"You lost, dear", Molly said. "Now, for your punishment. - Or are there any options left I canīt see right now?"
Frustrated, you bit your lip. "No, I ... have lost." Of course, by now nobody of your team was completely defeated, and you could have brawled further, but to what end? Annie, Belle and Josh were severely beaten down by highly effective moves and therefore weakened, Racer frozen and unable to move.
At your heart, you were an optimist. You could just tap out of this, let go of some money and come back with a new strategy. At least now you knew what this cursed Arena had in store for you.
"Wonderful", Molly spoke sweetly, "then I declare punishment, hmmm ..."
Her attitude really got you vexed. "Yeah, yeah", you growled, "you will get your money. As soon as I took care of my BeastMon, yes?" You aimed the BeastCube at Racer to zipp her back in. But the blue laser got reflected from the surrounding ice. "Hey!"
"No worries", Annie said. "Iīve got that covered." She climbed over the edge and into the pool, swam the short distance and breathed deeply in, as she arrived her frozen comrade. As she blew out, a flame flew around the poor Beastie, melting the ice and freeing her. As her face came out of the ice, she coughed. Annie grabbed her in a rescue handle and pulled her to land.
You ran to them, even if running was not allowed near swimming pools. "Are you okay?!"
Racer looked up to you, with trembling lips and blue cheeks. "I - am - really - cooooooold!"
Annie patted her shoulder, still holding her. "There, there. Wanna hold my tail?"
"I would r-r-really like to."
"Well then - Ouch, donīt grab it that hard!"
"I canīt control my grip!"
There seemed no permanent damage. Relieved, you turned at the black-haired Arena Boss, who already came to you. Your expression darkened a bit. "I told you, I will give you the money! Just let me get my bag, itīs in the locker room."
"No, money is boring", Molly said, to your and your BeastMonīs surprise. "Losing a few Dollars, who gives? As the Arena Boss, I can declare far more educational penalties." And by that, she pulled out her tear-shaped crest. "You would just come back, right away, and bug our fun time at the pool. No no no, this will hold you occupied far longer, and it will give you time to think!"
"Wait, what -"
Suddenly a laser shot out of the crest, without any BeastCube involved! Annie squealed, seeing the light flashing, but it was not aimed at her. Instead it hit Racer right in the chest, and before your eyes, the familiar magic/technology/hocus pocus happened. Your bird-girl shrank down, got rapidly younger and finally devolved back into her childish Pudgy-form. Even younger she got, taking on a baby-like appearance. Wide-eyed she sat there on the floor, still holding Annieīs tail with the burning tip. Except now she could hug it with both arms, her hands barely touching.
Annie sighed. "Oh, lucky me! I was already the butt of this joke."
You turned at Molly. "Hey! You canīt do that to one of my Beasties!"
"Sure I can", Molly said, as the crest transferred the stolen Exp to her. Where your BeastMon shrank, she aged up, going back to the buxom bikini beauty you met at first. "I won. Crests allow things like that. Brick never told you that much, am I right?" She smiled playfully. "Come on, donīt gloom at me like that. You should be motivated to train harder, so you can obtain this power for yourself."
You looked at your two Beasties. Annie now held tiny Racer in her arms. Your Heatdraka even smiled down at the bird-baby, but feigned disinterest, as she felt your gaze upon her.
"What are you looking at?"
"Nothing?"
Molly couldnīt follow this conversation. She frowned. "... Oh well, in the locker with you, and then out! I have to prepare for the next challenger!"