Chapter Three

"I have no idea if Misty can sing but I know for sure Ash can't," said May. "He's tone-deaf, like Max."

"Hey—well, okay," said Max.

"How'd you get out of this?" Iris asked.

"The same way Clemont did: we did a little hacking while you all were getting drinks at the bar. Our names are out of the system and now no one has proof that we were here."

"But you didn't do the same for Ash, even though he was nervous too," Dawn noted.

"Well…Ash had already disappeared somewhere with Misty…he didn't respond to my text and I didn't want to look for him in case they were…not in a position to be found…so to speak…"

"Misty said it was a good song for them to do," Zoey reminded them. "I wonder…"

"Give a roaring reception to amateurs Misty Waterflower and Ash Ketchum!" Baku shouted to the crowd. "Performing…they want it to be a surprise!"

"That's weird," said Serena.

"They're weird," Bonnie pointed out.

"Go, Ash!" May shouted. "Go, Misty!"

"You can do it!" Clemont called.

"Don't choke," said Jessie, smirking.

Everyone but the haters continued to cheer while Ash and Misty calmed their nerves behind the stage's veil.

"I might forget the lines, though…" Ash murmured after Misty gave him a round of reassurance.

"You just have to 'respond' to my cues," Misty replied. She pecked his cheek. "C'mon, Pokémon Master, show them what else you can do."

"I can always count on you."

"I know."

"K, kids, whenever you're ready!" Baku hollered.

With the duo was Pikachu and Azumarill. Azumarill used Mist and Pikachu used Thunder to capture the attention of their audience. Then Pikachu slid a CD into the stereo and a tune familiar to most started.

"No way!" Cilan laughed, recognizing the song within seconds.

"What?" Iris whispered.

"Just listen."

Ash started:

'See I really couldn't sing

I could never really sing

What I couldn't do was—

Misty:

'—Sing!'

I have trouble with a—'

Misty: '—note.'

Ash: 'It goes all around my—

Misty '—throat'

Ash: 'It's a terrifying—'

Misty: '—thing!'

Ash: See, I really couldn't hear

which note was lower or was—'

Misty: '—higher!'

Ash: Which is why I'd disappear if someone said "Let's start a—'

Misty: '—choir!"'

Ash: 'Hey, when I begin to—'

Misty: '—squeak!

Ash: 'It's a cross between a...

Misty: '—shriek!

Ash: '—and a quiver or a—'

Misty: '—moan.'

Ash: It's a little like a—'

Misty: '—croak.'

Ash: 'Or the record player—'

Misty: '—broke.'

Ash: '—When it doesn't have its—'

Misty: '—tone!'

Ash: '—I know you're thinking "what a crazy—'

Misty: 'ding-a-ling"!'

Ash: 'But I really couldn't—'

Misty: '—sing!'

Ash: 'I could never really—'

Misty: '—sing!'

Ash: What I couldn't do was...

Misty: '—sing! After me: 'Three blind mice!'

Ash, horrendously off-tone: 'Three blind mice!'

Misty: 'It isn't intentional...he's doing his best…try this: jingle bells, jingle bells!'

Ash, even more off-key: 'Jingle bells, jingle bells!' Geeze, it really blows my mind.'

Misty: 'He gets depressed.'

Ash: 'But what I lack in pitch, I sure make up in—'

Misty: '—power!'

Ash: 'And all my friends say I am perfect for the—"

The audience: '—shower!'

Ash: Still, I'm terrific at a—'

Misty: '—dance?'

Ash: 'Guys are comin' in their—'

Misty" '—pants?'

Ash: 'I'm a birdie on the—'

Misty: '—wing!'

Ash: 'But when I begin to—'

Misty: '—chirp.

Ash: 'They say "who's the little—'

Misty:'—twerp

Ash: '—going 'pong' instead of—'

Misty: '—ping?"'

Ash: 'And when Christmas comes and all my friends go—'

Audience: '—caroling!'

Ash: 'It is so dishearten—'

Misty: '—ning!'

Ash: 'It is so disquiet—'

Misty: '—ting!'

Ash: 'It is so discoura—'

Misty: '—ging!

Ash: 'Misty, please stop answer—'

Misty: '—ring!

Ash: 'See, I really couldn't—'

Misty: '—sing!'

Ash: 'I could never really—'

Misty: '—sing!'

Ash: 'What I couldn't do was—'

Misty and the audience: '—do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do,

Do, ti, la, sol, fa, mi, re, do!

Ash: 'La!'

Misty and the audience: 'La!'

Ash: 'La!'

Misty and the audience: 'La!'

Ash: 'S—'

Misty: '—ing!'

Together with the audience: 'Sing!'

The crowd began applauded even before Ash and Misty's song officially ended. They received a standing ovation from literally everyone but The Rocket Gang for about five minutes straight, during which time they returned to their friends, who praised the pair profusely.

"Brava, bravo!" Baku exclaimed as he retook the stage. "Untraditional, fun…time to vote! You will vote by writing the number of the pair you liked the most on your tokens and handing them to the judges."

"This is going to be hard," Bonnie sighed. "I don't just wanna vote for myself…"

"I wish we could vote for more than one," said Clemont.

"Me too," said Ash. "I would vote for all of us."

"Well, our Pokémon can vote too," Misty said as she distributed tokens to her team. "Perhaps their opinions will make this whole thing a little fairer."

After the judges counted all the tokens, it was announced that May and Drew, Iris and Cilan, Zoey and Dawn, Tiffany and her partner, and Jessie and James were moving on to the next round.

"I can't believe we didn't make it!" Misty groaned. "The crowd loved us!"

"Yeah, I didn't think we were the best but I think we were at least better than Jessie and James," Ash sighed. "At least I don't have to sing again!"

"You probably didn't get as many votes because you were doing more talking during that song than singing," said Zoey. "I'm not saying you did anything wrong, just pointing it out."

"…Thanks…"

"Pikaaa," Pikachu moaned, disappointed in his trainer.

"At least you tried, unlike me and Max, who cheated the system," said Clemont. "That's something."

Ash smiled. "Yeah, that is something."

"I thought we were better than Jessie and James too," Bonnie huffed.

"Well…they do have more seasoned voices…we were pitchy," Serena responded. "It's okay because we had fun, right?"

"Right."

Baku brought the jar of ping-pong balls to the finalists. They chose their songs.

"Jess, what did we get?" James asked.

"Hold on, I'm trying to read it," she responded, trying to get a grip on the little white ball.

"We have '500 Miles' by The Proclaimers," May told Drew as she read her ball.

"Noice," he replied, offering her a high five, which he giggigly accepted.

"Did you find out ours yet?" James asked.

"It's called 'Hold Each Other' by A Great Big World," Jessie replied.

"Oh…I never heard it. I hope we like it."

"You will."

"We have 'Sweet Caroline' by Neil Diamond," Iris told Cilan.

"We have 'Don't Stop Believing' by Journey," said Tiffany. "Perfect."

"And we have…let's make this a surprise," Dawn said as she revealed her ball to Zoey alone.

"Agreed," Zoey replied.

"Everybody set?" Baku asked.

"Yes," they replied in unison.

"You get twenty minutes to prep. Group Six got the lowest number of votes, so they go first, so, like, be ready."

"We're Group Six," James whispered as Baku and the others headed to the back of the bar.

"I know," Jessie responded, peeved that they didn't outrank the other finalists. "Let's move."

XO

"Okay, dudes, let's hear it for Jessie and James!" Baku declared at the clock struck nine.

"Wobbbbbbufffet!

"Chiiimmmeee!"

"Mi Mime!"

"Serrrrviper!"

"Groooowl!"

"Eeeeeee!"

"Jessie and James' Pokémon sure are excited," Dawn commented.

"C'mon guys! Get us dat vacation!" Meowth shouted as the curtain rose.

James smiled and gave him thumbs up before he began strumming. The melody was slow, wafty, not the beat typical to the song. Their adorable Eevee used Charm on the audience and Inkay shrouded them in a comfortable Haze.

James sang the first part:

'I miss the words we used to say
I miss the sounds of yesterday
I miss the games we used to play
I was trapped inside a dream
I couldn't see her next to me
I didn't know she'd set me free…mmm…

Something happens when I hold her
She keeps my heart from getting older
When the days get short and the nights get a little bit colder
We hold each other, mmm…'

'They're going to win,' Misty thought. 'I can feel it.'

No one said it, but all the twerps agreed with Misty's thoughts.

Jessie picked up the next part:

'Everything looks different now
All this time my head was down
He came along and showed me how to let go
I can't remember where I'm from
All I know is who I've become
That our life has just begun

Something happens when I hold him
He keeps my heart from getting broken
When the days get short and the nights get a little bit frozen
We hold each other, mmm…'

"They are really nailing this song," Zoey mumbled. "Damn."

"I bet we can still win," said Dawn. "We don't have the best song, but we're making it work."

The whole rest of the song the duo sang together, occasionally alternating the lines:

'These days start to feel like hours and hours feel more like seconds
People judged us they couldn't see the connection
When I look at you, it's like I'm looking back at my reflection
I don't see nothing different, our pigments they coincide
We hold each other so tight they couldn't break us if they tried
My eyes are those of the blind, I see no color or size,
I feel the love in your touch and I trust what's inside your mind.

Okay, I know that we've been through a lot
I know that we both grew up
When I was young, I was dumb
Didn't think you'd fit in my plot
And I appreciate the break because I love what we got now

You give me chills and I can't imagine you leaving
If I could build a perfect person honestly you would be it
And you know nobody knows you like I know you

Something happens when I hold her
She keeps my heart from getting older
When the days get short and the nights get a little bit colder
We hold each other, mmm"

Everyone in the audience gave them a standing ovation as they bowed. Not only was their singing perfect, but their Pokémon did an amazing job timing their attacks for special effects. It was flawless.

Next up was Cilan and Iris. Emolga lit the dark of the bar with flashes of Spark then used Electric Terrain to ignite the stage. Axew slipped a disk into the stereo, providing the necessary tune.

Cilan sang first:

'Where it began,
I can't begin to knowin'
But then I know it's growing strong.'

Then Iris:

'Was it the spring?
Then spring became the summer
Who'd have believed you'd come along?'

Together:

'Hands, touchin' hands
Reachin' out, touchin' me, touchin' you

Sweet Caroline
Good times never seemed so good
I've been inclined
To believe they never would.'

Iris:

'But now I look at the night
And it don't seem so lonely
We fill it up with only two.'

Cilan:

'And when I hurt,
Hurtin' runs off my shoulders
How can I hurt when holding you?'

Together:

'Warm, touchin' warm
Reachin' out, touchin' me, touchin' you

Sweet Caroline
Good times never seemed so good
I've been inclined to believe they never would…

Sweet Caroline,
Good times never seemed so good
Sweet Caroline,
I believe they never could
Sweet Caroline
Good times never seemed so good
oh no, no, no…'

Emolga's Thunder, Stunfisk's Earth Power, and Dragonite's Ice Beam exploded like fireworks. Everyone clapped for them and the judges complimented them, although no one was sure if their performance was enough to win the luxurious prize.

May and Drew went next, singing '500 Miles'. Beautifly's Gust suspended Roserade's Leaf Storm at the very beginning and end of the song. They too nailed it, leaving the remaining finalists quivering.

"They were incredible!" Serena gasped.

"I wish I could sing like that!" Bonnie cried.

"That was the best version of that song I ever heard," said Cilan. "I'm not so sure we're going to get that vacation."

"Yeah…Dawn and Zoey still gotta go too…" said Iris.

'Goodbye, vacation,' she thought.

Everyone cheered for them until Baku announced that it was Dawn and Zoey's turn.

The girls started on a note not at all like their first performance; instead of being dark and bursting into an indie-beat, they started and ended with high energy as they sang 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun'. The performance was so kinetic that several patrons claimed the floor and walls vibrated from the inundation of high-spirited swing.

"It is going to be between them and Jessie and James," Max remarked.

"You really think so?" Bonnie replied.

"If I didn't think so, I wouldn't have commented."

"It'll come down to a matter of taste," Cilan mused. "Jessie and James put a spin on a not-so-famous work while Zoey and Dawn took an energetic classic and made it even more vivacious than anyone here imagined."

"Maybe they'll tie," said Ash. "But I think May and Drew were the best..."

"I think so too," said Misty. "But it was super close."

"Totally."

"Time to vote!" Baku declared.

After the judges gave their opinions and collected everyone's vote, all six trainers and their Pokémon gathered on stage to hear the results.

"So, it was like, really close dudes," Baku announced. "After some careful consideration, the judges decided to award the five-day, five-night stay at the all-inclusive Pecanwood Resort in Alola to May and Drew! Congrats, dudes!"

"Yessss!" May squealed.

"All right!" Drew exclaimed as they hugged fervidly.

"I tought fer sure Jessie and James were gonna win," Meowth sighed.

"Buffet," Wobbuffet sobbed, upset over the lost holiday.

"We were much better than those brats!" Jessie complained.

James patted her on the back. "I guess we can't win 'em all…"

Jessie sighed loudly as May and Drew received their prize.

"I want a vacation soo bad," Jessie pouted.

"I bet one day we'll be able to take as many vacations as we want," James replied.

"Jim, I tink she wants ta have a vacation before weeze die of old age," said Meowth. "Den again…"

"Meowth…" Jessie grumbled, crossing her arms. "Don't get me started…"

Jessie and James' Pokémon comforted them, easing the tension.

"So, now that this is over, we should look for a place to sleep," said James.

"Weeze are gonna have ta camp out wit de twerps again cuz dere's nuthin in our pathetic bank accounts," Meowth said sadly.

"Did I just hear you say you need a place to sleep?" Tiffany asked.

"Tiffany!" Jessie exclaimed.

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop, I was just on my way out and I heard you mention camping and you didn't sound happy about it."

"Um yeah...Since we are traveling, we must camp out whenever there isn't a Pokémon Center available," James hesitantly explained.

James wasn't what was less appealing: sleeping in a tent in the rain or staying in the home of Jessie's ex-girlfriend. He looked at Jessie, Meowth, and their Pokémon: they had no trouble making that same decision.

"I live just around the corner from here," said Tiffany. "My house is big…we have a spare room and a massive basement. We can host you and your friends for the night. What do you say to that?"

"That would be wonderful!" Jessie replied. "They're not our friends, but..."

"We consider them 'allies'," said James. "We recently went through a lot of shit together..."

"Yeah, that."

"Either way, you're all welcome to accompany my partner and I," Tiffany replied. "We're heading home now."

"Danks yous!" Meowth cried as he hugged Tiffany's legs. "I tink yous and I are gonna get along!"

"Are you sure that's alright though?" James asked. "I'm sure it's unnerving to have strangers unexpectantly enter your home."

"As long as it's only for a night or two, I have no problem with it," Tiffany replied. "And Jessie's no stranger to me."

"Right…"

"One thing…"

"What?" the trio inquired.

"I only have one guest bed. I figured that all those kids could set their sleeping bags up in the basement. It is warm and dry and we have a carpet there so that it is softer than the ground."

"Oh, those twerps don't mind the floor," Jessie replied, hugging Tiffany. "I'll gladly take the bed. Thank you."

"Anytime."

XO

"We better get moving," Cilan announced as he and his friends tipped the servers. "It's late and we still have to find a place to sleep."

"Actually, yours truly already figured that out," said Jessie, stepping in front of the twerps.

"You did?" several of them replied.

"Tiffany invited us to stay at her place overnight," said James.

"Yes!" Bonnie cheered. "I hate camping during thunderstorms."

"Ditto," said Serena. "She really doesn't mind?"

"Tiffany and I go wayyy back," Jessie replied. "Of course, she doesn't mind doing me a favor. Though, keep in mind that you all owe her."

"Welp, let's get going," said Ash. "I feel like I can sleep for a million years."

"Me too," Clemont yawned.

"Me three," said May and Dawn.

"Zoey, you coming?" Dawn asked.

"Nah, my Grammie's expecting me home before midnight," she replied. "All my stuff is there too…but I'll catch ya in the morning. We can do breakfast or something."

"I'd love that."

"See ya soon."

"Ditto."

"Bye, Zoey!" the twerps replied.

"Bye!"

XO

Tiffany took her guests to the house in two trips. Her house was indeed huge, which fed James' jealously and made Jessie feel like a failure in comparison.

But, the fluffy, warm guest bed and private room made up for it.

Meowth was banished to the basement along with the twerps.

"What are you doing down here?" Bonnie asked as he set up his tiny sleeping bag.

"Getting ready to go ta sleep," he grumbled.

"Why aren't you with Jessie and James?" said Cilan. "Are they still out?"

"Dey kicked me outta dat guest room."

"But I thought there was only one bed," said Ash.

"There is," said several of the girls, who laughed afterward.

"Geeze," Max sighed.

"Oh, Bud..." Cilan laughed, Clemont, Drew, and even Pikachu joining in.

"Why's everyone laughing at me?" Ash queried.

"Uh, well…" Clemont started. "The—"

"—Don't bother," Misty interrupted. "He'll figure it out."

"What…oh…. yuck!" Ash complained.

The kids shared an awkward laugh as they continued to get ready for bed. Meowth ignored them the best he could as he lied down, ironically, beside Ash' Pikachu.

"Pikaaaapi chu," he told Meowth.

"Dey ain't my trainers," Meowth replied. "But yer right…at the end of the day…no one's eva dat bad…"

"Goodnight, everyone!" Dawn said as she shut the lights.

"Night!" the humans replied.

Tomorrow the young trainers planned to move on to their next destination in the Kanto region, continuing to act as a team, as they faced new changes and challenges ahead.

XO

And that's the end! Thanks, everyone, for reading and please review. The story that this is a 'cut-scene' from is listed on my profile page. It is called 'Stand by You'. That was also recently rebooted because that story and this one were both written almost four years ago and some editing was needed. Thanx again! After you review, lemme know if you have a story you want me to read. I'm always open to suggestions and will provide an honest review if you so inquire.