Light's Love and Night's Passion

A/N: I think I'm starting to get on a roll with this! Which is actually okay for me, since my finals will be coming up in a couple of weeks. This definitely helps relieve stress.

Anyway, instead of this turning into a therapy session, let's get on with Chapter 2! Roll it!

Chapter 2

The Show and Afterwards

"How did I get roped into this?" Ash muttered with annoyance under his breath as he put on an ivory white cape loose over his body, which was dressed in a similar matching tuxedo. His wild raven hair was now devoid of his usual cap, giving him a roguish hero look to his ensemble. All in all, he looked quite attractive, which was not usually his style. Give him a baseball cap, a T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers, and he was ready for anything. But this? He felt more like a gussied-up male model. Definitely not who he is.

It had only been four short hours since his unofficial audition, and after giving the green light to do the opening act for the show, he was beginning to have second thoughts. "Come on, Ash." Clemont tried to reassure his friend. "You were amazing earlier! Just do the same thing that you did before."

"But I still have to perform this thing with two Pokémon." Ash reminded him, putting some emphasis in his words. "In the three Contests that I've competed in my entire life, they all required only one Pokémon."

Memories of his participation in the unofficial Terracotta Contest in Kanto, the Jubilife Contest in Sinnoh, and the Sinnoh Wallace Cup that was held at Lake Valor came back into his mind. He definitely had some fun times, even though the Terracotta Contest was an unofficial Contest, and the Wallace Cup was the farthest he'd ever gotten in an official Contest, making it to the second round of the Battle Stage. Still, even with the little experience he had, this was on another level.

"Don't worry about it too much." Clemont continued to assure him. "They're going to love you. No need to worry."

The familiar catch phrase slightly echoed in Ash's head. Of course, he couldn't forget who else was going to be watching him perform on stage tonight.

Dawn.

She was the one who had inspired many of his battle strategies for his Gym Battles, and she was also one of his strongest supporters. He admired her confidence in her Pokémon, her skills, and in him, and she always pushed him to work and train as hard as he could.

In turn, he did the same for her. It seemed like it was a repetitive cycle between them as they helped each other get back up and train hard. In all honesty, he liked how well they worked as a team, despite them always bickering in the beginning. He had missed her terribly, but he wasn't sure if she even want to reconnect with him, after he had basically disappeared for a while.

"Pikachu!" The annoyed and discomforted cry of his number one partner caught Ash's attention. Both he and Clemont turned to see that Pikachu was having some trouble tying a simpler and smaller white cape around him.

His Trainer just chuckled lightly and then went over to the struggling Mouse Pokémon. "Here, let me help you." He offered.

Once the cape was fitted on his top partner better, Ash then turned back to Clemont. "At least I was able to call Professor Oak earlier and have him send one of the few Pokémon who has some Contest experience." He said.

"Which one?" Clemont asked.

"My Buizel." He answered.

"A Water type and an Electric type." Clemont said. "Are you sure about that?"

Ash just smirked at him. "I've learned a few tricks during my journeys, and the three of us have been practicing hard all afternoon." He said. "I think we'll be fine."

Just then, Ash's Buizel came in, wearing ivory cuffs around his paws. "Looking good, Buizel." Ash complimented.

"Bui, bui!" The Sinnoh Water type said proudly, crossing his arms. He actually didn't mind dressing up, since it was most likely just a one-time thing.

"Well, good luck, Ash." Clemont said, patting his friend on his shoulder. "I'll be watching backstage."

Ash smiled. "Thanks, Clemont." He replied gratefully.

********************

The theater was packed, as it was expected to be a full house. Dawn herself was seated in a box seat near the stage, eager to see the show. Once all chatter deceased, a bright spotlight came on, illuminating a figure in the middle of the stage. It was Pierre, along with his Klefki.

"Welcome, honored guests!" He said loudly. "We are here at the famed Aria of Harmony Music Hall to witness a most amazing show tonight!" The crowd cheered and clapped loudly.

"Now before we could begin, we have a very special opening act." Pierre continued once the cheers have subsided. "We have just seen quite a surprising talent from this young Trainer, though he had participated in a few Pokémon Contests in the Kanto and Sinnoh regions."

Dawn's eyes widened at how familiar that sounded. Could it be? She thought.

"This is his first Coordinator performance in a few years, and we are honored to see an appeal such as this right here in the Kalos region. Please give a warm welcome to Ash Ketchum!"

The crowd clapped loudly, while Dawn's eyes widened further, and her heart began pounding vigorously in her chest. "Ash?" She whispered, the name whispered like a prayer.

Immediately, a blue light filled up her box seat as the sound of a Poké Ball opening was heard. Dawn gasped in surprise as her beloved little Piplup appeared, chirping excitedly and then jumped onto her lap.

The Sinnoh Coordinator giggled. "I guess you want to see Ash and Pikachu too." She said.

"Piplup!" The little Penguin Pokémon agreed.

The curtains slowly lifted up as the lights died down. Three shadows appeared on the stage, but no one could see them clearly. Ash closed his eyes, acutely listening to the quieting murmurs of the crowd. His eyes then snapped open in the darkness and he shot his arm straight up.

The silent signal allowed Pikachu on his left to fire a Thunderbolt up at the ceiling, but not hitting anything that can cause damage. The crackling yellow electricity slightly lit up the theater, but Ash and his Pokemon was not fully visible, giving a mysterious yet electrifying appeal. 

https://youtu.be/cg66jh2oYPk

Just then, the stage lights came on at once, revealing him and his Pokémon, all of them standing confidently as energetic music started to play. The crowd began clapping. Already, this was starting to be very interesting. 

"Buizel, Aqua Jet!" Ash commanded. The Sea Weasel Pokémon obeyed, and immediately surrounded itself with a powerful torrent of water. It then launched itself upward and began zigzagging across the entire theater from above. Then, as Buizel came back, Ash and Pikachu leaped out of the way with a twist of their upper bodies as Buizel landed in the middle.

"Use Sonic Boom straight up, and Pikachu, use Iron Tail down!" Ash gave out the next commands.

Pikachu jumped upward, performing a few flips, his cape twirling with him. Buizel's tail glowed white as the Sinnoh Water type spun around, and then with a stylish flick of it, a powerful wave of visible sound came flying up. At the same moment, Pikachu's own tail began glowing a bright silver. The little Electric type then swung his metallic tail down on the Sonic Boom, and the attack began pulsating in the air, creating waves and ripples of sound.

Everyone was in awe at the powerful performance. It showed style and finesse, yet it was also daring and brash. It seemed to fit this young man exceedingly well. Dawn especially, was impressed. She didn't think that her old friend would still be practicing appeals like this.

"Water Gun!" Ash commanded as he slid back to the middle of the stage, his form confident and appealing. Buizel fired a blast of water up at the pulsating Sonic Boom, and the water began flowing in all directions with the rippling sound waves.

"Quick Attack and come back down!" Ash shouted up to Pikachu. The Mouse Pokémon obeyed, and with his cape blending into the burst of white energy, he speedily zipped back down, bouncing on the watery waves of sound.

Backstage, watching the truly amazing performance, Clemont was watching it with wonder and amazement with Professor Sycamore. The latter though was looking at the performing young man with pride.

"Now, let's finish this!" Ash said. "Jump!"

The minute that Pikachu landed back onto the stage floor, he quickly joined Ash and Buizel in a daring run right towards the powerful spurting tower of water and sound waves. They all jumped up and literally rode the tower up to the top, making everyone in the theater gasp in amazement.

"Electro Ball, go!" Ash gave out the last command.

Pikachu leaped up and began forming an orb of crackling yellow electricity at its tail. It then swung it down, into the tower. Ash and Buizel leaped off it to avoid getting shocked as the water conducted the electricity.

Waves of lightning, water and sound were pulsating up and throughout the theater until the energy finally faded into blue and yellow sparkles. They gently fell as Ash and his Pokémon struck a final pose, Pikachu on his shoulder, and they confidently crossed their arms, back to back with Buizel.

Everyone began cheering wildly. Dawn and Piplup especially, though their own loud cheers were muffled by all the others. "Bravo!" Dawn cheered as loudly as she could. She then excitedly took Piplup in her arms and hurried out of her box. "Let's see if we can get a chance to catch up with him!"

"Piplup!" The little Water type chirped in agreement.

As they left the box, they didn't notice Professor Sycamore watching them from backstage. For a strange reason, he had a grim and worried look on his face when he saw the excited Coordinator leave, eager to reconnect with her old friend.

*************************

Meanwhile, Meowth had been recording the entire performance to show Jessie and James. He knew that the former would be furious about this, but they needed to keep tabs on him.

Once it was over, he stopped recording and ran back toward where he and his team were bunkering down. The minute that the recording was over, Jessie looked ready to explode, the ice pack on her head melting.

"HOW DARE HE?!" She shrieked out in anger. Her eyes looked ready to kill someone, and the ice on her head had turned into steam. Whenever Jessie gets like that, it greatly terrifies James and Meowth.

"Oh, so he thinks that he could steal my spotlight from me?!" Jessie continued to scream in anger. "Well, the Twerp better finally grow a brain because now, this is war!"

James and Meowth can only gulp in nervousness. They almost felt sorry for Ash, who will face her wrath sooner or later.

********************

The show had ended, and the after party was about to start. Clemont had been looking for Ash, seeing that most of the spectators had become big fans of his. "Ash?" He called out, his voice echoing as he went further back stage and headed downstairs towards the basement. "Ash?"

https://youtu.be/WqZwg9FEZNg

The basement area of the Aria of Harmony Music Hall was like a stone maze; ominous, dark and lifeless, the complete opposite of the lively theater above it as it led down to the catacombs of the city. Clemont hated going down there, since he couldn't help but feel like there was something that was watching him from where he couldn't see. But he knew that Ash, who was ever the curious and brave little bugger even as an adult, would often go down there for some reason. Especially when he wanted to be alone and away from the crowd, which was now more common in the past year.

Finally, he found Ash sitting in an empty stone room, still in his costume, with Pikachu and Buizel beside him. He was staring at a picture of him and his mother, Delia Ketchum, when he was a young child. He smiled fondly at it while his Pokémon patted him sympathetically.

"Hey, Ash." Clemont said, getting his attention. "Why are you doing down here? Lots of people want to give you their congratulations." He then lightly punched his friend's shoulder. "I told you that they'll love you."

Ash just playfully rolled his eyes at him as he carefully put the picture back on a nearby stand. "Well, it's all because of Pikachu and Buizel." He answered his friend. His Pokémon all gave him proud cries of accomplishment, with Pikachu jumping onto his shoulder and Buizel crossing his arms with a smug smile.

"I just wish I had half the talent that you have." Clemont said.

Ash chuckled bashfully, rubbing the back of his head. "Well, this kind of stuff does takes a lot of practice, but I also think that doing Performance Appeals may not be your strong suit."

Clemont also chuckled. "Point taken." He admitted. "But still, I wish I could know who has been helping you train."

Ash lightly bit his lip. Of course, he had seen this coming; it was only a matter of time. Should he tell him?

"Well, I kind of think of her as an angel." He began, which resulted in teasing looks from Clemont and his Pokémon. "Not like that!" He quickly clarified, feeling hot embarrassment flood into his face. "It's more like the way that she always watches me, ever since I came to the Kalos region." Now their teasing had turned to curiosity from Clemont and suspicion from Pikachu and Buizel.

"My mom had said to me before she died, that there is always someone from somewhere above looking out for me." Ash continued to explain. "At first, I thought that I was imagining things. But when I was performing, I could sense her watching me. Even now," he paused to stand up and look around the empty room, "I could hear her telling me how great me and my Pokémon were."

"Are you really sure that you weren't imagining things?" Clemont asked him skeptically, standing up beside him. He remembered that most of the time, ever since he came to Kalos, Ash would have trouble sleeping because of his grief over his recent loss. Sometimes, he even had nightmares and would wander around the theater. Maybe all of those sleepless nights were finally starting to affect him.

Ash nodded, his eyes glistening. "I'm positive." He said.

Pikachu and Buizel looked up at their Trainer with evident worry in their eyes. Of course, he seemed healthy enough despite the slight insomnia he had been dealing with for the past few years, but that spark that had always been in his eyes whenever he would have a fun Pokémon battle or join in the fight for justice had vanished after the performance was over. It was like the life had been sucked out from them, but it was only reignited briefly when he was on stage.

That wasn't who he really is. Something was dreadfully wrong with him, but it was so small and inceptible that no one has picked up on it. Hopefully, it won't go unnoticed forever.

"Come on, Ash." Clemont said. "Let's head upstairs."

Ash only nodded as they and the Pokémon began leaving the basement. But once they reached the top stair, Ash suddenly stopped and began quivering visibly.

"Pika-pi?" Pikachu chirped worriedly.

"Bui?" Buizel added.

"Ash, you okay?" Clemont asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Ash assured everyone. "Just got a little chill."

Clemont studied his friend intently like he was a blueprint, taking his friend's hand to see if it was shaking. "A little chill? Your hands are freezing!" He exclaimed. "And your face is getting a little pale."

"I'll be fine." Ash answered him, pushing away his concern. "I guess I haven't been getting much sleep lately."

Clemont knew that his friend was tired, but he didn't think that it would affect him this much. "How about you don't attend the party and just get some rest?" He suggested.

Ash nodded. "Best idea I heard all day." He said.

******************

It didn't take long for Ash to reach his little dormitory in the theater whenever stagehands would have to work late into the night. Already, he was being swarmed by his new fans, and Professor Sycamore had to come and help keep them at a fair distance. Cameras were flashing madly, making him see spots, and the boisterous pleads for interviews were starting to make his head spin like he was caught in a Seismic Toss.

Finally, Ash and his Pokémon were inside his dorm, and Professor Sycamore quickly closed the door behind him after saying with finality to the rabid reporters, "I'm very sorry, but I'm afraid that he's not giving any autographs or doing any interviews right now." He then firmly shut the door behind him and unfortunately left poor Clemont outside to try and deal with them.

The Kanto-born native breathed out a sigh of relief. He had almost forgotten the craziness of what it was like to be swarmed by paparazzi, even though it had hardly happened to him throughout all of his Pokémon journeys. Still, it didn't make it any easier.

Pikachu and Buizel collapsed on the bed with relief and began taking off their costumes. The little Electric type even tore off his cape and then chucked it away towards the other side of the room, making Ash chuckle.

Professor Sycamore gave Ash a proud smile. "You did an amazing job out there, Ash." He complimented the younger man, making him smile a small grin. Then he turned over to Pikachu and Buizel. "All of you were."

The Pokémon gave him their cries of agreement and were glowing with pride, agreeing with the professor's words, making their Trainer smile proudly at them. But then, his attention was turned to the older man as he gazed over at his desk. Lying there was a single blood red rose in full splendor bloom, the flower itself almost as big as Ash's fist, the stem thornless and having a black ribbon with soft pink lace tied around it.

"It seems that she is proud of you as well." Sycamore said simply and mysteriously, while Ash just mutely went to the desk and picked up the rose, slightly twirling it between his fingers.

Sensing that Ash didn't want any more company for the moment, Professor Sycamore took his leave and then quietly exited the room to rescue Clemont from the swarming cameras and news reporters blocking the hallway outside. The Kanto native just stared at the rose in his hands, slowly twirling it and fingering the ribbon and the petals.

Pikachu and Buizel shared a glance with each other, having a mix of worry, concern and curiosity in their eyes. It was obvious that someone went through a whole lot of trouble just to anonymously leave their Trainer a single rose to congratulate him for his efforts. But they had no idea who it could be.

And it seemed that as much as Ash was flattered by the sweet gesture, he also seemed like he was scared. His hands were beginning to shake with fear, and he looked like he might start to sweat. There was definitely something that he wasn't telling them, and they needed to find out what it was.

Ash then sat down in the desk's matching soft cushioned chair, his eyes still glued to the beautiful flower in his hands, feeling like he was starting to lose function in his legs. And then, there was a small twinge of terror flashing in his amber brown eyes.

*****************

Outside, Dawn finally managed to squeeze through the crowd to the entrance, even though there were a few reporters that wanted an interview about her new role in the theater company. Piplup was on her shoulder instead of in her arms to avoid being accidentally pressed into a pancake from the crowds and his Trainer, who was trying to get past them.

"Miss Dawn?" Pierre caught the young woman's attention before she could make another step toward Ash's room. "Ah, there you are. It seems that we have made quite a discovery with young Ketchum, wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes, he was quite spectacular out there on stage, and so were his Pokémon." Aria, who had also approached them with her Delphox, added in.

The taller man nodded in agreement with the young Kalos Queen before turning back to the Sinnoh Top Coordinator. "Perhaps we could introduce him to you, Mademoiselle?" Pierre suggested.

Dawn just chuckled, slightly shaking her head. "No, that won't be necessary." She said. "Besides, if either of you don't mind, this is one visit that I can handle on my own."

"Piplup!" The little Sinnoh Water type caught his Trainer's attention.

Dawn looked over at the little Penguin Pokémon perched on her shoulder. He then pointed to the flowers that Aria had in her hand. There were some Gracidea flowers in the bouquet, the familiar soft pink flowers native to Sinnoh and bringing back some fond memories to Dawn's mind. Surely, it could bring them both on a trip down memory lane, perfect for catching up.

"Thanks for this, though." Dawn said, deftly picking two of the Gracidea flowers from Aria's bouquet and heading back over towards the bedroom door.

Aria and Pierre were both slightly puzzled by Dawn's oddly cheerful and excited behavior about seeing Ash as they watched her. "It would seem that they have met before." The latter said.

Suddenly, Aria had a knowing look on her face, her lips pulled up into a smile. "Oh, I think that's just the beginning of that." She said coyly, making the Performance host look over her, a bit confused by what she was trying to imply.

A/N: I think that the suspense is slowly starting to build up. But why make Ash the victim? Well, after a loss like that, it's like a big piece of him has been lost. And is it just me, or is someone trying to take advantage of that?

Well, we'll have to wait and see. I guess I'll see y'all in Chapter 3, where we'll finally have a little bit of Pearlshipping! Please leave a comment about what you think. They're highly appreciated.

Got to fly! ;)