Chapter Text
An inevitability with dating is that your friends are going to ask to meet your partner. Frankly, Cynthia was surprised it had taken so long. She’d received a letter from the Sinnoh league during her trip away, and when she explained the situation, the only question most of them asked was “When are you bringing her to visit?” Soon, she figured. They’d be the first to know.
Or so she’d anticipated. What she didn’t account for was how quickly Caitlin’s friends would move. The Unova League didn’t so much ask as tell, and scheduled an event in Undella Town. “Official League Business,” they’d called it. The two had, of course, agreed to go at once.
They’d rented an entire floor, with a buffet selection, and plenty of open space. In the back corner, a man with dark hair and a deep blue suit sat with a hand of cards, smirking up at them, a mischievous light in his eyes. An indoor arena for battling was set up in an adjacent room. A dark-skinned man with a puffy blue jacket stood in the arena, arms folded and eyes locked firmly, Cynthia swore, on her. From near the buffet, she recognized Alder, the current head of the League. At their approach, he gave a friendly wave and a bright smile, hurrying to them.
“Welcome, both of you!” Alder called, his arms raised high. “I’m glad you could make it.”
“We live here, Alder,” Caitlin said flatly.
“Even so,” the man said with a wide grin. “Will Darach be joining us?”
“No, he asked to excuse himself this evening,” Caitlin said.
“Unfortunate,” Alder grumbled, before quickly changing his tune. “So, this is Cynthia! I remember hearing about you. Becoming champion at such a young age is quite the feat!”
“Thank you,” Cynthia said, pride swelling in her chest. “And of course, I’ve heard of you, Alder. One of the longest-reigning champions of the region. Your reputation precedes you.”
“No, I’m well past my prime!” Alder laughed.
“Listen to you, speaking like you’re too old to function,” Caitlin grumbled. “You’re hardly that old, you just want an excuse to retire early.”
“Can you blame me?” he laughed. Alder gave a final smile to Cynthia, then said “Well, I’m glad you’re both here. Get yourselves comfortable. Grab some food while you can. The others will be on you soon.”
“What does that me-” Cynthia began.
“Caitlin, you made it!” a jovial voice called out. The woman that sprung into view had short violet hair, and a large black collar that, frankly, looked excessive. The woman gasped. “Is this…?”
“Yes,” Caitlin confirmed. “Shauntal, meet Cynthia.”
“Oh, it’s so nice to meet you!” Shauntal said enthusiastically. “Caitlin has told me so much about you, it’s nice to actually have a face to the name.”
“So this is Sinnoh’s champion,” the man in blue said with a wide smirk. “The name’s Grimsley. Good to meet you.”
“Shauntal, Grimsley, nice to meet you both as well,” Cynthia said. It seemed everyone was rather eager to meet with her.
“Cynthia, how are you liking Unova so far?” Shauntal asked.
“It’s been nice,” Cynthia admitted. “Much warmer than Sinnoh. The water here is incredible. I’ve been taking some time while Caitlin’s away to do some exploring.”
“Ooh, anything around town catch your interest?” Shauntal asked excitedly.
“No, like...archaeological exploring,” Cynthia explained. “There’s a ruin in the bay here, and I was curious, so I went to research.”
“Coming to visit a beach resort, and instead of relaxing, you go off on a research trip,” Grimsley laughed. “What an odd choice of hobby.
“I suppose you’d rather spend your time here in a gambling den,” Caitlin teased back.
“We all have our vices,” he said with a smirk.
“I get it. An underwater castle really ignites the curiosity, doesn’t it?” Shauntal said.
“Exactly! I just have to know as much as I can about what their lives were like! What sort of culture it was, what they accomplished,” Cynthia said.
“Oh dear,” Caitlin muttered. “If we let this go on, we might lose them.”
“I believe they’re already lost,” Grimsley said. “You know how Shauntal gets when presented with a curious idea.”
“I’m afraid Cynthia is no better,” Caitlin sighed. What was that supposed to mean? Cynthia started to press the issue, before the fateful question was posed.
“Did you find anything out?” Shauntal asked.
Cynthia could feel the energy crackling through her entire body. “Well,” Cynthia said, trying to restrain the urge. She turned her gaze to Caitlin, who sighed, but nodded with a soft smile. Cynthia beamed. “Lately, I’ve been researching this stuff about an ancient deity that’s pretty obscure. There are all sorts of markings that point to its existence, but little that talks of its true nature,” she began, the words pouring out of her mouth as she pulled out a small notebook to show. Caitlin laughed softly, and excused herself, Grimsley following suit. It was for the best. This might be a while. “Did you know there are indicators this entity may have been known here? The Abyssal Ruins I mentioned earlier? I found these plates that are nearly identical to the ones in Sinnoh, and seem to have a deep connection!”
“No way,” Shauntal breathed, her eyes alight. “That’s so cool! How did two different places have such similar objects? Maybe some kind of mass exodus? Or a lone individual, traveling across the sea in search of a better life!”
Cynthia felt her mind race. She was in her element. “I haven’t found any direct records, but there are many such transfers of culture between regions like Johto and Sinnoh, so it’s possible some made the trip across the ocean. The question is how they accomplished this before the creation of vessels capable of sailing that distance.”
The two continued to converse, Cynthia losing complete track of time, until her stomach growled loudly. “Sounds like you could use a bite to eat,” Alder said, appearing with a plate of food. “Our friends here may have been over-eager.”
“Oh, sorry about that,” Shauntal said apologetically. “I didn’t think about that at all.”
“Don’t sweat it,” Cynthia said between mouthfuls of food. She was, admittedly, far hungrier than she wanted to admit.
“Pardon me, miss Cynthia?” a voice called. It was the man from the battle court. “My name is Marshal. I would like to request a battle, if you have the time.” She stared at him, cheeks full of food. “Perhaps...after you’ve eaten,” he finished.
Cynthia quickly stuffed the last of her meal into her mouth and began walking. “No, let’s do this,” she said, her voice muffled. This was a welcome addition to the evening.
Marshal took his place in the field, opposite Cynthia. The court was sectioned off from the festivities, to allow combatants to go all-out. As the two took their positions, the others began to crowd around. “What do you say, Caitlin?” Grimsley asked with a smirk. “Care to make a wager?”
“Always,” Caitlin said confidently. “I have absolute faith in Cynthia’s abilities.”
“I suppose that means I’m betting on Marshal,” Grimsley said, producing a coin. With a quick flick, he tossed it into the air, catching it again in his palm. “Hmm, doesn’t look so good for you,” he taunted.
“What does a coin flip have to do with anything?” Caitlin snapped.
“Who can say?” Grimsley answered cryptically. Caitlin glared and muttered something under her breath.
“I do not wish to take up your time,” Marshal cut in, “so let’s keep this to a simple one-on-one.”
“Sounds good to me,” Cynthia said, producing a Pokeball. The decision here was obvious. As the others gathered to watch the match, Cynthia gave an energetic wave to Caitlin. Caitlin smiled softly, waving in return. At the count of three, the two released their chosen Pokemon.
“What is this?” Marshal asked with a snort.
“You’re a Fighting-type master, aren’t you?” Cynthia replied. “I figured I’d test my muscle against yours.” Lucario let out a sharp bark in agreement.
“That’s quite the gambit,” Grimsley snickered. “I hadn’t taken her for a gambling woman.”
“No gamble, just a test of skill,” Cynthia said, the fire in her heart blazing. This was her kind of welcome party.
“I see,” Marshal said, smiling for the first time. “Then I will meet your challenge head on!” His own Lucario snarled, taking its position.
“You can do this!” Caitlin cheered.
“I can’t lose with you backing me up,” Cynthia said.
“You’d best not!” Caitlin said seriously. “I can’t lose to Grimsley!” Cynthia laughed weakly. Was that what was important to her?
With a call, the two Lucario closed in, fists flying. Powerful blows landed, one after another, the rhythmic clash of steel echoing through the chamber. With each motion, Cynthia follow through as if supporting Lucario in its effort. She watched carefully as Marshal did the same. The ease with with his body flowed through each strike and counter showed the dedication he put into his training. He was someone who would pursue victory with everything he had. Cynthia smiled. This was someone who gets it.
With a shout, she gave one final command to Lucario, throwing the full force of her fist forward as if guiding him. Marshal’s Lucario took a defensive stance, taking the hit at full force and standing tall. Cynthia’s eyes widened as Marshal’s Lucario struck hers in the chest, throwing it back to land face-down on the court. She had lost.
“Impressive,” Marshal said. “You have trained your Pokemon and your body well. A feat any martial artist would take pride in.”
“I could say the same of you,” Cynthia said, sweat beading on her brow. “Your movements were incredible, and your Lucario is quite the force.”
“Then I acknowledge you now. Your strength is real, your heart true,” Marshal said, stepping forward to stand before her. The two clasped hands in a handshake, though Cynthia noted his grip was slightly stronger than expected, his eyes suddenly quite serious. “Forgive me for testing you like this,” he whispered. “Caitlin is part of our family now, and I needed to be sure...”
Ah, protective, Cynthia thought. “I promise, I’ll treat her well,” Cynthia said seriously.
Marshal smiled. “That look in your eyes,” he said, “it tells me what I want to hear. It’s an honor to meet you, Cynthia.”
“You as well, Marshal,” she said, smiling brightly.
As the two returned to the group, Caitlin scowled. “I can’t believe you lost,” she said.
“Sorry,” Cynthia said sheepishly. “Hopefully the wager wasn’t too much?”
“Nothing much. Just our pride,” Grimsley smirked.
“That’s worse than the money!” Caitlin protested.
“Still, you put on quite the show,” Grimsley said. “A confident trainer that keeps her cool even in defeat. She really is quite the woman. Rather outside of our league, wouldn’t you say?”
“Grimsley, if you wish to leave tonight with your teeth, I suggest you shut up,” Caitlin snapped, a deep fury in her eyes. Yet rather than snap, she took a deep breath and said “I find myself tired. Excuse me.” With one last huff, Caitlin stomped away.
“You shouldn’t have said that” Marshal said plainly.
“I’ll apologize later,” Grimsley sighed. “I meant it as a sincere complement, but it seems all I did was anger her.”
“You’re lucky she didn’t toss you into the wall,” Shauntal laughed.
“Is that...something she’s done before?” Cynthia asked nervously.
“Oh, no,” Shauntal said. “But we all know she could.” Caitlin absolutely could.
“Should you go to her?” Marshall asked.
Cynthia shook her head. “Most likely, she’ll want to be left alone right now,” she said.
“Well then, shall we get back to it?” Grimsley asked. “Cynthia, perhaps you’d care for a quick game of chance?”
“So long as I don’t need betting money, you’re on,” she said. Grimsley’s eyes shone at the challenge.
The party continued on for hours, until finally exhaustion began to hit. The others were fun, but there was only so much activity she could handle in a day. Cynthia searched for Caitlin, who had been absent for some time, and found her resting on a nearby couch. Cynthia sat next to her, shaking her shoulder gently. “Are you ready to go home?” Cynthia asked.
Caitlin shook her head, but flopped over to rest against Cynthia’s shoulder. “You’re having fun,” she mumbled.
“It’s alright, I’m tired too,” Cynthia said.
“Done already?” Grimsley asked. “The night is just starting!”
“Let it go, Grimsley,” Shauntal said seriously. “You know Caitlin tires easily.”
“I’m fine,” Caitlin grumbled. “We can stay.”
“I think we’re going home,” Cynthia said with certainty.
“Perhaps we should let her rest a moment,” Marshal said. “She may not be able to walk herself in this state.”
“That won’t be a problem,” Cynthia said. “Come on, Caitlin. We’re heading home.”
“Cynthia, we don’t have to-” she began. Cynthia wrapped an arm around Caitlin’s back, and the other under her knees, scooping her up into her arms. “Waugh! Put me down put me down!” she shrieked, wrapping her arms tightly around Cynthia’s neck as Grimsley cackled.
“Take care on the way home,” Alder said. “And Cynthia, stop by again some time! You’re always welcome.”
“I’ll be sure to say hello next time I’m in town,” she said. “I owe Marshal a proper rematch now, after all!”
“I’ll be eagerly awaiting your challenge,” he said with a smile.
“You’ll have to tell me all about your research,” Shauntal said. “It makes for such good writing material!”
“Take good care of her,” Grimsley said, his tone serious for the first time all evening. Cynthia nodded, and turned to leave, Caitlin already falling back to sleep in her arms.
As they made their way through the empty streets, Cynthia watched the stars twinkle in the night sky, getting lost in her thoughts. They were good friends, and she thought she had made a good impression. Though perhaps she had yet to truly win over Marshal. And Grimsley...the man lived for a thrill, but his sharp tongue was something that could get him punched if he wasn’t careful. Shauntal was a delight though. Cynthia was already thinking about research stories to share next time they met.
A soft murmur snapped her from her thoughts. “Are you okay?” Cynthia asked quietly.
Caitlin grumbled, seeming to rouse herself from sleep. Her brow was furrowed, her eyes fierce. “Just annoyed,” she said sleepily.
“Oh?” Cynthia asked with a laugh. “What’s got you riled up?”
“Grimsley and his stupid mouth,” Caitlin seethed. Her expression seemed only mildly annoyed, but for her to still be angry, hours later...this really bothered her. Cynthia remained silent, waiting for her to continue.
“Among the four of us, I am both the youngest, and the lowest ranked,” Caitlin said. “My goal is to make up that difference, and to improve. I want to be their equal. To be your equal. And to be told otherwise, it...hurt.”
“I’m sorry,” Cynthia said softly. He was so punched.
Caitlin groaned loudly. “It was stupid and wrong anyway!” she proclaimed. “If I have to beat him to prove it, so help me I’ll do it!”
“I’ll be rooting for you,” Cynthia said. “Try not to break anything.”
“No promises,” Caitlin said. Having vented her frustration, Caitlin’s eyes softened. “Thank you.” Caitlin reached up, gently stroking Cynthia’s face. “You have always been my strength. I want to be that strength for you as well.”
Cynthia could feel the heat rising to her face. Caitlin’s deep blue eyes had softened, the earlier fury giving way to something more...fearful. Something in that comment rattled her confidence, and wanted reassurance, even if she couldn’t say it.
“Well, until you can believe it yourself, know that I’m proud of you,” Cynthia said, leaning forward to kiss Caitlin’s forehead. “I know how hard you’ve worked, and how far you’ve come. Having someone as driven and passionate as you are inspires me to work harder too,” she whispered softly. “There’s no one else I could be happier with.”
Caitlin nodded, satisfied. Cynthia laughed softly, kissing her forehead once more. “You know, you can just ask for reassurance when you need it,” Cynthia pressed. Caitlin grumbled, turning her face away. “You’re cute when you’re flustered,” Cynthia teased. Caitlin narrowed her eyes, then snapped up, placing a quick kiss on Cynthia’s lips. Cynthia froze, eyes wide and face red. “That’s cheating,” Cynthia said.
“That’s what you get for teasing me,” Caitlin huffed. “That you could do something so cruel. And after everything nice I said about you!”
“Sorry, sorry,” Cynthia laughed, nuzzling Caitlin’s cheek. Caitlin smiled, closed her eyes, and rested against Cynthia’s chest.
“I love you,” she yawned.
“I love you too,” Cynthia whispered, taking care to walk steadily along the trail, until Caitlin fell asleep in her arms.