The clock struck one in the afternoon, and chaos reigned over Pallet Town's small park.
"Where are the Spearow plates?!" Gary's panicked voice echoed through the open field.
"I thought you had them!" Blue yelled back, crawling through the grass. "And where's the cloth that we're supposed to use to cover ourselves?"
"What cloth?!" Gary groaned, waving a half-crumpled cardboard wing. "We're supposed to perform in an hour, and everything's missing!"
Leyn could only sigh as he looked around from one corner to another, scanning the small stage they had built — an open grassy area with several sheets spread across the ground for people to sit on. It wasn't much, but it was their stage. Their pride.
"Guys, calm down! I saw the cloth earlier near the bench!" Leaf shouted, holding a stack of flyers she was about to throw away. "And the plates are under that big box, Gary!"
Gary froze, then slowly lifted the box beside him — revealing the missing props. "Oh."
Blue groaned and facepalmed. "You're hopeless."
"At least I found them!" Gary retorted.
Leyn couldn't help but laugh. "We're fine, we're fine. Let's just make sure everything's in place before people start showing up."
---
But the next problem came in a yellow, pouting package.
"Pika pi!" Pikachu huffed, turning its head away stubbornly.
"C'mon, Pikachu, just wear it," Leyn pleaded, holding up the little red cape and simple Pikachu mask they'd made for the show.
"Pika!"
"It's only for the opening scene!" Leaf said coaxingly, crouching down beside the electric mouse. "You can take it off once you start performing, promise."
Pikachu glared suspiciously at the two of them, then sighed dramatically — before snatching the cape and putting it on itself.
"Pika pika…" it muttered, clearly saying fine, but I don't like it.
Leyn grinned. "That's my partner!"
By 3:30 p.m., the first few families began arriving. Some parents carried mats, while children clutched Pikachu mask and small plushies. The air filled with chatter as the field slowly transformed into a lively little fairground.
Leyn blinked in disbelief. "There's… fifty people already?"
"Fifty-six, counting the ones still coming down the hill," Leaf said, eyes wide.
Gary's mouth hung open. "We were expecting, what, twenty people max?!"
Blue rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess the flyers worked too well."
Panic fluttered in Leyn's chest. He could see Professor Oak chatting with his parents near the back, Leaf's parents and grandmother waving, and even Daisy and the twins' mother seated elegantly on a picnic cloth. Every important adult they knew was here.
Leaf swallowed hard. "This just got real."
Leyn took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. "We've got this. Just like we practiced."
Then a sudden thought hit him. "Wait… we didn't prepare snacks or drinks for the audience."
The realization made him clutch his hair in despair. "I could've charged extra for that! What a waste of potential revenue!"
Leaf laughed, half-exasperated. "You're thinking about adding more problems now?"
"I can't help it!" he replied, grinning sheepishly. "Next time, I'm learning how to cook."
Leaf giggled. "You really are hopeless, Leyn."
---
By 4 p.m., the performance was about to start. The children were sitting on the front cloths while the adults relaxed behind them. Leyn borrowed his family's portable speaker and microphone, connecting it to a small battery pack they'd brought.
Leaf stood nervously in front, clutching the microphone. "U-Um… good afternoon, everyone!"
Her voice trembled, but she smiled brightly as the crowd quieted down. "We'd like to thank you all for coming to our first-ever performance — The Great Pikachu Show!"
Applause erupted, making her cheeks flush. "Today, we'll be showing a reenactment of the brave battle between a boy and his partner Pikachu… when they faced a ferocious Fearow!"
Leyn stepped forward in his usual clothes, bowing politely. Pikachu followed, wearing its tiny cape and mask. A few giggles came from the children, who whispered how cute it looked.
"Alright, Pikachu, let's start!"
"Pika!"
Leyn raised his hand dramatically. "Pikachu! Use Thunder Shock!"
Electric sparks flared from Pikachu's cheeks, and with practiced precision, it sent a brilliant yellow bolt skyward. The lightning bent into shape — forming a smiling Pikachu face glowing in the air.
The audience gasped in delight.
"Now! Quick Attack!"
Pikachu dashed across the small platforms set up on the grass, jumping gracefully from one to another, landing right before the lightning face.
"Thunder Wave!"
Electric ripples burst outward, surrounding Pikachu in a glowing aura that shaped into a jagged lightning bolt. The air buzzed, and then — flash! — the bolt burst upward, vanishing in a dazzling spark shower.
As the sparks faded, Pikachu landed on the soft grass, tore off the mask and cape mid-leap, and struck a heroic pose, shouting,
"Pika pika… Pikachu!!"
The crowd burst into applause.
---
Leaf's voice came through the microphone, steady now but slightly trembling.
"It was a peaceful day in Pallet Town… until the shadows of wings fell over the forest. A flock of Spearow — and their leader, the fearsome Fearow — attacked without warning…"
Two cardboard Spearows appeared, held up by Blue and Gary, who crouched under a large brown cloth. They flapped the props dramatically, making the children laugh.
"The boy and his Pokémon tried to flee," Leaf continued, her narration smooth and clear, "but his friend couldn't run fast enough… he had to make a choice. Protect or escape."
She hesitated, her voice catching slightly.
"…And to protect his precious friend, he chose to stand his ground."
The crowd murmured softly. Professor Oak smiled knowingly, while Rhea exchanged glances with Gerald. They could feel the sincerity — though Leaf was clearly blushing at her own slip of the tongue, hiding her face behind the paper.
---
On stage, Pikachu jumped as Leyn commanded, dodging the cardboard wings that Gary swung.
"Pikachu! Thunder Shock!"
A burst of light hit the "Spearow" prop, which shook violently before Blue dramatically made it collapse to the ground.
"One Spearow down!" Leaf announced, her voice full of excitement now.
The children clapped and cheered.
But as the second Spearow fell down , Leyn shouted, "Leaf! Run!"
The audience gasped, the children leaning forward as Leaf narrated the moment with rising emotion.
"He told his friend to run… but he knew that staying meant danger. He was already injured from protecting her… and yet…"
Pikachu faced the towering cardboard Fearow — nearly as tall as Leyn — held up proudly by both twins. The dramatic wind effect from a small portable fan only made it look more menacing.
> "This was their last stand!"
Leyn clenched his fists. "Pikachu! Thundershock— give it everything you've got!"
Pikachu gathered power, electricity swirling around it, lighting up the late afternoon.
"Piiiii… KAAAAA… CHUUUUUUUUU!!!"
The sound cracked through the air, the bright flash stunning everyone for a heartbeat. When the light faded, the cardboard Fearow had toppled backward with a loud thud.
For a moment, silence filled the park. Then, thunderous applause erupted.
"Bravo!"
"That was amazing!"
"The Pikachu really did that?!"
The children cheered wildly, waving their arms. Even the adults were smiling, impressed by the creativity and effort. Professor Oak's laughter rumbled warmly as Daisy clapped beside him.
Leaf bowed deeply, her cheeks red but her eyes sparkling. Gary and Blue waved their props proudly, while Pikachu jumped onto Leyn's shoulder, grinning wide.
Leyn took the microphone, bowing. "Thank you, everyone! That's the story of how Pikachu and I fought together to protect a friend!"
The audience clapped once more, some kids even running forward to ask to pet Pikachu.
---
After the show ended and people started to leave, the group huddled behind the stage, exhausted but overjoyed.
"We actually pulled it off…" Leaf said, still catching her breath.
Gary smirked. "Of course we did. We're amazing."
Blue grinned. "And rich soon, hopefully."
Leyn laughed, scratching Pikachu's head. "Maybe not rich yet, but definitely successful."
Then, with matching mischievous smiles, the four of them — Leyn, Leaf, Blue, and Gary — turned toward each other and whispered in unison,
"Our evil plan worked."
They broke into laughter, imagining the profit that they made. Pikachu joined them, letting out a triumphant "Pika-pi!" as if to say, marketing genius complete!, Good Food Secured!
---
From afar, Rhea smiled softly. "They really did it."
Gerald chuckled. "And to think, all this started from a little allowance problem."
Professor Oak nodded with pride. "Looks like Pallet Town's future is full of surprises."
Laughter, applause, and the occasional "Pika!" lingered in the air — a great ending to their first show.