Chương 56: Cursed

"Cynthia Shirona is cursed?" Crystal asked. The concern in her voice was evident, a contemplative frown marring her normally gentle features. I nodded with my own frown.

"Her entire lineage got cursed ages ago for messing with Giratina. Nothing good comes from it, and now I'm being dragged into it." Gold clicked his teeth.

"That's why you don't wanna meet her."

"We already met once. She nearly died." Their eyes widened as I explained our encounter at Turnback Cave. How I had encountered the Champion of Sinnoh, leading to Giratina attempting to murder her... only for me to save her life in the last moments.

"And she has a Lucario... and the Lucario was out," Crystal said slowly.

"Yup." I popped the p easily. I was leaning against the bed frame as I conversed with the other two members of the trio of our little Cynthia dilemma. While I should have expected it, I didn't imagine that she'd go out of her way to visit our gang, regardless of the performance we put on. Damn it, Green. Way to leave such a massive mess in our hands.

"So what's the plan, then? Doesn't sound like this curse can be cured," Gold mused. I shrugged.

"Nothing we do is going to stop her obsession, but I sure as hell am not interested in killing her... For now, we should see exactly how it affects her, and when the time comes, we'll possibly prevent it." Crystal nodded thoughtfully.

"Yeah, it's not like we know what the curse is going to do to her. It's best if we get a better idea, so I guess we shouldn't try to push her away. By the sounds of it, it's inevitable." Gold frowned contemplatively.

"Why not ask the big ghost to chill?" he asked randomly. I opened my mouth, only for a violent shudder to ripple through me.

"No. My curse has been in effect for longer than any of you humans have been alive, and I see no reason to remove it... But I would like to see how you little ones manage to deal with it," I said flatly. Gold and Crystal stared with wide eyes as I violently shuddered again, red eyes turning back to silver.

"Don't do that again without my consent," I groused. Getting your body hijacked was somehow even stranger than perfectly syncing with a god... At least with Mewtwo, we were one. I may have taken the backseat because of the nature of how it happened, but if we did that again with my consent, it'd probably be way more balanced.

"Noted."

"That's not highly concerning at all," Gold muttered.

"Did an ancient legend just talk to us?" Crystal asked, mixed between horrified and awed, little nerd that she was. I exhaled.

"Yeah, something like that." We all sighed in unison.

"We'll take it easy for now! If we start seeing any worrying symptoms, we'll act... but who knows when that curse could come into play. There's nothing specific behind it?" Crystal questioned. I shook my head.

"All I know is that their obsession with Giratina will lead them to their demise. I assume most of that is them stumbling across that cave I ran into. It's a maze in there... you'll die if you lose track of time."

"I take it Giratina doesn't actually care enough to kill any of them, right?" Crystal asked warily.

"Indeed. I've never once directly killed any of the cursed humans. Such a thing is beneath me, and I do not wish to earn the Alpha's ire."

"Yet the Alpha doesn't care that you've cursed an entire bloodline?" I retorted.

"Volo's true target was them after all. Do not think the Alpha some benevolent being. We are Gods." Hah, so not only was Arceus just a fan of being hands off, it barely intervened if the other legends got involved, and probably had a moral compass as dubious as any other God. No surprises there. I just had to be in a world where legendary pokemon are actually gods.

"Okay! Let's take it at our own pace. We've dealt with a lot of stuff, I'm sure we'll figure this out!" Crystal assured as I relayed the info to them. I shrugged.

"Sounds good to me. We'll meet her as planned then." Gold shook his head with a disbelieving chuckle.

"Look at us, talking about whether we want to meet a champion. When I first started my journey, the answer would be a no-brainer, but now? Some peace would be nice."

"Tell me about it. No rest even during the League's downtime," I exhaled. Crystal laughed softly.

"Honestly, I'm in the same boat as you guys. What we did was bound to attract attention, but after Kanto... I'm not so eager for it," she admitted.

"Cynthia Shirona is one of the most famous people alive. A random girl, seizing the throne of Sinnoh and becoming their most dominant champion ever... and she wants to meet us. Normally, I'd be excited, but right now, I'm tired." I placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. Kanto had messed all of us up, something that was shown even in how we spoke and reacted to things. Hell, the three of us had upped our physical conditioning tremendously, while Gold and Crystal had asked Janine for advice on fighting.

Even without pokemon, we refused to be defenseless.

"You know, my plan when first going through Kanto was to avoid anyone I could, but a certain girl decided to throw all of that out of order." My tone was dry but vaguely amused. We all shared a little laugh at that.

"I think it was for the best! Imagine how screwed the region would be if we still hated each other!" Gold cackled.

"I don't know if you mean because of the rivalry or Team Rocket... but I'm inclined to believe both." Crystal shook her head in amusement as we snorted in agreement.

"Let's get some sleep! Tomorrow should be really fun!" she instructed. We nodded in agreement. We were currently in the room provided to our group during the days I was held by Team Rocket. It was nice and homey, a massive window showing us the night sky outside.

"Fun for you guys, maybe," I muttered, falling back onto the bed. I gazed at the ceiling with a contemplative expression.

"I don't think it's gonna be very fun for me." Gold cackled, sliding into his bed effortlessly.

"That makes it even more fun for me!" I snorted.

"Whatever, jackass. Laugh while you can."

"No fighting! Let's just get some sleep! We've got a lot of talking to do!" Crystal demanded, falling back with a relieved sigh.

"Yeah, yeah. Goodnight, Team Mom," I groused.

"G'night, Team Mom!" Gold laughed. Crystal hissed.

"I'll fight you guys, don't test me!" We laughed at her, not taking her seriously. Crystal clearly took offense to that. Needless to say, the three of us did actually get into a fight before falling asleep. A knock on the door caught our attention. We perked up at the noise, turning towards it in unison"I'll get it," Crystal yawned. There was a toothbrush in her mouth as she lazily rubbed her eyes. Our little brawl last night had taken a bit longer than we expected, and we were recovering.

Gold and I were getting breakfast ready, while Crystal got herself ready for the day, something that took her far too long to do. Green never took that long to get ready, but Crystal was a different beast. Still, it was honestly pretty relaxing. Who knew domestication could be such a vibe after a year of nonstop chaos? Apparently, Gold had also asked Jasmine for some recipes because the guy actually enjoyed cooking.

"Oh, hello, Ms. Cynthia!" Crystal greeted happily.

"Come right in!" Gold perked up even further, craning his head. I wasn't nearly as interested, but I did turn to see Cynthia walk into our room. Her cloak was gone, replaced by a casual teal shirt. Her teardrop pendant was far more noticeable as a result, and I hummed, turning back to the food.

"Sorry for intruding," Cynthia greeted.

"You sure push your limits. We said tomorrow, and you showed up as soon as you could," I pointed out. Cynthia's smile was rather bashful. She rubbed the back of her long blond hair and chuckled slightly.

"Sorry, sorry! When I get excited, I get overly eager. I could hardly sleep last night; Lucario had to remind me that you all would probably like some rest, so I didn't barge in here!" Crystal laughed politely.

"Silver would kill you," she explained. Cynthia laughed along.

"I had a feeling you wouldn't take kindly to it!" she joked. Gold turned towards her.

"That wasn't a joke," he said seriously. Cynthia blinked, turning towards me.

"Kill is an exaggeration. You'd probably have a bruise... or 10," I informed her.

"Hm... Noted," Cynthia replied with a smile.

"May I join you three for breakfast?" I grunted and beckoned her forward.

"You're already here, so whatever." The Champion of Sinnoh looked pleased. She politely sat at the offered table and just watched as we went about our early mornings.

"When did you become so good at cooking?" I asked Gold curiously. He grinned.

"I've always been pretty decent, but lately I've been improving! It's a fun hobby, so I'll keep at it. Jas has been helping me out, too!" I nodded thoughtfully.

"Keep at it. We need more capable cooks."

"Why don't you let me learn, then?" Crystal protested, crossing her arms with a frown. Gold and I stared so severely at her that she took a step back.

"You're a girl of many talents, Crys. There's nothing wrong with being bad at one thing when you're good at almost everything," I explained gently.

"There's no shame in it! We don't cause a fuss over the 99 things you can do!" Gold said encouragingly.

"Stop talking to me like that! Ugh, you're such jerks!" she scowled, marching away. Cynthia watched our interactions with a fond smile.

"I don't know how to cook either, Crystal!" Crystal pouted.

"But that's probably from lack of effort. I try so much and never succeed!" she exclaimed. The Champion of Sinnoh held her hands up innocently.

"Guilty as charged. I get distracted often... so food is one of the last things on my mind. Lucario gets on my case a lot!" I shot her a strange look.

"And now all of a sudden you want to eat?" I asked suspiciously. There was no shame in her nod.

"I'm interested in getting to know you all better, so if that means slotting into your habits, I'll gladly do so! I'm not here to take over such a fun relationship... I just want to see how it works!" Her expression turned serious, eyes hardening slightly, but not in a way meant to intimidate us... It was something a little softer.

"I understand how suspicious it is for the Champion of Sinnoh to waltz right in and try to get familiar with you all. I'm glad you're suspicious, truly! But I'm not here for anything business-related. Right now, I really am just a curious archaeologist who wants to learn more about the most interesting group of trainers in recent times," she said earnestly. I took a long look at her. She looked nothing like the unhinged girl I encountered at Turnback Cave. Cynthia almost seemed like a different person altogether.

To think she was cursed to die. Maybe if it was truly unavoidable, it was best to indulge her at least a little.

"I hate annoying people. Don't be a bother and we'll be fine," was all I offered. Cynthia looked distinctly pleased.

"So, do you have any plans today?"

"We have a couple of things to do. You can tag along," I grunted, turning towards Crys.

"Food's ready. Come help me plate it?" I asked her. I wouldn't normally ask, but Crystal got really bent out of shape if she couldn't at least help a little. It was also one of the few times we let her anywhere near the kitchen. Seriously. She was a hazard. If the food wasn't finished, somehow her presence would make something go wrong. Gold snorted as Crystal happily bounded over. He conceded his spot to her, strolling to the table and taking a seat.

"So, Ms. Champion," he greeted casually, staring Cynthia down with an interested gaze.

"Tell us exactly why you came over here. What did you see that made you want to visit?" I shot Gold an impressed stare. It wasn't lost to me that the three of us had become a lot more hardened... well, it was visible in Gold and Crystal's case; not so much mine. But I digress; the three of us had definitely changed. Janine had been rather happy when they came up to her for tips on fighting. Jasmine not as much, but mostly because we forced her to learn with us. She was surprisingly strong as hell.

I'd have to get the rest of the gang up to speed as well... including the little kids. Cynthia didn't look surprised by the question. Her eyes lit up as Crystal placed a plate of food in front of her, and she took a slice out of the waffle, letting out a noise of delight.

"Delicious! I'm almost jealous that a group of children can cook so much better than me!" she praised, taking another bite for good measure. The Champion of Sinnoh genuinely looked pleased. For someone who didn't eat much, she sure seemed to like food. Cynthia hummed and gazed at us with curious eyes.

"Oh, sorry! I haven't eaten anything since yesterday. I got a little distracted..." She coughed slightly, placing her fork down to regard us.

"Well, I first heard about your group during the early stages of the Indigo League! Silver here used a never-before-seen Sneasel, and it made the headlines even in Sinnoh! Not only that, you're one of the few trainers to own a Milotic!" So it began with me. That wasn't a surprise.

"To be honest, that wasn't enough to get me to visit right away... but as I discovered your group, you all just kept getting more and more interesting! A calm Typhlosion, a wise Braviary... an Arcanine molded with rocky clouds! I'm an archeologist first and foremost, you see, and you three have managed to shock the entire world, much less me!" she gushed.

"You're avoiding mentioning the main reason. You're really bad at hiding it, too," I pointed out bluntly. Crystal nodded with a small smile.

"It's not like we aren't aware of it. It's a little insulting that you thought we wouldn't know," she said honestly. Gold snorted.

"Yeah, we knew the moment it happened the type of attention we'd draw," he drawled. She blinked in surprise, turning towards us with a searching gaze.

"You three are scary! Lance suggested I don't mention her... but yes, the main reason I came here was because of what happened in the finals," she admitted honestly.

"Not a surprise. We aren't gonna tell you anything about it, though," I said bluntly.

"Private affairs," Crystal added apologetically. Cynthia nodded understandingly.

"I understand! I'm curious about it, but I have no interest in making you all uncomfortable. I'd much prefer it if we were friendly with each other!" I grunted.

"Whatever you say. Eat your food... I don't like staying at the League for too long. It's only a matter of time before someone tries to recruit us again," I muttered. Annoying Flying Master. He didn't even tell us Cynthia was ambushing us. A quick message had him telling me, "You wouldn't have shown up if I gave you a reason, so I kept it vague." Bastard. Cynthia nodded.

"I'd love to see what a day in the life of Colors is like!" she admitted cheerfully. I grunted.

"You'd have seen it regardless if you gave it a couple weeks." She tilted her head in confusion.

"What do you mean by that?" she questioned.

"That's a good question," I replied, digging into my eggs.

"... Are you going to answer it?" Gold and Crystal laughed in unison. Domino shuffled as I stared her down. My head was cocked slightly, eyes roving over my former partner with a contemplative expression.

"How long will it take you to learn how to be a proper assistant?" I questioned. She jumped at my sudden question, tripping over her words slightly.

"U-Um... I don't think it will take me long at all! I've got experience in it... Um, it was a necessary talent for me to learn when we were in... yeah," she trailed off. I nodded.

"Alright." Domino blinked owlishly.

"Alright? That's it?" she questioned slowly.

"You went through all that trouble to earn my forgiveness, so I doubt you'd suddenly go out of your way to betray me or something. You've got the skills and talent, and this stops what would probably be a year-long search pretty early." This was fine with me. Domino had already seen what I was capable of, so funnily enough, she was one of the few people I could actually trust to be good at the job.

"We're still in the process of building ourselves up right now. I'm in talks with someone to construct our first base near Olivine, but for the time being, I guess you can stay with Solari," I muttered thoughtfully. Domino nodded thoughtfully. I didn't miss how visibly excited she was to hear about our plans.

"Please keep me informed, Boss!" she said enthusiastically, reaching a level of comfort that threw me for a loop. What was her deal... Hold on, did she call me boss? I withheld the urge to sigh and settled for a brisk nod. Evidently, the idea of joining a team with such an important role put Domino in a very familiar situation. As a result, she could focus all her attention on it. If I had any doubts about her betrayal, they were dashed.

She was in her comfort zone, and for the girl whose life had been very disjointed recently, latching onto something familiar was like a lifeline.

"Don't let your other talents wither. Never know when they might come in handy," I said vaguely. Domino nodded, eyes glittering. She looked more like the cheeky girl I used to know.

"I won't let you down! Let me know if you need anything!" I waved her off.

"I'll let you know. Here, take down our numbers. I'd prefer it if you messaged Crystal or Gold, but do whatever," I muttered. She beamed at me, grabbing the piece of paper. It genuinely amazed me that all the fear she was showing earlier no longer seemed to exist. The idea of being part of another team really helped her, huh?

"I'll start studying now! You can rely on me to make Team Colors even more amazing!" she assured.

"You understand we aren't an evil organization, right? Don't get any funny ideas," I warned.

"I'm well aware!" she chirped. Before I could say anything, she skipped off to her quarters. She was still under probation, but she'd be released soon. I watched her go with a blank expression, scratching my head before shrugging and dropping it. If she really was that motivated to make us better, who was I to complain? This is a net positive, so I would continue to encourage her to improve. Good for her. If her being happy in life meant I'd have a competent assistant, I'm all for it"I saw Domino skipping just now.

I take it your talk with her went well?" Crystal asked, peaking around the corner.

"Her brain is too Team Rocket-Pilled. The moment she started equating our gang to a team, she was all in." Both Crystal and I looked mildly disgusted by that detail.

"We're better than them. We always will be," she said confidently. I nodded in agreement.

"We'll show those teams how it's done."

"I think if we wanted to be evil, we'd do a helluva lot better job than them," Gold shrugged, walking into the room.

"You think?" Crystal asked in disbelief. She shot me a single look, one that was actually kind of offensive.

"If Silver set his mind to it, I think we'd rule the world in a year flat," she decided bluntly. I huffed.

"That's probably true, but I'm still offended." Gold cackled.

"Hey, maybe one day we should try it for fun! Let's see how fast we can subjugate a region!"

"I propose Kalos," I said dryly. Gold mulled it over.

"They're pretty rich and snobby over there, I hear... sure, let's do it!" Crystal looked aghast.

"You guys are just kidding, right? We aren't actually planning on subjugating a region?!" I shrugged.

"I think if we tell our little ones, they'll be happy to do it. I bet we can turn Saph into a real demon." Gold snorted in amusement.

"We're already setting her up nicely! Gotta make sure they can all defend themselves, yeah?"

"Guys, stop trying to indoctrinate our younger gang members!" Crystal scolded. We stared at her before I snorted.

"Don't worry, Crystal. I'll find you your little one soon, so you can impart your beliefs onto them," I assured. She opened her mouth before shutting it.

"Well, I suppose if I have one..." she mumbled, crossing her arms and looking away. Gold guffawed, hunching over as his laughter took over.

"That easy?!" he gasped. I looked distinctly amused. Thanks to the Database, I could probably find my target. I already had a hunch about which one I could look for... so it helped me avoid going through a plethora of names. Hopefully, they were born... or existed. The three of us were interrupted by an increasingly familiar figure walking triumphantly into the room.

"I got permission from Lance! We can go wherever you guys wanna go!" Cynthia announced.

"What are you, a kid?" I asked, shaking my head. We had announced that we had no intention of staying at Indigo any longer, and Cynthia naturally decided she'd be following us. Lance caught wind of that and immediately pulled his friend into a private conversation, where he was probably no doubt interrogating her about why she was here, along with threatening her if she tried anything he disapproved of. Lance was very protective of us.

"Where to?" I rolled my eyes.

"The three of us are headed to Jasmine's place. Normally, we gather the gang... but it'll just be us three this time," I explained. Cynthia nodded curiously.

"Lead the way! I'll follow on Garchomp." Cynthia's Garchomp was one of the most famous pokemon alive, up there with Lance's Dragonite and Steven's Metagross. It was her most terrifying pokemon in a team of terrifying pokemon. Cynthia's strength as a champion was that not only was she a generalist, she was probably the most balanced of them all... but even she had a standout, and it was her starter.

Lance sought to overwhelm with power and speed, while Steven's Metagross was supported by the team he built around it... But Cynthia Shirona was a Swiss Army Knife that had a bazooka for an ace. She was probably the most difficult champion to deal with alive, solely due to her status as a generalist. There was a reason type specialists so often reached the apex of the world... Generalists had to do a lot of work to keep up with someone who knew the ins and outs of their types, but once they figured it out?

Good luck dealing with them. Type Specialists had an easier floor with a great peak, but a fully realized Generalist had a limitless ceiling. It's why Alder had been considered the strongest champion for so long. Garchomp towered over us, a lumbering beast nearing 8 ft in height that was all muscles. Up close, it really was a sight to behold. Garchomp stared at the three of us with a blank gaze, the yellow eyes of Sinnoh's apex predator dissecting us. She patted the Garchomp with a familiar smile.

"This is Garchomp! She's my starter and first pokemon. We've been with each other since even before I became a trainer!" Gold, Crystal, and I all looked at one of the strongest pokemon alive with varying expressions.

"Sick. Nice to meetcha, Garchomp," Gold nodded in appreciation.

"I'm Crystal, this is Gold, and that's Silver!" Crystal introduced happily, bowing politely to the dragon. I grunted. Without the threat of action, Garchomp didn't actually look like it wanted to tear us apart for fun. Good to know that was just because I was a criminal. She stared at the three of us before letting out a noncommittal growl. That seemed to be as much kindness as she was willing to give because she did nothing else. It was funny seeing how differently some of the strongest pokemon alive acted.

Lance's main Dragonite was rather kind and very accommodating outside of battles. He was a big softy despite how intimidatingly huge he was, much like his trainer. Cynthia's Garchomp seemed to have the same dispassion towards people that I imagined she did... based on what she said. Only things of interest probably grabbed her attention. Fine with me.

"We're headed to Olivine," I announced, grabbing my ball. Gold and Crystal followed suit, and soon all our flyers were out. Much to my displeasure, Garchomp immediately perked up at the massive silhouette of my enormous Salamence. Ares and Airee both perked up instantly, turning towards Garchomp with curious eyes.

"Dragons," I sighed, watching Garchomp size up Ares. There was now a spark of interest in the Dragon's gaze, and she sized up Ares... who was already larger than her. As an experienced trainer, I imagine Cynthia's Garchomp didn't often encounter a Salamence larger than her. Ares' eyes narrowed sharply at the Garchomp, a curious snarl escaping her as she gauged Cynthia's ace.

Garchomp bristled, clearly bothered by how fearless Ares was, but Airee hummed, breaking the tension between the dragons with an ease befitting of one of Crystal's pokemon. Ares snorted derisively, eyeing Garchomp for a little longer before turning towards me expectantly. I shook my head and raked my fingers against her scales, immediately getting those deep rumbles of contentment out of her. Cynthia clapped her hands cheerfully, placing one on Garchomp and pacifying her pokemon.

She approached all our flyers with a calmness that her eyes shamelessly betrayed. Unlike Garchomp, whose gaze had been kidnapped by the dragons, Cynthia's was utterly focused on Wartaro. She bounded up to the Braviary with a fascinated expression. Wartaro, for his part, just peacefully allowed her to inspect him from top to bottom. Her gaze was as greedy as greedy got. She drank in the foreign Braviary, muttering to herself all the while.

"It truly is a completely different variation of Braviary," was all I heard before deciding I had no interest in listening to her musings right now.

"Nerd out on your own time. I don't wanna stand here like a dumbass," I interjected, mounting the impatient Ares. She hated anything that delayed her from flying me around. I thought it was super adorable. An amused Crystal and Gold did the same, expressions matching their pokemon easily. Airee had a fond smile as Crystal mounted him, while Wartaro chortled with a twinkle in his eyes. He nodded cheerfully at Cynthia, snapping the woman out of her reverie.

"I didn't mean to hold us up! Lead the way," Cynthia apologized, clambering atop Garchomp with an ease that spoke of a long companionship. Without much prompting, our group of four departed from Indigo. The forests of Olivine were rather tame. Even so deep in the forest, the salty air wafted through the air. A calm breeze brushed against the leaves, and I soaked it in for a while, leaning against Ares.

"Is there a reason we're landing here?" Cynthia questioned.

"This part of the forest connects to Jasmine's place. She needs a large area to train on the off chance she wants to go outside," I explained. The champion nodded, raking a hand against Garchomp's rough body. Garchomp leered at Ares, showing no signs of exhaustion from the somewhat lengthy flight. Ares caught her gaze and narrowed her eyes before I tapped her once. She met my gaze before snorting, turning up her chin at the Garchomp.

At some point, the two had begun racing, and naturally, Cynthia's champion-level flyer had won. Few pokemon could match that Garchomp's speed, but Ares would be one of them in due time. I had no idea where this beef had risen from. I didn't think I was strong enough to even appear on Garchomp's radar, but color me surprised to see that these two just outright didn't like each other. Case in point, Garchomp took a step forward from Ares' dismissal before Cynthia returned her in exasperation.

"I'm sorry about her... Garchomp takes after me, and admittedly, I tend to show little interest in things. When she gets interested, she gets... competitive," she finished lamely. I grunted in acceptance. We had left the other two behind some time ago, Ares and Garchomp falling too deep in their competition. I wonder if Ares was the problem. She was a lot like me after all, which meant she was one of the best at pissing others off.... Nah.

I scratched my dragon under her chin, listening to her heavy rumbles of contentment.

"Silver... is it fine if I call you that? Too informal?" Cynthia suddenly questioned.

"Call me whatever you want. Just be aware that I may not respond to most names," I retorted. Cynthia hummed.

"I can't help but feel like you're very reluctant to speak to me," she observed.

"Reluctant might be the nicest way of putting it. I don't want to speak to you at all," I said honestly, sighing to myself.

"Is there a particular reason why? Did I do something to offend you?" Cynthia wondered. There was no point explaining it to her. She'd find out anyway... and I had no interest in telling her she was cursed. I didn't like that her life was automatically intertwined with mine because of some curse. I didn't like that she was doomed to die. I didn't like that once again, expectations were being placed on me to do something about it.

"I just have an eye for trouble, and right now, I'm not in the mood to deal with it." My voice was even, gaze straight as I finally stared at the champion. Cynthia's gaze was once more filled with a boundless curiosity.

"You have an entirely different demeanor when not around Gold and Crystal."

"You make the most renowned of scientists jealous. Astute observation." My voice was void of any amusement. She idly fiddled with the teardrop-shaped hair clip. It dawned on me that Cynthia Shirona was here, trying to mingle with our group as if she wasn't one of the most popular trainers alive... And I truly didn't feel anything about it beyond the slight annoyance of her circumstances. I was more annoyed that she was probably going to die because of me. Just what had happened to me?

"I think I get it now. I was going about this all wrong!" Cynthia smiled brightly. I cocked my head.

"I think the way I was approaching this was incorrect! I shouldn't be so eager to get answers out of you. From the moment I saw you three completely unaffected by my status as Champion... beyond being annoyed, I should have truly thrown all of that out the window!" Cynthia nodded to herself.

"Would you mind if I instead sought out a proper friendship?" I stared dully at her.

"No, I wouldn't. I'd actually appreciate it if you keep prying us for answers so I can tell you to fuck off back to Sinnoh." She grinned.

"I think I'm making the right decision! You all aren't a couple of attractions for the world to admire... you're just a group of children, having fun with each other!" All she got in return was a slow blink.

"Aren't you a little too old to be befriending a group of teens?"

"Is 21 that old?" she mused. Before I could say anything, Crystal and Gold made their appearance. The two leisurely landed, looking distinctly amused as they conversed with each other.

"No one told us it was a race!" Gold chuckled. Cynthia rubbed her hair with a sheepish smile.

"Garchomp seems to have taken a liking to Ares here."

"Ares is Silver's dragon, alright... someone always has a problem with her," Crystal muttered. Wartaro squawked in agreement. Cynthia laughed in a carefree manner.

"Before we continue... I'd like to apologize to all of you. I talked with Silver a little here, and I realized what I was doing was just trying to sate my own selfish desires!" She bowed. The Champion of Sinnoh was bowing to us... If anyone saw this, there'd be an uproar of epic proportions, but it didn't seem like Cynthia cared about that.

"Evidently, you all had quite a first journey, and I'm realizing how insensitive it is of me to barge in and disrupt the peace you guys have. Sorry about that, really," she said sincerely. My companions looked surprised at that. Crystal's gaze was slightly wary before it softened slightly.

"We're thankful for the apology, Ms. Cynthia. We're indeed a little worn out, but we would have been willing to accommodate you for the time you were here..." she explained.

"But that would have been the end of your hospitality, right?" Cynthia said knowingly, a small smile on her face.

"I'd hate for our relationship to be strictly cordial! If you guys don't mind, let's be friends!" Gold hummed.

"Alright, sure! We're not really interested in indulging people who only wanna know more about us... but we're fine if they're a friend," he agreed. Crystal nodded in agreement.

"As long as you don't try to use us, I think we'll get along just fine." Cynthia looked surprised.

"You three must have really been through a lot. I only got the impression that Silver would be... standoffish," she said softly. We didn't miss the sympathetic look in her eyes. I turned on a dime, not wanting to stare at her any longer.

"If you're really set on being our friend, you'll probably find out eventually."

"I look forward to it! It really has been too long since I've focused on things beyond my research!" Cynthia gazed at us with a gleam.

"Colors... You probably don't want to hear this, but when you blow off someone of my status, they only grow more interested in you, you know?" she teased.

"You don't gotta tell me that. It's the story of my life," I said sourly, marching off.

"What does it mean to relate to Silver more and more?" Crystal wondered.

"We're dying," Gold said seriously. Cynthia laughed loudly as I lunged. Jasmine perked up, a wide smile forming on her face as Bronzy informed her of the arrival of her best friends. She brushed down her dress and rushed to greet them, smiling as they opened her door. Most would probably be offended if someone let themselves into their home, but Jasmine loved that they felt comfortable enough to do so. It's why she had given them keys after all.

A familiar head of red hair greeted her, Silver's messy spikes being the first thing she saw. She always found it fun that, despite his rather low-key demeanor, Silver's hair was so loud. The shock of red stood out the most among everyone in Colors... Jasmine liked it. There were a lot of things she liked about Silver that she was simply too embarrassed to say out loud. One of the things she admired most was the fact that he was kind, but not nice.

Silver would tell you to "Stop being a dumbass coward and fight for what you want," to build a person's confidence. Silver would tell a person they talk too much, while listening to everything they say. He taught her that one didn't have to lace their words with sugar to show they cared. Silver was a raging blizzard that you needed to endure, and once you had done so, you'd discover the warm oasis underneath.

It had done wonders for her confidence to hear what she needed to hear, instead of what people thought she should hear. Silver was special to Jasmine; that was not something she'd ever hide. The version of herself now, compared to the one who existed two years ago, may as well have been two different people, and Jasmine was so grateful for that. Which was why it was her turn to help Silver. He had done so much for her, so it was only right she returned the favor.

"Silver, Crystal, and Gold!" She greeted them with a bright smile. Jasmine eagerly pulled the three into a hug, flushing happily as they easily returned it.

"Jas!" Crystal greeted cheerfully. Funnily enough, Jasmine was sure it was not discussed between the three, but they all filled their roles seamlessly. They were like a Hydregion, except all the heads were the main one. They represented key aspects of leadership. Crystal was always the first to speak of the three. She was the perfect spokesperson of Colors, and she acted accordingly, speaking elegantly and properly to give them an air of seriousness. She was an excellent leader in those regards.

"Did I ever thank you for sending me those recipes? How are you so talented at everything?" Gold teased. Gold was the easy-going one, able to cut through even the thickest of tension. Of everyone in Colors, you'd probably want to have a first meeting with him. While Crystal was lovely, she was slowly but surely reaching the type of presence that made her difficult to speak to. Jasmine was getting Lorelei vibes from her. Silver was self-explanatory.

It seemed impossible to be intimidated by Gold, and Jasmine did not mean that as an insult whatsoever because his team was actually pretty scary. His boundless charisma was actually something she was envious of. Gold could probably befriend anyone with no issue. He was the life of Colors, a presence that made the gang appear human despite the mystery shrouding them.

"He's become a good assistant. Makes cooking less of a hassle," Silver noted. Finally, there was Silver. He was 90% of the mystique that surrounded Colors. For all his talents and notoriety, the "Leader" of Colors was quiet. He was the reason all of this was running, regardless of what he said. Silver's charisma was not as obvious as Gold's, or Crystal's, or Green's. He would sooner tell you off than let you catch a single glimpse in his mind, but once you were allowed to peer, you'd notice how... strange he was!

He was a machine when it came to attracting a person's curiosity. Jasmine also envied him because she was sure his ability to attract all eyes was one he hated. Silver was a total oddity, which was why he attracted so many people. How did someone as foul-tempered as he manage to attract a ragtag group of people, including Gym Leaders, Gym Trainers... Elite Four members and even champions? Silver underestimated himself often.

He didn't realize that he was the core reason there were so many eyes on Colors, instead attributing it to his other members' star power. Jasmine was sure that in due time, he'd realize that he had just as much a part to play. Silver and Green had incredible synergy, but these three felt like a unit, especially lately. They rolled off each other so seamlessly that it almost bordered on eerie. Jasmine knew Gold and Crystal were childhood friends, but you could convince her Silver had grown up with them as well.

It even felt like they could communicate without saying a word... Maybe Colors really were an experiment. Jasmine had recently been hearing whispers about how they couldn't have possibly been normal... which was very fair. These three in particular were all named after gems.

"You've thanked me plenty, Gold! I'm just surprised you've taken to cooking so well!" she gushed. Gold rubbed his nose with a grin.

"Mom forced me to cook all the time. She's damn good at it, and I learned a thing or two. Having a best friend who'd burn down an entire forest by boiling water is also great motivation!" Crystal flushed a deep shade of red.

"I swear to Mew, Gold!" she threatened.

"Don't let Crystal convince you to help her learn how to cook. I like this place," Silver said smoothly. Jasmine giggled at Crystal's splutter. She was going to say something, but the movement of an additional figure halted her. A flash of blond caught her eye, and she turned in confusion, only to freeze in disbelief.

"You know, I did not make the connection that your friend Jasmine would be Gym Leader Jasmine, but it makes sense," Cynthia Shirona said, a small smile on her face. Her sharp gray eyes were filled with warmth, roving over Jasmine in a way that made her instinctively straighten.

"My friendship with Jasmine is like the most badly kept secret around... but you're from Sinnoh, so it doesn't surprise me that you don't know," Silver retorted.

"I wonder if that'll be a bother to Jasmine. We don't really hide how much we love her, so what if she suddenly gets an influx of people because of us?" Crystal mused.

"She just needs to complain once, and Silver will handle it," Gold snorted. Jasmine gaped at them.

"Gym Leader Jasmine... It's a pleasure to meet you. You probably already know me, but I'm Cynthia Shirona, the Champion of Sinnoh!" Cynthia greeted. She effortlessly moved in front of the gym leader, carrying herself with a self-assurance that Jasmine found envious. Jasmine stared at the tall lady in shock before exhaling in exhaustion.

"Why can't you all just have a normal day?" she asked morosely.

"Oh my... she says the same things as you guys!" Cynthia exclaimed with wide eyes.

"What do you want with my friends, Ms. Cynthia?" Jasmine asked bluntly. Despite the force of the question, it was still laced with Jasmine's underlying gentleness. Cynthia flinched in surprise at the abrupt question. From what she knew, Gym Leader Jasmine was meek on the best of days, a person who you wouldn't realize was in the room and had no issue with that. But this Jasmine was anything but. While quiet, her presence was quite strong! It almost felt like she was looking at a new person...

The Gym Leader had kindly pulled her aside while urging the members of Color to get ready for training. Evidently, that was so Jasmine could speak to her alone.

"It's not as if I think you have bad intentions, but my friends are special to me, and lately, many people have been lining up to bother them. Are you one of those people?" Jasmine interrogated. Cynthia had never expected meeting three children would net so much... well, not quite hostility, but it was close. She found herself wondering for the umpteenth time just what had happened to them to garner such protectiveness.

Lance had quite frankly warned her that he would take immense offense if she did anything to any of those kids. Her fellow champion and friend had always been protective of what was his, so that didn't surprise her... but the seriousness in his voice had thrown her for a loop. He should know Cynthia well by now, but he still felt the need to warn her...

"I understand your concern. After speaking with them this morning, I'm starting to understand, as well." Cynthia smiled.

"Admittedly, I came here for my own selfish reasons. How could I not be attracted to the idea of meeting such rare pokemon, along with a group so peculiar you can't help but believe it was manufactured." Cynthia smiled fondly.

"But what I've seen instead is a group of friends who simply enjoy what they have and are unwilling to compromise themselves for anyone, even a champion. This has added an aspect to them that makes Colors even more interesting! I believe in letting things run their course naturally, so I'd hate to disrupt what they have by being a nosy archaeologist. Instead, I'd like to befriend them and learn about them organically. I want to become a more normal aspect in their lives, instead of a passerby."

Jasmine stared at her for a moment, mulling the words over.

"Thank you for being honest. Admittedly, I'm well aware how unique they are. It doesn't feel real sometimes... but that doesn't change the fact that they are my friends," Jasmine said strongly. She stared firmly at Cynthia, resolve and kindness bundled up into her tiny frame.

"I believe you, Ms. Cynthia... but please, if you offend or hurt my friends in any way, I will make you disappear. The strength gap between us won't help you." Cynthia blinked owlishly at the threat. Gym Leader Jasmine was rather scary...

"I won't hurt them if I can help it! And please, call me Cynthia," she bowed. Jasmine's expression wavered instantly, and she waved her hands frantically.

"Oh, please, there's no need to bow to me! And it might take me some time to drop the formalities... Now, we should go train with them. Silver will start to ask questions if I take too long, and I can't lie to him!" Cynthia laughed a little disbelievingly. What a scary young woman. How could she go from a titan of resolve to this bumbling, adorable girl so effortlessly? The more she learned, the more interested she grew. To think such a sweet gym leader was capable of threatening her so freely...

"I fear I'm becoming obsessed," Cynthia thought with a smile, following Jasmine easily. How exciting! Cynthia never thought the day would come when something would arrest her interest so easily! She truly was eager to befriend them all, regardless of how difficult it might be! She was always up for a challenge. Her ascension in Sinnoh had been anything but easy after all. Achlys protectively wrapped her arms around my neck as Cynthia gazed at her with shining eyes. She gazed warily at the blonde, sinking into me.

My Sneasel purred in content as I raked my hand through her thin fur.

"Achlys! You're the reason I first discovered this group," Cynthia greeted happily.

"Your battle against Breloom was superb. I take it you are a Fighting and Poison type?" My Sneasel glanced at her, nodding promptly. She puffed up at the praise and purred in acceptance as Cynthia reached over to run a hand through her hair. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

"I wonder what methods would be needed to evolve you. Would you require a Razor Claw as well? Would you evolve into a Weavile... or something else," she muttered. I blinked at that.

"Huh... I never thought of that. Maybe her method of evolution is different," I mused.

"Ah, and Archeree! You did a phenomenal job in the League! Despite looking heavier, you still seem incredibly agile for an Arcanine!" Cynthia gushed, bounding over to Crystal's fire type next. Archeree panted happily, allowing Cynthia to pat him.

"This texture... I suspected as much, but you're certainly a rock type, yes?" Cynthia pondered, feeling up his rocky hide with a curious glint.

"Crystal, I couldn't help but notice you had a normal Growlithe after some research. Are you aware this variation of Arcanine actually has a different variation of Growlithe as its pre-evolution?" Cynthia informed her. Crystal's eyes widened.

"Oh? I'm not really sure what happened..." she muttered. I do know that Archeree had evolved using the Fire Stone I had gifted her, but Giratina must have used its dominion over matter to pull off some shenanigans. Cynthia nodded.

"I don't know much, but I was especially interested in Archeree's evolution here. I hope you can divulge some details in the future!" Not waiting for a response, she turned towards the final variation.

"And finally Explotaro! You're almost certainly a Ghost type! Your flames have even changed to match them... I wonder, do they burn as hot as a normal Typhlosion? The way you're capable of manipulating them fills me with such interest..." Cynthia turned to us.

"Believe it or not, I believe I've read about this somewhere. Certain pokemon with alternate typings that have evolved into the ones we know today. There are texts about an ancient Sinnoh—""Hisui," I interrupted. She froze in her tracks, surprise appearing on her features.

"The professors told us about it!" Crystal explained before she could ask. Her eyes glittered.

"Yes, exactly! Information on Hisui is scarce, but I've been trying to learn what I can about it!" she explained eagerly.

"My only interest in it lies in Achlys," I said bluntly, getting a pleased yowl out of her. She nuzzled me happily, prompting a tiny smile to appear on my face.

"Ah, where are my manners! It's only right I show my team! I've brought a little extra, since I figured I could help you all train!" Cynthia announced, reaching for her waist. She promptly released her entire team. We watched with interest as 7 Pokeballs burst open.

"Meet my team! I left Gastrodon and Eelektross home, while Spiritomb isn't really a social gal, but this should suffice," Cynthia puffed up.

"Whoa," Gold muttered, staring at her assortment of monsters with an appreciative gaze. Garchomp, Togekiss, Roserade, Braviary, Milotic, Glaceon... and Lucario.

"I brought Togekiss, Braviary, Milotic, and Glaceon since they match... so I hope you don't mind if they impart some knowledge..." Cynthia trailed off, turning towards Lucario with a look of confusion.

"Lucario, are you alright?" she asked slowly. Cynthia missed the way I subtly tapped Gold and Crystal.

"Look alive," I murmured as Lucario turned directly towards me. My companions let out twin sighs, nodding as a tense silence filled the air... before Cynthia mechanically turned towards me. Her confusion was palpable; her gray eyes clashed with my silver before she turned towards Lucario once more, not even trying to hide the fact that they were speaking to each other through whatever bond they had. Huh, Cynthia probably had Aura. Not many trainers could raise Riolu into Lucario.

It wasn't a well-known reason, but I was sure it had to do with Aura.

"Why is Ms. Cynthia looking at you like that?" Jasmine whispered to me.

"I'll explain it to you later," I murmured back.

"Silver," Cynthia said slowly.

"May we talk? Alone?" I raised a brow.

"You're a little too old for me, sorry."

"Please?" The lack of shame in her voice as she pleaded to speak to me alone even threw me for a loop. I cocked my head and nodded.

"Metagross, stay linked. Record the entire conversation if you can," I drawled.

"Naturally."

"I'll be right back, guys," I announced.

"Sure. We'll get started on training!" Gold grinned.

"Mhm!" Crystal exclaimed. Jasmine looked concerned, but she nodded eventually, turning towards Crystal and Gold while releasing her own team.

"You all make sure to help them," Cynthia said in a daze. Evidently, her change in demeanor was caught by her pokemon, but they must have been used to it. I watched with an impressed gaze as Cynthia utilized those long legs of hers to cross a lot of distance very quickly. She grabbed my arm and dragged me away, but not before I saw a very familiar gleam. That same unsettling gleam that I was first introduced to...

"My oh my, and so it begins," Giratina said in amusement. The last thing I saw was the regret on Lucario's face.

"It's you!" Cynthia hissed in excitement.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I replied easily, leaning against a tree. Cynthia cocked her head in confusion.

"You're the one I encountered at Turnback Cave!" she exclaimed. Now it was my turn to cock my head.

"Jog my memory? Doesn't ring a bell," I drawled.

"You don't remember...? That's impossible! Lucario is very adept at aura readings, and yours is massive and sinister, exactly like the person we encountered at Turnback Cave."

"It was so overwhelming. I didn't think I was ever going to make it out alive... Even now, I can't forget that torrent of nothingness. It only lasted a few seconds, but it felt like years..." Cynthia's face turned into one of understanding as she took a look at my blank expression.

"Oh, I get it! Technically, what you did was incredibly illegal, and I did threaten to arrest you... Not to mention I nearly died there, but you saved my life! I only said those things because of my obligations as Champion, but I was far more curious about you in general," she said earnestly. She sure could talk. Cynthia was totally unravelled.

"Didn't I say? I want to befriend you all! Arresting you would be counterproductive, and I think Lance would try to kill me!" Her grin was blinding.

"My goals have remained the same. I won't try to push any boundaries until you can proudly claim that I'm one of your friends! This is just shocking news for me. I never thought I'd encounter the person I met back there. To think it would be you, a member of Colors... Just what exactly is your connection to..." Cynthia suddenly quieted before leaning in.

"... Giratina?" she whispered curiously. I crossed my arms, staring at her with a listless expression. Cynthia seemed to get the memo and backed away with a small smile.

"I understand. You don't trust me yet, and technically, you haven't revealed that you're the one I encountered. If you do reveal it, nothing is stopping me from attempting to arrest you." She sighed morosely.

"Sometimes, I feel as if this title hampers me more than it helps. This may not mean anything, but you have my word that I won't try anything funny." I didn't doubt that. But what Cynthia didn't seem to realize was that I was trying to do her a favor... But wouldn't hiding too much drive her mad faster?

"You showed more restraint than I expected. Last time I saw you, the mania in your eyes combined with your Garchomp's desire to rip me in half gave off a very bad image," I commented idly. Cynthia's eyes widened.

"Which is why I nearly died?"

"Something like that," I said vaguely.

"But you saved my life... right? Even despite committing a crime in front of the Champion, you still refused to kill me," Cynthia observed. She had a curious look in her eye.

"And is it really right for me to charge you for a crime... in a place that may as well be yours? I don't know your relationship with that cave, but to navigate it so effortlessly... not to mention your control over distortion, must surely mean you have more claim to it than anyone in Sinnoh does." Cynthia Shirona was smart. As expected of a world-renowned archaeologist. I thought about how best to approach this.

"I saved your life, yeah. I don't want anyone to die on my behalf... Would leave a sour taste in my mouth."

"And I'd like to thank you for that, not arrest you," Cynthia said earnestly. She was infuriatingly positive...

"You wanna be our friend, yeah? If I warm up to you, maybe I'll give you some answers," I said placatingly. Cynthia nodded eagerly.

"Of course! I'll continue to respect your boundaries... nothing has changed on my end!" I didn't quite believe that... but she genuinely believed herself, so I'd give her some grace. Of all the people in the world to be cursed, it just had to be Cynthia, the champion of Sinnoh.

"Loathe him I may, Volo was exceptional for his time... and this Cynthia is even more so, not to mention she is the spitting image of him. Of all his descendants, no one is more similar to him than she. It makes it all the more enjoyable to see in real time the slow descent into madness she will suffer." Volo, huh? Well, Volo, I hope you were happy with yourself. If this is what you expected, pissing off Giratina, props to you.

"We're going to be talking later about what exactly Volo did to make you so upset," I said sternly. This pettiness was a little disturbing, and no matter what Giratina said, whatever Volo did must have truly struck a nerve. What was it Giratina said? He only desired a meeting with Arceus?

"How bold of you to make demands of me," Giratina said, not sounding the least bit displeased. I grunted, knowing that despite their words, my demand would be followed.

"Let's exchange numbers!" Cynthia decided. I shut my eyes with a sigh. She truly had no idea what was happening. A girl whose life had been decided by a legendary at birth... She might get along with Yvonne and Calem. They could share details of their curses with each other. I watched with a small smile as Freyja, Kintaro, Totoree, and Cynthia's Milotic chattered eagerly with one another. My Milotic looked overwhelmed, likely not expecting to meet another Milotic... which was fair. Milotic were absurdly rare.

Cynthia was one of the few trainers alive who owned one. I was the most recent one as far as I knew, but it was unlikely there was anyone after me. After all, any trainer with a Milotic would immediately catch attention. Up above, Ares, Garchomp, and Airee were zooming around, while Wartaro and Cynthia's Braviary exchanged curious squawks in their own spot.

Garchomp was growling something unintelligible at the two, but judging by the excitement in Ares' gaze, I reckon they probably didn't completely despise each other anymore.

"What happened between you and Cynthia?" Jasmine asked softly. Cynthia, in question, was off to the side, chatting happily with Gold and Crystal. Her stance was casual as she advised the two on something I couldn't hear. Archeree whined as her hand stopped raking through his hide for a moment, prompting the champion to continue.

"Remember how I mentioned finding Mars in Sinnoh?" I mentioned easily, eyes focused on Achlys being gently coached by the Lucario, along with Ataro and Khanaree. Much to my amusement, little Ruree, the baby Kangaskhan, seemed the most eager. She let out battle cries as she punched the air valiantly. Jasmine nodded.

"Yes, I was so excited to hear about Mars that I forgot you mentioned you were in Sinnoh." I snorted.

"I was on a mission. Collecting an item in a place I shouldn't have been at... I encountered Cynthia in the process, not that she knew it was me," I explained. My best friend looked fascinated by my tale. It was a good thing because Tiny the Tinkatuff, Ifrit, and Apollo were certainly up to no good, Misteree keeping an eye on them to make sure they didn't burn anything down.

"Oh... what happened?" Jasmine wondered. If she looked bothered by my statement, she didn't show it... But she definitely should be, which meant she was getting too used to my antics.

"She nearly died, but I saved her... since she had her Lucario out, she was able to identify that it was me. Thankfully, she seems to appreciate that I didn't want her dead, so it's water under the bridge." Jasmine tilted her head.

"There's more, isn't there?" I smiled wryly.

"I think it's super adorable that you know me so well," I teased. She lightly shoved me with a tiny flush.

"Stop that. I'll get embarrassed," she mumbled. I chuckled and explained the situation to her. All the while, her brows furrowed more and more, her expression turning worried.

"She's cursed with an obsession with Giratina... who's now attached to you?" she whispered in concern.

"Right now, there isn't anything we can do about it... But maybe by keeping her around, I can avoid making her do something stupid," I muttered. So long as her interest in Giratina was contained to me, and not searching more... bizarre areas, her safety seemed mostly intact. In the first place, I think I helped her avoid the fate her other relatives did by turning her attention away from Turnback Cave. It sounded so much more horrifying than anything I experienced in there...

I wonder when the compulsion would have grown strong enough for her to ignore even her pokemon's call. Would her pokemon die with her, or would they leave? It was rather dark to think about.

"Just do what you can... but don't lose yourself in the process," Jasmine murmured. I looked slightly surprised by her request, but eventually nodded.

"I won't. I don't want her to die, but I won't kill myself trying to save her." It was selfish, but that was how life worked. I had my own things to worry about, and I was 12, almost 13. Cynthia had been alive for a long time; I'm sure she'd survive a little longer.

"Good," Jasmine said firmly.

"You've been through enough. I'd love nothing more than to see you take a break..." she trailed off.

"I'll take one eventually... once I finish my business," I assured.

"Things are going fine now... It shouldn't take me that long to finish it all up." Jasmine nodded to herself.

"I'll hold you to that. Remember, my doors are always open." I smirked wryly, pulling her into a side hug.

"Next time we visit, I'll be bringing a lot more people. I hope you don't mind, but you're just too good a host." Jasmine beamed.

"Feel free! I would love to see the full force of Colors..." Her expression turned pensive.

"You plan on building a base eventually, right? Won't you let me help fund it?"

"I don't wanna use your money. You earned it fair and square," I said firmly. She wavered slightly.

"But... But I'm a member of Colors too, aren't I?"

"That's not something you should ever doubt, Jas." I put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed.

"Then let me contribute! I don't want to be excluded from helping just because I'm an established Gym Leader! If I want to use my money on you all, I should be able to... I have too much anyway," she insisted. I snorted.

"I'll let you contribute then. But only a set percentage. I won't let you be the majority. It's a team effort." Jasmine grinned at my firm tone.

"That's why I want to help! I'm part of the team, too. What is my position, anyway?" I mulled it over.

"Wanna be the leader?" I asked seriously.

"No, thank you! The honor is all yours, and you can't avoid it," she denied instantly. I scowled.

"Fine, Mascot." Jasmine gaped.

"M-M-Mascot?!" she spluttered.

"Adorable, marketable, cute as hell, a team that completely juxtaposes how cute you are... Yeah, you're the perfect mascot," I decided.

"You called me cute 3 different times! Stop that!" Jasmine squeaked, trying hard to be furious but failing miserably.

"I know. It was so you didn't argue against me because you were too embarrassed," I drawled. I just smirked infuriatingly at her insistent whines. It felt nice to be able to visit Jasmine whenever; regularly seeing her was great.

"Hey, why don't you just stop being a gym leader eventually so I can kidnap you more?" I asked suddenly. Jasmine blinked.

"I... never thought about being anything but a Gym Leader. I've been, I guess you could say, content with my position. But... But I do find myself lamenting how busy my schedule can be now that I have you guys," she muttered. She gained a seriously contemplative look.

"But I enjoy my duties. I wouldn't want to forsake them," she admitted.

"So compromise," I said easily, cocking my head to the side.

"Lorelei told me that as an Elite 4 member, she actually has a good amount of free time. Just become one of those. You guys don't get battled every day of the week, and you still get to defend the region." Jasmine jolted.

"Me? An Elite 4 member? I don't know about that..." she mumbled shyly. I rolled my eyes.

"You're already the strongest gym leader in Johto, and you don't want to be left behind by us, right?" She shook her head ferociously.

"No! I'll climb with you guys to the top! I may not reach the peaks you guys will, but I'll make you sweat for it!"

"Then becoming an Elite 4 member is the bare minimum for us," I said decisively.

"You're already closer than any of us to that, so shoot for it." Jasmine stared at me in awe before nodding with a determined smile.

"Right, I'll do it! I've got a new goal in mind!"

"The easiest way to gauge that is to crush Clair. She's still pretty strong, isn't she? Annihilate her, and you'll probably be qualified for an Elite 4 position," I mused. She nodded at my truthful words.

"Tiny and Fury are close to evolving, plus Raily is assimilating well. I think those three will be pivotal in my ascension, so I'll keep at it." I smirked.

"Good. Keep it up. I'll surpass you soon enough, but make me fight for it."

"I will!" The gleam in her eyes was distinctively competitive, something that made my own flare up. This was the key to reaching newer heights. So long as I constantly had someone around my level to push me, I'd continue to grow stronger. That's why I was never shy to share information with my friends. I didn't need to rely on gatekeeping to have an advantage. It was far more satisfying to battle a true equal and come out on top. Who cares if I were stronger than them if I just hoarded my own information?

That would limit my growth compared to constantly battling a peer on my level. Only psychos became the best... and psychos did not run from challenges. I would boost up everyone I liked, so that they could boost me up further. This was the fastest way to become the strongest. The more the merrier.

"You three are separating?" Cynthia asked in surprise. Crystal nodded.

"We've been working independently lately in preparation for Johto. I've got some business to attend to as well, and if we really want to meet up, we have each other's numbers," she explained. Gold nodded.

"Jasmine's spot is the meetup, but beyond that, we're doing our own thing. It's actually been pretty fun! I've also got some business sooo on that note..." Wartaro chirped at us, the deep sound resounding in a way that made me believe he was using psychic abilities. He nodded cheerfully at Cynthia's Braviary before taking off.

"I can't believe I got Cynthia Shirona's number!" was the last thing we heard before he vanished.

"There he goes," Crystal sighed fondly, shaking her head in disbelief. She patted Airee on the belly before clambering atop him.

"I'll be leaving, too. I've got a meeting I'd like to get to!" Airee waved cheerfully at us.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Cynthia! I enjoyed it, so I hope we meet again soon!" Crystal waved. Cynthia nodded with a small smile.

"Likewise! If I randomly pop in to visit you, please don't be too offended. I was going to tell Gold the same thing, but I imagine he won't mind," she mused.

"Please just warn me! I already deal with Silver and Gold randomly terrorizing me!" Then, the Dragonite took off. I watched them go with a smile.

"See you soon, Jas," I told her, pulling her into a tight hug.

"Be safe, Silver. Text me that you're okay before you sleep," she requested.

"Kay." I nodded in acceptance before turning towards the Sinnoh Champion.

"So, I imagine you got what you wanted. What are you going to do now?" She smiled. I did not like that smile.

"Well... I was thinking—""No." Cynthia paused at my abrupt interruption. Her mouth opened slightly in shock, and Jasmine giggled loudly.

"You didn't even know what I was going to say!" she protested.

"I could take 3 guesses while only needing 1. I refuse. You should have asked Crystal or Gold," I replied firmly. Cynthia genuinely looked astonished.

"Okay, guess!" she decided.

"You want to travel with me," I said flatly. She deflated in an instant.

"... Good guess," she muttered. The champion sprang up in an instant.

"Was my advice not good enough? I could give more!" she insisted.

"Your advice was more than good enough... You can give more when we're all together. I need no advantages over them."

"You're the most resistant to the idea of friendship. I think the best chance to charm you with my wit is to travel with you for a period!" She actually dared to shoot me a charming grin to accentuate her point.

"Your good looks will only work on Gold," I said stonily. She frowned.

"You're incredibly stubborn," she pointed out.

"It's part of my charm," I replied dryly.

"Never change, Silver!" Jasmine giggled. Cynthia put a fist under her chin.

"Is there any way to convince you?" I stared blankly at her. It was glaringly obvious why she wanted to travel with me, but I didn't feel like traveling with anyone right now.

"I think you should accept," Jasmine said softly, shooting me a knowing look. I turned to her in some disbelief before meeting her gaze. A sigh escaped me, and I pinched my nose. Fucking bleeding heart allies of mine. I got it. Staying around me meant not doing anything dangerous to get more info on Giratina. Fine.

"I'll let you stick around for the time being, then," I decided. Cynthia's smile was dazzling.

"Perfect! Let's get going!" she urged, even more eager than I was. Knowing her, she was trying to get me alone to bombard me with questions. Something something boundaries, huh?

"Remember what I said, Ms. Cynthia," Jasmine said, smiling brightly. Cynthia nodded.

"Of course! I'm not a liar!" I shot them both a strange look before shaking my head.

"Alright, we're leaving." Jasmine squeezed me once more before releasing me.

"I'm going to visit Sapphire! She's been visiting me so often lately, it's really adorable," she gushed. I smiled.

"Tell her we're sorry for not inviting her this time. Next time we'll make it up to her." She nodded happily, waved, and walked off.

"So, where to?" Cynthia mused.

"Mother hen," I replied. Cynthia blinked owlishly.

"What's a hen?" I entered the house without knocking, immediately greeted by Jynx, who beamed at me. I smiled at her, grabbing her hands and bowing slightly.

"Hey, Jynx. How're you feeling these days?" I questioned. A tentative connection reached out to me, one that I allowed through, and Jynx's presence settled into my head.

"Young Master Silver, I have nearly recovered all my strength. Thank you for your concern... would you like me to call for the Mistress?"

"There's no need, I'll find her," I said politely.

"Would you like some time with Oberon?" Her gaze lit up, and she nodded happily. Jynx had a tremendous soft spot for my bear, and while she had been recovering from Mewtwo's onslaught so long ago, Oberon had been helping her when he could. I was glad they had such a legit bond, so I could only watch with a smile as Oberon bowed down to reach Jynx's diminutive height, allowing her to pat him on the head.

"Should I be questioning why Cynthia Shirona is currently with you?" Jynx questioned, staring at the curious Cynthia. Currently, the Sinnoh Champion's eyes were roving all over our spacious home... I needed to remember never to bring her to the island. If Cynthia learned that I was allied with Kyurem, she might never leave me alone.

"If Aunt doesn't complain to you soon, I'd be surprised," I said honestly. A soft giggle erupted from Lorelei's ever-reliant psychic, and she nodded, waltzing off with Oberon so they could talk about whatever they did.

"Aunt... you wouldn't happen to mean, Lorelei, would you?" Cynthia questioned.

"Mhm. She'd probably like to know of our temporary arrangement," I said, stressing the word temporary.

"Sounds fair enough to me... lead the way!" Cynthia was one of those people who flipped a switch when battling. Outside of battles, she was fairly excitable, if not a tad airheaded, but once she entered them? It was like looking at a different person. Kind of like... I huffed, strolling directly to my twin's room. I knocked twice on the door before asking, "Are you decent?"

"Silver?! Is that you? What type of fucking question is that?!" Mars barked, moments before I pushed open the door. She gaped at me.

"You didn't even let me answer! What if I wasn't?!"

"We're twins."

"You're a disturbing human being." Lorelei looked distinctly amused.

"At least he knocked this time. I've heard many a complaint about how he has no respect for your door," she mentioned. Mars grumbled.

"I'm gonna start locking it."

"That won't work on me," I informed her, stepping into the room to regard my family. Lorelei stood up to greet me, only to pause at the flash of blonde behind me. She turned in confusion, only to freeze in horror at the sight of Cynthia stepping into view.

"Hello, Lorelei! It's been a while since we last spoke. How have you been?" Cynthia greeted her happily, strolling up to her confidently with a hand outstretched.

"Champion Cynthia... what are you doing here?" Lorelei asked slowly. My aunt, ever the professional, grabbed her hand easily. Amusingly enough, Mars let out a noise between a raspy gasp and a weak wheeze.

"I wanted to visit after watching such a marvelous league! My desire to meet the members of Colors trumped nearly everything, so I came here as soon as possible... I'm surprised you didn't know," Cynthia pointed out. Lorelei adjusted her glasses slightly.

"I am no longer a member of the Elite 4. Gym Leader Sabrina has taken my spot," she explained. Cynthia gasped.

"Congratulations on retirement! You've had a wonderful journey. I do hope you'll still battle me sometimes... between you and me, Garchomp is not a fan of Lapras at all," she whispered. My aunt smiled.

"I'll keep that in mind..." The champion beamed before her gaze shifted.

"Mars!" she greeted. Mars choked.

"Y-You know me?!"

"Not very well, but I'd be eager to get to know you all better! I'm hoping we can all be on friendly terms for the future." Lorelei looked bewildered. She shot me a long look, and I sighed.

"She figured out it was me at Turnback Cave." Both the adults jolted in obvious shock.

"She knows?!" Lorelei gasped.

"You told her?!" Cynthia exclaimed.

"I won't hide anything from Lorelei and Mars if I can help it," I said firmly. My twin and aunt both flushed at my resolute tone, smiling the same smile. Cynthia had her own smile, nodding at my words.

"In that case... I understand you might be wary, but I truly have no intentions of charging him for anything!"

"She'll be traveling with me for a bit, so I figured I'd let you know in advance." Lorelei nodded slowly at my words, gauging my expression for a bit before accepting it.

"Inter-region relations are always important, and Sinnoh is our friend. I have no complaints," she decided. My aunt fixed Cynthia with a firm stare.

"I do not doubt your intentions, Cynthia, but please respect Silver's boundaries. I have very little tolerance for people who do not," she warned. Cynthia bowed politely.

"It's clear everyone cares dearly for one another, including Silver. You can trust me." Lorelei smiled.

"Good. Have fun, and please do try to avoid causing trouble. Silver is enough trouble by his lonesome." I raked a hand through my hair.

"I've avoided trouble for a while now. I think I'm good." Lorelei shot me a glare.

"I won't even go into details about how that is a bald-faced lie. Just remember to at least sleep here." I saluted lazily.

"Of course. By the way, Mars... we're gonna have a big meeting sometime soon at Olivine. As a member of Colors, you're coming." Mars nodded thoughtfully.

"I'm bringing Lyra. She doesn't qualify, but she's my traveling companion, and I don't want her to feel left out."

"Just keep that maniac away from me," I muttered.

"No promises." I exhaled.

"Alright, Champ. I've got some things I wanted to do, so you can just shadow me or something." Cynthia saluted.

"With pleasure!" I pulled Lorelei and Mars into a hug before waving once at them.

"I'll be back for dinner." As punishment, I needed to come back every night to sleep here. Lorelei actually grounded me after the Kyurem escapade... and I just accepted it because why not.

"Be safe," Lorelei muttered, kissing my forehead.

"I always try and fail," I retorted dryly.

"Am I invited to dinner?" Cynthia wondered. I shot her a heinous glare, only for Lorelei to tug my cheek and say, "You are, yes. I suppose you're a guest for the time being, so you're free to stay here until you return to Sinnoh."

"Thank you, Lorelei," Cynthia said warmly.

"Let's go," I said sourly, marching off with a scowl. I didn't need to look behind me to understand that Cynthia was following me. How fun. I needed to talk to Lance about keeping his friends in check. Wasn't he way too nice a Champion?

"Only he would be upset traveling with Cynthia Shirona," Mars commented idly. Lorelei laughed softly.

"If there is one thing I appreciate about him, it's how unapologetically himself he is."

"Don't tell him, but I think it's pretty cool," her daughter admitted. Lorelei's smile widened.

"I as well. Now come, we have preparations to make, don't we? I'm glad Silver is so prone to leaving," she mused. Mars nodded excitedly.

"Sure! Let me call everyone!"

"So what have you been doing in your downtime?" Cynthia asked curiously, biting her ice cream with a pleased hum. If she noticed how horrendously cold it was in this cave, she made no mention of it.

"A little bit of everything," I grunted. Across from me, Achlys punched a poor Swinub halfway across the clearing. I watched it tumble across the floor with a blank expression, slowly pulling out a Luxury Ball.

"Hm. What was the last thing you did, then?" Cynthia pushed.

"Raided a base to capture criminals," I replied dully, strolling up to the Swinub. I crouched in front of it, extending the Luxury Ball so that I could capture it.

"The ground-type is one of the most powerful types. You are merely handicapping yourself by refusing to catch one." I abruptly froze. Cynthia watched me, stroking a hand through her Glaceon all the while.

"Is something preventing you from catching that Swinub? Not the right size? I think it's pretty healthy for a Swinub, and it seemed a little quick on its feet. With some work you two can probably—" Crunch. Whatever she was going to say abruptly died on her lips at the sight of me crushing the Luxury Ball. I ignored the shards digging into my gloves and the Champion staring at me with wide, horrified eyes, pushing myself up with a blank expression. The thrum of power in my body abruptly died down, and I sighed.

"No good... I really can't catch a ground type," I muttered under my breath, smiling at the worried Achlys. She grabbed my hand, inspecting it with anxious mewl.

"I'm fine, girl... just an instinctive response." I stared at the remains of the Luxury Ball with a frown before fishing out a potion. I sprayed the little Swinub, ensuring that it wasn't just a sitting duck for the local Sneasel to prey on. After realizing the distress I had been putting Lorelei in, I decided to make good on my promise to capture an ice-type. The one that would be most useful to me was without a doubt Mamoswine... but as you can see, I ran into a startling issue. I still hated Ground types.

Just the thought of capturing one filled me with so much revulsion that I had outright crushed my Luxury Ball, which was not an easy feat.

"Are... you alright?" Cynthia asked warily, approaching me with visible concern. Before I could say anything, she grabbed my hand and peeled the glove off, revealing the cuts underneath.

"Do you have bandages?" I reached into my bag and grabbed them, watching as Cynthia diligently took them out of my hands. I watched as she expertly wrapped the gauze around my hand with an ease that spoke of experience. She caught my stare and smiled.

"I got injured a fair amount while traveling when I was younger. So many interesting things caught my attention, and I just had to see them, but some of them were in... not the safest places," she explained.

"Since I traveled alone, I got pretty good at wrapping myself up. Lucario is also really good. Been doing it since he was a Riolu." I listened to her ramble with a frown. With Swinub's capture failing, I had few ice-type options that I truly desired. There was Sneasel in the Ice Path, but judging by how Achlys had violently beaten one who had teased her, she would probably never get along with her counterpart. Troubling. What choices did that leave me, then?

I had no interest in capturing a Delibird or Smoochum, who also inhabited this cave... and I didn't want a Lapras either. There was one ice-type that seemed okay enough. Snom, I think? It had an interesting recessive ability called Ice Scales, which helped it absorb more damage. It would definitely help with the fact that my team, while wielding plenty of defense, didn't have one dedicated to it. Gaia and Freyja were my two most defensive pokemon, but they were just as offensive.

The problem with looking for an ice-type was that I needed a more defensive option, but ice-types were sorely lacking in that department, and I had below zero interest in catching an Avalugg. Coupled with the fact they had countless weaknesses, it was a tall task to find the ideal one. I sighed. A thought for later, then.

Doubling up on types wasn't really my preference, but I already owned two fire types, and Freyja was basically a dragon-type, so I guess it was fine for me to get a steel-type or something later down the line. Either that, or a defensive rock-type... but they almost suffered the same issues as ice-types. Decisions decisions.

"All done," Cynthia announced, releasing my hand with a satisfied look. She had done a great job, wrapping it up evenly around my hand.

"You didn't have to do that. I have Gaia... but thanks," I said eventually. She smiled before her expression turned serious.

"I've never seen anyone react to a pokemon quite like you just did... but considering you healed the little Swinub, you don't hate that pokemon in particular," she observed.

"Nothing serious. Just decided Swinub wasn't the right capture for me." Cynthia looked utterly unconvinced, but dropped it.

"The Ice Path... You know, I would love to take some time and travel Johto," she admitted. I stared at her.

"Oh yeah?" She nodded eagerly.

"Johto is packed with so much history that I'd love to uncover! There are so many points of interest... The Ruins of Alph is one place I'd love to visit, not to mention Ecruteak City!"

"Then why haven't you?" I cocked my head at her, expression pondering. She genuinely seemed excited to talk about Johto, but she hadn't yet indulged in her curiosity?

"I've done some research, but normally I'm investigating... Giratina," she admitted. Just how deep did her obsession run? Evidently, it was the reason she was traveling with me right now, but how much did Giratina pollute her thoughts? I could tell she was doing everything in her power to avoid riddling me with questions. The fact that she was trying to respect my boundaries despite the compulsion demanding she do the complete opposite... made me respect her a little more. Cynthia Shirona was exceptional.

It was no wonder she was able to become champion despite her urges demanding she do other things.

"What do you even know about Giratina?" I finally asked. Her gaze lit up.

"Not much, to be honest. Information on Giratina is very... hidden. It's almost like someone went out of their way to wipe it from the annals of history... was that you?" she tested.

"I'm 12 years old," I said flatly. Cynthia had the decency to look sheepish.

"Right, I forgot that. Previously, when we first met, I thought you were an effigy or an avatar of sorts... so hearing Lucario tell me that you were the one I encountered back there left me surprised," she said honestly. I grunted.

"I was retrieving an item. It was supposed to be quick, but I had no idea there was some signal." Cynthia hummed, eyes glittering with greed.

"It was a little something I alone know about. Just a little device that lets me know if someone enters the cave... I'm sure you know of the strange properties of it." Ah.

"You did it to prevent anyone from potentially staying in there and dying, I take it?" She nodded at my observation.

"Turnback Cave is a mystical place, one that is impossible to navigate properly. Time flows strangely in there, the space is deceitful... and there's a constant pressure boring down on a person, wearing away at their sanity. Even I'm not able to stay in there for long. It feels like I'm being broken apart and being put together," Cynthia admitted. The blonde shot me a curious look.

"But not only did you manage to navigate it... It even seemed like you got what you went in there for, and not only that, I thought the area was furious at your actions, hellbent on killing both of us, up until you managed to quell it without saying a word." I didn't react to the piercing gaze, filled with a boundless curiosity.

"Imagine my surprise, seeing all of this is done by a 12-year-old. I respect your boundaries; I really do want to befriend you all, but I'm curious as to how," she said bluntly. I said nothing for a moment, mulling it over in my head.

"I won't tell you how. I don't trust you enough..." I said bluntly, reaching into my coat and revealing the string wrapped around my neck. Attached to it, shrunken to not cause any uncomfortable obstruction, was the Griseous Orb.

"This is what I was after in that cave," I revealed. Was revealing this smart? Who knows... but regardless of whether I kept information from her or not, she'd always be in danger due to her compulsions, and since she latched onto me as a vital connection to Giratina, she'd quite literally never leave me alone. Cynthia's eyes widened to epic proportions. Before she could yank the object out of my hand, I pulled it away.

"That's not a good idea," I warned her, even as a tiny whine escaped the grown woman.

"Why?" she asked in disappointment. The temptation to grab the item out of my hand was prevalent, but I fixed her with a hard stare that stilled her... for now.

"This is the Griseous Orb. It's an artifact directly tied to Giratina, and the reason I entered the cave," I explained slowly, tucking it away before she got any ideas. Were I anyone else, I had little doubt that Cynthia would force the object out of my grasp. The look in her eyes was a tad unsettling... but I had never been one to beat around the bush. She shot me an assessing look.

"What are you exactly? What's your relationship with Giratina...?" Cynthia couldn't help but ask.

"I'm Silver, and they're my sugar mama." She blinked owlishly.

"H-Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"

"I've never met a human capable of speaking so audaciously. Do you have any idea who you are saying this about?" Giratina asked.

"You give me gifts for free, get jealous easily, and love the idea of being partners. I think I've described you perfectly," I drawled. I felt a rare pulse of amusement that was actually my own at the sound that sounded eerily like a sigh.

"Do as you wish, Troublesome Boy." I snorted.

"Alright, I'm done here. This mission was a failure, so I need to compensate with something," I muttered. Cynthia looked disappointed by my abrupt change in topic, but nodded regardless.

"Compensate?" she questioned.

"You're traveling with me, so you'll help," I decided promptly. Cynthia was an open book of emotions. She was never afraid to show how she was feeling in the moment. Right now, her curiosity rolled off of her in waves.

"Okay! What are we doing?" I smiled. Clair idly tugged at her bodysuit with a sigh, the tension draining out of her body as she entered her private home. She immediately reached up and removed her hair band, allowing her high ponytail to run free. Unlike the other gym leaders, Clair did not appreciate the downtime period. It prevented her from having a necessary excuse to avoid meeting the elders of her clan.

Such meetings normally ended in Clair's patience running empty as they regaled her with tales of her cousin's exploits. Lance this, Lance that... There was nothing that Lance couldn't do because he was the most promising Wataru in history. And who else but Clair was forced to listen to this? Worst of all, her cousin had not even visited, as he had been prone to doing during the downtime.

Clair understood he had his obligations, but she was allowed to be a little upset that he had left her with the Sharpedo, so to speak. It was exhausting. Clair loved her cousin dearly, but there was only so much she was willing to hear, especially considering she was only one year younger than he. She needed the circuit to begin again. Clair did not have friends, preferring to keep to herself. She was a Wataru, one who needed to surpass Lance... the same Lance whose attention had been ruthlessly stolen by— Hoh?

So you do recognize me... and would you look at that, the little brat is upset that her big brother Lance thinks other people are more interesting than her. You must be frothing at the mouth at the fact I get along so well with him. Clair twitched violently.

"I need a bath," she muttered to herself. Yes, a long, long bath would do her well. She was the greatest dragon trainer in the world. She was the greatest dragon trainer in the world. She was the greatest dragon trainer in the world... Satisfied with her mantra, the gym leader took a single step before freezing as a strange sensation washed over her. She immediately reached for her Pokeballs, only to curse as she realized she had already released her team outside.

"Who's there?!" she barked. Nothing. Clair had a frown of confusion on her face, her tense stance loosening up. She was tired. After her very long bath, she'd get some much-needed rest. Her brain was fried hearing so many compliments on one human being, no matter how deserving. Mind made up, Clair turned around to continue her gait to the bathroom, only to freeze at seeing a tall, amorphous figure standing at the end of her hall.

It stared at her before two red eyes began glowing and a toothless white smile split the creature's face. There was a brief moment of silence before her expression shifted, and Clair unleashed the most shrill shriek she had ever heard come out of her mouth. It was a noise that would leave her embarrassed just thinking about it for years to come. The very moment she screamed, the shadowy figure fizzled out of existence... not that she saw it.

"DRAGONAIR! TO ME RIGHT THIS INSTANT!" Clair panted harshly, hand reaching for her chest as Dragonair hastily glided into her home with a look of panic. She pointed at the spot the strange ghost had been at, only to blink harshly at seeing nothing there. Dragonair cocked her head, turning concerned eyes towards Clair. She crooned in worry, nuzzling Clair.

"I... but... what?" Clair trailed off, staring at the spot with befuddled eyes and a jamming heart. She made no move as Dragonair gently beckoned her to her room. She knew what she saw. There had been something there! What in the world was that? There had definitely been something there. Clair was sure of it!

"Can I ask why you did that?" Cynthia questioned slowly. She had a dumbfounded look on her face, handing me my Pokegear, which had recorded the entire thing. I looked supremely satisfied, accepting the device out of her hand.

"Clair is a bitch, one whom I've declared war on. I'm going to make her life miserable until she learns how to remove that stick from her ass. Well done, camerawoman," I praised.

"You're using the Champion of Sinnoh to record crimes," she pointed out.

"I know. I would have recorded myself, but I wanted to see her reaction with my own two eyes," I sneered.

"I-I see," Cynthia muttered, looking mildly disturbed.

"Don't worry, there is fundamentally no proof that we were there, but I'm positive she'll find a way to pin the blame on me," I offered dismissively. She cocked her head.

"Wasn't that a bit excessive? You and Loki have quite the twisted imagination to create such a horrifying creature."

"She should be glad I decided bodily harm was off the table."

"I'm beginning to see why you and Giratina have a connection..." she trailed off. I snorted, feeling a little better now.

"Alright, now we can leave." You: Sent a Video.... Several people are typing. Catcher Girl (Crystal): Oh no Hatcher Boy (Gold): LMAOOOO Evil Twin (Mars): Let it be known that I'm laughing my ass off, but why the hell did you do this? Ninja Girl (Janine): I feel like I've missed something important. Why do you have footage of Clair... screaming? Jas (Jasmine): Oh my Mew, Silver. Please don't tell me this is real footage. Praise The Sun (Sapphire): Is... is that Gym Leader Clair? You: She started a war.

Just reminding her what that entails. Praise The Sun: W-What does that even mean?! Hatcher Boy: Hahahahaha, ur a demon, Silv. Catcher Girl: Well, we did declare war on her... but I feel a little bad. I didn't think Clair could scream like that. Jas:?! WHEN DID YOU GUYS DECLARE WAR ON HER?! You: During the League. No one gets away with attacking Jasmine. Ninja Girl: Clair attacked who now? Where the hell are my kunai?! Jas: Guys, seriously! You don't have to be so mad on my behalf.

I-I already told Silver I'd crush Clair in a battle. Goodness, Silver, she looks like she's seen a ghost! Wasn't that excessive? You: That's only the beginning. Evil Twin: Try living with him. If I oversleep, he wakes me up in the worst ways possible. Praise The Sun: Oh! Are you Mars?! Nice to meet you. I'm Sapphire! Evil Twin: Nice to meetcha! Silv told me we had a new member... I think we'll be meeting soon. Jas: I love watching new friends meet, but I have to interrupt. Silver, stop terrorizing Clair! You: Nah.

She has beef with me, too. I can't just ignore that... and I've already declared war. I won't go back on that until she surrenders. Ninja Girl: I'm with you! Let's give her hell! Jas: JANINE! Catcher Girl: There goes the Crashout Duo... Hatcher Boy: No one messes with our little sister. Clair fucked up big time. Catcher Girl: Scratch that... Crashout Trio. Jas: You're all unbelievable. Mars, Sapphire... never be like them, please. There's still hope for you two. Evil Twin: Well... Praise The Sun: I'll do my best!

Jas: That fills me with dread. You: It's inevitable. Anyway, we'll talk later. I've got other things to do. Don't forget we're all gonna be meeting up soon. Catcher Girl: It'll be our first official Colors meeting! Hatcher Boy: We'll leave gathering everyone to you, Silv. Evil Twin: I'm bringing Lyra. Catcher Girl: I'll bring her then. Jas: It'll be at my home. Bronzy and I will prepare snacks and refreshments. Praise The Sun: Oh man, oh man! First official meeting?! I'm so excited! Will we get uniforms?

Hatcher Boy: That's... actually not a bad idea. We can all get matching uniforms in our signature colors. Catcher Girl: I like it! Silver and I will probably hash out the details. Praise The Sun: That means mine will be sapphire in some way?! That's so cool! You: I'll talk to Domino. Pretty sure she's good at sewing or something, I dunno. Ninja Girl: I frequently repair my own clothing. I can help as well. Evil Twin: Uniform, eh? I like it! Good thinking, Saph. Praise The Sun: O-Oh! I-It was nothing...

Um, I'm gonna go now, bye! You: You embarrassed her. Shame on you. Evil Twin: Shut up dickface! I didn't do anything! Catcher Girl: Let's call it here! Talk to you guys later! Evil Twin: This isn't over, twin. I'll see you tonight. You: Sure. Looking forward to it. Ares hissed at the pounding rain, glaring down at the battlefield. Her eyes darted all over, but a thin beam of ice forced her to dodge.

Her eyes honed in on the direction it had been shot from, and the Salamence immediately unleashed a barrage of miniature Dragon Pulses. Freyja was long gone from her position, gliding across the battlefield at tremendous speeds. She kept her gaze focused on Ares, never once removing it from the massive dragon. She returned fire with her own flurry of Dragon Pulse, watching as they sailed harmlessly past Ares. The Milotic looked annoyed. Ares had never been the fastest around.

It was one of the few things that kept Freyja competitive with her before evolution... well, when she wasn't using Dragon Dance. But her change into a Salamence banished all of that, granting her incredible speed, along with ludicrous power. It was absurd just how much power evolution had granted her. Her boasts as a Bagon and Shelgon hadn't been for naught. Freyja was rather annoyed that she and Ares seemed to boast the most changes from their respective evolutions.

The two of them had gone through their own metamorphosis. Ugh, Freyja hated how similar they were. Ares locked onto her with a violent gleam, vanishing from her spot in a display of speed that left Freyja dizzy. She only had a moment to whirl around before the massive, overwhelmingly heavy Salamence crashed into her with the full force of Aerial Ace, a move that had quickly shot up to becoming one of that cursed dragon's favorite moves to use.

The Salamence effortlessly upheaved the Milotic before sending her careening across the battlefield at dreadful speeds. Ares grinned a bloodthirsty grin, turquoise flames licking her lips before she unleashed a massive plume of draconic flames. The Dragon Breath was massive, carving through the rain with enough force to clear everything in its path. Even mid-flight, Freyja wasn't going to let such an attack freely connect. She winced, but cocked her head and unleashed a hastily formed Dragon Breath.

It spoke of her incredible control because the turquoise flames unleashed were exceptional. While dwarfed in size, Freyja had poured a moderate amount of power very quickly into it. The two Dragon Breaths collided before Ares' own bulldozed through it. Freyja braced herself, holding up her tail and blocking it with the hardened scales around her tail. She hissed from the attack, but heaved and pushed aside the attack to the best of her ability.

She only had a moment to surround herself in a Twister before Ares could collide with her again. The Salamence halted her flight before she could get sucked into the vortex of water and dragonfire. Freyja huffed, surrounding herself in a ring of water that steadily ebbed at her wounds. Her eyes narrowed, and she stared at the looming Salamence. She and Silver had been practicing far more with Twister...

so Freyja could only watch in satisfaction as she ripped open a hole in her shield and unleashed a thin ice beam that collided with the shocked Salamence. Ares howled in surprise as her body temperature abruptly dropped. A green barrier shimmered into existence before Freyja could bombard her with more of the attack, and she shivered harshly. She snarled at the annoying Twister before taking a deep breath.

The winds picked up around her, amplified by the heavy rainfall, and Ares growled triumphantly, pouring more power into the attack. It had taken painstaking effort, and while the technique was still lacking, nothing needed to be said about the power behind it. Freyja let out a shout of surprise as the Hurricane tore through the battlefield with little regard for who was on it. Her twister was torn apart, while the winds battered her relentlessly.

She squealed at the power behind the attack, ripped from the ground by the winds, only for a flurry of Dragon Pulses to crash into her. She gasped, writhing from the pain before a meteor crashed into her, courtesy of Ares slamming down from above. The ground shook as she supplemented the power with a brutal Earthquake, knocking the wind from the Milotic.

"That's enough," Silver said easily, watching Ares float away from Freyja's body. The Milotic gasped, shakily pulling herself up even as tremors wracked through her body. Ares growled triumphantly, a fire in her eyes. She bowed her head in respect.

"You've become a worthy rival, Bottom Feeder. I expect that this defeat will not keep you down for long," she praised. Freyja huffed, accepting the potion from Silver with a sigh. He sprayed her down, muttering something soothing in her ear.

"The Brute is actually acknowledging me? I never thought I'd see the day," she retorted, wrapping her body around Silver, who accepted it easily. He beckoned Ares over, prompting the Salamence to glide to the two.

"My arrogance often bites me, and I've been humbled enough. After my subpar performance at the tournament, I have decided to conduct myself properly," Ares admitted.

"You are a worthy foe. I desire for you to grow stronger, so that you may push me to grow stronger. We will use each other to decimate any other opponent." Freyja looked surprised. Ares and Silver were dreadfully similar, so it was expected that the loss would stick with her.

"Make no mistake, Bottom Feeder. I've awaited this victory since you humiliated me while I was in my shell... but now I see how useful you are. I intend to go on a warpath soon, and you are my greatest motivation," Ares grunted. Freyja glared at her.

"Don't use me for your own gains, Savage Brute. I'll grow stronger and crush you beneath my scales as you deserve!" Once she learned those fairy techniques, Ares would hate her even more. Suddenly, she wasn't so against learning them anymore.

"Milo! I need your help with something!" Freyja shouted, rocketing off towards Cynthia's Milotic. Ares scoffed at the sight of her rival vanishing. She would never admit to respecting the Bottom Feeder, but Ares could acknowledge her efforts. To grow from that puny little fish to the formidable serpent before her... Impressive. Ares had always been gifted, but the fish had fought for it. Ares would never say it aloud... but she respected Freyja. She was a worthy rival.

"If you have enough energy to bask in your victory, you have far too much stamina to expend. It is easy to climb the top, but all the more glorious to maintain," Garchomp growled. Ares scoffed.

"You may remain perched atop yours for the time being. A time will come when I rip you and all other lesser dragons off it," she swore. The dead-eyed land shark gained a vicious gleam. She was frosty on the best of days, but the prospect of being surpassed by a fellow dragon seemed to excite Cynthia's strongest.

"I look forward to it, Little Big Dragon." Ares hated that nickname, but her efforts to make Garchomp stop failed wonderfully. Her name was Ares; she represented power, war, and brutality. She was no Little Big Dragon. She thought back to her display at that tournament with a dark gaze. Because of her rampant temper, Silver had been forced to focus on keeping it in check instead of discussing countermeasures for the countless trainers who had eyes on her. He took fault for that, but the blame lay solely on Ares.

She should not allow her emotions to rule her; it was unbefitting of someone of her stature. Moxie... what a troublesome ability. Perhaps mother had reason to be wary of it, but mother did not desire a solution, so mother was wrong. Ares was not born into this world to be coddled. She was born to conquer. Ares would conquer her enemies, conquer these dragons, and conquer this cursed ability of hers.

She would not allow it to dull her senses, would not allow it to hamper her intelligence, and would not allow it to cloud her judgement. Ares would give everyone a reason to keep their gaze on her, and then she'd shatter their resolve regardless. Such was her resolve. Metagross and I glanced up as a lithe blue figure approached us.

"Lucario," I greeted. The fighting-type bowed politely, prompting me to nod respectfully. Metagross said nothing, eyeing Cynthia's most technical fighter with a blank stare.

"They have been eyeing you from the moment of your reveal," Metagross informed me. I grunted through our connection, idly leaning against my psychic.

"I figured." Lucario gazed warily at me. I felt something tentatively reach out to touch me before pulling away as if burned. At the same time, the Lucario flinched back harshly, wary gaze turning outright guarded.

"Did you want something?" I asked politely. I stared at him with a cocked head, my expression not revealing anything of what I was feeling... but for a pokemon like Lucario, it didn't need to see. It just needed to feel. I wonder what it felt from me. Lucario steeled himself and reached out once more. I mercifully allowed it to connect, so that the pokemon could say whatever the hell it wanted to say.

"Such weight. It's oppressive," Lucario murmured.

"I'd appreciate it if you got to the point," I interjected coolly. Lucario's sharp gaze turned towards me.

"Trainer Silver, I'm sure you are aware that there is something amiss with my trainer, Cynthia," he began. His voice was pretty deep, not on Mewtwo's level, but it was certainly deeper than mine... Not that that was a hard bar to clear. Man, I couldn't wait till I grew up.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said blandly. It shut its eyes.

"I care for her deeply. Since I was a Riolu, I have done my due diligence of guarding her." I said nothing outwardly.

"My trainer is one of the most brilliant human beings I've ever met. Her sunlight encompasses all of Sinnoh..." Lucario shut his eyes.

"But where there is light, there is darkness... and the stronger the light, the greater the shadow the darkness casts." The jackal stared at me.

"Ever since she was a rookie trainer, Cynthia has had strange compulsions that overtake her sense of reasoning. There have been many attempts where she has thrown herself into danger with no regard for her own safety." I immediately put up my hand.

"No offense, but I don't care about her history. Why do you feel the need to tell me this?" Lucario sighed.

"Because in trying to regulate her tendencies, I have made the most egregious mistake yet, by having her meet you." I raised a brow.

"In my efforts to stem her unhealthy obsession, I unknowingly pushed my trainer into the most perilous situation. I am the reason her attention has shifted to you, and it is my mistake that I even revealed it. If I had the foresight, I would have never revealed your identity." I snorted.

"Woulda done me a favor if you hadn't. Now look at the mess you've dragged us into." Lucario shut its eyes.

"You have a direct connection to whatever forces compel Cynthia to act the way she does... and to make matters worse, your aura has darkened to levels even worse than our last encounter. I fear at this rate, you will accelerate the issue I've tried my hardest to keep under control."

"I imagine you're here for a solution then?"

"There is nothing I can do." I looked mildly surprised at the Lucario's admittance.

"My trainer is an unstoppable force, both in battle and spirit. Were I capable of stopping her, I'd no longer need to worry about her safety. All I am capable of is slowing the spread of the infection, but now that you are a factor, I am incapable of doing such a thing anymore."

"Were it up to her, she would discard all her duties to learn as much as she could from you... But the more she learns, the more this terror inside me grows." I stared at him.

"And the only one who can slow it down now is me," I observed. Lucario watched as I waved my hand.

"It's too late. The moment she realized who I am, that flowing river you tried to contain transformed into a waterfall. And it's too much trouble to try to contain a waterfall. All you can do is trust that your trainer's light is bright enough to cast away the shadows," I said truthfully. The fighting-type nodded.

"I suspected as much." I eyed him.

"I'll ensure she doesn't forsake her duties. She'll have to return to Sinnoh eventually; I'll make sure of it. I have no interest in being shadowed by a Champion for long, but for now, it's best to sate some of her curiosities, enough that she feels satisfied for the time being." Lucario nodded thankfully.

"I thank you for that... and I have a warning for you."

"Without the safety of your allies, I can feel how daunting your aura is. You are chaos born as a human, a calamity in every sense of the word. Whatever issue you may have, I hope you resolve it."

"Your concern is noted," I said dismissively.

"I do not warn you for your sake; I warn you for my trainers. If you continue down this path... I am certain that she will be a casualty. If you place any harm on my trainer, I will fulfill my duties as her guardian."

"..." I said nothing for a moment, cocking my head.

"Ideally, I'd like to avoid that future, but if something like that does happen, then by the time your trainer becomes a casualty, I don't see how you'll be able to defend her." I stared coolly at the confused Lucario.

"After all, you'll be one too. I don't do things by halves, and leaving behind a bunch of vengeful champion-level pokemon goes against my code. Bit too stupid, y'know? You think I wanna deal with a Garchomp?"

"What's that orb Gaia's using?" Cynthia asked in fascination. She was hovering my Meganium, who was cradling the Meteorite like it were her egg.

"An item I stumbled upon that she's taken a shine to," I replied automatically, watching as my starter continued to get a feel from the object. Right now, she wasn't making any headway, but I had faith she'd make a breakthrough soon. Cynthia nodded curiously.

"Her ability to use fire... I'm utterly fascinated by it. Can you tell me a bit about it?" I glanced at her.

"It's a combination of techniques. From what I know, the only other pokemon who can learn her specific set of moves is the Oddish line, but they aren't as in tune with nature as a Meganium, so I guess you could say it's exclusive to her line." I put up three fingers.

"Weather Ball, Natural Gift, and Nature Power. I've only got two-thirds of the technique figured out so far, but Natural Gift is eluding us. Nature Power doesn't normally take from the weather. It's normally the surrounding environment, but Gaia and I found a middle ground. We're drawing energy from the sun in a similar manner to Weather Ball to shoot off Flamethrowers, or from the rain to shoot off Hydro Pump," I explained. Cynthia listened to my explanation in fascination.

"Genius... by gaining a deeper understanding of nature, you've been able to unlock a part of Nature Power that truly lives up to its name," she muttered. I nodded.

"We're still workshopping it. This is only the beginning... but I'm expecting it to take a while to reach the level I envision," I told her. Her eyes sparkled.

"It's no wonder you and your gang dominated the League! What a fascinating concept... Do you mind if I pick your brain a little more?" she questioned.

"You've already been doing that," I said flatly, gazing at my Pokegear.

"How long do you plan on traveling with me?" She opened her mouth, but I put up a hand.

"Give me a realistic answer. You are not traveling with me indefinitely," I interrupted sternly. She shut her mouth with a small frown.

"I suppose until I have to get back to my duties. Not that I really want to. I'm having fun," she sighed in discontent. I eyed her.

"Too bad. What are you, a kid? You have your obligations."

"Unfortunately," she agreed. That wasn't good at all. Cynthia, if she had the choice, would probably actually stay near me for as long as possible. It was up to me to place boundaries because, as I mentioned before, I was not going to be traveling with a Champion. Traveling with Green had already garnered me far too much attention, and that was before either of us had gotten famous. Traveling with Cynthia would put a target on my back larger than my dad's ego.

"I'm not traveling with anyone during my journey through Johto. That includes you... especially you. I'm not going to start any controversies by being the reason the Sinnoh champion refuses to do her job. I'm controversial enough," I informed her. Cynthia sighed.

"That's fair. Lance would probably bite my head off as well. You wouldn't think so, but he really does take his job as champion the most seriously of us... Though, I heard Champion Geeta is as diligent as he is. No wonder they get along so well!"

"I'm not even remotely surprised... though, I'd expect the most responsible to be Steven Stone," I mused. Cynthia snorted.

"Steven?! Oh please! I've known him for years, and let me tell you, he's the last one who wants his job. Effective he may be, no one wants that title less than Steven. He laments forfeiting it every time we talk," she explained. That... made a lot of sense. Steven wasn't even the Champion in Emerald.

"How close are you and the other champions?" I questioned curiously. Cynthia smiled fondly.

"Lance, Steven, and I are quite close by virtue of our regions being so close to one another. We all ascended to our positions at around the same time as well. Recently, our four regions have become rather strong allies. It's why I can just walk in here and travel with you with just a warning," she explained playfully. Her expression turned more contemplative.

"I admit that I don't know too much about the other champions beyond brief mandatory meetings. Champion Alder is the oldest of us. He's a well of knowledge with a personality as boisterous as Lance's! I'd love to have more conversations with Diantha and Geeta, but I don't often travel to Kalos or Paldea," she mused, cupping her chin.

"Oh, I heard they're training up a young man in Galar as well. A boy named Leon? He seems quite strong, but Galar rarely interacts with the outside world! I think it's a little shameless to prop some boy up as the strongest champion without even letting us test it," she muttered. I listened to her rambling with a hum. For a Champion, I'd expect Cynthia to know more about the others, but it seemed like she barely even interacted with Diantha and Geeta.

I would have liked to know more about Diantha so that I could learn how to work around her presence when I made it to Kalos, but I had time.

"Admittedly, I don't pay much attention to the things around me, but the one time I do... I meet you and your gang! Aren't I lucky?" Cynthia looked proud of herself. It was ironic that she considered this lucky because I thought the complete opposite. Things never slowed down for me, huh?

"I'm grounded, so I need to be home now," I muttered, clapping my hand once and capturing all my pokemon's attention. They all approached me, and I watched Ares lagging next to a satisfied Garchomp.

"I need Ares to fly, you damn landshark," I scowled, looking at her condition. Garchomp merely huffed, those disturbingly lifeless eyes staring fearlessly at me. I stumbled as her head collapsed against me, her eyes already shutting from exhaustion. She growled as if saying she'd still fly me wherever I needed to be, but I shook my head.

"Rest up, girl. I'm not gonna push you," I murmured, rubbing her cheeks. I returned my team to their balls with a sigh, turning towards Cynthia.

"Are you seriously coming to my Aunt's place?" I asked sourly. She nodded obliviously, clearly not sensing my command to say no.

"Would you like to fly on Garchomp or Togekiss? We should be heading back now!"

"Not a chance in hell. Ares will kill me." I raked a hand through my hair and exhaled, red seeping into my eyes. Metagross wasn't fast enough to fly me to my destination... and he was uncomfortable as hell for extended periods of time. Stupid jerk refused to let me put a blanket or a pillow on his head. Cynthia stiffened at that, eyes widening. Without having to say anything, she hastily returned her team to their balls and approached me.

"Are you about to use that technique you used back at Turnback Cave?!" The excitement in her voice was clear as day, something that made me nearly pinch my nose.

"How do you have so much energy at this time? Yes, I am," I groused, beckoning her closer. I grabbed her arm and exhaled, vanishing with the visibly excited Champion. Cynthia gasped harshly, stumbling about to a degree that made me glance at her in some concern. My brows were furrowed, and I idly reached out to steady the woman.

"You alright?" I asked slowly, steadying her. She blinked rapidly, taking a deep breath.

"Yes, I'm fine. It's just... I felt the strangest sensation. Like walking into a home you haven't visited in years," she murmured. My eyes narrowed slightly at that description, but I stored it away for later.

"Can you tell me anything about that?" Cynthia asked, eyes gleaming. She turned towards me with a hopeful expression, something that prompted me to sigh.

"A technique that I mostly use for travel. If a certain pokemon uses it, it suddenly becomes far more than just a move for travel. Thankfully, I'm only a human," I explained easily. Her eyes glowed in fascination, but to my surprise, she restrained herself. Cynthia just beckoned me towards my home, which made me cock my head. Lorelei didn't like it when I just appeared inside. She preferred it when I went through the door or even the window. Since I was with Cynthia, the window was unfortunately out of the...

window. My adorable aunt also kept trying to upgrade the windows. It was really cute that she thought I couldn't break in. I fished out my keycard and flashed it at the access point, watching the light dance slightly before turning green. The door unlocked and seamlessly slid open.

"I'm home," I announced. I stepped through, raking a hand through my sweaty hair before deciding to take a shower.

"The house is big enough. Just find a spare room or something—""SURPRISE!" I jolted violently, nearly leaping backwards through the door at the loud noise. My hand immediately reached for my knife, a wild gleam entering my eyes... before I registered everything. My body slackened in surprise as I took in the... decorations. The most noticeable was the massive decor that read out "HAPPY 13th BIRTHDAY SILVER!"... Huh?

"Happy Birthday, Silver!" an assortment of people I knew cheered. Gold, Crystal, Jasmine, Mars, Janine, Lorelei... the Mothers, Colors Jr, Lyra... My mouth opened in surprise as they all smiled at me. Today... was my birthday? Huh? I never once really thought about my birthday. Too much to do to pay it any attention... but in doing so, I had been completely blindsided by the fact that my aunt, who was smiling so proudly at me, would probably throw a celebration.

"Thank you for keeping him distracted, Cynthia," Lorelei bowed politely. Cynthia's smile was effortless.

"Of course! I don't think he even realized today was his birthday, considering he told me he was 12 years old, so it really wasn't difficult," she mused. My aunt approached me with a small smile. She tenderly grabbed my cheeks, staring into my stunned gaze.

"Surely you didn't think we'd skip your birthday? From now on, we will celebrate every single one," she assured, kissing my forehead gently. I said nothing for a long while before I tenderly hugged my aunt.

"Thank you," I said quietly, squeezing her tightly. I felt the building tension exit me for the time being, and I did nothing to rein it back in. For now, I would enjoy my time with my family and friends... One day was fine. I could continue my crusade another day... but I think I deserve to celebrate my birthday.

"Anything for you, Silver. Always," Lorelei murmured, stepping back slightly. I instinctively caught Moon, who had rushed me with a tiny smile on her face.

"Happy birthday, Big Bro. How old are you now?" she asked, snuggling into me with a soft sigh.

"13," I replied, ruffling her hair.

"Wow... Big Bro is so old!" Sun laughed.

"Whoa, whoa! He's the youngest of us Elder Colors! Don't call him old... that means I'm old!" Gold gaped, hoisting up Sun and getting the child to squeal. Crystal smiled softly.

"You didn't think we'd forget your birthday, did you, Boss?" she asked playfully. I shook my head.

"I definitely did... but I forgot you dorks were cheesy like that," I chuckled. Mars leapt onto me next with a wide grin.

"Aww, look at my baby brother becoming the same age as me! Maybe the mature age of 13 will help you grow up a little." I caught my twin with a shake of my head.

"Older than me but can't beat me in a fight, with or without pokemon," I teased.

"Shut your mouth! That'll change soon!" Mars barked. Lorelei chuckled, grabbing a cup of hot chocolate to sip on.

"Go and clean up. Then we can celebrate. Thanks to the mothers, we were able to cook up quite the feast." I nodded with a small smile.

"I'll be fast, and then we can celebrate." I gently placed Moon down before removing my shoes and placing them aside. Then, I took slow steps towards my room, head running with dozens of thoughts. The last thing I heard was Janine shouting, "Is that Champion Cynthia?!" which sparked a cacophony of noises. They were too good for me sometimes. Those idiots didn't know how much I appreciated their presence... Lorelei... since the very beginning, she had been looking out for me.

Even after I endlessly doubted her, even after she realized I was a criminal, she stood by my side and got the family we both wanted. I loved that lady. She was the mom I wish I had growing up. I pushed open my door with another sigh, only to freeze at feeling a presence in my room. My eyes darted over to my bed, and I abruptly stopped at making eye contact with a tiny little creature. Much to my horror, I noticed a cracked-open egg right next to it.

Blue eyes stared up at me as the positively tiny pokemon drank in my appearance, immediately imprinting onto me. A snow-white pelt, pale blue paws, curly locks of hair... and a single white tail, also curly in nature. The Alolan Vulpix yipped, struggling to get to its feet and rush me, only to collapse on the extra layer of blankets protecting my bed. Slime and bits of the eggshell stuck to it, not that the ice-type noticed, and I continued to stare in disbelief as it cried out to me.

I had a dumbfounded look for what felt like hours, but was only a few minutes, before my expression contorted. Lorelei happily hummed, drinking her hot chocolate with a small smile. She was the only one not to react to the very loud, "WHAT THE FUCK, LORELEI?!" Her smile simply widened. She ignored the people jumping and continued to sip away.

"Happy birthday, son," she practically sang, raking a hand through her Ninetales with a satisfied grin.