Orange Island

As the boat got closer to Shamoutii Island, Ash noticed much to his relief the Pokemon were not acting wary. He hoped nothing happened to them during their time on the Island but knowing his luck, he better not push it. They landed on the Island as the festival was starting to pick up pace and Maren introduced them to her friends Carol, Kenny and Lucy. Carol's younger sister Melody was tagging along with them and her eyes lit up seeing new visitors.

Melody, "Are you all Pokemon trainers?"

Ash, "I'm a trainer and a coordinator, soon to be a junior breeder as well."

Gou, "I'm a trainer, collector and research assistant."

Tracey, "I'm a Pokemon watcher."

Gold, "If it isn't widdle Melody, look how big you are now."

Melody's face became red, "I'm not little anymore."

Kenny snickered, "Could have fooled me."

Lucy, "Calm down Melody."

Maren pulled Carol, "A word please!"

Carol nodded, "Why don't you guys show our guest around?"

Carol took her friend to a secluded area, "What's wrong? You look very excited."

Maren, "That young boy, Ash, he has been marked by Lugia."

Carol was flabbergasted, "That's.... "

Maren, "I saw the feather with my own eyes, I'm sure he is marked. Although whether it is a warning or a gift I'm not sure."

Carol, "Well, all we can do is watch over him as long as he is here."

Maren, "He said, Lord Articuno wanted him to learn about the history of Shamoutii. I told him the true past of our people."

Carol turned to Maren sharply, "Oh! And he is not interested in catching Lugia like those other trainers?"

Maren shook his head, "No he is not, his feather is a pure silver and you know the more pure someone's desire is, the longer the feather stays silver. If the intentions and desires are impure... "

Carol, "The feather disintegrates and fades away..... Very well, we shall teach him our ways starting with the song for the festival, if he is upto it."

Melody in the meantime had gotten curious about Ash, "What exactly is a Pokemon coordinator? I have never heard of it"

Ash smiled, "A Pokemon coordinator is a trainer who will train Pokemon to come up with new combos or moves that show off the Pokemon's beauty in the best way possible.

Melody's eyes widened, "That sounds incredible, could you perform for us during the festival?"

Gou, "Visitors can take part?"

Melody nodded, "The main event starts at seven until then, visitor's have time to perform if they are into arts."

Ash hummed, "Why not! it'll be good practice for me."

Gou, "I'll help, do you have an act ready?"

Ash thought about the story his Pokemon were working on, "Yes, actually. It'll be good to practice."

Melody followed them, "How do you prepare?"

Ash, "First I need a dress, a proper performer's dress."

Melody got a mischievous glint in her eyes, "I know exactly what you need to wear. Come on."

Carol and Maren returned just as Melody took Ash and Gou in tow with her followed by the Pokemon. They looked at Gold who shrugged as he sat down and talked to the old village Chief about what had been going on. The old man was worried, there had been some strange activities around the fire, lightning and ice island the last few weeks. They had thought it had been some Pokemon but on listening carefully it sounded like humans fighting and it always happened at night. Gold frowned as he heard this and looked over the horizon, Red had given him a heads up on what Jessilina and Jameson were doing there. Gold would be lying if he said he was not worried about them, he respected their guts to get their hands dirty but they were two humans against an army. Gold pursed his lips irritated, he wanted to tell Ash about what their friends were doing and risking but he was forbidden from doing so as Ash was unfortunately still a beginner. Before he could gather agitated more Melody appeared again grinning like the Meowth that got the cream.

Melody, "Presenting coordinator Ash who agreed to perform for us with her Pokemon as a visitor's right."

Ash appeared as there were cheers, "Hello everyone, my Pokemon and I prepared a small act for you all to enjoy."

Tracey choked when he saw Ash and Gold hit his back, "That's Ash?"

Gold snorted, "Yup, looks like Melody convinced him to let his feminine side out."

Ash, "Remember guys and girls, like we practiced."

The Pokemon took their places with Lucario guiding them and started to produce a music as Ash began to sing, starting the act. They were performing the "Mirror of Incanta", with Togetic playing the part of a fairy while Milotic sang the lore. Charizard, Lapras and Primeape played as pirates who were chasing the fairy, Togetic. Melody watched fascinated by the act and the lore as Milotic ended the act by telling them about the magical mirror and how to find it. The act ended after two minutes leaving the audience fascinated by the story before they clapped.

Ash, "Thank you everyone."

Carol, "Huh.. It may not be so bad to have him around."

Maren laughed, "Yes, and Melody made a friend too."

Carol, "Oh dear, she does know he is a boy right."

Maren sweatdropped looking at Melody's starry eyed look, "She probably thinks, he is a girl pretending to be a boy."

Carol sighed, "If only girls in my family were allowed to be trainers instead of carrying out this responsibility we have."

Maren looked at her friend sadly, "I know."

Melody, "You were amazing Ash! I had no idea girl trainers were so great and beautiful."

Ash gave a laugh, "Girls make great trainers, just take my friends for example.", Ash took out his album, "Misty and Lana are training to become Water Pokemon Masters, Lillie is training to get over her weakness, Leaf and Green are training to become Pokemon Rangers, Duplica is training to be a Ditto Master, Mallow is training to take over her family business one day and Jessilina is one of the best and powerful trainer and coordinator I have met."

Melody listened to what Ash said attentively looking at the photos of the female trainers and their Pokemon. She was honestly very jealous of those girls at the moment, they could do what she only dreamed of doing, travel the world, meet new people and new Pokemon. She knows what they do is very important but sometimes she could not help but wish she could leave and go on her own journey and do what she wanted for a change.

Ash noticed her sad longing look, "Hey, how about we perform a duet together?"

Melody looked up, "Duet?"

Ash nodded, "You played the music you are performing and guess what, I know the song that will go with it."

Melody's eyes twinkled, "Something new to change the boring festival is always welcome in my book."

Gou, "But you didn't practice, will you be able to perform together?"

Ash looked at the time it was almost seven, "Well there is only one way to find out."

Melody grinned, "Let's do it."

Ash turned to his Pokemon, "Ready to give a second performance?"

Lucario, -Always and we did this before as well.-

Milotic trilled, -It'll be fun.-

Melody got on stage a second time, "Ladies and gentlemen and new visitors, my friend and I have decided to perform a duet together end this night."

Carol looked at her sister suspiciously, "What is she thinking?"

Maren noticed Ash joining Melody, "Let's just observe."

Melody started to play Lugia's tune and Ash started to sing in beat with the music and the two of them captivated the audience. Gold who had been talking with the Chief turned to the stage and did a live upload on his channel which caught the attention of not just his fans but also other news outlets. The two people on stage performed with the Pokemon dancing around them oblivious of the media storm they had created. Delia who was watching the news was surprised to see Ash dressed up in island clothes but when he started to sing, she lit up.

Diantha and Wallace were squealing in the group seeing Ash perform infront of a crowd again and Blue pretended not to know them. Red just sat back and let the song wash over him relaxing him as he tried to finish his cursed paperwork that seemed to have increased with both the League and Festival coming up. Ruby was in his room, or rather his open bunker hill that he had created in case Rayquaza decided to give him an impromptu visit. It had happened a few weeks ago when he started to learn about aura, the space dragon had come all of a sudden scaring the city people. Ruby had to beg the Dragon with cookies and pie of all things to not do it again, especially with Team Magma and Aqua still snooping around. The dragon had huffed at him before snorting and agreeing, Ruby had no idea how he knew he had agreed. After that Ruby had made an abandoned bunker hill his turf and like he suspected Rayquaza had come to check in on him again.

Rayquaza, -Lugia's child is doing well.-

Ruby nodded, "Yeah... Wait a min...", he looked up, "Did you just? Did I just?"

Rayquaza gave an amused rumble, -Yes, our bond is getting stronger little one.-

Ruby, "Oh! That's a good thing right?"

Rayquaza nodded, -Fear not little warrior, this only means he'll be less vulnerable when facing the enemy.-

Sceptile nodded, "Scep."

Back to our MC, he was answering Melody's enthusiastic questions about his journey so far. The questions varied from who he met to what they did to where he went and she even requested to see the ribbons and badges he had collected. Ash did not mind and took out the three cases, one with the Kanto badges, one with the Kanto ribbons and the last one with the Orange Island badges

Ash, "People who take part in show cases get either a Princess or Prince key. Kanto does not have show cases yet so I don't have any keys."

Melody's eyes brightened, "I would have loved to take part in them."

Lucario was meanwhile looking at the sky frowning, -This is not good.-

Pikachu, "Pikapi."

Milotic -Ash is going to be in the middle of it all, isn't he?-

Charizard frowned, "Rrrrrrr."

Magby who was sitting with Charizard looked at her new trainer worriedly. She didn't want to loose her kind trainer and got off Charizard to sit on Ash's lap. Ash cooed at her and picked her up making sure she was comfortable before turning to Gou who said he made the headlines again. Ash looked at the news and shrugged while Melody was blushing at the thought of being seen by people she never met on TV. Unknown to Ash, he or rather she had been seen by Team Rocket on TV and they knew one of their targets were there. Luckily though, their target was a girl not a boy with Harry Potter cheeks as he always hid those birthmarks with makeup.

Lucario turned to one of the elemental islands, -That malice.-

Milotic hissed, -I felt it as well. Do you think?-

Charizard looked at his trainer and nodded unhappily, it looks like their enemies were here too. Snorlax frowned, he had become very fond of his gentle yet firm trainer, who treated him with respect and care. He would crush anyone who tried to harm him, and the Tauros and Milktank and the Beedrill and Butterfree couples beside him agreed with him wholeheartedly. They were parents and as parents they gained a certain level of maturity that the others did not have even though chronologically, Ash was older than them. They can easily call Ash a child with a burden that he chose to carry now, after experiencing parenthood for themselves. Lucario had no doubt Ash would be forced to handle whatever was happening, he had his suspicions from the first day he saw Ho oh, then Raikou and then Articuno. He couldn't help but recall what Red said, first time is an accident, second time a coincidence, third time is a goddamn pattern.

[A. N.: Happy Sunday everyone.

I love breaks!]