Part 2: Heated Competition
As Nova had taken her stance, so had Cynder and the audience was finally growing quiet as the trainer that was supposed to take on Nova next was talking it over with the judges, leaving Fran to remain in her seat biting at her nails, well if she had any. The two were locked in an intense stare down until Cynder began stepping sideways in one direction, Nova doing the same in the opposite, the two now beginning to circle the battlefield. "So Cynder... Darlin. You came all the way out here to interrupt the show just to get at me? That's rather bold for you." As Nova gave a sort of smile behind such a serious face, Cynder would continue to look to her with a toothy grin of her own. "Yeah yeah. I first came here to see if you would fail and loose the challenge, but after seeing these weak Pokemon take the stage I decided to take matters into my own hands." Hearing this Nova seemed to look a bit upset for a short moment as if she expected some support from her friend. "I see." "Yeah so I'll be knocking you out nice and quick and then and only then can I finally rest easy when your name is uttered around the ranch no longer as perfect little Nova." As Cynder finished up this sentence her toothy grin became a frown and as Nova sighed and stopped moving she began her deadly dance. Taking note of the dance Cynder's eyes grew wide before she broke immediately into a run and charged after her. "Oh no I wont let you start with this bull!" Coming in low, as the simian was much shorter than the avian, she balled her right fist before throwing it upwards once she was in reach. Almost by accident, Nova leaned back and kicked out her leg as part of her dance nonchalantly knocking Cynder's arm upwards and throwing off her attack. Almost like time for them had frozen them in this moment, Cynder growled as she heard Nova humming to herself as if nothing was going on. Was she being brushed off? If so it was really getting to her. "Aaaagh!" Shouting as time began to flow normally once again, Cynder would use the momentum from the upward kick against her arm to throw her arms even further back resulting in a backward flip putting a small amount of distance between them both. Once her feet hit the ground she launched herself at Nova once more, this time actually pulling off the move Close Combat starting off with another punch. Seeing that Cynder's actions had become far more aggressive, Nova's own eyes narrowed a bit as she would stand upright, her dance not completed and so she did not receive the attack power bonus. When Cynder's punch came into contact with Nova's claw she would push it aside, then came a flurry of jabs, hooks, and the occasional haymaker that she would use to throw her weight and continue into a roundhouse kick which would leave Cynder open for attack as she tried to steady herself. Nova would block, avoid, and even get hit as Cynder was pushing the avian back step by step and Nova could have stricken her but was a little busy thinking of other things even as she was fighting. Those being Music as she continued to hum, and the real reason behind the simians frustration.
'Cynder...' As Nova began thinking to herself while all this was going on it was like fighting was of second nature to her. Well it was something she was very much used to having been with her trainer for so long. 'I know whats driving you to do what you do, but to target me? Why?' When there was another sudden kick though Nova winced an eye shut as it contacted her flank and pulled her away from her thoughts. "Aaah! O-Oh that was a good kick Cynder. You have improved some." Once again time for them seemed to freeze, Cynder's foot still stuck to Nova's side. 'It looks like I will have to find out after I put you down. Oh... I am so sorry darlin, but its required to question you.' "Oh shut it Nova." Cynder said breaking her from her thoughts once more and for a second the clueless avian though she was somehow listening to her thoughts. "No more talking or else when I knock you down to size more and more dirt will be shuffled in that beak of yours." As Nova gave a light chuckle, a grin would come up on her beak. "I'm sorry sweetie, but that's not happenin." Taking Cynder's leg in claw, time began to flow normally as she yanked her in closer, cocking back her head, and lunging forward until their foreheads made rough contact. This effected Cynder far more than it did Nova of course and in reaction one could see how Cynder's pupils had contracted nearly into tiny dots as stuttered gasps escaped her lips. When Cynder blinked her eyes and slowly began to recover, she found herself stumbling back after nova had let go of her leg. "Aa-Aaah!" Taking a more stern footing, Cynder quickly reached up to rub her forehead as she would growl under her breath. 'The hell was that!? I-It happened so fast!' As Nova let her take time to collect herself there was a smile on her beak, right now she had to make the simian submit or else this fight would drag on for quite awhile. "Hai! So Cynder you wont be to mad with me if I stop this here and now would you!?" "What!? As if I'd let that happen!" Riling her up was a good method because she would just swing wildly at her, but this time Cynder pulled off something unexpected. "Mmm?" As Cynder took several more steps back she took in a deep breath, the flames on her crown flickering about like mad as they grew in size. Seeing this herself Nova would watch to see what it was she was trying to do. 'It has to be a fire based attack, but we both know that wont do any good. Cynder... What are you planning?'
Soon enough the answer was to come to her. As Cynder spat out a tiny red ball of fire as her flaming crown died down to its normal size, flying at a quickened speed towards Nova, and reacting quickly she put up her arms in a cross guard and once the flaming orb came into contact with her it erupted into a large pillar of flames, the crowd in awe as the heat radiated throughout the dome. Fran, sitting aside a bit afraid herself. 'Aaaghh. I see. A Blast Burn attack. Mmm!?' "Novaaah!" Shouting out her name the attack was to have been a distraction and it worked, using her guard which obscured her face against her while she herself charged her arm with electrical currents to use Thunder Punch. When Nova saw this she had no choice but to take the hit and when the Thunder Punch connected with her crossed arms, Nova's feathers would ruffle as the electricity flowed from Cynder's arm and through her body, nearly bringing her into a paralyzed state. 'I-I stand corrected, you've improved a lot. Not just physically but mentally too, even when taunted.' Seeing the pleased look on Cynder's face Nova would hate to destroy that sense of glory that Cynder was finally feeling she even considered going down after this attack just to make her friend happy, but if that happened then Nova would never find out why she was the target of Cynder's aggression. 'I'm sorry...'
Finally stepping things up, Nova stomped on the ground and with a flash her right foot was caked in flames. "Haiiiya!" With a shout she would uncross her arms, grabbing Cynder's arm before she could pull away and hold her still while the Blaze Kick would make contact with her right in the stomach. As Cynder grunted, once again she would bare this look of shock on her face, but this wasn't all. Letting go and letting her stumble back once more Nova held up a claw as it began to give off a visible white aura before taking the form of much longer claws, and while Cynder was left trying to collect herself again Nova would rush forth, dragging her claw across the ground as she did before swiping upwards, using Crush Claw. With a gasp Cynder was knocked up off her feet before she came crashing back down to the ground leaving the audience in dead silence for some time. Fran, having witnessed this found her eyes watering a little. While she had seen her friends spar back home she never seen such fierce fighting like this. "Cynder. Are you still with me?" "....." While Nova could see the shocked almost broken expression on her face Cynder was still conscious and the concerned look on her own would drive her to kneel down and lift her friend up into her arms as the crowd cheered for an encore the 'special show'. "W-Well there you have it folks! It looks like Nova was able to put down our intruder and prove to us all who the tougher Pokemon is! And now it seems though that they are... Leaving the stadium?" As everyone took notice of this the cheering died down, very few saw the concerned look in Nova's face as she made her exit through the tunnel she had entered in through and as the judges were in question, they had no choice but to brand Steven and Sceptile as the winner by default. While there were mixed emotions about this within the crowd Fran had gotten up from her seat. She just had to get down there and check up on them both.
Within moments both Nova and Cynder had arrived in Nova's personal room within the dome where she stayed for the few days that a contest went on. It was a rather small room that was just that, with a bathroom on the other end from the entrance, a bed to the right, dresser to the left with a large mirror. Nova moved over to the bed and carefully laid Cynder down to rest while she herself sought out her first aid kit which was restocked each day of the contests. It really consisted of bandage wraps and several types of potions and berries for those that would rather eat something medical and heal slowly than feel the lasting sting of a spray and heal quickly, but all she needed was the Full Restore. Finding the kit on the wall near the foot of the bed she took it down and sat at the dresser just across from the bed, opening it and going through it until the specific potion was found. "Nova... I hate you..." Hearing Cynder speak Nova turned to glance back over her shoulder, a look of concern coming upon her face. "And Cynder I don't understand why? Why do you seem to hate me so much?" "....." Nova would remain staring over at Cynder who was watching the ceiling, not moving all to much save for the rise and drop in her chest from her breathing. "Cynder? Please answer me." "....." "Well if you don't I wont help heal your wounds." Though Nova would help despite this, Cynder knew it yet she answered anyway. "Because... Everyone admires you..." "Huh?" Hearing this from her, Nova would get up from her seat and ove over to the bed, getting down on her knees at Cynder's side, the simian now looking off in the other direction in frustration. "Everyone flipping admires you! I have nothing like that! Instead! After Claude left me everything has gone downhill dammit! While everyone looks to you, shower you with gifts and even try to be with you, you turn them all down! I don't even have a chance at such a thing because I've been hurting for so long and know nothing but to hurt others. I've tried to change! I really have but I can't! That's why I hate you so Arceus damn much." Hearing this, Nova was taken aback and at a loss for words. Finally hearing her reason, simple as it may be it was easily understandable for someone like herself. Before she began to speak she raised the Full Restore container and began to spray Cynder's wounds, the simian wincing and hissing as the sting caused her to wiggle a little. "I see... So you just want attention again? That's a little selfish, but if it wasn't then I would think someone had taken the real Cynder captive." Saying this in a joking sort of way, nova cracked a smile. "But if I remember you telling me before things got like this... Claude had no choice in the matter about his leave. His trainer was calling for him and you know that." Cynder remained quiet while Nova was tending to her wounds, eventually after all of them were sprayed, she began wrapping them. "It seems like you still miss him. Its that or you really wish for someone else to swoop in and give you the love and attention you need." Smirking once more. "Would you rather it be me? Seeing as you pay so much attention to who I'm dealing with." Hearing this Cynder's eyes immediately widened and she blurted. "Oh hell no!" Giggling, Nova lifted a a claw, pausing in the wrapping as she wagged it a little. "I was only kidding darlin." Though Cynder would never know that she was actually half serious.
"There. All wrapped up. Do you think you can stand?" As she asked this she got up to her feet herself, not to badly damaged or at least her pains were something that she could ignore anyway. Cynder sat up in turn and turned, swinging her feet over the edge of the bed. "If not I can carry you back home." "I'm fine..." Responding, Cynder held her head low. "Well hey, if it makes you happy, you did get what you came here for." "Mmm?" As Cynder glanced up at Nova, she found her scratching at her cheek and chuckling sheepishly. "Well I didn't win the contest over all. This would hinder my record and status for awhile." "You dork." Giggling once more this at least made Cynder smile. Finally miss perfect Nova was... Normal old Nova and it was of her doing. She felt accomplished and now? "We need to find Fran so we all can head home to the ranch." "Oh yeah I nearly forgot all about her! But hey before we go home how about I take you two to dinner at the Poffin House down the street. My treat and it would surely make tonight a good ladies night out. Hehe." "Ugh... You too? Fine... Lets go."
With that, shortly after the pair left the room, they found Fran whining and pleading at the feet of one of the guards to the back room about going back there to see her friends and the human watching her was scratching his head in question, unable to understand the Shiny Lopunny, looking around as if expecting someone to come help him in this situation. When Nova appeared to him though, placing a claw to his shoulder and shaking her head, he noticed that the three Pokemon were wearing the same badge and apologized before stepping aside, though after talking it out the trio made their way out of the dome and would go on with their ladies night as two of the three agreed to call it.