"Greetings, everyone. Our class will present a short skit entitled: Daughter of the Sea. Please enjoy."
Furina, accompanied by the male lead Dawn and all their classmates, bowed towards the audience.
"LADY FURINA!!!"
The crowd burst into cheers. At some point, the auditorium had been packed to the brim with students and Pokemon. Like Pikachu, some of them had glow sticks in their hands. A group even had a large poster of her held up.
"...wow."
That was all Dawn could say as she beheld the scene in front of her. Furina on the side didn't change her smiling expression as the curtains began to close. But as she gazed at the front row seats, the smile on her face stiffened.
Dawn sensed a brief burst of malice from her partner. She followed her gaze, curious what made her so mad. And when she saw what Furina was looking at, she didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
With his head down on his seat, Dante slept, uncaring of the performance on stage. As the curtains closed, Dawn and Furina saw Focalors gently shaking Dante's shoulder to wake him up.
"Come on, everyone. Let's get into positions."
Furina smiled at Dawn, no trace of dissatisfaction on her face. If she hadn't felt the negative emotions from earlier, Dawn wouldn't have noticed anything wrong with her. As for why she could sense Furina's emotion…
Dawn entered the private dressing room made out of four curtains, her form shifting. Her height increased, her dark-blue hair turned white and red, and her face…became that of Dante's.
"Ugh, Dawn's lucky she has such a good friend."
Dante sighed as he took out the script from under his clothes. He flipped through from the middle of the pages, at the bookmark he left from where he last left off.
His increased IQ from all the Gummies he drank made his memory and calculation abilities very sharp. Although it's not a photographic memory, he can still easily memorize just 100 pages of script.
However, unbeknownst to both Dante and Dawn, when Dawn volunteered to be the male lead, Furina changed some parts of her script to show more intimacy between the 'male' and female lead.
Dante continued reading the script until a voice outside reminded him.
"Dawn, it's almost your turn."
"Coming!"
Dante replied, folding the page of the script at where he was at while his form shifted to Dawn. Luckily, he was able to easily replicate her voice, especially since she herself was maintaining a more masculine tone as practice for the male lead.
As he walked out of the room, he gazed at the stage where Furina was looking around in confusion.
The story which they were performing wasn't too complicated. It goes something like…
Once upon a time, there was a Brionne named Mylene who longed for the surface and the colorful human world. However, her father Kingdra expressly forbade her from going, stating that it was unsafe.
Mylene pleaded and pleaded, but Kingdra was unmoved. Angry at her father, Mylene stormed out of the palace, running away from her guards- Seadra and Corphish.
She wandered into a forbidden territory of the ocean and met the sea witch, Jellicent. Then, under her bewitchment, Mylene made a pact.
In exchange for her Pokemon identity and power, Jellicent will grant her a human body so she could fulfill her wish of walking in the world of land dwellers.
(All of the Pokemon's dialogue was voiced by Furina and her other classmates behind the scenes.)
Mylene, who was now played by Furina, woke up on the beach.
She stared at her arms, moving it around clumsily as if adjusting to her new body. She looked up at the blue skies, and stretched her hands to feel the gentle rays of the sun (stagelight) on her skin.
"I-is this, the surface?"
Furina's innocent voice made the audience hold their breath. Even her diehard fans tried to remain as silent as possible to hear everything she was saying, only waving the glow sticks wildly in the air.
She walked around the stage, her expression shifting from the initial confusion to wonder. Just at this moment, three rough looking guys marched towards her.
"Young lady, what are you doing out here in the middle of nowhere all by yourself?"
"Oh! Greetings, fellow human beings! Why, I came here on my own to admire this magnificent scenery!"
Furina showed an innocent smile, her bare feet drawing lines on the white sand.
"Then why don't you temporarily stay at our camp? The scenery there is also wonderful!"
"Is that so? How delightful! Please, lead the way, kind strangers."
"Keke, it's no trouble."
The three men grinned maliciously.
The scene shifted. Furina was led to a camp and saw two girls tied to a post. Now, even though she was naive, that doesn't mean Furina is stupid. She yelled at the three men who brought her here, her tone indignant.
"You dare trick me? Face the wrath of the sea!...huh?"
Furina stared uncomprehendingly at her hands. Then, she remembered- she gave her powers to the witch!
With only the body of a normal female human, Furina was unable to resist the three men. She sat on the ground as they grinned maliciously at her, her face twisted in terror.
"H-help. HELP! Please! Somebody, help!"
"Hehehe, it's useless, princess. We're in the middle of nowhere. Your screams would reach nobody!"
"Is that right?"
From behind the bushes, Dante appeared. A scabbard hung on his waist, and his tone was casual as he leisurely approached
"The Jericho brothers, kneel down and surrender. Your time of reckoning has come."
"Oh yeah? Let's see you reckon this!"
Dante sighed as the three charged towards him. Then, with a series of quick steps, he bypassed them, his sword flashing in the air. The three men paused, and fell simultaneously to the ground with a thud.
"My lady, there's no need to fret any longer. I am here."
"I-indeed."
Furina took the hand offered by 'Dawn', suppressing her inner shock. In their final rehearsal, Dawn's movement wasn't so smooth.
"...my saviour, may I have the honor of knowing your name?"
"Me? My name is Dandy. How about you, fair lady?"
"I'm Mylene. Thank you for saving me, Sir Dandy."
Thus first met Mylene and Dandy.
Dandy is an adventurer from the nearby city. With his help, Mylene was able to familiarize herself much faster in the human world. She also followed Dandy in his adventures to see more of the surface world.
"Here, I think this suits you."
"A hat?"
Mylene stared the large, blue hat given by Dandy. From its design and ornament, it must not have been cheap.
"Yes. After all, the weather has become scorching recently. It would be a shame if the sun ruined your smooth, fair skin."
"Hmph! You don't have to worry about that! …but thanks, anyway."
Mylene took the hat and put it on her head. She twirled in place for Dandy to see.
"How do I look?"
"...simply mesmerizing."
In time, the man and the woman formed a relationship beyond that of friendship…
"Mylene, will you be my eternal companion?"
"Oh, Dandy! Yes!"
Mylene rushed and embraced Dandy, tears of joy falling from her eyes as she stared foolishly at the silver ring on her ring finger.
A few months after Mylene's engagement, she experienced something called the season of drought. According to Dandy, it would soon pass, to be replaced by the cool season. However, after almost a year, the dry season still remained.
"Dandy, dear. Are you going out again?"
"Yes. I want to try my luck in the wild. This period of drought has gone on for much longer than anticipated. Crops have started to wither and food in the market has become scarcer and pricier."
"I see…take care of yourself."
One year. Two years. Three years passed. The dry season never disappeared, but the love Dandy and Mylene have for each other has never withered.
"Mylene, look! I obtained clean water from the caves!"...
"How is it, Dandy? This jacket should protect you from the hot weather."...
"Dandy! Are you alright?!"
"Ugh, I-I'm fine. The berries in the wild have also disappeared. Pokemon have become more and more aggressive."
"No way…"
However, even with their love, Dandy and Mylene's living condition worsened as the drought continued on. And not just them, every person in the city experienced the same.
Just as it seemed this suffering would continue on for years more to come, the ruler of the city shared with everyone the cause of this drought that was divined by the sage, Slowking.
Deep in the ocean, a Jellicent lies dormant.
With abilities from the princess of the sea,
Water energy, she devours like a torrent.
Her demise would the climate return, guaranteed,
Or the Pokemon turned human named Mylene.
Thus, the whole city started a fervent witch hunt. Every person named Mylene was brought to be tried. And when Mylene, played by Furina, learned the news, her face quickly turned ashen.
"What's the matter, dear? Don't fret, they wouldn't hurt you. The esteemed Slowking can prove your innocence with a single glance."
"D-dandy. It is me. They are searching for me."
"What?!"
There, Mylene finally told Dandy the truth. Of how she traded her identity and power to become human. However, she didn't even know her decision would lead to something like this.
Dandy didn't blame her. Instead, he prepared a bag of essential items, planning to run away with Mylene.
"R-run? But, what about the people?"
"Didn't Slowking say we can also solve the problem if Jellicent dies? There's no need for you to sacrifice yourself!"
"B-but-!"
Mylene had no time to rebut as Dandy grabbed her hand and ran away.
However, on their way out, they were discovered by his friends from the same Adventurer's guild who knew Dandy's wife is named Mylene. Dandy stayed behind to hold them back, giving Mylene the opportunity to escape.
—
"Is she here yet?"
"When will she get here?"
Dante knelt on the wooden floor, mobs holding pitchforks and torches surrounding him. His hands were tied behind his back. Even so, he gazed at the people around him with a fierce expression.
"She's not coming!"
Dante yelled, snarling.
"You're wrong…she's here."
At this time, a classmate dressed as an aristocrat pointed towards the side of the stage. There, Furina came over, a solemn expression on her face.
"Let him go. It is me that you want."
"No! Mylene!"
"Seize her!"
Furina closed her eyes. Then, it seemed as if time had stopped. The lights on the stage dimmed and the mobs froze in place. A single spotlight remained, one that only shined upon her. Furina opened her mouth, and her angelic voice resounded throughout the auditorium.
Ah, if I become one with the springs
Can the world's wonder be restored?
Will you forgive us our sins, dear mother?
She slowly walked forward, bypassing the frozen people. Then, she stood before Dante and freed him from his shackles.
The dancing water flows, so life can go on
It nurtures our city
And thee, my beloved
"But, what about your wish?"
Dante said, his voice trembling. He held Furina's cheeks as he stared deep into her eyes.
"My…wish?"
Furina's gaze turned dull. Then, her face broke out into a heart-wrenching smile. She kissed Dante on the cheeks and walked away.
Oh, if only true love was enough
Alas, I have to bid goodbye
Our love but a bittersweet fairytale
Specks of light flowed out from her body, and the spotlight increased in intensity.
And yet I am here, and here I shall remain
To behold the world in all its beauty
Until the end of time
At this time, the mob regained their ability to move. Furina gave them a final glance, before her body exploded into smoke. When it dispersed, all that was left of her on-stage was a blue hat.
A/N: I really REALLY recommend searching for la vaguelette on youtube to listen to the song and watch the video. Its title is 'Story Teaser: La vaguelette Genshin Impact', and yes, the real lyrics are in French. It's one of my favorite songs from Genshin. When I started writing this story, I always wanted to write a scene like this. And now, I have achieved that goal.