It Takes Two
"Remember to come back down to the lobby at 1:30. Please, note the time change! We do not want to make Diantha wait!" Heath bellowed.
Cress internally winced. Of the five other connoisseurs traveling with him, he disliked Heath the most. He was as loud as he was old.
The six were still standing relatively close to one another. It's like he was trying to prove the stereotype that everyone from Unova was loud and obnoxious.
Not wanting to start an unnecessary argument, Cress agreed and made his way to his room. The soft blue and golden scheme eased his mind, allowing him to focus on the evaluations ahead of him. While any of the people he was potentially going to evaluate would be great, he had high hopes that Siebold would choose him.
The previous year's international leader meet left him with a deep admiration for the water master. He didn't have a chance to speak with him then, but he had witnessed some of his battles. This time would be different –hopefully.
Arriving on the fifth floor, he was quick to unpack his things. Even though he had plenty of time on his hands, he planned on using most of that to fit in a small nap. Thanks to hardly sleeping the night prior, and the nine-hour flight, his body was desperate for rest.
Releasing Panpour from his poké ball, the two moved about, getting Cress's things in order. Once everything was to their liking, they headed out onto the balcony. The Prism Tower stood tall in the distance, and the warm breeze carried the smell of the city with it. "I could get used to this view," Cress said as he and Panpour sat on the couch. Taking in the warmth, the two easily drifted into sleep.
An hour later, the two awoke with time to spare. Showering, and putting on a suit, he then called Panpour into the bathroom. "Let's wash your paws," he said. The water pokémon was more than happy to oblige, leaping onto the countertop. "Remember to stay on my shoulder all night, alright?"
Panpour gave a few squeaks of acknowledgement. Once his paws were dried, he did as instructed.
"It's so lovely to have most of my dear gym leaders and elite four members here, today. The weather forecast is looking to be in our favor for the week! I couldn't have asked for a better time for our lovely connoisseurs to join us in Kalos!" Diantha spoke, her calming voice filling the ballroom.
"Now, it's up to the gym leaders and elite four to decide who they want to evaluate them. Enough of us are here to allow each connoisseur to evaluate two people in our demonstration tomorrow. I'll leave it to you~"
As people started walking around, Cress felt his anxiety grow. Deep down, he was desperate for Siebold to pick him. There were so many things he wanted to learn from the water master, and evaluating him would bring him that much closer.
"Cress!" A bright voice called.
Turning around, a blonde girl with a long ponytail was heading towards him. "Korrina! So good to see you," Cress greeted.
The fighting type gym leader was no stranger to the Striaton Brothers. The last international meeting had brought them very close to the boisterous young lady.
"How've you been?" She asked, smiling at the connoisseur and his pokémon.
The two gym leaders talked for awhile, catching up with one another. After talking, Korrina noticed that Cress seemed a little distracted. Following his gaze, she noticed he was eyeing Diantha.
"Ah! You're hoping Diantha will pick you?" She asked.
"Actually, I was just thinking how I never got the chance to meet her along with your elite four at the last international meeting. Such a shame since I know Siebold is quite the powerful trainer."
"That's right, you're both water specialists. Just from battling you a few times, I'm sure you two would make one heck of a team!" She beamed.
Cress laughed, easily masking his anxiety towards the subject. Looking around the room, he easily found the tall blond man. "Quite possibly. However," he hesitantly began, seeing that Siebold was preoccupied with one of the other connoisseurs, "I doubt he'd ever pick me. I'm trying not to get my hopes up."
Korrina rolled her eyes. Linking her arm with his, she began to walk him towards Diantha. "I wouldn't put my money on that evaluation," she joked, giving him a wink.
"Anything could happen, I suppose," he replied.
Diantha took immediate notice of her gym leader. Greeting her with a smile, she waited for Korrina to introduce the man with her. "Diantha! This is Cress. He's also one of Unova's Gym Leaders!"
Cress gave a respectful nod, unlinking his arm from Korrina's. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Diantha," he gently spoke.
She smiled at him. "The pleasure is all mine! You're one of the gym leaders in…Striaton City, correct?" She asked.
"Oui, madame," he answered.
She grinned. Without missing a beat, she replied, in complete French, "It's such a pleasure for you to take the time to come all the way to Kalos just for this demonstration."
However, not a single word was lost on Cress. Albeit a bit rougher, he replied in French without batting an eyelash. "There's no need to thank me, Diantha. It's my pleasure to do so."
She covered her mouth to contain her laugh. "I forgot we had asked for connoisseurs who could speak fluently in French."
Korrina looked between the two, and silently exited the conversation. After all, as much as she loved Cress, he wasn't the connoisseur she wanted to evaluate her. She had confidence that he would get the two people he, obviously, wanted most.
After a bit of conversation, Diantha came to her decision. Even though it was expected of her to choose the eldest, therefore most experienced, connoisseur, she had other plans. Something about Cress she liked. Whether it was his quick wits, or his gentlemen's charm, she adored it. "Cress, providing you have nobody else who has asked, would you be my connoisseur for tomorrow?"
It took every ounce of his self-control to not show complete surprise. "I'd be honored, Diantha." All at once he felt star struck. Of everyone in the room to ask, it was the champion.
If I could just get Siebold, this night would be perfect!
"Has anyone else asked you?" She causally asked.
He shook his head as they stood back from the crowd. "Not yet. I suspect Korrina might choose me given that we know one another. However," his voice trailed as he caught glimpse of Siebold once more.
Had he been wearing that dashing tux all night? Cress wasn't sure. "It would be a dream come true if Siebold were to pick me." Even though he hadn't meant to let that slip, he refused to show it.
Diantha studied his unwavering, awestruck expression for a moment before making her decision. Smiling, she said, "From what I know of you already, I would say it's safe to say that you two would get along very well." With that, she walked away, leaving Cress behind.
For a moment, he was speechless. Had he offended her?
He continued to watch her as she approached the blond water master. She spoke with him for a while, when Siebold started glancing towards Cress. The back of his neck started to burn, and he looked away while adjusting his tie.
Panpour snickered at his trainer, giving him a quick pat on the cheek as reassurance.
Cress hated the flustered feeling that was overcoming him. When he noticed that Siebold was now making his way towards him, the feeling only intensified.
Taking a quick deep breath, he forced himself to remain calm. "Siebold. It's a pleasure to finally meet you," he greeted.
Now, Cress was already a pretty tall man, standing over six feet, but he only stood eyelevel with Siebold's jaw.
"The pleasure is all mine," Siebold responded, his voice low and inviting. "Diantha tells me she's chosen you to be her connoisseur."
Cress nodded. "She has," he confirmed.
Siebold nodded, studying the man before him. Taking notice of the pokémon waiting patiently on his shoulder prompted his next question. "You're a water-type gym leader as well, correct?"
"Yes, though, I'm just one of three gym leaders at the Striaton Gym," he answered, still finding it hard to remain calm under Siebold's cool blue gaze.
"Right. I believe I briefly met one of your brothers," he pondered. If memory served correctly, he met your green-haired brother. They certainly looked alike. "I apologize for not introducing myself sooner," he added.
Cress smiled at him. "No need for an apology. I'm thrilled that I have the chance to speak with you, now." He mentally smacked himself for sounding so forward.
Siebold returned his smile. "Agreed. In fact, I'll be bold and ask that you and I make up for lost time with you being my connoisseur for tomorrow."
"I would love nothing more." Though his words were calm, his thought process was anything but.
Siebold parted with him, promising to see him in the morning.
He remained in his spot, completely star struck. Panpour could only laugh from his shoulder. Patting his trainer's face, it brought him to his senses momentarily. "Tomorrow is going to be quite the day, wouldn't you agree?" He asked, still taking everything in.
Once Diantha had dismissed everyone, Cress immediately headed back to his room. Part of him was tempted to go scope out the nigh life of Lumiose City. The other half was begging for more sleep.
While sleep came easy to him, his last thoughts lingered on his upcoming evaluation with Siebold and Diantha.
The next morning, Cress headed down to the lobby, eager to check out what the area had to offer. If all else failed, he would settle for the hotel's café.
Many of the Kalos gym leaders had already gathered in the lobby, talking amongst themselves about where they were going to go.
He made eye contact with Diantha, who immediately called him over to the group of elite trainers. He almost felt intimidated by being around them. He hadn't spent much time around his own region's elite four, so he didn't know what to expect. "Cress, why don't you join us for breakfast? There's a lovely bakery down the street," Diantha invited.
He was surprised by the champion's offer. "Oh, I don't wish to intrude," he replied.
Diantha gave a dismissive wave of the hand. "Nonsense! In fact, it was Siebold's suggestion!" She looked to him for approval.
He gave a quick nod. "Yes. I thought it would be…nice to get to know you more. After all, you're evaluating us today." He hated when Diantha put him on the spot like that.
"Well, then I suppose it would be rude of me to decline. Thank you for inviting me."
Seeing Cress smile, Siebold couldn't help but return the gesture.
The pink-haired woman took the lead, as the six headed out the door. "So, kid, what gym you from again?" She asked, looking back at Cress.
"Striaton City. I specialize in water types, my brother, Cilan, specializes in grass types, and my youngest brother specializes in fire types," he said, ignoring the 'kid' comment.
"Ah, that's right! Chili, my favorite fire-dork. Only one who doesn't hit on me at international meets."
Cress withheld a laugh. He would if he wasn't so intimidated by you.
"Which I don't understand, considering you have a bite worse than a Carvanha," Wilkstrom commented under his breath.
Malva merely rolled her eyes at him.
Cress stayed quite, listening to their idle bickering, mostly instigated by Malva. He also made sure to keep close to Siebold and Diantha, but not too close.
Breakfast was accompanied by many stares from the locals, not used to seeing their elite trainers all together.
Not being a member of their league, Cress felt mildly out of place, but did his best to conceal it. He was thankful for Diantha –who had seen through his ruse– for making sure to include him in as many conversations as possible.
"I would like to thank each and every one of you for coming out today! These six Pokémon Connoisseurs have traveled all the way from the Unova Region to be with us today. Each will be evaluating the relationship between gym leaders and elite four members, and their pokémon. They will have a short battle with up to three pokémon. After that portion of our event is complete, our lovely connoisseurs will offer their services to the public! With that, let the festivities begin!" Diantha's voice rang clear through Centrico Plaza.
Heath's battle with the grass type gym leader, Ramos, was the first to kick off the event.
Cress stuck close to Siebold and Diantha throughout the morning. A nervous pit sat in his stomach. After all, his battle with the two was to conclude the league's portion. As confident as he was in his battling abilities, he knew he was going up against elite trainers. He hoped that he and his pokémon could provide an excellent battle for everyone.
"So, Siebold," Cress began, fishing for conversation. "Will this be the first time you've had an evaluation like this?" He asked.
Looking to the shorter man, he nodded. "Yes. I didn't do as much research as I should have, but I am becoming quite interested in the art."
Cress smiled. "My, my. Top of the Elite Four and you don't know everything about today's events? For shame, Siebold," he teased, nudging the other man.
Siebold looked away, pretending to be offended. "I'll have you know I'm a very busy man, Cress."
"What could possibly keep you so busy?" Cress asked, glancing away to see how much longer the battle was going to be. Ana had already launched into her evaluation, so it looked like only a few minutes.
"I recently opened a new restaurant, and I refused to leave until I was sure my staff were perfect. In fact, the only reason I'm not there now is thanks to this."
"Well, I'm honored that you're giving us some of your time."
Siebold shrugged, keeping his eyes on the finishing battle. "It's no trouble, really. I trust the staff enough at this point. Besides," he looked directly at Cress, "Meeting you has been enjoyable."
Warmth crept up the back of his neck, and he cursed his inability to stay calm around Seibold.
"Alright, you two," Diantha said before Cress could get a word in. "You're battle is up!" She gave them both a light push on the back, sending them on their way.
Cress nodded. "May this be an excellent battle, Siebold."
The taller man smirked. "I warn you. My battling style isn't for the faint of heart."
"I look forward to sampling whatever you have to throw at me."
While the two men walked to their positions, Diantha returned to the microphone. "Up next, we have monsieur Griffith battling against monsieur Narcisse of our very own elite four! The two specialize in water types, so this is bound to be an excellent match!"
The crowd cheered as Siebold released his pokémon.
A large Clawitzer appeared on the field, giving a loud call. "For you, Cress, I'll send out my signature pokémon," Siebold shouted.
Cress thought to use his own signature pokémon, but decided against it. Panpour would be needed in his battle against Diantha.
Reaching for a poké ball, he settled for a pokémon that could complement Siebold's. "Forgive me for not using my own premium brand, but I think my Crawdaunt will be a wonderful complement."
His crustacean pokémon gave its own call, staring down his opponent.
Siebold chuckled. "A water dark type? My, my. You've already put yourself at a disadvantage."
Cress shook his head. "Don't give away your secret ingredient just yet, Siebold. Leave something to the imagination, please," he teased.
With a roll of his pale blue eyes, Siebold opted to give his first command. "Alright, then, we'll start by using Dragon Pulse."
Clawitzer raised its large claw, a bright blue energy building from within.
Smirking, Cress called for Crawdaunt to use Protect. A bright orange energy surrounded the crustacean, deflecting all damage. "Now use Dragon Dance," he followed up.
Crawdaunt placed his pincers in an X formation then slashed.
Unfazed, Siebold followed up with another Dragon Pulse.
"Don't give me that old dish. Crabhammer!"
Water encased Crawdaunt's claw, and he smacked away the Dragon Pulse, retaining little damage. "Dragon Dance, again."
This put Siebold in a bind. He was hoping to not use this move so soon, but it was becoming necessary. "Aura Sphere!"
Just what Cress was hoping for. "Protect!" He called.
Like before, the attack was easily deflected. "Now, rush him with Night Slash!" Thanks to Dragon Dance's stat boosts, in the blink of an eye, he left a devastating blow to the howitzer pokémon.
"The ability of Mega Launcher is a lovely one. I assume Clawitzer knows plenty of moves benefited by the ability. However, it tends to slow down your pokémon quite a bit, wouldn't you say? You may have a type advantage, but it's still no match for my Crawdaunt."
Siebold chuckled, watching as his Clawitzer easily shook off the damage. "You seem to forget: I'm not just any challenger. Clawitzer, Aura Sphere, while he's close!" Seeing that Cress had only trained his pokémon in physical moves, he knew that would be his saving grace. No matter what, he would have to come in close for an attack, and that would be his downfall.
Being in such close range, Crawdaunt had no time to build up his Protect, forcing him to take the attack head on and flinging him to Cress's side.
Cress refused to budge. Though his pokémon was now considerably weak, he knew he could still stall for time. "Get up and use Dragon Dance once more."
With a sharp snap, Crawdaunt did as instructed, feeling the power flowing through his body.
The battle went on like this for a few more minutes. Cress would stall with Dragon Dance, and Siebold would try to lure him in closer without much success. After a while, he was bored of their game of cat and mouse. "Vice Grip!"
Cress was surprised if only for a second. Finally, he had learned Clawitzer's fourth move. Luckily, Crawdaunt had built up enough speed to easily evade the attack. Devising a plan, he refused an order, hoping for Siebold to call any other move that involved his pokemon's ability.
"Aura Sphere!"
Cress smirked. "Use Night Slash, but aim right for his open claw!"
With his heightened speed, Crawdaunt's attack landed first, also turning Clawitzer's building energy on him. The blow was enough to knock out Siebold's pokémon.
"Clawitzer is unable to battle. The victory goes to Cress and his Crawdaunt!" The event referee announced.
It took a second for it all to sink in for Cress. He had done it. He had won the battle against the strongest member of the Kalos Elite Four. Then he remembered: evaluation.
"Siebold, it was an absolute honor to battle you! The combination of you and your Clawitzer was simply marvelous. You two worked in perfect harmony. There wasn't a second of delay between your orders and Clawitzer's actions. This demonstrates a magnificent level of trust. It's no wonder you're at the top of the elite four, and I can honestly say that I am surprised I won."
Siebold nodded, recalling his pokémon. Meeting Cress and Crawdaunt in the middle of the field, he smiled at him. "The honor was all mine, Cress," he said, shaking the other's hand. "Though, had we fought with more pokémon, I think the outcome would have been different." Leaning in, he added, "and I hope you'll take me up on such an offer."
Something about his tone sent a delightful chill up Cress's spine, and it took everything in him to not show it. "I would love to," he simply answered.
"And now, to conclude this portion of our events, I will be battling against Cress in a one-on-one battle. I hope you all have enjoyed today's demonstration."
The champion strode down from the stage, towards her spot on the battlefield.
Before walking to the sideline, Siebold placed his hand on Cress's shoulder. "I wish you the best of luck against her. I've never been able to land a hit against Gardevoir," he warned.
Cress took a deep breath, wishing Siebold were back by his side. He was starting to feel less confident about battling Diantha. Surly she's notthat strong.
Shaking the feeling, Cress released Panpour onto the field.
Though, like Siebold warned, he found himself unable to land any hits against the psychic fairy.
Feeling himself in a bind, he called for a quick succession of Double Team.
Diantha knew the solution to the growing problem. "Gardevoir, let's show him the power of our bond!" Clutching her keystone pendant, it began to react with Gardevoir's own mega stone.
A blinding light filled the plaza, eventually revealing the mega-evolved pokémon. "Checkmate," Diantha said with a smile. "Moonblast!"
With both trainer and pokémon still in awe of the pokémon before them, Gardevoir had no trouble in finding the real Panpour. In one hit, he was sent flying, landing against Cress. With the wind knocked out of him, he struggled to stand. Siebold and Diantha immediately rushed to his side.
"I'm so sorry!" Diantha apologized profusely, Gardevoir making similar gestures.
Siebold refrained from laughing as he helped the poor connoisseur to his feet.
Keeping a grip on Siebold for support, Cress gave himself a moment to recover. "I do believe you took my breath away figuratively and literally!" Cress finally spoke, releasing his grip on Siebold. Panpour chimed his own agreement towards Gardevoir.
With another deep breath, the champion's concern was alleviated, and Cress continued. "Diantha, the combination of you and Gardevoir is simply sublime! The way you two can communicate through just eye contact is simply stunning, and shows a remarkable connection. I dare say that I have never met a more perfect combination. It was an honor to see mega evolution firsthand!"
Diantha smiled at him. "I'm just relieved you're both alright."
Returning Panpour to his poké ball, he assured her he was fine while dusting himself off.
Looking over the dusty, younger water trainer, Siebold found himself unable to resist dusting off his shoulders. "Come here," he ordered, dragging Cress closer to him.
Diantha laughed at the scene before her, then looked to her pokémon. Her mega-evolved appearance disappeared in a flash, and they then made their way back to the stage.
"I hope everyone has enjoyed today's events! We'll now turn over our connoisseurs to the public for some evaluations for about an hour."
The crowd cheered in response, lines instantly forming in front of every connoisseur.
"Would it bother you if I stuck around? I'm finding myself interested in the art," Siebold asked, standing beside the connoisseur.
"Not at all, Siebold," he responded, before turning his attention to a young girl holding a Growlithe.
"Hi! I'm Alice, and this is Growlithe!" She introduced, holding up the pup.
Cress smiled at her, kneeling down to her level. "Hello, Alice and Growlithe. It's a pleasure to meet you both."
"Growlithe doesn't always listen to me. Is it because we're imcompa-incompatible," she asked, struggling with the word.
He gave a quick look over the puppy pokémon. Its fur was in amazing condition, and it didn't even squirm in her arms. "I think you two are a wonderful match. You're both young, and will learn about life together. Growlithe are stubborn when they're young, as are most pokémon." He pat the pup's head, watching as it leaned into his touch. "His fur is in wonderful condition, and he stays calm while you're holding him. It takes someone who understands their pokémon very well to achieve both of those. Give it time. You two will make a wonderful team."
Growlithe yipped in response, and the young girl giggled. "Thank you!" She ran off, allowing her pokémon to run beside her.
Watching as Cress stood up, ready to talk to the next person, Siebold could only feel a sense of admiration for the young man. He handled children so well; something he lacked. He never had patience with children, and it was something he admired in people.
It helped that every word Cress spoke was backed with passion. A very attractive trait in his book.
The hour had nearly ended when a boy with a Bincale approached the two men. "Bonjour, monsieur Griffith!" He then started rattling off in French.
Cress had a very good understanding of French. Better than some of the other connoisseurs in his group, however, children speaking French was incredibly difficult for him. He always referred to it as "mush mouth", with the way their words tended to slur together.
Siebold took a moment for himself to enjoy the panicked look on the connoisseur's face.
Leaning in, he translated for him. "He said his Binacle tends to fight itself, and he has no clue why."
Relief swept across his features. "Thank you," he breathed, collecting himself.
Looking at the pokémon, the two heads were glaring at one another, confirming the boy's words. Cress then looked up to Siebold. "You have a Barbaracle, correct? What's your take on the matter?" He asked.
"I would assume he's not feeding the Binacle equally. If you feed one head more than the other, they'll start fighting," he spoke.
Cress nodded. "My thoughts exactly." He kneeled down to the boy, and going to repeat those words, but in French. However, he stumbled, not knowing the French word for Binacle.
Looking up to Siebold, he quickly asked, "Comment dit-on 'Binacle' en français?"
Siebold chuckled. "Opermine," he spoke.
"Ah, merci." Cress returned his attention to the boy, finishing his thought.
The boy furiously nodded, taking his words to heart. He promised to start feeding them equally, and ran off before Cress could completely finish.
Siebold laughed, offering a hand to Cress. "Aren't you glad I stayed?" He asked.
Letting go of the other man's hand, he said, "More than you will ever know."
Diantha had returned to the stage, now giving her final thank you's, and encouraged everyone who was interested in the Pokémon Connoisseur Association to encourage them to build an academy in Kalos.
Cress saved his next comment for when Diantha finished.
"You know, I just might make a connoisseur out of you yet," he joked, looking up to the taller man.
Siebold huffed a laugh. "Perhaps, but I am a chef a heart."
Perfect.
"I am too, so I understand the sentiment."
His words intrigued Siebold. "Really?"
"Yes. My gym isn't just a gym. It's also a restaurant. It's ranked one of the best in Unova."
Siebold smiled. "A man after my own heart. I'm curious of your abilities."
"I know you're quite the chef. I wonder if I could live up to your standards," Cress spoke.
"Do continue to stroke his ego. I know he just adores it."
Looking over, Diantha was standing only a few feet away from the two, trying to refrain from laughing.
Siebold said nothing in response. It wasn't a complete lie. Part of being a chef was about the love for instant gratification.
"Since you two were talking about cooking, I have a request!" She looked to Siebold, knowing that he already knew what she was going to ask.
"Say no more. I'd be honored to make dinner tonight." He then looked to Cress. "Would you like to join us? It will just be the elite four and Diantha," he offered.
"Again, I wouldn't want to impose."
Diantha smiled. "You certainly wouldn't be imposing if you would like to cook alongside Siebold," she spoke.
He gave it a few seconds thought, if only to not give away his pure excitement at the notion. To be cooking alongside such a renowned chef as Siebold was a dream come true. "I would love to!" He agreed.
Walking back towards the hotel, Siebold instead took him to one of the marketplaces located only a few blocks from the hotel, leaving Diantha to go ahead on her own. They perused the stands, deciding on what to make for the night.
It didn't take them long to decide on a meal, but picking out the perfect items was time consuming. It was nearly 5:00pm by the time they returned to the hotel.
They headed up to Diantha's room, which was located on the top floor, in the presidential suit.
Cress had seen some lavish hotel rooms in his day, but they all paled in comparison to Diantha's room. He was willing to compare it to a one-bedroom apartment.
Setting their bags down in the kitchen, they were quick to get to work.
"Have I told you both that I love you very much?" Diantha asked, standing at the bar counter, surveying their work.
Siebold didn't even bat an eyelash, only focusing on preparing the vegetables. "I'm sure you do," he answered.
Cress looked over his shoulder. "Judging by that answer, I think I love you more, Diantha," he joked.
She giggled in response. "I knew I liked you."
Leaving them to their work, she headed for the living room.
"How's that sauce coming along?" Siebold asked, not taking his eyes of the meat he was searing.
"Excellent, if I do say so myself. You have excellent taste in wine, so I think this was be a fantastic sauce."
"I'm glad you think so," the chef responded, pulling the seared duck breast out of the pan, and placing it into a different dish. Once Cress has poured the wine reduction over it, he covered it, and placed it in the oven.
"What next?" Cress asked.
"We need to have our first course ready. Everyone will be here soon, and we don't want to keep them waiting," he instructed, running his pan under the faucet.
"Oui, Chef!" He responded, grabbing the leeks out of a bag.
"You can call me Siebold, you know," he responded, making room for Cress to come rinse the vegetable.
He shrugged. "I think 'chef' has a more attractive ring to it." He grabbed a bowl, filling it with water.
The taller man walked away, shaking his head. "Sure, something like that," he mumbled.
Cress laughed to himself, cutting away the leafy parts to the leeks. After rinsing them a few times in the water, he deemed them clean enough to cook with.
Siebold had already prepared a pot of water, bringing it to a steady boil.
The two chefs worked in harmony, able to do their own thing, but making sure to help out the other when needed. Siebold readied a bowl of ice water to stop the leeks from cooking when they were done, and prepared the vinaigrette ahead of time.
By the time the remaining elite four members had arrived, everything was nearly ready to be served.
With everyone seated at the table, Cress set everyone's plate in front of them, while Siebold introduced the dish.
"For your first course, we have prepared you Poireaux Vinaigrette," he simply stated. Once everyone had a plate of the first course, the two sat down in the vacant seats.
"You two have outdone yourselves!" Drasna complimented.
"Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoy it," Cress answered. He knew the dish would taste good. He wouldn't have served it if it didn't, but he was worried that it might not live up to their expectations. After all, he knew this wasn't the first time Siebold cooked for them, and, living in Kalos, good food was part of their culture.
Taking a bite of the leek, Malva hummed in agreement. "I say we keep this kid around."
"I agree!" Diantha added.
A slight color tinted his cheeks at all the praise. He was just honored to be in their presence.
Seeing that everyone was close to finishing, the two stood up, returning to the kitchen. Siebold began plating the dish, and Cress went to retrieve the dishes from the first course.
This time, Siebold placed the dishes out, leaving Cress to introduce the meal. "Tonight's main course is a pan seared duck breast, in a red wine reduction, served with a warm red beet salad."
Diantha could hardly wait for them to return to the table.
"So," Malva began, after a few minutes, "how much do I have to pay you two to be my personal butlers?"
"That is a strange way of saying you liked the meal," Wilkstrom commented.
She laughed. "What? Two handsome, water specialized, butlers? What more could a woman ask for?"
The two chefs simply laughed at the notion. "Keep dreaming," Siebold answered.
"If we're being honest, the only thing I'm dreaming of is the desert course!" Diantha said.
"Oh, don't worry, Diantha. I think you'll enjoy what I've prepared. It's my brother's own recipe," Cress responded.
"I look forward to it!" The champion spoke, before taking another delicate bite out of her meal. Nobody enjoyed Siebold's cooking more than her. She liked to think that, anyways.
The remainder of the meal was filled with simple conversation. Cress got to talk about himself some more, and talk about how things were fairing in the Unova League.
Once everyone had finished, Siebold began to stand, going to get ready to serve the dessert course. A gentle touch from Cress stopped him.
"Please, allow me," he said.
Siebold momentarily paused before sitting back down. "Fine," he allowed.
Cress began collecting everyone's plates, and worked his way back to the kitchen.
"Not used to being on this end, huh, dear?" Drasna observed, looking at the water master.
"No, actually. It's a nice change," he spoke.
Cress returned shortly, introducing the dish as he served it. "You third, and final, course for tonight is a white chocolate mousse, with fresh raspberries."
"Oh my," Diantha said after her first bite. "I might need a moment."
A resounding laugh filled the air.
"You and your sweet tooth," Drasna commented. "But it is quite delightful, dear," she then said to Cress.
"Again, thank you," he replied, taking a bite of his work.
It wasn't as good as Chili's. Nobody in their family could top his work when it came to desserts, but he felt he did an excellent job.
"I'm not normally a fan of mousse, however, this has a wonderful balance. I might have to rethink my stance on the dessert," Siebold commented.
Cress looked to him. "Why would you let me prepare something you don't like?"
He shrugged. "I trusted you enough to prepare something I would enjoy."
Of everyone's compliments that night, Siebold's meant the most to the young chef.
The next day, many of the gym leaders returned to their gyms. The elite four, however, had the luxury of staying behind a few extra days, and Diantha was busy playing tour guide for the connoisseurs.
"I don't have to return to my restaurant just yet," Siebold had said before deciding to join the group on their city excursions.
Nobody thought anything of it –except Diantha.
She saw right through him.
The five other connoisseurs tended to stick together, but Cress stuck right by Siebold's side. He justified it by claiming that he needed to learn everything he possibly could while in the presence of a water master and chef.
Again, nobody thought anything of it.
Except for Diantha.
The first half of the day was spent on a walking tour of the North Boulevard. While it was an enjoyable experience, Cress found himself exhausted by the end of it. Thankfully, their next tour plan was much more relaxing.
Plus, it allowed Diantha a break from speaking.
The guided riverboat tour gave them views of the city they would have never expected. However, Cress found himself a little more distracted.
All day, he had been testing his boundaries with Siebold. Light touches, flirty remarks, the whole nine yards. Anything to get a gage on where he potentially stood with Siebold. He has tried to hide it the whole trip. After all, most of the connoisseurs he was traveling with were less than open-minded.
But he almost didn't care at this point. He couldn't deny the feelings he had developed for Siebold. It started out as intense admiration, but somewhere turned into red-hot feelings he didn't care to justify to anyone, or even to himself.
Even as he stood side-by-side with the blond, he was only half-sure of his feelings. He wanted to say Siebold might feel the same, but he was also scared he was just blowing up any form of attention he got from the man.
"So, where are your restaurants located?" Cress asked, watching the city go by.
"My first restaurant is here in Lumiose City, towards Vert Plaza. The other one, the one I just opened, is located far from here. It was an old coliseum I had restored then renovated," he explained.
Cress hummed in acknowledgement. "If I'm ever in Kalos again, I would love to stop by. They both sound wonderful."
Siebold looked at him. "I'd enjoy that," he said.
Cress was only able to hold his gaze for so long. He was slowly losing the ability to keep his composure, and he didn't want to completely lose it here. Not in front of the other connoisseurs, at least.
"I was hoping you would come make dinner with me, again. I enjoyed working with you, and I think everyone else would love to have you again."
Cress didn't even give it a moments though. "It would be my pleasure."
That night, they had decided on a light salad of mixed greens with lemon vinaigrette, berries, and walnuts for their first course. Their main course was grilled tuna with Provençal vegetables and aioli. Their dessert course would be another one of Chili's recipes: roasted pears with almonds, cranberries, and a white chocolate drizzle.
Siebold watched as he was preparing the vegetables for their main course. "The technique you're using is correct, but I think you'll find this method to be better." He stood directly behind Cress, grabbing his hands with his own to correct his chopping method.
Cress could now hardly think straight. Forget knife techniques. The man's hot breath on his neck was far more interesting.
"Don't be so tense," Siebold whispered.
He took a deep breath. "I'm afraid that's a little easier said than done, at the moment, Siebold."
The taller man paused, picking his words carefully. "…Are you uncomfortable?" He asked.
Another deep breath. "I can think of a lot of adjectives to describe how I'm feeling right now. 'Uncomfortable' isn't among them."
He gave a low laugh, giving his wrists a light squeeze before returning to his work.
Upon his third deep breath, Cress thought he was going to pass out before he had a chance to compose himself. But it was then that he noticed something: Siebold hadn't even corrected his position in the slightest.
Looking over his shoulder, he eyed the other chef, biting his lip before forcing himself to finish his work.
The rest of the night was filled with similar instances. They stood closer than before, and Siebold was far more touchy than necessary. Not that Cress minded any. It just made concentrating on cooking increasingly difficult.
Even at dinner, they sat closer than before. Close enough to where their legs were touching under the table. It was enough to drive Cress mildly insane.
"You know, I do hope to come back to Kalos here soon. I'm having a wonderful time, but I just wish I could see more of the region," Cress spoke.
Diantha gently placed her fork down. "What about going on a little tour outside of Lumiose tomorrow?" She quickly glanced at Siebold. "We have nothing planned for the connoisseurs expect for the farewell dinner at eight."
He nodded in agreement. "I suppose I could. I can't hope to see it all in one weekend, but a small taste of Kalos is better than nothing at all."
Siebold's leg bumped against his.
"How about you and I go out to Camphrier Town, tomorrow? It's not too far from here, and I'm sure you would be interested in Shabboneau Castle."
Diantha smiled brightly at the two. "That's a great idea! Cress, there are some wonderful pokémon around that town. I'm sure you'll find at least one friend to take back with you!"
Cress looked to the man next to him. "It's a date." He wondered how Siebold would take his words.
"Indeed it is."
The two chefs excused themselves to go work on cleaning the kitchen.
Malva covered her mouth with her hands, resting her elbows on the table. She looked at the two, and then glanced down to Diantha. The knowing look they shared told her all she needed to know.
After cleaning the rest of the kitchen, and saying their goodnights with everyone, Siebold and Cress took their leave.
Walking down with Cress to his floor, he walked him to his room. Cress could tell there was something he wanted to say, but couldn't bring himself to actually say it.
Pushing down his own anxiety, Cress asked, "Something you wish to say?" He asked.
He had never seen Siebold look so nervous. He still had that stern look about him, but there was something off. "It's nothing," he finally spat out. "I just remembered there's something at the store I'll need to get in the morning. Just be sure you're ready to go by seven." He turned on his heel, about to walk away. "Bonne niut, Cress."
Cress stared after him, not sure of what had just happened. Taking a deep breath, he dug his key out of his pocket, letting himself into his room. "Calm down, Cress…he's just…being nice," he mumbled to himself.
In the morning, their drive to Camphrier Town was in relative silence. Siebold would do his best to answer whatever questions Cress had. For the most part, they just tried to enjoy the silence, even though they both still felt the awkwardness of last night's goodbye.
The castle was as every bit beautiful as Siebold had described. Even though it was rather barren, they spent over an hour, touring around the place.
By the time they had gone to get lunch, they had eased back into complete comfort around one another.
When they went for a walk around the city's wall, they were back to their flirty selves –which Cress was extremely thankful for.
Walking along the dirt path that lead outside of town, a gust of wind stirred up the flower patches. Carried in the wind, was a white flower. It landed against Cress, who immediately grabbed for it.
Once the wind had died down, the two heard small "Bé-Bé" from the flower patch.
A tiny pokémon came floating out of the grass, desperately looking for something.
"You might want to give that flower back to that Flabébé. They're very particular about them," Siebold warned.
Leaning down, Cress offered the flower back to the pokémon. "Looking for this?" He asked.
The little fairy pokémon was overjoyed to see its flower, quickly latching onto it. Floating up to Cress's face, she gave him the tiniest kiss on the cheek.
Looking closely at the pokémon, the curliness of its purple crown reminded him of a certain connaisseuse.
Standing up, the fairy pokémon rested with her flower in his hands.
"Fairy types aren't common in Unova, are they?" Siebold asked, looking at the two.
Cress shook his head in response, not taking his eye off the tiny pokémon. "No, they're not." Flabébé blinked her bright eyes at him, continuing to smile. She liked his voice. "This little lady seems like an absolute darling."
Flabébé made little noises of appreciation.
"Would you like to come with me? I have a friend who would love to meet you." Cress asked. He didn't see a need in battling her. She had already lost her flower today. He didn't want to put any more stress on her.
Surprisingly, she nodded.
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a premier ball, and held it in front of her. She tapped it with her flower, allowing herself to be caught.
"Burgundy is going to love you," he said, placing the capsule with his others.
Siebold gave him a pointed look. "How much do you like the person you're giving her to?" He asked.
"Burgundy? I see her as a powerful connaisseuse in the making, and she's dating my youngest brother. I like her pretty well, I'd say."
"Oh, because that's was a shiny Flabébé."
Cress shrugged, continuing their walk. "Even more reason for Burgundy to adore her," he reasoned.
Siebold stared after him for a moment. He was amazed that he was so willing to give away such a rare pokémon.
On their walk, they stopped at one of the benches next to the river, enjoying the sight. Siebold had his arm casually draped behind Cress on the bench, and they found themselves at complete ease.
Cress knew he would be leaving the next day, but he forced himself to put that thought aside for now.
Figuring now was a good time for Panpour to get some air, he sat up to release his pokémon. The water monkey ran to the river, diving into it. When Cress sat back down, he allowed himself to sit just a little closer to Siebold.
Siebold followed suit, releasing his Clawitzer to keep Panpour company. Resuming his spot, he decided to take a risk and put his arm around Cress.
Smiling, Cress scooted closer to him, tired of playing games.
While the two sat in silence, watching their pokémon play, a small herd of Skiddo approached the water's edge.
Panpour and Clawitzer swam over to the edge, talking with the grass pokémon. One of the older Skiddo took a liking to the two, and continued to hang around, even after his herd moved on.
Leaning forward to sit on the edge of the bench, Cress extended a hand to the grass pokémon.
It gave his hand a cautious sniff before rubbing his head against his fingertips.
Running his hand along the pokémon's leafy back, he noted that the pokémon was in wonderful condition. Its leaves were vibrant, and didn't have a single dull spot.
Knowing that Cilan had been looking for a new pokémon to add to his team, Cress decided to catch him.
After a quick battle, the grass pokémon had been caught.
"It was nice to see you two in a battle where you didn't lose within two minutes," Siebold joked, returning his pokémon to his capsule.
"May I remind you that I beat you in our battle?" Cress reminded, returning Panpour to his poké ball.
Siebold shrugged. "I still believe the outcome would be completely different had I battled with my whole team."
Crossing his arms, Cress sauntered up to the taller man. "I like to think we would give you a run for your money."
Siebold laughed through his nose. "We'll have to see about that someday, won't we?"
Cress liked the sound of that. "Someday" implied that they would see each other again.
"I just wanted to thank the six of you once more for your service. It's been wonderful having you all, and I do hope that the Connoisseur Association decides to open an academy here." Diantha spoke, standing at the head of the table.
The connoisseurs expressed their gratitude, and proceeded with dinner.
"Must be nice having that gym leader connection," Ana said, looking at the man beside her.
"How so?" Cress asked.
"You've gotten to hang out with the Elite Four the whole time! I mean, sure, Diantha and Siebold showed us around the other day, but still! You're so lucky!" She gushed.
He didn't exactly feel lucky, but he could understand where she was coming from. Being a gym leader did help, but he felt that wasn't the only thing that brought him close to the Elite Four. At least, not in Siebold's case.
After dinner, Malva presented each connoisseur with a standard poké ball. She explained that her Pyroar recently had cubs, and since they were all old enough to be adopted out, she figured what better homes than the connoisseurs.
Cress figured it would be a great addition to Chili's team.
"I had it sent to your room, but I remembered you saying something about one of your brothers dating a dragon master to-be. My Goodra had an egg recently, and I think the Goomy inside would make a wonderful partner for her." Diantha had told him.
Towards the end of the night, while socializing with everyone, he finally met back up with Siebold. They had distanced them from the remainder of the group.
"Meet me in my room at 10:00. There's something I wish to discuss with you."
Cress nonchalantly agreed, watching as the man then walked away.
Finishing his glass of champagne, he forced himself to remain calm. There wasn't enough champagne in the room to help him do so. He couldn't stop himself from checking his watch nearly every five minutes.
At 9:50, he excused himself, saying that he wanted to get a head start on packing.
Diantha and the other connoisseurs dismissed him, but Diantha kept an eye on him as he left. She also noticed that Siebold was no longer in the room.
Dropping his things off in his room, Cress ducked into the bathroom for a minute to freshen up. Looking in the mirror, he could barely think straight. He wanted to say he knew where this night was heading. At least, he had to outcomes in mind, both favorable.
"Wish me luck," he said, looking at the poké balls on his bed. Heading out, he made his way up to the seventh floor.
Siebold's door was unlocked, and he sat on the sofa, reading a book. Looking up as Cress entered the room, he put the book aside, and told him to sit next to him.
"It's good to see you," he began.
"Yes. What did you want to talk about?" He didn't feel the need for pleasantries. He wanted to get straight to the point.
Leaning back, Siebold uncrossed his legs. "Tell me, Cress. Have you noticed anything?"
"I'm a connoisseur. It's my job to notice things," he cheekily replied.
Siebold had to fight not roll his eyes. "Between us," he clarified.
Cress chuckled. "I would think a blind person could see the tension between us at this point."
"What are you wanting to make of it?"
Looking him directly in the eye, Cress said, "You're a very interesting man, Siebold. I really do wish to know you better."
Leaning in, Siebold held his gaze. "What's stopping you?" He asked.
Although not direct, it was all the invitation Cress needed. Tilting his head, he caught Siebold's lips with his own. A sense of relief flooded him. After all that flirting and teasing, finally.
There was no pulling away, and asking questions such as, "What did we just do?" The two were completely aware that this was overdue. The only thing they felt was a burning desire to get closer to one another.
Running a hand up Cress's arm, Siebold pulled him closer and kissed him harder, hunger evident on his lips. Equally desperate for more, Cress took no time in straddling the other man's lap. Grinding down on his lap, he took delight in the resulting groan.
Kissing him again, he began unbuttoning Siebold's dress shirt.
The couch was becoming uncomfortable.
Siebold pushed him back. "Get up," he ordered.
Reluctantly, Cress stood. He allowed Siebold to guide him until the backs of his legs were touching the bed. He leaned down for another kiss, working on unbuttoning Cress's shirt. Pulling away, he slid the shirt off his shoulders.
Removing his own shirt, he stepped aside for just a moment to place them on the chair.
Cress sat down on the bed, and tried his hardest to refrain from laughing at Siebold, who was now folding their shirts.
"You're incredible. I'm sitting here, waiting to be ravished, and you're folding clothes," he teased.
"Do you want a wrinkled shirt in the morning?" Siebold asked, casting a glance over his shoulder.
Cress shrugged before lying back on the mattress. "I suppose not," he mused.
The next thing he knew, Siebold's body was pinned against his, the heat from earlier hardly forgotten.
"If this is going where I believe it is, do you have–"
Siebold darted his gaze to the bedside table. "Don't think I would go into this unprepared," he rasped.
Early in the morning, Cress woke before Siebold. The sheets were tangled, and the clock only read 7:00am. He still had a few hours until they would be leaving for the airport.
Rolling over, Siebold was still asleep on his back.
He couldn't help but admire the man next to him. Snuggling closer, he was sure to not wake him up. He would pack his bags later. For now, he wanted every second he could get with Siebold. Even if he did happen to fall back asleep.
He woke up again an hour later. This time, however, Siebold was in the shower.
Forcing himself out of bed, he began to gather his clothes, slowly putting them back on. "Could of asked for company," he mumbled, looking at the bathroom door.
Figuring that he should shower as well, he grabbed the remainder of his things, and began to take his leave. Before he reached the door, he stopped, rushing back over to the desk. Grabbing the pen, he scrawled a number on the paper, and moved the notepad to the bedside table. Just in case he forgot to give him his number later.
While making his way down to his room, he prayed nobody would catch him in his current state. It was the last thing he needed for his reputation around the PCA.
After showering, he made sure to pack his things. While doing so, he finally noticed the lilac and green egg sitting in its case on his desk. There was a note to go with it, but he packed it away in his bag, figuring he would read it later.
Once he was sure everything was in order, he decided to head down to the main lobby to see if anyone else was down there. A few of the connoisseurs were already in the lobby, and a few of the elite four were there as well. Siebold included.
Walking up to the man, he went to greet him. However, he was cut off before he could even get a word out.
"We're not going to talk about it. Not here. Not now," he hissed.
The sudden hostility in his voice caused Cress to flinch. Everything about Siebold was tense, and it wasn't settling well with him.
"I was just going to say good morning," he spoke.
Siebold looked away from him. "It wouldn't have worked out anyways, Cress. You and I both know that."
It would have been less painful if Siebold had just outright punched him in the gut. He was angry and upset, and felt completely used. "It very well could have. It takes two to tango. If you're not willing to at least try, then, no, it won't work, Siebold!" He stormed off before Siebold could continue, leaving everyone in the room stunned.
Locking himself in his room, he flung himself onto his bed, fuming with anger.
"This is exactly why you don't fall for people you've just met, idiot."
A few minutes later, he heard a light knock at the door, followed by his name. He recognized the voice to be Ana's.
"Go away, Ana."
"I just wanted to check on you! I don't know what happened. You and Siebold have been acting like best friends…"
"Right…best friends."
"I just want to be left alone, Ana," he responded, not bothering to get up from his spot.
It was a few seconds before she finally responded. "Fine. If there's anything you want to talk about, well, I'm here for you."
Her footsteps faded down the hall, and nobody bothered him again. Only his phone broke the unrelenting silence, warning him that he had thirty minutes to have his things down in the lobby.
Gathering his things, he trudged down to the lobby, where Diantha, and a few connoisseurs were waiting. The other members of the Kalos Elite Four had already gone, and the champion was looking at him with a pitying stare. It only continued to upset him.
The ride to the airport was silent. Diantha was on her phone the whole time, furiously typing something. Everyone assumed she was just speaking with her manager.
Cress was the last to get his luggage checked at Diantha's request. She didn't explain why, only asking if she could have a few more minutes of his time. The other connoisseurs had already started making their way through security, and Cress could only guess as to what Diantha wanted him for.
"I promise, you won't be late. I just need to you stay here for a few more minutes," she told him, looking up from her phone one last time.
He shrugged. He didn't want to be alone with his thoughts just yet, anyways.
Standing in the presence of the Kalos Champion was drawing quite the bit of attention, but luckily, people only stared in passing, not wanting to be late to their flight.
A few minutes later, a familiar tall man came running through the doors, frantically looking around.
It was completely out of his character to be so disheveled. He didn't care. He had to make it on time. Security wouldn't let him run through the airport so he could catch up with Cress. He didn't have the luxury of a cheesy romance movie.
Diantha smiled as the man finally noticed her and Cress. "Right on time," she commented, before giving the two a moment to themselves.
"Cress, I'm so sorry," Siebold apologized, fighting to catch his breath.
He was met with silence, and an unbelieving stare.
"Look, I'm an idiot. I think we both realize that. I was rash, and I shouldn't have said any of the things I did. You're right. It takes two. I'm just," he paused, glancing to the side out of embarrassment. "I'm honestly the worst of the worst when it comes to romance. It's not something that comes easily to me. But I know what I feel, and I want things work between us."
Cress's face eased into a smile. "You are an idiot," he responded, pulling the taller man into a kiss. "Did you find the notepad on your nightstand?" He asked once they had pulled away.
"Yes, and speaking of–" he reached into his pocket, pulling out a minimized poké ball, and a folded piece of paper. "Don't give that pokémon away," he warned, placing the two items in the other man's hand.
Cress laughed. "I wouldn't dream of it."
He promised to call once he made it back to Unova, and with another kiss, and embrace, he reluctantly took his leave, hating every footstep that brought him closer to that airplane.
Diantha strode up to Siebold, grinning. Placing a hand on his arm, she grabbed his attention. "My dear Siebold, what do you say to a late lunch? We have so much to talk about!"
He laughed in response, knowing that wasn't a request, it was a demand.
Cress was silent the whole flight to Unova. He could only replay the events from the weekend over and over in his mind, allowing himself to fall even harder for the water master who had taken his world by storm.
He said goodbye to his fellow connoisseurs as they waited for their luggage.
Cilan arrived to help him with his luggage, only needing to carry the egg case. Walking with his brother to the car, they began the drive from Castelia to Striaton.
He noticed that his brother had hardly spoken a word to him, only giving him the shortest of responses.
"Something on your mind?" He asked.
Cress was silence for a few minutes. "Let's just say I had quite the…adventure."
Glancing at his brother, he knew exactly what this meant. "I assume you met someone?" He asked. His words were greeted with silence, confirming the inquiry. "Tell me when you're ready," he offered.
When they got home, Cress immediately headed up to his room. The familiar smell of their home enveloped him, comforting him just enough to where he didn't miss Kalos too badly.
Unpacking his things, he located the pokémon he had acquired throughout his trip. Once the restaurant had closed, and Chili was done for the night, he would bring them their gifts.
Looking at the capsule Siebold had given him, he wondered what pokémon might be inside.
Picking it up, he tossed it in the air, waiting to see what pokémon would appear.
"Claw?"
Looking at the little blue lobster, Cress couldn't resist smiling. "A Clauncher," he observed.
The lobster scuttled over to him, pinching at the hem of his pants.
Cress picked him up, watching as the little pokémon observed him, tilting his head back and forth. "Aren't you just wonderful."
.
.
.