.
Hikaru thought: Gas Bomb aren't some baby band just getting started. Whether it's Roxie, Cook, or even Alu (absent today), they're top-tier Unova performers.
So even as a "temp trio," they could overperform.
Still, some Pokémon get stage nerves.
Larvesta was fine—crowds only hyped the little bug up. Meloetta, though, seemed to be on a stage this big for the first time, and a faint anxiety seeped in.
Hikaru reached out with mind-power, linking with her, letting the nerves melt away.
"Don't worry. Everyone here's a pro. Just do what we did last night."
"Hand your heart completely to Roxie."
"Melo~!" Meloetta glanced at Hikaru, grateful and curious.
She drew a breath. This "appearance" started on a whim, but being the center of a thousand eyes sent a thrill through her.
A diva lives for a stage that shines this bright! As for being spotted and captured later—
Heh~ by then she'd have vanished without a trace.
She was a Mythical Pokémon. Not easy to take.
"Alright then—time to flip on Guitar Hero Mode."
"A hero doesn't run before the battle."
He'd favored ukulele before, but with the knowledge of many musicians, a guitar took him seconds to master.
What, switching from ukulele to hidden "guitar hero" form is some ukulele joke?
Doesn't matter—does it work?
The pick trembled in his fingers. Afterimages flashed; the strings surged—swift, restless, roaring—
"Pokémon, Get☆Daze!"
With Roxie-san's sky-high shout, the set vaulted straight into its peak.
A great guitarist can rescue a crisis—or turn a blaze into a supernova.
A great bassist can… run to grab takeout when everyone's starving—and maybe pop a street dance for hype.
Roxie-san, obviously, is the exception among bassists.
(And yes, she can dance.)
Guitar, bass, drums—notes fused into a tidal melody. Thunder swept the sky; a storm of cheers rose from the crowd!
"No matter in fire, in water, in grass, in forests—"
"In earth, in clouds, in the hem of that girl's skirt—(eeya~~!!)"
The high-spirited song swallowed the audience and judges. The style was close to Roxie's usual punk-rock—yet completely different: less bite and toxin, more surge and laughter!
On "the hem of that girl's skirt," Cook smashed the crash cymbal; Larvesta flung up a little sparkburst.
From the audience came Tiffany's little snort-laugh.
So Larvesta's also the FX tech!
Meloetta's cheeks flushed as she traded lines with Roxie. Even just harmonizing, she felt as though she'd truly learned this human language.
This weaving and passing of feeling…it was real.
"Even if it's super super tough!"
"I gotta catch 'em—I gotta get a Pokémon!"
"Goodbye, Pallet Town!"
"I'm leaving with this buddy to travel!"
"With the moves we've honed, we'll keep winning!"
"Add more friends and head for the next town!"
Cook's kick drum nailed the beats; Larvesta's chirr added a trill to "tough," and flames blossomed into midair fireworks—drawing gasps from everywhere.
Built-in special effects!
Roxie's voice blazed with joy. Meloetta's harmony soared with it.
Hikaru's guitar stoked the crowd, and that driving lead swallowed every musician's heart.
Here it comes. He felt it—the Confluence Music rising—
And in the whirlpool of hearts, the reflections of these musicians appeared!
Music's emotion lands straight on the soul—so smile!
His ring finger drove a fierce bend; the lead entwined Meloetta's head voice into a tightening helix!
"No matter when, everything will go smooth!"
"No one can promise that! (Right!)"
"No matter when—live sincerely."
"People like that exist!"
"Ahh—I want to be the Pokémon Master I admire!"
"No matter what—it's gonna work!"
The song looped back, even more amped. The lead told everyone: the real climax hadn't hit yet; the real message hadn't fully landed.
A new section burst open!
"Worn out from battle—good night, rest up!"
"Every time I close my eyes—"
"I always see—"
"Blazing flames, wind-lashed dance—"
"The deafening roar of that match!"
Nando stood like a random passerby, eyes closed, completely absorbed.
Piers's fingers started tapping an unconscious rhythm; his heels lifted.
Marnie stared unblinking at the stage, twin-tails swaying, humming along.
"Yesterday's enemy is today's friend!"
"That's an old saying! (Not that old!)"
"Today's friend is tomorrow's friend!"
"That's forever true!"
At the judges' table—
Sabrina seemed to think of someone. Eyes half-lidded, a tender smile warmed her face.
Mr. Studio stared straight ahead—like he was remembering his boyhood dream.
In Mistralton, Burgh kept time with a fingertap, nodding along.
In Nimbasa, Elesa rested her cheek on one hand, a smile tugging her lips, eyes closed in bliss.
Ryuki—Lord of High Notes—stopped yelling, fists on hips, gazing at the stage in a daze.
Garret's expression tightened; he glanced, involuntarily, at Tiffany.
Clyde's vision flickered like a lantern slide—childhood memories played behind his eyes, leaving him a little lost.
"One day, dreams do come true."
"Someone once sang it just like that!"
"Like a bud that's bound to bloom—"
"A dream will, at last, come true!"
The loop renewed.
Tiffany's eyes skimmed between the guitarist, the vocalist, and the two Pokémon. Some thought danced across her face; she grinned, and started a soft clap.
Sweat beaded on Billy's brow—then ran. He couldn't sit still.
"What is this?! A slapped-together band… with this kind of power?!"
"A-and they're not even all-out yet? Please—give it a rest!"
"Hey! Tiffany! Why are you clapping?!"
(End of Chapter)
[Get +20 Extra Chapters On — P@tr3on "Zaelum"]
[Every 500 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter Drop]
[Thanks for Reading!]