Garchomp sailed through the air before landing with a rough thud at Cynthia's feet. Cynthia met Garchomp's eyes, watching with pride as her most faithful Pokémon struggled to keep her eyes open, fighting against all the bruises and damage she'd sustained during the battle. Cynthia knew that if she gave the signal Garchomp would get up and continue to fight for her, up until the very edge of death. The thought choked her with affection. Looking back at Garchomp with a slight film of tears across her eyes, she smiled softly and gave the final command.

"That's enough, Garchomp. You fought amazingly. Now rest."

Without another thought, Garchomp gave in to its overwhelming exhaustion. Her eyes shut, showing the characteristic signs of a knocked out Pokémon. Cynthia simply leaned down and rubbed her Pokémon's head caringly, idly wondering how long it'd been since she'd last seen Garchomp knocked out. It was farther back than she could remember.

The entire stadium was silent. When she'd been challenged, the probability of a great battle had been first on everyone's minds – hence the sold-out seating – but the possibility of their Champion's defeat had seemed nonexistent. Like Cynthia herself, the people of Sinnoh couldn't remember the last time they'd seen her Garchomp bested in battle, or even the last time she'd been pressured in battle at all.

Nonetheless, Cynthia remained unfazed. Head held high, her only feelings were pride in her Pokémon and appreciation for the battle in which she'd just fought. She looked across the field at Pikachu, who was battered but still alert; it seemed he couldn't believe that Garchomp had been knocked out, and he was still prepared to fight. Cynthia smiled warmly at Pikachu, trying to express her gratitude for the wonderful battle. Pikachu blinked once and his muscles loosened as it finally sunk in that the battle was over.

Cynthia sighed. She might as well get the formalities over with. She turned to look at the referee, who seemed just as dumbfounded as Pikachu had been a moment before and the crowd still was. She supposed she should be flattered that the ref, who should be impartial, was dumbstruck by the outcome, but she gave the man her most pointed look anyway. Doing his job should come first.

The ref caught her glance and snapped back to reality. "Uh - Garchomp is unable to battle, so Pikachu is the winner of this round! As Sinnoh Champion Cynthia has no Pokémon left with which to battle, the match goes to the challenger, Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town!"

Cynthia nodded and recalled Garchomp, thanking her again for her hard work. Around her, the stadium still remained quiet, even after the referee's proclamation. It was not out of resentment towards her opponent for beating her, she could feel, but out of respect for how long and how well she'd held her title. Cynthia smiled to herself, touched and humbled by the crowd's feelings for her.

But she wouldn't let them cheat Ash of what he'd earned.

On the other side of the field, Pikachu cried his name in joy and ran into Ash's arms, licking the boy's face in happiness. As Cynthia crossed the field to them, she could hear Ash's chuckles and murmured words of appreciation to his most faithful partner.

But now the two noticed her approach, and Pikachu jumped to Ash's shoulder as the boy walked to meet her halfway. When they stood face-to-face, Cynthia immediately reached a hand across to rub Pikachu behind the ears.

"That was an amazing battle, Pikachu. Great job, and thank you for it."

"Chaaa!" Pikachu cooed affectionately in response to her petting. The Mouse Pokémon jumped across from Ash's shoulder to hers suddenly, licking her cheek in what she assumed was a reciprocal 'thank you.' An involuntary giggle escaped her throat; Pikachu grinned and jumped down to stand next to Ash.

And now Cynthia turned her attention to Ash.

"And you, Ash…"

She looked at him, wondering what the right thing to say was. He was staring back at her, head slightly tilted in anticipation, and she felt time slow as she looked the boy over.

He'd grown taller than her in the time since they'd last met, and he'd filled out appreciatively as well. His face and features had grown sharper and more defined, and now that she met eyes with him she could see a depth behind the chocolate-brown pools that she'd never noticed before.

She gulped, suddenly feeling jittery with her new assessment. Cynthia had been feeling it since she'd first laid eyes on him after his challenge, but now she knew it for sure. She'd been calling Ash a boy out of habit and denial, but – whatever had happened to him and whatever he'd gone through since they'd last met – Ash Ketchum was now a man.

Cynthia realized her staring must have become prolonged, because the sound of murmurs drifted to her from the crowd and suddenly Ash was moving.

An irrational fear that she wouldn't get to talk to him entered her mind for a second, but it was washed away just as quickly. Ash merely reached across to the referee, who'd come up next to them, and received the microphone from the man. He held it to his mouth and turned to the crowd.

As he spoke, Cynthia shivered. Ash's voice had definitely not been so deep when last they met.

This fell to the back of her mind as his words registered.

"Thank you all for watching our battle with such good sportsmanship. It's true that I'm now the Champion of Sinnoh, but I acknowledge how you all feel. It's the same way I do." Ash turned to face her now, and Cynthia suddenly felt very self-conscious. "I met Cynthia a long time ago, and even as our relationship evolved with time, there's been a feeling I've had since day one that hasn't changed. In fact, it's only grown stronger with today's battle. That feeling is respect. The way Cynthia battles, the way she cares for her Pokémon, the way she treats those around her, the way she's always defended and upheld the integrity of this region, it all points to a person of amazing personality and character. I know why you've all held your applause – not out of any ill will towards me, but out of respect for your true Champion. And I agree wholeheartedly with you. So, please give it up extra loud for Sinnoh's dearest Champion: Cynthia."

With this Ash handed the microphone back to the ref and clapped with as much zest as he could muster, smiling and looking into Cynthia's face with the respect he'd just spoke of. Around him, the stadium rose together in a standing ovation for her, clapping, whistling, and screaming.

Cynthia was overwhelmed. She'd long since prepared herself for loss, but she'd never prepared herself for this. Ash had somehow given her victory even in defeat.

She turned in a full circle, arms overhead, waving to the people in the stands, and mouthing her thanks. When she turned back to face Ash, who was still clapping and smiling, she couldn't stop the wave of emotion that overtook her. Stepping forward, she outstretched her arms to either side timidly.

Ash didn't disappoint. He stepped in fluidly, and as soon as her arms were spread enough to signal what she wanted, he obliged, wrapping his own arms around her, tightly but not uncomfortably.

Cynthia had to restrain herself from laying her cheek down on his shoulder – for some reason the movement was coming to her naturally. She instead clasped her arms around his torso firmly, trying to show her gratitude through the embrace.

Around them, the cheering somehow became louder. The crowd was showing their gratitude for Ash's gesture and welcoming him as their new Champion. His sportsmanship and character had won them over wholeheartedly, and Cynthia was glad.

She held the embrace a beat too long, and as Ash pulled away she did her best to catch up with him and make the disengagement seem simultaneous. Luckily, nobody seemed to notice. All eyes were on Mr. Charles Goodshow, who was coming out to make the official announcement. Cynthia passed the next few minutes of announcements and cheering in a daze, weird and unfamiliar emotions swirling around her being.

When Goodshow was done talking about the official business, she and Ash walked off the field together amidst much cheering. When they exited the arena, she let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding. After all, it was now all over. In a good way, though. She had no regrets.

Or at least, not yet.

Cynthia glanced sidelong at Ash, who was matching her pace coolly as they walked through the staging area towards the exit of the stadium. Because Goodshow was still making other announcements, the press was obliged to stay within the stadium, which left them with two choices: stay and be forced to talk to the press afterward, or leave now and get some peace and quiet.

Cynthia was all for the latter, but she didn't want to force Ash to do what she wanted, and all the same she didn't want to split up with him so soon either.

After all, there was the danger of the potential regret.

Ash almost seemed to read her mind. "Hey, what do you say we get out of here and beat the paparazzi?"

Cynthia smiled. "That sounds good. Let's go."

They strode out of the stadium side by side, like friends who'd known each other forever. Cynthia did indeed feel like she knew Ash on a new level after the battle they'd just had – it was probably the best she'd ever fought. That said, she was thrown off by how different Ash was since they'd last met in Unova.

Now he was so calm and cool, confident but low-key. He'd grown into an impressive man.

It was evening, and the sun was straddling the horizon, dusting the sky with beautiful orange light. On Cynthia's lead, the two of them were walking along a sidewalk in the direction of her hotel. The streets and even the entire town were mostly empty and quiet; likely since the match had been held here the local townspeople had gotten quick access to the tickets and capitalized on the opportunity.

A sudden tap on her shoulder caused Cynthia to look to her side. Ash had stopped and was now gesturing across the street. Cynthia spotted an ice cream vendor pushing his cart along, probably coming from the stadium now that the main event was over.

She blushed; Ash must've remembered her fondness for ice cream. He might've changed a lot, but that same thoughtfulness was still there. She followed him across the street as he flagged down the vendor.

"Hey!" he shouted. "You have any ice cream left?"

The vendor stopped abruptly and answered on reflex. "Sure do. Come on over." He then looked up and did a double-take. He certainly hadn't been expecting the two hottest topics in Sinnoh to buy from him. He stared as she and Ash ambled over and looked at the choices nonchalantly.

Cynthia usually spent a long time deciding what flavor to get; they were just all so good-looking and tasty. But she didn't want to bore Ash, so she went with one of her tried and true favorites.

"1 small vanilla, please. In a cone."

"I'll have the same," Ash added.

The vendor snapped out of his stupor and provided the ice cream quickly. When Ash moved to pay – normally Cynthia wouldn't let anyone pay for her, but she didn't mind being treated by Ash – the vendor put up a hand, smiling.

"Today you two gave me the best business I've ever had. Plus I'm a Sinnoh native," he said, gesturing to her, "so consider this a little gift for everything you've done."

They thanked the vendor profusely before resuming their walk towards Cynthia's hotel, licking at their cones along the way. They stayed silent, but it wasn't awkward. It was a welcome opportunity for Cynthia to think.

The strange emotions she was feeling weren't altogether unexpected. Even when she'd first met Ash, when they both were quite a bit younger and he was still so boyish, she'd felt the prickles of these feelings. After all, how could she ignore someone who cared so deeply for his Pokémon? That kind of care, and realizing the importance of it, had taken her years and years to develop, and she still wasn't sure if she grasped it fully. To meet a guy who had such an intuitive appreciation for it, who held the idea so close to his being, had been revolutionary for her.

Yes, Ash had always been special.

But even then, she had not expected this to happen. Not only was he coming at her from the angle of a wonderful person, but now he had approached – and overtaken her – as a competitive battler. Battling had always been close to Cynthia's heart. The rush it gave her was incomparable, and when she could go all out there was nothing she enjoyed more. Ash had given her the chance to go all out today, and she'd had such an amazing time – one she'd never forget.

And he'd beaten her.

It was a fact that held a lot of weight for her. Cynthia had never really had a man in her life. She was certainly still in her prime, but comparatively later on for someone without any sort of romantic relationship. It was a well-known fact about her, and the root of much of the gossip and conversation that'd surrounded her during her time as Champion. She didn't mind; she liked being slightly mysterious. Among her friends and family the going was not so easy, however. They often pestered her about getting out and trying to date. She always made excuses about her Champion duties and not having time, until they eventually let her off the hook, joking that she was so beautiful she could have a man whenever she wanted anyway.

In fact, she'd been told this her whole life. She was so skilled but so reserved that she'd never been wanting of admirers; since her teenage years, women had been telling her how gorgeous she was, and men had pursued her in droves. The experience had made the casual romantic experience so cheap and superficial to her that she lost interest in it altogether; her standards for the proper man for her also became extremely specific, and extremely high. As a result, she'd never met any man who'd interested her romantically in the least.

Until now.

Cynthia's standards for her proper man were a direct result of what had consumed her all her life: her love of battle. During her long tenure as Champion, she'd decided that the perfect way to find a man for her was to wait and let him come to her – if a man could challenge her and give her a run for her money, she'd seriously consider him. Because Cynthia had realized that the only type of man whom she'd ever find satisfying was one who could first satisfy her on the battlefield.

And Ash had done that, and so much more.

"Cynthia?"

Cynthia shook herself out of her thoughts quickly, trying to look composed. "Hm?"

Ash's cone was halfway done, and he was looking at her curiously. "You ok? You looked a little dazed there."

Cynthia fought down a blush, chastising herself for letting her guard down. "Uh, I'm fine. It's nothing. And look, we're here."

Sure enough, they'd reached her hotel. For the first time since they'd met back up, Ash looked unsure of himself.

But Cynthia wasn't about to back down.

"Come up to my room, Ash." She looked into his eyes dead-on, hoping he'd agree. Sure enough he smiled and followed her into the lobby.

There she left her Pokémon in the care of a daycare man, and convinced Ash to do the same. He obliged, handing over Pikachu and his other Pokémon, thanking them again and asking them to rest up.

Then they went up to her room.

She opened the door and turned on the lights, waving Ash in. He looked around the suite appreciatively. "Nice place," he complimented.

She smiled. "Thanks. You can sit down – want anything to eat or drink?"

He plopped down on one of the two face-to-face loveseats in the common area. Grinning, he held up his half-finished cone. "Nah, I'm still working on my ice cream."

She fell onto the other loveseat and nodded, holding up her own cone. The motion seemed to give Ash and idea, and he held up his own cone again. "Toast?"

"Sure thing. To your new title?"

"Nah. To the best battle I've ever had. Thanks so much, Cynthia."

Cynthia felt his words resonate within her. It was exactly – exactly – how she felt. If her battle with him hadn't undone her, his words now certainly did. She held her cone up high, filled with the certainty of her resolve now. "No - thank you, Ash. To the best battle I've ever had."

They brought their cones down and licked them simultaneously before laughing. Their laughs settled into smiles, and they met eyes.

Cynthia knew that Ash's gaze was innocent – affectionate for her as a friend maybe – but completely innocent. She, on the other hand, was far past friendly innocence.

Years and years of suppressed sexuality were washing over her in waves. She licked her lips involuntarily. Now that she knew Ash was capable of the level of passion she'd yearned for all these years, she couldn't wait for anything.

He'd satisfied her on the battlefield.

Now she wanted him to satisfy her off it.

Only one problem. Cynthia didn't know how Ash had changed in a sexual sense. He was certainly old enough now to be thinking about sexual things and even to have experienced the act itself, but she had no idea where in fact he was on the spectrum. Hopefully he wasn't as dense as he'd come across when they'd last met.

But Cynthia was confident. Ash or not, he was a man in his prime. If she showed that she wanted him, she was hoping his hormones would close the deal.

That said, there was a part of her that didn't want for this to happen that way. That part wanted Ash to want her as wholly as she wanted him, so that their passion would be wholly true. But that part of her was blown to the back of her being by the whirlwind of desire that was consuming her. She had only one thought.

She wanted to bed the man who'd bested her in battle.