Adélaïde breathed a deep sigh and rubbed her temples as she looked over the old manuscripts that the library had tucked away. The history of the palace along with the king—AZ—who once ruled from it, were inscribed into the pages before her, written in Kalosian. Stopping at a certain passage, she frowned at her discovery. It described what was known as the Ultimate Weapon, along with how it was activated. Life force was a requirement, but there was one other prerequisite that needed to be met, and that was a key. A key that had a royal insignia on it. A key, that belonged to the palace three thousand years ago. 

Her mind slid back to Allie's birthday, remembering that Harbin had told her that he believed that Allie might have been targeted. But why? Adélaïde couldn't find any reason for her daughter to be in someone's cross-hairs. She thought of how her daughter had tumbled over the balcony. None of it made any sense. Glancing down at the passage once more, she shook her head and rolled up the parchments and stood up to put them away and lock them up. As she finished her studies, she could hear the sounds of battle just outside the palace grounds. 

A smile crept onto her face, knowing that it was Allie who was making all the racket while battling her instructor. Departing from the library, she made her way to the training grounds where she found Allie squaring off with the palace instructor. Standing on Allie's side of the field was a tall—pink—bipedal Pokémon with with a white belly and conical ears that had black stripes on them. A blue orb was in the center of its forehead, matching the one on the tip of its black striped tail. Across from Allie's Ampharos, a Glalie floated, his icy blue eyes trained on his opposition. 

Agnès, her instructor, reached over and tapped the tip of her ring, the keystone inside lighting up upon contact. Following suit, Allie gripped her necklace and both contending Pokémon underwent startling transformations, their powers rising to new heights. 

"Alright princess, it's time to see if you still remember your training while you were out gallivanting around with your marriage prospects," Agnès said sternly, her eyes trained on her student to see if she was focused. 

"Gallivanting? I assume that you're insinuating that I've been slacking off. I guess I'll just have to prove to you that I'm still as sharp as I ever have been!" Allie fired back confidently. 

"Then how about you show me!? Glalie, use Headbutt!" 

"Agility now!" Allie commanded sharply.

Glalie shot forward, his body outlined in an icy blue aura as he shot through the air, particles of ice trailing from his form as he flew. No fool, Ampharos jinked to the left of the deadly rock sphere and began hopping from one spot to the next as she backpedaled away from the spears of ice launched at her. Darting to her right, she ignited her flippers with fire and raced back toward Glalie, dodging and leaping as Ice Beams were fired at her. Closing the distance, she leaped. 

"Fire Punch!" Allie shouted fiercely. 

Ampharos's flipper connected harshly with Glalie's icy frame, knocking it away like a beach ball. Glalie crashed into the ground, leaving a deep groove as he slid before taking back to the air to avoid a followup Iron Tail that punched through the arena floor. 

"Blizzard!" Agnès retaliated hastily.

"Light Screen quick!" Allie countered.

Spewing forth from Glalie's jaw was a harsh, blustering gale intermingled with snow and ice that battered Ampharos where she stood, forcing her to dig her feet in and put one arm up to shield her eyes. A glittering barrier formed in front of her, further protecting her from the devastating assault.  Allie grimaced as she watched Glalie charge in, his entire body brimming with far more power than usual as he aimed to ram straight into Ampharos. 

"Cotton Guard!" Allie defended as Glalie closed in for a Giga Impact.

Ampharos's body glowed brightly as hundreds of cotton balls surrounded her body, cushioning the blow as Glalie made impact with her. The assault pushed Ampharos back, and sent her sliding with Glalie trapped in her defense. With a grin, Allie capitalized on her strategy. 

"Zap Cannon!" 

Every orb on Ampharos's body began to glow as electricity traveled along her frame, concentrating into a single point before being released in the form of an electrical cyclone of energy that blasted Glalie into the air, sending it crashing to the ground with a loud thud. Ampharos came out of her mega evolved state and turned to smile at her trainer. 

"Well done, princess," Agnès commended her, clapping her hands before returning Glalie to his ball. "It would seem that you still remember everything you were taught despite the down time you've had. It gives me some peace of mind knowing that." 

Allie smiled faintly and returned Ampharos to her spherical home. 

"I wasn't entirely slacking during that time. I did put Furfrou through her paces whenever I could. You know how she gets if she hasn't done so in a while," Allie said with a giggle. 

"That is true. She was a feisty one to train, wasn't she? regardless, it seems you're well prepared for the grand finale of this event you're hosting," Agnès deduced, earning a nod from Allie. 

"I am. Everything I've done up until now has been leading to this. I can only hope that it doesn't go to waste," Allie replied with a frown. 

"I doubt it will, sweetie," Adélaïde chimed in as she came to a halt beside her daughter. "You've worked far too hard for it to be all for naught."

"Your highness, my apologies... I wasn't aware that you were watching—"

"You're fine Agnès. I did permit you to be strict with Allie, and that's the way it shall remain. Besides, after everything that's happened thus far, she's grown a little more from when you last met with her. One might even say she had a little help," Adélaïde said with a delighted grin. 

Allie arched a brow at her mother. What she meant by that was anyone's guess. 

"That's good to hear. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must be off. My son has the day off school today and we're supposed to be having breakfast at Le Yeah," Agnès replied with a gleeful smile. 

"Le Yeah, huh? what a coincidence. Allie and I had plans to visit Le Yeah ourselves this afternoon.  Mind if we join you?" Adélaïde asked curiously. 

"I... I would like that, your majesty," Agnès replied, slightly flabbergasted that the queen had asked to join her for breakfast. 

"Then it's settled," the queen replied with a bright smile. "Allie and I will join you for lunch."

"But mother, I have to get ready for—"

"Your next appointment isn't for another hour right? besides, there's someone there I'd love for you to meet," Adélaïde said with a chuckle. 

Collette and Melody sat down in a booth together as the early morning breakfast rush died down at Le Yeah. 

"So the most unexpected thing happened the other day," Melody spoke up as she sat down to eat her pancakes topped with whipped cream and mago berry syrup. 

"Oh? and what might that be?" Collette inquired, taking a bite of her own pancakes. 

Melody swallowed before replying, "I got invited to the Parfum Palace to spend the day with the princess."

Collette paused mid-bite and blinked. 

"Is that so? that is unexpected. How come, if you don't mind my asking?" Mrs. Da Silva inquired. 

"After dinner the other night, Seth told me that Allie wanted me to come visit for a day and to bring my camera. I wasn't very inclined to believe him at first... until I saw a message on his holocaster from her, reminding him about it," Melody giggled. 

"Doth mine ears deceive me? are Seth and Allie getting chummy?" Collette replied with a grin, doing her best not to burst into laughter. 

"I think it's more than that, mom. You should have heard what Seth did for their date," Melody chirped, diving into the details as she ate with her mother. 

By the end of it, Collette was nearly speechless. 

"He even danced with her!? that boy won't dance unless he's forced to. That's surprising," Collette exclaimed, setting her fork down as she heard the bell ring, signaling the front door was opening. 

Stepping through the door was a tall middle-aged woman with long, curly red hair that bounced on her shoulders. She had bright pink eyes that shimmered as brilliantly as gems. She wore a casual white blouse with a red floral pattern, and blue jeans that cut off above the ankles. She wore white heels to match the rest of her attire. Beside her was young lady of similar appearance, also having red hair and glimmering pink eyes. She wore a deep red, pleated skater skirt with a black crop top. She wore black boots that had multiple buckles on them. Strapped to her shoulder was a matching red purse. 

Collette's eyes went wide. Even when dressed in ordinary attire, it was hard not to recognize the royal family when they were out and about. Upon seeing them, the question of why they were here, of all places, buzzed around in her mind. Should she seat them? As she was about to stand, she saw the hostess clamor to the stand to greet them. After a brief exchange of words, the hostess pointed in Collette and Melody's direction. Adélaïde smiled and thanked the hostess before heading over to the booth with Allie in tow.

Melody, seeing her mother's expression change, followed her eyes and froze up at the sight of Allie and the queen. Collette and Melody stood up immediately, only for the queen to raise her hand to stop them.

"No need to get up on my account, please do sit back down," Adélaïde urged them, smiling when they sat back down. 

"I'm sorry, we weren't expecting you to show up here," Collette said apologetically. 

The queen waved them off and sat down across from them, Allie taking a seat as well, still wondering why they were in Le Yeah of all places. 

"Why does everyone keep apologizing to me lately? first your son, then my daughter's instructor, now you?" Adélaïde giggled into her hand. "It's an epidemic, I swear."

"Well, Seth is usually quick to do it if he feels it's needed," Collette replied with a nervous laugh. 

Allie's eyes popped. That's when she got a better look at Collette. The deep blue eyes and dark brown hair... of course! How had she not seen it? The two practically looked the same. And if that was his mother, then the girl beside her must be...

"You must be Melody, right?" Allie spoke up, snatching the girl's attention. 

"Y-yes, that's me, in the flesh," Melody laughed. 

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you. Why that brother of yours didn't introduce me to you in the first place is something I will never understand," Allie mumbled.

"There are times when even I don't know what goes on inside that head of his," Melody replied, getting a chuckle out of Allie. 

"I'm glad we agree on something. I had a feeling we'd get along well," Allie said with a smile. "Seth spoke very fondly of you, making me very eager to meet you."

Melody blushed at this remark. "He's the best big brother I could ever ask for. He's amazing, but a little too humble at times."

"Another thing we can agree on," Allie pointed out. "But I think the time I spent with him opened his eyes a bit more," Allie replied with a wink. 

The four conversed for a short while longer. After an hour, Allie stood up with Melody as they had a play date of sorts to keep. Adélaïde and Collette bid them farewell before returning to their conversation. 

"Thank you for doing this. Melody admires your daughter you know," Collette said as she pushed away her plate. 

"I'm glad there are some out there who genuinely admire her. Most put her on a such a high pedestal it's ridiculous," Adélaïde sighed. 

"Your highness," Collette said softly, earning the queen's attention. "Why did you allow this competition to begin if that's what you think?" she questioned. 

Adélaïde smiled warmly at Collette and replied, "it does seem silly, doesn't it? Allie had insisted on it long before it was ever put into motion. She'd read of knights holding jousting tournaments in celebration of marriage, and then got the wild idea that is this contest. At first we were concerned, but after about a week or so, we discovered the reasoning behind why she is doing it this way..."

"And that is?" Collette asked curiously. 

"To judge their character for herself and to see how they treat Pokémon and people alike. Allie, while she's very vain at times, has come to realize something she dislikes about herself and has turned the contest into something more than just finding a marriage partner. She wants a life partner. Someone to grow old and make memories with."

Collette smiled and rested her cheek on her hand. 

"She's not the only one who seems to be changing. My son—according to Melody—appears to have a different view of Allie as well. That makes me happy. Now, there's something I'd like to inquire about, if you don't mind..."

Adélaïde nodded and folded her hands on the table upon hearing the serious tone in Collette's voice. 

"Not at all, ask away."

"How much do you know about Team Flare?"