If there is any day Elincia is glad she didn’t have to do any official business as the champion of the Kalos region, she is glad that day is today.
Ever since she was crowned champion, work became more hectic as Elincia managed the Pokémon League. Due to her status as champion in a region where she’s seen as royalty, she now represented her people, and they placed their trust in her to make the best decisions for Kalos. The members of the Elite Four acted as her advisors when it came to official business, but it only alleviated Elincia’s workload by a little bit. On top of all that, she had to maintain her status as the strongest trainer in the Kalos region. It is still a miracle she hasn’t broken down from stress for three years.
Which is why Elincia was here in the Battle Chateau. Although she already attained the highest rank as Grand duch*ess, she still felt the need to brush up on her Pokémon battling skills. It had been a while since the last time she was here. Elincia is eager to battle anyone, win or lose. She watches many trainers visit the Battle Chateau and battle other challengers, but none seem to want to battle her. Is it because of her status as champion that intimidated others? The more she waits, the more restless Elincia feels. She is not about to let this day go to waste.
If I want anyone to battle me, I shall be the one to initiate the challenge, Elincia thinks as she searches for opponents in the hallways of the Battle Chateau.
Just as the doors open, the all too familiar sound of heels clacking against the floor reaches Elincia’s ears. She turns around, finding the one trainer she wished to see.
“Oh! Lucia!” Elincia exclaims, quickening her pace as to maintain her decorum as champion rather than running, no matter how much she wanted to do so. “It’s been a while.”
“I know,” says Lucia. “I’ve been making trips to Kiloude City in my downtime. Don’t worry, I’m still supervising the Gyms you told me to check in on.”
Perhaps she’s going there to get stronger for me, Elincia thinks. But I’ve been seeing her less and less even after work.
What could have kept Lucia going back to Kiloude City multiple times? What was there at Kiloude City that was more important than her? Lucia is already more than capable as a Pokémon battler, especially one for her status as part of Kalos’s Elite Four.
Elincia brushes away the thought. No, she deserves a break here and there. She gets to choose how she spends her downtime.
She is here to relax at the Battle Chateau. She could worry about things like that later.
Plus, Elincia is glad Lucia came here, because she has something to give her.
“Should we battle here?” Lucia asks, snapping Elincia back to reality.
“I’d be delighted,” says Elincia, “since you’re my first opponent.”
“That’s why we’re here, is it not?” Lucia flashes her a smile and chuckles.
Elincia’s cheeks flushes with the slightest shade of red, but she quickly suppresses it with a straight face. They walk through the corridors of the Battle Chateau, looking for a vacant room to battle in.
“Ah, here’s one we can use,” Elincia says as they find a room. Lucia shuts the door behind them.
There are a few ornate decorations scattered across the room. Vases containing the most vibrant flowers are on fancy tables exhibiting fine craftsmanship. Paintings of various locations throughout the Kalos region hang on the walls. A large battlefield occupies most of the space in the room.
“Just one Pokémon for each of us,” says Lucia. “I’ve got to get back to the Pokémon League after this.”
“Oh,” Elincia says in a dismayed tone. In an attempt to make herself feel better, she adds, “I’ll come with you then.”
Time is precious, and she is not going to waste it without Lucia.
Lucia strides over to one side of the battlefield and takes out a Poké Ball. “Are you ready?”
“Actually, I have something to give you,” says Elincia. She crosses the battlefield and fishes out a pouch from her pocket.
Lucia takes the pouch from Elincia, who watches her gingerly open it and see the glint in her eyes once she sees what’s inside.
“Oh, Elincia, you didn’t have to…” Lucia takes out a necklace with a small silver charm in the shape of an Aegislash hanging from it. A Key Stone is embedded in where Aegislash’s eye should’ve been.
“It’s a good luck charm,” Elincia explains, “in case something happens to you. I had it specifically made for you at Lumiose City. I wanted to give it to you as a gift of thanks for supporting me.”
“And you modeled it after your ace Pokémon.” Lucia examines the charm and wears the necklace. “Like you’re always there with me.”
There with me.
Those last three words echo in Elincia’s mind. She wonders what Lucia has been doing in her absence at Kiloude City. She wonders why she couldn’t be there with her. The thought lingers in her mind no matter how hard she tries to suppress it.
Perhaps for another time, Kiloude City would be a wonderful place to go with Lucia.
Lucia throws her Poké Ball into the air, and out comes her Gallade. Elincia does the same, and her Manectric comes out of her Poké Ball.
“Do you remember the time I gave you that Electrike on your birthday all those years ago?” Lucia asks.
“Of course I do,” Elincia answers. “It was the first Pokémon I ever owned before I ran into that Honedge.” She recalls another childhood memory as she reminisces about the time Electrike was gifted to her. “Do you remember the time where we looked for wild Pokémon? You were so adamant about finding a male Ralts.”
“How could I not? I wouldn’t be here without Gallade.”
They smile, fondly remembering the times they were together with their Pokémon until Elincia is forcefully embarked on her journey to end Ashnard’s reign as champion. They do not wish to remember the time they were separated, but Elincia looks back on her growth as a trainer. She remembers those Gym battles she partook in with her Aegislash back when it was a Honedge and Doublade. She remembers the best part of it all, which was when she was reunited with Lucia and her Electrike, who bolted towards Elincia and evolved into Manectric.
Now their Pokémon are at their strongest and trust them no matter what. The Mega Stones they are holding on to is proof of their unbreakable bond.
Elincia and her Manectric go to their side of the battlefield. “I’m ready to battle whenever you are.”
“As you wish, Elincia,” says Lucia. She grasps onto the charm, which prompts Elincia to do the same. “Gallade! Show her your might as the sword and shield of the Kalos region!”
“Manectric,” Elincia starts, “shine on as the radiant light of the Kalos region!”
The two trainers press on their charms. A purple light pulsates from their Key Stones and their Pokémon’s Mega Stones. The light hardens into a cocoon around their Pokémon and it shatters, revealing new forms. Gallade, who now looks like a gallant knight with sword-like arms and a white cape, and Manectric, who now has spikier fur as if its electricity was responsible for the appearance.
Elincia’s Manectric glares at Lucia’s Gallade, which shudders.
“Gallade, use Psycho Cut!” Lucia orders.
Gallade’s arms glow with a magenta aura and it dashes at confounding speed towards Manectric. The Manectric ducks every attack as Gallade swings its arms, looking for a weak spot. As Manectric keeps dodging, it is backed into the corner of the battlefield.
“Manectric, use Thunderbolt!” Elincia orders, but as Manectric starts to generate electricity, Gallade finds its weakness in staying stationary and lands an uppercut. The Manectric flies high into the air and lands on its side.
That must’ve been a critical hit, Elincia thinks. Even with Intimidate Manectric can only take a couple of hits at most.
Manectric stands up as if it’s unaffected by the attack, although Elincia notices it’s breathing harder than normal.
“I had to find a way to get around your Manectric’s Ability,” Lucia says as if she somehow read Elincia’s mind. “It seems like it worked.” She returns her focus to the battle. “Now! Use Swords Dance!”
“Manectric, charge up some electricity and run around the battlefield,” says Elincia.
As a pair of blue swords appear in front of Gallade, Manectric sprints all over the battlefield in a blinding blur of yellow. The Gallade instinctively chases after it, this time its arms glowing blue as it readies Sacred Sword. Manectric shows no signs of stopping and as it keeps running, Gallade slows down until its arms aren’t glowing anymore. It stops, breathing heavily.
“Now! Use Electro Ball!” Elincia orders.
Her Manectric leaps high into the air and unleashes all of its electricity in the form of a yellow orb. It fires the attack at high speed, which launches Gallade and slides onto the ground by Lucia. Manectric lands on the battlefield with all four of its paws.
“Is this how you plan to defeat me? Outrun my Gallade and attack? You know your Manectric can’t do that forever,” says Lucia.
“Well, it’s my best chance at winning against you,” Elincia admits. “I can’t let your Gallade hit Manectric up close.”
Lucia’s Gallade stands up, although it’s struggling to stay standing from the attack.
“Gallade, use Night Slash!” Lucia orders.
Gallade’s arms turn black as it runs towards Manectric. It swings its arms at Manectric’s legs, only to narrowly miss as Manectric leaps high into the air again. Manectric cloaks itself in fire and unleashes Overheat all around the battlefield. Gallade crosses its arms in an X shape and blocks the attack. Once Manectric lands, Gallade’s arms glow black and as it swings one of its arms, Manectric clamps its jaws shut.
“Use Thunderbolt to finish it off!” Elincia commands.
A strong jolt of electricity shocks Gallade as it stands there, taking the full force of the attack. As the battle nears its end, Elincia feels ecstatic at the prospect of winning against Lucia. The latter was always considered the better battler, and that was a good thing to Elincia. If Lucia could beat her in battle, then that meant she was strong enough to protect Elincia in case something happened to her. Still, even if Elincia loses, it was time well spent with Lucia. If Elincia wins, then that is proof she is improving at battling.
Maybe she is too preoccupied in her thoughts, because Elincia doesn’t hear Lucia order Gallade to attack or see that Manectric is on its side before it’s too late. The Gallade falls down to its knees.
“Manectric! What happened?” Elincia asks.
“You didn’t hear me tell my Gallade to use Psycho Cut?” says Lucia. A sly smile creeps up on her face once she realizes. “Oh, you were daydreaming about winning against me, weren’t you?”
Elincia blushes again, this time in front of Lucia, and denies it. “No! I wasn’t doing that at all!” Her image of a champion befitting royalty quickly falls apart. Now she feels like the sheltered trainer she once was before everything changed. After a long, awkward pause, she sighs. “Alright, you win this battle and my feelings.”
Lucia chuckles and Elincia’s cheeks flush with red, but this time it is not out of embarrassment. She doesn’t mind being teased by her from time to time. Elincia’s feelings for her are honest and true, even if she thinks Lucia hasn’t caught on yet or returns those same feelings.
Which leads her to that lingering thought in the back of Elincia’s mind. As Lucia opens the door, she stops her.
“Lucia, there is something that’s been bothering me,” says Elincia. “Why have you been going to Kiloude City? I’ve been seeing you less after work because of it.”
Lucia lets go of the door handle and sighs. She recalls her Gallade into its Poké Ball, which prompts Elincia to do the same to Manectric, and pulls out another Poké Ball. She holds it out towards Elincia.
“Perhaps I should explain my absence to Kiloude City then,” says Lucia. “Catch.”
She tosses the Poké Ball high into the air. An unknown Pokémon is bathed in a white light, and as it lands in Elincia’s hands, a pair of seed-like eyes pops out from its apple-shaped body the same shade as Elincia’s hair.
