The Performance now over only leaving laughter and chatter as it fades into the distance. What was once an open field full of chatter and applause was now a calm, messy stage scattered with props, cardboard, and a few stubborn pieces of tape stuck to the cloth-covered grass.
Leyn wiped a bead of sweat off his forehead, his grin wide as he looked at the aftermath of their first "performance." Beside him, Pikachu was still proudly puffing out his chest, tail wagging slightly.
Leaf stretched her arms, her voice still hoarse from narrating. "That went… way better than I expected."
Gary smirked, kicking one of the fake cardboard Fearows gently. "You mean you didn't expect to almost cry during your own story?"
Leaf turned red immediately. "I did not! It was just... uh... good acting!"
Blue chuckled, setting down a rolled-up backdrop. "Sure, Leaf. Good acting. You totally didn't almost say 'precious' again."
"W-wha— I didn't!"
Their teasing echoed across the field until the sound of approaching footsteps drew their attention. Turning toward the path, they saw a familiar group walking their way — Professor Oak leading the adults with a warm smile. Behind him were Rhea and Gerald, followed by Leaf's parents, Blue and Gary's mother, and Daisy waving brightly.
"Looks like the audience came back for an encore," Gary muttered under his breath, brushing off his hands quickly.
Professor Oak was the first to speak, his expression full of pride. "That was quite the performance, all of you. You managed to turn a simple open field into something that truly captivated everyone."
Rhea smiled as she bent down to Leyn's level. "You did wonderfully, dear. It wasn't flashy, but you captured the hearts of the audience. That's true showmanship."
Gerald nodded in agreement. "And with only simple equipment too. I'm impressed, son. You really know how to use what you have."
Leaf's parents approached next, smiling proudly. "Leaf, we're so proud of you. You spoke so clearly in front of everyone, and that emotion in your voice—it made people feel something."
Leaf blushed and looked down, trying to hide her smile. "Th-thank you… I was just doing my best…"
Blue and Gary's mom stepped forward, chuckling softly. "You two did a great job too. Those cardboard Fearows looked surprisingly scary! And your timing was perfect—it really felt like a real battle."
Hearing that, the two boys scratched their heads in embarrassment. "We just kinda... went with it," Blue admitted.
Then, as if on cue, Pikachu stepped forward, puffing his chest out and raising a paw dramatically. "Pika pika—Pikachu!" he declared proudly, voice ringing clear.
The parents blinked in surprise for a moment before bursting into laughter.
Professor Oak chuckled, resting a hand on his cane. "A fine representative, I see. Truly the heart of the show."
The kids laughed too, with Leyn patting Pikachu's head proudly. "Of course! He's our star performer."
"Let's help you clean up this area," Professor Oak offered kindly. "You all must be tired after today's success."
The children eagerly nodded, and soon, everyone was moving around—parents folding the soft cloths laid out for the audience while the kids gathered the props and stage pieces. Rhea and Gerald neatly packed the folded cloths into a crate while the rest of the parents carried off the cardboard props and backdrops.
By the time the sun had fully dipped below the horizon, the once-busy field was clean again, save for a single wooden table in the middle where the children gathered, sitting close together in the gentle twilight.
Leyn grinned and placed a small box on the table with bold letters scribbled on top:
"Entry Fee — 20 Poké per person."
"Moment of truth," he said, opening the box dramatically. Inside was a modest pile of coins, shimmering faintly under the setting sun. "Let's count!"
They started sorting and stacking, the clinking sound of coins filling the quiet air. Leaf counted carefully, Blue did the math in his head, and Gary tallied the totals on a small notepad.
When they were done, they all leaned over the table, blinking in disbelief.
"...Wait," Leaf said slowly, "this doesn't make sense."
Leyn tilted his head. "Yeah. The number of people who came was around 70. With families of three or four, that's roughly fourteen hundred Poké total…"
"But this is sixteen hundred," Gary finished, holding up the notepad. "There's an extra two hundred PokéDollar here."
The group exchanged confused glances.
"Did someone miscount?" Blue asked.
"I triple-checked," Leaf replied.
"Maybe someone dropped their money by accident?"
Gary shrugged. "Or maybe it's a tip?"
At that, everyone turned toward him.
"A tip?" Leyn repeated, blinking.
Gary nodded, grinning. "Yeah! Like, you know—'thank you for the show' kind of thing. Happens at street performances sometimes."
Leyn frowned, then noticed something at the bottom of the box—a small folded note. He picked it up carefully, opening it. The handwriting was clumsy and uneven, clearly written by a child.
"'Thanks for the show! It was fun! I wanna have a Pikachu like that too!'"
There was a moment of silence.
Then, all of them burst out laughing.
Leaf clutched her stomach. "Haha! Even the kids want their own Pikachu now!"
Pikachu crossed his little arms smugly, nose held high. "Pika pika!"
Blue smirked. "He's not gonna stop bragging about that for days, is he?"
"Definitely not," Gary said, laughing.
After they calmed down, Leyn started dividing the money into four equal piles. "Well, it looks like we made 1600 Poké total, so that's 400 each!"
Blue blinked. "Wait… seriously?"
Gary frowned slightly. "You're giving everyone the same amount?"
Leyn looked confused. "Uh, yeah? Why not?"
Leaf tilted her head. "Well, technically, you were the one who did most of the organizing… and Pikachu's the star. We just helped out."
Blue nodded. "You could take a bigger share. That's what most people would do."
Leyn blinked at them, his expression shifting to a half-serious, half-exasperated look. "Bruh…"
He crossed his arms dramatically and leaned back. "Money's money. Sure, it's important—but this," he said, tapping the coins lightly, "this is proof that we did something together. That we worked hard and actually *made* something. You can't put a price on that."
The others fell silent for a moment, surprised by his tone.
Gary whistled softly. "You know, you sound surprisingly mature sometimes."
Leyn smirked. "Of course I am but Well, I do need money!"
That made everyone burst out laughing again.
After a moment, Leyn leaned forward, his expression softening. "But seriously—this money isn't just for the show. It's our first project together. A memory that shows what we can do when we put our ideas together."
Leaf smiled. "You're right… It was fun. Stressful, but fun."
Blue nodded. "And surprisingly successful."
Gary crossed his arms, grinning. "Yeah. We actually pulled it off."
Pikachu raised his paw again and cheered proudly, "Pika pika Pikachu!"
Leyn chuckled. "Alright, team. So, now that our first 'business venture' is done—what's next?"
Leaf blinked. "Next?"
"Yeah!" Leyn said, eyes gleaming with excitement. "Think about it! We could add new stuff next time—like a food corner! Or souvenirs! Maybe handmade plushies or Pikachu cookies!"
Gary grinned mischievously. "You just want more ways to earn money, don't you?"
Leyn shrugged, smiling slyly. "Maybe. But it's not just that! Imagine it—we could make it a real event. A festival, even! People could come by, eat snacks, watch shows, play games!"
Leaf clapped her hands together. "That… actually sounds really fun."
Blue nodded thoughtfully. "We could even ask the other kids to join next time. The more people, the better the show."
"Exactly!" Leyn said, slamming his fist into his palm. "More people means more hands to help—and more ideas! We'll make it even better!"
Pikachu bounced excitedly. "Pika!"
As the excitement buzzed between them, the warm breeze carried the sound of distant laughter and the scent of fresh grass. The field that once held their first show now felt like the beginning of something bigger.
Leaf smiled softly. "You know… I think this might be the start of something special."
Leyn nodded firmly. "It is." He looked at each of them—their faces glowing in the faint twilight. "Next time, we'll make it even grander."
"Yeah!" the others echoed together.
And as the stars began to appear overhead, the four of them—plus one proud Pikachu—sat around their little table, dreaming of the next performance that they would do.
None of them realized it yet, but this was how it always started—one small idea.