BM The Supervisor

## Overview

A toxic trip through the true essence of mushrooms. . .

## Prologue

"Anf...pant...anf...pant..."

Inspired more, closing eyes. The blue fur was blown against by the wind, but she stood immobile.

"Kyaaaah! Ah! Eh! Oshaaaa. Anf. Anf..." she had been training all the night practicing her new body. Dewott was spending all her fury in a fruitful way for the first time, and she couldn't be more surprised by herself: this wasn't Oshawott. The old her would have likely wasted time and tears in rage and seething, but she just wasn't. A few rends more in the wind, then folded claws and scallop back on place and sat down, maybe finally exhausted.

Ninjask observed in a corner, rather impressed.

"Hey, Oshaw-ait-Dewott I mean! Still thinking about Squirtle, eh? Same here. Mind if I sit too?" Bagon approached and Dewott moved a little to give him space. They were both sitting on the back wingtail with their feet skimming above the clouds. "It's like being on a pool party but swimming in the sky here, amazing."

"Hi, Bagon. Thought you were busy with Ninjask."

"I didn't feel in the mood for flight lessons so I skipped." Bagon took off the goggles letting them pending on the neck "So, how do you feel? Unlike me you seem in the training mood, and a very hard one: you have not slept at all. Wonder what's your intention here, never seen you like that before."

"Neither I, to be honest. But yesterday something changed inside me." Dewott clenched the sunglasses of Squirtle in a strong grip "I felt this urge to train, to best myself already. To take the whole thing in charge! As I cannot disappoint my love, I have to revenge him."

"Wo-wo-woah. What kind of revenge are you thinking about?"

"I should...not?" Dewott gave him a look between discouragement and confusion, that looked cute in the eyes of Bagon for a short span, then he said "No, you shouldn't. Don't think against the team, that's not what Squirtle wished. Focus on his wish: we'll be the final 3!" piercing the air with the fingers. "That seems something Ninjask would say." it was her comment "Oh, yeah, ehm, actually you're right." which made him fluster a little bit. The conversation continued with a sudden cut line from the ott "You still trust Master Ninjask, right?"

"Yes, maybe you should train with him as well, try." Bagon then realized something "Why you asked?"

"There were three votes for Squirtle. One was either of Ninjask, Piplup or you. *Three*."

The wind carried away the reply of Bagon.

**// Vent //**

**"This was too much of a punishment and won't lead to the target. It wasn't a strategic move. We are overexposed."**

**"*Certain lessons are best remembered after a sacrifice, you should know.*" Ninjask promptly begged in excuse in front of his own shadow. "Excuse me, master, that's right."**

**"*Don't focus on challenges but on the final target, how many times I told you already. Your target is the final victory and you owe me a victory*." Then Ninjask self-ripped an arm as he was in trance. "*This will be our lesson for today. Keep target in mind while I'll keep the arm you just raised against my will*. *You owe me a body too, never forget, Ninjask, neverevernevernever*..." the voice faded in the echo**.

**"I know, I promised to you."**

On the other wing of the tail Chimecho and Lucario were meditating together. However, Chimecho failed an exercise after another as clearly she couldn't find peace in her mind, and the temptation to stroke her tail continuously grew more and more, until Lucario stroked it for her and snapped "Enough! Thought you wanted to meditate, sgrunt."

"I'm sorry..."

"If your harp was here you would feel better, right?"

"Mh mh... but we can no more access to our luggage. Victini locked them for everyone after what happened with Swirlix and Ditto."

"Alright. Grrr." Lucario kicked the air "I miss my ukulele because of this bastard."

"You play?" Chimecho turned at him with her wide dot eyes glossing "I don't! Having an instrument doesn't force me to know how to play it, it's just decorative." Finally a smile reappeared on her face. "W-What is that for? Sgrunt, did I say anything unkind or just funny as usual?" But her smile was gentle like a breeze that soothed any of his insecurity, and he quieted immediately.

"Thanks, Lucario. I think I'll meditate better now. Join me again." They returned to meditate as the sunrise was almost ready to open the new day. Still, he had to hold her tail during all this time.

Meanwhile in the indoor of the plane, the missing Jiggler was stuck on a line for the bathroom, again. "I know I should never lower to the same level of you peasants, but I can't. What the hell is taking so long this time for fucking my fucking journal fucking royal toilette again?!!" Everyone gasped, included herself! "Oh my! Reputation is definitely compromised at this point."

Minun of all was the first to give her the answer "I think Anorith is still struggling with modern bathrooms. He locked it at all." Knock knocked again. "What do you want? Not finished yet. Stop asking!" The thunderous voice of the anomalocaris was acquainted by an odd background of splashing noises.

"Hurry up, primitive fucker!" Piplup snapped back. "I need to wash my fucking precious feathers...and before all my mouth. Definitely my mouth!" she fleeted in the vents for the shame.

**// Vent //**

**Piplup: "Fuck me. I knew that all this time spent meshing with the mass would have led to consequences but this is getting beyond tragedy, for fuck sake! I'm talking like Squirtle, Oshawott, and *Lucario* altogether at this point or even worst. Argh, what happened to my inner born education!?! I ain't no galarian bitch no way, I come from Mt. Coronet of all Sinnoh! *Then would you stop talking like a scottish rip off accented foul mouth bitch penguin already?!* I'm even talking to myself like Oshawott did? Fuuuuuu.."**

"Said the one that hogs the bathroom every morning. Pah! Stop knocking at the door and wait your turn, all. Show respect to the true ELDEST here." Anorith slammed and locked the door for the last time: he had a very most important priority to deal with. "Back to you. If you flop again in the toilet and then get eaten by a snake, a eel or similar, then you'll better learn to scrub by yourself. So don't get used to the nursery for long. And stop freezing the water solid!" He received then a whip of icy water from the small tail swinging. Enough. Anorith picked up the egg from the tail holding it in the claw, pending. "What do you do now? You're in my power. And...it's not pleasant at all, I should know." Feeling guilty, he let it go immediately. The egg gently rolled over the surface of the bathtub and back in the bubbly water. The little feet popped out to protect the tail from further "attacks" shivering, but Anorith tickled them using his oaring feathers, they slowly reacted relaxing the grip from the tail and this was the occasion for soaping and bathing it in tranquility. The tail let those bizarre claws to finally touch it without freezing the body attached to them, it was developing a sort of acceptation for Anorith, finally. And Anorith, same. A bond was growing.

"There you are, my son is finally clean and shiny like when he went out from... I mean, went out in this world." He then rinsed the egg from the foam and rolled it in a towel "Done! It was, phew, a kind of a deed but we did it eventually. Now time to return to the cradle, you need to dry back at your temperature."

/**/ Vent //**

**Anorith climbed to the vents and, in a secret flit he only knew about, deposed the egg under the climate setting to max cool. Peck pecked it fatherly before to leave "Don't wander around this time, promise?" receiving a flick of the azure tail in response. "Eeeh, assume it to be a yes. I will be back soon after yet another failed challenge."**

Right when Anorith had left, Porygon Z managed to unlock the door, blasting the Zap Cannon. "I can't wait for this anymore! I want my chance, too. Finally I'll know the f@@ling . Uhm. Byte the way, first the privacy must be restored." He ripped the panel of the shower to make a new door in place of the one destroyed.

"Noo, wait!" Minun tried to sneak in but was too late. "Sigh, I will go on the Tail of Losers to do it..."

Now alone, the cyberspace explorer explored the bathroom for a long time, staring like he was visiting a planet for the first time... "Day One. Just after the landing, I already know this is nothing like I ever seen before. There are so many mysterious constructions. I actually should have collected more information about." He sat on the toilet, not without some struggle especially to avoid that his "tail" touched the water pool "Waiting for *download in the bin*. . ."

"*Download has not started yet. Want to reboot?* Ehm..."

"*Search completed. Looks like there's nothing to download. Wish to troubleshoot?*"

"*Troubleshoot results: no liquid or solid files were found.*"

After one hour, he came to realization.

"*System doesn't support this function, not even version Z*. Mission failed.

**// Vent //**

**Porygon Z: "I can only produce file sheets, but not file shit."**

## Challenge

"Virbank City, a place I love so much." Victini officially began the new episode, looking visibly in a better mood than he recently had been, for some reasons. However, that could have changed in a drop of a leaf at any moment, so everyone was still careful.

"Yes, if it has a V is always the best, I guess." almost everyone. No, it wasn't Beheeyem this time.

"This is my Lampent afterall. Aha ha ha ha." harassed to say the least, Victini continued leading them to the local gym. It apparently looked normal from the outside, bar the long queue of people, but an odd noise came from the inside.

"What's this, music?" Chimecho was the first to be reached by the penetrating sound wave, like the physical wind usually made with her body, and she started to move like a pendulum in result. Lucario held her by the tail again thinking she still needed it. Chimecho didn't say thank but blushed. Then the electronic waves reached to the electrics and the snakes of the cast. "I hate this pitched sssound already!" Seviper coiled her head in the spires while Dunsparce enjoyed the hum, tap tapping the ground with the rhythm.

"Electronic music? Amazing!" Lester and Minun exclaimed together, startling one another: they had something in common. Unbelievable.

"Uhm, psycho-goa-trance actually." Beheeyem and Porygon Z were next to hear it clearly.

They finally arrived at the end of the long hallway. Soon as they crossed the doors, they were blown away by the music ten times louder than expected! "Feel the vibrating sensation it transmits?" Victini, that along with Lester and Chimecho didn't seem affect at all by the volume, pointed straight at the exhibition "This is the sound of victory! The one I want you reproduce today."

"By the way, still pales to my Uproar." was the comment from Lester.

"Let me introduce you The **Ingrained Amoonguss!**" Victini teleported on the palk carrying a microphone and setting the crowd on fire like the perfect showman "The best band of the entire Unovaaa!"

"And sssince then who caresss for an Amoonguss?!" she was spored on purpose by someone in the crowd "How dare you? I came from Kanto for this duo. They're the best ever for the kind of Grass and Poison and you should know being of the same category, atchoom!" They eventually recognized him.

"But you're that **Vileplume**... Back off before to put us asleep again!" Anorith pulled Aurorus and the other Venturers in safe.

At the breach of the concert, Victini escorted the band composed by only two Amoonguss, one normally red, the other of the master ball color. The two mushrooms rotated their discs spreading a mysterious powder all over the contestants.

"You are ready for a trip in the essence of Amoonguss? It will be a journey of unintelligible proportions. ***I. AM. The Supervisor*** will be judge over you."

"Write your rhymes, future spores, and make them ingrain your body and your mind like a coiled kipod. Be Toxic, become Synthesis, feel Amoonguss."

The shiny one then revealed three sheets misfitted in that powder, landed in the hands of Lester, Ninjask and Porygon Z. A general misunderstanding reaction followed.

"Eh?"

**// Vent //**

**Bagon: "Suddenly Jirachi looks pretty normal to understand in comparison."**

**Drifblim: "I understood everything they said. Don't know what was so hard about it but everyone looked so confused."**

"Gen V music hits different, you know?" Victini took the word again "In this challenge you will play three of the successes of the Ingrained Amonguss, writing a text from scratch for them, singing and performing the instrumental part at perfection. **I** will judge the result along with **Horus the Chorus** and **The Supervisor** aka the ***Ingrained Amoonguss***, the creators, so be **v**ery **v**ery ***v***ery careful in the execution. Those are perfectionists. The next concert will take part in the evening, feel free to listen to the musical tracks recorded and dispose of the entire gym for the tryouts. Venturers will be the opener, Leviathans the lead, and Jigglers will close it, that's usually the toughest part."

"Ehm, what if someone has never played an instrument before? Sounds like screwed from the beginning."

"You said it, Minun! And I'm taking it up to eleven: actually, instruments are limited. So not only the text, not only the play, but also the same instruments are on your dime. The music for a victory is never made the easy way. On the contrary, the worst song will be the music of defeat."

"And the pumping sound of hearts beating their last moments before the great fall in the darkness void." Lampent added her personal touch.

"This is my precious girl of doom. Hope you're excited for this challenge." Victini floated whispering to her "I remember when you played piano, blink."

"Sure last time I did it I was...*alive.*"

"Ah. Aaaah. Right! You told me."

"I don't remember."

"Anyway, I was almost forgetting about the duty: what will be the journal penalty of Beheeyem today? Oh, I know it: he will be the *front man* of the Venturers. Beheeyem!" Victini rolled down the whole hallway bursting in laughs.

"Did he seriously disadvantage us for the first time this bad?" Anorith couldn't believe that them, the Victini Venturers, were going under such a treatment. At this point Beheeyem was more than a deadlock, it was their curse for the eternity.

"Byte the way, when the organic leader is not available, it's up to the synthetic to replace it. Therefore I'm in charge for the temporary leadership, alpha! \*@pic P@se\*" On second thought, maybe there were **two** curses.

"Refresh my memory..." Drifblim raised an hand "Has anyone the same remind the instruments were there, right?"

"They're, Drifblim." everyone raised eyes in annoyance.

Drifblim pointed at the empty spot.

"Ninjask hit again!!!"

**// Vent //**

**"He's the Mastah." Bagon expressed his satisfaction all the while honoring the memory of Squirtle talking how he would.**

**"So we don't have to worry for the instruments at least." Dewott dressed on the sunglasses with seriousness. "This is an advantage we cannot waste."**

**-JIGGLERS-**

it was actually Chimecho's powers that had allowed them to pull up this stunt, she was getting really good at teleporting multiple objects at contemporary but she wasn't any proud about it: that was like cheating. However, she wanted redemption in the eyes of her friends and mostly Dewott that was already lining up the troops of the Hot Water Police:

"Victory is the only option today. We can't disappoint the captain at home in a music challenge!"

"Of course we can't." Bagon was all after that speech.

"We have been used by him to rock all the time, and rock we'll make today."

"Electronic music, ahem."

"Same. Let's focus: besides Chimecho with her harp, who is able to play?"

"Lucario said..."

"Ah, scratch that. How much hard can be to do it?" Dewott picked up a guitar and the scallop screeching the strings "See? It just has to be done with the attitude, like Squirtle taught!"

"Aah, my ears! Fuck you." Piplup smacked the scallop away "You were breaking the strings and my eardrums with that fucked up noise you were making! Please." Dewott stared in astonishment and took a while to Piplup to understand her action "I-I-I'm sorry! I fail to control my mouth today." and she frozen at the calm reaction of the ott.

"I'm not wasting time to kill you but that was a close call, mind you." Dewott recollected her scallop and read the sheets carefully, but the result was the same. Here a streak of the old Oshawott retailed "I don't understand anything! Aaaaaaaaaaah!"

"I do, if you mind." Chimecho sheepishly approached to her, "Develop feeling with the instrument before anything, you have to become one entity." began with a few chords and then wrapped herself around the neck (il manico) "Sheets are just the music in your heart written in a material form, but they're important as well."

"Okay, okay, but the guitar is MINE!" Dewott snatched it back rudely interrupting the melody, and clinched the instrument firmly. "Stick to the harp or whatever is made for you."

"I didn't mean to steal, just to help..."

"There's a violin at the end." Ninjask, who was listening the original track for the whole time, cut the discussion "Chimecho will play that part."

"She could also be the lead singer. We all know how beautiful is her voice when singing." Bagon purposed further to which everyone agreed. Than Dewott.

"Why everything has to go under Chimecho today?!" Snapped. "Like she could sing this loud. Her voice is too weak for rock music, Electronic. SAME. YOU DIDN'T THINK AT ME? I HAVE THE HIGH-PITCHED VOLUME FOR THIS!"

Ninjask had enough of that attitude "Think at the team and not yourself. Don't drift from the target. Don't question your leader decisions. This is the last warning."

"Fine, master."

"It's settled. Chimecho will be the teacher from now on: we'll practice her lessons at turn every 10 minutes. I'll provide the violin, the rest of the team choose an instrument that fits."

"Speaking about that, the drums is certainly for the Master: it's very fast in generally, and in here it's on a complete different level of difficulty."

"Unfortunately it requires two arms." Ninjask declined the offer showing the amputated scythe. "I could only play a one armed instrument."

"Woah, when that happened? I didn't see that coming." Bagon asked in shock.

"It was ripped by the lightning yesterday." Ninjask lied and reassured "I'm able to give my contribute nonetheless, I'll play the bass."

**// Bagon: "Handicapped badass intensifies."**

Ninjask left the group for the woods, but wanted Dewott to come with him. "Uh?"

"You already made your choice, and I need a second hand for the violin." Still not getting those cryptic assumption, the ott followed the cicada blindly.

During the absence of the leader of the team and the leader of the alliance it was up to Bagon to organize the assignments for the remaining instruments.

"Then I go for the drums, I'm used at pound things and I already played it with Squirtle in an exhibition. What's your choice, Piplup?"

"Mumble mumble...Fuck it. I sign for the keyboard!"

"Are you sure? Seems difficult for an amateur and you're both new at playing and at this kind of music."

"So be a snob makes me automatically outdated for the next generations?" the penguin swelled the chest in disdain and placed on the stool. "I will show you that a noble can dirt hands sometimes." She passed a feather up and down the stairway of the notes to warm up. "Eww, literally. There's powder everywhere. Besides, I was educated to play the piano when I was at your level age."

"Classical piano and electronic keyboard are polar opposites, but, okay if you are so confident."

"Just need Chimecho to refresh my talent, honey, then I will shut your mouth and that of an entire generation. You know how they nicknamed me at musical school? **Feather of Cynthia**."

"Okay, settled. Ninjask will play the bass so we miss only you." he and everyone else glanced at Lucario at the end. "Uhm, is there anything left in the track?"

"Don't force yourself to find me a spot for me if there isn't, sgrunt."

"Victini wants everyone to play so no escape this time..." sarcastic but true. "There must be something, listen, found it. There's another more violently played electric guitar at the end: sounds like Lucario's voice itself."

"Harsh and grating for the eardrums. I agree."

"..." Lucario picked up the guitar with no reply, something that worried only Chimecho.

"Hey, where are you going now?"

"Consider me the lonewolf of the band: I practice solo my assolo." a challenging smirk, as he slammed the door and left the gym.

"More correct, you practice solo your asshole." Bagon spoke bluntly in a whisper.

**// Vent //**

**"On a plus side" the dragon shrugged "The best bands always featured an asshole member putting himself beyond the group, until it lasted."**

**"I should have never compromised the balance created in the Jirachi Jigglers voting out Squirtle." Chimecho regretted her actions in front of the cameras. "I didn't think at the benefit of the team because I was blinded by my own point of view..."**

Once he found a suitable log, Ninjask ordered to Dewott: "Cut it with a single swipe of the blade. Don't ask and focus."

"Then okay." Dewott concentrated her energies in a single point of the body: the paw that held the Scallop Blade. Like ordered, a single swipe crossed through the bark splicing the wood in two halves. "Ohh. Wow. I failed last time I tried in the Ilex Forest but now..." Ninjask limited to nod at his apprentice. "Chisel an eight shape for each side."

Dewott proceeded chipping the wood with the sharp side of the shell, it was a distressing exercise somehow, and she was doing a very good job at it, too. She sculpted for a while until they obtained two perfect halves in shape and size.

"When you split something in two halves it doesn't mean they can't become a single again. If they are both identical, they're always following one and only purpose. Combine the two halves together to obtain a violin." Ninjask passed the harp chords. "Rope them and we are over."

"Ooooh...alright. Wait, did you take them from Chimecho's harp, how and when?!"

"It doesn't matter. Chimecho had to give her half of the contribute for it otherwise this lesson would have been useless for you. Understand now?"

"I think so."

**-LEVIATHANS-**

"About the instruments..."

"I have so many ideas already, ah! With my ability to possess every electronic stuff, there's only the embarassment of choice: Wash Rotom for drum machine, Mow Rotom for guitar, Frost Rotom for synth keyboard, Heat Rotom for bass and Fan Rotom for both smoke and autotune effects!"

"...we can apply the Porygon method!" Minun purposed eagerly, leaving the other pretty confused. PORYGON METHOD...? "Besides, Lester, it's impossible even for you to be multiple instruments at contemporary."

"Slow down, you're talking to the one man band all time and by the way. Nothing is impossible, I move at the same speed of light, I'm made of plasma. You know? Plasma is faster than electrons!!" Lester zapped from a light to another for a demonstration. "You're still slower than many pokémon, according to the pokédex, including an Electrode and me."

"That's why rotodéx is the best. They wrote lot of nonsensicality when they programmed the average déx." Lampent, Minun and Metagross rolled eyes. "Like, Drifloon supposed to take away kids. A balloon! Pathetic fantasy, they should have hired me already in Generation IV."

"Just for your information." Drifblim intervened personally into the conversation "I actually remember I once carried away a kid named *Nemo,* but maybe that happened in another life."

Lester blink blinked. "By the way, let's see what this "*"Porygon Method*"" brings to before I have an aneurysm..."

Lampent explained with a bit of free sarcasm "It's just sourcing material from everywhere beyond any cost and any law. Then recycle it for our m.i.s.s.i.o.n."

His reaction was priceless "And what's the big news about it if I already forced you to do that every time we did a challenge?! Using an entire city (see Celadon) as a board for a fake virtual console game, anyone? Polluting a whole river with electronic trash, hello? Sticking us inside a broken television to mimic a weather forecast, remember that Drifloon?? Doesn't count anything of that?!! Have not realized yet by the way? Porygon is just a cheap copycat of ME!"

"We know." Metagross spoke finally. "Yet we don't care at all. It doesn't matter if it's you now or him before, as long we get useful results for the *Latias Leviathans*."

"You forget the ***Lester*** part." Red Rotom hissed.

"It was *Laser* originally. Right?" said Drifblim. Metagross nodded in stride.

"It was *Laser* before, and became *Lester* later. We were Laser Latias Leviathans in the first episode and won without him, nothing prevents us to revert back."

Lester had an heart jump despite not having biologically any heart, just to say the gravity of the situation. He rushed immediately in search of the sources. "You need me at all! I can do everything you ask, EVERYTHING!!! There's no other pokèmon able to do that, so, Leviathans, why you should renounce to the opportunity? Quirky! Ghost n' stuff, this is just a Rotom job in an nutshell." He possessed a random car parked outside and crashed it at max speed inside the gym. "It has stereo, third wheel, gps, steer-braking system, exc. See? Porygon sucks in comparison. I don't need to source stuff, I make the source myself. Feel free to serve and dispose of my pieces as you want."

"Ehm, okay, Lester."

"I have a morbid request." Lampent approached slightly awkward in the face. "Can I enter in the car in your place? I like the idea."

Drifblim gasped "I just had an idea for later. Give me a recorder before I forget it!" Metagross tossed her the infamous disc. "Thanky you! For what? ...Argh, almost. Need some space to focus, see you soon!"

**// Vent //**

**"I always wanted to be like *Christine the Car* since I was alive." Lampent explained regaining her indifferent tone for a few. "A silly dream of the young me. However, I have died already, so the most crucial step was long done. Also, the idea of being dispatched is so chilling!" A small glimpse came from the black pebble she was wearing as a pendant. The shrug that followed didn't hide the blush from the camera angle.**

**Minun filled a bag of water and put it in the coolant until it became ice. Then on his front. "Aaa. Finally, better. All that arguing with Lester destroyed my brain and gave me an headache or maybe it was something else. To think this is just the beginning of a whole day of chaotic music, kills me. I'm overheating at the sole idea." He stretched closer to the coolant grill and his tail accidentally flopped in the flits, getting snapped in result by something. "Auch! What was that? I doubt Anorith was sleeping at this hour..." he found out that the end of his tail was frozen. "I also doubt he has Ice moveset. Maybe I'm just fantasizing too much. I was too daring do and got caught in the fan of the coolants for punishment." That was suitable enough for him and he left without further thoughts on that accident. Sneezing soundly.**

Meanwhile, Metagross had separated the majority of the electronic components and Dunsparce had unscrewed all the four wheels with the driller. A clean job, so clean that Lampent seemed disappointed it was already over. "We have the necessary to fabricate keyboard and drum set (Dunsparce will be the snare drums), the gas tubes will be the microphones to amplify the voices, I will be the guitar solo obviously, ah!"

"We still miss the piano."

"I sent Drifblim for that."

-camera cut on Drifblim flying over the Strange House ruins-

"What I'm doing here exactly? I was here for something *forte*, uhm..." she opened the rotodevice getting shouted back: "Piano, pianooo, PIANOOOOO!"

"Ah, almost! *Piano* and *fort*e was. Sure, count on me, Laser."

-camera cut back on Rotom at the Virbank Gym-

"Ohmmm."

"We also need the text."

"Ohm and ampere, stop being my clistere! **MINUN!!!**" Lester discharged in frustration.

"S-Sorry, Lester."

"I offer to be the ghost writer, have a draft already." Lampent shocked them with this offer out of nowhere.

**-VENTURERS-**

Beheeyem was sitting on a stool, one leg crossed with the other, laying shoulders on the synth console, reading the sheets with the same attitude of reading a newspaper while listening to the track in the headphones: in short, slacking on as usual while everyone else around him worked.

Anorith, Aurorus and Porygon Z went back and forward sourcing for the instruments. Porygon Z found in the nearby Pokéwood Studios an authentic ore mine of materials and ideas.

"How about thiZ?!" there was even a fake UFO they had taken from the sets.

Beheeyem didn't even look at it, nodding. "Interesting, interesting." Snickered when he finally dared to give a quick glance. "Of course, the most stereotyped triangular shape for a spaceship I ever expected. Cool looking enough to meet the attention of earthlings, though."

Anorith dropped that heavyweight he was carrying, having enough of that attitude already. He went straight to the point: "Start to get busy, alien, or I assure Seviper will tear off what's left of your innards soon she wakes up." Reflected upon it. "Should have already sloughed, actually, an hour ago."

"I don't need her recover." Beheeyem exhibited nonchalance in his confession. "So I used Simple Beam: she's best when asleep than awoken. Don't worry, she'll play her part fair and square." Anorith remained quiet.

"You're lingering on ice thin..." Aurorus warned him.

"Said by you? It's a compliment." Then he clapped hands and stood up. "Alright, time to give my contribute. Here's the list of the instrumental: synth and we already got it, violin for the culture, at least a keyboard, drum machine so obvious, a less obvious theremin, electric bass and the mass weapon of attraction called electric guitar, and a random french horn too."

"That's a ton of instruments and we're five. Four with Seviper this way thanks of you." Anorith also pondered. "How are we supposed to play them? I know nothing of music, the Ice Age leftover doesn't have hands, the Internet freak is likely unable as well and the only time I've seen you use your arms was to shrug or point your pearls of wisdom at people!"

"As learning how to put a series of sounds repeated in a tune requires this much grey matter." Beheeyem dismissed. "Even a primal cortex (like you) is capable to do it. Nevermind, I'll be the supervisor mind of everything." Beheeyem passed a sheet to Anorith, then. "What do you read?"

"Eh..."

"Exactly. I can't waste time teach you anything that it's beyond your brain possibilities. Then, we will recur to my personal way of playback. I'll did a demonstration on another primal cortex user." The alien enveloped the fainted snake in a psychic energy that made her body move in a state of hypnosis and play under his direction, using her tail as a bow on a crude violin just assembled by Porygon Z. "Clap, clap, clap. Excellent execution, Seviper. Who wants to practice next? Pick the instrument you prefer."

"I refuse to let myself controlled by you. Seen how much jerkassery you pulled us through the challenge of Giratina, I would never trust you again." Anorith was joined by Aurorus in that decision. "Just suggest me a suitable instrument."

"Fine, then." Beheeyem smirked confidentially at her "There's one perfect for you, Aurorus: theremin. No hands needed, it perceives movements. Your ice breath also suits for the beginning part: take a microphone and practice how to...huff and puff. *Nothing you're not new at*." with the usual low blow at the end. "Anorith! Anorith, Anorith, well, you're the one man band usually. Drums and bass, because who cares for the bass performance? *It's the reincarnation of you as a musical instrument.*"

"So TWO instruments at contemporary?!"

"And without my direction, too." shrugged and turned him the back. "Oh, and don't worry your little brains for the lyrics. Me and Porygon Z have already it all saved in our mind and sing it. Help Porygon dispatch a theremin and a keyboard out of the innards of that UFO, please. The shell of it is all we need for the scenery."

**// Vent //**

**Porygon Z: "SPOILER ALERT, YOU HAVE 5,515151 (period) SECONDS TO SKIP THIS CONFESSIONAL.**

**The title of our track will be *Converting Venturers*. You will soon discover the meaning of it."**

**-JIGGLERS-**

Piplup had just finished her warm up exercises and was ready to approach to the psy goa trance for the first time ever. Method before all: crunched her wings, read the sheet and listened to the original. "Left hand: two chords in alternation. Okay, easy. Right hand now. Done. It's always the same, very easy. Speed tempo... same part of the beginning...now it changes finally o-oh oh!" Piplup realized she had to change the tune of the keyboard. "So many buttons. Click. Click. Click! Found it. Getting too fast to follow. Oh no I have to revert the previous tune! No..click...nooo...click..click!! Anf, another change. W-Wait me! A piano doesn't change sound this way, how the hell am I supposed to do it at this pace?!"

"Use the split." Bagon suggested.

"And the fucking button is?"

"This one." The dragon helped the penguin a little since Chimecho's lessons were already being taken by someone else at that moment. "Just hold it when you need to split the keyboard in two different tunes at contemporary, and release it when you doesn't anymore. Okay?"

"Thanks, Bagon."

"Pretty different from classical music, eh? Being in an electronic band is no joke for real and we have to learn it in a day. Also, consider that you don't have to learn how to play your instrument alone but listen too the performance of the rest of the band and follow their instruments with yours. Like matching pieces together for a single structure."

"Ehm, that's something I can do. Classical music is also orchestrated, you know." Piplup corrected swelling her chest for having felt slightly underestimated.

"Oops, true, actually." Then offered. "How about practice with my drums at contemporary? The drummer is the pulsating heart of the entire band, the one that gives the rhythm, like that thing you uses for it when you play classical stuff..."

"Metronome."

"On it. Listen how the drum does the same for the whole track? I should help you get and keep the right pace."

"I understand now." Piplup signed him to move off fluttering the wing. "Feather of Cynthia doesn't need to be repeated the same things twice. Take your position, then, when you're ready."

"Also, gotta say I like how you already got into the spirit of a modern band going by a nickname! Mine will be Dune Baggy in memory of my homie at home."

"You think so? I didn't expect a younger pokémon than me to appreciate this much. I didn't use it for a long time, to be fair." Piplup sighed thinking back at her primes: she missed her youth days. Maybe that was the cause of her sudden swearing mood. "Enough chitchatting, let's make some music, homie! *I don't even know what adjective I just used at this point but doesn't matter.*"

"Movements of a bassist and a guitarist are the same." Chimecho was giving cross lessons to Ninjask and Dewott, wrapping on her violin. "We're all part of the wider strings family. Our difference stays in the peg box, that you don't have, and the use of bow or plectrum depending on the instrument."

"Get to the point, we're in hurry." Dewott rushed for the impatience. Ninjask on the contrary stayed focused do not losing a single word from Chimecho.

The chime continued "The core of the difference between your two instruments is only the use of the left hand: vertical for guitar and horizontal for bass. Stretch your arms a second, relax them completely. I will guide you better this way." Chimecho held her hands with their, gently put Ninjask's scythe and Dewott's paw on their respective bridges: "There. Put the other arm on the neck. This is the position." Her hand slowly bent the surviving scythe until the small claw inside wrapped a string perfectly. "Pinch it. Feel the vibration? It has to rebound all over your body to become one with your instrument."

Ninjask closed eyes. Two bodies that had to bond in a single. Pinched a couple of times. First slow, second fast. He was synchronizing.

"How about me? Then? You're not Squirtle that can touch me all the time he wants."

Chimecho sighed struggling inside. "For you it is a complete different approach." Strengthened the grip around her arm, and waved it grating the claws of the ott on the chest.

"Ahi! You hurt me. I think half of my claws remained in the wood."

"I'm sorry, but it had to be played with violence since violence is the only link with you." Chimecho stroke her tail on the violin for the frustration.

"Also I use scallop as the plectrum not my bare claws, OKAY?" she could feel Ninjask's disapproval in a single glance received by him then calmed down a little. "I...understood it, though."

10 minutes long passed. Chimecho didn't say anything else and started her own training session on the violin. Lucario watched her from a distant point and disagreed in silence with her behavior.

"Wait, now that I think about... the lyrics? I have wasted all this time and I have yet to write a word!" Dewott had a panic attack. Her first day of leadership of the Hot Water Police, that could have also been the nickname of their band at the end, was being a shame. She was so unable to organize yet?!

"We will write it four hands in the next session when I will give you singing lessons." Chimecho seemed to have read the panic in her mind and wanted to come in her help. However, she could not warm her voice feeling that cold inside. Also Piplup overheard them, and did her immediate counter offer. "Mind if I give her solfeggio lessons before? Could help to both slight your chores and save our ears in time from terrible outcomes."

"SOLFEGGIO?" the ott attempted an instant escape but was blocked the way by the faster Ninjask. Piplup grabbed her tail and dragged her away in a locked room. "Noo, it's boring, I have always hated it...please..please..leave me, leave meee." Desperately grasped the floor using scallop, claws and even fangs but it was too late for her fate.

"Tsk, tsk, I will put your voice on decent education after few minutes of suffer. (Hopefully.)"

"I'll wait for her return, then." Chimecho returned to focus only on her music, isolating herself from the rest of the world.

**// Vent //**

**"I don't understand why she's always outspoken." Lucario expressed his point of view eventually. "Why she never vents her frustration at people! It's so easy. I do it whenever someone hurts my feelings that happens a lot. Shout out all my lungs, unleash rage, and destroy stuff. I've never seen Chimecho do anything of that." Blushed for the frustration. "I love this side of her actually. She doesn't even need to waste words to repel others, if she wants to isolate she does it on her own. Unlike me."**

**"*Hot Water Police* would be actually a name I would not struggle see around the world, in a tour, maybe written on an album, too." Bagon fantasized on the possibility. "I have to purpose it to Squirtle soon I meet him again."**

**-LEVIATHANS-**

Lester was doing a check of the inventory.

-Drum machine was being assembled by Minun using hub caps, tyres and pistons.

-Vibraphone processed from the radiator and handbrake by Metagross.

-Microphones scrapped out of the four shock absorbers successfully thanks to Dunsparce's driller.

-Electric guitar provided by himself adding to the washing machine a few accessories: windscreen wipers in the spin dryer cavity for the strings! Coil ignition mounted on the pump as the peg! "And the rest of the engine for amplifying everything, ah!" The clothespin was the plectrum by the way.

Only the piano was missing. He looked above finding Drifblim in the sky. "Where she is? Hope she didn't forget the way back for here or why I sent her there... I should have put a post stamp on her front!

"Spectral delivery!" The piano fell out of nowhere over the chassis of the car. Lester and the other Leviathans stared speechless in front of the destroyed remnants of the accident. "Sorry for the long wait, never carried a weight like this before but I dropped it at perfection."

"So now the piano is dead like me." Lampent entered in the room right then after having written half of the lyrics. Drifblim didn't get she was being sarcastic and smirked giving her a poke. "You got it, sister. Remember the idea I had before? Here it is!"

"The idea was killing the piano so Lampent could have played it being a ghost like her?" Lester freaked out "This is not quirky but pure NONSENSICALITY. Here's, Minun, the ultimate example of the difference between a quirky idea and a random s\*\*t one!"

Drifblim was almost bursting in laughs! She saved herself right in time. "Ahahahahahah! Not exactly. My idea was for the sets...if I remember it correctly...hold on. Click." Turned on the recorder: "Idea for a new recipe: air guitar spaghetti. Ingredients...click."

". . ."

"Not this one. Click: idea for the next clothing trend, everyone wears a berry for hat! Neither this one...uff...clearly I forgot the minute of the log." Pushed *fwppd* several times. "Idea for -vrz- a new kind of jelly I could have possibly discovered, the jellyfi -vrz- the concert. This one! Listen carefully." Drifblim rewinded under plenty of annoyed eyes, especially the seething ones of Lester.

"My idea for the concert of tonight: Aghostina will play the part of Christine the Ghost Car while playing the piano. All the Leviathans are actually part of the car during their instrumental performance. Lester makes the ghost car move messing with the headlights and rest of electronics for the special effects. Then Lampent shows her presence at full merging from the car's corpse like...a ghost. And begins the sing part. It is such an exciting idea that I struggled to tell it properly to my own self, wow! So what do you think?"

"Y.e.s." Lampent had a shining in her eyes, turned at Lester rotating the head only like a creep. "Don't dare to say no. I don't care how, but find a way to put that piano in the car, by the way. "

Lester twitch-twitched the eyelids several times and leaked water from the washing machine. "Glom."

"I feel inspired for the other half. This muse comes with me." Lampent grabbed one arm of Drifblim and walked away with her like a child carrying her balloon.

"So are we seriously trying to follow this craziness? At-chu!" Minun dared to ask do not receiving an intelligible answer from the electric poltergeist. "Sniff, all this mushroom powder everywhere. Ahem, Metagross, is there a chance for you?"

"There is a way."

"Of course, ah! Just had it now."

**// Vent //**

**It was a lie. Lester was leaking so much water to fill the vent. "There's a limit to quirkiness! At least once at month I need to spend a day of normality...okay?! I had already struggled to come up with the car for the instruments, but this, this is an extra level of insanity. But LEAVE THE MERIT TO METAGROSS? DOESN'T EXIST. Porygon Z, Drifblim, Metagross, everyone else that wants to replace me at this point? The solution will come from me and me only as usual, eventually!" An egg passed in front of him swimming happily then. "What was that quirk: reality or imagination?" Rubbed eyes. "I'm so burn out."**

Eventually Metagross exposed the plan while having every single word overlayed by Lester at the highest pitched volume "***The shell of a piano is irrelevant, relevant is only the inner mechanism. The chassis of the car will be the new shell for the survived components. Clutch, brake and accelerator will be the dumping and sustaining pedals. The broken keyboard will be installed on the dashboard: the driver will switch it from piano to electric with the handbrake. It will all be connected to the spark plug and cylinders of the motor so Rotom has the most responsibility...!?!?!?"***

Then Lester poured out all the water left doing a complete car wash.

A little worn off, Minun squeezed the soaked ears "The headache -splut- and cold shower aside, the plan left me absolutely mindblown. Since I am in this team I have long come past my idea of impossibility. So let's do quirk as usual."

"This is the lyrics I have written for me, they tell my personal feelings very in the deep."

"Ooh! I didn't remember you went through all of this."

"Because you can't." Lampent sighed deeply. "Actually this happened when you were already eliminated. It all went downhill after you and Plusle left." A slight blush appeared on her face, but stayed dismissive in her tone. "Back on the track, I want you put your own story for the second half, whatever you remember!" Waited."...Are you in the sky again?"

"Sorry, I was distracted by your pendant. It's beautiful when it glows. Where did you find it?"

"Meh, of course yesterday. In the abyss." she skipped to the point "Give me the lyrics you feel, then."

"Can you leave me a little alone to recollect the brands of my memory?"

"Sure. Actually, write them down directly, so we prevent to forget them soon after."

"Absolutely yes!"

It seemed that the Venturers were already past the practice part. Lampent walked by the gym backstage hearing odd noises and singing. It was not bad at all for a studio execution. Listened to carefully from behind the door.

"Bkptkptkpk. Pppk pppkh! Beatbox function fully installed."

"Well executed, Z, congratulations." Beheeyem clapped lending Anorith's claws for a moment.

"Hey, an idea! Why don't use your own hands?"

"Because I need to preserve my fingers from menial efforts." the alien picked up a self made guitar and executed a solo pitch with his flashing light fingers at high speed. Where was the trick? Lampent remained hypnotized until he finished. "That's why. Impressive? An external spectator should give the confirm. Come here, it's better way to listen than through a wall." Beheeyem cleaned up the sweat from the fingers and approached to her directly.

She immediately put an attitude "I wasn't listening anything, just leaning on a random wall."

"You have some wax on the side of the mouth." Beheeyem harassed her further, offering to clean it for her. She backed off immediately getting bashful around him.

"Stop trying, I'm not interested into you anymore."

"Have just learned how to mind read, Aghostina?" he joked. "I was going to say exactly the same thing, you know."

Lampent left without further ado, and he shrugged as expecting it. "Yes, she knows."

"I'm back. Have you written some lyrics already?"

"I have written everything!" Drifblim waved the ribbon arms proudly, then wrapped them around the eyes of her friend. "And there's another surprise, follow me."

"Oookay..."

"Ta-dah!"

The piano-car was almost ready, everyone had given its contribute to make it. They entered in the car together. Lampent took the drive seat: a keyboard was standing in front of her. Scarcely touched a random key.

"Don't be shy, try!"

Opened the glove compartment as a music stand and put the sheet on it. It matched perfectly. She didn't play the piano by forever... sighed. Closed eyes to think only at the symphony, and the first attempt.

"O-oooh. It's like the original, listen all!"

"You can skip to a different keyboard, too, using the gear lever."

"Sssh."

Symphony over, Lampent's eyes were glossing but it was for the sense of happiness. Drifblim decided to follow her playing her part at the glockenspiel on the rear door. Soon every Leviathan joined with their instruments carried away by the music.

**-JIGGLERS-**

After an hour wasted for giving singing and solfeggio lessons to Dewott, there wasn't much time left for single practice. They had to try on the full instrumental track. The result lacked to desire...

"No, no, stop, stop! Piplup you're out of tempo again."

"It is you, Dewott, that are following your own tempo. Besides, at least I'm not playing in the wrong clef like that fucker! that it's ignoring all of us the whole time!"

"Grr." Dewott went face on face to Lucario. "Stop this shit of a lonewolf rockstar attitude once for all!"

"That's what you think is an attitude? Oh no." Lucario was about to break the guitar on the skull of the ott. "NOW THIS IS MY ATTITUDE!"

"Enough, Lucario. Enough, Dewott." Ninjask mastered the situation. Dewott even apologized to the group. Lucario didn't but put down the guitar.

**// Vent //**

**"Maybe I was wrong. That guy is here only to crash this band." Bagon retailed his previous confessional. "Even Ninjask seems tired of him, hopefully."**

**"I'm afraid to lose him if we lose..." Chimecho confessed stroking her tail with the bow of the violin. "...but I can't hurt Dewott a second time voting another friend." Restrained her emotions all inside again. "I vow that I'll vote Lucario next time."**

"Come on, guys, we're the fucking Hot Water Police." Bagon's speech brought the Jigglers back to the main topic. "Let's play then!"

Dewott dressed on the sunglasses of her beloved turtle, and played on the guitar like never before. Ninjask single-handed was perfect at the basso. Feather of Cynthia flied over the keyboard with her wings. Only Chimecho seemed lost with her instrument now.

"Ah, almost. I think it was the violin this time."

"I'm sorry, won't happen again."

"Alright, one, two, three, go."

They had to stop again at the violin part.

"Chimecho? What's wrong? You taught us how to play and now you seem to struggle more than anyone else now."

Chimecho shivered for the shame. She lied. "I think I solved now. I've had my skirt stuck in the peg box." But executed her part perfectly since then.

...

Midnight. Victini introduced the rules of the concert to the audience.

"VVelcome, fans of the Ingrained Amoonguss, and my beloved citizens of Unova that worship the only number 000 of the pokédex! It's right me, your legendary valiant vibrant viable vamping venerated spirit of victory, Viiiiictini!" He vaulted showing off his pyrotechnic V-Creator.

"Who cares, we're here for the music! Get to the point." Vileplume shouted in the middle of a vast crowd of mushroom pokémon ingrained on the ground for the occasion (Gloom, Paras, Parasect, Shroomish, Breloom, Foongus, Morelull, Shiinotic, and even a Celesteela!) "A-MOON-GUSS, A-MOON-GUSS! IAM THE SUPERVISOR!" They all called for the shiny one.

"Good midnight, followers of the spores." The audience went crazy the moment the purple Amoonguss picked the microphone.

"Are you ready for a toxic trip in the land of the mushrooms among us? Lift up your stipe and rotate the cap until you get in psy goa trance." the other joined soon after rotating discs together in the middle of the set.

"Veh ehm! The verdict of the jury will be based upon three categories: **lyrics, sets** and, obviously, the **musical performance.**" Victini struggled to gain back the attention of everyone but eventually managed. "**Me**, **Horus the Chorus**, and **The Supervisor** will assign 1 to 5 stars for each, and the winner will be the band that gets the higher total score. First at exhibition will be the *Victini Venturers*, the opener band of tonight. Without further ado, let's shout at the top of our voice: via!"

### ***"Converting Venturers" (from original "Converting Vegeterians" -Infected Mushrooms)***

*Original Track: https://youtu.be/M1mn542cY\_M*

*Performed by the Victini Venturers:*

*-Anorith: drums & bass*

*-Aurorus: voice and theremin.*

*-Beheeyem: electric guitar and lead singer*

*-Porygon Z; sounds, keyboard, and beat box singer*

*-Seviper: violin n' stuff*

Bass drums and theremin opened the track, soon joined by the pitched keyboard played by Porygon Z. The ice smoke created by Aurorus's breath at the voicing enveloped the scenery in a frigid mist and the pokémon merged away with it like illusions of aliens in the fog.

(1:41) "A-" the voice of Porygon began stuttering odd noises meanwhile the shape of an UFO with green eyes slowly undisclosed from that mist: the shape of Beheeyem was waiting on the stairway of that contraption. Pointed his colorful fingers at Seviper that rolled in the violin accordions at his order, and began the slow descent for the close encounter of the third kind with the earthling audience...The space distorted since this moment.

*Beheeyem: "This is the night of the revelation*

*hacking the snake nest*

*Converting Venturers.*

*This is the time of the devolution*

*cooking the next Lester*

*Converting Venturers*

*Mind me as just a messenger."*

Beheeyem played on the guitar then with an unexpected skill while Porygon Z kicked in at the microphone with a rebounding autotune voice.

*Porygon Z: "T-THIS IS THE RIGHTS OF THE E-VOLUTION*

*BEGAN IN THE HQ ROCKET*

*I CEE IT I-I-I-I-IN MY MIND HACKED*

*AND SING IT*

*EVERYDAY, EVERY UPDATE*

*THIS IS THE BLIGHT OF THE E-MOTIONS*

*AND NOW I KNOW THAT*

*I CODE ONLY-LY-LY-Y-Y QUIRKY CHAT*

*AND SING IT*

*THIS THE UPGRAAAAAADE...."*

*B & P: "WAKE UP!*

*Seviper is already the past*

*so does Lester*

*both rhymes jester...*

*CONVERTING VENTURERS!*

*Into the merge time,*

*giving it to you*

*I don't know..*

*you know?*

*on a silver plate!*

*This is a war declare*

*no more spare*

*nor care*

*CONVERTING VENTURERS!*

*In the moonlight*

*serving it to you*

*I don't know..*

*you know?*

*on a silver plate!"*

During the instrumental part Beheeyem adjusted the coat while giving a glance at Lampent in the backstage, a glance of malice. On her side, the ghost lamp blushed visibly scorned to have been busted looking so attracted by his performance, and closed the curtains. Beheeyem smirked and prepared to perform the rest of the track. Soon he turned, Lampent spied from the curtains again.

*(3:49)*

*B: "This is the light of the decompression*

*controlling the mass*

*Converting Venturers.*

*This is the light of the revelation*

*controlling the mass*

*Converting Venturers*

*Until you replace with me Seviper..*

*P: Lester...*

*B: Seviper..*

*P: Lester..*

*B: Seviper...*

*P: "T-T-T-THIS IS THE RIGHTS OF THE E-VOLUTION*

*E-MAIL TODAY IS SENT*

*NO MORE T-T-T-T-TIME TO REPENT*

*AND SING IT*

*EVERYDAY, EVERYUPDATE*

*THIS IS THE BLIGHT OF THE E-MOTIONS*

*NOTHING RATIONAL IS SET*

*I CEE IT I-I-I-I-IN MY RAM NET*

*AND SING IT*

*EVERYDAY, THEEEEN...*

*B & P: "WAKE UP!*

*Seviper is already the past*

*so does Lester*

*both rhymes jester...*

*CONVERTING VENTURERS!*

*Into the merge time,*

*giving it to you*

*I don't know..*

*you know?*

*on a silver plate!*

*This is a war declare*

*no more spare*

*nor care*

*CONVERTING VENTURERS!*

*In the moonlight*

*serving it to you*

*I don't know..*

*you know?*

*on a silver plate!"*

The crowd cheered on at the end of the track with Beheeyem and Porygon Z leaning back to back in a cool pose.

"VVow! That was an impressive start. I loved the challenging lyrics, the way they declared war to the other bands. For me it's 5 mushrooms." Victini commented. "The sets was also pretty unsettling at the beginning and rendered the idea of an income invasion: 5. The execution is a 4, instead, I can't buy it this way with Beheeyem. You can't lie to me, I was a scholar of Reshiram."

Beheeyem picked up the microphone showing confidence "Did you spot the trick, then? Mind to tell it? For the audience."

"Veh..."

It was then the turn of the Ingrained Amoonguss's judgement, the most important one. The normal, Horus, was first: "I liked how they caught perfectly the essence of our track, a declaration of revolution, and reinterpretated it with their own poison. This track was originally meant to be an announcement of change and rebellion against the system and, mostly, the audience itself that often turns against their favorite bands at the first sign of innovation. These Venturers completely brought innovation to an old track of us: 5 for lyrics and 5 for execution. 4 for sets, because aliens are overused concept."

The Supervisor was the last judge. "Lyrics are 5 mushrooms no doubt. Performance to me was a mushroom away from perfection: didn't like the violin at all. It didn't seem natural, almost in playback. Sets was impressive at the beginning, with the theremin and ice voice misting up the whole area, but the sense of the song was going against the commonalty of pop culture and aliens are part of that culture at all. 3."

"Let me say, alien culture is far superior than you earthling depict it, but I had to downgrade to the level of the audience for the business." With this line, Beheeyem attracted on himself the hate of the presents, that booed him and his band soon after.

"No, what did you do?" Anorith angered for this.

Beheeyem simply shrugged. "I'm expressing once again the perfect spirit of the mushroom: never a sell-out. Just proves how audience easily swindles from a flag to another at the very first wind."

"This changes vote to 5 immediately." The shiny Amoonguss praised this attitude "This is the kind of performance we're looking for today. Performance is not just the music, but most of all the essence of the **Ingrained Amoonguss**, and this BM has actually impressed The Supervisor."

Victini blink blinked at this, then resumed the votes: "A vibrant kick off from the Venturers: an impressive perfect 15 on lyrics, 12 on sets and 14 on the performance. A total of **41** mushrooms obtained by *"Converting Venturers".* It certainly settled the bar higher than expected: will the next band beat it? V minutes and we'll discover: cheer for the Lester Latias Leviathans!"

**// Vent //**

**"Congratulations, Victini, you almost spotted me. There was a Trick..." Beheeyem confessed with a snake smug on the face. "Room. Do I have to explain? It made my solo look faster than it was in reality. Afterall, listening is a brain function, and I tricked it perfectly thinking our performance was fast. Anorith is the fastest of us and this gives no less need to further explanations. They wanted trance, and I totally created it."**

"Did you LiKe iT? Converting Venturers. B.O.O.M.!" Porygon Z cybernepic posed for the audience before to leave. In the backstage Lester was seething for the rage and jealousy at this point.

"H-How did they dare such a thing??? I-I'm not outdated at all, there's no room for the Next Lester , for...a *Lexter.* There's only one and still alive, immortality and impossibility at its max! None replaces me. Let's get on the scene: this audience has yet to acknowledge the original Lester. What are you waiting for?!"

"Lester, remind that you are not the focus of this challenge, actually." Metagross warned sternly. "Don't screw this up and stick to the original plot of the sets or there will be Laser Latias Leviathans again from tomorrow."

"O-Ooooh. I'm trembling at the sole perspective, uuuh! Never forget, I have scored alone the majority of the victories with MY performances and MY quirkiness."

"Lester, give us some break..." Minun murmured touching his front. Hopefully the headache would have not affected his performance.

Dunsparce checked on Lampent instead "Are you ready? I have never played anything in front of a crowd, before. I have a limited responsibility because I pound only the snare drums but I'm so anxious the same." Lampent hid her blush the best she could before she gave a stern reply "I hate the crowd and the crowd hates me, but I count to isolate myself during the song as I did when I was alive..."

"Beheeyem, ehm, was an upset for you. Right?"

She shrugged. She could be even more shy than Dunsparce, but this spotlight was too important for her to refrain in the shadow.

Drifblim called up everyone for the final settings: "Everyone at its place, me too! Because...the idea...was...was...?"

"Ghost car." Lampent pointed at herself.

"Ghost Car with Aghostine like Christine! Sorry, excitement is making my memory drift away, but I will sing all my lines, promise. I wrote them personally."

"Leviathans, on the scene!" the voice of Victini from the speakers. Lampent kissed her pendant when everyone was far from looking, breathed deeply, and prepared. Beheeyem was in the audience along with the rest of the Venturers, to play the role of spectators.

### ***"Enlightened off Me" (from original "Illuminaughty"- Infected Mushrooms)***

*Original: https://youtu.be/nlTnKsekQMs*

*Performed by the Lester Latias Leviathans:*

*-Lester "Crick" Rotom: electric guitar, drum machine (literal contribute) and electric effects*

*-Dunsparce "Rory" the Landsnake: snare and bass drum*

*-Drifblim "Dory" Kumaino: glockenspiel and side singer*

*-Lampent "Aghostina" Von Vixi: piano and lead singer*

*-Metagross: keyboard(s)*

*-Minun "Paintbrush" Kaminari: drum machine*

The car drove itself on the scene without the wheels, none driving it apparently. The windscreen was utterly misted up by the rain despite it wasn't raining. The headlights of the vehicle, the rear and the brake lights too, began a flashing dance with the first notes of the vibraphone. Then they faded in background for the ghost piano played from the unknown. The glasses slowly melt down revealing to be covered in wax, in a ghastly way that introduced finally the lead singer to the audience...

*Lampent: "Darkrai is rising*

*calling out my name*

*lies in rear*

*in hate I sear.*

*I was falling*

*far deep insane*

*a life in shame*

*until the day came!"*

The ghost lamp left the drive seat and merged from the bonnet jump-scaring everyone! The instrumental part began with the electric guitar seeming to fight to overlay every other sound, especially the keyboard. *Lester...*

*"All things I've got through*

*how dark can be truth?*

*still thinking everyone lies*

*to me reality always dies.*

*Wish I could relieve*

*on something to believe*

*in the afterliiiife!*

*In shadow I grew*

*coming off as a shrew*

*sarcastic and wise*

*only in moonlight a smile rise*

*Then it came him*

*just for the sake of a whim*

*to bring me aliiiive."*

Lester jolted out of the motor causing the second jump scare of the night to perform a long solo of guitar. He ended it after 15 seconds satisfied with a wild grin on the face and jolted back inside the engines like nothing happened.

*Lampent: "Enlightened off me*

*the light is down*

*then now I can see*

*who my heart has mown."* She turned first at Beheeyem and at Lester near the end. Drifblim hoovered on them all from the sky.

*Drifblim: "When I have fallen*

*it was a new dawn*

*but I'm used to it*

*to be my memory paaaawn!*

*All things I've got through*

*half of them might not be true*

*still storm my mind*

*while my flashbacks rewind...*

*First the relish*

*then I was a jellyfish*

*and amnesia arriiiived!*

*Always hard to realize*

*when I restart another life*

*just keep swimming is nice*

*till I forget every strife.*

*Lost between fish*

*in the open sea I wish*

*a change in my liiiife."*

*Lampent: "I could feel my chest burn*

*the sensations reeeturn...*

*I am reborn*

*under a quirky form."*

*Drifblim: "I could feel my mind blown*

*when evolved on my own...*

*Then I was alone*

*until faded in ozone"*

"A-atchù! Gasp." Minun quickly sneezed and continued to play, but that mistake didn't get unnoticed.

*Drifblim & Lampent:*

*"All the things I have got trough*

*which are true and which lies*

*hard to realize*

*to me reality always dies.*

*But I'm used to it*

*keep swimming is relief*

*in the afterliiife.*

*Feel finally to go through*

*coming out my shrew*

*still storm my mind*

*while my flashbacks rewind...*

*Enlightened off I can see*

*I'm ready to believe*

*a change in my liiife!"*

The core flame of her body suddenly glowed as never before.

*Chandelure: "It is back, it is love*

*heart going to rove*

*time that I evolve*

*from black to a doooove!"*

The track ended abruptly as everyone was shocked. It had been likely Lester's fault or someone else, but the car blacked out in all the electronic parts all of a sudden. Chandelure realized that her necklace pendant had disappeared.

"My Lampent...evolved? It was a Dusk Stone then, of course!" however, none was shocked more than the host. And her song, Victini didn't know what to say. It was so sad yet so hopeful at the same time. He felt guilty *as Lester should have*. All those lies...all her indifference...all a mask that hindered their bond all this time. She actually cared for details, explanations, and he had never provided any clue. "I...I...give 5 mushrooms to everything: speechless."

The shiny one spoke next. "I'm The Supervisor, and have to supervise the truth in every single part with no exceptions. I vote 5 mushrooms for the lyrics. 5 for the sets. And 3 for the execution. There were lot of mistakes especially during the refrain, and the abrupt end collapsed the track."

"EH?" Victini squinted eyes.

The other Amoonguss of the duo was of the same opinion. "Horus the Chorus agrees with his infected mushroom, but lowers it to 2. We're known to give our best always for the end of a track after a very long build up: here the ending was a blackout noise."

Unwillingly Victini was forced to give the result of the jury: "So Leviathans get 15 points for lyrics, 15 points for sets, but only 10 for the execution. Not enough to win over the performance of the Venturers. Last to exhibit are the Jigglers, get ready..."

Backstage, everyone congratulated with Chandelure and Drifblim for their performance. Beheeyem waited in an angle for his turn.

"Even if we didn't win, congratulations to both! Maybe if wasn't for my mistake, sorry." Minun blamed on himself. "Didn't seem to me we did so many mistakes, though it was just for a single point at the end..."

"It's fine, I already obtained what I wanted." Chandelure gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I could have not do it without the Leviathans, my family. Thank you." Hugged both him and Drifblim tightly, releasing them soon after with sustained indifference.

"W-Wow, didn't expect this... Also, Drifblim, I'm surprised you didn't forget anything, ahem, how did you?"

"I've sung with my heart not my brain: I can't forget what I do with my heart." was Drifblim's deep answer.

"Ah, right." Minun blushed feeling shallow for having asked.

And Lester? He had self brainwashed with the washing machine. "It is back it is love...under a quirky form...just for the sake of whim...who my heart has mown...?" The message had been received. At least she hoped. Chandelure couldn't ask him anything at current state, maybe later.

"Guess it's finally my turn to congratulate." Beheeyem floated towards her for a classic handshake "Which I shake of the many? Congratulations for your evolution and your performance, I appreciated its hidden message. Looks like my evident one inspired you do the same." they both looked at the shiny washing machine. "We both like to aim at impossible targets, afterall." He let off her arm and looked at his singed fingers: that hadn't been caused by the guitar for sure... "So it is. What's up with you? Since I moved on the enemy side you have been pretty rude to me. Thought you liked my sarcasm."

"I wasn't sarcastic in the Ilex Forest."

"Ooh, you're still thinking at that." Beeheyem shrugged. "Never said we couldn't be a thing, just warned you."

"I don't want to be friends even anymore." Chandelure's flames almost singed the other arm of him. She was resembling Victini in this... "You didn't do anything to deserve me. At least Lester did something, in his own way, to gain my attention. Now, don't spoil these few minutes of happiness I'm experiencing further, please, you already ruined it with your performance!"

"Oh, yes, my better performance ruined your happiness chances. No, Chandelure, you ruined it with your impulsive emotions as usual." Beheeyem walked away. "I just wanted to cheer you up with some sarcastic lines but didn't work, pity."

The "piano-car" fell suddenly onto him.

"Oopsie." Drifblim winked innocently. "I remembered that this car isn't yours so I thought it would have been a nice thing to give it back to its original owner. I always forget to put the safety straps, ciaff!" Everyone laughed.

"That cheered me up, instead, keep going *this* way, Beeheyem." This one, visibly frustrated, fluttered his flattened body leaving outside.

**// Vent //**

**"Ah, finally. Some karma for the alien toilet cheered me up too. Anyway, why this place looks more like an aqua park today, what's with all this water?" Anorith horrified watching his egg enjoying the rollercoaster in the tubes. "You're too little to ride." Picked it up. "How many times I told you to not wander around? Give me an answer."**

**"Slurp!"**

**The answer was a tongue slapping one eye of him turning it into an instant icicle. "That sounded more like a question than an answer: are you hungry?" The tongue licked the other eye in reply. "Alright, stay here before I get blind. You certainly can't eat stale macarones."**

Back on the street, Anorith looked around the town in search of something edible. "What could a baby not even hatched eat at this state? It has to be something soft and possibly icy. Ice cream." He was sure that he had seen a caravan selling them at the concert.

"Taste the famous Conostropoli, ladies and gentlemen! Only the best in the entire Unova that gets the sugar bowtie trademark, and 5 straws on 5 on Vanilluxe Fair."

"A-Ah! One cono, quick. Vanillite?!"

"Ah, it's you." They both recognized one another immediately. "Is it for Gorebyss?"

"It's not your business for sure." Anorith replied cold, then changed idea for a complete different approach "Actually she was eliminated. You had spoiled her too much to the core that I couldn't change her attitude at all."

Vanillite listened to in silence while shaking a bottle of liquid nitrogen.

"How did you end up here, selling...pfff...ice creams to the people like a gypsy?"

The other adjusted the bowtie nervously, finally admitted "I had to return to my previous job after I was...fired from being the butler by my own princess. Thanks to you, I lost my love and my assured paycheck at this world, then I'm back on the road doing part time. Anything else?"

"So this ice cream...Now I guess you're never going to give it to me."

"On contraire. A client is always a client." Vanillite poured the liquid nitrogen on a bowel of cream and added a few icicles of sugar. Then the final touch: an handmade prepared ribbon of crystal licorice knotted elegantly around the wafer. "Here an authentic Conostropoli, free on the house."

"Thanks. Free? Then double thanks..." Anorith picked the ice cream and walked back to the Vent, he reflected on his way "Hate to say it, but I didn't expect this kindness from him. For someone whose love was not only stolen but directly betrayed he is pretty cool about it actually."

"Ah, Anorith, I forgot to add the special ingredient, for Poison types." Vanillite reached him.

"That is poison powder. . .?" He saved the ice cream right in time.

"Tsk, tsk. You should know better than me the flavors of *your girlfriend*, Anorith." Vanillite's last bit of revenge.

"Oh, you! Seviper has nothing to do with this, clear?!!" Anorith, humiliated, after that dirty trick, changed idea again muttering all over the street. "He's not changed , fossil me, he's still a damn icicle born to be shoved in my ass! Jerk."

Aurorus ordered a Conostropoli right after.

**// Vent //**

**"Gaaaasp. So close!" Anorith wore on a pair of safety goggles. "Finally an use for this gift of Sylveon. Here."**

**"Slap, slap, slurp." The little tongue licked happily and voraciously from the top of the ice cream while Anorith held it up for it. Soon the vent became a crime scene of splatted ice cream but he actually enjoyed that quality time with the little scoundrel. "Leave me the wafer part at least! Serious now, it's too crunchy for you. Crack. And still too frail for my deadly clench. Well, the ribbon is still in one piece. Not bad actually."**

"The other two bands pulled up a real show out there! We urge a plan that astonish the audience or we're screwed. So, what's the idea for the sets? I can build up deus ex-machina contraptions in a few but I need to know first what is the text about."

"I don't have any text, yet." Dewott confessed in shame. "I would if I had not wasted any time! First with Chimecho's lessons, then solfeggio, I spent the rest of my time for the practice..."

Piplup called out of the discussion for a time-out. Bagon shook the head in disappointment. "Should have not said that. Come on, Dewott... You're seriously taking us apart with this attitude, whether I thought you wanted to fulfill Squirtle's deathwish. We need to stay strong together, this is the only way a band can work!"

"You're right. I'm sorry, Piplup! Wait, she has already left?" she sorrowed in remorse, but Bagon patted her head.

"Don't worry, Feather of Cynthia will come back soon as the exhibition begins, I'm sure she wants it so bad."

"You think?" sniffed "Okay. Thanks, Bagon, I'm so glad to have you still with me." and hugged him tightly in return. Chimecho had a strange foreboding but kept it for herself as her voice refused to come out of the open mouth. It sounded just like a little whiff.

"Said something, Chimecho?" Lucario tried to make her noticed, but Chimecho was voiceless about it. "Snort..."

"Ehm, Miijou? You can let me go when you feel." both blushed after Dewott let him free. "Eh ehhh eh. So, guys, give me an idea and I will realize it at best."

"Listen to the music one last time but with closed eyes, then everyone tells what scenery evokes in their heart." Chimecho finally unlocked from her silence. "This is the only suggestion I can do, and the last lesson overall."

"Good idea. We'll listen it all at the same time, to speed up." Ninjask tuned on *"Meduzz"* again. They all closed eyes minus Chimecho that stayed apart, because she had already figured her scenery.

6,42 minutes later the Jigglers had a single vision.

"Fight."

They all agreed, but there wasn't much time left. Bagon rushed up to prepare the sets with Ninjask sharing his speed and everyone else providing materials, leaving alone Chimecho and Dewott for the final rush writing... This teeth clenched work was mostly taken in silence between the two, each one writing her lines and sticking it on the lyric sheet. However, Chimecho easily gave up all her lines in favor of Dewott's overwhelming vision, limiting to memorize the singing parts assigned to her by the colleague...

Lyrics fully written and sets ready at best, they could have only improvised the rest.

"The Jirachi Jiggl-er- *Hot Water Police* for today are vvelcomed at the Virbank Gym for the final track of the night: *Medott!* Quite about the promising title, veh.*"* right in time before Victini's huge announcement.

"Before anything, someone has to warm up the audience, we're the final band afterall." Bagon suggested and without even thinking about it, pushed Dewott outside putting the sunglasses on her nose. "*And that can only be the lead singer. Make Squirtle proud of you at home like at bed, gal."*

Dewott felt her legs tremble and tail quivering, blushed, in front of that endless audience she had just been fed to. Those were the true sharks of her nightmares, other than Sharpedo! But she was there for a reason, and at least two pokémon believed in her potential, something that had never happened before joining the reality...

"Dewott?"

"Sssh." Dewott hushed accidentally at the microphone, the crowd became quiet. ". . . You're all under arrest for mushrooms abuse."

". . .?"

Dewott launched the shades in the air "So, who's ready to join the *Smoking Hot Water Police*?"

The crowd answered "MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE..."

"...dot." Dewott flipped both her scallops in mid air and picked up the microphone with her fangs. Then Bagon activated the pyros behind her, and opened the smoking machine.

### ***"Medott" (from original "Meduzz"-Infected Mushroom)***

*Original: https://youtu.be/r7C3OHQa0VU*

*Performed by **The Smoking Hot Water Police**:*

*-Bagon "Dune Baggy": drum machine*

*-Chimecho "Chimechanga": violin and singer*

*-Miijou "Hott Wotter" Dewott: electric guitar and lead singer*

*-Lucario: second guitar*

*-Ninjask "The Master": bass*

*-Piptney "Feather of Cynthia" Piplup : keyboard*

*(00:00) Dewott: "I am*

*Hot Wott*

*yes*

*an ott.*

*I am*

*dott*

*yes*

*my plot.*

*Meee dot.*

*Me idiot.*

*a lot*

*as Oshaaawott.*

*Meee not*

*worth a shot*

*Sharpedot-*

*-hen I fought.*

*Deeewott*

*so hot*

*Say not*

*you're rot!"*

Ninjask's bass began while Bagon used the wire brushes in the background. Mysterious shadows in the mist started a pursue on Dewott that dodged them barely for an hair acquainted by a whispering voice from the unknown.

*(0:39) Chimecho: "I see enemies*

*meet my nemesis*

*something I miss*

*always in crisis."*

*(0:53) Dewott: "Meee dott*

*meee in crisis*

*but not*

*bend to enemies.*

*Meee fought*

*far worse*

*no haught-*

*-y 'r cursed."*

A plenty of Ninjask copycats is revealed to be her attackers. She proceeds to clear them all in a fury swipe.

*"This ott*

*smokes hot*

*then rot*

*on spot.*

*I spare*

*no I won't*

*I spear*

*I won."*

(1:19) Bagon started to attack her from the drum machine station modified in a laser gun battery.

*D: "Sooo all... versus one.*

*Think first... time I've done?*

*Bring on... your best gun!*

*Soon you'll... be gone."*

(1:32) No break to boast to have survived that it was Ninjask's turn to attack, this time, in first person. They speed light dodged each others not without a few risks for the ott that sweated hard trying to keep up the same pace of the ninja. Another shadow appeared behind her joining the battle forcing her to counterattack, too, getting lot of bruises until the aftermath. Everyone in the audience was seriously astonished by her resilience and/or insanity.

*(1:58) D: "I d-don't*

*c-care*

*I am*

*aware.*

*N-Not*

*sc-scared*

*by*

*few scars.*

*Med-dott*

*so get aware*

*hit the ott*

*I d-dare.*

*Dewott*

*now am*

*rout*

*or scram.*

*Meee fought*

*far worse*

*no haught-*

*-y 'r cursed.*

*Sharpedot-*

*-hen I fought*

*a lot*

*when Oshawott!"*

Feather of Cynthia played on the electric organ meanwhile Dewott received a few medicals in the backstage from a reluctant Chimecho before she returned to sing.

*(2:40) D: "Try again*

*I'll endure every*

*eat pain*

*made of ivory.*

*Born to strain*

*that's my story*

*under eternal rain*

*with no sun of glory."*

Embraced the guitar under the armpit, using the scallop in one hand as plectrum all the while deflecting the attacks of the other (supposed) guitarist (Lucario). The sets became soon a soaked mess under the artificial rainstorm and her eyes turned red in the mist.

*(2:59) D: "No way I retreat*

*until I get you in dead meat*

*my rage rouses in defeat*

*push me down down the pit, down the pit.*

*Hit after hit*

*in the middle of the heat*

*did practice*

*rolled the dice.*

*I am an huge threat*

*WHENEVER I OVERHEAT*

*you mess with the wrong office*

*this Smoking Hot Water Police!" (x2)*

"Why it seems Jigglers are trying to kill each others tonight?" Victini whispered to the fellow judges during the instrumental.

"Because it is. The effect of the Rage Powder we spread on all our instruments before every concert: they're experiencing a true trip in the essence of mushrooms."

"They're all poisoned, then?!!"

"We both spread random spores of Poison, Paralysis or Sleep when playing so you never know." the Ingrained Amoonguss replied chorally. "Besides, every pokémon has its own reaction at the spores."

"..."

*(4:06) D: Try again*

*I'll endure every*

*eat pain*

*made of ivory.*

*Born to strain*

*that's my story*

*under eternal rain*

*with no sun of glory."*

*C: "Dewott, listen though*

*you're mad*

*at me.*

*Truth was see-through*

*meant no bad*

*to he.*

*Would never wish you*

*to be sad*

*for his left*

*but no choice had...(echoing)"*

She finally appeared from the depth of the fog, swinging her body at an unknown wind, sorrow in her eyes, violin in the hands. The last act. Dewott was ready to receive her attack...

*(4:45) Chimecho: "Squirtle could not stay anymore*

*he was going to ruin your relationship to the core!*

*There was a shadow*

*in the meadow*

*of your little paradise*

*that would have end in demise.*

*Dewott: The only shadow here is the reason for*

*you were suddenly at me on sore.*

*Chimecho: No, me not*

*that's you, Dewott*

*Dewott: no more words*

*spare your chords*

*Chimecho: please, I swear*

*with all my heart*

*Dewott: **that will be slayed by my Sacred Sword**!"* gasped realizing to have used it for real slashing Chimecho's violin apart. She had put so much violence in the strike that despite the not so effectiveness sent Chimecho through the guitar of Lucario! Lucario was going to stroke her tail but unexpected, she wrapped instead it tightly around his wrist looking straight at him. The intensity of her eyes, those burning black pearls, paralyzed his tongue and body for a second that seemed endless.

Chimecho with her emotions in shambles, played on the riff exploding her voice in an unholy distortion of Uproar.

*CHIMECHO: "I CAN'T BOTTLE MYSELF FURTHERMOOORE!*

*SORRY IF I TRIED MY BEST TO ENDUUURE!*

*I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN*

*SINCE THAT RAINBOW*

*THAT I WAS ROTTEN TO THE CORE!*

*IT'S TRUE I DID THAT TO PRESERVE LOOOVE!*

*BUT NOT YOURS AND SQUIRTLE'S, I LIED ALL ABOOOVE!*

*JUST MINE*

*AND HIS*

*LUCARIO THE NAME OF MY CRISIS*

*I ONLY WANTED HIM AND ME TO KISS!"*

*Dewott struggled to even sing properly at this point, being utterly overwhelmed by the wind stream caused by Chimecho with her sole voice.*

*Dewott: "S-So this is it*

*w-why I'm reduced in bits*

*f-for your selfish*

*o-own love wish?*

*N-Not going easy*

*away with this*

*p-prepare you sleazy*

*to express your deathwish!"*

*CHIMECHO: "THIS IS WHAT YOU TWO ASKED FOR!*

*TRIED TO WARN YOU AND HIM FROM*

*NINJASK OVERALL*

*NEVER LISTENED AT ALL*

*THEN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ONLY HIM OR..." Lucario picked up the half of the violin that was still playable and performed it with the other hand, surprising everyone. Chimecho matched perfectly in their execution despite having switched instruments...*

*LUCARIO. THE FIRST THING I DO FOR MY OWN!*

*WITHOUT HIM I WOULD BE UTTERLY ALONE!*

*BLAME HE*

*HATE ME*

*NO MORE HARMING KIND*

*TO HIDE MY FEELINGS BEHIND...*

*HAVE RESTRAINED ALL THIS TIME*

*KEEPING SECRETS ON MY DIME*

*FALLEN IS THE RAINBOW*

*LET'S CROSS OUR BOW(S)*

*THE TIME OF CALM HAS RUN, LUCARIO KISS ME NOW!"*

Her voice and their kiss echo rebounded like an hurricane all over Virbank City. Everyone was deaf for an entire minute, and utter silence reigned with only the sound of Chimecho's heartbeats captured by the microphone.

"Anf...anf...anf..."

Then...

Silence was overwhelmed by cheers.

"CHI-ME-CHO! CHI-ME-CHO! CHI-MA-RIOOOO!" They both blushed hearing that last name. All of Dewott's endurance run had been already forgotten by the ingrained audience. Bagon then pushed both her and Chimecho forward for the stage-dive in order to fix their balance, but was too late. Chimecho was given a shirt of the Ingrained Amoonguss on invite of the shiny one of the Amonguss themselves.

"Well, we didn't win." Beheeyem shrugged it off foreseeing the result. "And Leviathans lost."

The incoming judgement of the jury didn't fail that prediction.

"Wow, I ran out of V's for the shock today... 5 for execution, 4 for sets, 4 for lyrics." Victini was booed for his biased opinion. "I said I ran out of V...ahem!!!"

". . ." Horus the Chorus was speechless and limited to check a triplet of 5, showing it for the wilderness of the audience.

"Our music has always been different because it's about telling multiple stories in a single sheet of notes. While the previous entries managed to tell us their respective stories, the last was a trip through different emotions scaling from fight and rage to despair and crossed lines until the unexpected ending in a romance. This was the track that caught the essence of Ingrained Amoonguss at perfection." The Supervisor's judgement sealed everything.

Victini closed up the concert. "With a final score of **43/45** The Smoking Hot Water Police a.k.a. Joustering Jirachi Jigglers are the winners of the night! Now you can celebrate your victory. Thanks to all Unova for having participated this vibrating event. I loVe you!"

"Spores will always be with you." the Ingrained Amoongus saluted the crowd in their own way and disappeared in a mystic powder.

"Are you *that* Feather of Cynthia?" a group of Snover and Abomasnow approached Piplup with dreamy eyes. "We came from Sinnoh. An autograph!"

"Of course, my dears."

"Wow, you weren't lying at all before, not only skill-wise." Bagon was astounded.

"Told you I was a superstar for Sinnoh in my primes so many times." Piplup flaunted swelling the chest proudly. "However, I retired from the prospect of become a musician because I'm an humble girl, at the end of the day." Bagon shrugged with a resigned smile, and then launched himself down the stage for the crowd surf. "As Squirtle would say, waves today are real! Never surfed on mushroom domes before. Join me, Piplup, Dewott, Ninjask..."

Piplup did it reluctantly because of her dive fear, but eventually leaped. Ninjask couldn't do anything being surrounded by a colony of female mushrooms all for him.

"Aaah, the undying charm of the bassist hit again." Bagon commented jokingly. But Dewott? And Chimecho was similarly gone.

...

Waiting leaned on a tree "Fled from the crowd. I agree: too much noise for the day." Lucario spotted Chimecho that had found a secure refuge from celebrity in the nearby forest. She was wearing the t-shirt they had been gifted. Lucario tried his own one then, but got ripped by the infamous chest spike. "That's why I'm always naked. On you, instead, this poison theme surprisingly fits..."

Chimecho blushed hard, stroking her tail with both hands, In reality, the shirt seemed too large for her thin body shape and had forced her to dress it on her tail mostly. "It makes me uncomfortable but also conscious of what I've done, and I will keep the memory of that moment whenever I see it."

"It was an event, indeed...You spoke for yourself for the first time. Thought that would have never happened."

"Ah...y-yes. I just couldn't hold myself anymore further without realizing I was doing self-harm to the soul. But in this way, I caused further sorrow in...mmmhhh."

"I was referring to the kiss, sgrunt." Lucario kissed her once another time in the lips. Then smiled. They both. "I was too." Chimecho entangled his waist and embraced the cheeks of her cranky dog for a long infinite kiss. Lucario returned the embrace enveloping her body with the huge burly paws, grasped the t-shirt in a tight grip and slid it slowly down her body.

*"Fallen is the rainbow*

*let's cross our bows*

*time of calm has run, come Lucario kiss me now. . ."*

Dewott was the only spectator of that scene, and assisted carrying the electric guitar on one paw and the scallops on the other. Trembled consumed by the rage, then sliced the blade through the instrument until she obtained two perfect halves, and reminded the words of Ninjask: "*When you split something in two halves it doesn't mean they can't become a single again*. *I'll prove the same with your heart, Chimecho.*" She then proceeded to destroy one half and left the other abandoned in the place, alone.

"*That's the lesson I wanted her to learn today*." the shadow of Shedinja projected from the remaining part of the instrument, following the same path.

## Tail of Losers

"Ah, it sucks. Your performance was the best in my opinion. But look at my Chandelure fully evolved into a vvoman with the capital double V!" Victini hugged the daughter tightly. "Dad, the ceremony has started 5 minutes ago and you should have sent us for nomination already. Also, why you dragged me apart, just for this hug or there's else you wanted to say me?" Maybe for the first time ever, Victini felt that she mattered, she cared for him, in her way of course. Chandelure was basically asking him: *what is wrong, dad?*

"Oh, alright. Veh..." he vvanted -yes with two major V!- spill out the truth, tell her all about Lester, the diary, and Darkrai, but what would have been the benefit for her growth? Lampent, or better, Chandelure was close to achieve what he had signed her for: live again enjoying the life. Having her present experiences and her future in coming, not her past to consume her to a second definitive death. "Dad, then?"

"You spotted me. I just wanted to congratulate with my daughter for her evolution! Sorry if it took too much, I know you don't tolerate this kind of affection." Chandelure didn't say anything else and returned the hug, the bright fire of infinite energy and the purple flames of death became a single fire that enveloped father and daughter. "A-Aghostina."

"Awww!"

"Drifblim, what are you doing here?" Chandelure stopped immediately, visibly annoyed for that interruption and felt all the awkwardness.

"Voles. You ruined the moment!"

She promptly reassured them "Don't worry, don't worry, I will eventually forget what I have seen within the next hours. Speaking of forgetting, why I was sent here? Hold on..." she played on the disc recorder "NOMINATIONS!" screamed altogether the voices of the other Leviathans. "Yes, nominations! But if you would have completely forgotten about them, that wouldn't been better for us?" Her logic was legit. Chandelure sighed with a soft smile "Come on, it's time to dress back the host role, Victini. Let's go back to ours as well, Dory, follow me so we avoid to lose you again."

"Lose?!?" the beady eyes of the blimp wide opened as the memory of the events flashed in her pupils. "I remembered everything! Our team is in peril: there's a foongus among us." After these enigmatic words Drifblim rid off her weights to be faster than Victini and flew back at the ceremony. "It was him, it was him! I saw it clearly in my flashback: it was Metagross that cut the seat straps!"

"A-Ah!" Lester pointed at the culprit "As I always sustained. Finally the witness!"

Metagross smirked "Not the first time. History that repeats. Got any evidence this time?"

Lester received a death glare from Minun. "By the way, a direct witness in the figure of the victim herself isn't enough?!"

"I also recorded the flashback using this." Drifblim exhibited the disc. "Since you gave it to me this morning, I discovered many interesting way to use it. Universal HM (MT) collector, platform for recording sounds, and memory back up. And more that I don't remember anymore." She crossed arms with extreme confidence. "*Flashbacks don't lie.*"

"What?" then Minun received a death glance from Lester. Then looked pitifully at Metagross, hoping he had another answer. He didn't. Shock. How ironic for Metagross, too, getting discovered by the use of his own contraption.

Drifblim invited everyone to watch it and Lester happily offered to be the platform device. When Victini arrived, he simply commented "You pressured my presence but seems you're not ready at all. Ahem ahem ahem. Time over, head for the nominations without further ado."

**// Nomination Vents //**

**"Triumph!!!" Lester entered first unable to contain his joy, he zigzagged everywhere even getting possession of the fan coolant "He's done, forever. I can't believe it. Finally, I want excuses now! All my theories succeeded. Almost all, there's still one but it's secondary. By the way, considering that Metagross's elimination is platitudinous at this point..." The fan Rotom swayed the cards away, then picked one randomly and signed it on: *Minun*. "I want to spice things a little, and look at the karma of the destiny in action: I can finally take this revenge, too."**

**"I feel like my certainties are shattered now." Minun was still shocked at the turn of the events. "If Metagross was really the villain of the situation, I wonder: was also him always behind Ditto and the elimination of Plusle?! I trusted him so much all this time. Noo!" The rodent couldn't even watch while voting for the first time against *Metagross*.**

**"I have had always a plan B." Metagross let out a hollow robotic laughter and signed the card unseen.**

**Chandelure voted with no regrets: "Metagross. Never liked him anyway. Lester isn't the only one that voted him everytime."**

**"I will have my revenge, my vote is the final nail on his coffin for sure." Drifblim put the cards in front of herself and suddenly her mind reverted the whole memory "Mah...! I don't remember who was again, but he certainly started with M." She focused pressing her head so the air could circle better inside it and, hopefully, remove the haze in her mind. "It was Minun, like Laser always sustained!"**

"VVOVV! With four capital V. The votes were really messed this time. However, you did 'em, no interference from me. You spinned the V-Wheel on your own destiny." Victini solemnly started the ceremony under the milkway galaxy. It was past the heat of the night. "First macarone is reserved for: Aghostina! I mean Chandelure."

"Daaad, mmmmph!" the sweet disappeared instantly in the flames of the blushing chandelier.

"Next goes to...Lester. And Dunsparce is soon after."

"Yay." the land snake emitted a feeble noise in reaction. Lester didn't talk but enjoyed his macarone slowly like popcorn, ready to enjoy the movie of his success with a sadistic grin that he kept all the time while munching.

They remained in three: Drifblim and the two starting with the M. Victini tossed the balls and confessed "To be fair, one of you didn't receive a single vote, but this is business for the audience rates. Three, two..."

Lester suddenly realized that he had maybe made an huge mistake here. "Oh-oh, what if? Ops."

"*Just for your information, I tied myself twice to the seat this time and I'm filled of weights*." Drifblim whispered so Metagrosscould hear.

*"I don't need to repeat myself*." Metagross challenged her eye contact, charging the Meteor Punch in secret. "There's always a third option in fact."

"One."

"Minun, watch out!" Drifblim blew the Oblivion Wind to redirect the Voltorb launched back to his owner, Metagross. Minun stayed paralyzed in fear. The explosion that followed along with the supereffective wind tore the safety straps of Metagross and sent him off the plane, but he managed to clench at the wing, and slowly climbed back. "You think to have won, Lester? I'm only half of the scheme. **Self-Destruction** activated!"

## Epilogue

Bits of the crab and the piece of wing carried with him still spread down the plane for half an hour from the explosion. Victini had rushed to check the situation of the plane. Everyone was still astonished. Lester and Minun were the most shocked overall.

"HALF. . .?" Lester kept listening to the last swan song of his nemesis rebounding. "Half, half, half..."

"Me-me-me-meta-meta..." Drifblim cuddled the poor mouse trying to console him. "It is fine, it is all fine. You will forget him in a few, trust an expert of post traumatic experiences. I don't even remember what they were at this point! Speaking about it, I'm available to tell you everything of my journey to Hoenn, I remember it clearly now."

"I suppose it's better delay it at this point." Chandelure suggested with a shrug.

**// Vent //**

**"Half of the scheme. What clue I missed in the whole storyline? Who is the main villain then?! Half...scheme...half...scheme...half..scheme....zz...zzz."**

A mysterious figure spied the whole confessional after having hacked in the security cam circuit unguarded since the departure of Jirachi.

"The other half of the plan starts right N.O.W.

*In the moonlight*

*serving it to you*

*I don't know..*

*you know?*

*on a silver plate!"*

## Easter Eggs

1. The two Amoonguss are nicknamed after the titles of two tracks of the Infected Mushrooms: ***"Horus the Chorus"*** and *"**IM The Supervisor"***.
2. One of them also says the word "kipod" at some point, that means "hedgehog" in israelian and it's the title of a track of IM as well.
3. I had inspiration for this episode just after listening to the three songs in my playlist randomly, and took TWO years of wait before I could finally put it up in a written form arriving to this episode.
4. The speech of the shiny Amoonguss soon after the exhibition of "***Converting Venturers***" was inspired to a speech the Infected Mushroom duo actually did when they explained the meaning of their title track and album "*Converting Vegetarians*" that marked a very different genre in their music style that wasn't quite appreciated by many fans, to which they shrugged of answering they were "like vegetarians addicted to eat always and only the same things" at that point.
5. Each track required to be listen about 15 times consecutively so I could get a proper lyric for them.
6. "Medott" can actually be translated in italian either as "Io, punto." or "Io schizzata". It also all plays on a stretch of "Me dewott."
7. In this episode it is revealed how names actually work in this (pokémon) world and how thus each pokémon can distinguish from another of his same species: they all go by a first name that's the name of the species (exception for Lester), a nickname of their choice and actually the true sign mark that is their surname (so for example Drifblim "Dory" Kumaino, Minun "Paintbrush" Kaminari, Chandelure "Aghostine" Von Vixi...).
8. So Victini's surname is Von Vixi.
9. Dunsparce voted off Metagross, in case you wonder.
10. *Feather of Cynthia* refers to the beautiful piano intro that plays when you meet Cynthia (Camilla), the Sinnoh Champion, before the battle with her starts.
11. This is the first episode where Seviper has had less lines than any other contestant.