Angel's violet eyes ease open and gets a faceful of Cynthia's pale hair. She spits out the strands that invade her mouth when she stupidly yawns. The coughing fit awakens the adult who tightens her arms around her snuggle buddy.
"My ribs," The child whines as she jabs an elbow into the older female.
Cynthia curls and wiggles her fingers into the child's side in retaliation. The response is immediate as the child squirms to be released from her cage.
"Mama! Stop…" Angel's eyes widen as she frees herself from the limbs and stands away from the champion with dazed eyes when she realizes her wording. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean…"
Cynthia stands and kneels beside the trembling girl. "I don't mind you know." She moves her head to stay at pace with the girl turning away from her. "I really don't. I'm honored if you consider me your mother." The champion sighs when the child remains quiet. She returns to her seat and picks up her discarded magazine and opens it to a random page. "You can bring your pokemon out now if you want. Turbulence is over."
Gray eyes look over the edge of the paper and at the small hand tugging at her sleeve. Violet, somewhat watery, eyes stare up at her. Wide and soulful. An amused sigh escapes her throat and her arms open to let the child onto her lap.
"You really don't mind?"
"I would tell you if I did," Cynthia answers as she skims the article over the child's shoulder.
"Thank you."
"No mama?" Cynthia teases as she bounces her lap to force out a giggle.
"Thank you, Mama."
…
Angel holds Cynthia's hand in a death grip as she slowly makes her way down the airplane's stairwell. Cynthia's darker hair (in comparison to Angel at least) swirls around her body as she takes the stairs more swiftly than her new foster child would've enjoyed. Angel fumbles over her own feet.
"Sorry Love. Do you want me to carry you?"
The child shakes her head no and pulls one of her pokeballs off her belt once their feet touch the grass. Diadem roars as he is released from his ball. The tired child scrambles onto the canine pokemon's back. The walk continues.
Angel observes the Sinnoh League's large, castle like building. Her eyes follow the pointy columns and stares at the glowing pokeball symbol. The violet eyes widen even further when she notices the crashing waterfall.
"A waterfall?"
Cynthia chuckles at the bewildered girl, "This is the Sinnoh League Headquarters. Myself and the Elite Four live here primarily. Although, most of us have other homes. We hold the actual tournament at another island called Lily of the Valley."
The champion opens the door to the mansion and motions the arcanine forward. The beast tromps inside and lowers his front to allow his owner to dismount. The young girl looks around in wonder. Cynthia grabs her hand.
"This way Love."
Cynthia leads the child to a pair of large, wooden double doors. She notices the red beam that returns Diadem to his ball when her hands meet the levers. There is a sharp tick as the lock slides out of place and the door hinges creak as the wooden planks open. The doors open to reveal the Sinnoh Elite Four members. Flint and Aaron were playing an intense game of table tennis. Bertha and Lucian both read books on a couch. Lucian looks up when he hears the door squeak.
"Ah, welcome back Cynthia." He pushes his glasses further up onto his nose. "We should really get that door hinge fixed. Is this the friend Flint was talking about? He made it seem like she was around your age."
"Yo! Don't make it sound like that Lucian!"
"Flint said, and I quote, 'Cynthia's bringing a girl home! Thought that Stone fella would've chased her down first." Aaron snickers from his position behind the table.
"Yo. I didn't say that! Stop fueling my fire!" The redhead moves toward Aaron with clenched fists.
"Enough you two, You're making the child feel awkward." Bertha reprimands as she closes her book.
Five sets of eyes zoom in on Angel and the girl further hides herself behind Cynthia's legs. Her hair obscures whatever facial features weren't hidden behind the champion's legs. Flint is suddenly in front of the girl.
"Hey little lady! Aren't you a cutie?" He reaches out to spin her around, totally oblivious to the look of terror on Angel's face and Cynthia's paleing expression as he lifts the small girl and swings her by the arms.
A white glare erupts and the red absol growls at the man when her master isn't released. Flint stares at the pokemon blankly. A ball of water is released at the fire master's afro. The girl is dropped in favor of moving his mopey hair away from his face. Aaron bursts out laughing and Bertha suppress her laugh with her hand. Even Lucian and Cynthia let out amused smiles. The champion catches the girl propelling at her in her arms. Calamity turns and lays at the pokemon master's feet.
"What the flames was that?!"
"I believe it was Calamity's Water Pulse. I didn't get to warn you, Angel isn't a touchy person and Calamity, her special partner, is very protective. Although, you're lucky none of her other pokemon decided to pop out. Or Garchomp for that matter."
A slight sweat appears on the Elite Four member's forehead as he imagined an angry Garchomp chasing him through the halls. Aaron struts pass the petrified trainer and smiles at the child who had turned in Cynthia's arms to watch his approach.
"Hey, kid! I'm Aaron. I specialize in the bug type."
"Angel. For some reason I have more dragon and dark types than any other."
"Angel, huh? Nice name." Aaron compliments, hoping to get on the kids good side.
"Cynthia gave it to me."
"Huh?" Flint blurts and grins sheepishly when the child buries her face in Cynthia's neck.
"Angel will be staying with me from now on. I'm her foster parent for the time being."
Lucian raises purple eyebrows in rare surprise as he fiddles with his glasses. Angel subtly looks up at Cynthia at the sentence. Her grip loosens slightly.
"Well that's lovely. Angel, dear, why don't you show us the rest of your pokemon."
"My pokemon?" Violet eyes shimmer when Bertha nods, "Okay." She reaches for the ground with her legs and Cynthia edges the child onto the ground. Three pokeballs are briefly shown.
"Mystic, Diadem, Destin, curtain call!"
"Yo! You have a fire type. Arcanine, nice!" Flint approaches the regal pokemon and rotates around the creature to analyze its power. "This pokemon looks powerful!" Diadem releases a boastful roar, "Sounds powerful too!"
"Is this pokemon a bug type? I'm not sure?" Aaron asks as he examines Destin.
"Uh, no... Destin is a goomy. A dragon type native to Kalos' swampy areas." Angel explains as her slimey friend makes its way onto her head.
"A hydreigon. Very impressive. This pokemon is part dark type correct?" Lucian asks.
"Yes sir." Angel mutters as she rubs one Mystic's smaller heads.
Angel jumps when Bertha's voice is suddenly behind her, "No need to be so stiff." The old lady sighs when she scampers behind her arcanine. Bertha goes to stand next to Cynthia.
"She a jumpy little thing isn't she?" The trainer asks her superior.
"Unfortunately."
"This is a big responsibility Cynthia. Are you sure you're up for it? Fostering a child is hard work. Especially a broken one." Bertha whispers and glances at the girl petting her pokemon, making sure Angel didn't hear.
"Cynthia," Both women turn turn in Angel's direction as she points out the door. "I'm getting Destin some water."
"Okay Angel."
The two watch as she recalls her pokemon into their capsules. When the doors groan shut she answers Bertha's question, however her gaze never leaves the doors, "I didn't really think the whole fostering thing out. I know she's… rough around the edges. Broken in a way, but she just needs a little TLC. You'll see. However, some advice?"
"Certainly. Whatever I can do to help you, Dear."
…
Angel dumps the water over the wilting pokemon's head and rubs its head affectionately when it climbs up her lap. Calamity roars softly at her master's sullen face.
"How long do you think this will last? A few weeks, a few months, I doubt a year."
The absol lets out a harsh bark and pushes her face into her trainers.
"Oh yeah? What makes her any different? You know how it works. People say they'll stay and then one day they leave. How many potential adopters said they'd stay?" Angel scoff at the responding bark, "You have a feeling? No offense Calamity but, with your species reputation, I should take that as a bad omen and get out of here now." Her hand still on her goomy's head. Destin looks up and nuzzles her face when tears start leaking from the violet orbs.
The absol stares at the crying child before she turns and leaves. The red body squeezes through the slight opening in the front door and her paws click against the tile floor as she makes her way back to the lounge room. Her paws push the levers down and she headbutts the doors open. Eyes turn toward the entrance as the planks force themselves outward.
"Hey, it's Angel's absol." Aaron states then mutters out a curse as Flint scores a point due to his distraction. The bug type master tightens his hold on his paddle and slams the ball into the table.
"Yeah… Something wrong Calamity?" Cynthia asks as she places her drink onto the table besides the armchair she was sitting on. Her brows furrow when the absol moves forward and tugs on her sleeve. She follows the pokemon's backwards movements out the door.
"Uh? Champ, you want some help?" Flint asks, ignoring Aaron's demand to play the ball.
"I'm fine. I'll be back. Something might be wrong."
Cynthia quickens her pace when Calamity releases her sleeve and begins to bound down the hallway. She pauses when the absol stops at the building's front door.
"What's wrong Calamity?" The absol motions toward the door with her scythe. The champion looks at the slightly opened doors in confusion before pushing her body through the opening.
"Angel? Angel!" The blonde rushes up and wraps her arms around the crying child. She tries to push Angel's hair away from her face, but the little girl pushes her way out of her arms and tumbles into the water. Cynthia reaches out to pull her out of the water and recoils when Angel takes a few steps back.
"Angel, what are you doing?" The champion asks as she wades into the water. "Stop taking steps! You're going to fall!"
"Leave me alone!" Angel shouts as she ignores the command and takes another stride behind her.
"Why are you doing this? I thought we broke that wall of yours."
"Go away Cynthia! Just leave. I don't need you to put me back together." Angel halves the distance of her steps when she feels her legs begin to yield to the rushing water tumbling toward the edge.
"I see. You heard the conversation between me and Bertha. I wished you had heard the rest. I don't regret taking you with me if that's what you are thinking." She reaches out and jumps when Calamity suddenly roars and starts rushing through the water toward her trainer. Cynthia's gray eyes widen when she notices Angel's legs heave to the current pushing against them.
The pale blonde yelps in surprise as her body falls out from beneath her and reaches out into the air in an attempt to keep herself from being carried away by the current. The little girl opens her shut eyes when she feels two hands wrap around her arm. Violet orbs widen when she sees the champion soaked in water to mid back. Cynthia gives her a small smile.
"I got you Love. Hang on, okay?"
Angel lets out a strangled yell when Cynthia slightly slips as she edges backwards. Calamity gives a high pitched whine between her clenched teeth as she tightened her jaw on the train of Cynthia's coat. Angel refuses to look as she feels her body slowly edges over the curve. She peels one open when she feels the ground, or rather the water, beneath her. Angel doesn't hesitate to jump into her saviour's arms; her vendetta momentarily forgotten.
"It's okay. We have a long way to go, but this is a pretty good start. Don't worry Love." Cynthia sighs slightly when Angel remembers why she tumbled over a cliff and leans away from her. "Come on. I just kept you from falling off a waterfall. Can't we just go back to how we felt on the plane?"
Angel downcasts her eyes so her hair covers her expression. She leans back onto Cynthia's chest, "Okay, Mama. We can do that. I'm just gonna…" Angel cuts herself off with a yawn and closes her eyes.
Cynthia and Calamity both shake their heads and share a laugh before the champion slightly shifts the girl to put a finger to her lips. The two immediately hush up. The blonde easily picks the child up in a princess carry and winces in discomfort at the soggy feeling of her waterlogged clothes. Gray eyes glance down at the red absol walking beside her, "Better get changed."