Brick stood unmoved, as your Heatguana evolved and aged up from cute toddler to busty teenager. He just called his own Beastie back, giving you time to celebrate. After you high-fived Annie, he pulled a new Cube, calling your immediate attention.
"Congratulations. Your first evolution, I assume?", he asked, in a chill but not unfriendly manner.
"The first without body horror at least", you replied. "Without screaming and panicking."
"I see. You saw a lot for a rookie with nothing but an empty purse." His tone was offish again. "Your first Crest is in reach. So be on guard, or else your winning streak might end!"
He was right. Too early for reveling.
Annie was less intimidated. She braced herself with an air of confidence, as the second - and last - BeastMon zapped at the battlefield. It appeared a woman, chiseled out of stone! She was tall, more than 2 meters at least, and wore a regal expression on her face, grey as marble. Her clothing was a dress, flowing silk but petrified, out of place in this dusty field, but suited for an opera. Her hair was styled to a thick and very long braid, reaching the ground and snaking further around her feet.
Steel Gash, you thought, should be go through this. At least, you read this last night, studying movesets and types with your partner. But now there stood this woman, firm like the statue of a goddess!
"Alabastix. Rock Rope."
"Annie! Steel Gash!", you called, and your new evolved Heatdraka bolted. The opponentīs braid came to live, whipping up and hitting down. Annie sidestepped, jumped and stroke. Brass knuckle met chiseled cheek. Sparks flew. Then, the braid got her ankle.
She was flung back, careening through the air and hitting a rock. She gasped, wide-eyed and puking smoke.
The opponent didnīt move. Her braid did. It snaked forth, and Annie dodged by a hairīs breadth, rolling around and hiding behind the rock.
You used your pager. "It worked!" Alabastix lost HP. "Again!"
With longer legs, Annie was faster, too. She sprinted and jumped, tumbling over the hindrances and using them as cover. This truly was a step forward.
She attacked, yelling and bolting. "Come on, you diva! At least TWITCH!" And Steel Gash hit itīs mark, as the braid got her once more, this time at the tail. Her knuckles hit not the face, but the masterful, elegant coiffure. Shattering the stone hair, breaking it in a chain reaction over the full length.
Alabastix flinched, aghast. The next strike met her chin, and she got down.
Annie just stood there, speechless and breathless. Not for long, of course. "... Jeez. Sorry for your fancy hair. It grows back, I guess."
Brick got up to you, after the dust had settled. "The Crest of this Arena is yourīs, Lucy from Rainbow Town. I congratulate you once more."
"Tha-thanks", you said, still light in the head after your success. You took your price.
"You have fine BeastMon with you", Brick said. "But it will be a long journey. Take our best wishes with you. And in case your Beasties get a little rough at you, my Crest will help you bring them under control again."
"Oh ... really?"
"It might come in handy, one day", he said, looking at your Heatdraka. Annie stood a few meters away, chatting with the Alabastix, who was back on her feet, but indignant about her hair. At first you assumed Annie might bring up an apology, but she seemed too smug for real sense of guilt.
"Uh, okay."