When we last left our heroes, they had arrived in Hearthome City, where they befriended Leila, one of Dawn’s mentors. When Ash explains to Leila that the tale of the Melodic Warriors is coming true, Leila is skeptical. Ash decided to check her for powers, but his spell gets interrupted…

Episode 16: Eight Melodies Together

“Leila, this is Ash–the budding Pokemon Master I’ve been telling you about.” Dawn explained.

“Nice to meet you–I heard about your Nick Dragonswift routine in the Wallace Cup.” Leila began. “Bummer that I had to miss that.”

“Pleased to meet you, Leila.” Ash smiled as he shook the deep red haired girl’s hand. “I had a lot of fun with that costume.”

“Leila’s become one of my closest friends on the contest circuit.” Dawn explained. “But I’m really worried about all the attacks that have been happening around the four regions.”

“I’m not about to say the old story of the amulet is coming true…I need a little proof rather than some hearsay.” Leila began.

“Would you believe me if I showed you my ring?” Ash started, showing Leila the ring that had set the adventure in motion.

Leila examined the ring for a moment. “It’s a start…I’d rather see the warriors of the story for myself.”

“Then close your eyes.” Ash asked. Leila reluctantly complied as Ash laid his hands on her back and softly sang “Take a melody…”

Just then, Misty felt the ground shaking. “Do you guys sense something coming this way?”

“No, why?” Brenna asked.

“Augh!!!!” Leila screamed as she opened her eyes and watched a large Kadabra lumber into the Contest Hall square, interrupting Ash’s concentration and breaking his discerning spell. At the same time, Dawn raced from the building, awed, afraid, and confused as to what was happening.

Ash, however, got an idea: What if he were to somehow check Dawn for powers at the same time he re-checked Leila? The Kadabra looming over them meant that the outdoors was not the best of locations to test his theory. “Everyone! Inside!” he called before addressing Dawn. “I’ll explain when we get inside.”

In the Contest Hall…

“So the story of the musical fighters is true?” Dawn gasped.

“Yeah…” Leila replied. “Ash was in the middle of checking me for powers when that Kadabra came!”

“So why don’t we find out if both you and Leila both have powers?” Misty asked.

Dawn was unsure. “It won’t hurt, will it?”

“Nah…all Ash will do is lay his hands on you while your eyes are closed and sing something.” Leila replied. “He did it to me, and I’m just fine!”

“Well…that Kadabra showing up made my discerning power unable to work because Leila opened her eyes after I had sang.” Ash explained. “So let me try again on both of you.” With that, he laid one hand on Lelia and his other hand on Dawn as they both closd their eyes. Once sure he would not be interrupted again, he softly sing Take a melody…

Everyone gasped as Leila glowed purple and sang Sing a melody of… as an amethyst ring appeared on her right hand.

Love, oh love. Dawn replied to Leila’s melody as a citrine ring appeared on her left hand.

Kaichou smiled. Finuri…eight melodies all here! she cried in garbled English. Now questo need begin.

“Can the quest wait long enough for us to shoo this Kadabra off before it damages Amity Square?” Brock asked, gesturing to a window, where the Kadabra was charging a Psybeam aimed directly at the square.

“Good point…” Leila agreed. “Although…how exactly are we supposed to access our new magic power?.”

“Try saying something related to darkness.” Ash suggested. “I’ll transform and distract it while you two transform.” With that, he lifted the hand with his ring on it into the air: “Melodic Power! Fever!”

[BGM: Super Mario Land-Chai]

Although his eyes were closed to protect them from the light surrounding him, he could feel himself changing–changing into something more powerful. Furthermore, he could not feel his own clothes on him any more, but he assumed that he was receiving new ones, ones better suited for driving away monsters and rogue Pokemon.

A deep blue shirt appeared first, followed by what looked like a red vest at first, but it soon lengthened itself to come down to Ash’s knees. Some gold swirls completed the look. Some black leggings appeared on his legs, with a pair of boots appearing on his feet afterwards. For the finishing touch, Ash’s cap turned into a red bandanna decorated with the same gold swirls his vest was.

[Cut BGM]

“Cool costume!” Leila commented as Ash raced outside seconds before the Kadabra unleashed its attack. She saw him unleash a Ruby Spark into the wave of rainbow energy, directing it away from Amity Square.

“Since I probably hold the song piece of light, I’m going to try…” Dawn started as she lifted the hand with her ring on it into the air. “Melodic Power! Shine!”

[BGM: Kirby's Block Ball-Stage 1]

Dawn glanced around at the yellow cocoon of light surrounding her and protecting her–was she truly changing like Ash had? A white bathing suit-like outfit appeared on her first, with some yellow trim appearing seconds later. The bottom half of the “bathing suit” gained another layer of yellow material to form a skirt, with yellow ruffles decorating the top half soon after. Some long gloves appeared on her hands, and some small shoes with a yellow heart charm on them appeared on her feet, finishing the look.

[Cut BGM]

“Your turn, Leila.” Brock smiled. “Let’s see what your costume looks like.”

“Okay…” Leila swallowed hard and lefted the hand with her ring on it into the air. “Melodic Power! Night!”

[BGM: Mega Man 5 (NES)-Dark Man]

A night sky twinkling with stars met the purple cocoon that held Leila inside. She reached out to grab a star as a purple shirt and a moon print vest appeared. A black skirt with a moon charm on it appeared next, with black leggings and shoes appearing on her legs and feet. A shooting star nestled itself in her hair, creating a headband of stars. To complete the look, some knuckle-like gloves decorated with shooting stars appeared on her hands.

[Cut BGM]

“All right!” Leila was impressed as she admired her costume. “I’m meeting Dawn outside!” she called to the others as she hurried outside, where Dawn and Ash were struggling with the Kadabra. Ash fired a burning spinner from his weapon, while Dawn landed a hard kick at the psychic Pokemon, making it stumble backwards.

“Leila, perfect timing–yipe!” Dawn started as she jumped away from a Psybeam. “Could you help us out here?”

“Sure!” Leila smiled as she formed a ball of darkness energy in her hands. “I’m going to protect you under cover of the night!” With that, she called “Darkness Shroud!” sending two energy balls as Ash and Dawn…

[BGM: Super Paper Mario-An Unrivaled Battle]

Dawn gasped as a purple aura surrounded her, making the Psybeam that the Kadabra had just fired at her just bounce off of her. She realized what Leila’s attack was doing–protecting her and Ash, and at the same time, bouncing back what attacks that were aimed at them back at the Kadabra.

“We’re–we’re invincible!” Ash gasped as the others hurried outside as he watched the Kadabra writhe in pain from its own attacks. Seconds later, he felt his aura starting to flicker and disappear, leaving him vulnerable again.

“You were saying?” Misty skeptically asked as Dawn’s aura started to fade…

To Be Continued…

o^-^o: Is Leila’s power not strong enough? Will the power of all eight Warriors be needed? Don’t miss Episode 17 on this Web site next week!