Chapter 645: Café Sonata (2)
~Third POV~
[Unova Region, Meanwhile (Sunset), Castelia City – Plaza]
Meanwhile, while Azure and Meloetta wowed the crowd in a café, a very different kind of 'beat' was being established. A makeshift stage had been erected near the fountain, draped in the clinical gray and blue banners of Team Plasma.
Bronius, one of the Seven Sages, stood atop the platform, his long, ornate robes billowing in the evening breeze. Around him, a dozen Grunts stood in rigid formation, though their expressions were less than confident.
Bronius cried out, his voice amplified by a megaphone, "People of Castelia! Listen to the truth that the world seeks to hide! Pokémon are not tools! They are not playthings for your 'battles' or your 'entertainment'! They are living souls, shackled by the iron grip of the Poké Ball!"
The crowd, however, was not as receptive as Bronius hoped. A few youngsters near the front were snickering, whispering to each other while holding up their phones.
One girl giggled, "Is that the guy from the video?"
Her friend replied, "Total joke! Look at him. He looks like he's wearing a rug."
Bronius's eye twitched. He knew exactly what they were talking about. Only days ago, Gorm—another Sage—had been the victim of a humiliating prank in Nacrene City. A video had gone viral on PokéTube showing Gorm humiliated. The video had gained millions of views. The culprit was unknown, but the damage to Team Plasma's "holy" image was catastrophic.
The public hadn't bought it. Not today.
They were a laughingstock.
Bronius hissed to his grunts as they began to pack up the stage, "Ignore them! Our mission remains. We must recover our standing. We must provide Ghetsis with a miracle that cannot be mocked."
Bronius knew it.
The heavy scowl carved deep into his bearded face practically radiated foul venom as he barked orders for his grunts to fan out into the city streets. Their secondary objective—forcibly 'liberating' wild Pokémon or confiscating them from unsuspecting Trainers—took on a desperate edge.
They needed a win. A big one.
And then, a former Ace Trainer turned Plasma Grunt near the front of the formation froze, his eyes bulging as he stared down at the glowing screen of his Rotom Phone. The grunt stammered, holding the device up with trembling fingers, "Sage Bronius! Look! This just went live! It's trending in Castelia right now! It's going viral right now—trending top spot across the Unova network!"
Bronius grabbed the phone. His heavy brows knit together. The screen showed a live stream from Cafe Sonata, just a few blocks away. The camera was shaky, but the audio was crystal clear—a haunting, ethereal melody played on a Poké Flute. In the center of the frame was a young man with a Pikachu on his shoulder, and floating beside him was a small, graceful figure with hair like a musical staff.
But it wasn't the music alone that made Bronius's breath hitch in his throat. Bronius whispered, his eyes widening with a mix of awe and greed, "Meloetta... The Mythical Pokémon of Song and Dance..."
Floating in the air, bathed in the warm, ethereal glow of the sunset, was Meloetta. The Mythical Melody Pokémon. The crisp, crystalline notes of the Relic Song cascaded through the digital audio speakers, stirring something primal and hypnotic even through a compressed video stream. Bronius's eyes dilated.
The humiliation of Nacrene City melted away, instantly replaced by a predatory, fanatical gleam. Tales of the ancient creature spoke of an innate, mystical power. Her haunting melodies and graceful dances had inspired centuries of art, folklore, and music.
But more importantly, her vocalizations possessed a terrifying capability: the power to manipulate human and Pokémon emotion itself, to bend the masses to absolute joy or paralyzing sorrow.
If Team Plasma could capture Meloetta and present her to Ghetsis, their reputation wouldn't just be repaired—it would be cemented. They could use her melody to make the entire Unova populace feel their righteous cause, to force the region to bow willingly to their ideals.
*CRACK*
He gripped the phone so hard the screen cracked. Bronius growled, his voice dropping an octave as a cruel grin stretched across his thick beard. He roared, " Forget the street sweepings! If we 'liberate' that Pokémon, the masses will not just listen to our words—they will feel them. Their hearts will play to our tune! Forget the speeches! Move out! To Cafe Sonata, immediately! We are going to 'liberate' that Mythical Pokémon, and woe to anyone who stands in our way!!"
The grunts chorused a sharp, eager "Yes, sir!" and surged forward into the twilight, completely unaware of just who they were attempting to rob.
/////
[Unova Region, Afternoon, Castelia City – Cafe Sonata]
Meanwhile, inside the cozy, mahogany-scented interior of Cafe Sonata, the atmosphere was thick with a reverent, spellbound silence. The atmosphere inside the cafe was a stark contrast to the bustling, cynical streets outside. The air smelled of expensive espresso and old cedar.
Soft amber lights cast long, warm shadows over the patrons, who sat in stunned silence. Azure, his fingers nimble and steady, held the Poké Flute to his lips. He wasn't just playing notes; he was weaving a memory. The Relic Song.
*Fweee-oo-la-dee*
The music was ancient, resonating with a frequency that seemed to vibrate in the very marrow of the listeners' bones. Beside him, Meloetta drifted in the air. Her eyes were closed, her body swaying in a slow, rhythmic trance.
As the song reached its crescendo, she opened her mouth, and a voice—purer than the finest crystal—joined the flute: "Melo-melo-ettaaaa..."
The sound was a physical wave of emotion. Some patrons began to weep silently, overwhelmed by a sense of nostalgic longing. Others felt a surge of inexplicable joy.
Azure's Pikachu sat on a nearby table, his ears twitching as he kept a sharp lookout, though even he seemed softened by the tune. Inside Azure's jacket, a small Pichu (Mew) poked its head out, its large eyes sparkling with delight.
Azure exhaled gently, lifting his lips from the silver rim of the Poké Flute finished the final note, pulling the flute away. Beside him, Meloetta floated down in a slow, gravity-defying pirouette, her delicate, pearl-pink limbs weaving intricate patterns through the air before she gracefully touched the cobblestone patio.
The silence that followed was heavy, almost sacred. But then…
*Clap—Clap—Clap*
A wave of thunderous applause erupted from the patrons, local musicians, and the cluster of Azure's traveling companions who had managed to squeeze onto the terrace. White whispered, her jaw practically resting on her collarbone as her hands clapped mechanically, "Incredible..."
Beside her, Black's eyes were wide as saucers, his hyper-focused brain seemingly short-circuiting, trying to process the sheer impossibility of what he had just witnessed. The rest of them froze in disbelief.
Nemona bounced on the balls of her feet, her trademark Paldean energy practically vibrating the air around her as she asked, "How on earth did you do that, Azure?! You didn't just call her out—you played with her! Like you guys were in a jam session! I want to try! Can I challenge her? Wait, can I challenge you?"
Azure chuckled, lowering the flute with a practiced, casual flick of his wrist. He said casually, "Hold your Rapidash, Nemona!"
He reached up, casually scratching behind the ear of Pikachu, who was comfortably nestled on his right shoulder. A small, contented pika rumbled from the electric mouse. On the top of Azure's head, Eevee gave a lazy yawn, her fluffy tail twitching, while inside the breast pocket of his jacket, a tiny Pichu (Mew) let out a quiet, mischievous squeak that went completely unnoticed by the surrounding crowd.
Meloetta stopped her dance, her green "hair" settling around her shoulders. She looked at Azure, her expression a mix of curiosity and lingering sadness. Azure smiled warmly, reaching out a hand but keeping a respectful distance as he said carefully, "You remembered it, didn't you? The song of your past."
Meloetta tilted her head. A voice echoed in Azure's mind—Telepathy, clear and melodic: 'You play the song of the ancients, human. How do you know the melody that even the winds have forgotten?'
Azure answered, offering a warm smile to the gathering, "I've traveled a long way. I just played the Relic Song correctly. I've read about Unova's deep myths, and I was curious if the tales were true—if she'd respond to a melody written centuries ago. I wanted to hear her angelic voice in person."
Meloetta, hovering just a foot away, suddenly blushed a deep, flustered pink. Her delicate hands fluttered up to cover her cheeks, and she turned her head away with a haughty, aristocratic huff.
A voice echoed directly into the minds of everyone standing within a five-meter radius. It was crisp, melodic, and dripping with an exaggerated, tsundere pride: 'Hmph! It's not like I was impressed by your clumsy human breathing!'
The people froze hearing this. They were too stunned to respond.
But to Azure, it was just another casual Friday. Azure couldn't help the deep, rumbling laugh that broke from his chest as he thought, 'Telepathy. Classic Mythical trait along with invisibility and levitating.'
Azure teased playfully, his amber eyes crinkling at the corners. Then asked casually, "Ah, forgive me, O mighty maestro. Your voice is a treasure. In fact... I was wondering. Would you be willing to join my team? Come travel with us?"
The entire terrace went dead silent.
Black stopped blinking. White's hands froze mid-clap. Even Crispin and Amary—the visiting Blueberry Academy Elite Four members who had been quietly sipping iced Oran berry tea at a corner table—nearly spat out their drinks.
Even people in the café froze upon seeing this. They all couldn't help but think, 'Did he just... casually propose catching a Mythical Pokémon? Like he was asking a Caterpie for directions?'
White stammered, her business-mogul brain rebooting with a high-pitched whine. She said in a rushed tone, "W-Wait a minute! Azure! You can't just ask a Mythical Pokémon to join your squad like it's a standard afternoon catch! That's—that's a legend! Legends don't just—!"
Meloetta drifted closer, her large, soulful eyes searching Azure's face. She tilted her head, her big, curious blue eyes peering intently into Azure's. She sensed no malice. No greed. No desperate hunger for power…
*Hummm*
She sensed something from him—an aura that felt like the deep forest, ancient and vibrant. It was the Viridian Force, a faint but comforting pulse of life energy that Azure projected unconsciously. The ancient, natural aura of the earth—a soothing, absolute, comforting warmth that spoke of deep forests, clear rivers, and unconditional understanding. Meloetta gasped softly in her mind as the aura wrapped around her soul like a warm blanket on a winter night.
Meloetta's telepathic voice softened, losing its defensive edge. She said telepathically, 'You... Your heart... it feels like the ancient groves. You have a kind spirit.'
Azure said softly, his voice dropping into a sincere, grounding cadence, "I know the stories. I know you've long since forgotten parts of the Relic Song—that time has worn away pieces of your ancient melodies. If you stay with me, I promise to record every note, every variation, so you never have to worry about forgetting again. And..."
Azure's eyes flashed with a sudden, razor-sharp glint of absolute, unshakable power—a lingering shadow of the man who had stared down threats. He stated resolutely, "If anyone ever tries to capture you, or force you to do something you hate... I am strong enough to make them regret the day they were born."
Meloetta stared at him, her chest rising and falling. She blushed, her cheeks turning a soft pink. She crossed her arms and looked away with a huff, her 'tsundere' nature surfacing as she said telepathically in a haughty tone, 'Hmph! Don't think you can charm me just because you're a decent flute player! I am a guardian of the arts! I don't just 'join' people because they ask nicely!'
Azure chuckled, a soft, genuine sound, and replied, "Of course not. It's an invitation, not a command. And if you're worried about battling... I won't force you into it. Having you as a friend and a fellow musician is more than enough for me."
Meloetta looked back at him, her gaze softening. The sincerity was absolute. She felt the sincerity in his words, the lack of greed that usually followed humans who looked at her. But then, a flicker of hesitation crossed her expressive face, and she sent one final thought to his mind as she whispered, 'Fine… I will come... but I must ask. Are you going to force me to battle constantly? I detest fighting. If possible, I prefer to avoid it entirely.'
Azure beamed instantly, his radiant smile returning without missing a beat. He answered honestly, "Deal! No forced battles, I swear it."
A bright, genuine smile bloomed across Meloetta's face. She nodded, her long green hair swaying.
With a flick of his wrist, Azure produced a pristine Master Ball. The purple and white sphere glinted under the cafe lights. He didn't use it because he feared she would escape; he used it as a symbol—a promise that she was precious, and that no ordinary trainer or thief could ever touch her.
Before the rest of the group could even register the high-tech orb, Meloetta gracefully floated forward, gently reached out, tapping her forehead against the center button of the Master Ball. A burst of soft, pearlescent light enveloped her, and with a swift click, she vanished inside.
*Click*
The ball rocked once—twice—and locked with a definitive, quiet chime.
Azure caught it smoothly, slipping it into his belt. He checked Meloetta's status screen, impressed by what he saw.
[Meloetta the Melody Pokémon. In its Aria Forme, Meloetta can sing beautiful songs. According to artists in Unova, Meloetta's beautiful music and dance inspired many works of art, music, and songs. This made the Pokémon popular among both musicians and dancers. Meloetta's melody has a special vocalization method. Meloetta's melody can control the feelings of those who hear it. It can make both humans and Pokémon feel happy or sad through this method. Meloetta's song can be used to unseal its old home, the Abyssal Ruins.
At one point, Meloetta can lose its signature melody and ability to dance should the world be filled with sorrow. Like many other Legendary and Mythical Pokémon, Meloetta can fly and temporarily turn invisible. Meloetta's song can be channeled to summon and control the original three forces of nature Pokémon in connection with the Reveal Glass. However, this process can cause Meloetta agonizing pain in the process.
Meloetta has two forms it can change between: Aria Forme and Pirouette Forme.
In its Pirouette Forme, it has auburn hair that seems to be styled in a high bun and red eyes. Its midriff and eyes match its hair. It also assumes a constant dance pose. Pirouette Forme Meloetta can perform graceful dances instead of singing. This form of Meloetta can captivate anyone who watches its enchanting dance steps. Pirouette Forme Meloetta can change back to Aria Forme by using its singing voice or when the battle ends.]
|Name: Meloetta (Melody Pokémon)
|Type: Normal/Psychic (Fighting)
|Tera: Normal
|Level: 60
|Gender: Female
|Held Item: None
|Ability: Serene Grace (Telepathy/Form Change)
|Nature: Lonely
|Moves: Sing, Protect, Teeter Dance, Role Play, Perish Song, Telekinesis, Swords Dance, Fake Tears, Light Screen, Calm Mind, Heal Bell, Safeguard, Round, Echoed Voice, Hyper Voice, Uproar, Quick Attack, Giga Impact, Hyper Beam, Psybeam, Psychic, Confusion, Psyshock, Wake-Up Slap, Close Combat, Focus Blast, Alluring Voice, Disarming Voice, Petal Dance, Acrobatics, U-Turn, Relic Song (IM)
Azure took the chance to view Meloetta's status screen. He bobbed his head, accepting it as he thought, 'She certainly has some skill. Low level, though, but since she doesn't want to battle, I shall respect her wishes.'
For 3 full seconds, the terrace of Cafe Sonata was a tableau of absolute petrification.
Then, chaos broke loose.
Black shouted, his face turning bright red as he gripped his own hair, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! HE JUST CAUGHT A MYTHICAL POKÉMON IN 3 SECONDS! NO BATTLE! NO WEAKENING IT! JUST A CONVERSATION AND CLICK!"
White shrieked, marching right up to him and grabbing the lapels of his jacket, shaking him back and forth, "Azure! Do you have any idea what the market value of a Meloetta is?! Do you know what kind of media blitz the BW Agency could run with this?! Can I employ her? Please?! Just for a weekend commercial?!"
Nemona yelled, pushing her way through the group with stars in her eyes as she demanded excitedly, "No way, White! Forget commercials! Azure, you must let me battle her! Or battle me with her! I don't care, I just want to feel the rhythm of that music in a real Pokémon battle!"
A dark-furred, sapphire-eyed fox poked his head out, shaking his head with a dramatic sigh using his own telepathy. Azure's Zorua's raspy, playful voice echoed from the shadows beneath a nearby table, 'Zorua thinks you humans are entirely too loud!'
From inside Azure's Arc Phone, a digitized, holographic face popped up, its pixelated eyes spinning in circles. Rotom buzzed frantically, "Warning! User sanity levels dropping to critical! Logic subroutines are experiencing a cascading failure!"
And from the shadows near the back patio pillar, a sleek, shadowy form chuckled, a low, melodic purr. Gengar muttered aloud, crossing her stubby arms with a toothy grin, "Let them yell, boss. They always make such a fuss over nothing."
Azure pinched the bridge of his nose, a very real, very throbbing migraine beginning to form right behind his eyes. He let out a long, long sigh.
Azure began, looking at his aggressively chaotic companions. He tried to explain to them in a calming tone, "Guys... it was literally just standing there waiting for a ride. Can we please get some coffee in peace?"
*CRASH*
The heavy glass-and-iron doors of Cafe Sonata suddenly burst inward, shattering the calm twilight air. A harsh, booming voice echoed through the establishment, "Nobody move! By the order of the Seven Sages, this Pokémon is to be liberated!"
A dozen Team Plasma Grunts poured into the cafe, their heavy boots trampling over the welcome mat, their hands clutching the Poké Balls at their belts with sweating, desperate grips. At the front stood Sage Bronius, his massive frame blocking the sunset, his beard bristling with manic confidence as he scanned the terrace.
Bronius bellowed, pointing a dramatic, finger-wagging hand straight at Azure, "We are here to liberate that Mythical Pokémon! Hand over Meloetta to Team Plasma, and your mortal coils shall be spared from our righteous wrath!"
The cafe patrons screamed, diving under tables. White squeaked and hid behind Black, who immediately summoned a crackling-hot Pignite with a battle cry of absolute, misdirected intensity. Nemona, however, literally cheered, drawing her own belt of balls with a wide grin.
Azure didn't even blink. He didn't drop his coffee cup.
He didn't even take his hand off Pikachu.
He just looked at the grunts, then looked down at the tiny yellow mouse on his shoulder. Azure sighed wearily, lazily commanding, "Sigh… can't even enjoy a cup of coffee these days. Pikachu. They're interrupting my headache recovery."
Pikachu didn't even bother looking back. He simply puffed out his cheeks, tiny yellow sparks violently snapping across his red cheek pouches. With a single, casual twitch of his tail, a blinding pillar of golden, high-voltage plasma erupted from his tiny body—a Thunderbolt so concentrated and precisely calibrated that it bypassed the furniture entirely, weaving through the room like a living serpent of lightning.
Pikachu roared, "Pika… CHUUUUU!!"
*BZZZZT-KABOOM*
"GYAAAH!"
"MY PANTS ARE ON FIRE!"
"MOTHER OF ZEKKROM—!"
Before Bronius could even finish his villainous sneer, a wave of pure, unadulterated electricity washed over the entire front line of Team Plasma. Every single grunt—along with Bronius himself—went rigid as a board. Their hair stood straight up on end, smoke curling lazily from their collars. For one second, they vibrated with a rhythmic, high-frequency hum…
*THUD*
Then, like a row of freshly felled timber, all twelve of them crashed face-first onto the cobblestone floor, completely unconscious, snoring softly as small electric sparks danced across their boots.
Silence descended upon Cafe Sonata once more. Heavy, absolute silence. Azure sighed, adjusting his jacket, muttering to himself, "And people wonder why I prefer Pokémon to humans sometimes."
Pikachu calmly lowered his tail, giving a single, satisfied squeak and bobbing his head in agreement with his trainer. Azure shrugged, his expression entirely apathetic as he said boredly, "Well. They startled my partner."
White, Black, Nemona, and the Blueberry Academy Elite Four stared at the smoking pile of Team Plasma grunts, then slowly turned their heads back to look at Azure. They all knew for a fact that was a lie.
*Sip*
Azure casually took a sip of his lukewarm latte, ignoring the existential dread slowly setting into his friends' minds. But White shook her head, ignoring the downed grunts as she grabbed his shoulders, shaking him, asking, "Azure! Do you have any idea what this means for the BW Agency? A Mythical Pokémon as a performer? We'd be international! We'd have a residency in Lumiose City by next week! Can she be hired? Please!!"
Azure defended himself, though he looked exhausted as he said, "We had a musical understanding. And she's a friend, White. Not a contract worker."
White cried, "She can be both!"
Black was staring at Azure's belt, his face turning a shade of red that matched his hat. He muttered in a tone of disbelief, "A Mythical Pokémon... and you didn't even have to weaken it? Azure, your 'aura' thing is cheating!!"
Zorua yawned, its telepathic voice ringing in everyone's heads, 'It's not cheating, it's vibes. The boss has 'Legendary Rizz,' as the kids say. You can't train that.'
Azure scolded, "Zorua! Don't use words you learned on the internet!'
Nemona was practically vibrating now as she asked and pleaded, "Wait, wait, wait! If you have a Mythical, that means... we have to battle! Pretty please! I've never fought a Meloetta! Does she use Relic Song in battle? Does she switch forms? Is she fast? I bet she's fast!"
Azure groaned, leaning his head against a pillar. He answered in a tired tone, knowing her insistence, "Nemona, she literally just told me she prefers to avoid battling if possible. She's a musician."
Nemona countered, "Everything is a battle if you try hard enough!"
Suddenly, the Azure's Gengar phased through the floor, holding a plate of stolen cream puffs from the cafe's kitchen. She looked at the fainted Plasma Grunts, looked at Bronius groaning in the doorway, and then looked at Azure.
Gengar chirped, "Hahaha! Check this out!"
*Tap*
She tapped Azure's Arc Phone, and a hologram projected into the air.
It was a live edit of the battle—or rather, the 'curtain call.' Gengar had already added goofy sound effects to the Plasma Grunts being shocked and had edited a tiny crown onto Pikachu's head. Rotom announced proudly, "Zzt! Gengar's video is already at 50,000 views! Team Plasma is being called 'The Castelia Crisps'! Zzt!"
Azure looked at his group—White was calculating potential profits on her fingers, Black was hyperventilating about his own lack of Mythicals, Nemona was trying to lure Pikachu into a sparring match with a piece of beef jerky, and the Blueberry Elite Four were debating the logistical implications of a trainer carrying a Master Ball in Unova.
In his pocket, the Master Ball hummed with a soft, melodic vibration. Meloetta's voice echoed in his mind, tinged with amusement: 'Azure…'
Azure thought back, a small smile tugging at his lips, 'I know, but they're good people. Mostly.'
Meloetta puffed her cheeks, turning her head away as she replied mentally, 'Hmph! I suppose they can stay. But tell the girl with the ponytail to stop looking at me like I'm a trophy. I am a Diva, not a prize-piece!'
Azure called out, "Hear that, Nemona? She said You're too intense."
Nemona cheered, completely unbothered about being too intense, "I've been told that before! It just means I'm winning!"
As the police arrived to cart away the toasted Plasma Grunts, Azure looked out the cafe window at the glowing skyline of Castelia. He had come to this region to win the league, to see new sights, and perhaps find some peace after his time as a Champion elsewhere.
Instead, he had a ghost making viral videos, a Mythical singer with an attitude, and a group of friends who were one cup of coffee away from starting a riot. Azure whispered to himself, petting the Pikachu on his shoulder, "Unova… It's never a dull moment, is it, buddy?"
Pikachu agreed, reaching for one of Gengar's stolen cream puffs. But asked annoyingly, "Pika-pika! Pikachu!! (You said it, buddy. But seriously, just how many Legends and Myths are we going to meet already? We only have 3 Badges at this point, and we meet almost half of them along the way!)."
Azure chuckled hearing his partner's words but didn't answer, only causing Pikachu to smack his head with his tail. The night was just beginning, and somewhere in the shadows of the city, Team Plasma was licking its wounds; Ghetsis was likely fuming, and a new song was being written in the heart of Castelia—one that would echo far beyond the borders of the region.
/////
A/N: Hope you like the chapter!