Motostoke, past

Channah: -looks down at her hands, then carefully covers Tagg's hand with her own- Then... I. Love you. R-Richard.

The Rebel Trebel

Des sag up and took his feet off the table when the lights went out.

"Alright, what's with this funny business?"

The Rebel Treble

Me: Des? You're here for the Battle of the Bands too?

Rebel Treble

-The room remains dark as someone, two someones, start singing-

#Oooooooooooh#
Ladies and gents this is the moment you've waited for.
#Oooooooooooh#
You've been searching in the dark, your sweat soaking through the floor.
#Oooooooooooh#
And buried in your bones is an ache that you can't ignore.
Taking your breath, stealing your mind,
And all that was real is left behind.

Meloetta: <Oh hey I know this one.>

-Some of the club lights slowly fade up, tight beams that give scant glimpses of the two people strutting at either end of the balcony that overhangs the dancefloor-

Don't fight it, it's coming for you, running at ya,
It's only this moment, don't care what comes after.
Your fever dream, can't you see it getting closer? Just surrender 'cause you feel the feeling taking over.
It's fire, it's freedom,
It's flooding open.
It's a preacher at the pulpit of your blind devotion.
There's something breaking at the brick of every wall, it's holding all that you know.
So tell me...
Do you wanna go~?

-More lights flash on, giving the assembled bands below the first clear view of the two singers. Two near-identical figures in ringleader attire singing into their respective handheld microphones. Their skin is ashen in a way that seems almost unreal, their eyes are glowing orange embers amid the dark and they each have what appears to be a pair of horns?-

Where it's covered in all the colored lights
Where the runaways are running the night
Impossible comes true, it's taking over you
Oh, this is the greatest show!
We light it up, we won't come down
And the sun can't stop us now
Watching it come true, it's taking over you
Oh, this is the greatest show!

-On the last beat of the song the twins turn, glance over their shoulders at the 'audience' below and do Leon's famous pose (although one of them is doing the pose in the opposite direction)-

Meloetta: <Okay so I get they are definitely villains but that was a performance and a half right there.>

-The music ends and the house lights come up-

The Rebel Treble

(At the end of the performance, Orwell happily claps his claws together.)

Orwell: <Plusgood, plusgood~!>

Freddie: <I... I don't think you should be cheering for them, Orwell... t-they seem... d-dangerous...>

Elton: <I don't know if they are or not, but that performance was simply amazing!>

Kaylan: <...I kind of want to battle those guys.>

Kim: (pensive) "Hm..."

The Rebel Treble

Me: 0_o

Evelyn: 0_o

Piku-chan: 0_o

Hatty: 0_o

Me: Really? These are the saboteurs? A bunch of theatre kids?

Piku-chan: <Hey! Watch who you're spooking! I almost Thunder-fried you lot!>

Evelyn: But yeah, Meloetta was right... That was quite a performance.

The Rebel Treble

Des looked rather nonplussed.

"Meh. Derivative."

Rebel Treble

Upon realizing they meant no harm, everyone materialized and applauded politely after the song ended.

"You must be the last band that signed up," Colton mused, knowing they probably wouldn't acknowledge him.

"I can't speak for everyone, but us five - me, Curtis, Julius, Ammy and Max - we call ourselves Shadow Cast," he introduced. "What name do you work under?"

Motostoke, yesterday

-Puts my other hand on Channah's hand-

And I love you. Channah. Ye-eun.

The Rebel Treble

Kim: (applauds, thinking to herself) Shadow Cast is Rever's band name, huh? Hm... I should likely start thinking of what my band is going to be called... the question is... what to name it...?

Rebel Treble

-One of the twins (who was singing purple. A softer stance and longer horns) looks personally hurt by Desmond's comment while their sibling (golden voiced, shorter horns and a sharper pose) vaults over the balcony rail and lands surprisingly lightly on the floor below-

???: Put us down as TBD.

Meloetta: <What, you don't have a name?>

???: No that is the name! It's a joke!

-Meloetta looks a bit confused-

???: Don't worry if you don't get it, it's a personal joke.

Meloetta: <O... Okay then???>

The Rebel Treble

Kim: "...So, your name is 'TBD,' is it?" (She smirks at them.) "Kimberly Bond, lingual consultant. Delighted to meet you."

(she turns to Ian)

Kim: (in a whisper to Ian) "Rever already has his band name decided on. I don't know what our band name should be yet..."

The Rebel Treble

Me: Yeah... Now that you mention it, that could be a problem...

Evelyn: I can predict another problem, Ian...

Me: Oh? Lay it on me, Evelyn.

Evelyn: Most of us don't have instruments...

Me: Taihenda! You're right!

Motostoke, past

Channah: ... -bursts into tears again-

The Rebel Treble

Kim: "Taihenda, indeed... I don't know if Rever has any instruments, though, let me ask him..."

(She turns to Colton.)

Kim: "Rever, do you have any instruments for your band?"

Rebel Treble

He removed the backpack from his shoulders and reached in.

With a little bit of effort, he pulled out a keyboard before handing it to Ammy. The built-in stand underneath folded out as she set it up.

Another dig through his backpack's contents and he pulled out what seemed to be a pair of lightly-used guitars, one a bass guitar. He handed the bass guitar to Julius before he draped it across his back via the strap.

Colton did the same with the six-string guitar before continuing to dig before pausing.

He reached for a Nest Ball and nodded to the swiftly-materializing Xatu, who vanished with a nod before reappearing. A soundboard appeared in front of Sylveon like one would find in a studio before a drum kit appeared, set up, in front of Helmsman.

"Y'know, as long as it doesn't cause any scheduling conflicts, y'all are free to borrow what we got within reason," Curtis offered, slightly daunted by all the drums in front of him, evidenced by him tapping his knuckle against the cymbals.

Motostoke, last night

-Embracing, speaking soothingly-

Sorry, I should've figured that considering the circumstances that might've brought back some unwelcome memories.

The Rebel Treble

Kim: "Wait, you're serious? Thank you, Rev-" (she pauses) "Only one problem... I don't know how to play any of these." (then, looking down) "I assume with your schedule actually teaching me how to play any of these would be downright impossible."

Arthur blinked, and then turned around, he saw a familiar face that he had trouble recognizing. Arthur's mind was sharper than ever, even sharper considering he was technically a haunted blade at this point, but it still took a moment to recognize things especially with all he had seen and remembered. It clicked, it was her, Arthur frowned a bit, "Oh by Xerneas... you're still alive?"

Hayden looked over to Arthur, <Could you please explain the nature of your relationship with this woman?>

"Hayden... Meet Olivia. I met her back during the days of the curse, a little after Victor and I had a victory in a front against some invaders seeking to take advantage of the disoriented nature of Kalos," Arthur explained.

<The Curse of Kalos. Records of that event even with your infamous journal are incomplete.>

"Hm... So, still around, still in Galar then?" Arthur asked Olivia.

Silas adjusted his coat, "I'm ready for anything, I'm ready to deal with Robinson."

The Rebel Treble

Me: -looks over at Meloetta- Meloetta... a quick question. Do you know of any good music stores in Motostoke? Just asking for a friend.

Rebel Treble

-Meloetta paled as she heard the conversations and drifted over-

Meloetta: <You... You joined a music competition with no prior experience in music..?>

-She glanced around and sighed-

Meloetta: <Yeah there's like a record store on the main street I think..? Sorry I'm just still... Shook.>

???: Pleased to meet you Kim.

-The purple-named twin leaps off the balcony and immediately gravitates over to the empty bar-

???: Drat, nothing. Gimmie a mo I'll conjure.

Motostoke, past

Channah: -buries her face in his arms, sobbing, speaking in a high whimper- I love you more than anyone. I don't know what to do without you. I get so afraid when you're not with me. I want to die when you hang out with other people. I don't know why I'm like this. I don't know what I'm gonna do when you're gone.

Rebel Treble

Me: Thanks, Meloetta. I'll be right back.

-Ian runs out from the Rebel Treble...-

Motostoke

-...and heads for the record store.-

Me: -thinks to self- I certainly hope I can get the instruments everyone needs for our band...

-Ian runs past the record store, then doubles back upon realizing he overshot.-

Me: This must be the place.

-Ian walks into the record store... ouch.-

The Rebel Treble

Kim: (thinking to herself as she sees Ian leave) Hmm... a record store? That doesn’t sell instruments... does it?" (then, to Colton'') “..."would" you be able to teach me?”

Motostoke, past

-Takes in Channah's words and just stays silent for a while before speaking-

Like I said, I don't plan on leaving, but perhaps you can try letting in more people And your mons than just me. I know it'll be hard, but I think it'll be good for you.

And even if/when I die, if all my dealings with legendaries have taught me one thing, it's that death is not the end, we'd be reunited someday.

-Beat-

Not that I'm in a rush to die or anything like that, can't leave two girlfriends utterly heartbroken by my tragic demise, you know, on top of my mons and other friends.

But... promise me that you'll try, at least.

Edited by rmctagg09 on Feb 1st 2020 at 12:21:54 PM