After Ash's victory against Titus, the rest of the audience members and participants grew amazed. Several trainers around had similar reactions.

"He defeated a Mega Evolved Pokemon without a Mega?"

"That Titus guy had a type advantage too, Fairy/Dragon should've done something to a half Dark Type like Greninja!"

"I thought the guy with the Mega Charizard X was amazing enough, but now there's this guy?"

A young girl with violet eyes, waist length blonde albino hair, and a purple in to hold her bangs brushed it up. The ace trainer watched closely, prim and proper as her purple long sleeved vest with fuchsia lines, purple knee length boots with similar colored stripes, and soles of her boots. Her Key Stone flashed on her earring on her right ear as she left the stadium, focused on her upcoming battle in the Lumiose Conference.

"Still, that trainer. I've met him before, haven't I?"

Her name was soon called up alongside her opponent.

In the waiting room, Astrid, the young lady pulled out her team of six Pokemon, all feline themed battlers, leaned out their claws, paws, hand limbs, and tail with her together.

"Let's win the Lumiose Conference!"

She headed out to battle, with an eager drive to prove her status as an Ace Trainer had merit in the tournament, greeting her opponent as she took out her Pokemon.

The stadium chosen was the wasteland battlefield, giving them free reign to use or ignore it for victory.

"Now, eighth battle, begin!"

Her opponent threw out a Bisharp, a red-silver-white-yellow armored humanoid warrior like with sharp hands and feet made of blades, an iron head and helmet-esque face, steel plates on it's torso, ready to fight.

She did not want to mess around.

Should I use Absol out of the start, thinking about those two trainers. After all, they had the strongest b-No. I'm an ace trainer, I share the same bonds with all of my Pokemon. Ever since that day, I made a promise, I am only good as all of my Pokemon. Absol, we'll show them why our team is one of the strongest in Kalos!

"My name is Astrid, and I'd like you to meet another one of my partners. Go, Delacatty!"

She summoned the quadrupedal feline Pokemon with tan body, purple fur, whiskers on each cheek, and tufts on her head, chest, and tail. They turned around, purring at their trainer.

"Let's show them our skill! Play Rough!"

"Astrid has commanded a Fairy Type move against a Steel type," the announcer roared. "Will that actually work?"

"Bisharp, Brick Break!"

Bisharp jumped forward as it's hand glowed white with such speed. However, Delcatty's fur released a thick white smoke, confusing the armored warrior. The cat Pokemon danced through the smoke, striking them several times as yellow sparks emerged around them until Bisharp was knocked away from the smoke.

"Bisharp, you okay?" They gave a stoic, quick nod. "Perfect, now Metal Sound!"

Bisharp's arm blades transformed into a metallic force, extending its arms outwards and landing them together, shooting silver-colored sound waves out towards Delcatty.

"Stand your ground and endure it Delcatty!"

The cat sank it's legs into the ground, using their tail to cover an ear, pulling away from the attack despite it's Special Defense lowering until the power came through.

"Night Slash!"

Three Physical Moves. In that case, "alright Delcatty, Sing!"

As Bisharp launched full force with both his hands glowing purple with Dark Energy, Delcatty accelerated, pivoting away at the right moment, and spun past him. They released a powerful, soothing lullaby sung into a calming voice that slowly let Bisharp lowering it's arm guards and fall asleep.

"Bisharp! Get up, Get up! Metal Claw."

It was sound asleep. No matter how many times he yelled, Bisharp did not respond.

Just Physical Moves. "Alright, let's heal up that damage. Dream Eater!"

Delcatty's eyes flashed, creating a shadow version of itself, who purred at Bisharp as they released a swift mist from its fur coat surrounding them both. The cat began sucking up most of Bisharp's energy as the damage they received earlier started to heal itself up.

"Perfect, keep it up, Delcatty," commanding another Dream Eater, further damaging Bisharp much to the frustration of its trainer.

"You planned this?"

"A trainer has to be prepared for any scenario," Astrid winked. "And my felines are out to play! Dream Eater!"

"I won't let it end like this, use Brick Break in your dreams!"

Bisharp started wobbling, shaking as one of it's arm blades smacked itself in the head.

"Did Challenger Claude find a loophole within Astrid's strategy."

"Let me help you with that," she said with confidence, flicking her earring. "Delcatty, uppercut him with Wake-Up Slap!"

"What?"

Delcatty's front limbs glowed brick-red. They used one to sweep Bisharp awake, and smacked him straight up, sending him flying with another!

"Bisharp!" The armored beast crumbled to one knee. "What did you do?"

"You wanted to wake him up. Ask and you shall receive." Delcatty winked at her. "They say be careful what you wish for, well for a good reason."

"Was this Astrid's strategy all along? Attacking them in their dreams and waking them up for super effective damage?"

She winked, putting up a finger claw. "Naturally, now let's finish this up!"

Delcatty followed its trainer's whims, running towards Bisharp.

Claude crushed his fist, telling his Pokemon partner to stand firm.

"You're not the only one with a super effective attack. Go Brick Break!"

Bisharp jumped up the mountain top, leaping towards Delcatty!

"Block it, and use Wake-Up Slash consecutively!"

As Bisharp struck, Delcatty turned it's body at the right time for it's fur coat to deflect Bisharp's arm blade. The sword blade Pokemon gasped as the Prim Pokemon countered with a white glow smashing Bisharp in the head and the gut. As Bisharp fell, Delcatty leaped from the wall and slammed him to the ground with another Wake-Up Slash as Bisharp attempted to strike it again.

The cat jumped back as the Bisharp fainted.

"Bisharp is unable to battle. Delcatty is the winner!"

The tournament screen blanked out Bisharp as the cat ran back to cuddle with Astrid.

"You did great, my Prim powerhouse, now let's win the next ones!"

With vigor and dedication. Astrid continued her strategy and won with Delcatty three to zero. As she was being announced the winner, Claude returned his final Pokemon to his Poke Ball, and ran out of the stadium, as she was about to reach out to him.

Her partner looked at her with concern. "Delcatty?"

"Astrid advances to the Top 32!"

"It's okay Delcatty, thank you, return."

Later that evening, Astrid saw Ash and his friends celebrating their losses while from afar, Everett nodded towards Ash, while Tierno, the trainer known for his dancing battling style consoled the intelligent Pokemon photographer who was overwhelmed by the same opponent she remembered facing off against.

"Seems like he's gotten even stronger too."

Around the same time, she saw Remo and Titus around different sections of the venue, when she saw Claude sobbing, about to leave.

"Claude, wait."

Astrid rushed to him, asking if he could talk.

"What do you want? Just to rub it in?"

She shook her hand. "You battled really well. You beat all eight gym leaders to get here. Don't sell yourself short just because you lost to me."

"Don't give me that. Someone like you could never understand how I feel!"

She shook her head. "You remember that trainer with the Mega Charizard X? I lost to him a while ago. He countered every technique I had and wanted to defeat all Mega Evolutions. Against someone like that, I knew I had to get much stronger than before. I almost felt like you at that moment, but it just pushed me to get here again."

"Can anyone beat him?"

"Someone's going to definitely try. My friend Remo battled him and lost too, so we're eager for a rematch as well. But we're carrying the hopes of every trainer that can't go further."

"And what if you lose?"

Astrid looked down. "There's also that possibility. But that means we can try again next time. I hope you'll stay around to watch the other matches. That way we can learn alot from all the trainers here. How about it," extending her hand.

"Well I don't really have many friends," Claude admitted with awkwardness. "No one even believed that I could make it here."

"Well you did, and you're here, so next time, you can make it even farther."

He hesitated, but took her hand. "Sure."

That night, she slumbered in her bed as Absol and Delcatty let themselves out to cuddle with her.

"No use in keeping everyone out, is there," releasing everyone.

"I know how he felt. But you've all been there for me since the day I've met you all. Even if we lose, I'm still proud of you."

The six of her cats cuddled around her, even as they broke the bed, resting with her until the morning came.