Lady Katherine's glare was sharper than any look Officer Jenny could ever throw. There was a weight to it, an unquestionable authority—the kind of look that could silence an entire room with a single raised eyebrow.
Three weeks of community service for vandalism didn't seem like a severe sentence. But Alyssa was furious. Furious at Dante. Furious at the situation. Furious at herself. She had declared a silent war against the boy, and the only thing stopping her from running off to hunt him down was her grandmother, watching her with eyes as cold as ice, full of silent judgment.
— "Honestly, Alyssa…" Lady Katherine said, her voice controlled but sharp as a blade. "Saying I'm disappointed doesn't even begin to describe the shame you've brought me."
The words were a dagger to Alyssa's pride. She sank into the limousine seat, murmuring something inaudible.
— "But… it was to be expected," Lady Katherine continued. "You are your father's daughter, after all."
Alyssa flinched. Even Edward, sitting beside her, felt the weight of the blow.
The thought of losing the chance to perform at the festival over such a stupid mistake made Edward's blood boil. For the first time, he wanted to hunt Dante down himself.
— "I should forbid both of you from performing at the festival," the old woman said, her tone harsh. "That would be a fair lesson."
Edward tensed, breath catching in his throat. His fingers clenched tightly over his knee. Just the idea of watching that opportunity slip through his fingers made him feel sick.
The silence that followed was heavy, suffocating.
Lady Katherine sighed, rubbing her forehead with a tired gesture. Her eyes fell upon the two teenagers, who now looked like scared hamsters about to be devoured by a hungry owl.
— "I won't stop you from performing at the festival," she said at last, and the tension in the limousine eased slightly. "But don't think for even a second that you're off the hook."
The two exchanged a silent glance.
— "I'll come up with proper punishments. Until then, you're grounded. Don't even think about crossing the gate until the day of the performance."
Alyssa opened her mouth to protest, but one raised eyebrow from her grandmother made her shut it instantly. Edward also considered speaking… but swallowed his words.
---
The following days were consumed by intense rehearsals. Edward and Alyssa pushed themselves harder than ever—maybe out of fear, maybe out of frustration.
But it wasn't just that. Lady Katherine made full use of their free time by scheduling extra lessons on etiquette, social behavior, and "public posture."
Of course, Alyssa complained. But when the alternative was cleaning all the mansion's stables, she gave in with a defeated sigh. Edward bet that, if the stables weren't so massive, Alyssa would've chosen poop over balancing books on her head for hours.
Time passed. Slowly. Painfully. But it passed.
---
On the day of the performance, Edward woke at five in the morning. Saying he had slept would be generous—he'd spent the night tossing and turning, hugging Houndour, who didn't understand a thing and just stared at him with a tilted head, concerned.
When he went down for breakfast, he found Alyssa already at the table. Her eyes were sunken, dark circles carved deep into her face. Her coffee cup trembled in her hands like the world was collapsing.
— "How many cups have you had?" Edward asked, raising an eyebrow.
Alyssa slowly turned her head to him, her eyes wide and twitching.
— "Not enough, Edie-boy… Not enough…"
He snorted and took a cup like someone downing a shot of tequila. Bitter, but necessary.
— "Ready?"
Alyssa forced a tired smile and gave him a thumbs-up.
— "Never been more."
Edward didn't believe her. But he couldn't judge. His own nerves were on edge—it would be his first real rock show.
— "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
— "We'll find out on stage."
They laughed. Nervous, muffled laughter, but it helped. Edward stepped closer and bumped his shoulder against hers.
— "If we mess everything up, at least we mess up together, right?"
— "Together till the final fiasco." Alyssa raised her cup in a sarcastic toast.
Soon after, Lady Katherine appeared in the hall, dressed in her usual formal wear.
— "Let's go. The car is waiting. Ane will join us later, but I'm going with you now."
---
The ride to the festival was silent. Alyssa stared out the window, headphones in, trying to stay calm. Edward tapped his fingers on his knee, restless.
When they arrived, they were escorted by the staff to the performance area. They exchanged a sad glance. They were at one of the biggest music festivals in the region… and wouldn't see a thing. No bands. No shows. Lady Katherine's punishment felt even crueler now.
— "When this is over, I want a full replay on PokéTube," Alyssa muttered.
— "We're watching at least fifty videos, I swear," Edward replied.
They were handed a sign with the number 7, indicating their order, and led to a waiting room packed with other musicians. The air was thick with tension, anticipation, and a hint of chaos. Guitars being tuned, voices warming up, drumsticks tapping on chairs, legs bouncing like crazy. Pokémon of all types stood beside their anxious trainers.
The sound of the crowd and the music's vibration made Edward's mind spin. He remembered the promises made to his old band. Smiling faces flashed in his memory, images from a time that felt like another life.
And then, his stomach flipped.
Without thinking, he ran to a trash can in the corner and… threw up.
— "Edie!" Alyssa rushed to him, a mix of concern and mockery. "Seriously? You're puking? You're the artist, remember? You can't bail now."
— "I'd rather face a wild Gyarados right now," he said, pale. "But… there's no turning back, Ally."
Alyssa laughed, but her eyes were trembling. Edward pointed at her legs, which shook like leaves in the wind.
— "What are you laughing at? Your legs are about to bolt before you do."
— "I'm not scared. I'm… dancing," she shot back, sarcastically.
This time, the laughter was real. Laughter—the last anchor in a sea of nerves.
---
Thirty minutes later…
— "Number 7! Edward and Alyssa, you're up!" a staff member called, opening the door.
They looked at each other. The world seemed to stop.
Edward reached out. Alyssa grabbed his hand tightly.
— "Let's do this, Edie."
— "Let's blow it up, Aly."
They climbed the stairs. The curtains parted.
And the sight froze them.
Thousands of people. Pokémon bouncing to the beat. A sea of bright eyes waiting for the next performance.
Alyssa felt her heart racing. She leaned over the drums, trying to breathe. Sweat ran down her back. When she looked up, she found Edward smiling.
He adjusted his guitar strap, gave her a thumbs-up, and flashed a confident grin.
In that instant, the anxiety vanished.
She smiled back.
Edward was buzzing with energy. Today, this show wasn't just for him. It was for Alyssa. For his friends left behind on Earth. For his family. For every person—and every Pokémon—who helped him reach this point.
He glanced one last time at Alyssa, who was adjusting the drumsticks in her hands, and gripped his childhood guitar tightly. The one that had followed him even to another world.
He turned, slowly, toward the crowd.
He was ready.
"Time to raise hell, bitches." — was the last thought in his mind before Alyssa set the beat with the drums, the backing tracks from the little studio at Snorlax's Haven kicked in—
And the first note from his guitar roared like thunder.