"And it's Angel for the win! The little lady has won the Junior Cup with her dominating absol, Calamity. You know what that means folks! She battling Cynthia! Return in an hour to watch this thrilling battle! It's sure to be great!"
The crowd cheers as the opposing flareon is returned to its ball. The young boy sighs in disappointment and thanks the pokemon inside its ball. The two meet at the center and the youngster leans down slightly to shake Angel's hand. Calamity waits calmly for the two to part before approaching her trainer. She rubs her head against the girl side and Angel laughs when the forces causes her to stumble. She stops choking her pokemon in a death grip when two shadows hover above her. Angel stands up straight to see Malva and Cynthia looking down at her.
"You scorched the competition brat. Come see me when you're older and maybe by then you'll be strong enough to take me on. I'm out, but I'm going to be watching your match over the holo caster."
The fiery woman smirks and gives a salute before sashaying out of the arena with the rest of the crowd. Cynthia smiles and pats the child's head. Unlike her reaction three days ago, Angel smiles slightly and just lets out a giggle.
"Great job Angel."
"It was all Calamity."
The absol starts to bark in protest and only hushes when Angel places a calming hand on her head.
"A pokemon's power only reaches its full potential when it and its trainers hearts are in sync. Your bond is shown through your battle. I must ask though, how come you've been yelling your commands."
Angel looks up and smiles, "Because it's more fun! That's what this tournament's all about, at least for us. We give it our all. Silent communication is more strategic. It's kind of an unfair advantage don't you think?"
Cynthia smiles, "Well no holding back on me, okay?"
Angel nods. Her smile starts to slip and is replaced with a blush when her stomach loudly grumbles for food. Cynthia chuckles before taking the child's hand and leading them out of the stadium. Right before they reach the tunnel entrance, she glances down at the child when she feels her arm starting to drag behind her to see the girl was semi-running to keep up with her fast paced companion. The champion slows her pace to a stop. Angel takes a breath and Calamity nudges her for support.
"Sorry. I'll slow down." The two continue through the stadium door at a more leisurely pace, "Let's get lunch. Coumarine City has a restaurant in their Hotel Coumarine."
"That's okay. Nurse Joy has been very nice with the board and meals at the center." Angel insists as she attempts to make her way to the red roofed building.
"Come on. We can have ice cream for dessert."
Cynthia looks at the girl she named tilt her head in confusion, "Ice cream? Wait, is that the creamy stuff you're always eating when you meet me at the stadium gate in the morning."
The look Angel receives from the champion makes her think she committed a capital offense. A yelp is released when Cynthia suddenly reaches down and sweeps the girl into her arms. Angel places a death grip on the collar of Cynthia's summer shirt, the champion had learned after the first tournament day that Coumarine was not cold enough for a black dress. She gives the woman a glare as she scrambles to straighten herself as she's jostled due to Cynthia's running.
"You need to stop doing this!" The platinum yells when Cynthia assists in her crusade to put her in a more comfortable position, "I should choke you!"
Cynthia laughs as she hugs the child a little closer before relenting and putting her on the ground in front of the monorail entrance. She gives Angel a sideways hug and pushes her through the gate onto the train.
Angel didn't usually frequent the hotel chain that spotted the Kalos region. Hotels cost money, so while they may not be extremely comfortable than the PokeCenter's complementary bunk and meals would always suffice. Unlike Cynthia, Angel wasn't paid to be a trainer, as was any trainer not working for a company or part of the Pokemon League Challenge. The young trainer hid behind the champion's legs as the two delved deeper into the hotel. At least it wasn't Hotel Richissime from her hometown, Lumiose.
Angel looks at the bowl placed in front of her. Her spoon pokes at the white ball sitting in the center of her bowl for the tenth time in the past ten minutes.
"Stop playing with it and just eat it. You'll like it I promise."
Angel looked at the dessert with hesitation. She takes some of the fluff on top and stuffs it in her mouth. When she swallows, her violet eyes look up.
"It looks much more solid when I saw you eat it."
Cynthia chuckles at her error, "That's whipped cream Angel. The ice creams below it."
The young girl's cheeks redden in embarrassment but finds the actual treat. Her flush is forgotten the moment the cold dessert is noticed by her tastebuds and the bowl is quickly pulled forward to be devoured.
"Careful now. You'll get a brain freeze."
Angel looks at her doubtingly with full cheeks, but complies. Cynthia smiles and steals some whipped cream off the child's bowl, for her's had emptied long before Angel had even started.
…
"Here we are folks! After a short break we are back to witness a champion against this rising star! We present Cynthia of Sinnoh's Celestic Town vs. Angel of Kalos' Lumiose City! This is a one on one battle and who's ever pokemon faints first is the loser."
Cheers echo throughout the arena as both trainers are revealed on the battlefield. Cynthia moves her hair out of her eyes before a red and white pokeball is hurled outward above the dirt.
"Now Garchomp, battle dance."
A white beam momentarily blinds the field from view before Garchomp and all her glory resonates a roar throughout the arena. The purple dragon lets out an excited battle cry at Angel.
"We've been waiting for this," Cynthia admits. "Garchomp has been awaiting this battle."
A bellowing roar confirms the dragon's feelings. A few spectators slightly shiver in discomfort.
"Well, got to keep a pokemon like Garchomp happy. Besides, Calamity desires to see Garchomp's true power!" The black pokeball is revealed before it is tossed up into the air. "Let's put on a show. Calamity, curtain call!"
As expected, the red absol burst from the ball to slice through the air. A battle cry resonates as it lands nimbly in front of her trainer. Sunlight glints off its red horn and illuminates the creature's fur. It's front crouches as it waits for an order.
"You have first move sweetheart," Cynthia reminds sweetly.
"You're the champion, and officially you challenged me. I'm perfectly content with saying you win."
"Aw, you're no fun Angel. Alright, we'll attack first. Garchomp, Dig!"
The purple beast burrows into the ground and spectators hold a baited breath as they wait for Angel's first command. Confusion radiates when Angel doesn't even react, nor does she call out a command. Calamity stance matches her trainer, with her greenish eyes closed in relaxation. Her front legs shifted slightly so that one stood in front of the other as it straightens. Its neck tuff puffs out as it raises its head.
"You're awfully calm considering my garchomp is currently burying under your feet. Garchomp attack!"
Noise is heard below as the monster attempts to confuse the opponent before striking. Everyone jumps in surprise when the two simultaneously open their eyes. They both jump to the side in synchronization and barely dodge the torpedo of muscle. Garchomp launches into the air and turns to look at the two below her. Shock crosses the champions face when she notices the quadruped is unharmed. A pale hand waves up and the red beast propels upwards.
"Remarkable! First it managed to dodge Garchomp's attack and now an absol using Bounce! What's this?" The announcer trails off when Angel makes a swiping motion with her hand and, in response, Calamity's signature scythe begins to glow an iridescent green and lengthens. It flips and rams its horn into Garchomp's neck, effectively forcing the creature back to the ground.
"That was a crit everyone!" The announcer shouted over the loudspeaker as both pokemon returned to their sides of the battlefield. Garchomp raises a claw to its injured neck.
"Calamity's ability is Super Luck. It helps deliver a little extra punch don't you think?"
"Impressive. Use Brick Break," Cynthia commands, using her opponent's momentary distraction in her favor.
The absol is thrown into the wall behind Angel. She gasps as the force cracks the wall and the pokemon falls to the ground.
"That might be it folks. That Brick Break is super effective."
Calamity stands, much to everyone's bewilderment. Severe damage is shows by the way power still crackles around the heavily panting pokemon and by the way it almost falls over again when it attempts to stand. Angel straightens in concern and motions her head back. Calamity shakes her head no and stares intently at her trainer. Angel releases a small laugh that was considered more of a shaky breath before she releases a real sigh. A smile stretches across her face.
"If that's what you want, then let's do it." The shiny pokemon leaps in front of her trainer. Violet eyes clash with gray, "We'll show you our true power. Calamity, mega evolve!"
"What?" Cynthia gasps as tendrils of energy project from the absol's necklace and her trainer's hand chain. "Those are mega stones?"
Light envelops the creature and the outline of wings sprout from the creature's back. A deafening cry is released as the light breaks apart. The creature's wings flare as it crouches into an attack pose.
"Absol just mega evolved! Absol just mega evolved!" The announcer yells out in excitement.
"Calamity may be powered up, but the damage dealt is still just as effective. So let's put a timer on this match. Calamity, Perish Song!"
The red creature opens its mouth and a red aura lines its body. Wavy currents of dark crimson and black power show the path of the shrieking howl and Garchomp takes a step back. Both pokemon and trainer step back as Cynthia ponders what she should do next.
"Well this is a change of events."
"Your move Cynthia. Better make it quick."
Cynthia ground her teeth slightly, "Garchomp, Dragon Rush!"
The blue energy morphs into a dragon's silhouette around the mach pokemon and Calamity grunted in frustration when her body stiffens in anticipation. Angel closed her eyes tight as a foreboding shutter forces both younger trainer and pokemon downwards. A resonating thud is heard when the dragon collides into the mega evolved pokemon head on. It zooms upwards away from the dispersing dust. The fading debris clears. Calamity stands in a crouch, barely hovering above the ground. As the absol stumbles light cloaks its body as its magnificent wings retreat into its back and restores its original form. People gasp when the white guardian finally collapses on the ground.
"Angel!" Cynthia yells when she sees the blond fall to her knees.
The champion and her garchomp rush across the broken field and kneel beside the child. She puts a hand on her shoulder as she tries to figure out why her breathing was so labored and the cause of the sheen of sweat lining her forehead. Violet eyes open as traces of pain start to dispel from her irises. The platnium's head falls forward onto the champion's shoulder and shifts upward when she sees Garchomp gently place a stirring Calamity on the ground before her. A pale hand reaches out to rub the creature's head. The pokemon lets out an apologetic bark.
"It's not your fault. We knew we most likely wouldn't beat them, but you wanted to try as hard as you could anyway. I usually wouldn't take on an opponent I know would pummel us," Angel shifts so she's sitting instead of kneeling, "But we learned a lot didn't we Calamity?"
The red creature barks in agreement and turns to Garchomp. Its head dips in respect to the champions before helping her trainer stand. The child places a hand out for Cynthia to shake.
"Thank you for the experience. We learned a lot."
Cynthia smiles and shakes the smaller hand. She uses her free hand to give her a pat on the head.
"That mega evolution caught me off guard. I'm a little puzzled though. I assume that you and Calamity would know a protective or avoidance attack. I was waiting for an ice shard or another ice type attack." The champion admits as she removes her hand.
Angel shrugged before looking down at Calamity, "We both just got caught up in the moment. Dragon Rush is an attack that freezes the enemy in anticipation, if not fear. Calamity froze and so did I." Angel stuck a hand behind her neck and smiled sheepishly. Calamity, feeling revived, jumps in front of the champion and her ace and barks wildly. Cynthia looks on in confusion when Garchomp gives a nod.
Angel laughs before she explains, "Calamity declared a rematch in the future and Garchomp agreed."
"Well I'm looking forward to it," She paused for a second before adding, "You were wonderful Angel."
The child smiles widens