Nicholas raised his pokeballs. Before he moved beyond Bertha's room he wanted to make sure all of his pokegirls were in good shape after Kalmiya's actions.
The four materialized and he lowered his arms. For a few moments, no one spoke. Then Sohn quietly cleared her throat and gave him a smile. "We win?"
"You gave Quinn the opening she needed. We did."
"Not nearly as much as the opening Zisela gave her."
Nicholas turned to the Garchomp. She was standing silently. "Maybe not, but she wouldn't have made it without both of you."
Zisela finally made a noise when she grunted. "I did what needed to be done for my harem."
Nicholas gazed at her, a soft smile on his face. "The… how to say this. The less 'sophisticated' dragon I saw in Pastoria, and who came flying through the sand on top of that Golem – Zisela, I want you to know that I would still celebrate you if that was all you were."
"I understand that now, Weyrleader," Zisela replied, her voice even. Blood still caked her body, as it did Sohn's and even Quinn's, only Sammy seemingly clean due to her nature. Kalmiya had stabilized each of them but they were all still tired and hurt. "I will gladly be that for you – for them. But it is not all I wish to be."
Nicholas didn't glance at Sohn. He could see the Infernape's relief as she stood behind her Alpha. "What else do you wish to be, then?"
"Better," Zisela said simply.
Nicholas barely nodded before turning his attention to his bag and beginning to look through the medicines. "Well, let's get you four healed up. It's only thanks to Kalmiya that I think you're all still standing at all."
"What happened to her, Master?" Sammy asked curiously as Nicholas unwrapped a spray vial of glistening pink liquid and motioned Zisela forwards. "I… remember being so, so cold, and so tired, but then…" She slowly looked down and ran her hands over her restored and whole form. "I feel… normal."
"When you get down to it, pokegirls are just energy," Nicholas replied, slowly spraying the medicine over every inch of Zisela's skin. The Garchomp was doing her best to remain silent but she couldn't help but hiss softly when the medicine soaked into the open wounds and began triggering her body to repair itself. "Quite a bit of it. So human technology, the healing machines in use at pokecenters, consume an incredible amount of energy to recharge the pokegirls healed in them. It's only possible because, within a pokeball, your energies are just that – and not formed into a physical, material form." He made his point by straightening and squeezing Zisela's shoulder before popping the top of the medicine vial and offering the rest to her to drink. "The man who made my pokedex, a genius named Bill, also was one of the minds behind the pokegirl storage system, so he understands that matter/energy conversion much better than anyone else I know. He came up with a way that a pokegirl's energy could be used to recharge other pokeballs. Normally, this wouldn't be feasible, as the energy lost transferring between pokeballs would outweigh anything gained, but… the Porygon breed has a special ability to shift between a material, pokegirl form, and a form that is pure energy. Their energy, the same way all of you are within a pokeball." He had moved to Sohn and was paying special attention to the arm the Hippowdon had crushed. "He modified my pokedex with a special function. It acts as a miniature healing machine, powered by a Porygon."
Sohn shifted to look at him without pulling her arm from his hands. "Is she okay?"
"I would never let her take her own life for any reason." Nicholas glanced up at her when he felt Sohn's attention. She was looking at him with one eyebrow raised. "I'm serious. As a Porygon she operates based on sets of commands, much like a computer. I have made damn sure that one of her core directives is to keep herself alive." He returned his attention to the Infernape's arm. "She's fine. Completely drained though, so she's sleeping, recharging, whatever. She said she was ready to rejuvenate a single pokegirl, not four. I assume that's why you're all still so badly injured."
"I'm awake," Sogn replied softly, accepting the vial he handed her and watching him move to Quinn. "That's far more than I was when I went into my pokeball."
"Mhm." Quinn was the least injured by far so it wasn't long before he was standing in front of Sammy. The Rotom stared at him with wide eyes and only looked down when he pushed something into her hands.
"What's this, Master?"
"I don't think medicine is what you need," Nicholas said quietly. Sammy was staring down at the odd object with an inquisitive tilt of her head. "This is the best I can do for you, because the pokedex is still off-limits."
Sammy blinked. Slowly she lifted her hand and gazed at the device she held. "Metal?"
"Something to give you a bit more to work with," Nicholas replied. "Bill loves giving me prototype gadgets to field test, and this one is his latest. It's a portable holographic projector." He glanced away in embarrassment. "I managed to convince Sabrina to let me record her with it one night. It, um… Has pretty low resolution, but it works."
Sammy gazed at the small device for a bit before Nicholas heard her moving. He looked back in surprise when he felt her pushing the projector back into his hands.
"No," Sammy said softly. "I'm sure it would be delicious, Master, and it is full of the metals I can absorb, but… no. I couldn't ask you to sacrifice something so precious to you." She cracked a smile. "I'm sure it would just be a mouthful anyways. Not nearly enough to justify your sacrifice."
"It's really not a sacrifice," Nicholas protested, but Sammy was letting go and he had to quickly catch the projector before it could fall. "I haven't been giving you anything to replenish your body since Veilstone, it's the least I can do to make things right."
"I'll be fine," Sammy insisted. "I promise, Master."
Nicholas slowly returned the projector to his bag. "You're sure?" He cracked a grin. "I've got the real thing waiting for me at home."
Sammy laughed but shook her head. "Knowing you would give up the piece of your mate you carry with you just to help me… That's more than enough for me, Master." She smiled at him. "Besides. I'm just as good when I'm me as when I'm something else."
"Alright." Nicholas looked around one last time. "Flint's waiting for us ahead. Miruko's not going to be able to meet him this time. It's up to you." When he just received smiles and nods in return he recalled the four and stepped through the door.
As he approached the next room he could feel the air growing warmer. He wasn't surprised at all when he opened the door to Flint's room and a wall of baking air smashed into him.
As he stepped inside, eyes watering, he took in the raging hellscape. The arena sat in the middle of the room, wide channels of fire stretching to either side with the land beyond them burnt and blackened by the molten metal or rock that bubbled from the walls and flowed down into the fire below.
Flint was standing relaxed with his hands in his pockets while Nicholas approached. "Took you long enough, Topolski."
Nicholas came to a halt on the other side of the arena. "Sorry to keep you waiting."
"Ha." Flint grinned cheekily. "I hear you cheated last time I saw you. Not that anyone really won that battle, but here, I better not see that rabbit come out of her pokeball."
Nicholas didn't even get a chance to move before his belt flashed red. Miruko materialized and immediately thumbed her nose and stuck out her tongue at the other man. "Bleghhh."
Nicholas was so taken aback that he could only gape at the Lopunny while across from him Flint's attempt at professional composure was blown apart by the man's uncontrollable laughter. Pretty soon Nicholas was joining him and though the room was still heavy with the heat the mood had lightened considerably when Miruko herself burst into a giggling fit and bounced back to throw her arms around Nicholas' chest.
"…SHIT she got me. She got me good," Flint gasped, still fighting his laughter as he held himself upright. "TOPOLSKI! I better not see her in the ARENA, how about that?" He raised a hand with a new spurt of laughter when Miruko immediately made to jump past the lines. "DON'T YOU DARE!"
"Miruko, get back here," Nicholas laughed, catching her when she did and landing a kiss directly on her mouth. "You want to watch with your own eyes, don't you?"
Miruko's eyes were dancing with humor when she nodded. "I want to see if they're approaching my level."
"After seeing the fight with Bertha?" When Miruko nodded again he raised his voice to Flint. "SO! Flint. What's your gimmick for me today?"
"I want a battle, Topolski," Flint replied. "Not a test. But there will be a few small caveats."
"Name them," Nicholas replied.
"First, and most importantly, I'm sure you're familiar with the typings science classifies pokegirls under," Flint explained, still holding a wild grin from his mirth. "My challenge is this: None of our pokegirls can use techniques that they're attuned to."
Nicholas blinked. "Wait… So, like, since you're a Fire-type tamer, your girls won't use Fire-type attacks?"
"That's not what I said at all," Flint groaned. "I mean your Garchomp can't start shaking the ground. Since she's a Ground-type."
"But-"
"Yes, if I used a Fire-type, then they wouldn't use any fire," Flint interrupted. "I'll give you one freebie and say yes, there will be at least one Fire-type on my side of the field, but she will not create flames, or use any other of her specialties."
"…Interesting," Nicholas mused. "What else?"
"Second one is a bit for my ego," Flint chuckled. "See, you probably had no idea, but you actually brought exactly as many girls as you'll need to face the Champion today. I'd like to use our battle as practice, because I intend on dethroning her one day."
Nicholas raised an eyebrow. "Four? Four pokegirls? What significance does that number have to Cynthia?"
"You'll have to find out by reaching her."
Nicholas shook his head. "Fair. I guess I should stop trying to be clever and just say I accept."
Flint snickered and motioned Nicholas to step into the tamer's box. "Good man. Shall we begin?" When Nicholas stepped forwards Flint clapped his hands and raised his voice. "THEN LET ME SEE HOW HOT YOUR SPIRIT BURNS!"
Nicholas had not been prepared for this challenge restriction and so he hesitated. What kind of additional techniques did these four Sinnoh pokegirls even have to offer? He knew Miruko, the Lopunny still happily wrapped around him, was highly trained and had a multitude of coverage options in her arsenal. But the others? He'd never thought to train them in anything. Very much unlike his first harem, as in Kanto, he'd made a point every few badges to update their skillsets. That harem knew all sorts of techniques they wouldn't normally pick up.
Fire. Flint may have given him this interesting challenge but he was still the Fire-type Elite Four member here. Zisela would be a strong first choice, as would Sohn. Each of them could stand up to the flames that were sure to be coming from whoever Flint released first.
He decided on Sohn. Even though he wasn't sure if she had any valid techniques whatsoever he wanted to put his trust in his Beta. She'd more than earned that much.
Sohn materialized a few seconds after her opponent and the two pokegirls stared at each other. From her position hugging him Miruko made an interested noise.
The Lopunny across from Sohn slowly brushed her ears behind her back and gave the watching Infernape a half-smile. "Well now," she said, her voice carrying a similar air as Miruko's but with far more of a sultry undertone, "I've always wanted to absolutely demolish my Beta."
Sohn's expression snapped into place immediately at hearing the casual threat and she bent lower to the ground, resting one hand on just her fingertips with the other pulled behind her back while her tail slowly lifted into the air behind her. Poised to strike. A few moments passed before Nicholas heard her retort. "An Infernape controls you for a reason, rabbit."
"Ooh, if I didn't know any better, I'd think she was talking to me," Miruko gasped just loudly enough to make sure Sohn heard before she fell into a fit of giggles.
"Remember, Nicholas! I don't want to see her throwing any flames or augmented strikes," Flint called.
"Don't worry, Flint." Nicholas blinked. Sohn very rarely addressed other humans than him by name. Was she disrespecting Flint? No, that didn't seem right. She wasn't that kind of pokegirl. "You won't see a thing."
"If either of our pokegirls break the rules of battle their tamer is immediately disqualified!" Flint raised an arm. "BEGIN!"
"Disqualify THIS!" Sohn screamed, her flames bursting to life before she blitzed the Lopunny.
The other girl dropped back. She appeared to be chanting something and as she spread her arms her entire body shimmered almost like a mirage in the heat.
Sohn was nearly invisible to the naked eye. She moved so fast that it was only where she changed directions that she seemed to appear again for a millisecond. In front of the Lopunny. Behind. Before the girl could turn Sohn was in the air, a spinning wheel of fire that suddenly went out as Sohn screamed her challenge and flung her leg out to deliver a devastating axe kick.
But without her flames or her energy boosting the strike it was just the merits of her own body. Nothing to laugh at but a tumbling acrobatic monkey queen was far less dangerous than what she could have been, and the Lopunny barely buckled. Immediately she was rising up again and Sohn was thrown away as a physical wall of heat exploded from her opponent.
Nicholas coughed as he fought to breathe. He'd felt a technique like this before. The Torkoal, in Flannery's gym in Hoenn. He'd had Aria to regain control of the air then. He had nobody like that now. They'd have to power through.
Sohn barely felt the change in temperature. In fact if she had been allowed to she'd probably have reveled in it, but she wasn't. All she was allowed to do was skip and flip past the Lopunny, leveraging only her speed and lithe body to trigger a barrage of blows the girl had to withstand. She withstood them well, and when Sohn was feinting in the Lopunny lifted her fist, a battle cry exploding past her lips as it came rocketing forwards wreathed in flames.
Sohn was caught square on by the punch and the Lopunny was laughing as her fist sank into Sohn's face before her laughter died on her lips. Sohn stared down at her out of the corner of her eye, the Lopunny's fist still pushed deep into her cheek but not seeming to have made any sort of a dent on the Infernape. After what was actually less than a second but felt like an eternity to the petrified Lopunny she cracked a wicked grin.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Sohn almost purred. "Were those flames supposed to burn me?"
The Lopunny gasped when Sohn suddenly grabbed her arm and yanked her off her feet, throwing the girl to the ground and sending her spinning across the floor just to pursue and flip back and forth over her dizzy victim until she planted her foot and brought the other around to powder the Lopunny's ribs.
Flint recalled his pokegirl as soon as Sohn's kick landed and reached for his next pokeball with a chuckle. "Good and fast. I like that."
Nicholas didn't smile back. Sohn was fast, yes… but he'd seen her be faster. The fatigue was getting to her.
Sohn smoothed her hair as she waited for her next opponent to materialize. This one was actually a Fire-type and Nicholas could identify her easily. It was a Flareon.
The girl was just like Blaine's had been, all those years ago on Cinnabar. Small, but appearing larger thanks to the immense volume of fluffy red and cream hair and fur covering her. Sohn leapt forwards again, intent on repeating what she'd done to the Lopunny, but the Flareon was way ahead of her. Before Sohn could get close she'd lunged aside.
Sohn slid as she fought to change her path but she couldn't control herself before her body hurtled past where the Flareon had just been. The girl screamed a challenge as she sprang back towards Sohn, her entire body glowing as she slammed into Sohn's spine shoulder-first. There was a snap. The Infernape didn't get up again.
Nicholas grimaced as he recalled her. What now? Who could even fight?
…Sammy, he finally decided. He needed Quinn in reserve again, especially since the Gallade was the most versatile out of them all. Zisela would be needed to withstand blistering flames from another pokegirl. But without her ability to shapeshift what could Sammy even do?
He couldn't think too much about the details, he just needed to trust her. He released the Rotom.
Sammy appeared and took in the Flareon, running her eyes over the girl's drifting mane in particular before clearing her throat and waving. "So I can't do me things?" When the other girl nodded Sammy giggled and waved her arms wildly. "Well then I'll be Sammy! Sammy's more than enough to beat you, don't you think?"
The Flareon gave Sammy a smug smile. "No." She threw her hands out and Sammy gasped when the air seemed to darken where the Flareon was focusing. She moved, trying to take cover, but just like the Gliscor she'd defeated only minutes ago this was an energy attack… and Sammy was not nearly fast enough to get out of the way.
Sammy screamed in pain as a ball of grasping shadows blasted through her body. It tore at her own dark core and when she threw herself free of the attack her form was wavering slightly.
"Feel your own strength used against you!" the Flareon cried, prancing forwards and charging another ball. "Scatter, fall!" As she fired again Sammy threw up her arms desperately before the shadows ripped into her face and tore her in half.
Except… that wasn't quite what happened. The ball tore Sammy in half, that was for sure, but she didn't explode, or dematerialize like she did when she fainted. Instead, each half of the Rotom fizzled, sparking wildly until with a pop each half reformed into a full body.
"It's a trick, just like Chen does all the time!" Flint immediately yelled to his Flareon as the two Sammys ran towards her. "Go wide!"
Another ball cut out, this time turning in midair and sweeping horizontally in an attempt to hit both enemies but it only served to duplicate Sammy again, as the severed torsos grew legs and new heads popped up from the old legs. Now there were four Sammys charging the Flareon, who was very obviously flustered by the sudden strange onslaught.
Nicholas gazed at the clones curiously. Sammy had said she mimicked Sasha in her form changing, so was this her mimicking another pokegirl too? Had she somehow seen what Sohn did against Aaron and put her own spin on it?
Unlike Sohn's smoke doubles the duplicate Sammys seemed to be completely tangible, as the Flareon found out when she made to throw her shoulder into one and the image smacked her away before she could connect. Now off balance, the Flareon screeched angrily and focused on just one of the clones while building another, even larger ball of shadows in her hand.
"But I'm over here!" Sammy cried cheerfully, or at least one of them did, the one opposite the image the Flareon was targeting. Still the girl remained focused, even as the other two began clamoring and the one she was focused on skidded to a halt to make herself even easier to hit.
"Here! I said here!" the first image cried before crossing her arms over her chest with a petulant pout. "FINE! Ignore me? IGNORE THIS!"
Suddenly the arena was filled with a horrible screeching noise and the Flareon cried out in pain before dropping to her knees and slamming her hands over her ears. The image had opened her mouth and was joined by the other three, all four slowly walking in towards the struggling girl.
Nicholas and Flint were covering their ears too even with the arena barrier's protection. Nicholas could hardly think straight but he did understand what this was. Sammy had only used it once before, all the way back in Gardenia's gym, he believed it had been. A sonic attack, once focused by the radio Sammy had consumed but now apparently something she had mastered on her own.
The Flareon's mouth was open, screaming, but she couldn't be heard over the piercing uproar from Sammy. The girl was slowly sinking further to the ground, knuckles white from how hard she clutched her head, blood trickling between her fingers from her burst eardrums, until finally, mercifully, she fell.
Flint watched the Rotom begin to retreat and chuckled softly. "What an odd pokegirl." His smile vanished as he raised his next pokeball. "Katla. Remove her."
Sammy ground to a halt as the next pokegirl materialized and Nicholas' eyes grew wide. He'd read up on Volkner's Electivire Alpha after their battle, discovering that she was actually native to Indigo, or at least evolved from a pokegirl that was, Electabuzz. Bertha had had an evolved Rhydon. Now Flint…
The girl that appeared now was unmistakable. He'd heard of them, even back home. Living in the treacherous and volcanic islands, Mt. Silver and Sevii in Indigo, Akala in Alola, the burning Magmar. This girl, though, had to be an evolved form herself. There was no way a pokegirl of this stature was as elusive as Magmar were reported to be.
She was as large as Volkner's Electivire. Flaming red hair exploded from her head and flames burned across her body, not like Sohn's, but rather seeming to be emitted from this girl's very pores. As Nicholas watched she set her feet, thick claws digging into the ground, and threw down her arms so that the heavy yellow and orange structures covering her forearms dropped over her hands as the insides began to glow red-hot.
It took him a few embarrassing seconds to remember the core idea of this battle and shout to Sammy. "SHE'S PSYCHING YOU OUT! SHE CAN'T THROW FLAMES!" He shuddered as he glanced at Katla's arms. They looked like two massive cannons now, each structure forming a focusing barrel for the flames she was no doubt emitting from her hands. He was very, very glad she wasn't allowed to unleash that power here.
Sammy shook herself, two of her clones beginning to move in, when the Magmortar began to laugh.
"Flame is not the only thing I 'throw'," she taunted in a deep gravelly voice. Quicker than her bulk would suggest she'd raised her arm-cannons at each clone and in a flash they both exploded.
Light, not fire, speared through the two clones. While the shadows before had torn at the Rotom's body this now targeted her very core and the two clones evaporated in an instant. Immediately Katla had turned her focus to Sammy and the other clone, perhaps unsure which was which, but with two arms she didn't have to care. Sammy did care. She screamed again, but at more of a distance and now with only herself and a single clone her power was only a fraction of what had downed the Flareon. The next two beams blasted both her and her clone apart.
Nicholas recalled her. He was down to Zisela and Quinn now, and Flint was down to Katla and an unknown fourth pokegirl. And, even though Flint's Lopunny had seemingly not done much, the stifling heat she had created was clearly for the benefit of her harem sisters. This battle might not be as even as it seemed. He had to choose correctly.
He gritted his teeth as he glared at Katla. He didn't have Kalmiya. He didn't even know for sure what this pokegirl was, let alone the attack she had just used. If he did he might be able to pick correctly but without that crucial knowledge he had to guess!
…Energy. Energy, that was obviously the core of Katla's fighting style, considering her body's structures. Between Zisela and Quinn, it was obvious which pokegirl was better suited to fight energy attacks. She'd already proven that in Snowpoint.
Quinn appeared and flicked her arms into position. After a moment the air around her warped, and not from the heat. No words were spoken before the Gallade leapt forwards.
Katla didn't bother with both arms, raising just one and loosing another beam of light at the charging Gallade.
The barrier around Quinn sprang to life as she threw her arms up to focus her attention on the energy drilling into her defenses but then she was through, and Nicholas grinned as he waited for the blades of water to begin to fly.
But they didn't. In the baking heat Quinn had already realized she wouldn't be able to use that technique to its full potential, even with Katla's weakness. So instead, her eyes bled. Not with psychic power, but its antithesis. Shadow burst from her as her blades were suffused and despite everything, despite the fear Nicholas had felt from this pokegirl when faced by others who wielded this power naturally, despite the trauma she had endured the one time he'd ever seen her use this technique, Quinn, bound by the rules of this battle to fight in ways she found unnatural, did so without any hesitation.
The shadow seemed alive as it surged along Quinn's blades, biting into Katla's flesh and fighting down the flames emanating from her skin. But it did not fell the Magmortar. Heavily wounded, yes, but when Katla's arms whipped around and smashed Quinn in the face the pokegirl left behind when the Gallade staggered back was still standing strong. She leveled her arm, and it was not just light that blasted out this time. Crackling lightning zipped through the air and sank into Quinn's chest to send the Gallade to her knees with a pained scream.
"Just stay right there," Katla growled, shaking herself to clear the last of Quinn's influence. "Feel the electricity locking your limbs. Do not. Resist."
Nicholas' eyes narrowed. Was Katla's plan to paralyze Quinn? It was a decent idea, especially with Quinn's reliance on martial ability to fight. Would it work?
If only he'd been able to find a farmer's market, but he'd only begun researching the natural remedies they touted after Candice's gym battle, when he'd witnessed how powerful a special berry could be. Snowpoint hadn't had anything, of course, and they'd gone straight to the League here after that. Yet another thing he hadn't prepared for. If they failed this challenge, he would truly be the one to blame.
Luckily, Quinn's head was slowly moving back into line with the rest of her, her jaw slowly forcing closed to cut off her screams. It seemed to be taking every ounce of her strength to resist the current pumping through her but she did, and Katla staggered from the feedback when Quinn's blades ripped her lightning apart.
Darkness consumed the light cast by the electrical remnants as Quinn lunged back in range. Katla howled as Quinn scored another set of deep wounds across her body before locking her arms in place and blasting back with a double-barreled light blast that entirely consumed Quinn until the shadows twisted their way free. Quinn had blood streaming from her face as she lunged once more, obviously targeting where she'd already struck with the intent to tear Katla's wounds all the way open.
Katla slammed her arms together as the barrels began to glow white. Even her body, the flames, began to vanish as their temperature climbed until they were white-hot from the residual power Katla was building. As Quinn's blade swung, the Magmortar loosed a roiling beam with a desperate roar.
Nicholas instinctively ducked when the power skittered across the arena barrier with a deafening boom. This was the most powerful pokegirl that he'd seen use this technique. Everything she had was pumping through Quinn now. Could the Gallade take it? Like she'd withstood Volkner's Jolteon?
Slowly Katla's attack petered out. When it did, Quinn was still standing.
Though she was not moving. At all. Katla's chest heaved, her arms falling without the strength to keep them up. Flint gazed at the motionless Gallade with a raised eyebrow for a few seconds before speaking. "Unconscious on her-?"
He was cut off by Quinn's head snapping up, her eyes, tinged red with blood, her nose and mouth spraying droplets through the air as she screamed in forgotten rage. Katla had no energy left to stop her and Quinn's blades sank deep into her stomach and chest before Quinn braced and ripped them sideways to eviscerate her opponent.
Flint recalled Katla when she slammed to the floor. "Just about, though." He picked up his final pokeball and turned his attention across the arena with a slight smirk. "I'd been waiting for your Gallade to make an appearance, but I was expecting her last. She seems to have gotten quite a lot of value that I had been hoping to prevent."
Nicholas watched Hannah appear. "Why not swap Hannah in sooner, then?"
"And give you a free advantage?" Flint grinned. "I'd hope you think better of me than that, Nicholas."
Nicholas grinned back as Hannah stepped towards Quinn and dropped the Gallade with a well-placed jab. The Houndoom's eyes smoldered as she took a twisted ready pose reminiscent of Sohn's. "Do I? You've left a puppy to face off against a dragon."
Hannah flashed a wild grin in response to his taunts. "Or have you been left with nothing but a whelpling to fight hell?"
Nicholas didn't need to reach for Zisela's pokeball. She released herself as soon as she heard Hannah insult her.
"I would break the earth and bury you," Zisela barked as she stepped forwards into the arena, "if not for your Master's cowardly conditions."
"And I would drown you in a darkness you could never escape," Hannah said in reply before shrugging with an indifferent look. "It seems words are all we have left."
With an angry snarl Zisela lunged for the Houndoom. In response Hannah inhaled, holding her breath for a few seconds before belching rolling black clouds to cover the battlefield.
"Hey, where there's smoke-" Nicholas tried to claim before Flint burst out laughing and stifled his words.
"You want to argue that and I'll point to your Infernape," Flint replied cheekily. "There is no flame except the brimstone that burns within Hannah."
Zisela skidded to a halt as she vanished inside the thick clouds of smoke. It was making her eyes water and she had to suppress a cough as some of the particles swirled into her lungs. The smell was foul. So much that she was beginning to feel a bit queasy.
FOOMP
Zisela ducked as she heard something fly through the air towards her and hissed when a large misshapen missile popped from the smoke to clip her horn before continuing on behind her and out of sight. She was straightening when she felt something drip onto her cheek and she raised a finger to wipe it before staring at the bubbling purple goo that came off.
Suddenly she couldn't breathe. Zisela doubled over, her entire body spasming as she retched and gasped uncontrollably, each cycle drawing more and more of the choking smog into her lungs.
It was only Hannah's smoldering eyes that gave her away within the black clouds. She had slowly walked up to the struggling Garchomp, coming to a halt a healthy distance away but close enough that her silhouette was visible. "How does it feel?" she asked softly. "Personally, I think the darkness would have burned less."
Bile mixed with blood as Zisela retched again, showcasing the heavy internal damage she had sustained from the poisonous clouds. "It-" she started, gagging before she could manage another word, until slowly drawing a shallow breath and raising her trembling head to stare hatefully at the watching Houndoom, "is… nothing."
"The pride of a dragon, to the very last." Hannah waved her hands and as she did some of the smoke cleared away to reveal that purple liquid was oozing down her chin. "I don't enjoy this method of victory, you know. Making worthy opponents suffer." She worked her jaw to let the poison pool into her waiting hands. "I usually prefer to save this for the ones who need a lesson or two in the real world."
Zisela choked out a pained scream when Hannah launched the sludge at her. This time, she wasn't able to dodge, and the liquid hissed and spit as it spattered against her naked body and began to eat at her scales.
"I would tell you to concede, but I know you won't," Hannah said quietly as Zisela swayed and had to stumble to stay standing. "The poison has taken hold now. It's over."
Zisela's lips moved.
Hannah remained where she was but raised an eyebrow. "What was that? I think the ash has shredded your throat."
"…not…"
Hannah sighed. She waited for Zisela to try and speak again but when the Garchomp remained silent she raised one hand to massage her temples tiredly. "To the end."
Zisela struck.
Hannah had let down her guard. With her hand raised to her face she only caught a glimpse of the movement, and while she reacted quickly, she'd been caught flat footed. Zisela was in her face before she could do much more than lower her arm.
"How can you-?" Hannah spat before roaring and striking Zisela as hard as she could. The Garchomp barely slowed, and as she pushed into Hannah's face the Houndoom could see that the spots her sludge had covered were still whole. Discolored, maybe, but Zisela's scales had not dissolved in the slightest and the Garchomp confirmed that as she brought the fin on her arm slicing through Hannah's cheeks.
"I said, you can not stop me," Zisela choked, her voice raspy and pained to show how she had certainly suffered internal damage even though the acidic sludge Hannah had been spitting hadn't broken through her exterior defenses. Hannah didn't respond. She couldn't. Zisela had sliced through the muscles of her face and now the Houndoom's jaw hung open with almost nothing keeping it attached to the rest of her skull. Blood and poison poured onto the ground as Hannah struggled to find a coherent response to this situation but she had none. She fell, Zisela falling on top of her, her serrated fins tearing lines of the Houndoom's flesh from her body until an alarm blared and Hannah's recall beam began spearing into the smoke until it found her and sucked the dying pokegirl back to safety.
Nicholas, too, swept the cloud obscuring the arena until Zisela's pokeball triggered. Only then did the arena's alarms turn off and with no pokegirls left inside the system began siphoning the smoke away to reveal the pockmarked floor.
Flint was checking a panel near his side of the arena and Nicholas looked at him when the man made a disappointed noise. "I figured, since Hannah stopped talking, but your Garchomp won, Nicholas. She won so hard the arena failsafes had to kick in to let me know I was about to lose Hannah." He kept staring at the panel for a few more seconds before cracking a smile and turning to look at Nicholas. "And this was the part I'd been hoping to still have my Alpha, just in case. But I don't. So, well done, Nicholas Topolski. It was not clean, but your pokegirls claimed their victory by reaching beyond themselves."
Nicholas let out the breath he had been holding. "They only made it because you gave us an even fight."
"Like I said. Four is a fine number, and your four beat my four," Flint replied. "Don't get too cocky, though. I've never been able to beat the Champion either."
Nicholas nodded slightly before turning to look at Miruko.
The Lopunny was staring at him and her eyes shifted to his when he turned. After a moment she giggled quietly. "They're very close now."
"To you?"
"Mm-hmm."
"Is 'very close' close enough to finish this?"
Miruko gazed into his eyes for a bit before blinking and turning away. "I told my Alpha I would believe in her."
Nicholas let her pull away and looked down at the pokeball he still held in his hand. That had been an answer, even if it wasn't a straight one.
.
.
It had been even harder to patch them up this time.
Nicholas slowly walked the dim corridor as he thought. Zisela had actually been the least injured, despite the poisoning. Hannah's actual attacks really hadn't done much to the Garchomp and she'd just taken a potion and an antidote to get back in fighting shape. Quinn, too, had been more or less intact and had revived after a healthy dosing of medicine. But Sammy, Sohn. Each had been completely incapacitated. It had taken multiple different types of treatments before either were lucid again. Their fatigue was clearly evident now, after being beaten and revived over and over. And there was still yet another battle before they could even think of facing Cynthia – the leader of her Elite Four.
Nicholas stepped into the penultimate room and took it in. It was… surprisingly calm, lit by a number of soft glowing light orbs throughout. In fact, with the shelves lining the walls, it felt more like the inside of a library than a battle arena.
There was a man with shoulder-length purple hair in a red suit standing in front of one of the shelves with his head bowed. As Nicholas entered he lifted his head and turned, looking at the approaching man before closing the book he held and turning back to the shelves. "Ah, you timed your arrival well. I've just finished reading." He replaced the book and turned to Nicholas again. "Allow me to introduce myself, challenger Topolski. I am Lucian. The leader of Sinnoh's Elite Four, and user of a pokegirl type I hear you are intimately familiar with."
Nicholas nodded at the bookshelves. "Books, knowledge, the mind. You're a Psychic-type specialist."
Lucian smiled approvingly. "Quite so. Though, I unfortunately am not one myself. Still, you are correct in your assessment. I love books. I love knowledge. I love to test my intellect." He stepped away from the shelves with a sweeping gesture. "I know you are not here for this, but I must ask. I have heard you may be a student of philosophy. So, I ask – this world, that we share with pokegirls. Does it exist for us?"
Nicholas watched Lucian walk to his side of the arena. "No. We exist for this world."
"Quite so," Lucian murmured quietly. "It is said, 'It all began without humans. The end, will also be without humans'. Though the world, and the pokegirls within it, depend on humanity, they were not created for us. That is something many do not understand." He raised his arms and lowered his head with a wry smile. "Forgive me, Champion, but it is not often a challenger like this comes along."
Nicholas raised an eyebrow. "What are you apologizing for?"
"I am apologizing to my Champion," Lucian replied, "because I am a selfish man, Nicholas Topolski." He looked up and grinned. "Release your Gallade."
Nicholas triggered Quinn's pokeball without another word and across from them Lucian triggered a pokeball of his own to reveal his own Gallade. She, however, was not like Quinn. She was much closer to Morgana's sister Gwen. Much more streamlined in the shape of her body, the kind of figure Quinn had yearned for… and she was not hiding her jealousy.
"You have been tested today by this Elite Four," Lucian was saying. "Beyond the simpleness of battle. By Aaron, your skill as a commander, your innovation and willingness to think on your feet. I am told your performance was acceptable. By Bertha, your skills of observation, of reasoning, along with the bonds shared by you and your harem. In that, I am told you excelled. By Flint, your skills as a tamer, but more importantly your pokegirls' skills and flexibility, testing them beyond what would be expected – for after all, their skills are your own. In that, once again, I was told you succeeded. You have made it to me. But let me tell you." Lucian had relaxed his stance but now he raised his arm again with a smile. "What you have done today has been to stumble and push forwards. You have won not because of your inherent superiority but rather a stubborn refusal to fail. That, Topolski, is not enough to best my Champion. Many like you have come for her. Many like you have been turned away, here, before her door." He chuckled. "We both know well how if I chose, I could do the same to you."
"But instead you're going to give me a test, just like the rest," Nicholas growled softly.
"Just so." Lucian slowly brought his finger to his temple and tapped gently. "I have been waiting for our battle. Our battle, Nicholas Topolski. Though it must be fought through our pokegirls they will not be who decide a victor."
Nicholas frowned. "You… want to have a battle of the minds?"
"Precisely." Lucian lowered his arm. "We will compete for points. The first to three, wins. However a point will not be gained if our pokegirls are unable to fight, but instead whenever our strategy is thoroughly defeated by the other. When one of us can claim an undisputed victory."
"You want to turn a pokegirl battle into a game of chess."
"Something like that," Lucian smiled.
"Alright." Nicholas scratched his chin. "What counts as a victory then? If your Gallade makes a feint but Quinn sees through it is that a point?"
"Nothing so simple," Lucian scoffed. "No, a point will only be gained when a strategy is so thoroughly defeated that there is no hope of salvaging it. Here. Let us demonstrate." Lucian gestured and his Gallade stepped towards Quinn. "Melina, move like you're in battle, and restrain her."
Melina inclined her head slightly and stepped towards Quinn, who tensed as the other Gallade approached. Melina stopped when Quinn shifted, raising an eyebrow and speaking for the first time. "Sister, our fight has not even begun."
Quinn grunted and kept a wary eye on her opponent. "You're going to restrain me?"
"Your Master asked for a demonstration."
Quinn was relaxing slightly, Melina taking another step and beginning to reach for Quinn with one hand, when it was Nicholas' turn to stiffen.
"QUINN! GET AWAY FROM HER!"
Instantly Quinn had leapt away to leave Melina standing alone with her hand raised. Just as the pokegirls had now Lucian seemed to sigh and address Nicholas. "Topolski, they're not fighting. I told you-"
"True. You told me how our pokegirls will not decide who wins today," Nicholas interrupted. As he spoke he was slowly moving towards the tamer's box on his side of the arena – somewhere Lucian hadn't budged from since entering his own. "The arena walls are still down, we're just talking. But even if our pokegirls haven't begun their battle, you also said that a pokegirl battle wasn't the kind of contest you were looking for."
Lucian let out a sigh as he massaged his temple. "Topolski, you asked for a demonstration."
"Your pokegirl said that too. Melina." Nicholas stepped into his box and was completely unsurprised when the arena instantly flared to life. "I don't think I ever did. Their battle hadn't begun. But ours started the moment I walked through the door." He scowled. "I believe I understand your terms now, Lucian, leader of Sinnoh's Elite Four."
Lucian was still gently rubbing his face but his motions were slowing. Then they stopped. "Well," he said quietly, slowing lowering his hand to gaze directly into Nicholas' eyes across the room, "it appears you've taken our first point."
"You would have claimed one if Quinn had let Melina incapacitate her without resistance."
"Explaining your point does not gain you anything more," Lucian replied curtly. "Shall they begin?"
Quinn grunted again as she slid back towards where Nicholas stood. "I don't understand what just happened."
"That's fine." Nicholas had eyes only for Lucian and Melina. "How are you feeling? Can you fight?"
"Yeah."
"I never thought I'd ever ask one of my pokegirls to do this." Nicholas cracked a smile and ruefully shook his head. "Don't tell Ryuko."
"Ryuko?" Quinn asked. "She's the… Scizor, wasn't she?"
"That's right. And when we first met, she wanted nothing more than to hear me say these words." He turned his gaze to where Quinn stood for the first time since Melina had stepped forwards. "Quinn." He waited for her head to tilt slightly in indication that she was listening. "I need you to trust me. For this battle, you can't act on your own."
"What?"
"I will be guiding your every move."
"That's-" Quinn's eyes flicked back to where Melina was waiting. "How can I just do that?"
"Like I said, Ryuko would love to hear me say this," Nicholas muttered under his breath. "I'm going to try and connect us with aura. If I do, and you let me, this should work."
"Let you what?" Quinn hissed.
Nicholas scowled. Melina was gliding forwards now even though Lucian hadn't spoken a word. Psychic-types. Lucian had claimed he wasn't one but his harem was. This Gallade, then, was connecting with her tamer telepathically in the same way he was intending to do for Quinn. "No time. Go!"
"But I-" Quinn started before cursing and whipping her blades around to parry an attack from Melina.
Nicholas closed his eyes. He needed to focus. He'd been working on these links already. But he'd never achieved anything complete. With Zisela, scattered words and emotions. Miruko, a one-way connection with limited telepathy. The bond Riley had indicated on Iron Island, with his Lucario, had been complete. That, though, had been a pokegirl who was trained in using aura. Quinn was not. Everything had to come from him.
Did that mean he couldn't form it with her? Was he asking too much?
His indecision had cost valuable time. Within the arena, Quinn was fighting alone. Melina took full advantage. She and Lucian communicated at the speed of thought and Quinn found herself slicing at air, a shimmering illusion of her opponent breaking apart and fading before she felt a rough hand slam into the base of her skull.
Nicholas' eyes snapped open when he heard Quinn choke. Melina rode her to the ground, hooking one arm with the inner edge of her blade and shoving it against Quinn's back to a pained scream from the other Gallade. Before Nicholas could even open his mouth Quinn was helpless, the tip of Melina's blade digging into the side of her neck.
"See?" Lucian called with a warmthless smile. "How is she meant to fight now? Wouldn't you agree such a position is complete victory for me?"
Nicholas gritted his teeth. It hadn't been more than a few seconds and Quinn was in this kind of position? Lucian's threat earlier hadn't been empty. "I suppose I must."
"One to one then." Quinn gasped when she suddenly found herself free, shoving herself to her feet and staring warily at where Melina had teleported back to her side of the arena. "Try to keep up, Topolski."
Nicholas' eyes narrowed. He couldn't hesitate anymore. He reached for Quinn.
He found her, easy enough with the Gallade just in front of him, but the mind he touched was in chaos. He felt a flurry of negative emotions swirling through Quinn's thoughts – her unease at having been so easily disabled. Her anger and jealousy over her inferiority to a pokegirl who taunted her by her very existence. Her confusion and fear as she struggled to make sense of his words.
"Quinn." Nicholas pushed a little harder to penetrate the feelings suffusing Quinn's mind. "QUINN. I'm here. Let it go."
Melina bent, leaping forwards.
Quinn immediately fell back and lifted her blades. As she did Nicholas felt her mind shut, focusing entirely on her opponent and locking him out. "QUINN! STOP! LET ME IN!" With a scowl he realized this wasn't going to work. Continuing to try would leave Quinn defenseless again. "QUINN! Parry low!"
Lucian smiled. As Quinn's blades obeyed Nicholas' call and began to drop Melina's arms thrust up and Quinn couldn't help but stare in horror at the flickering energy slicing straight for her eyes.
"Vocalizing your orders? Any competent opponent will take advantage of such a mistake," Lucian chided softly. Quinn's chest heaved, her entire body frozen, the humming blades just hairs away from her face. "Melina may have been aiming for your Gallade's legs at first but she is not required to commit to anything." He clapped his hands twice to prompt Melina to teleport back once again. "I said a simple feint read wouldn't be enough for a point, but I believe such a fatal mistake from you is worthy of forfeiting one."
Nicholas didn't respond. Quinn's thoughts were breaking down now. Doubt was creeping in. This wasn't a pokegirl battle – her 'losing' didn't matter. But Quinn believed it did. All she could think about was how outmatched she was, regardless of how true those thoughts were. He didn't think Melina was that much stronger than Quinn, actually. Quinn was just less experienced. That was all. In this battle, that didn't matter – unless he and Quinn couldn't work together.
"Quinn. Listen to me," Nicholas called softly. Quinn didn't react and he didn't feel even the slightest of shifts in her mental state. "Quinn. QUINN."
Quinn jerked. "What," she finally hissed. "You're distracting me."
"You need to let me in."
"Let you in? I don't even understand what that means," Quinn snarled. "What's the matter with just giving advice like you always do, huh? I listened to you just now. I did. I nearly got my head chopped off for it. Let me fight."
"We need to work together," Nicholas replied just as quietly. "Just like they are. As one. Not me and you, but us – together."
"You're starting to piss me off with the riddles," Quinn spat. She growled when Melina took a step. "Here she fucking comes."
Nicholas grimaced when her mind slammed shut again. He didn't blame her for this. They'd rushed headlong into this challenge at his insistence. Yet another failing. At this rate, he was more surprised they'd made it this far than anything.
How could he reach her? He couldn't yell again – Lucian and Melina would easily take advantage of that, if Quinn even listened to him at all. He watched Melina move and his lips thinned. He saw an opening. There was an opportunity in the attack pattern, something they could exploit and take a point back. Lucian, despite everything, had his preferences, and he had already identified one of them. Melina teleported, not walked. She was an incredibly Psychic-type leaning Gallade and while that allowed her apparent speed beyond anything Quinn could match if he could alert Quinn to the trick, direct her to counter, she could win.
But he had to find a way in.
The answer came to him as Melina was beginning to pick up speed. The ornament clinging to his leg. He held bonds with his pokegirls, ones that persisted regardless of how hard they might try to shut them off. Bonds which made them one. He had used them to elevate his pokegirls, to return to them a piece of what Arceus had taken. He had done that before understanding aura. When all he had known was his own, human power. Why could those bonds not be used for something greater?
Quinn was bracing herself, lips drawing back in a soundless snarl, when the presence crashed through her mind.
Her eyes went wide. For a moment, she knew nothing. The world was blank. Then, the warmth flooded in. Her turmoil was subsumed by the strength, the incredible feeling that caused her to unconsciously stretch her entire body and send a wave of sparking power zipping down the length of her blades.
Melina swung.
The attack had come from Quinn's blind spot – and yet, Melina found both blades perfectly blocked by just one of Quinn's. She struck again. This time in a way that couldn't be blocked, and yet Quinn moved, elegantly twisting away from the flashing blades before her own bit out and Melina had no choice but to block.
When Quinn turned her face to Melina, her eyes no longer saw the other Gallade.
Melina flickered as she fell back. Ever so slightly giving away her tactic, but Nicholas had seen through it when the Gallade's arms inexplicably snapped into place the last time. Finally, Quinn could feel him. She understood. This fusion of their minds was incomplete, but for this moment, it was enough.
The two Gallade exchanged a vicious flurry of blows with Quinn attacking just as often as she was defending. Despite Melina's blades flashing back and forth faster than should have been possible Quinn always managed to stop her. Until Lucian had enough.
Quinn cried out when Melina vanished, reappearing a moment later to draw a wicked cut down her back. Before she could strike again Quinn's own blade was whipping around and seeking her, forcing the other Gallade to jump and dodge before vanishing again. This time, even though she appeared in a different spot, Quinn was ready, and it was only a glancing blow that cut into her shoulder. Melina didn't teleport again at first, drawing Quinn into an exchange, before she suddenly froze.
Quinn had whipped her arm around and held her hand in the air behind her, fingers cocked. She, too, had come to a sudden halt. The moment she had thrown her arm behind her and her target hadn't appeared.
Lucian slowly gritted his teeth together. "Point."
Nicholas smiled. A heartbeat more and Melina's throat would have been nestled between Quinn's fingers.
Quinn had smiled too, mirroring his own as she watched Melina retreat. There would be no more teleportation from this enemy. She may not have understood what Melina was doing, but she didn't have to. Nicholas did, which meant she did.
Nicholas blinked, feeling the sweat beading on his forehead. The amount of concentration this was taking was immense. It felt even worse than the first time he'd mega evolved Elaine, so they needed to go on the offensive for the last point. They couldn't afford to wait for Lucian. What did Quinn have that Melina lacked? What could they exploit?
His lips turned up in a grin as he envisioned a plan. Yes, if played right, Quinn would have Melina in the exact same place she'd been put at the start of this battle. A fitting revenge, and a perfect way to end it.
Unfortunately it relied on techniques he'd never seen Quinn use, but with how she'd been opening herself to her Psychic-type side more and more he had confidence that she'd be able to follow his instruction.
Lucian's mouth thinned when Quinn surged forwards. For the first time she was the one on the offensive as she harried Melina, slicing and cutting through the air after the dodging Gallade. A wicked snap echoed through the room as Quinn brought her blade whizzing by and tore a slit in the air itself. The collapsing wave rocketed out and opened a line across Melina's shoulder, her blood fizzing as it mixed with the biting vacuum but the Gallade herself didn't make a sound. She just struck back, eyes glowing with psychic power as bladed constructs filled the space between the two pokegirls.
Quinn deflected most of the blades, letting a few make inconsequential cuts, and attacked again. Her lips drew back in a wild, toothy grin as the flashes of energy sliced out in a way eerily reminiscent to how Sammy's Grass-type form manipulated her metal – and Melina just bulled through to attack with her glowing blades. As the other Gallade spun around after her attack Quinn slammed to a halt, raised her hand, and barked a wordless command.
Melina was stopped in her tracks by a cube of force that appeared around her and she roared, struggling against Quinn's power as she fought not to fall to her knees. Quinn's hair was floating, her entire body shining with light, as she slowly stepped towards the struggling Gallade. Melina swung – but her blade, even though it sparked as she tried to empower it, was dull and lifeless when it clanged against the wall of the cube. She went still for a moment, attempting to teleport away, before screaming in wordless rage when she realized she couldn't do a thing.
"Everything we can do is denied of you," Quinn intoned. Her wild grin grew to reach her eyes as Melina tried to punch the cube and just howled in pain while nursing her broken fingers. "But I," she said, raising her blades as shadows began to stream down their lengths, "can do far more than you ever could."
Lucian remained silent as Quinn held up her blades, the shadows hungrily drinking in the light around her, to show Melina. By now the other Gallade had gone completely silent, her only motions an occasional twitch as she struggled to break free of the psychic lock Quinn had created.
"Your Gallade can do nothing," Nicholas called softly. "Well, Lucian? Counter this. Or admit defeat."
Lucian let out his breath. "Mental imprisonment. I would try and claim that if Melina had used the technique first their situations would be reversed, but those shadows are not something Melina ever cared to master. She would not know how to deny them from your Gallade, and so her attempt would fail." He cracked a smile. "I lose. Three to two."
Quinn dropped her arms, the shadows fading. Then the psychic construct vanished. Then, she fell.
Nicholas had drawn his aura back and was shocked to see Quinn headed for the floor. "QUINN!"
Quinn's chest heaved and she gasped, drawing in as much air as she could as her hands flung out to catch her fall. She still hit hard, rolling as she did and whimpering as her wrist protested, but she at least had avoided any real injury. Nicholas quickly rushed to her side.
He was inspecting her body when he felt Quinn's fingers wrap around his and he looked over to see her gazing at him. "I… felt… everything."
"Everything?" Nicholas asked, his voice hushed.
"So much… you know." Quinn's eyes unfocused, gazing beyond him. "I can't… Can't remember it. Any of it. But I know it was there."
Nicholas squeezed her hand. "I'll teach you as much as I can."
Quinn slowly smiled wistfully. "So much more."
Nicholas recalled her when Quinn lapsed into silence. Pokegirls yearned for experience, for knowledge and battle. Had he accidentally done to Quinn what Arceus had avoided doing to him? Shown her, in suffusing their bond with his aura, every bit of battle experience he had gained over the years? Had he overloaded her mind?
Lucian cleared his throat and Nicholas looked up. The other man was watching him. "For some reason I am not satisfied, Nicholas Topolski."
Nicholas got back to his feet. "This was never our battle. It was us, but only through our pokegirls."
"Hm." After a few moments Lucian extended his hand. "That is, I suppose, what I am meant to test in challengers. It was only my selfishness that made me ask for something else." He smiled when Nicholas took it. "It was only for a few seconds. But I did see my Champion in front of me, Topolski."
Nicholas cracked a nervous smile. "I see."
"Go on then." Lucian turned to look at the door behind him. "She's waiting for you."
The walk to the next room felt the longest out of all of them, even if the hallway seemed to be the same length or shorter than the rest. As Nicholas stepped through the final door, took in the nearly blank room that stood there, he had to catch his breath.
Cynthia was standing there, waiting for him. There was no vast environment, no special test awaiting him. It was just them. Two tamers. Two Champions.
"I saw Lucian went easy on you."
Nicholas let out his breath when Cynthia broke the silence. "Maybe a bit."
"The fool." Nicholas looked up when he heard Cynthia's disdain. The woman didn't look angry, but she definitely seemed fierce. Her eyes were burning with an earnest intensity that Nicholas did not feel like he had the strength to match. Not now. "He must have seen the state you were in and realized you wouldn't make it past him normally. They all know how eagerly I've been waiting here for you."
Nicholas gazed at her for a bit before slowly straightening and holding himself firm. "I believe I once told you. How I had always looked up to you. How even when I had just begun my journey as a tamer your name was one I knew. You are whispered in every corner of society, and your image is synonymous with strength. The strongest tamer, they say. The strongest in the world."
"In the World Leagues, perhaps."
"What's the difference?"
"There's a lot more out there than just the five world leagues," Cynthia replied quietly. "Like a small island nation known as Alola, which I know on good authority to be the birthplace of at least one dangerous tamer."
After a few more moments of silence Nicholas chuckled. "I just realized. I've been doing this for a decade now. Ten years ago I stood before a creature that described herself as the strongest pokegirl in the world. Ten years ago I swore to her to be the strongest human. To be the strongest, or to face the strongest until I was." His eyes moved to meet Cynthia's. "Until today, I don't think I've kept that promise."
"Oh?" Cynthia asked softly.
"I've faced many tamers. Met, trained, battled many pokegirls." Nicholas smiled slightly. "Until today, I had not met the strongest."
"Exhausted. With fewer pokegirls than any other challenger has ever dared to bring before me. A harem who only continues because their tamer does. Because he refuses to fall." Cynthia cracked a smile of her own. "Your stubbornness is an incredible strength, Nicholas. You are the unstoppable force." Nicholas had to hold back a laugh as he remembered describing himself as that to Zinnia after their first real taming session. "Unfortunately for you, there is only one outcome when you and I meet."
"I'm so curious," Nicholas whispered, still smiling. "I want to know, Cynthia. I want to know what Flint meant when he said these four, these… incredible pokegirls, who stood with me and still grew strong even as I never once focused on them, were all I'd need to face you. I want to know. But I do know. I know that if we were to meet, right here, now, that you're right. There would only ever be one outcome." He laughed softly. "Ten years. I believe, Champion Cynthia- no. World Champion Cynthia, that it has taken me ten years to become a tamer who might rival you."
"I'm no World Champion, Nicholas. I only ever have claimed the title in Sinnoh."
"Titles, and words… Those don't matter, do they?" Nicholas asked. "You and your Elite Four are not the only ones to have recognized the difference, the gap in strength between us. It has taken me ten years to make it here, and I've still got a ways to go." He lowered his head. "To fight you now would be a mistake. Not to mention the horrible blow it would deal to our friendship." Cynthia's lips twitched in amusement when Nicholas chuckled. "Why would you ever be friends with a fool, mm?"
"You say that, and yet you still entered my room."
"What happens, when the unstoppable force meets the immovable object?" Nicholas raised his eyes, meeting Cynthia's amused look with his own. "There is only one outcome. Champion Cynthia. Ten years it has taken for me to arrive here and stand before you. As a challenger to the true World Champion." His brow narrowed, eyes smoldering, just for a moment, before returning to their amused state. "Ten years to enter the realm of the truly powerful. To set my sights on the true peak. I will conquer it too one day. But now… There is only one outcome, Cynthia. When the unstoppable force meets the immovable object…" He spread his hands, relaxed, palms up and grew a massive grin. "It surrenders."
.
.
POKEDEX UPDATED
Tamer: Nicholas Topolski
Badges:
Mine Badge
Forest Badge
Coal Badge
Relic Badge
Cobble Badge
Fen Badge
Beacon Badge
Icicle Badge
Harem:
Zisela, Garchomp (Alpha) – Level 60
Sohn, Infernape – Level 60
Sammy, Rotom – Level 59
Quinn, Gallade – Level 59
Miruko, Lopunny – Level 65
Non-Com Harem:
Kalmiya, Porygon-Z – Level 30