Candice blinked first.

  “Icicle Crash.”

  Darmanitan leapt, crashing back into the snow with a boom that shook the entire arena. Shards of jagged ice broke loosely, streaking towards Heather.

  The ice struck, and Heather vanished, reappearing in front of Darmanitan to slap it in the face with her tail. The Fake Out didn't do much damage, but the surprise created an opening.

  “Iron Tail,” Fiona called. Heather dropped, slamming her glowing tail into Darmanitan’s leg. It barely reacted, instead swinging a huge fist in retaliation.

  “Ice Punch!” Candice commanded as her Pokemon was already beginning the attack.

  “Double Team.” Heather blurred as the fist crashed into the ground, smashing through one of the after images, the Skitty harmlessly dancing backwards out of reach.

  “Don't chase, Avalanche,” Candice instructed. Darmanitan slammed both fists into the ground, sending a wave of ice and snow flying towards Heather.

  “Quick Attack.”

  Heather blurred once more, darting past the attack in a burst of speed.

  “Iron Tail,” Heather skipped forward, smacking her tail once more into the same leg, before accelerating again past the reply blow.

  “Annoying,” Candice said, “Earthquake.”

  The arena rocked once more, the ground trembling as Darmanitan slammed its arms into the snow again and again.

  “Jump it,” Fiona ordered. Heather used her tail as a springboard, launching herself high into the air.

  “Stop, Focus Blast,” Candice said. Darmanitan immediately stopped Earthquake to throw a ball of energy at Heather.

  “Protect.” Heather threw up a barrier. The blast exploded when it made contact, creating a cloud of smoke.

  Heather touched the ground, blurring into another Quick Attack without waiting for instructions.

  “Same knee,” Fiona said. Another Iron Tail hit home, and this time Darmanitan felt it, the return Ice Punch going wide as its knee buckled.

  “Uproar.” Darmanitan began to shout and beat its chest, sending shockwaves of sound throughout the arena.

  “Dig,” came Fiona’s reply. Heather immediately burrowed under the ice, evading the attack.

  Darmanitan continued to use Uproar, unable to stop as Heather safely hid beneath the ice. The noise filled the arena, the only sound as the crowd waited with baited breath for the next move.

  The two women stared each other down as they waited, Fiona with a smirk of confidence, Candice with a sparkle of joy in her eye. Fiona took a breath. Heather had been perfect so far, it was time to step it up.

  Fiona counted the heartbeats. Three. Four. Five. Now.

  “Up!” she shouted, straining to be heard over the noise. Heather burst out from the ice right as Uproar ended, Iron Tail already targeting that same point.

  Candice, however, was also preparing.

  “Body Slam.” Darmanitan threw its enormous bulk at Heather. She scrambled out the way, avoiding the hit but being knocked off balance.

  “Ice Punch.” A huge arm flew at Heather.

  “Protect.” It slammed into the barrier.

  “Back, Sing.” Heather jumped backwards.

  “Nya nya nyaaa!” She began to sing.

  “Taunt!” Candice shouted, a small crack in her facade. Darmanitan roared, and Heather stopped singing.

  “Quick Attack,” Fiona called. Heather charged again. Both Pokemon were tired now, it wouldn't last much longer, it was time to end this.

  “Bulldoze,” Candice smirked. Darmanitan stomped, causing the ground to ripple. Heather stumbled.

  “Ice Punch,” she ordered.

  “Jump,” Fiona called. There was no dodging the attack, but Heather moved with it, lessening the blow. She tumbled across the ice, rolling to her feet, breathing hard.

  Darmanitan, however, was in worse shape. Its leg buckled at the knee, the repeated blows having done their job. The hard work was finished, it was time for a little fun.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  “Heather, use Assist.”

  There was a collective intake of breath, as everyone, Fiona included, waited to see what move would come.

  Heather planted her feet, took a deep breath, and fired.

  “NYAAA!”

  A laser of pure white energy erupted. Darmanitan had no chance to dodge, being engulfed in the attack.

  Hyperbeam.

  The attack ended after a few seconds. Heather stood, breathing hard. Darmanitan lay, unmoving.

  Silence.

  “Fuck me,” Troy said.

  “Darmanitan is unable to battle, the Challenger is the winner!”

  The crowd erupted.

  Fiona smiled.

  “Heather, fucking amazing job,” she said, recalling her Skitty. Candice likewise recalled her Darmanitan.

  Fiona would have to shower her cat with well deserved love later, right now she had some smug to deliver. Fiona moved to the middle of the arena to meet Candice, stepping around the destruction caused by their battle. She made sure to smirk down the lense of the camera as she went.

  “That, was a hell of a lot of fun,” Candice said quietly as the women met and shook hands.

  “It was, thank you,” Fiona replied.

  “I have to admit, Hyperbeam was a surprise.”

  Fiona fought a blush.

  “Honestly? It was for me too. It didn't really matter what move she pulled, but Hyperbeam was just perfect.”

  Candice laughed, a genuine display of mirth unlike her previous controlled demeanour.

  “It really was. You earned the badge, I look forward to watching your later battles. You have a knack for showmanship.”

  “Thanks,” Fiona said, before hesitating, “I uhh, you were a bit of an influence on that. I have your posters at home.”

  Fiona flushed at the admission.

  “I’m flattered,” Candice replied with a smile, “Good luck with the rest of the challenge.”

  As soon as she got backstage, Fiona found herself accosted by a man in a suit.

  “Miss Abernathy, a moment please?”

  Fiona rolled her eyes to the heavens. She had been hoping to go sit down and recover, but men in suits usually meant that someone wanted something from her.

  “What do you want?” She asked, trying not to be too bitchy about the interruption.

  “We would like to conduct your post match interview,” the man said, “Would you mind stepping this way?”

  Fiona sighed. In all the hype, she had forgotten about that.

  “Fine, let's do this shit.”

  The man led her to a room where a camera had been set in front of a screen bearing the logos of a whole slew of different sponsors. She was met by a pair of production assistants who rapidly fixed up her hair, smoothed her clothes and handed her a microphone.

  The actual reporter, another man in a much nicer suit, smiled and gestured for her to join him in front of the camera. Then they waited for their cue. A nod from the production team and it began.

  “I’m backstage with Miss Fiona Abernathy after her successful challenge against Candice, earning her second badge for this year's challenge,” he began.

  “First of all, congratulations, that was a thrilling battle.”

  “Thank you,” Fiona replied, “I aim to entertain.”

  Fiona fought the sudden onset of butterflies. She had never been one to shy away from attention, but being under the lens of a camera was different somehow.

  “Entertain you did,” the reporter agreed, “I have to ask, why Skitty?”

  Fiona shrugged.

  “Heather was raring for a fight, and the match up was good.”

  “So you were confident that Skitty could handle Darmanitan?”

  “I wouldn't have sent her out if I wasn't.”

  The man laughed, “I suppose not. So, with your second badge out of the way, how are you feeling about your prospects overall?"

  Fiona grinned, “Pretty fucking good.”

  Fiona caught a bit of a wince from the producers. She probably wasn't supposed to swear. Ah well, that was their fault for giving her a mic.

  “Now, I’ve got a series of standard first interview questions for you, if you don't mind.”

  “Shoot.”

  “You’ve lead with Rufflet for both of your battles so far, does that mean he was your starter?”

  “Nope.”

  “Ah, so my follow up is, of course, who was your starter?”

  Fiona grinned, patting Star’s ball.

  “That is a surprise for later.”

  The man nodded, “I suppose that answers the next one. You have one more Pokemon you haven't used in either battle, I assume that's them, and you won't tell us what they are?”

  “Damn straight,” Fiona agreed.

  “Moving on then, what inspired you to take on the Gym Challenge?”

  Fiona looked down the camera. “I wanted to show people exactly who the fuck I am, and what I am capable of.”

  The reporter chuckled. “I suppose you're pulling that off nicely. Final question for the evening, are there any other trainers you have your eye on as a potential rival?”

  Fiona smiled, thinking about Chloe.

  “I’m travelling with her. Chloe Bellamy.”

  “She was the trainer with the Jigglypuff, who battled after you in Eterna, correct?”

  “Exactly. She upstaged me last time. I’d like to see her top what I just did to Candice.”

  “Well, you certainly set the bar high with that Assist Hyperbeam. I have to ask, did you expect that?”

  Fiona shrugged, “I knew she would pull something to finish off Darmanitan.”

  “Well, that's all we have time for, any parting words?”

  “Yeah, fuck you Dad.”

  Fiona could almost hear the groan from the production people as she delivered that line. They quickly turned off the camera, and the reporter turned to her.

  “It would be helpful if you… refrained from swearing at the camera.”

  Fiona rolled her eyes again, “Too bad, any time I am on camera, I’m telling Dad to fuck himself. It's kind of my thing.”

  She stretched, rolling out the kink in her shoulders. She was feeling a little tense after being on stage and on camera for so long. She really needed to get somewhere private to relax.

  “We done here?”

  “We are, thank you.”

  “Fantastic, see you lot next time I win.”

  This time Fiona made it exactly three steps out the gym door before she was assaulted by a manic mass of blonde hair and affection.

  “FIII!!! That was awesome! You were so cool! Where is Heather? I need to squish her little Skitty brains out she was so cute and awesome!”

  Fiona was driven back a step as Chloe glomped her, her friend hugging her as hard as she could.

  “I… Chloe… Can't breathe…”

  “Oh, sorry Fi. I just can't, that was so cool!”

  “Thanks Chloe.”

  “That was kick ass Fi,” Troy agreed from behind Chloe, holding up a fist. Fiona managed to extract an arm from Chloe's embrace to bump it.

  “It was pretty spectacular,” Eleanor agreed.

  “I meant what I said Fi,” Chloe insisted, “You better bring that cat out so I can love her like the warrior she is.”

  “Not yet,” Fiona replied, “Pokecenter first. That was a hard fight for her, that Darmanitan was tough.”

  “It looked super strong,” Chloe agreed, “But she kicked its ass like it was nothing. All ‘Nya! Zap!’ Hyperbeam!' Awesome!”

  Fiona couldn't help herself. She giggled. If there was one thing that could break her carefully crafted punk bitch persona, it was Chloe's dumbassery.

  “Yeah, she was fantastic.”

  Fiona looked down to where Chloe was still hugging her waist.

  “Chloe?”

  “Yeah Fi?”

  “Can you let go of me now?”

  “...no.”

  “Come on Chloe, she has to get to the Pokecenter,” Troy chided.

  Chloe sighed, and released Fiona.

  “Fiiiine. But we're not done here.”

  Fiona laughed, “I spoke about you in the interview, you know?”

  “You did? What did you say?”

  “I said that you were going to have a hell of a time topping that performance.”

  Chloe just smirked.

  “Oh, I have something planned that might just do the trick.”

  “I look forward to seeing it.”

  Fiona had thrown down the gauntlet. She couldn't wait to see how Chloe would reply.