New Beginnings - Chapter 174 (Patreon)

A.N: For those unaware and not in the discord, I recently had surgery and had been dealing with some medical issues these past few weeks. Surgery is over with and I'm feeling much better now. Expect another chapter within 24 hours. :)Song mentioned at the end of the chapter incase you'd like to listen to it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXukrO-yF7g-----------------------------It was one of the first warm days of the year, a rarity for the early spring, but blessed all the same. Ethan held a hand to his brow, blocking out the high-noon sun as he gazed at the fluffy white clouds roaming about the brilliant blue sky. Today’s weather couldn’t have been more perfect, as today was the day he’d been working on for the better part of a week. 

Ever since his date with Joyce, he’d been doing his normal rounds around the ranch, doing what was needed and what work had fallen behind as he’d just returned from his trip with Cynthia to the ruins. Aside from his normal errands, he’d been planning out his upcoming and so far  unannounced summer camp. While he was confident that he could at least impart wisdom for pokemon care into some new trainers, he needed to draw said trainers in to teach them. 

Hence, the music video. 

Ethan abandoned the view of the blue sky and looked at what was placed right in front of him. The entirety of his and his pokemon’s musical instruments, an open beautiful meadow with spring flowers just beginning to blossom, and his excited or nervous pokemon and friends waiting to begin. All of the pokemon at the ranch, even Joyce’s, James’, and Jessie’s were invited for their fifteen minutes of fame, no matter if they could play an instrument or not. 

Surprisingly, the most excited out of the human bunch was Jessie. As soon as she heard that potentially a hundred thousand people would see her in an ‘advertisement’ she was all hands on deck and micromanaging. 

Jessie, unlike the others, was standing by Ethan’s side like she was his business partner, scanning the assembled pokemon with a critical eye. “I don’t know if they have what it takes, Ethan.”

He slid his eyes over to her, unimpressed. “Did someone put you in charge? Shouldn’t you be with them? You don’t even know what I’m actually planning.”

Jessie completely ignored everything he said and called out to James, who was squished between his Carnivine and Wobbuffet all while doing his best to fend off the friendly plant. “James! Line’em up nice and proper! Let’s see what we’re working with!” 

As James slithered away from his overly loving pokemon and got to work, Jessie hemmed and hawed, eyes still scanning the ‘talent’ before her. She dropped her voice so they could speak in private. “So…” She ran a hand through her long, gravity defying hair. “What are we actually doing?” 

Ethan, for a brief moment, debated whether or not to throw her ass into the pile of pokemon lining up and having her fend for herself. In the end, he simply went with the flow. “We’re making a music video.” 

“I see. I see…” Jessie nodded, looking down at her… clipboard? When did she get a clipboard? “And for those of us in attendance who are unaware of what a music video is—not me, of course. Can you fill them in?”

With a slowly turning body, Ethan fully faced Jessie, who studiously studied her clipboard’s blank piece of paper. After a long awkward silence, the pokemon were lined up and waiting. “Please tell me you have proper music videos here.”

“We have live performances. They’re recorded, but I don’t think that’s what you’re talking about, right?” Joyce called out as she abandoned her place in line, coming up beside them. 

Quickly, Ethan thought back on all of the pokemon music he’d heard and seen since his arrival. Now that he thought about it, they didn’t really have music videos in the way he was used to. They had live performances, and also performances where the studio quality soundtrack was played atop a video of a live performance or staged production, but nothing like a classic music video from Earth where… random shit was happening pretty often.

“Well, what I am thinking of is more like scenes and cuts of all of us doing things? Like dancing and singing? Or perhaps just showing all the pokemon doing things around Berry Falls as the music plays?” Ethan looked at his laptop and Porygon, which was lying on the chair he’d dragged out into the meadow from his kitchen. “You said you could do that kinda stuff, right? Like, video editing and making the sound quality better?” 

Porygon let out a digital bleat that was incomprehensible to understand, but kicked his legs and twisted his head in a twirl of acknowledgement.

“Okay then.” Ethan clapped and turned towards the menagerie. “First and foremost, what song are we choosing? Chatot. Meloetta. Go ahead and choose. You’re both the most musically inclined. Remember, the song doesn’t have to be about teaching people. This is more like an advertisement. It’s just something catchy or showy to bring in the eyes.” 

Before the two musical pokemon gathered to collaborate, he added one final point to remember while dangling his phone for them to take. “And this is all for fun. This isn’t supposed to be a chore. Pick something we can have fun with.”

The two poke squad deliberated for only a few seconds, before Lotad waddled forward with a cheer to join in on the pick of songs. Soon enough, the two man squad was the entire ranch alongside the wild pokemon who called his ranch home. Caterpie crept forward, Starly and Pidgey fluttered down, and even Metapods and Wurmples came on by to join the now massive group of pokemon huddled around his phone. 

“How many songs do you even have on your phone?” James asked while stepping up to the human side of the giant pile of beings in the meadow. Joyce arrived with Chansey in tow, who seemed to be the only pokemon not interested in helping pick the song. 

“A lot. Well over five-hundred, closer to a thousand probably. Most of them aren’t suitable for… younger audiences.” Ethan answered. He waved over Joyce so she’d stand by his side, which caused her to crack a slight smile. She was going to stand by James if he hadn’t. Jessie snickered, but didn’t tease her anymore than that. 

“I don't know what song Chatot and Meloetta want to sing for the video. Chatot will sing everything, but Meloetta usually just enjoys the music without joining in. It’s weird that she can sing, but not speak.” Ethan stopped when the hoard of pokemon separated like the red sea, letting Chatot and Meloetta come out to show him their pick.

Ethan grabbed the phone from Meloetta as Chatot fluttered up to his shoulder and tapped one of her talons onto the song selection. After reading the song, he raised an eyebrow. “Oh! A classic! Good choice. Which one of you are going to sing it? I don’t think I’ve heard a female cover before, but I bet it’d sound good.” He asked, earning pointed stares in reply. 

Looking around, Ethan saw everyone—people and pokemon, staring at him in question. Then, it clicked. “Wait, me?! I thought I was going to play the guitar!”

“Why wouldn’t you be singing? It’s your ranch and you’re the one who's going to be giving little lessons, right?” James asked, as if Ethan was in the wrong. 

“I have two perfectly good singers right here! What are they going to do for the video, just dance?” Ethan asked, instantly earning nods from Chatot and Meloetta. 

“The videos where you’re singing had the most views online. It would make the most sense for you to be singing for your video.” Jessie stated, in marketeering mode. “What song is it? Is it upbeat?”

Ethan opened his mouth to say no, but then faltered a bit. “Well, it depends. You can jam to it, but I wouldn’t necessarily call it upbeat. It has a tad of the screaming you guys don’t really like so much, but it’s toned down significantly.” He looked towards the pokemon. “Did you guys pick this because you know I would like the song?” 

“Pachi!” Pachirisu was the first to shout the affirmative while throwing up a little-big wave.  

Ethan looked at the title again. “I’m not sure Diary of Jane is what we’re really aiming for. I’m not sure a lot of people would like it. Did you guys have any others?”

Meloetta reached over and pointed at the new playlist, tapping it to open it. Before he even read through the handful of songs inside, he immediately vetoed the second and third. “There’s a zero percent chance I am doing Limp Bizkit or Linkin Park. Limp Bizkit would be even worse than Breaking Benjamin and I am not going to sully Chester’s spirit with my poor rendition of his songs in a completely different world.”  

Then, he read the fourth in the playlist. “Passion Pit? Are you making fun of me? I think your confidence in my singing is much higher than it should be if you’re not.” 

“Oh? What’s that one sound like?” Joyce asked, leaning in to read from the phone as well. Ethan clicked play, letting her hear the falsetto in full force. She snorted and laughed, and he didn’t blame her. 

“Oh yeah, not to be mean, but that’s definitely not your style.” James agreed with a nodding Jessie.

“Serious singing! You never serious sing! You can do it!” Chatot swatted his head in chastisement with her feathery wing. 

“I serious sing all the time! Stop hitting me or I’ll hit you back!” Ethan shielded his head from Chatot’s gentle assault. Not that it was a very effective deterrent in the first place. 

“No you won’t. Sing with emotion! Try very hard! Like when alone!Try now!” Chatot ceased her barrage and pointed to the phone. “Sing! ♫ Chatoooot! ♫” 

Smeargle, having heard something within that last bit of pokespeak, took the cord from Ethan’s guitar amp and plugged it into the laptop, turning it into an audio speaker. Porygon, having already transitioned all of the songs from Ethan’s phone onto it, pressed play, and a different song began to play. 

Ethan recognised it. The song was on his phone afterall. “You’re really putting me on the spot here.” 

While he did try to sing with Chatot, Meloetta, and everyone when the opportunity arose, he did know what Chatot was talking about. Everyone who sang in front of people knew that you needed a lot of confidence to get really into it. There’s not any room for embarrassment when singing. A lot of the songs he sang around the ranch with other people around were songs he typically wouldn’t sing if given the choice. He liked them, but they weren’t his favorites by a long shot. Even the songs he sang to Meloetta on his trip weren’t really giving it his all. They were attempts at best. Those songs just didn’t vibe with his voice either. They, human and pokemon, didn’t typically like his type of music, so he listened to it with his headphones to save them from the sounds.

The opening line from Sleep Theory’s - Static, the scream, rang about across the meadow from the amp-turned-speaker. Seeing as he was being peer pressured by his own damn pokemon, he squared his shoulders and jumped into the song. It helped that the amp was much louder than his little pill-speaker, letting it mask hearing his own voice fully. 

♫ In my head, but I don't know Light it up and watch it go I shut it out, but it all comes back again. Every day, it takes control Even worse when im alone Cant turn it off cause it just gets louder. ♫

♪ So turn it off ‘cause I’m losing my mindAre the voices and these noises all I can find?Is it real? Can I keep up the fight?When the static pushes back and there’s nowhere to hide? ♪

Ethan coughed, waved down Porygon, then the music lowered to a much quieter volume. “Alright, there. Are you happy?” 

He didn’t finish the song, but he tried his damn best for the start of it. Now, he was feeling just a bit self-conscious. 

James’ hand wrapped around his shoulders, sending Chatot fluttering to the ground. He leaned in peering close to Ethan’s face. Ethan peeled back, now uncomfortable from how close the man was getting to him. “That’s the one…” He nodded slowly, a smile slowly stretching across his face. “That was amazing!”