"Hyah!"

Sapphire slices the wooden dummy in half, followed with her Blaziken delivering a Blaze Kick to the dummy behind her.

"Use Flamethrower on the one on the wall!" Sapphire orders, as she throws her sword like a lance, striking the straw dummy right where the heart would be.

Blaziken torches the dummy on top of the wall, leaving only ashes in its place.

Clapping fills the training yard.

"Well done Sapphire. Blaziken. You two never fail to impress me," the King of Hoenn, King Reginald, says.

"It's all thanks to you! I learned from the best in Hoenn!" Sapphire exclaims, running up to give her father a hug.

"Take a break from training for a bit. I need to talk to you darling," he says.

"Can it wait? I want to do one more round before it gets dark!" Sapphire exclaims as she runs off, resetting the dummies.

"Sapphire, please, can you take a minute-"

"Father, if I beat my record, it'll only take 30 seconds! Blaziken, can you please place that-"

"Sapphire, stop acting like a brat! I demand you to stop and listen!"

Sapphire drops the dummy in her hand and faces towards her father. Her face is turning red.

"Father. I'm sorry, but you know I hate it when you talk to me like that!"

Sapphire picks up her sword.

"Sweetie, I'm sorry, but we really need to talk," King Reginald says, letting out a sigh.

"What about? You trained me like a soldier. I've given you nothing but respect, and when I asked you for a minute, you couldn't give it to me!"

Blaziken holds Sapphire back as she points her sword at her father.

"And do you know why I trained you like that?"

"Because you've always wanted a boy, and your only child was a girl? Yeah, you made it very clear to me father."

"No. That isn't it at all."

"Then what is it?"

"In order to have respect from everyone, you have to be able to defend your ideas and opinions both verbally and physically if you absolutely have to. I already knew how I wanted to raise my child. It didn't matter to me if you were a prince or princess, I was going to treat you the same no matter what and I wasn't going to let your gender change that."

Sapphire lowers her sword, and tosses it aside. Blaziken lets go of her, and she walks towards her father.

"Thank you. I couldn't imagine being inside all day learning to knit like the other princesses," Sapphire says, wrapping her arms around him. He hugs her right back.

"I love you Sapphire," her father says, his voice cracking just a bit.

"I love you too Father. Is everything ok?"

King Reginald rubs his left eye, and takes a deep breath.

"Yes, and no."

"What do you mean?"

"Sapphire. No matter what happens, promise me you won't ever hate me."

"I can never hate you!"

He grabs his daughter by the shoulders and looks into her eyes.

"You're going to Kanto. You're getting married to Silver, the prince of Johto."

Sapphire falls to her knees.

She can't believe it. She was trained to fight wars, and win any debate. Not to be a wife, much less be a mother.

"Why would you do this?"

"I have to Sapphire. In order to protect our people from any war that could happen. All three families are being united, so now no one will dare attack us."

"So you prefer the happiness of your people than your own daughter?"

Sapphire looks up at her father, who avoids eye contact.

"I took an oath to do whatever it takes to protect my people, even if it means marrying my daughter away."

"So," Sapphire starts, standing up.

"If you had to kill me to protect the kingdom, would you?"

Silence follows her question.

"I'll do what I have to," her father eventually answers, his voice cracking more than before.

Sapphire's eyes tear up as she returns Blaziken to his Pokéball.

"Then I guess this makes me selfish," Sapphire answers, as she pushes her father to the ground. She takes off in a sprint towards the open field, unleashes a Flygon, and jumps on her back.

"Get me out of here Flygon. I can't stay here any longer."

Flygon nods, and flies into the clear sky.

"You can't escape from your destiny!" Her father shouts as she flies away.

"I do what I want, when I want," Sapphire answers, as she flies away.