The clicking of the sewing machine echoed in the room, overlapping the sound of the clock tick-tocking away on the wall. Valerie's hands gently pushed the light blue fabric through the machine, a small smile beginning to form on her face as she watched her latest design become a reality. However, her work was stopped as she heard the phone ringing from elsewhere within her gym, which also doubled as her living quarters. Switching off the machine, she stood and wandered over to a warp pad that sat in the corner of the room. Valerie stood on the pad, and suddenly appeared in a room where velvet covered sofas sat. And where the phone was, unfortunately. Picking up the phone, she said, her voice light and quiet in almost a whispering fashion, "Yes? How may I help you?"

"Ah Valerie, good to know you're home." It was Olympia. "I'm sorry I disturbed you from your work," - and of course, she knew she was disturbing her. The gym leaders shared a mutual theory that Olympia purposefully let them know she knew what they were doing when she called so as to creep them all out and keep them in line. As for why she would want to keep them in line, well, only Wulfric knew that, and he wouldn't tell for all the Sitrus Berry pies Kalos had to offer - "but I was wondering if you could do me a favour."

"Yes?" Valerie was curious. It must be fairly serious if Olympia was calling her, since her only real specialty beyond battling was designing clothes.

"I have a friend you see, from another region, and at times, she comes to visit me. She's here today actually, however it is unfortunate timing as I'm busy today." Valerie felt a wave of despair coming over her; she knew exactly what this "favour" would entail. And when she was so close to finishing that outfit...

"If I may, would I be correct in assuming you would like me...to take in your friend for the day?"

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble." Valerie paused, lip trembling. She would've preferred to have finished the dress that day, as she was "in the zone" at that time, so to speak; tomorrow wouldn't cut it as she most likely would've lost her touch for the design and either redesigned it from scratch or just abandoned it and started afresh. Covering the phone, she sighed, a slight whimper escaping with it. Returning the uncovered phone to her ear, she responded, trying to not to sound disappointed, "I don't mind at all. When will she be here?" She heard her front door open, surprising the gym leader.

"She should be there now actually, if the winds were in her favour. Thank you for doing this." The Psychic specialist also said goodbye, but by that point, the phone was already away from Valerie's ear and hovering over the receiver, the young woman waiting for the call to end before putting it down. Once the telltale beeping drifted to her ear, signalling that the person on the other end had hung up, she placed the phone back on the hook and ran to another warp pad in the opposite corner of the room, appearing in the front hallway of her gym.

"Ah! You must be Valerie!" The girl in question blinked at the scene in front of her. Standing in her hallway was a woman with purple hair done up into four large...pigtails, Valerie wanted to say, and she wore a most extravegant purple dress; in truth, Valerie felt quite plain just looking at it, considering she herself wasn't wearing her best attire, just a t-shirt and a skirt, as she thought she'd be alone for the day. Meanwhile, Linnea - one of her Furisode girls and gym trainers and one whom had decided to come to the gym that day despite Valerie not needing her to, what with her wanting to focus on working rather than battling - was struggling with the suitcases the woman had brought with her. And throughout all this, a Drifblim floated harmlessly next to the woman.

"I am? I mean, yes, I am!" The gym leader said, putting on a smile. She stepped off the warp pad and walked toward the woman, hand held out as a welcoming gesture. The woman beamed in response and grabbed the hand with both of her own, shaking enthusiastically, and throwing Valerie off balance.

"It's a pleasure! I'm Fantina, Olympia's friend. It's so good of you to take care of me while Olympia is busy, c'est vraiment bon!" It was at this that Valerie noted the woman, Fantina's accent; it was French, much like everyone else's in Kalos. Yet at the same time...

"Th-think nothing of it," she said, smiling nervously as her hand was finally freed from Fantina's surprisingly tight grip, "Actually, if you don't mind me asking, where have you come from?" Fantina laughed.

"Ma chère, I've come a long way just to visit a friend. All the way from the Sinnoh region, in fact." While Fantina then chuckled, as if this fact were a small joke, Valerie couldn't help but be curious. She turned to Linnea, who seemed to have gained control of the suitcases, and told her, "Take Ms. Fantina's suitcases to my bedroom. We'll sort out arrangements shortly." As the Furisode girl made her way to the warp pad, Valerie turned her attention back to Fantina, who was giggling away to her Drifblim, like she were sharing secrets with it.

"So," the gym leader started, catching Fantina's own attentions again, "you're from Sinnoh? That's quite far away." The woman nodded, saying, "Well, I'm actually from another region. For you see, Sinnoh ce n'est pas ma région natale. But Sinnoh is where I currently live. It is a beautiful place, truly it is." Motioning for the woman to follow her, Valerie lead her to the warp pad, and once they reached the young woman's sewing room, she asked, "Whereabouts in Sinnoh do you live?"

"Why, in Hearthome City! Home of Sinnoh's own Contest Hall! I mean, where else would a top coordinator live? Plus, my gym is there. It wouldn't make sense to live elsewhere." Valerie's mind instantly honed in on the words "coordinator" and "my gym", however the latter immediatly took precedence.

"Your gy- you mean you're a gym leader?" she asked, surprised. Fantina nodded, looking very proud to have such a title, while her Drifblim crooned quietly beside her.

"Oui~. I am the gym leader of Hearthome, and a master of Ghost-type pokémon. My dear Drifblim here is one of the pokémon I use, not only in gym battles but also in contests."

Which reminded Valerie of the other word that Fantina had said that'd caught her interest. Leaning against the table in the center of the room - and trying to resist the urge to continue working with the fabric still sitting in the machine - she said, "Yeah, you did say you were a coordinator. What did you get into first?"

"Ah, that is a good question! Contests were what got me started actually. I travelled all the way to Sinnoh just to take part in them. I put in hours of training and studying so I could master the art, then one day, out of the blue, the chairman of Sinnoh's own Pokémon League called me and said they were looking for a gym leader for a new gym they'd built. And it was situated in Hearthome! C'était une surprise!" Fantina finished her story with a cackle, though it was a lively, pleasant sort of cackle.

"That is quite a tale. I myself am in a similar situation, as I'm not actually from Kalos. I'm from Johto, though I came to this region a year or so ago," she explained. The Sinnoh woman's face was a picture of ecstatic curiosity.

"Vraiment? Oh do tell us more! What is your story?" she asked, hands clasped as she leaned closer to the younger girl, making her feel uncomfortable. Valerie coughed, grimacing at their close proximity.

"Well, like I said, I came here not too long ago. It was really so I could get a feel for Kalos, as I'd heard it was a very fashionable place, and I felt I could maybe draw inspiration from it, since designing clothes is something I did. And still do in my off time, as you can see," she said, gesturing to the room they were currently in. Fantina's eyes were drawn particularly to the clothes mannequin standing next to the table, wearing the outfit Valerie had been working on. She wandered over to the mannequin and started to investigate it closely, though she encouraged the young gym leader to continue with a giggle of, "Do continue, s'il vous plait." Valerie nodded.

"Of course, thank you. Well, I admit, I didn't plan on staying, and hoped I would be able to return to Ecruteak City - my original home, and where my parents still are - soon, but then..." She trailed off, eyes growing distant and making Fantina frown, though she didn't question Valerie's sudden shift in behaviour, especially as she continued, "I'd obviously brought some of my pokémon with me to Kalos, because I would never dream of leaving them behind. I didn't battle often, though I did go to the Battle Chateau on Route 7 from time to time, just to have the odd battle to keep myself in practise.

"One day, I was in my home here when I received a call from the League Chairman, much like yourself. He said many people had been talking about my skill, and he was inclined to offer me a gym leader position, as a previous gym leader was retiring. I wasn't sure if I should take it or not, especially since I didn't have a set type I specialised in. But then he...ah, did you hear of the new type they discovered?" This new topic, seemingly out of nowhere, made Fantina stop her analysis of the dress, confused.

"Eh...yes, I have but what..." she herself trailed off, unsure of what to say. However Valerie smiled.

"Yes, the new Fairy-type. Would you believe one of Professor Sycamore's assistants accidentally discovered it because two pokémon started fighting in the lab?" At this, the gym leader laughed. The other woman couldn't help but laugh herself.

"Yes, it sounds highly amusing! But, honestly, how does this relate?" Valerie calmed herself and smiled apologetically.

"Sorry. It does relate though. For you see, I'd told him that I didn't have a set type, but he said I did, and he told me that my Mawile and Mr Mime had apparently been confirmed to be part-Fairy through research. I was quite shocked, especially since it meant, if I took the post, I'd be the first Fairy-type gym leader." Fantina gasped, eyes lighting up.

"Such a title! One you must carry with pride, non?" Valerie smile, shrugging her shoulders.

"I don't really think about it actually. I do have one other pokémon, a pure Fairy-type." Opening one of the drawers in her table, she pulled out a Poké Ball and tossed it gently to the floor, upon which a light pink feline creature emerged.

"Mon dieu, c'est très mignon~!" Fantina cooed, immediatly bending down to take in the creature, "Oh, it is marvellous! And it even bares a resemblance to that adorable little Eevee pokémon."

"That's because it evolved from Eevee," Valerie said, surprising Fantina.

"Non! You don't mean to say this is yet another evolution of Eevee, do you?" She gasped over dramatically, while the Eeveelution tilted its head at her behaviour. Valerie chuckled, saying, "Yes, this is Sylveon, the third member of my pokémon team as a gym leader." Sylveon jumped onto the table next to its partner and purred, "Syl vie~."

"Magnifique~," Fantina whispered, breath taken by the pokémon, though this could've been her over exaggerating. "And how would one obtain such a beautiful pokémon?"

Valerie chuckled nervously, "Actually, I'm afraid to say I can't remember. My Eevee and I just spent a lot of time together and this happened. It also helped to cement my status as a Fairy specialist as well."

"That is truly a beautiful story," Fantina beamed, clapping her hands. Then, she twirled back to the mannequin, saying, "Much like how this is a beautiful dress. Is it nearly done?" The younger woman grimaced.

"It is, but I'm afraid I won't be able to complete it now." The Sinnoh gym leader gasped, shocked.

"Why ever not?" she asked, looking extremely disappointed. Valerie frowned, looking away while her Sylveon itself looked worried for its partner.

"I was hoping to get it done in one day, since I sometimes get these...flashes almost of inspiration. I don't draw or plan out these instances, I just go for it, and I typically keep my focus on those pieces I make until they're done. However..." She bit her lip. She didn't want to say that Fantina's arrival had thrown her off, as that would be rude. She was entertaining the woman in Olympia's stead. However it appeared Fantina had put two and two together and realised the problem.

"Oh, I am terribly sorry. My being here and you having to care for me has taken the spirit out of you. I truly am sorry, especially since it looks as though it would've been beautiful when finished!" Valerie quickly tried to remedy the situation, "No, no, it's fine. I'll just...see if I can finish it...tomorrow." Fantina however out her foot down. Literally.

"Non! I cannot allow this to happen! You shall sit at this machine and you shall continue to create a dress fit for a Champion! And so you don't feel guilty about leaving me with nothing to do while I am here in your home as your guest, I shall help! Je dois admettre, I don't know too much about the technicalities, but I do know of the finished product, so I can offer my knowledge toward that. After all, I wear such fabulous clothes for my contests, I should at least somewhat know what I'm talking about." Valerie, who'd been forced into the chair as Fantina was talking, blinked with surprise at the woman, before her face gained a grateful smile.

"Thank you Fantina. That would be very kind of you." The woman nodded, then clapped her hands.

"Now chop chop! We have work to do!"

C'est vraiment bon - it truly is (Literally: It's truly good)
Ce n'est pas ma région natale - It's not my region of birth
C'était une surprise - It was a surprise
Vraiment - really
Mon dieu, c'est très mignon - My God, it's very cute
Je dois admettre - I must admit

(Note: Not all French used in the chapter was noted because some of it is basic stuff that literally everyone knows.)

Finally~

New drabble shot released and it features a gym leader from out of Kalos.

Quite a few headcanon stuff featured here, like Valerie's hometown in Johto, which was never really specified. Though Imma take a stab at Ecruteak because its been said that her Furisode Girls' dresses are inspired by the Kimono Girls of Ecruteak.

Also, I have taken bits and pieces of Fantina's...presence from different media. Her story of becoming a gym leader for example is from the anime. Her personality and, though it was only mentioned yet never touched upon in the chapter, her method of transport - by Drifblim - are from the Special manga.

Hope you enjoyed, thanks for reading, and please do leave a review. As always, I'm not forcing you, but it is nice to know that people enjoy my story. At the very least, do fave or follow if you don't want to review, cause know people are interested is good enough. :)

Angel-chan x