Milo and the Blue Umbreon

by NanobotEX

Milo is about to embark on his Pokémon journey, when he unexpectedly makes a new friend. His journey begins ten years after the exploits of Ash Ketchum, and he discovers that Pokémon journeys are not as simple as they once were. Milo may soon find himself pitted against forces beyond anything he had imagined! (Not too much Romance, just enough to keep things interesting)

22. Chapter 22 - Winter Wonderland

Milo Chapter 22 – Winter Wonderland

"Dang", Milo flopped back on a couch in his posh hotel room in Snowpoint's Grand Lily hotel, "Who knew 'relaxing' would be so exhausting?"

Quit complaining, scolded Azura as she snuggled primly into a cushioned seat specially made for Pokémon, I had fun and so did you. More importantly, so did Kara. It's your responsibility to help her stay mentally fresh for this big Showcase.

"Ugh", was the Trainer's oh-so-moving response, "I should've brought one of the boys along, they'd at least understand my suffering."

Oh please, Milo's Umbreon just scoffed, As if you'd expect to just walk down the street with Jet, much less Blaze or – I shudder to think – Drake. Honestly, Milo.

"Ugh", he repeated.

His day, in all fairness, had indeed thoroughly exhausted him. As Azura had reminded him, he was doing everything he could to keep Kara from completely freaking out over the Snowpoint Invitational that began in just five days. He loved spending time with his girlfriend, but their day out together had begun at 7am, and he'd only just gotten back to the hotel after three classy meals, two parks, three strip malls and an amusement park. Oh, and the ice cream parlor, of course.

Knock, knock.

"Whuh?" He looked hesitantly at the door, before realizing it was probably Kara. Putting on the nicest smile he could, one that said 'No, I'm not tired in the slightest', he pulled himself up and opened the door.

"Hey Ka – wait, who are you?"

Milo stared, nonplussed, at the young woman standing before him who was most definitely not Kara. She wore a white button-down shirt with a blue bow in the front that matched the one in her long black hair. Her tan skirt made her look like some kind of schoolgirl, especially considering her striped knee-high socks and brown loafers. Mentally, he answered his own question just as she provided the answer herself;

"It's quite charming to finally meet you, Milo. I'm Candice, and I lead the Gym here in Snowpoint."

"Uh, right", he just blinked, "I thought I recognized you. I-it's nice to meet you too…can I ask what you're doing here?"

Candice giggled and gave Milo a rather dubious grin;

"Are you really so surprised that I'd be so eager to meet you? As Snowpoint's Leader I would be remiss not to show the best hospitality to prominent battlers like yourself…"

Uh, Milo's thoughts were as mixed up as his words, What's with that sassy pose? Was that a wink? What's going on?

Hey, Azura called urgently, Don't be rude, Milo. It's weird, I agree, but she's expecting to be invited in. Play along as best you can; she's the Gym Leader.

Clearing his throat, Milo did his best to act natural;

"W-won't you come in?"

He gestured with one hand and stepped aside to let her pass, but she grabbed his outstretched hand as if he were leading her inside. All the while, her eyes never left him. As soon as he reasonably could, Milo extricated his hand from Candice's and motioned to one of the couches in the living room of his suite;

"Umm, have a seat if you'd like. Can I…get you some water?"

"Oh, how very sweet of you", Candice smiled and lowered herself onto the couch, "Some water would be lovely. Thank you, Milo."

Milo got the young Leader a glass of water and quite pointedly sat on the couch opposite her, with a coffee table between them as Azura hopped up next to her Trainer.

"You know", Candice began, her eyes still staring deeply at the Rookie from Jubilife, "I really can't remember anyone quite so fascinating coming to challenge me. I've been following you since you put the beat down on Maylene and her Lucario."

"…Thanks?"

"Come on, you can loosen up a bit, you know", said Candice cajolingly with another wink, "I know it's not exactly standard procedure, but I really am just looking to get to know you on a more…personal level than just Leader and challenger. It's so hard to find people who are more than just drooling fans sometimes, but I'm sure you of all people can relate."

As she said this, Candice kicked her shoes off, picked her feet up, and stretched herself out on the couch, turning on her side to face Milo, who was blushing with discomfort and embarrassment at her odd behavior.

What the hell is she doing?

"Yeah", he swallowed and forced some words out, "It can be a real struggle t-to feel normal, I guess."

"Oh, you understand me so well! I mean, I'm not surprised", the Ice-type specialist was positively beaming, "There must be so many girls who just throw themselves at a hunk like you."

"Wh-what?"

Milo was pleading silently for her to change the topic, but she kept on going;

"Please, Milo, there's no need to be modest. All that training has done absolute wonders for your physique, there's no shame in admitting it."

"Ehe…I guess…" Milo could feel his face heating up. What was going on here?

He was saved temporarily when Candice bit her lip and stood up;

"Ah – I'll be right back, Milo. Just going to freshen up."

She slipped into the bathroom, and Milo immediately held his hands to his face in disbelief, looking at Azura with desperate eyes;

What the hell is this?

I'm as shocked as you are, responded the Umbreon, You need to get Kara in here as soon as possible. Either Candice is trying to throw you off before your battle or she really is just hitting on you that badly.

Good thought, he pulled up his Pokétch and sent a frantic message to his girlfriend;

'Come to my room', it read, 'ASAP. Pretend you forgot something. I'll explain later. Please.'

Not one minute after he sent the text, Candice reappeared and was attempting to sit right next to the terrified Milo when a knock came at his door;

"Aww", pouted Candice, "that's just terrible timing."

"Yeah", Milo shot up off the couch like a bullet, "but, uh, might be important, you never know, hehe..."

Thankfully, it was Kara. As he opened the door, she gave him a questioning look, before her eyes shot wide open at seeing, over his shoulder, Candice the Gym Leader. She was wearing plenty of makeup and no shoes, and was stretched out on Milo's couch. Facing away from the uninvited guest, Milo mouthed the words 'help, please' and Kara cleared her throat;

"Hey Milo, did I leave a bag in here from the Ditto Emporium earlier?"

"I don't know", he responded, loud enough for Candice to hear, "What does it look like?"

Kara winked and replied, "You know, it's hard to describe, can I come in and look for it real quick?"

"S-sure! Actually, there's someone here you should meet."

Bracing herself, the Performer followed Milo into the spacious hotel suite, as Candice hastily stood and straightened herself up;

"Kara", began Milo very carefully, "this is Candice; she's the Gym Leader here in town that 'Maya and I are looking forward to battling for our seventh badge."

"It's an honor to meet you", offered the Floaroma girl, offering a hand.

"I recognize you", said Candice rigidly, already glaring daggers at Kara, "You travel with Milo and Amaya. The Performer Rookie. A pleasure, I'm sure. Did I hear you say you were looking for something?"

Kara had always had more, shall we say, social fluency than Milo. She was already fully aware of exactly what was going on.

Hmph, she thought, So it's a romantic ambush? Never expected in a million years to get into a turf war with a Gym Leader, but I won't let her ambush him like this. Besides, it's not jealousy if he asked me for help. Passive-aggressive, here we go…

"Yes, actually", she used her nicest voice and most charming smile, "Milo and I were out together most of today and I might have left one of my shopping bags here after the lovely dinner we had."

Candice visibly twitched at this;

"I…I see. Out of curiosity, was Amaya with you? I know the three of you are typically inseparable."

Kara gave a tinkling laugh. Azura, who was watching from the safety of a nearby armchair, commented to her Trainer;

My my, Kara is quite good at this. This might be more intense than Blaze and Ferra's training bouts.

Milo was too paralyzed by fear and awkwardness to provide any meaningful response. He just stood there watching the exchange like a tennis match.

Still grinning ever so sweetly, Kara casually hooked her arm around Milo's;

"Not this time. Actually I have to say, Candice, Snowpoint is a truly magical place for a date. Your city is a marvelously romantic setting."

"A d-date?" The Gym Leader had noticed Kara's pointed hint, "Ah, then the two of you are…?"

"Oh yes", nodded Kara emphatically, as her hand snuck downwards, intertwining her fingers with Milo's, "We don't like to make a big deal of it in public, but we've been together for half a year now."

"Hmm", Candice's eyes remained locked fiercely with Kara's as she replied with no shortage of her own aggressiveness, "I'm surprised; I'd have thought Milo would tend towards someone who could match him as a Trainer."

"Well, that just goes to show you how love can defy all expectation", Kara shot back.

In that moment, Milo was convinced that there was nobody more fitting to be an Ice type Gym Leader than Candice. The glare she fired at Kara was so piercingly cold, he half expected his girlfriend to freeze over on the spot.

Somehow, Kara held her own against the Snowpoint Leader, and after a few seconds, Candice pointedly began gathering herself together;

"As it happens, I should be going. I have to prepare for a series of challengers to my badge, after all. Milo", she fixed him with one last deep stare, "I was so very charmed to have met you. If you ever want to continue our conversation, I'd be more than willing to spend some time with you."

Milo could only splutter in reply;

"It, uh, was n-nice to meet you, too."

The instant Candice closed the door and was gone, Kara sank into the nearest couch and groaned;

"Holy crap", she said with a deep sigh, "Milo, if you could please stop being so attractive, that would be really great. I mean, fangirls on the street with selfie sticks is one thing, but…a Gym Leader?"

"Yeah…I really don't know what to say. That just kind of happened, and I have no idea what I'm going to do about it. I still have to challenge her, too."

He flopped into the couch next to his girlfriend and flung a casual arm over her shoulders. Azura jumped up to lay comfortably across the two Rookies' laps, and Kara said with a low voice as she leaned her head onto Milo;

"I know", the Performer absentmindedly began petting Azura with one hand, "You know me, Milo, if it was literally anyone else I'd be busting my gut laughing right now, but…this could be really problematic."

"No kidding."

As it happened, 'problematic' was an unfortunately accurate term; they hadn't seen the last of Candice's unexpected fixation.

-o-

The trio of Milo, Amaya, and Kara switched their focus the next day to frantic, all-consuming training, Kara more so than anyone else. Her plans for the big Showcase were well beyond ambitious, and there was little room for error. Damion was there as well, but he mostly kept to himself – after all, he was still on thin ice with Milo and Kara. Strangely, only Amaya seemed genuinely ready to forgive and forget his past offenses.

She just shrugged when he asked about this, and said, "I've changed since I left home. Seems only fair that you could, too."

Damion nodded appreciatively before walking off to get back to his own training.

She's playing nice, but I'm not going to push my luck, he told himself with a shake of the head, I've been burned too many times with her; best just to let that go. Damn, she's still looking fine, though…

The young Trainers spent the remainder of that day training and training and training until they couldn't possibly go on. Then they took a short break and trained some more. They weren't alone, either. It was a genius stroke of foresight from the Invitational staff to provide private training spaces, because Performers and Coordinators were pouring in from every region, and they all had the same plan; cram as much training as possible into those last few days.

There were exactly four days to go before the Snowpoint Invitational kicked off, but Milo and Amaya (and Damion) had their Gym battles the next morning – two days after Candice's shock appearance at Milo's room. They were hopeful that, with the badge out of the way, they would be free to focus on helping Kara get through her biggest event ever. Milo was also counting on there being less attention focused on their battles with Candice amidst the uproar of the Snowpoint Invitational. After the insanity that had taken over their trip to Canalave, an easy in-and-out would be wonderful.

So far everything was going smoothly. Amaya 'The Hammer' had taken a clean, easy victory using Coral's raw power and Granite's Steel moves to run riot over Candice's unfortunate Ice types. Now, it was Milo's turn to hope for something similarly uneventful.

Of course, he thought to himself as he stood waiting for his Gym challenge, It could never be that easy, could it? Nope, not a chance…Now I have to deal with a Gym Leader who's after – well, me.

As if on cue, Candice's voice came from the doorway;

"There you are, Milo…Right on time. Good boy."

She had on her usual skirt with tall socks, but had ditched her button-down shirt for a simple white tank top that was, well…a bit lower cut than her usual wardrobe.

"Uh", Milo was already uncomfortable, "D-did you straighten your hair?"

The Leader's long black hair was tucked elegantly over one shoulder, making her look much more mature than her usual pigtails. She stepped forward;

"Why yes. Yes, I did. Do you like it?"

"It's…great. So, when's our battle? We're on in a few minutes, right?"

"Yes", smirked Candice, "and before we start, I'm here to make you a bet."

Milo could already smell trouble, and it wasn't the eye-watering whiff of perfume he caught from Candice as she stepped even closer;

"If I win – and I really think I will – you stay here with me for one week after all your little friends leave for Sunyshore."

"What? Why the heck would they go without me? That's insane! Candice, I've really tried to humor you, but…that's too much. No bet."

Milo had at last snapped, but even this outburst didn't seem to faze the Ice Leader;

"Playing hard-to-get, hmm? I like that, but you don't understand, dear Milo", she rested a hand on his chest, "No bet means no battle. If you don't think I'm serious, go ahead and try me."

Milo was flabbergasted. His mouth hung open as he tried to brainstorm a way out of this, but…

"Look, if I win, do you promise to stop all this? Please?"

"Doesn't matter", she shot back, as she turned to head for her own staging room, "because I won't lose. This isn't Roark's entry level setup in Oreburgh, Milo. I play for keeps."

With that, she was gone, and Milo was very, very rattled.

Yeah, she really does play for keeps, he thought wryly, In this case literally.

If there was one thing Milo was good at, it was quick thinking, even under duress. He flashed through a number of possible adjustments to his carefully laid plans before settling on a strategy to account for his own…distracted state of mind.

As he was announced, and the crowd duly cheered, he released Azura beside him.

Milo? His Umbreon was immediately concerned, What are you doing?

Listen, he responded quickly and urgently as he took his place, I need you to stay in my box with me. Ferra's going first – I think Candice brought one of her pro-level Pokémon as an ace to make sure I lose. I need Ferra to whip through the first two, and Blaze will be my counter-ace.

What do you need me here for, then?

If I start to freak out…your job will be to make me, uh, not freak out.

Azura studied her Trainer nervously for a few seconds as she sat beside him on the challenger's side of the Ice field;

If you say so, was her subdued response.

Now they were out of time. The referee started the match, and Candice was quick off the mark;

"Froslass, show Milo what we can do!"

"Ferra, let's go!"

Milo took a split second to scrutinize his opponent before breathing a sigh of relief. This was a Gym level Froslass, not a pro level one. For Ferra, it would be straightforward.

"Ominous Wind, Froslass!"

"Ghost for Ghost, Ferra."

On it, Papa, came the alert Lucario's answer. She was not your average Fighting type, and was well equipped to deal with Ghosts like Froslass who were resistant to her favorite moves. As Froslass tried to set up its Ominous Wind attack, Ferra leapt in with a super effective Shadow Claw that elicited a screech from the pained Snow Land Pokémon.

"Get in again, girl."

Milo knew he couldn't let Froslass have any time to settle in and use any of its most dangerous moves. Ferra understood perfectly, and jumped in with a Bullet Punch, further unsettling and damaging the Ice Ghost.

"Break his stride, Froslass! Psychic!"

It wasn't a move Milo expected Froslass to have, and his split second's hesitation got Ferra caught in her opponent's hold.

"Throw and Thunderbolt!"

Gah! Ferra was struck by the Electric attack as she hurtled helplessly through the air to crash down onto the ice below;

I'm fine, Papa, but that didn't tickle...

Milo, Azura nudged his leg, Keep your head in the battle.

The Trainer nodded tersely, and called to his 'daughter', "Focus, girl, we're fine. Dragon Pulse!"

This was one of Ferra's favorite tactics; it always reminded her of Azura with her Dark Pulse.

"Meet that with a Shadow Ball, Froslass!"

"Go! Bullet Punch, Blaze Kick!"

This was why Ferra loved when Milo called Dragon Pulse. It was almost invariably a front for some ulterior motive. In this case, Candice was just too slow on the uptake, and Froslass was soon down for the count after another pair of super effective hits.

"I just love that fighting spirit, Milo", called Candice across the field as she recalled her downed Snow Land Pokémon, "It really gets me stirred up."

"Uh…thanks…"

The Leader shot him a very obvious wink before calling her second fighter;

"You're up, Piloswine!"

Milo blinked, as information zipped through his brain almost faster than he could keep up with.

Okay, he instructed his Lucario, He's weak to all your main moves, but he's half Ground. I'd put money on him having Earthquake, which is very bad for us. Pummel him before he gets a chance to use that.

"Ferra, get in with Bullet Punch!"

Understanding the urgency of the situation, Ferra moved at lightning speed, smashing into the Piloswine before Candice could make a move to retaliate.

"Great", called Milo, "now Force Palm, Blaze Kick, Aura Sphere!"

"Piloswine", Candice was desperate to get a word in edgeways, "block with a stone Edge!"

The Swine Pokémon was much too sluggish to keep up, and was knocked askew by Force Palm, pummeled by Blaze Kick, and then flung across the arena by Aura Sphere.

Still more accustomed to higher level fights than Gym Challenges, Milo was waiting anxiously for a Stone Edge to come flying out of the dust…but Piloswine was already down. Ferra was just too powerful.

"Yes!" Milo cheered aloud, despite himself, "Ferra that was perfect!"

He froze as he saw Candice's look from across the field. She looked…darkly pleased about something. It wasn't a look he was particularly comfortable with.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you", she intoned creepily, "it's not nice to hit girls? Well, Milo, I think you'll find that this girl knows how to hit back. Abomasnow! You're my ace in the hole!"

The massive Frost Tree Pokémon took the field with a huge roar, glowering down at Ferra. Milo just stared with his mouth hanging open for a few seconds before fumbling for Ferra's Pokéball;

Damn, he thought, I was right. That's her top level Abomasnow. It's no Absol, but that thing is still a downright menace. What the hell, Candice?

A gasp shot through the crowd as the famed Ice type took the field, but Candice only winked at him again with a smirk;

"I told you, Milo. I'm very sure that I'll win. So here we are. Three of your Pokémon versus me and Abomasnow. Think you've got a miracle up your sleeve like you did for your brother's Absol? I warn you, I've studied all your favorite tricks. I know you, Milo."

Milo, Azura nudged him again, Make the play, before it's too late to recall Ferra.

Yeah, yeah. Right. Thanks.

Closing his eyes and taking a breath, Milo tried to calm himself down as he recalled Ferra and made his own play;

"Alright, I'm counting you, Blaze!"

Blaze appeared with a battle cry, to the crowd's delight.

Hmm, this guy's the real deal, noticed the Flame Pokémon, What's with that? She still trying to impress you?

Looks that way, grimaced Milo, Let's take it down before this gets any more complicated than it already is.

"Well, Candice", Milo had a flash of inspiration and memory, and began playing some mind games of his own, "If that's your famous Abomasnow, then it appears I know your tricks as well. I've watched you battle with that Pokémon on television for years, and I know how to beat it."

Candice's smirk faltered at that, and Milo's familiar sense of confidence began to creep back in;

"Let's go all out, Blaze! Get in fast, take him down hard, and kick his butt!"

"Give him an Earthquake to chew on, Abomasnow!"

Earthquake was just the thing to fight a Pokémon like Blaze, but Abomasnow was at a massive speed disadvantage. Like a well-oiled machine, Blaze knew exactly what moves Milo wanted;

A Mach Punch put the Fire type in close range, dealing enough damage to cancel the sluggish Earthquake before it got started. The fearless Infernape then brought down his large opponent with a perfect Low Kick, before wailing on him with Close Combat.

Candice's smooth demeanor was shattered as her eyes shot wide open.

No way, she thought to herself, How can he have this much power? Oh, he's so strong…That's it! I must have him! Milo is MINE!

Her cheeks flushed bright pink, but she was determined to recover the situation;

"Water Pulse, buy yourself some time!"

"Blaze, out!"

Milo knew he couldn't risk a blatantly super effective hit like Water Pulse, he had no choice but to pull Blaze out of harm's way.

His starter obeyed with a Quick Attack that just barely got him out of the way, as the water move came crashing across the arena.

"Now, try another Earthquake!"

He'd been caught flat-footed this time, but Milo knew more than one way to stop the troublesome Ground move;

"Alright, you know what to do, Blaze! Geodude tactics!"

With a grin, Milo's Flame Pokémon leapt eagerly over the heaving ground towards Abomasnow, ready for a massive Fire counterattack.

"Predictable", called Candice, "Now Focus Blast!"

As Blaze came hurtling in, he was helpless to avoid the powerful hit.

So that's what she meant, Milo grimaced, She really does know my favorite tricks.

I didn't help that Blaze was damaged by the last few seconds of Earthquake as he was sent skidding across the field.

"Don't let him get started again", Candice yelled urgently, "Water Pulse, then Blizzard!"

Water Pulse is buying her time to get the Blizzard off. I need something to get back on offense…

"Blaze, Double Team!"

It wasn't a move he had much use for anymore, since his natural speed usually served him well enough, but Blaze produced copies of himself as the real Infernape sprinted to get around the Frost Tree Pokémon's back. It worked like a charm, and Blaze was ready to go when Milo gave his next command;

"Now the big one", he yelled with a gleam in his eye, "Flare Blitz!"

Any kind of Fire move was deadly to an Abomasnow, and Flare Blitz was the absolute strongest that Milo's loyal Fire type could produce. He would take recoil, but at this point in the match it was a calculated risk.

Abomasnow tried to turn and do something, anything to meet and deflect the monstrous attack, but it was far too slow.

"NAAAAPPEE!"

With a resounding collision, Blaze smashed straight through Candice's ace, and the whole crowd held its breath to see the result. Blaze's chest was heaving from his exertion, the damage he'd taken, and the recoil from Flare Blitz, but…when the smoke cleared, Abomasnow was laid out on the ice, knocked out.

Candice watched it happen in slow motion, watched as her master plan to trap Milo in Snowpoint with her came undone at the seams.

His power, she thought breathlessly, He's so…amazing…he's perfect…He's too good for someone like me. Still – I still feel this need…I don't understand why, but I just need him…

A veritable explosion of noise shook the Gym arena to its foundations. Nobody could believe what they had seen, and people were losing their minds trying to comprehend it. Sure, Milo was a powerhouse, no doubt, but to take down a Pokémon as renowned as Candice's Abomasnow? Not only had he pulled it off, but he'd done it with only one Pokémon! Unthinkable! Impossible! Milo himself was delirious with joy and he rushed the field to celebrate with his Infernape;

"YEEEESSS! BLAZE! Oh man, that was so epic!" Milo's hands were on his head in disbelief as he beamed at his proud but tired starter, "That was hands down the most badass Flare Blitz I have ever seen! Holy crap, buddy, you've been holding out on me, how the hell did that just happen? You're going to be a legend for this, pal! People are going to talk about that for years!"

Heh…Blaze was still breathing heavily, but he put on a gamely smirk and bumped fists with his Trainer, We…needed this one…right? I just…did what I had to do. Geez, I could use a nap…

You've more than earned it, replied the exuberant Jubilife Trainer mentally as he returned his Flame Pokémon. Azura padded up behind him from the Trainer's box where she'd helped keep Milo's head on straight throughout the battle. She was just as excited, of course, but she had the awareness to give her Trainer a heads up;

Milo, the badge? Here comes Candice.

"Well done", came the Leader's strained voice, "I never thought for a second that Abomasnow would fall. You've more than earned this; the Icicle Badge. Umm, may I post our battle on the BattleNet?"

Milo nodded silently as he accepted the badge, trying to find something to say that wouldn't be super awkward. He was about to go with some variation of 'thanks, good battle' when Candice offered him something else. A scrap of paper.

"Take this too", she was blushing, "It's…my personal number."

Unlike her earlier attempts at aggressive romance, Candice seemed almost…shy. Demure. She couldn't meet his eye as she added softly;

"Umm, please use it? Soon? I just…Please, just give me a chance, okay?"

"Uh…."

Milo was left speechless and rooted to the spot as the Snowpoint Leader turned and walked out, her head still down. He didn't have much time to stand there stupefied, however. The crowd was still screaming his name, and he knew a throng of reporters were waiting anxiously to point a thousand microphones and cameras at him. Dating Kara had taught him a few things about putting up a good front, and the young Trainer took a breath and managed a bright, confident smile as he waved his appreciation to the spectators, who were only just now beginning to file slowly out of their seats.

Milo made his way to the media room, where Amaya and Jenks were waiting. His friend and rival grabbed his arm before they went in and said with an awed voice;

"Holy. Crap. Milo, that was insane. Damn, I got goosebumps watching that fight."

"Thanks", the Jubilife Trainer was still breathless and thrilled, "I still can't believe it. We should get in there, though."

Amaya nodded, and the two Rookies stepped into the media room. Milo settled into his seat, trying to settle himself. Still, he couldn't entirely keep the glow from his face. Over and over he kept trying to wrap his head around it;

I just...I took down Candice's ace one to one...She used Abomasnow and I swept her...

Blaze was amazing, added Azura almost reverently from her usual position on her Trainer's lap, He might be the best on our team right now.

I don't know, Milo smirked down at his first Pokémon, It could easily be you as well, given how well we work together. Or Drake; he's…well, he's Drake.

True, nodded the Umbreon, He does take being a Garchomp very seriously.

They ran out of time to discuss it, as the clamoring reporters were at last given their chance to question the young Trainers.

"Milo", came the first question, "Mark Roberson, SBBN. Can you walk us through that last bout? What went through your head when Candice sent out her main Abomasnow there?"

Milo wasn't the type to be excited about answering media questions, but this was an understandable exception. He leaned forward with a grin;

"I have to admit I had some idea it might happen. Candice told me just before our battle that she was very sure she would win. I put two and two together and had at least a few minutes to come up with a contingency plan. That said, I was still on the tip of my toes the whole time, and Blaze put in one hell of a performance to pull it off. Once again, I owe my victory to my amazing team. They've worked so hard to get to where we are and I can't praise them highly enough."

Another man was given the microphone for the next question, and he dug eagerly into Milo's brief mention of his conversation with Candice;

"Milo! Hi; Erikson James, from All Things Pokémon magazine. You say Candice spoke to you just before the battle? That seems odd; what all went on in that conversation?"

"Oh", Milo visibly flinched, despite himself, and spluttered as he looked for an unassuming response;

"Yeah, umm, you know...I think she's just a really competitive person. Maybe she wanted to throw me off my game? I, uh...well, you'd have to ask her more about that."

Thankfully, the next question was for Amaya;

"Hi Amaya; first off, congratulations on badge number seven. Would you say your victory took any real exertion on your part? It looked pretty simple to the casual observer."

The Twinleaf Trainer just shrugged rather nonchalantly;

"Eh, you know. I mean, sure, I put the work in beforehand like any Gym challenge. Honestly, though, it wasn't a fair fight in terms of power. So yeah, not really hard at all."

"How do you feel about Volkner, now that you're one badge from the Conference?"

Amaya grinned darkly, "How do think I feel? I'm overpowered and I have a massive Torterra and a Steelix on my team. No disrespect to Volkner, but I'm already planning for the Conference."

This elicited a round of murmuring amongst the reporters as they scribbled away on their notepads, no doubt planning a 'breaking news' story about Amaya's overconfidence. The microphone was handed off, and the next reporter asked a fairly obvious follow-up question;

"What exactly are you planning for the Conference? How do you foresee that going for you and your team? How far do you think you'll be able to go as a Rookie?"

Amaya was in full swing now, and she had a glint in her eye as she answered;

"Rookie or not, I'm 'The Hammer', and that's not a nickname I got for free. I won't lose until someone shows up and proves they're better than me."

Milo looked askance at his travelling companion, eyebrow raised. He'd seen her confident, but this was a whole new level. She was making some bold claims.

Get ready, warned Azura, I'll bet they ask you next.

"Milo", Azura had been spot on, "You've already qualified for the Conference, and have experience in big battle situations; how do see yourself doing this year?"

"Well", the Jubilife Trainer was much more calculated in his response, "I think it's really tough to call that, because it'll depend on who I get drawn against. I could meet someone really tough in the first round, or get put in a weak bracket section and cruise to the semifinals. All I know is that I'll do my best in every fight."

At his answer a wave of chuckles and eye rolls seemed to ripple across the assembled press. No matter how he was provoked, Milo rarely said anything as noteworthy as Amaya. It was one of the reasons she was much more the public darling than he was. Her personality shone through her interviews as much as her battles, but he was just not willing to rock the boat unless he was in the Trainer's box.

As the interview progressed, it became clear that no matter how unprecedented his victory was, Milo could not be coerced into bragging about his own abilities beyond praising his team's hard work. Amaya made up for this by commenting quite frankly about her own abilities as well as Milo's, but once again the enigmatic Jubilife Trainer gave nothing away of himself to the media.

-o-

Unfortunately, Milo would not escape his victory over Candice unscathed. The three Rookie friends gathered later in Amaya's hotel suite in front of the television. They had been just in time to watch Damion's challenge for Candice's badge.

As Damion's team was flattened, Amaya raised an eyebrow;

"Does Candice seem like she's fighting harder?"

"Yeah", Milo's brow furrowed, "She seems like she's pissed. I guess whatever it is, she's taking it out on Damion and his team. Ouch…"

They all winced as Damion's third and final Pokémon, his Toxicroak, was laid flat by Candice's Piloswine – only her second battler. Despite himself, Milo felt a twinge of guilt and sympathy for his Veilstone rival, who had clearly received the brunt of the anger that Milo himself had caused.

"Man", Amaya shook her head, "If she'd have fought like that against us, that badge might've been actually challenging."

Damion knew it, too, and was fuming at the injustice of it all to any reporter willing to listen. The Snowpoint Leader, however, seemed unconcerned, when asked about this;

"Oh, the Veilstone boy? Unimpressive. He deserved what he got. The only standout battler today, for me, was Milo."

"Candice", called another journalist, "why only Milo? What about Amaya? Surely The Hammer impressed you at least a little?"

"She's nothing like Milo", snapped Candice protectively, sudden anger making color rise in her cheeks, "Nobody is. He's the most fascinating challenger I've ever faced. I only regret that I can't spend more time with him. Uh, t-to learn more about his team and how he battles, of course…"

The aforementioned Milo was, at this point, curled in a ball of misery and embarrassment in his friend's suite.

"Why can't she just drop it", he moaned, "Now everyone's going to figure it out and I'll never hear the end of it…"

Even Kara didn't quite know what to say, so she huddled up to her boyfriend as best she could while Amaya turned grimly back to the television. The unfortunate Rookie was spared any further humiliation as the channel turned to cover the buildup to the big Snowpoint Invitational that was creeping ever closer.

"Oh wow", Kara's voice was almost reverent, "All the big names are arriving now. Look, there's Miette, and…even Shauna's here…I can't believe this is real. I'm going to have to go in against some of the greatest Performers around…"

The worry creeping back into her voice was enough to stir Milo from his self-pity, and he had yet another healthy distraction at the ready;

"Hey, you guys. Want to see something special?"

Kara looked interested, but Amaya raised a suspicious eyebrow;

"Hmm…Special how?"

"Let's…just call it a team-building exercise. We'll have to head out of the city a bit."

"Out of the city?" They'd been warned about the dangers of the icy conditions outside the safety of Snowpoint City, but Milo refused to divulge his 'big secret'.

"Come on, just trust me, okay? Please, I want you two be there for this. You coming?"

Somewhat hesitantly, both girls agreed, and soon all three of them were bundled up and heading out the western exit from Snowpoint to the infamously perilous Route 217. Within minutes, all three were chilled to the bone, despite their many layers of clothing and Blaze and Pyro's efforts to warm them. Silence reigned supreme as the teenagers found they were too cold even to carry a conversation. All they could do was keep following Milo, who seemed determined to find something out here in the blowing snow and ice.

After a short walk, Amaya was the first to call a halt, spotting something out of the corner of her eye.

"Hey, wait up a sec. Look over there."

What she pointed to was a rather somber sight. It was a headstone and a small memorial, standing alone, almost aloof amidst the icy landscape. Milo frowned;

"That kind of creepy. Whose is it?"

Amaya answered without looking;

"It's Paul Shinji's. He died on this route."

"Wait", Milo's eyes went wide, "The Paul? He died here?"

Amaya was still not looking at her friend. She wandered reverently over to the site to pay her respects. Since she'd heard the tragic story from Damion back in Canalave, she'd done some of her own research into the morbid tale.

"Not here exactly. He died halfway between Mt. Coronet and Snowpoint. That's why Trainers aren't allowed to get here on foot. Damion told me about him; he's apparently a legend to the VPC kids – he graduated from there before he became Ash Ketchum's rival."

"I knew that part", Milo said, "and I never really liked his style, but…it's sad for anyone to go out that way. At least he was doing what he loved."

The group took a brief minute of silence out of respect for the fallen legend of Sinnoh's Trainer scene before moving on.

It took another half hour, but just when Amaya was going to demand they turn back, for the sake of safety, Milo looked back with a huge smile on his cold face and said;

"Here it is! Get ready guys!"

He ran forward, and the two girls could only follow. He stopped in front of what appeared to be a frozen boulder sticking up out of the snow for no apparent reason.

"…This is a rock", Amaya wasn't best pleased, "You brought us out here for a damn rock? Milo, what the hell?"

"Hush, 'Maya", the Jubilife Trainer shot back, "This isn't just a rock. Be quiet and watch."

With that, Milo took a breath and released all of his Pokémon at once.

Crap! Drake roared indignantly, I freaking hate ice! Let's make this quick, come on.

As Aurora stepped forward, understanding hit Amaya and she grinned;

"Ah, I get it. She finally picked, huh?"

Kara looked confusedly at her Twinleaf friend, who explained briefly;

"That's Sinnoh's only Icy Rock. Milo's about to get himself a Glaceon."

That brought a wide-eyed smile to Kara's face, and Aurora stopped short, turning back to face her teammates. Only her team and her Trainer heard the little Eevee's choice words on this momentous occasion;

Umm, yeah guys…Uh, I'm going to touch this fancy rock and be Glaceon, but first I wanna tell you why. So, my Momma, she was an Espeon. Her Trainer released her for not being strong enough, and…and she told me that Trainers catch Eevees like me and make us evolve into whatever they want but…Milo let me choose. I thought and thought really hard for, like, a long time…Then I remembered when my Momma told me that if she got to choose for herself, she'd have picked Glaceon. Since I get to choose, I think it'd be cool if I was Glaceon since she couldn't be. You know?

It was a heartwarming speech, especially from the innocent, tender Evolution Pokémon, who now had a couple telltale tears of nervousness rolling down her soft brown cheeks. Struggling not to cry herself, Azura stepped forward;

I think that's very brave of you, Aurora. You'll make a beautiful Glaceon. I think your Momma would be very proud of you. Now go on. Your team is right here, rooting for you.

Yep, Drake surprisingly stepped in next, fighting through his intense hatred of the frozen climate, That's for damn – I mean that's for darn sure. You got my support on this, 100%, kid.

Blaze and Jet nodded their support, and Ferra offered one last bit of encouragement;

You've earned this, Roro, she purposely used the nickname she'd accidentally come up with as a baby, All of us are super happy for you.

Her young eyes brimming, Aurora half-turned towards the Icy Rock before she called out to her Trainer;

Milo…I'm nervous. Come with me?

Milo nodded silently, more than willing to show his support to his beloved Pokémon. He stepped forward and walked alongside the trembling Eevee one painstaking step at a time. Finally, in front of the whole group, Aurora stopped within reach of the Icy Rock and Milo could see her small chest heaving, her face focused, knowing the irreversible change she was about to invoke upon herself.

With one small, brown paw, Aurora reached out and gently touched the Icy Rock. For one breathless second, nothing happened. Then, before Milo's very eyes, Aurora began to glow with that all-too-familiar light of evolution. Her body grew and changed, and about ten seconds later, the light faded to reveal a marvelous, brilliant Glaceon looking desperately up at her Trainer, waiting anxiously for his reaction.

"Oh, Aurora…" he could hardly speak, "You – you're absolutely beautiful!"

He fell to his knees at the wondrous sight, and held open his arms. A massive smile burst onto the face of his newly evolved Glaceon, and she leapt eagerly into his arms;

Milo! Oh, Milo, I feel so…different! Her mental voice had changed along with her body. Instead of a barely school-aged child, Aurora now sounded more like a young teenager.

I – I really did it! I'm really Glaceon now!

It was one of those moments for which there were simply no words. It was a moment that superseded the need to be expressed verbally. It was pure joy and unadulterated happiness captured together in one shining instant. It was a moment that was humorously shattered when Milo looked over his shoulder to see Drake slowly curling up into a ball, shuddering miserably.

"Ha!" The Jubilife Trainer couldn't contain himself, "Drake, buddy! Come on, man, you just look pathetic right now!"

Sh-sh-shut up…Even the Dragon's voice was miserable, I'm d-doing my b-b-best here. Crap, I h-hate ice…

"Huh", even Amaya had noticed, "Figures the Ground and Dragon type isn't a fan of this weather. Should we head back?"

Still holding and petting his new Glaceon, Milo nodded, "Yeah. I just wanted to share this whole thing with you guys. We can head back now."

Milo was entranced by his newly evolved Fresh Snow Pokémon, and Amaya wasn't exactly a conversationalist, so the group made their way back in relative quiet.

Relative quiet, that is, until a cry burst out from some frozen brush in front of them;

"SNEEEE!"

Amaya was leading the way, and was the first to react. In a split second, Leon appeared in front of his Trainer, ready to face anything. The alarming screech had come from a wild Sneasel that appeared to be attempting an ambush of some kind. It stopped short at seeing Leon, and glared as Amaya commanded;

"Shock Wave!"

The Sneasel's instinct was to dodge, but Shock Wave couldn't miss, and the Sharp Claw Pokémon went tumbling head over heels in the snow with a yelp.

"I'll let you handle this one", called Milo with a grin as the Luxray and Sneasel began trading blows back and forth, though he did take a protective step in front of Kara.

Amaya didn't bother acknowledging him, she was actually rather intrigued by this battle. Leon had now hit the Sneasel three times, and it was still coming back for more. Most wild Pokémon would either have gone down or run away by now. The Dark type came lunging in once more, and Amaya decided to pull out the big guns;

"Alright, Leon, give him a Thunder!"

Leon complied, and Milo, acting as the peanut gallery, supplied a largely irrelevant tidbit;

"That's not a 'him', 'Maya! With that head feather and tail, it has to be female!"

Regardless, the Sneasel crumpled under Leon's Thunder attack, and Amaya nodded in satisfaction. Nothing like a good battle to warm up the…wait…

On the ground before her, the prone form of the Sneasel began to glow, just as Aurora had done only minutes before. Stunned, it took her a few seconds to realize what was happening.

"Is it…evolving? Right here? Uh…hey, Leon! Focus up, we're not done yet! Another Thunder!"

This time, however, the newly evolved Weavile zipped away from Leon's attack like a rocket, almost disappearing before she slammed into the Luxray's side with a Night Slash.

"Toxic!"

The counterattack was perfect. The Ice type's instinct was good, but it had no exit strategy and took the full brunt of the dangerous Toxic. Now it was a waiting game. The next few minutes were tense. The wild Pokémon's speed was a sight to behold, and it was all Leon could do to keep its wanton attacks at bay. Eventually, though, the slow damage of the Toxic slowed the Sharp Claw Pokémon, and Milo was waiting for his friend to call out the finishing blow. Instead, she got a certain look in her eyes, one that tickled his memory…

"Wait, 'Maya, are you going to…?"

"Yes", she replied curtly, pulling a ball from her pack quickly, "Yes I am."

"What's she doing?" Kara asked quietly.

With a grin, Milo replied, "That's the same look she got right before she captured Granite, way back in Oreburgh. Then again before she caught Leon as a Shinx. That Weavile is going to be her sixth team member."

Sure enough, the Pokéball struck its still-snarling target, and shook quite violently once…twice…thrice…before settling with a soft ping to sit quietly in the snow.

"YES!" Amaya was thrilled, "That's a full team for me! Come on out, Weavile!"

She poked the button and the caught Dark type emerged, confused, hurt and suspicious. Kara tried to dash forward to congratulate her friend, but Milo held her back;

"Wait. This is a crucial and delicate moment. Especially with a Weavile; they can be pretty dangerous."

Amaya, breathing rapidly, held up her hands and approached slowly, cautiously. The Weavile was still in pain, grimacing as the effects of Leon's Toxic continued to sap away its health. The Twinleaf Trainer fished an Antidote from her small pack, and held it up for the disoriented Pokémon to observe, saying;

"This is for you…Glacius. That's your new name. This is medicine. You'll feel better, promise. You just have to let me put this on you. Okay?"

The Weavile blinked in understanding, and Amaya stopped just a few short feet away. There was a tense few seconds while they all waited for Glacius' response…and then they all exhaled together as Amaya's new Sharp Claw Pokémon lowered itself towards her to allow the Antidote to be applied. She kept talking as she did so, letting the Weavile get used to hearing her voice;

"You just got a major power boost, Glacius. I can help you use it. I can make sure you grow faster, stronger, and smarter. Very soon you'll meet the rest of the team, and we'll get your official training started. I can't wait to see what we'll do together, girl."

-o-

True to her word, Amaya disappeared to the nearest training space she could find and only reemerged for dinner. This left Milo and Kara to themselves, a prospect Milo usually relished. Now, however, Kara didn't seem in the mood to do much of anything. In the end, she watched with passing interest as Milo found his own training space and began experimenting with strategies to take advantage of Aurora's new Ice typing.

He quickly arrived at the conclusion that Aurora would now be an excellent escape artist. She could use Hail, which played perfectly to her natural abilities; Snow Veil and Ice Body. She was downright impossible to find in the icy conditions, and even harder to hit. All the while, she could slowly regenerate her energy, driving opponents (specifically, Drake and Jet) crazy trying to bring her down. It was frighteningly effective, and Milo couldn't wait to use it in battle.

Kara

She was trying to be supportive as she sat and watched her boyfriend training. She really was. Somehow, though, her heart just wasn't in it. It was now the day before the Grande Snowball, which meant that it was two days until the Snowpoint Invitational itself. Two days until she performed alongside her ever-illustrious cousin, Serena, and other stars like Shauna, Miette, May Maple, and even Dawn. It put every other event she'd been in to shame.

A red flash at her side brought her out of her worried thoughts. It was Florence, seated primly beside her, who had a perfect grasp of her Trainer's emotions as always;

Milady, I implore you to put your mind at ease. Our plans for this Showcase have been laid to perfection and practiced to the point of absolute precision. Your team is most certainly ready to shine.

"I – I know, Flo. Thanks. I just can't help it, you know? Milo's done such a good job keeping me from freaking out the past few days, but…now it's so close that I can't think about anything else."

I understand, nodded the Embrace Pokémon, Your worry shows all the more how deeply you care for the success of our team.

Kara smiled weakly and rubbed her Pokémon's shoulder appreciatively;

"Thanks, Flo. I can always count on you."

But of course, milady.

They sat together watching Milo go hammer and tongs right alongside his team. Kara took no small pleasure in noticing her Gardevoir's distraction once Drake emerged with a mighty roar onto the training field. Try as she might, the half-Fairy could never seem to conceal her fascination with Milo's Dragon.

"It's okay, Flo", smirked the Floaroma Performer, "there's nothing to be ashamed of. There's always something alluring about a bad boy."

A-alluring? Florence huffed, and stared determinedly anywhere but the Mach Pokémon, I'm sure I don't know what you mean by such a misplaced comment.

Kara laughed at that, and her little joke was enough to keep her worries at bay just a bit longer.

-o-

One small moment at a time, Kara made it all the way to the evening of the next day, when it was time for the Grande Snowball. Kara had forced Amaya to get ready with her, a process that took a few hours while Kara picked which of her ten dresses to wear and 'Maya put on the only one she owned. Milo, by comparison, whittled the time away until there was just a half hour left. Then, and only then, did he jump in the shower, throw on the fancy clothes he'd bought in Canalave, and present himself at Kara's door to pick up the two girls and head over.

There was a second or two of silence when they opened the door, before Milo broke into a huge grin and said;

"Kara, you look amazing and beautiful and perfect, but I will never ever forget today; the day I saw 'Maya in a dress and makeup. With her hair done, no less."

"Hey, shut up!" Amaya was instantly defensive, "What, am I not allowed to be a girl? Whatever, don't expect to see it again anytime soon. Hurry up, let's go."

Milo was still cackling as they headed to the elevator and down to the taxi waiting to take them to the ball;

"That was mean", Kara punched him in the shoulder before whispering, "But I don't blame you. I've been waiting for days to see 'Maya looking fancy."

When they arrived at the ball venue, many of the lesser known semi-professional and professional Performers, Coordinators, and Trainers had already arrived. Traditionally the most distinguished guests arrived fashionably late, but the three Rookies weren't quite at that level yet.

"We're fashionably on time", joked Milo as he poked at his shirt collar, adjusting his tie a bit.

"Works for me", Kara had her arm in his, and slapped his other hand away from the tie, "Quit playing with that, I promise it looks fine."

"Hey, we're up", Amaya pulled her two friends up to the entry, where a doorman checked their super-fancy tickets and said;

"If you've brought any Pokémon with you, please declare them now. One Pokémon per person, please."

Azura, Verdante, and Leon appeared, and the man stepped aside to let them in, though he cast an extra glance at Amaya's large and intense Luxray.

"See", Kara told her, "I told you it'd be weird to bring him. He's too big."

"He's fine", Amaya shot back, "Besides, you wouldn't let me bring Coral."

Milo rolled his eyes. It had taken them a full hour to convince Amaya that Coral, Granite, and Terrus were all completely unacceptable to bring with her to a fancy ball. A Luxray was still a borderline choice, but it had been a compromise that ensured there would be no Steelix towering over this year's Grande Snowball.

"Anyway", huffed the Twinleaf Trainer, "I'm going to find snacks and hang out by the battlefield. Maybe something interesting will happen."

With that, she was off, and Milo watched her go with a rueful grin, "I suppose that was to be expected."

Milo and Kara began the process of rubbing elbows with the many prominent names who were in attendance. This was made somewhat easier by the entrance of Marcus and Gardenia, who quickly found them and began introducing the two Rookies to other Gym Leaders and well-known figures.

"This", said Marcus, gesturing to a woman in a magnificent purple dress, "is my predecessor. Milo, Kara, meet Fantina."

"Ah", the woman shook both their hands vigorously, "C'est un honneur! It is my pleasure to meet the brother of dear Marcus, non? Welcome, young people, welcome."

"Th-the honor is mine", Milo was rather awestruck, "I heard stories from Marcus all the time about seeing your awesome Ghosts in action. I loved watching your battles on television; you had such an elegant way of battling."

"Ah, yes", the ex-Leader's eyes misted over with memory, "Well I remember the exquisite beauty of the battle…But, non! I am thinking that now your brother is much stronger than I ever was, eh?"

The crowd in the hall grew and grew as they talked, and eventually a DJ began playing music, much to the delight of Verdante and Azura, who jumped and danced around near their Trainers to the beat of whatever was playing.

Eventually, the two Rookies left Marcus and Gardenia talking to old Wattson, an Electric-type Leader visiting from Hoenn. As they meandered over to find snacks or drinks, a hand tapped Kara lightly on the shoulder;

"What's up, cousin?"

"Oh!" Kara burst into a smile, "Serena, you're here!"

The two blondes hugged and started chatting away about what Milo could only assume was Performer stuff. He caught bits and pieces of it;

"…and I'm never quite sure how Fire will interact with…"

"…but I love the way Fairy moves make everything…"

"…really pulls the tone of my performances together…"

He stood there and smiled, trying not to appear bored by his girlfriend and the Kalos Queen. He couldn't hide it from Azura, though,

Milo, chided the Umbreon, Say something. You look like a slapped Feebas just standing there grinning at nothing.

He spluttered and looked down at his first Pokémon, and a voice behind him said;

"Hey, I get it. Makes my head spin, too. Nothing like a good old-fashioned battle if you ask me."

"You got that right", said Milo offhandedly in reply.

"Pikachu, Pikapi", came a Pokémon's voice of agreement.

At that, Milo's eyes shot wide open and he whirled around…to find himself looking up into the face of the Pokémon Master himself. Ash Ketchum grinned down at Milo as his wife and her cousin continued to catch up on life and whatever else it was they were discussing.

"A-Ash? Ash Ketchum?"

Milo couldn't believe his eyes. Even Azura was gazing in awe at the Electric Mouse standing in front of her, wearing a bowtie and a cheerful smile.

Ash's arrival finally got the attention of the two Performer cousins, and Serena stepped around the dumbstruck Milo to greet her husband with a quick peck on the lips. Kara, who had of course met Ash before at family gatherings, gave a cordial hello before elbowing Milo in the ribcage to break the spell the Pokémon Master's presence had evidently cast on her boyfriend.

"So", Ash was rather used to these kinds of reactions from fans, and he took it in stride, offering a handshake, "You're Milo, right? Mom told me to keep an eye out for you; I've heard you're tearing it up here in Sinnoh!"

"I - well, umm - I guess…"

Milo gingerly accepted the handshake, eyes still wide. He swallowed hard, blinked forcefully, and tried to regain control of himself;

"Y-yeah, I've been working through the Gym Circuit, uh, just like you did."

"Nice!" Ash caught his wife's not-so-subtle head jerk, telling him to try harder to make the Rookie Trainer feel more comfortable, "I see you've got an Umbreon – and she's got blue stripes! You don't see that every day; how'd that happen?"

The Umbreon in question flattened her ears back against her head in embarrassment, but Milo perked up, as he always did when talking about his beloved Pokémon team;

"That's Azura. She's a shiny. Sorry, I just – it's a real honor to meet you, Mr. Ketchum. And Pikachu, of course."

"Please, just Ash is fine", waved the Pokémon Master nonchalantly, "Mr. Ketchum sounds weird. What's the rest of your team like?"

Just as Milo had been lost when Kara and Serena got into their 'Performer talk', they in turn were quickly befuddled as the two Trainers settled into discussing types, matchups, battle dynamics, training paradigms, and more.

"You know", Serena smiled to her younger relative, "I don't get to see that look very often anymore."

"What look?"

"Ash. He only ever gets that look in his eyes when he meets someone who loves Pokémon and being a Trainer just as much as him." An old memory brought an unbidden grin to the Kalos Queen's features, "I used to see it all the time when we first travelled through Kalos, when Ash and Clemont got to talking, but these days not so much."

"That's kind of sad", frowned Kara, "Does he not enjoy it as much now that he's at the top?"

Serena just laughed, "No, no, actually it's the opposite. These days nobody can quite match Ash's enthusiasm for what he does. Nobody but Milo, apparently."

Amaya

From afar, Amaya watched her friends mingling with only passing interest. One might have thought she would hurry over, jumping at the chance to meet the Pokémon Master, but...she just wasn't all that intrigued by the man.

He was a great battler, sure, but celebrity idols had never been what kept her involved in training. Her career as a Trainer was about her, not some childhood idol of Milo's, no matter how famous he was.

"Who knows", she remarked to Leon casually, "Maybe that'll be us someday, huh?"

Seated beside her, he gave a deep, growling purr as a sign of agreement. When he'd joined the team, Amaya had promised power – power enough to protect everything that mattered to him, which now included his Trainer. She had kept her end of that deal, and his loyalty to her was absolute.

Amaya sighed deeply and looked around again. She had hoped for something interesting to pass the time, but so far that was a wash.

I was wondering whether Damion would show, she thought as she bit her lip. She didn't want to admit it, but she'd actually been getting along well with him recently. He was still an arrogant ass, of course, but...there was something alluring about his brash confidence. He felt real, in a way not many people did.

Ah, cut that out, she caught herself, The Hammer doesn't fall for anybody, much less him. I don't Like Damion, I just – I learned to tolerate him.

She was actually considering leaving, wondering how long it would take Milo and Kara to notice she was gone, when a crash and a commotion arose from somewhere near the entrance.

Her brow furrowed when she saw Leon bristle slightly. Very few things put him off like that. As the commotion died down, she was still craning her neck for a look at what had caused it. As it happened, the source of the noise found her.

"See, now this is how I roll, ladies. I'm telling you, big-time Trainers like me don't go half-ass on a party, eh? Hey, let's grab some drinks, come on!"

A whirlwind of emotions set off as, out of the crowd, Damion Parr himself emerged. He was a bit unsteady, as though he'd been drinking, and he had a bombshell blonde tucked under each arm, fawning over his every word.

Amaya was taken aback as something inside her was suddenly furious. She had just finished telling herself that she didn't care at all about this guy, but seeing him wrapped around two other girls made her inexplicably want to throw up.

Without really thinking about what she was doing, she stalked up to him and asked in a dangerously calm voice;

"What the hell are you doing?"

Damion visibly blanched at seeing her, but then he blinked and actually saw her and his jaw hit the floor.

Amaya's silky, long, black hair had been tucked into one long braid that cascaded perfectly over her shoulder, right down to the top of the strapless black dress, simple and elegant, that highlighted her small, slim frame exquisitely.

"Hey!" Her angry voice snapped him out of his distracted daze, but only until he caught sight of those trademark fiery eyes of hers that shone with raw passion. He almost didn't care that it was he who had invoked her ire; he just relishedthe chance to see that intensity he couldn't get enough of.

Damn it all, I still love this chick.

"Seriously, jerk, what the hell is with you?"

"I - I...What?"

He had indeed been drinking before the ball. He wasn't totally plastered yet, but buzzed enough that his brain was struggling to connect the dots. Hurriedly, he turned to the two girls he'd brought with him;

"Hey, uh, give us a minute. I have to talk to her."

As soon as they had left, Amaya jabbed a furious finger in his face, "You show up here half-drunk with two random bimbos hanging off you? Damn you, Damion!"

"Whoa, they're not random bimbos! They're Trainers like you and me, I found them at the Pokémon Center. That's Trish and...umm...Trish's friend."

"Sure", Amaya wasn't having it, "And you invited them along because you're just such a nice guy, right? Screw you!"

"No hold on", he finally found his nerve, "Why the hell should you care? You've made your feelings about me very clear, over and over. The way I see it, you've got no right to get pissed at me for being with other chicks."

Amaya glowered at him, raw fury bringing out the fire in her brilliantly intense eyes. Other guests were beginning to give the two Rookies worried looks, so Amaya grabbed the unfortunate Veilstone boy and dragged him to a window balcony where they could continue in relative privacy.

"Seriously", he complained, "You hate me; don't pretend you don't. So just let me go and we can go back to ignoring each other. Better that than whatever the hell this is. What's gotten into you, anyway?"

"Are you freaking blind?" Amaya was still glaring up at him, not quite sure herself where this was coming from, "Who kept you out of Team Rocket? Who stuck up for you in Canalave? Who's been keeping Milo from tearing you to shreds for weeks? Yeah, that's right, me. Damn it, Damion."

He was quick to counter, "What, so because you're being a bit less of a witch than usual, I'm supposed to keep pining after you like a whipped Poochyena? Screw that. I know you; you rejected me for over half a damn year. You're not going to change your mind, no matter how I feel. I give up with you."

Amaya's loyal Luxray stepped forward and began snarling at the Veilstone Trainer, but Amaya stuck out a hand;

"No, Leon, don't rip his limbs off until I'm done with him. Tell me, Damion", Amaya's voice was once again dangerously low, "How exactly do you feel? Seems to me like you've moved on. Congrats to Trish and her friend."

"What, you want to hear me beg?" Damion was past the point of caring. This had been building up for a long time, and his inhibitions were low enough that it was all coming out one way or another;

"Fine! I still can't get over you. I haven't been over you since I met you. You're the most amazing girl I've ever met, and the only one who can kick my ass at battling. You have no idea how much I've wanted you, for so long, but you hate my guts. You'd rather be Milo's damn sidekick than have anything to do with me. I'm like the scum under your feet. So yeah, I give up. Happy now?"

Damion's chest was heaving by the time he finally stopped, and his face was hot. Only now did he notice Amaya's reaction. The Twinleaf girl had taken a few steps back, and her furious expression had turned to one of pure, wide-eyed shock.

She opened her mouth, only to shut it again.

"I...I don't...I'm leaving."

Milo

He'd spent a glorious fifteen minutes or so talking to the Pokémon Master. Then some music had come on, and Serena had stolen her husband away for a dance. Around that time, he'd noticed Candice looking anxiously around, and had made sure to duck well away from her line of sight. He did not need any more of that right now. He was now holding a glass of water, standing near a corner, leaning against a table. Azura was seated presentably next to him, and both Trainer and Pokémon were amusing themselves by people-watching.

Pretty sure she's a Gym Leader, too, noted Milo, nodding towards an ethereal young woman walking around by herself.

Really? Azura was mildly surprised, She seems rather young. Well, I suppose Maylene is young, as well, so it's not so unbelievable.

Yep, Milo had finally put his finger on who she was, I remember now; she leads a Steel-type Gym in Johto. Uh...Janice? Jessie? Oh, Jasmine! That's it.

A clatter from off to their right caught Milo's attention, and he looked over curiously. It was Amaya. She emerged from a window balcony, Leon close behind her, making her way as fast as she could across the ball space and towards the exit.

On instinct, Milo motioned to Azura and made to follow. He took just a couple seconds to tap Kara's shoulder. She had been chatting with Shauna excitedly about the upcoming Invitational, but when Milo pointed out the fleeing Amaya, she quickly excused herself and followed. Friends took priority.

As they exited the ball, Milo broke into a run, chasing after their Twinleaf companion.

"Hey! Hey, 'Maya, wait up! Amaya!"

He was shocked to see Leon, at a wave from his Trainer, turn and block his path.

"What…? Leon, come on, pal! I'm trying to help! What's - seriously!"

He tried to duck around the Luxray, but Leon kept stepping in front, not allowing him access to Amaya. The Gleam Eyes Pokémon turned then to Kara and barked, jerking his head in Amaya's direction. The Performer understood perfectly;

"She...doesn't want to talk to Milo? But I'm okay?"

Leon nodded with an impatient huff as he continued to block the frustrated Milo. Kara bit her lip worriedly, torn between sticking up for Milo and chasing Amaya.

"Go", came Milo's defeated voice. He was still glaring daggers at Leon, who was returning his stare with impunity, "See what the hell's gotten into her. I guess I'm not allowed to help my friend."

With one last apologetic nod, Kara took off. It didn't take long to track down the Twinleaf star; she'd gone straight back to her room and thrown herself dejectedly on the sofa. At Kara's knock, she opened the door and asked immediately;

"No Milo, right?"

"Umm, no", Kara affirmed, "Leon kind of blocked him. H-he wasn't happy about it."

"Whatever", Amaya retreated again to her couch, "He can get over it. I don't have to make him happy all the time, I'm not his sidekick."

The Performer's brow furrowed at the snide remark, and she approached cautiously;

"His sidekick? Amaya, what are you talking about? You know that's ridiculous."

"I…yeah. Sorry."

As Kara joined her friend gingerly on the couch, Amaya was hunched over, head in hands, seemingly at war with herself;

"Just some stupid crap Damion threw at me. I don't know why I care."

"That makes two of us", was Kara's blunt response, "I saw him come in drunk, but he's never been able to get you shaken up like this, 'Maya. What did he say?"

"Well, he – he sort of spilled his guts at me. All about how he's been crazy about me for months, how he respects my battling, and how I've basically treated him like dirt the whole damn time."

Kara frowned, "Isn't that what he always says?"

"No", Amaya picked her head up and Kara could see the distress written in her eyes, "This time was different. He wasn't just being a poser, he was – I guess just telling me the truth without dressing it up."

"Well…that's a new tactic", agreed Kara quietly, the pieces beginning to fall into place, "It still doesn't answer the question of why you care, though."

She looked expectantly at her black-haired friend, who was lost in thought for a few seconds.

"He's…changed. Over the last months, I mean. He was just an ass before, but…but now he's – you know what I mean, right?"

"He's more of an honest-to-goodness bad boy than just a prick", supplied Kara helpfully.

"Yes! That's it. I think I…"

She stopped, unable to force herself to say the words. Once again, Kara put them in her mouth, this time with a knowing grin, and a tired shake of the head;

"You prefer bad boys to pricks, huh? I get it now. He gave up, but now you like him. Amaya, I swear, you are impossible."

Blushing furiously, Amaya shot back;

"Shut up."

"Hey, take it easy", Kara wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders, relieved that the 'big problem' was just a blossoming crush in the end, "The first crush always feels the weirdest. I will say, though, setting Leon to block Milo out in the middle of the street was a bit much."

"Hmm? Oh. Yeah. Kind of forgot about that. I guess that was a bit of a heat-of-the-moment thing. Whatever, he can still get over it."

"Yeah", Kara nodded, "He's a big boy. Hey", she got a mischievous glint in her eyes, "What do say we just leave him? See how long Leon sticks to his job and strands him on the sidewalk."

"Ha! That's downright devious, Kara. I like it."

With a shared laugh, the two girls at last took a deep breath and relaxed. Trainer and Performer sat quietly together for a few silent moments, until Amaya spoke once more;

"Sorry."

With a raised eyebrow, Kara inquired, "Sure thing. What for?"

"I know you have all the Invitational stuff coming up, and here I am catching the world's dumbest feels. I swear I'm not trying to be needy."

"Ah, no worries", Kara chuckled, "What are friends for? I'm here whenever you need a little girl to girl. Besides, I could use any distraction I can find right now. Truth be told, I'm still on the edge of freaking out."

It was Amaya's turn to offer her travelling companion a consoling shoulder bump,

"You'll kill it for sure. I don't know a lot about Showcases, but I know you've got more balls than the rest of those girly girls put together."

"That", laughed Kara, "is the most 'Amaya' compliment you've ever given. Thank you."

Unbeknownst to the two girls, both Milo and Leon were still having a stare down on the cold sidewalk of Snowpoint City. Still, it hardly seemed to matter. With so much pressure on the horizon, Kara and Amaya drew strength from one another, knowing that each of them could deal with anything that was thrown at them.

Author's Notes:

Here it is! Man, this one was another chapter that felt like it pushed me out on a limb. If it seems dense, it's because the original plan was to put the whole Invitational in here, too, and do Snowpoint all in one chapter. Then I got to this point and realized it was going to be another 10k words or so at least, and I just felt like I didn't want one chapter to have that many important events, lest they detract from one another. It may feel like there are a lot of unanswered questions right now, and that's sort of on purpose. They will be answered, never fear.

As always, PLEASE let me know what you thought about any and all of this! Was it gripping? Did the pacing feel off? Too much drama? Not enough drama? Let me hear it, if you're willing to share!

Quick (mildly selfish) note: If anyone out there has artistic talent (not me), I've been craving some good concept art for our main characters. I've got a good mental image of what they look like, but I'm far from capable of actually drawing them out. If you're willing to help me out, let me know!

Also, a shoutout to Joshy, whose reviews continue to provide a great insight to a reader's view of what I'm writing. Thank you, thank you, a thousand times thank you.

Finally, thank YOU! That's right, you there, reading this! I appreciate your taking the time to read my work, and I humbly hope you continue to enjoy it. Feel free to follow/favorite if you'd like to stay up to date with the story and help others find it as well.

Peace to you, my friends. Enjoy yourselves, because you deserve to be happy.

-Nano