Not Just Your Average Ace

Elios couldn’t help but smile at the woman’s demeanour. Seeing someone else who obviously wasn’t a huge fan of the whole socialising thing made him feel more at ease. Honestly, he would have been far more comfortable in a Pokémon battle than at a party.

The joys of having no memories of his life before he was sixteen meant he was still re-learning social skills. Not to mention the fact that he had spent most of his life since the shipwreck training, battling or trying to find his sister. Parties weren’t normally his scene but the people here were not only Dad’s friends and colleagues, but the Gym Leaders he’d soon be challenging so he needed to really go outside his comfort zone here.

Being perfectly honest, Elios’ dancing abilities were quite limited. Cynthia and him had danced at the Winter Festival at Praguine Town a few years back but that was more romantic swaying than anything else. Knowing that this woman in front of him wasn’t the most confident dancer either, made the Ace Trainer like he could be himself a bit more.

“I uhhh.. I don’t know how to dance…”

“Well that makes two of us. I’m not much of a dancer. Just thought it was the done thing at social events like this” he confessed. Her little jig made him smile and he began to feel a lot less tense. It suddenly occurred to him that he was standing here interacting with this woman and she had no clue who he was.

“I’m Elios, by the way. Blaine’s son” he explained offering his hand for a dance.

[[ TRIGGER WARNING: last sentence discussing alcohol. ]]

“I mean, it is… But it’s something I’ve personally always hated.” She shrugged. “I’ve always been the lurker at the punch bowl, honestly.”

She took his hand, eyeing him more closely. Blaine’s son? She didn’t recall him ever having children, and most knew not to tell fabrications about any Gym Leader, Elite Four, or Champion. She dropped his hand almost as soon as they touched.

“I’m also a hater of the whole handshaking thing…” She gave a smile. “Blaine’s son? I wasn’t aware he had any children, or are you an apprentice of some sort? Blaine is always getting into some sort of mischief.”

She poured another drink, this time from the alcoholic punch bowl.

“Blaine’s son? I wasn’t aware he had any children, or are you an apprentice of some sort? Blaine is always getting into some sort of mischief.”

Dad didn’t tend to advertise his family affairs. With all the press that came with being a Gym Leader, he didn’t want any attention to take away from the Cinnabar Gym. Blaine didn’t see himself as a hero but the media would paint him as the guy who rescued the mystery boy who was shipwrecked on the island and Elios knew that Dad didn’t want media attention affecting the Ace Trainer as he recovered and began to find his own way.

Elios poured himself a drink and took a swig before giving a slightly sad smile. “When I was 16, I washed up on Cinnabar Island. Me and my birth parents had been involved in a shipwreck. I contracted a severe case of amnesia and they…. well I’m still here at least so…” Elios’ smile faded for a moment before taking another sip of his whiskey and composing himself again.

“Anyway, Dad found me and took me in. Made me into the person and trainer I am today. To the wider world, I’m his protége, but he’s the only Dad I know” he explained, smiling again.

“Oh, my name is Sabrina. I’m the Psychic-type Gym Leader…” Sabrina let her voice trail off, grabbing some more punch. This time, it containing Courage Juice within it.

“I don’t really come to these, but my friend, Erika… The Gym Leader of Celadon City, she says it’s good for me to get out and mingle with others.” She shrugged a little, sipping her drink. “I would have been perfectly fine at home reading or tuning into my Psychic abilities.”

The beat around them began to thump, and Sabrina was a tad fixated in the noise. It carried a unique techno beat, which she loved. She couldn’t really dance, but she could feel the rhythm.

He smiled at Sabrina in recognition. “My father has a lot of respect for you” he nodded before taking another sip of his drink.

“I don’t really come to these, but my friend, Erika… The Gym Leader of Celadon City, she says it’s good for me to get out and mingle with others.”

“I know the feeling. Dad wanted me to come here and meet all the leaders...well all the ones that have shown up, anyway. He thinks I’m ready to take the Gym Challenge, which honestly sounds less daunting than a mixer like this. I get Dad thinking me making connections is important but I’d rather people saw me for my skills as a trainer than how awkwardly I stand by the drinks table or my terrible dance moves” Elios joked. 

The music pulsed and taking Sabrina’s lead, Elios began to move in time with the beat. It wasn’t usually the sort of music the Ace Trainer listened to, but it wasn’t bad.

Elios couldn’t help but smile at the woman’s demeanour. Seeing someone else who obviously wasn’t a huge fan of the whole socialising thing made him feel more at ease. Honestly, he would have been far more comfortable in a Pokémon battle than at a party.

The joys of having no memories of his life before he was sixteen meant he was still re-learning social skills. Not to mention the fact that he had spent most of his life since the shipwreck training, battling or trying to find his sister. Parties weren’t normally his scene but the people here were not only Dad’s friends and colleagues, but the Gym Leaders he’d soon be challenging so he needed to really go outside his comfort zone here.

Being perfectly honest, Elios’ dancing abilities were quite limited. Cynthia and him had danced at the Winter Festival at Praguine Town a few years back but that was more romantic swaying than anything else. Knowing that this woman in front of him wasn’t the most confident dancer either, made the Ace Trainer like he could be himself a bit more.

“I uhhh.. I don’t know how to dance…”

“Well that makes two of us. I’m not much of a dancer. Just thought it was the done thing at social events like this” he confessed. Her little jig made him smile and he began to feel a lot less tense. It suddenly occurred to him that he was standing here interacting with this woman and she had no clue who he was.

“I’m Elios, by the way. Blaine’s son” he explained offering his hand for a dance.

[[ TRIGGER WARNING: last sentence discussing alcohol. ]]

“I mean, it is… But it’s something I’ve personally always hated.” She shrugged. “I’ve always been the lurker at the punch bowl, honestly.”

She took his hand, eyeing him more closely. Blaine’s son? She didn’t recall him ever having children, and most knew not to tell fabrications about any Gym Leader, Elite Four, or Champion. She dropped his hand almost as soon as they touched.

“I’m also a hater of the whole handshaking thing…” She gave a smile. “Blaine’s son? I wasn’t aware he had any children, or are you an apprentice of some sort? Blaine is always getting into some sort of mischief.”

She poured another drink, this time from the alcoholic punch bowl.

“Blaine’s son? I wasn’t aware he had any children, or are you an apprentice of some sort? Blaine is always getting into some sort of mischief.”

Dad didn’t tend to advertise his family affairs. With all the press that came with being a Gym Leader, he didn’t want any attention to take away from the Cinnabar Gym. Blaine didn’t see himself as a hero but the media would paint him as the guy who rescued the mystery boy who was shipwrecked on the island and Elios knew that Dad didn’t want media attention affecting the Ace Trainer as he recovered and began to find his own way.

Elios poured himself a drink and took a swig before giving a slightly sad smile. “When I was 16, I washed up on Cinnabar Island. Me and my birth parents had been involved in a shipwreck. I contracted a severe case of amnesia and they.... well I’m still here at least so...” Elios’ smile faded for a moment before taking another sip of his whiskey and composing himself again.

“Anyway, Dad found me and took me in. Made me into the person and trainer I am today. To the wider world, I’m his protége, but he’s the only Dad I know” he explained, smiling again.

Elios didn’t get nervous. It just wasn’t something that happened to him. He’d always been a confident battler. Against every opponent he faced, he always believed he’d win. The Ace Trainer had been trained by one of the best and had even had a few stints filling in for Dad as Cinnabar’s Gym Leader. He wasn’t overly fond of being incredibly social with people all the time but that was more due to personal preference than actual nerves. Even when it came to Flannery, there hadn’t been nerves. Running into his long lost sister in Praguine Town at the Winter Festival had been a surprise, so he didn’t even have time to be nervous.

But tonight was different. Blaine had organised a Halloween festival on Cinnabar Island and wanted as many people as possible to come from far and wide to come and take part in the festivities. This shouldn’t have been an issue. Blaine was renowned in Kanto and all of the Gym Leaders and other members of the Pokémon League were going to be attending. Hell he’d even roped in Flannery to get a lot of the Hoenn crowd to go. But that wasn’t enough for Blaine. Elios had barely been home for an hour when he’d asked him something that had made him go crimson.

“Why don’t you ask that girlfriend of yours to come? Get her to bring her crowd. Perks of dating a champion, Ace!”

No matter how many times Elios explained it to him, Dad wouldn’t listen when he told him that he and Cynthia were just friends. After slowing his heart rate down sufficiently, Elios gave the Sinnoh Champion a call, telling her about the conversation with Blaine, albeit leaving out the part about insinuations they were… involved. He didn’t expect her to say yes, but much to his surprise, she seemed ecstatic at the idea.

Fast forward to Halloween night and here Elios was, getting dressed in his casual vampire costume and he was nervous. He’d never admit it to anyone, but when he was around Cynthia, he felt something. Something he hadn’t felt around anyone before. He’d dated before but this was different. It felt like fire and electricity running through his veins. It terrified the Ace Trainer but he couldn’t get enough of it. It was all very confusing.

Composing himself, he left his room in the Pokémon Mansion and headed downstairs to see if his friend had arrived. As he reached the bottom of the stairs, he noticed a number of recognisable trainers, including some of the Gym Leaders he’d met the previous week at the fundraiser at Saffron City. Speaking to one of the waitresses, Elios learned that Dad was nowhere to be seen. Typical. Old man was probably down at the Gym checking out the Pokémon contest. Luckily, thee event workers had everything well in hand, leaving Elios free to go find Cynthia.

Taking a glance around and greeting a couple of people along the way, the Ace Trainer saw that familiar blonde hair and smiled as he made his way towards her at the bar. Taking a seat beside her, he ordered both of them drinks, being well acquainted with her preferences and turned to smile at her. “You made it.”

“Hm…? A Halloween party at the mansion?” She responded , a small smile ran across her lips. “Sounds like it could be a good time.”

A week had passed since then. The Sinnoh champion had made her way to Cinnabar Island, to the mansion address that was listed on the invitation. Though it was just turning to be November and the winter months hadn’t reached the island yet the chill air was starting to set in. And there was quite the misty fog that filled the air on Cinnabar Island. Cynthia found herself nestled in a form fitting black jacket to keep herself warm while she walked the rest of the way to her destination. She stopped at the bottom of the steps to the mansion, taking in the decorations that Blane had adorned onto the mansion. Certainly he didn’t skip out for this occasion.  

Making her way inside, the young woman entered the main ballroom area where people were handing off their coats into the coat room. Cynthia fiddled with her buttons before removing her coat to show off her costume. The champion had decided to go all out for this one, dressing up as a pirate. She wore a white long sleeved ruffled top. Jet black leather high waisted pants that clung to her long and slender legs. Knee high laced heeled boots that have Cynthia at least five more inches onto her height. A fake pistol was attached to her waist. A long black triangular fit snug onto her head while white feathers tucked on the ribbon holding the base. Her hair had been curled into long waves. 

Slowly the woman made her way around, the clicking of her heels filling the room as she walked past the crowds of people. The blond made her way over to the bar, taking a seat in the middle. She folded her hands across each other and hugged the front of her boot onto the bar stool before she heard a familiar voice catch her attention. 

“You made it”.

The champion smiled, it was nice to see such a good friend once again. “Well that certainly didn’t take you long to find me. Guess I stand out too much in this costume, don’t I?” Her blue eyes looked up and down at the brunette before deciding to tease him a bit. “A vampire hm? Did you decide to wear fake teeth as well?” 

Dressed as a menacing looking pirate, she had his heart racing as he looked her over. Elios could feel himself blushing slightly and subconsciously bit his lip in embarrassment.

"You always stand out, Cynthia. It's one of your many talents" he said with a wry smile. "No fake teeth I'm afraid. Mine are sharp enough as it is" he added with a toothy grin, biting his lip again unintentionally.

There went his heart again. Racing like there was no tomorrow. There was something about Cynthia. Magnificent things seemed to happen when she was around and it's a feeling that the Ace Trainer could feel himself getting addicted to. He supposed this is what smokers or addicts felt like, or more appropriately - adrenaline junkies.

Up until two years ago, Elios never stopped. From the moment Dad found him on the coast of Cinnabar Island, he had always had a driving force pushing him - finding his sister. He had made it his mission to find her and luckily being the adopted son of the Gym Leader on Cinnabar Island, Blaine had fully prepared Elios, moulding him into a competent Ace Trainer for the journey ahead of him.

Setting out through Kanto and the wider world, he searched tirelessly for his sister, amassing a worthy Pokémon team along the way. Three years passed and with no sign of her, he was beginning to lose hope. That was until Cynthia had invited him to her Masquerade Ball in Praguine Town, where he finally found what he was looking for. Turned out his sister was the Gym Leader of Lavaridge Town. Much like him, Flannery had used Pokémon battling as an outlet for her emotions and had become the Fire-Type Leader of the Hoenn region.

After they reconnected, Elios returned to Hoenn with Flannery to put together the pieces of his past he’d lost in the shipwreck, training with her in the Lavaridge Gym along the way. Two years had passed since then and for the first time since his amnesia, Elios had no driving force. He had no idea where to go next. After a long chat with Flannery, he decided to return to Kanto and take the Pokémon League challenge.

Luckily for him, Dad was going to a party with a lot of the Kanto Gym Leaders and former challengers. Something about finding a successor to the Viridian Gym and fundraising for a tournament. He invited Elios to come with him, with the thinking that meeting some of the Kanto Gym Leaders would help the Ace Trainer in his preparation for challenging the Pokémon League.

After checking into the hotel in Saffron City, Elios took a quick shower and threw on a white shirt and his blue trousers and blazer. Styling his hair into his customary spikes, he put on some aftershave and headed out to the party where Dad was waiting for him already. Upon arrival, the Cinnabar Island Gym Leader told him to go grab a drink and mingle with the other party-goers. Glancing over at the food table, he saw a strikingly attractive woman grabbing a drink. If he was going to mingle with people he didn’t know and put his imposter syndrome to the back of his mind, now was his chance. He was much more comfortable in a Pokémon battle but there was music playing and people dancing, he might as well join in the fun. Taking a deep breath, Elios strode over to the woman. Not being one for beating about the bush, the Ace Trainer took the direct approach.

“Do you want to dance?”

When she turned to face him, she wasn’t entirely sure if she had battled against him. Sabrina didn’t care about remembering those instances. She was always too consumed with the rush of battle. The surge of emotions from her Pokemon and herself, was entirely too intoxicating.

But now, this trainer stood in front of her, asking her to dance. Sabrina didn’t know how to dance. Sabrina wasn’t always the best at having fun. She was constantly training herself, and constantly reserved.

“I uhhh.. I don’t know how to dance…” Her voice trailed off.

The only times she ever really danced was with Erika, but that had been way too long ago now. She had done a lot with Erika; her practically being her only actual friend.

“I could… give it a whirl, if you want?” Sabrina followed up.

The joys of having no memories of his life before he was sixteen meant he was still re-learning social skills. Not to mention the fact that he had spent most of his life since the shipwreck training, battling or trying to find his sister. Parties weren't normally his scene but the people here were not only Dad's friends and colleagues, but the Gym Leaders he'd soon be challenging so he needed to really go outside his comfort zone here.

Being perfectly honest, Elios' dancing abilities were quite limited. Cynthia and him had danced at the Winter Festival at Praguine Town a few years back but that was more romantic swaying than anything else. Knowing that this woman in front of him wasn't the most confident dancer either, made the Ace Trainer like he could be himself a bit more.

“I uhhh.. I don’t know how to dance…”

"Well that makes two of us. I'm not much of a dancer. Just thought it was the done thing at social events like this" he confessed. Her little jig made him smile and he began to feel a lot less tense. It suddenly occurred to him that he was standing here interacting with this woman and she had no clue who he was.

Song: Affection

Her dark eyes looked back to her as she thought to herself. Sabrina wasn’t really keen on the whole idea of the Kanto Gym Leaders coming together for a party. She wasn’t even sure who’s idea it was. It’s not that she didn’t like the other gym leaders, it was more of she didn’t want to be bothered. She wanted to be home, in her gym, continuing her practice. She wanted to… wait around for a challenger…

Grudgingly, she stepped into the warmed shower, scrubbing her slender body. She used to hate showers; hated the way her body looked. Now, she just mechanically cleans herself, doing her best not to be fully aware that she’s naked. Gently, she scrubbed her hair with CGM-approved conditioner. She let it sit for ten minutes before rinsing it out and washing her face. Completely clean, she stepped out, wrapped a towel, and went to her room.

Not entirely sure of what to wear, she settled on white pants, a light purple-pink tank top. She was aware it was boring, but didn’t care. She wasn’t going there to impress anyone. She figured they were already impressed, if not a tad frightened. She wasn’t entirely sure, but paid it no mind. It was what it was.

Once she was finished getting ready, she examined herself to make sure she was pristine. She didn’t want anything out of place. She started with her hair: curly, with a straightened fringe. It was soft, bouncy, with some shine. Next, her face: soft makeup, nothing harsh. Fake lashes to accentuate her eyes. She decided to wear red colored contacts to give herself a pop. Last, her clothing: clean, free of rips, tears, and holes. Nothing bulging, which would indicate she gained weight. Happy with her overall appearance, she grabbed her wallet and keys, then left.

Once she arrived, she noticed non-Gym Leaders. This puzzled her. She gently shook her head, frowning. She didn’t want to mingle with just anyone. She hoped there was an explanation, but she knew she wouldn’t get one. She sighed and went inside the large community hall someone rented for the shindig.

Tabled of catered food lined a full area. It was nice to see multiple options. Atleast she would leave fed. She saw a few faces that she knew: Erika, Blaine, and even Brock. A few faces were previous challengers who had lost.

Maybe this wasn’t just for Gym Leaders, but more so a fundraiser? Sabrina thought.

She went to the designated food area, grabbing a coke.

Setting out through Kanto and the wider world, he searched tirelessly for his sister, amassing a worthy Pokémon team along the way. Three years passed and with no sign of her, he was beginning to lose hope. That was until Cynthia had invited him to her Masquerade Ball in Praguine Town, where he finally found what he was looking for. Turned out his sister was the Gym Leader of Lavaridge Town. Much like him, Flannery had used Pokémon battling as an outlet for her emotions and had become the Fire-Type Leader of the Hoenn region.

After they reconnected, Elios returned to Hoenn with Flannery to put together the pieces of his past he'd lost in the shipwreck, training with her in the Lavaridge Gym along the way. Two years had passed since then and for the first time since his amnesia, Elios had no driving force. He had no idea where to go next. After a long chat with Flannery, he decided to return to Kanto and take the Pokémon League challenge.

Luckily for him, Dad was going to a party with a lot of the Kanto Gym Leaders and former challengers. Something about finding a successor to the Viridian Gym and fundraising for a tournament. He invited Elios to come with him, with the thinking that meeting some of the Kanto Gym Leaders would help the Ace Trainer in his preparation for challenging the Pokémon League.

After checking into the hotel in Saffron City, Elios took a quick shower and threw on a white shirt and his blue trousers and blazer. Styling his hair into his customary spikes, he put on some aftershave and headed out to the party where Dad was waiting for him already. Upon arrival, the Cinnabar Island Gym Leader told him to go grab a drink and mingle with the other party-goers. Glancing over at the food table, he saw a strikingly attractive woman grabbing a drink. If he was going to mingle with people he didn't know and put his imposter syndrome to the back of his mind, now was his chance. He was much more comfortable in a Pokémon battle but there was music playing and people dancing, he might as well join in the fun. Taking a deep breath, Elios strode over to the woman. Not being one for beating about the bush, the Ace Trainer took the direct approach.

"Do you want to dance?"

"It’s almost time." The Sinnoh champion spoke to herself, letting a grin go across her lips as she looked over herself in the mirror with her mask. It was white, decorated in black lace and rhinestones. Sure, it would almost seem as if it was too girly for the woman, but she didn’t mind. After all, the whole point of the masquerade was that no one was supposed to know who she was. The woman just hoped that people would attend Praginue town. She wanted something lively, new, and fun for the holidays.

Cynthia found herself arriving to the town, securing her mask across her face before being bundled in a white fluffy coat and earmuffs to match. The town was located near Snowpoint city, which happened to be at one of the coldest parts of the Sinnoh region. Sometimes, she wondered how Candice could even bare to wear such a warm-looking outfit in such a cold region of the region. Even growing up from age 10 in the Sinnoh region, it still got unbelievably cold during this time of the year especially.

But even with the cold, Cynthia still found herself to love this region, especially around the holiday season. Everyone was so happy, and everything just felt so right. The white Christmas lights and songs helped to liven up the mood of almost anyone, and Praginue City was decorated to the finest. The champion herself wandered the city, almost in awe of the couples and families that covered the streets. Here she was, just trying to get over her pathetic love life, which was completely one sided. It was a childhood crush, that honestly was getting no where with her hiding. The blond would have to realize that it will never work out, and that she should give up.

Maybe during this time of holiday cheer and thrill that the girl can find a way out. Or at least, find some joy in her love life. Once and for all, maybe she could find someone new, and someone who could finally make the woman happy. Just.. maybe then she could move on from her pathetic one sided love with a chrome haired friend who never kept in touch with her anymore.

The blond continued making her way down the streets with a cold wind almost blowing right through her clothing. It sent chills down her spine. And to escape this chill, she found shelter inside a small cafe right outside of the town center. It was a small, family owned business. Even all of the ship owners complied with wearing masks, which had been part of her wishes for the towns people. She ordered a simple coffee, light and sweet, which was what she always liked. Sitting down by the window, the woman stared outdoors as a soft snow gently came down onto the city.

For the past couple of years, Elios had scoured the world for his long lost sister. He’d searched through every region he’d been through, combing through each location carefully looking for any sign. But to no avail. Four years and nothing. That had all changed tonight. He’d gone into a bar in the city and sat down and had a drink with a red-headed girl and as fate would have it, it was her. His sister. The person he’d dedicated his life to finding and he had finally found her. She’d filled him in on some details of his past but promised to give him the full story later. They had all the time in the world now after all. 

They had planned to meet at the ball later on but first, Elios had to go find Cynthia. She knew how important this whole thing was to him and it had only really happened because she’d invited him here. After about half an hour scouring the city, Elios finally found that familiar face sitting alone in a café, not looking too happy. Wasting no time, the Ace Trainer ran inside and sat down opposite her, putting his hand on hers. “Cynthia? What’s wrong?”

“Sweetheart huh?” The redhead rolled her eyes at the comment but nodded nonetheless. “It is a bit nippy out there yes.” After taking a drink from the glass she finally turned to face him noting his eyes. She was sure she’d seen them somewhere before. Frowning a bit she shook her head and extended a hand.”The names Flannery, I’m the gym leader in Lavaridge. I’ll give you a small piece of advice just for the future. In my experience girls don’t like being called sweetheart by boys they don’t know.” She stood then adjusting her mask. “That being said, you… remind me of someone I used to know.” Something about him reminded her of her younger brother which interested her. Glancing back over to him she hummed a bit before deciding. “If you are not accompanying anyone tonight would you care to join me for the evening events?” 

Oh great, oversensitive feminist. Exactly what I needed tonight. “Lavaridge, eh? I’m from Cinnabar and calling a girl sweetheart is nothing but being friendly and polite where I come from. So you could be a Gym Leader or a rookie trainer, it doesn’t give you the right to snap at someone who’s just being customarily polite, Flannery.” Just for that he wasn’t going to even bother giving the girl his name. But Lavaridge Town sounded familiar. He wasn’t quite sure where he’d heard it but-- Wait. That was the place in Hoenn where that man who’d come to Cinnabar said he’d seen Elios’ sister! He might as well play nice for now and see if he could find out if this girl had any idea who his sister was.

"Well..I guess I can tag along." She replied with that smile across her lips once more. Though with Elios mentioning it, she laughed softly to herself. "It’s been a while since I’ve seen someone with a bright, burning passion like yourself. It reminds me of myself in all honestly when I was much, much younger."

Because of that, he'd grown up too fast. The only life he knew was that of the past six years - training under Blaine, who was now more a dad to him than anyone would ever be, going on a Pokémon journey and trying to find his sister. He'd had little time for being a kid. Instead he got stronger as a trainer and chased down any lead to finding his sister. In fairness it was a long list of leads, considering all he had to go by was a picture. But Cynthia was right about one thing. His passion was relentless. She liked him for the exact same reason he liked her.

After the champion described the location of the circus tent, Elios and her began walking through the streets of Hearthome. It was beautiful, a lot moreso than the towns and cities in Unova anyway. The festival was in full swing, with street performers wowing the crowds and stalls with all manner of trinkets. Elios had never seen anything like it before.

Soon enough they found themselves in front of the circus tent. It was enormous. A circular tent striped with red and white like you'd see in all the movies. There was a huge queue mounting but who came out of the tent but the ringmaster from earlier to bring them inside past the queue. "Feel free to sit wherever you'd like! The show will be starting soon!" he said merrily before skipping off. Elios then turned to Cynthia smiling at this extravagant treatment they were getting. The champion herself might be used to this but the Ace Trainer certainly wasn't. 

But after Elios completely refused to take it back, she stopped pressing it onto him. If he wanted her to come, she could take him out of her busy schedule to make it out to a show. After all, it had been years since Cynthia last saw a circus show. She must have been a small child then, because she couldn't even recall the last time she saw a show.

"Well, I guess I could find some time to go tonight. But no promises." She teased, giving him a small laugh. "After all, the job as a champion of a region is a surprising job indeed. You never know what kind of challenges and help is needed from other people."

"Well there's not really anyone else I'd want to give this to, Cynthia. When you've made it your life's mission to find your long lost sister, you don't exactly have time to make many friends." It was true. Although the Ace Trainer had a lot of battle acquaintances and sources, he didn't have a huge amount of friends. Outside of Dad and the folks on Cinnabar, he just had Lucian but that was the sacrifice he had to make. If there was a chance he was going to find his sister he'd do anything to make it possible.

But that's not why he asked her to go with him to the circus. The truth was, he liked Cynthia. She was different than anyone he'd ever met before and he just wanted to be around her. He couldn't let that get in the way of finding his sister though. No getting too attached. He made that mistake once and that was once too many for the Ace Trainer. But even Elios Draken deserved to have a little fun once in a while.