ELIZABETH

Elli and her Luvdisc stood on the marble balcony with the other nobles still in attendance. She watched as the ship flying the Empress' banners disappeared under the tunnel of the white cliffs that surrounded the capital. Those flags instilled her with pride; blue as the sky around Sootopolis, emblazoned with the same deep crimson pattern that adorned her majesty's immortal Spirit Pokémon.

The year of learning for her and her peers was at its end. The other young lords and ladies her same age were departing back to their home towns. Elizabeth Tidall would not be joining them. For as long as she could remember, she had lived in the great marble castle of Sootopolis. It was no surprise that she and her Spirit Pokémon, Luvdisc, had graduated near the top of the class.

When the ceremony was over, she curtsied to all the other lords and her majesty's generals in attendance, and made her way back to her room. The guards she met along the way saluted her. Elli smiled back. She had grown up around them.

"Luv!" her Spirit Pokémon cried while they entered their chamber as they had a thousand times before. It was at the top of the new tower. Well, newer. It had been destroyed in a fire some time ago, but the builders had restored it even higher than before.

"I know, girl," she said as she looked out the window at the lagoon below. "We did it. We've made our family proud." The water was crystal clear, reflecting the sun in the sky. As Elli peered into the horizon, far past the white cliffs of Sootopolis, she could see the ring of dark clouds that spilt endless rain upon the rest of Hoenn.

Sootopolis was a holy place, the young lords and ladies-to-be learned during their lessons. The Empress and the God that was her Spirit Pokémon blessed them with nearly year-round sunlight. The rest of her majesty's kingdom was drenched in Holy Kyogre's rain. It was this rain that allowed Empress Glamour to maintain peace and prosperity throughout her rule.

Most of the other young boys and girls that Elli had spent her last year with were learning how to rule, and how to uphold the Empress' vast wisdom in their own lands. Elli took part in their lessons as well, yet ruling her own home city of Lilycove was never her destiny. That was her Uncle Thomas's job. No, Elli would always remain in Sootopolis as a representative on her majesty's High Council. She had watched and learned from her mother since she was young, and no doubt someday she would take up the torch and continue in her mother's duties.

Elli turned around and smiled as Luvdisc was swimming through the shallow fountain in her room. For a moment, she felt sad. I'd gotten used to their company, now it's just the two of us again, she reflected.

She loved gossiping with the other girls, who were now boarding the ship on their way home. They would visit each other's chambers late at night, and talk about this boy and that boy, and sometimes even a handsome guard or two.

Elli would miss laughing with some of the boys as well. Most were so nice and kind, and always had something funny to say. She even wondered whether or not she would miss the basic combat training. Elli and Luvdisc were good but not great when it came to sparring. They had mastered the basics. No, Elli was going to miss watching those who were really good at sparring. It was so artful, so elegant, watching them move. Leo Specter from Mt. Pyre and his Dusclops, and Cassandra Starfall and her Altaria were two of her classmates that fought the best.

She watched Luvdisc play in the fountain so happily. "Well, maybe I won't miss them all," she said when she remembered Chris Marsh, the second of his name. He was top of the class when it came to combat. His physical strength was appalling, his movement so swift, his technique was perfect. After all, he had learned from the Empress' half-brother, Ahab, personally. No, it was his personality she wouldn't miss.

Chris was a bully. Whether sparring or in the classroom, Chris never missed an opportunity to put another classmate down. Even when his victims were beaten down, he jumped on them again, rubbing their faces in it. She remembered how Chris's Azumarill had swiftly handled her own Luvdisc one day, making sure to scratch the heart shaped Pokémon with a training knife even after the battle was over. Elli frowned. She could still see the faint outline of the scar on her Pokémon's pink body.

"How does it feel?" she asked her Pokémon. The cute pink fish looked down at the scar but smiled back at her. It didn't bother her anymore. "Good," Elli smiled back. "We won't have to worry about him now. He thinks just because his territory is bigger than everyone else's that somehow he's better." It was true, Chris Marsh the second was in line to rule what once was two Kingdoms before the rise of the Empress.

Elli remembered all the good times she had had with her classmates that past year. She sat on her soft bed and smiled. She was a member of what the Empress called the First Generation: the first group of young nobles set to inherit leadership roles, and grew up entirely in the light of the Sootopolis Empire. It was a great honor. The Empress herself gave the class of the First Generation so many inspiring speeches during their learning. Elli was proud to be part of such a historic group.

If only Jessi was here, Elli thought sadly. She looked over on her bedside table at a small and faded blue ribbon bracelet. Her childhood friend was supposed to have been part of the First Generation as well. It had been ten years, but even now it still seemed like Jessi Bell was alive yesterday. Luvdisc must have sensed its Spirit Human's sadness, as it leapt onto her lap. Elli laughed as she realized the Pokémon had yet to dry off from the little fountain.

"Luvdisc," the Pokémon said quietly. They used to play together as girls in the capital, running through the castle, stealing pastries, and playing dress up in their mothers' clothes. Even Luvdisc and Jessi's Spheal were close friends. She looked down at the light blue bracelet she still wore, matching the one she kept on her desk that belonged to Jessi. Elli's mind trailed off to remember the countess times they went swimming in the cool waters of the lagoon...

Elli turned around as the door creaked open behind her. She turned before gasping and bowing her head respectfully at Empress Glamour herself.

"You can stay," her majesty said politely to her guards. The Empress was beautiful, with long, silvery blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and a figure that Elli herself was jealous of. Above all, she still looked only five years older than Elli. The Empress had always looked that way.

"Your grace, I'm sorry I wasn't prepared to meet you," she said respectfully.

The Empress smiled, and spoke in the sing-song melodic tone of her voice. "Oh, don't worry about it, my dear," she said. Her magnificence sat right next to Elli on the bed. She reached up and moved a lock of Elli's sandy-blonde hair out of her eyes. "Elizabeth Tidall," she continued. "I've known you since you were a toddler. I must say I am so proud of the young woman you've become. You even look more and more like your mother with each passing day."

"Thank you, your grace," Elli said, blushing.

"No, it is I who should be thanking you, dear," the Empress said. Ellie sat up straight in shock. What could she mean? Elli was top five in her law and policy lessons. Perhaps the Empress was here to congratulate her? "Don't act so surprised, love," she laughed. "Your family has served me well since even before I unified Hoenn. The Tidalls of Lilycove were some of my most loyal Chiefs, going back as far as the First Great War."

"Begging your pardon, your grace," Ellie smiled politely. "That was my family, not me. I haven't done anything as great as they have, or as my Lord Uncle Thomas has."

"I know, dear, but you will," the Empress smiled again and stood up. She snapped her fingers, and a handmaiden came in bearing a slender dress made of wispy silk. The colors shimmered pink and blue, depending on how the light of the window hit it. It was the most beautiful dress Elli had ever seen. "I hope you won't be disappointed. Your mother has worked so hard for this moment."

Elli was still in shock. She gently put Luvdisc down on the marble floor and stood up. "This is... for me?" She asked.

"Yes, Elizabeth," the Empress said as she also admired the dress. "For your marriage."

"My... what?" The words didn't make sense to her. What marriage?

"Oh I know it's such a surprise, but be happy," she said. "In addition to a future place on my small council when your mother retires, a special and important marriage has been arranged for you."

Elli had nothing to say. Instead of giving off a confused and ungrateful aura, she smiled and looked at the dress some more. "To whom?"

"One of your classmates..." The Empress said. "Your mother and his father have been working out the arrangement for months now, ever since your groom-to-be arrived for the First Generation schooling."

Elli's heart dropped in her throat. Please don't be...

The Empress continued. "In two months' time, you will be happily wed to Leo Specter, second son and heir to Lord Governor Specter of Mt. Pyre."

Ellie couldn't help breathing a sigh of relief. She even let out a small genuine laugh that she was able to contort to one of feigned excitement. "I... I don't know what to say. I'm honored, your grace," she said quietly.

"Oh, how sweet," the Empress hugged Elli and they shared one last look at the gorgeous dress together. "Trust me though, as beautiful as you are, the honor is all little Leo's." With that, the Empress left the dress in Elli's arms and exited the room.

Elli sat back down on her bed, shocked by the news. Luvdisc gave her an unsure, questioning look. "At least it wasn't Chris Marsh," she said quietly. For a second, it had seemed like everything was too good to be true, and her life was about to be ruined. Instead, the dress was almost too good be true, but her life still might be fine.

Leo Specter was Chief Specter's second son, but he was heir to the Governorship of the Mt. Pyre Kingdom, which bordered on her own family's lands of Lilycove. She wouldn't have to go far for her marriage.

Elli tried to remember everything she could about Leo Specter. They hadn't talked much during his time in Sootopolis. She knew he was two years younger than her, and that he had an older half-brother. Elli remembered asking Leo why his brother hadn't attended the lessons to be a part of the First Generation, and the boy seemed to get sad and uncomfortable.

It was later she found out that Leo's mother was ashamed of Leo's older brother, who was really his half-brother from his father's first marriage. As such, he wasn't allowed to attend. Other than that, Elli knew Leo to be a kind but shy boy, skilled at combat for his younger age and size, and above average in the classroom.

Elli sighed as she looked out the window again. "It could be worse," she said. Elli looked down at her old friend's bracelet. "Oh, Jessi, what a story I would have for you."