Author's Note

I'd like to apologize for not uploading a chapter in nearly a month. And it being only my second upload...well, I'll try and do better.

I'd also like to thank the reviewers for their feedback. It helps me work up the courage to keep writing.

As far as the story goes, I've been wondering what sort of directions to take it. I got through my awkward years by reading smut on this website and learning about the possibilities of the human body. I've decided that the characters within this story will largely have loose sexuality so I can push some smut that will, hopefully, keep me excited and driven enough to keep writing.

I need a firm guiding hand, friends. If you have to slap me to get me working, don't let me hold you back. In fact, do it! It's for my own good. Slap me!

Chapter 2: The Psychic's Champion

The Nimbasa City amusement park was available all day and through the night, and people could never get enough of it. It was a place that early birds and night owls could enjoy in equal measure. The sound of the revelry and massive machinery was far enough away from the main housing apartments that noise wasn't an issue. Every five meters on either side of the main path was a food vendor. Altogether, every sort of carnival food was prepared and provided with love and care. Except for Casteliacones, which were imported from the eponymous city and provided only on Tuesdays. Singles, couples, and families of all walks came to have a good time.

On this particular day – a Tuesday – mostly everything was as it normally was. It was twilight, not exactly midnight, and every building and park attraction was outlined in vivid neon. Every other child (and many of the adults, too) had a Casteliacone in hand, the wonderfully fragrant soft serve dribbling in melted rivets down to their chins. Bolts of electricity from the roof of the Nimbasa Gym shot into the sky with musical crackling and burst like a skeleton of fireworks. Joyful screams echoed across the park from the taller roller coasters. Somewhere, an Audino was singing to the chorus of a group of Tympole.

A young woman wearing a long grey-and-black coat over a similarly colored outfit surveyed all of this with a smile, walking with slow, relaxed strides. Her hands were hidden in the pockets of her coat, to protect against the night's cold. A cluster of Poké Balls sat securely at her hip. She inhaled the carnival air, taking in all of it: the food, the joy, the energy of the various people and Pokémon…it put her at peace. Her work and research didn't often allow her time for sightseeing. In that sense, it was two scoops for one cone.

And how much she wanted a Casteliacone. She hadn't expected to find them in Nimbasa City. Not just that, but the smell of every pastry, every fried snack, every dessert was calling out to her spirit, begging for her attention. She eyed each and every stall hungrily, with a predator's eye. A vendor who caught her gaze wiped his cap against a sweaty brow, feeling like he had seen a land shark.

The woman reined in her desire, and kept walking. She was serious about her work, and she had an appointment to keep. There would be time for fun later, maybe. Hopefully. Please.

As she walked, a few of the hundreds she passed in the crowds would stop and squint at her in half-recognition before being taken back into the flow of the crowd, becoming part of amusement park's energy.

She eventually came to one of the park's many Ferris wheels, tall enough that it towered over the other buildings and attractions.

A younger woman with an abnormally large hat sat there on the short-cropped grass in front of the Ferris wheel's boxed entrance, her back against the wall. Even at first glance, it was plain that she was sleeping. Her enormous light pink hat was reminiscent of a close-roofed stadium. Her head nodded up and down with each breath, and her hat bobbed with her. Her gown reached to her ankles, pink and white, with long and generous sleeves. The neon lights all around fell upon her more gently than they should have, granting her a light profile that seemed to be isolated from the surroundings. Her hands were touching the ground at her sides, each firmly grasping something even as she slept.

As the woman with the dark coat stepped closer to her, the sleeping woman's eyes fluttered open. She yawned, stretching out her arms. Each hand held a Casteliacone. She looked up at the woman in the dark coat and smiled dreamily.

"Hello, Cynthia," she said softly. "It's good to see you."

"The same to you, Caitlin," Cynthia replied. "You were sleeping. Am I late?"

"Oh, no, don't worry," Caitlin said, slowly standing. She brushed her hands against the back of her gown. "I like to show up early for appointments. It gives me time for a quick nap." Her eyes were half-lidded, giving the impression that she was still in the dream state.

She held out a Casteliacone. "Snack?"

Cynthia smiled, taking the cone. "You know me so well." The ice cream wasn't even a bit melted, as if it was freshly purchased. She gave it an experimental lick. It was everything she could have wanted.

"I was surprised that you wanted to meet here. I thought you liked to avoid crowds." She tried to stay focused, to not allow the ice cream to take her to visions of sugary roads lined with baked goods.

"I've learned that going out once in a while has its own benefits. Places like this, especially, where good feelings come together…" She closed her eyes, giving her own cone a lick. "Short outings like this help me to keep my gifts under control. It works almost as well as sleep."

Cynthia nodded. She had known Caitlin since her tenure years before at the Battle Frontier, and was more than familiar with her gifts. "You look well."

Caitlin brushed a lock of hair, nodding. Years ago, Cynthia remembered, a comment like that would have made her blush. "I'd like to catch up," said Caitlin, "but we have a lot to talk about." She held open the curtain of the entrance to the Ferris Wheel. "Oh, is that one with you?"

Cynthia turned. A lone Gible was watching her a few steps from the mass of people rushing along the main path. Its small black eyes reflected some vague recognition. It had probably recognized her.

Her hand went down to her side, brushing one of the mass of Poké Balls. "Garchomp." In a flash of light, out came the massive purple dragon, squinting its narrow eyes at all the bright, neon colors. In the dim light, he looked especially formidable. His gaze finally settled on the little Gible.

The Gible didn't seem frightened. Instead, it walked up to her Garchomp and gave it a small headbutt against the leg. Garchomp just stared.

"Go out and stretch your legs for a bit," she told her massive Pokémon. "Have some fun."

Garchomp growled a low affirmative that she knew was his version of a purr, before setting off into the wild of the park, the Gible following close at heel. Cynthia had an inkling that, before their playdate was done, the Gible would have become a Gabite.

She and Caitlin stepped through the entrance. There was only an attendant standing behind a console, who seemed to be waiting for them. They stepped through the open door of a car and sat at opposite ends. The seats were cushioned, with a little table in the middle. It was surprisingly comfortable.

Caitlin waved to the attendant, who nodded before pressing a button.

Dim lights lit in sequence, starting from their car and extending along the infrastructure of the Ferris wheel. Without even a shudder, the wheel began to turn, and the car to rise.

It was a very slow ride. By Cynthia's estimate, it would be almost ten minutes before it was over. "Why aren't more people using the Ferris wheel?"

"There are others. I had Elesa have this one closed for the night." She cocked her head, smiling at Cynthia's concerned look. "Don't worry. She and I made sure that her show overlapped. Everyone should be there or going in that direction. It was difficult, to make sure that it happened on a Tuesday."

"Why a Tuesday?"

Caitlin licked her ice cream. "You mentioned before that you wanted to try a Casteliacone."

"Oh," said Cynthia, looking down at her snack. It was half finished, the remaining ice cream a little hill barely cresting the rim of the cone. She felt a sweet warmth blossom in her chest, mingling with the ice cream's chill. "That was very thoughtful. Thank you."

"I had to show my appreciation somehow. You came all this way. I can't imagine it was easy."

"I always find a way to make time," Cynthia replied. "Going abroad in the off-season isn't anything new for me."

The car rose above the entrance, giving them a view of the surroundings.

They rode in silence for a few moments, Cynthia taking several more licks of her Casteliacone. She allowed the sweetness to settle in her mouth before she finally said, "You mentioned that this was regarding Team Plasma."

"Yes," said Caitlin. Her eyes became distant, as if she were looking into the past as she spoke of it. The attack on Opelucid City had been two months prior. The incident in the Giant Chasm occurred shortly after. "The Pokémon League had no prior information of the situation, and by the time we were informed, it was too late for us to help. Unova was nearly annihilated."

"How was it resolved?" Cynthia asked.

"We have Team Plasma itself to thank. The peaceful group from the initial incident rose up against Ghetsis' faction. They acted alongside a group of heroic trainers."

Heroic trainers. Cynthia had known her fair share. She recalled one in particular, wondering where they were now.

"N also made a reappearance. He went so far as to confront Ghetsis."

That sparked Cynthia's interest. She had wanted to meet the man who could hear the hearts of Pokémon, the legendary Trainer who had defeated Alder…albeit with a Unovan Great at his call. "Are the associated Legendary Pokémon accounted for?"

"Mmm," Caitlin nodded. Her Casteliacone remained mostly uneaten but had not even begun to melt. Cynthia was reminded how far Caitlin's abilities had come. "We've had Zekrom secured for years. Reshiram and N were in the wind for a while, but now we have both under a watchful eye. Reshiram was put in the hands of a capable Trainer, and N is no longer permitted to leave the region without an escort."

"And Kyurem?"

"He's been safely returned to his haunt in the Great Chasm. Pokémon Rangers are guarding the area. Most of it was done informally, so the International Police is assisting with the officiation, as well as helping to track down those still loyal to Ghetsis' ideology."

Cynthia had finished her cone. Seeing that, Caitlin passed over her own. "It's alright. I don't like to eat much," the younger girl insisted.

The cone was warm where Caitlin's hands had been. Cynthia licked where Caitlin had licked, thinking she might taste her. She couldn't tell. "Caitlin, it seems that you have everything here under control." Her lips curled upward, teasing. "Didn't you just want an excuse for me to come see you?"

"I'm always glad to see you," Caitlin smiled. "But this is something more serious. The main problem has been taken care of, but a new crisis could just as easily spring up out of nowhere tomorrow." She sighed, evidently gathering her thoughts. "I can feel…odd changes in the psychic wavelength."

Cynthia blinked, leaning forward somewhat. Her cone had begun to melt, so she gave it an encompassing lick before saying, "And what is that, exactly?"

"It's hard to describe to other people." Caitlin put her hands together. "It represents the balance of the world, the stability of life. Or something like that. I was having foreboding feelings even before Ghetsis' acts of destruction, but they don't tell me things beyond 'something bad is about to happen.' Therefore, I wasn't able to help in a meaningful way."

"You're worried there is still a threat somewhere," Cynthia supplied.

"I feel that there is a threat. Something remains at large that is as meaningful a threat to Unova's psychic balance as Ghetsis and the Legendary Dragons. Or perhaps they were never the disturbance I sensed to begin with. But the Pokémon League as a whole can't act on vague feelings like that alone." She leaned forward, resting a hand on the table. "I need someone who trusts in these gifts of mine to help me."

Cynthia covered Caitlin's hand with her own. She felt warm. "Of course I'll help you." Caitlin's smile was worth any number of Casteliacones. "But what about the new Champion? Isn't she willing to help?" Another trainer who had defeated Alder. A young prodigy of Dragon-type Pokémon.

"Iris would help if she could," said Caitlin. "She was the one who agreed to let me call you to Unova. There have been too many challengers recently for her to step away from her responsibilities personally. The Champion of Galar is causing an uproar in the battling scene."

Cynthia knew enough about that herself. Talk of Leon had come far across the regions. Thankfully, Galar was far enough from Sinnoh that the volume of trainers hadn't become too overwhelming.

Caitlin went on. "I've prepared a replacement for myself in the Elite Four while we do our investigation. If that's alright with you."

Cynthia's eyebrows raised. She popped the small fragment of cone remaining into her mouth. "Are they strong?"

"He should be able to hold down my position for the time being. I don't intend to dishonor the Elite Four's good name."

The Ferris wheel was more than halfway to its apex. Multicolored beams of light flashed into the sky from far below, at a large concert hall in the center of the amusement park. The wind was barely noticeable.

Cynthia pointed to the building. "Is that the Gym?"

Caitlin followed her finger. "No. That's her new building. The higher traffic of trainers put too much strain on her work, so she had a separate area built for her shows." She gestured to a closer, smaller building, built long like a catwalk. "That's her Gym, the old main stage. She takes all her challengers there. During daylight hours on most days."

"Does she ever get to sleep?"

"Of course. She's the most organized person I know."

They subsided into silence, the lights from below occasionally putting their faces in relief.

Cynthia realized that Caitlin was waiting expectantly.

"What is it?"

Caitlin cocked her head, her gaze sleepy. "You haven't agreed to help yet."

Cynthia blinked, somewhat put off. She was silent for a few moments before asking, "Is Team Plasma your main suspect?"

"Yes. It's remnants, at least."

"Then I'll start with Castelia City." Caitlin smiled at her with gratitude. "I've had my share of experience with shadow groups, and they tend to have some sort of foothold in the most developed cities of a region…though I guess that could also apply to Nimbasa City."

"I doubt it," said Caitlin. "Nimbasa isn't metropolitan enough for a criminal organization to hide in the open. Elesa has a busy schedule, but she doesn't shirk on keeping her city safe."

"She sounds like quite a person."

"When she was blonde, she reminded me of you."

In one swift movement, Cynthia cleared the small table and pressed her lips against Caitlin's, mouth parted, tongue seeking. They had reached the apex of the Ferris Wheel and could have seen all of Nimbasa City if they had bothered to look.

The Sinnoh Champion pressed her body against the younger girl's, a hand moving through her great flowing hair and finding the back of her head, bringing them ever closer.

Caitlin didn't pretend surprise, moving her hands around Cynthia's magnificent neck, trying to close any distance. Her mouth was open, submissive, as Cynthia's tongue dominated her. She felt her gifts responding positively at the contact, thrumming with a low power that threatened nothing but to enable more pleasure. She could feel that they were connecting not just physically as Cynthia's body pushed her further into her own seat, and Cynthia's pleasure was her own. She moaned from the twofold pleasure, and the sound made Cynthia even more giddy.

Their lips parted ever slightly, both women breathing each other's air, before the distance was closed again as if it had never been any other way. Cynthia's tongue explored every inch of the mouth of her friend, her love, hungry for more, occasionally massaging against the other girl's own pleasurable organ. She tasted of milk and warmth and sweetness and Caitlin.

Perhaps not wishing to be outdone, Caitlin's hand reached out, taking hold of one of Cynthia's bountiful breasts, squeezing through the coat. The boldness of the act clouded Cynthia's mind with want, combined with the tingling of her breast. She darted a free hand through the psychic's gown and went down, until she found that sacred place between her legs. Cynthia felt with delight that she was already wet and thrust her largest finger up into her opening, determined to empty the psychic of all she had. Caitlin gave a blissful cry through their kiss. Her pent-up frustration and the sheer ecstasy of their play ensured that she didn't last long, and with a groan she burst onto Cynthia's searching fingers, and when those fingers wouldn't stop, she came again.

Their lips came apart, and both women breathed heavily, one from exhaustion and one from excitement.

"Don't leave tonight," Caitlin pleaded once she had adequate breath. For the moment, her duty as an Elite Four felt secondary. Her only thoughts were of how long she had waited to touch Cynthia again. "Stay with me."

"I want to…" said Cynthia. They were still so close together, their mouths threatened to touch, and they took in one another's essence with each breath. "But if there's a night bus leaving for Castelia, I need to be on it." Caitlin gave a discontented whimper that melted her heart. "Don't worry, the ride isn't over yet…and a lot can happen in three minutes."

Their lips came together again. This time was gentler, slower, as they tried to eternalize their love.

When the car arrived back at the starting point, Cynthia stepped out alone. "She's taking a nap," she told the attendant. Once she had stepped out back into the park main, she licked clean the fingers that had crept their way to Caitlin's snatch. She wore a satisfied smile, knowing that she would see Caitlin again in the coming weeks. Sooner, if she was lucky.

When they had finally finished, Cynthia had whispered into Caitlin's ear. "Where will you be, while I'm in Castelia?"

The psychic had just enough energy to answer. "Driftveil. To the west."

"Why there?"

Caitlin only gave an exhausted shrug. "A feeling."

"Shall I check the Desert Ruins on my way?" Cynthia had a soft spot for historical landmarks. "Maybe something there is worth finding."

"You could…" Caitlin said. "But I doubt…find anything…Alder explored for…years…" and then her eyes had closed, followed by soft breathing that awakened Cynthia's desire for her all over again.

She was nearly at the park exit before her Garchomp appeared by her side, nearly silent despite his size.

"Did you have fun?" Cynthia asked. She still had him, she reminded herself, if her desire became too much to bear.

"Grooow."

"Don't worry, I would never forget you." She returned him to his Poké Ball. Castelia City, she thought as she left for the bus station. Maybe the Casteliacones there would be even better.

Update (2/8/2022): Typos fixed.