So I finally got my hands on Pokémon X and could not resist shipping my two favourite champions. Diantha has a sweet, sweet accent and you'll never take that belief away from me.
Apologies for any OOC moments.
Kalos was turning out to be Cynthia's worst nightmare.
The crowds on the streets of Lumiose City were bustling and noisy beneath the afternoon sun. Cynthia sighed. When the Pokémon League had sent her to Kalos on a forced vacation, she did not expect to be sent to a region she knew relatively little about. Although the Sinnoh League Champion was a well-travelled individual, Kalos was one region that had escaped her sights.
'"It will be relaxing," they said,' Cynthia thought to herself, glad for her height advantage amongst the mass of people. Several elbows, shoulders, and bags slammed into her with nary a look back as. 'A popular tourist destination in the middle of Summer. Arceus help me now.'
She never did do well with crowds. In Sinnoh, the public mostly knew to give her the space she needed. In Kalos however, whose natives either did not know or care about a prestigious title she held in a faraway region, the space she was much accustomed to was mercilessly invaded. Her discomfort only rose when the current of the crowd knocked her off-balance, leaving her to be swept with its tide. Defeated and unwilling to even try regain her bearings in a city that was far too large for its own good, she allowed herself to be pushed along until she was eventually shoved into a quaint café that was no less packed with people.
Fortune appeared to shine upon her in that moment as a man stood up from his small table and exited. She slipped through the throng of standing people to the empty seat, exhaling loudly when she could finally sit. A waiter weaved expertly through the bodies to take her order. She felt wildly out of place, her mouth making syllables she was definitely not used to as she reeled off a random adventurous flavour of coffee from the menu. Her pronunciation, no matter how butchered, sufficed, and the waiter bowed his head before turning on his heel.
'Yes, how relaxing, feeling completely out of control,' Cynthia mused, observing the people who stood holding their coffee. The blonde had nothing but respect for the staff; having to work in such a hectic environment was her idea of hell. As she waited for her order, she picked up a dessert menu, perusing it intently. It was no secret that the Sinnoh Champion had the most fervent sweet tooth.
"Excuse me, is this seat free?" A female voice asked, the distinct Kalosian lilt clear in her words. Cynthia looked up to see a tall woman in a black long coat, her eyes covered by sunglasses, a wide brim hat matching the colour of her coat adorning her head. A red neck scarf rested on the pale smooth skin of her throat. In her hands she held a large mug of coffee.
Though Cynthia's mood was less than favorable for chit chat with strangers, she didn't believe it to be her right to turn the woman away when the café was packed with people. "Of course," she said, placing the menu aside. The waiter swung by the table, setting the blonde's steaming coffee in front of her before departing.
The woman gave her a dazzling smile that Cynthia was not expecting in the slightest, and for a moment her heart lurched. It would be a lie if she said she was not immediately hooked.
Although she wished to engage in conversation, the Sinnoh Champion decided against it, choosing instead to retrieve the overpriced Kalos guidebook she had been sold on one of the streets. She had been in the region for three days out of the two weeks paid for by the League, and her entire experience thus far had proven to be a whirlwind of stressful activity. She wasn't sure that she had felt even a little relaxed at all. Most of her time was spent being pushed around in the streets of Lumiose City.
"Oh, forgive me, but are you a tourist?" The stranger's soft voice asked. Cynthia looked up from the guidebook to see the corners of her mouth upturned in what she assumed was amusement. She reflected the expression.
"Yes. Painfully obvious, isn't it?" She responded amiably, smiling fully when the stranger laughed.
The woman raised a thick, sculpted eyebrow. "Well, I wouldn't say that. Though your accent has given you away now, but I can't quite place it… where are you from?"
Cynthia took a sip of her drink, which she actually found to be rather nice, before answering. "I live in the Sinnoh region quite a way north of here, and generally a lot colder."
The woman lowered her glasses, revealing for the first time her blue eyes as they regarded Cynthia. The blonde could almost feel the gaze caressing her face and felt uncharacteristically nervous. The dark-haired woman smiled, looking around before taking off the glasses completely, folding them, and placing them on wooden table. "I have never had the pleasure of visiting, though I'm sure it's a fine place. Here in Kalos we have our cold areas too. Have you visited Snowbelle City?"
"Not yet. I've only been here for three days. There seems to be endless things to do in Lumiose City and not enough time to do them all in," Cynthia explained, tracing a fingertip around the rim of her mug. Her finger abruptly stopped its circular motion. "I'm sorry, I haven't even introduced myself. I'm Cynthia."
The woman seemed hesitant to respond. She glanced around the café anxiously before replying. "I am Diantha. Forgive my disguise, I'm trying to keep a low profile."
"Am I speaking to a fugitive?" The blonde asked, eliciting another melodic laugh from the woman.
"No, no, nothing of the sort," Diantha said. She lowered her voice to a soft whisper, and Cynthia had to lean in close to hear properly. "I am an actress, believe it or not. I don't mean to sound full of myself, but my face is plastered everywhere in this city. It's not always a good thing; this is my favourite café, and as much as I love my fans, sometimes I want a quiet coffee."
Cynthia, feeling her sense of control and cool head return for the first time since she visited the Kalos region, nodded in understanding. They sat in a comfortable silence for a while. The café began to empty as the lunchtime rush subsided. The blonde cocked her head. "Do you have Pokémon?"
"Yes. I'm actually the League Champion here too," Diantha admitted, "I hope you believe me. I can show you my ID if you'd like. I'm really not full of myself, I promise."
Cynthia, though surprised, took the revelation in her stride with a laugh. "No ID is needed, but you must excuse my lack of awareness. I haven't seen you at any of the League Conferences."
"My busy schedule often means I can't attend," Diantha said. "If I'm not on set filming then I'm at an event or gala of some sort. My manager prefers me to focus on my career rather than optional conferences."
Cynthia waited.
"Oh…" The Kalos Champion said, the word drifting off into space as she comprehended what Cynthia had revealed. "So I'm talking to the Champion of the Sinnoh region? Quite the coincidence that we met here, no? I'm honoured."
"The honour is all mine," Cynthia replied smoothly, looking into the other woman's eyes and revelling in the blush that graced the actress' cheeks.
"You're here on vacation," Diantha stated, waiting for a moment to see if she would be corrected. When Cynthia remained silent with only a nod of affirmation, she continued: "Yet you seem stressed."
The blonde wondered how she knew before recalling the sight of herself in the mirror before she had set off for the day. She had barely slept, and had found out the hard way that Lumiose City was definitely a city of noise that had no intention of quieting down, even in the early hours. Dark circles hung under her eyes, and her clothes and hair were probably dishevelled from fighting with the general public for hours on end.
"It was the League that forced me to come here. Apparently I work too much. Many strong trainers challenged the Sinnoh League recently and made it all the way to me. I only took the break for the sake of my Pokémon, overworking them would make me unfit for the role of a trainer, let alone a Champion," Cynthia said, "but I'd rather have chosen the destination myself. That way I could have pursued my own interests."
"Which are?"
"Mythology, mostly. There was a situation in my region two years ago that required my knowledge. Since then, I've dedicated myself to all kinds of mythology; it might be useful again someday."
Diantha furrowed her brow. "You know, Kalos has its share of interesting mythology too. It'd be a shame for you to miss it whilst you're here." She pulled up her coat sleeve and checked the expensive-looking watch on her delicate wrist, frowning. "I have to go now or I'll be late for a photoshoot. Listen, I know we barely know each other, but I have a free day next Monday. I could show you some things around Kalos that the guidebook doesn't talk about. Lumiose City is only the surface of what Kalos has to offer."
"I'd love to," Cynthia said, feeling glad for the help, and also glad for the opportunity to see the fellow Champion again.
"Brilliant!" Diantha said excitedly, clapping her hands together. "I'll meet you here at say, seven-thirty in the morning?"
"That sounds great," the Sinnoh Champion replied, "thank you, really."
"I'll see you then," Diantha concluded, retrieving her purse and setting down a wad of paper notes. She then stood from her seat, the action mirrored by Cynthia, and grasped the woman's hand. Before Cynthia could think about how soft the touch was, Diantha leaned in, planting a gentle kiss on both cheeks. She laughed at the blonde's bewildered and quickly reddening face. "This is how we say hello and goodbye in Kalos, my dear Cynthia," she teased, "You mean to tell me that I'm your first? How lucky I am." She winked before putting her glasses back on, scraping her chair back and exiting the café in what seemed like a single fluid motion. She merged with the crowd outside instantly.
Cynthia sat down, mind clouded by an intoxicating scent and a rapidly growing attraction. She called over the waiter to order another overpriced coffee.
Perhaps Kalos was not such a nightmare after all.
This might have another chapter or two if I feel inspired. Or if you want it.