Snippet #2678101

"Get back, boy!" Lance rebuffed Winter gruffly, causing a start in the former Champion. "I never give up, no matter what. You must be the same? All you've done is give my Dragonite the time it needed to recover. You asked me for a battle, and I'm giving you one. And now that I'm on the ropes, you decide to show mercy?"

Finally, Titania spoke. "The boy is right. I've seen enough. Lance, recall your Dragonite." A strength and firmness in her voice was clear. The way she walked, a way she hadn't in years, made it clear what had to happen now.

"Winter. You have more than proved yourself worthy of becoming my successor. Lance, all these years have made your heart hard. Yes, being victorious is important, but that's not why we got into this. We wanted to get to know Pokémon better, to know each other better. And to be frank, I learned a lot from watching the both of you as well, and he's more than deserving. At the very least, more deserving than you. Swallow your pride while you still have it, Dragon Master." For a steel user, she sure could spit poison.

"As for you, Winter...it's time for you to take your place in history. Come with me to the final room, where we immortalize the Trainers that have stood above all the rest as League Champions, as well as your loyal partners that saw you through so many harsh battles. Through Will's determination. Koga's stalling and distractions. Bruno's brute strength. Karen's ingenuity. And certainly Lance's temper tantrums."

That last bit seemed to set him off, and he did the most un-Champion like thing of all...he jumped at Titania, who responded with a quick sucker punch right in the gut that sent the Blackthorn native hurtling back through the air and tumbling down the stairs onto the gilded floor below. Titania then turned back to Winter, shaking her head to get out of that dangerous mind-set. "Sorry you had to see that. He's always been a bit of a sore loser, but he's always managed to keep it under wraps until today. Now, shall we continue?"