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Warmth from the chill of the curious winter months and the thunderstorms that sprawled across from the horizon was brought to her chest and beyond once she cleared the stadium's entrance, as being graced with his presence was always enough to bring that fuzzy feeling. At the sight of the one she loved, she walked up and buried herself within his grasp, brushing her lips up against his. Crowd or not, all anything could have to say could go and choke for all she cared- it was a delight.[break][break]

"It's been so much fun. ♡ Though I think Gloss may be having more fun than I ever could, getting to face off against so many," she smiled, parting to her side with a kiss on the cheek to leave off on, ".. and it'll be the best show ever, you know me so well."[break][break]

Popping out the portable stool on her side, Desiree removed a blanket to nustle up while the battle was to unfold, as comfort would, of course, come with sparring against someone she knew so well. The Hatterene she was to compete with, Gloss, gracefully approached upon the pad of dust. As it did to all its other opponents, its form of giving grace before sparring was bearing its teeth and shooting Ripper a sinister grin. It was whimsically ruthless, as the pinkette would call it, but letting her delve into her competitive urges was what tournaments were for, no?[break][break]

An echoing trill synonymous with magic coaxed her ears, signaling Gloss was more than ready to take on her crystalline crown. And for the battle to begin!

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With the click of the orb, the Hatterene that weaved delicate light waves with the ribbon arm protruding from its cap danced as its body became one with the crystalline, a GHOSTLY TERA CROWN manifesting. It enjoyed the invigoration of taking on such spectral energies as it did the reciprocated wicked grin; despite their previous meetings and the love that spanned across the arena like an ethereal web of a Spinarak, there would absolutely no chance of it holding back.[break][break]

"Gloss and Ripper met for the night in the swamps for the first time, right? ♡ Or is my mind failing me?" She smiled, twirling a strand of hair between her ringed fingers.[break][break]

Taking to a levitation about a foot or two off the ground, the fairy type initially played down the speed that had typically been bestowed to bugs of similar likeness. The strike bounced against its shining hair and brought it to spin through the air, thrashing around its smaller figure within its makeshift shell. In an attempt to use the situation to its advantage, it was quick to channel flaming hot mystical energies, those which had often sparked forest fires- a MYSTICAL FIRE from its hand, that which sputtered out in the direction of the Scizor.[break][break]

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That night changed it all. Her outlook on the world, her outlook on herself, her outlook on him. All for what she would consider the better side of the coin, a softer cell floating through a stream of crimson life force. "I used to feel guilt putting her through such a bleak situation," she called out to him, snugging the blanket closer, ".. but I think she's turned the fear into determination. I hope, at least."[break][break]

Giggling as the flames met the body of the bug, its whimsical joy from being able to exhibit such determination was met with distraction, one which led the bullet punch to sting as it made an impact. So much so that it caused the forest witch to fall out of its levitation, rapidly preventing a bashful fall with a graceful whipping of its single arm. In an attempt to retaliate and push the gap between the two, as it knew how well it succeeded from long range, the Hatterene released an array of SHADOW BALLS. They danced through the skies, casting prisms due to being reinforced by the crystalline. And it felt satisfying to watch.[break][break]

Just as satisfying as it was to train alongside the one Desiree loved above all.

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Throughout such wretched realities that blossomed into reality, one could grow indeed, prospering like a solitary weed growing out of a slit in the concrete. She was ultimately thankful for him being there that night, giving him far more credit than she could ever give herself for her attempted valiance. "That and the training for all that is yet to come," she said softly, ".. I'll always be grateful for your help with my growth. Water to a seed, a sun to my moon." Words could not describe how much she truly loved him deep down- and how much she wished to improve herself to secure their future of both eternal love and prosperity.[break][break]

The sight of the changing of the Scizor's form brought a smile to manifest on her cheeks, as above all else, she wished to use the tournament as a way of letting the Hatterene train against strong opponents. It scratched an itch in the fairy's mind, both competitively and meaningfully; it was determined to win, regardless of what some would call an upper hand. A brutal swing struck it and caused it to haphazardly roll across the ground, which eventually turned into backflips.[break][break]

Wavering its arm around, it attempted to channel yet another one of its pastel spells- a DAZZLING GLEAM, which fired toward Ripper with a brilliant shine of retaliation.[break][break]

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Her mind had a habit of pushing away the thoughts that weighed on her when she was in his presence, especially thinking of how beautiful the night was when their lips first became acquainted with one another. "Me too. ♡" She returned his smile with a bigger one, a grateful one. A feeling in her body that made all the turmoil of cosmic origin temporarily flutter away from her mindscape.[break][break]

The spectral energies allowed the Hatterene to take on an ethereal version of speed, that which brought its body to waver in crystalline energies at the attempt of the pincer. Spinning and giggling maniacally, above its crown rapidly manifested a SHADOW BALL- a bigger one than it used originally, one that contained as much energy as it could muster. And with a graceful flip and turn maneuver, it tried to launch it with full force toward Ripper.[break][break]

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As this battle served as a pseudo-training session, one of the first with him since her release from the care she had received in the hospital, it was all the more heartwarming to emerge with a victory- considering with the breaking of her foot, she had grappled with the feeling that everything she worked toward was not enough. Holding a hand out to meet the ribbon of the Hatterene, the two smiled as they approached Thomas once more and fell into his grasp, lips to lips and a fruitful embrace.[break][break]

"I'm so grateful to be able to do this with you, even outside the tournament, ♡" she smiled, taking to his hand as she pulled from their tight hug, ".. shall we go get some food before our next matches? There is this stand serving all of these Johtonian meats.. and I'm kinda obsessed."[break][break]

He always had a way of making her feel like she was enough, even with all the forces that whispered into her ear that she was otherwise. All the moments that led their souls to weave together- she was forever grateful for them, even the ones that brought them to disagree. Love was a concept that could only describe how she felt toward him so much. It was deeper than that.

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