Hello! And welcome to what is likely the first of quite a few Pokémon fics brought to you by Supreme Distraction and Co. I'm new to the neighborhood so let me know what you think ;D

/Flashback/

'Thoughts'

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. It is game (anime/manga) that has been destroyed completely (anything later than the 3rd gen with the exception of some of the 4th gens is a terrible loss; therefore, I will not be using a lot of the younger Pokémon) by Nintendo's everlasting greed. That being said, I will be borrowing as I see fit from those three realms to bring you...

-Meeting the Champion-

/ Blackthorn was a sleepy little city cut into the rock face of a mountain. It was also the final stop in a Trainer's journey before they could hope to challenge the Elite Four, thus it was equipped more for resting and refueling rather than living in: there was a Move Deleter and Move Tutor in addition to a Poké Mart and Pokémon Center. Of course there was the Blackthorn City Gym where, after a grueling battle against the lovely Clair, the eighth and final Gym Leader in the Johto region, one could earn the Rising Badge.

Underneath the city sprawled a giant lake that was home to a handful of Dragon-type Pokémon under the protection of the Dragon User Clan and at the center of that lake sat a shrine shaped like a Chinese pagoda with red walls and an olive-shingled roof.

The little building shook as its front door was slammed open.

"Master Lance!" one of the Shrine maidens chastised, frowning. "There are people meditating. Please do not disturb the peace."

"Sorry," the Indigo League Champion apologized impatiently, yellow eyes sweeping around the small room. Shrine maidens sat in rows on either side with their heads bowed, backs to the door, and the Dragon Clan Elder sat at the head of the procession at the rear of the room, but the person he was looking for wasn't there. "Elder, have you seen Clair?"

The wizened old man opened his eyes to regard one of his best students. "She's the same place she always his, my child. That girl never rests."

Sketching a quick bow in thanks, Lance hustled out of the building, his cape fluttering in his wake. He came to the edge of the dock and pulled a Poké Ball, currently the size of a ping pong ball, from his belt, pressed the button on the front so that it swelled to the size of a baseball and tossed it into the chop; it released spikes of crimson energy that both propelled it back to the carmine-haired Trainer's palm and released the gargantuan blue-scaled serpentine Pokémon—a Gyarados—slumbering within.

"Gyaaaarrrr," it roared, lowering its head so that its master could hop aboard. The pair headed in the direction of a thin mist that rose from the water's surface until they came to its source: a waterfall crashed into the lake, churning the waters and sending off clouds of vapor.

Sitting cross-legged under the aqueous curtain atop a large, smooth stone was a young woman with light blue hair caught up in a ponytail. She didn't seem to mind the spray, despite the fact that the white yukata she donned, similar to the ones that the shrine maidens commonly wore, had been soaked through and clung to her body like a second skin.

"Hey, Clair!" Lance called, grabbing onto the spine that jutted from his Pokémon's brow to stop his self from falling. "CLAIR!"

"The Blessed User of Dragon Pokémon," as she was called, opened a single aquamarine orb to survey her visitor, irritation clear in her expression. "Lance… You're as noisy as ever."

He laughed, the sound a boisterous bark of amusement. Despite being the younger of the two, she had always been the more serious one. "Good to see you, too, cousin. I have a favor to ask you."

Clair sighed, the sound drowned out by the roar of the falls, and rose to her feet. She gave Lance an expectant look and the Gyarados lowered its head obediently, closing its eyes happily a moment later when the young woman rubbed its snout. The red-head offered her a hand, but she ignored him, easily leaping aboard all on her own.

"You only ever come to visit when you want something," she said accusingly, not really bothered by the fact. She loved her cousin, but he was just too much sometimes. "Take me to the grotto. I left my things there."

The grotto was a portion of the underground caverns that connected to the ocean. Here, the water—a mixture of salt and fresh—was deeper and shone with the light of a collection of submerged Chinchou and Staryu; there was a miniature island with a temple for stone prayer cards where Blackthorn's inhabitants had recorded their hopes and dreams.

Clair fetched her signature blue romper and gray cape along with her Poké Balls from a little lockbox hidden beneath the structure. She was about to climb onto the Gyarados's back when something sleek and blue erupted from the water and attached itself to her wrist: a Dratini.

"Well… hello," she said, surprised. Normally one didn't find Dragon-types this deep in the caverns—especially ones so young. The diminutive Pokémon chirped, tail wiggling. It released a pleased purr when the Gym Leader stroked one of the little white fins on the side of its face, a rare, faint smile on full lips. "Aren't you precious?"

She had already raised three other Dratini into Dragonair—elegant serpentine Pokémon with delicate facial ridges shaped like a cherub's wings—so she knew how wonderful these Pokémon could be. The Dragon user had a love of beautiful things.

Lance grinned. He loved seeing the gentler side of his cousin, uncommon though it was. "So, about my favor…" /

And that was how Clair found herself aboard the S.S Ann, bound for the Sevii Islands along with the Champions from the other regions: Gary Oak from Pallet Town, Steven Stone from Mossdeep City, Wallace from Sootopolis City, Cynthia from Celestic Town, Alder from Floccesy Town, and Iris from the Village of Dragons.

The Champions, each coming from a different region of the world, met every year to discuss the up-and-coming trainers as well as strategies for battle. Lance should have been the representative from Johto, but something had come up which had, of course, lead to this "favor".

He had claimed that Clair was the only one qualified enough to take his place but the blue-haired woman knew it was more because he wanted to make sure he wouldn't be embarrassed in front of his peers. His cousin, though headstrong and outspoken, had a strong sense of honor and decency and would be on her best behavior.

What a pain.

Speaking of pains… The Dratini from the night before had taken a liking to the Dragon user and refused to be separated from its new mistress, going so far as to breaking out of every single Poké Ball Clair had tried to get it to stay in. It was wrapped around her wrist now, wide purple eyes peering at everything curiously.

"I should really come up with a name for you," the Gym Leader muttered. Suddenly, the Dratini made an odd trill and Clair looked in the direction it was staring: a statuesque blonde woman dressed all in black was approaching her.

"I've never seen you before," the woman said, dark gray eyes roaming appraisingly over the bluette. When she caught sight of the woman's unusual, erm, 'bracelet', she smiled bemusedly—that (both the Pokémon itself and the fact that it was currently being worn as an accessory) wasn't something you saw every day.

"I'm here as a stand-in for Lance. He couldn't make it."

"Oh, you must be Clair!"

Clair frowned slightly. Why would this woman know who she was? "You are correct. And you are…?"

"Cynthia. Your cousin's told me so much about you."

The Dragon user could have smacked herself for not realizing the blonde's identity in the first place—Lance had spoken at length about how skilled a tactician the Sinnoh League Champion was. She had also made a name for herself as a kind-hearted, intelligent Trainer and her pursuit of the Legendary duo, Palkia and Dialga, had lead her on journeys across the world. "I could say the same. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

The bluette reached out to grasp the hand that was offered and the Dratini encircling her wrist entwined itself around both their hands, locking them together and cooing happily as though pleased with its handiwork.

'Curious.' Dratini were a shy species to begin with and Pokémon from the Dragon's Den typically stayed away from outsiders, yet here this one was cuddling up to the tall blonde.

A sailor caught sight of the pair and commented, "I've heard tell that Dratini bind destined lovers together." Before either woman could respond, he plodded off, leaving them to ponder his words.

'That was weird.' Clair tried to reclaim her hand, but the Dratini tightened its hold and made a shrill sound of protest. "Easy, little one," she hushed, lifting her free hand to stroke one of the white fins on the side of its head—

Just as the blonde Champion did the same.

'Well this is awkward.'

It took almost fifteen minutes of coaxing from both Trainers before the tiny Dragon-type relinquished its grasp and wound its way further up Clair's arm. By that point, other sailors had amassed to watch and a few even applauded when they got free which made the Dragon user's cheeks heat. She bid Cynthia farewell and hurried off to locate her quarters, mind still puzzling over the Dratini's behavior.

Behind her, she heard Cynthia chuckled, the sound musical. "A pleasure indeed."

-And so it begins…-