Fiona checked herself in the mirror one last time, despite already knowing what she would see.

  She looked fucking fantastic.

  Hair artfully dishevelled, makeup expertly applied as if she didn't give a fuck, ass-kicking boots strapped on nice and tight. Her Pokeballs were clean and freshly polished. Her rituals were complete, her outfit perfect.

  She was ready.

  Candice was not.

  Fiona knew what people thought of her. She was a prissy rich bitch playing the rebel, a trainer who threw raw power at people and hoped it would stick. It was time for her to correct that first impression.

  She absolutely was a prissy rich bitch, but she was one with talent. Talent, some kick-ass Pokemon and a plan.

  “It's time,” one of the gym staff told her, and Fiona turned, already grinning. She was going to enjoy this. She meant what she said to Chloe the other day. This was going to be a cakewalk. She was an ACE Trainer, she was expected to win here. It wasn't about the challenge, it was about the show.

  “Let's do this thing,” Fiona said, following the guy down the tunnel. She could hear the anticipation of the crowd growing. Second badge battles for Candice were rare, especially when an Ace was involved. She usually got locals on their first badge until the crowds started making their way up. The crowd were hungry for a good battle. It was too bad Fiona was going to deliver a slaughter.

  She took her place in the entrance, waiting for her cue.

  “It's time for our main event of the evening,” the Gym’s announcer said, the lights in the arena dimming.

  “Hailing from Galar, fresh off an impressive win against Gardenia, can she repeat her performance here against Candice? She has shown power, attitude and bad language, will that be enough to carry the day?”

  Fiona snorted. Looks like she was playing the bad guy again today. That suited her just fine. Let Chloe have the Princess role, Fiona was more than happy being the villain. She got her cue, and stepped forward into the light.

  “Introducing our challenger, an Ace with one badge to her name, Fiona Abernathy!”

  Fiona entered to a chorus of cheers and the odd boo. She smiled. She lived for this moment. She made her way up to her position, making sure to flip off the camera as she went.

  “GOOO FI!!!”

  A shout from the stands drew her attention, and she looked to see Chloe, Troy and Eleanor cheering for her, those damn pom poms on full display.

  “Watch this,” Fiona thought, flashing Chloe a thumbs-up. She couldn't do this emotion thing, but she could do winning. That would have to do.

  She stood on her side of the field that was covered in loose, powdery snow. It was cold, very cold, despite the flood lights, but Fiona barely noticed, she was too focused. The arena hummed with anticipation.

  The noise died, the lights dimmed once more. A slow fog rolled in around the other entrance.

  Fiona snorted. Gardenia was a show woman, but Candice was something else. Fog machines? Really?

  “Here to put the challenger in her place,” the announcer began, “The Queen of Cold, the Mistress of the North, the reason we are all here, the one, the only, CANDICE!”

  The crowd erupted as Candice stepped forward onto the stage. She waved as she moved. Fiona had seen the old videos of Candice, back when she first started at an age even younger than Fiona was now. That was ten years ago now, and the Candice that stood across her had matured. Gone was the energetic brat of the past. In her place was a woman with presence.

  Candice took her place, fog swirling around her feet. She completely ignored the chill in the room, despite her short, if still modest dress, every bit the image of a fairy-tale Snow Queen.

  …Fiona had to admit that she had some Candice posters at home. The woman was gorgeous. Not that it made Fiona any less determined to crush her.

  “So another upstart enters my domain,” Candice said smoothly, looking Fiona up and down.

  “You will find that attitude means nothing here, only skill.”

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  Fiona met the other woman’s eye from across the room and got a small wink. It was shit talking time. She grinned. That was her favourite part of the battle.

  “Save the speech for the trash,” Fiona replied, “We both know that this battle is a formality.”

  Candice raised an eyebrow.

  “Gardenia was not lying about you,” she said smoothly.

  “Gossiping about me already? I’d ask what she said if I gave a fuck. We doing this thing or what?”

  “Indeed. Let's see if your talent matches your ego, are you ready?”

  “I was ready an hour ago, we were just waiting for you to do your little routine.”

  Candice nodded to the commentary box, and the show began.

  “This will be a three on three battle, with the challenger allowed a single substitution,” the announcer began, both women having given their signals.

  “The Gym Leader is to release first, you may begin when ready.”

  Fiona didn't wait for Candice to choose, Thistle’s ball was in the air before the Gym Leader had even reached for a Pokemon of her own. Her ever feisty Rufflet hit the field, crowing his challenge to the world.

  There was a murmur from the crowd. Fiona tapped her foot. “I ain't got all day.”

  Candice made her selection.

  “Snover, we have work to do.”

  “And we begin with Rufflet against Snover. Trainers, you may begin!”

  “Tailwind.”

  “Ice Shard.”

  Both trainers snapped off a command, the Pokemon leaping into action immediately.

  A few flaps of Thistle’s wings whipped a breeze while Snover fired a jagged lump of ice at the hovering Rufflet.

  Thistle veered to the side, ice brushing his feathers, narrowly avoiding the attack.

  “Icy Wind,” Candice called, Snover digging in to blast Thistle with frost.

  “Punch through, Aerial Ace.”

  Thistle tucked his wings and dove, gaining speed. He snapped his wings back open just above the ground, slicing through the Icy Wind to slash into Snover. Snover staggered as Thistle blurred past, transitioning into a swooping arc to come back for a second pass, feathers glistening with snow.

  “Leafage.”

  Candice didn't wait, and neither did Snover, who fired off a series of leaves at Thistle.

  “Air cutter,” Fiona ordered, Thistle returning fire with a blade of air that sliced through the leaves, scattering them harmlessly.

  “Aerial Ace again.”

  Thistle dove once more, launching into his follow up attack, blurring towards Snover in whirlwind of snow and feathers.

  “Wood Hammer,” Candice called at the last moment. Snover launched itself directly at Thistle. The Pokemon collided, sending Thistle tumbling across the arena floor, Snover staggering back from the recoil.

  “Now Icy Wind,” Candice ordered, Snover righting itself to blast Thistle again with another storm of ice and snow.

  “Heatwave.”

  Thistle ended his tumble, talons digging into the snow, and opened his beak. With a roar, heat filled the arena. Both Pokemon disappeared in a cloud of steam.

  Snover stumbled back, emerging from the cloud, disoriented from the blow.

  “Slash,” Fiona called.

  Thistle sliced out of the steam to follow, slicing Snover with his talons.

  The Ice Type stumbled once more, and fell.

  “Snover is unable to battle. First victory to the Challenger.”

  Fiona nodded with satisfaction. Thistle was a machine. A few more battles like this, and she was pretty sure he would evolve. But that was a problem for later, as Candice recalled Snover.

  “Glalie,” she said, replacing her fainted Pokemon with another.

  “Thistle, back,” Fiona said, recalling her own Pokemon. Then she grinned. Thistle had been the opening, it was almost time for the main event.

  “Tank.”

  Her Heracross, stoic as ever, emerged.

  “The Challenger uses her substitution, it's Heracross vs Glalie!”

  “Ice Beam.”

  Candice was not messing around. A ray of ice slammed into Tank from Glalie, crystalising against his hard carapace. A powerful move. Pity that Tank didn't give a fuck.

  “Do your thing,” Fiona ordered, and Tank charged, Horn Glowing.

  “Protect!” Candice cried, a small note of concern having worked its way into her voice.

  “Feint.”

  Tank smashed through the Protect like it wasn't even there, then closed the distance with surprising speed to ram his horn into Glalie. It tumbled, crashing into the wall of the arena.

  “Explosion,” Candice ordered. Glalie began to glow, but Tank was already there, laying into Glalie with a Brick Break. Rubble went flying as Tank hammered his opponent.

  Glalie’s glow faded and instead fell to the floor, motionless.

  “Glalie is unable to battle, two nothing to the Challenger. Can Candice mount a comeback?” came the shout from the announcer.

  Candice sighed.

  “That really is an impressive Bug you have there,” she observed, “I guess I better get rough myself. Darmanitan.”

  There was a murmur from the crowd as a huge Galarian Darmanitan arrived in the arena, beating its chest in challenge.

  “Let’s see how your monster handles something in his own weight class.”

  Fiona responded with an evil grin. She looked Candice right in the eye.

  “I have a better idea. Tank, return.”

  The noise turned into confusion.

  “And the Challenger withdraws Heracross. It's now Two to One in her favour,” the announcer called, confusion in his own tone.

  “Sacrificing her advantage for a swap, what Pokemon will she choose now?”

  Fiona’s fingers brushed Star’s ball. It had been tempting, very tempting, to ask her friend to battle here. She would love to see him crush Candice on his own. But she wasn't going to ask that of him, not when she didn't need to. Because she had a far, far better statement to make here.

  “Heather.”

  “Nya!”

  Fiona’s Skitty landed in the field, and began to chase her own tail, completely ignoring the Darmanitan that was ten times her size on the other side of the field.

  “And she chooses Skitty?” The announcer said, “A bold plan, will this prove to be a mistake?”

  Even Candice froze. She clearly had not expected this from Fiona.

  “GO HEATHER!”

  Chloe’s voice rang out, the blonde cheering as loudly as she could. At her side, Troy whooped while Eleanor applauded.

  “Give her the Cat! Show her who’s boss!” He shouted.

  Fiona grinned.

  “I fucking intend to,” she replied, “Heather, it's time to throw down.”

  “Nya!”

  Heather immediately stopped her playing, come to attention before Fiona, focusing on Darmanitan.

  Fiona had to admit that Chloe had a point. Winning with a cute, pink Pokemon was certainly a statement. It was time for Fiona to prove that she could play that game as well.

  “Watch and learn, Chloe,” Fiona thought to herself.

  "You are not upstaging me this time.”