"Do you want to meet him in person?"
"Is there a problem with that?" Cynthia asked, tilting her head slightly.
Professor Rowan rubbed the back of his neck, looking thoughtful. "You might overwhelm a Rookie Trainer with all that attention so early on."
Cynthia paused, considering his words. "Fair point. I shouldn't put too much pressure on these kids before they've had a chance to grow. Just send me his info, I'll skim it over and catch a quick nap afterward. Oh, did he say anything about how he picks his Pokémon?"
"He's all about looks," Professor Rowan replied with a faint grin.
Cynthia's lips curved into a smile. "That takes me back. I was the same way once. Style's half the fun of raising Pokémon, isn't it?"
"I'll leave you to it, then. Best of luck in your Champion match." Professor Rowan skipped the usual pleasantries about not losing, given Cynthia's track record, it'd be odd if she did.
"Night."
As the video call flickered off, Cynthia turned to the PokéNav beside her. An email from Professor Rowan popped up, complete with an attached report. Scrolling to the end, she noted that this kid, Luther, had his eye on a Heracross.
She read through the details carefully, Luther's wandering focus mid-battle, his awkward expressions catching her eye. Then, when Jumpluff took the field, a flicker of nostalgia softened her gaze.
Jumpluff seemed to snap Luther back into the fight, and what followed was a brutal mix of mind games and strategy. Professor Rowan hadn't caught that a simple switch could turn the tide, or maybe he'd been too rattled by the threat of Spikes to see it. In the end, Calm Mind sealed the loss.
It was an incomplete 6V6 battle, mirroring one she'd fought long ago, where she, too, had pulled off a flawless Team Support.
Cynthia rose and paced the courtyard, lost in thought.
Her home stood in Sunyshore City, a sprawling coastal hub never pinned down in the games or anime. Nestled near Veilstone City, it hugged the shoreline, gazing across the waves toward Lily of the Valley Island.
The last census crowned it Sinnoh's most populous city.
Silence never suited Cynthia, she thrived in the hum of life, finding peace in bustle over solitude.
Spotting her awake, the Wailord and Glaceon lounging in the courtyard ambled over.
Realizing she'd forgotten their dinner, Cynthia released the rest of her team, divvied up the Pokémon food she'd prepped earlier, and crouched down to watch them dig in with a fond smile.
"Hey, Garchomp," She said, "There's a seriously tough Trainer on the rise."
Garchomp, clutching its bowl, flicked its eyes up at her, then went right back to eating.
Cynthia gave it a playful tap. "I'm not kidding. I've told you before, my big break started with a 6V6 evaluation. That's how I met all of you."
Her wistful tone made every Pokémon pause, bowls clinking as they looked up at her.
"Today, another Trainer cleared that same 6V6 hurdle."
The team swapped glances. Garchomp broke the silence, scooping up its bowl and chowing down again.
Wailord, Glaceon, Togekiss, Spiritomb, and Milotic stared at their leader, baffled by its indifference.
Cynthia sighed, half-amused. Lance had once told her Pokémon take after their Trainers over time. Apparently, Garchomp had picked up her love of food and not much else.
She swiped Garchomp's bowl and dumped its contents into Wailord's. "I'm actually curious about this kid. Since I took the stage, I haven't had a real rival. Lance barely swings by Sinnoh, leaves me twiddling my thumbs."
"Among the Elite Four, only Lucian's got a shot at testing me. Now here's a Trainer walking a path like mine, same vibe, same instincts. How can I not take notice? Professor Rowan wouldn't call me up for just anyone. Garchomp, get your head in the game, someone might be gunning for your throne soon."
"Throne" was a media buzzword. Back when Cynthia debuted, some claimed Garchomp carried her to victory, not her own skill. Over time, she'd silenced the doubters, turning the jab into a running gag between her and her ace.
Garchomp just huffed, tilting its head proudly.
Cynthia knew its attitude well, too few battles had ever pushed it to the brink, so this new Trainer barely registered as a blip.
She couldn't help feeling she was overhyping Luther herself. But after smashing through Sinnoh's ceiling, it'd been ages since anyone climbed up to share the view. And that...
Felt downright dull.
Lance might've been the first to pick up on her restlessness. He'd suggested she shake things up, try battles beyond the Pokémon League's stuffy rules, like raw, no-holds-barred showdowns.
So, after throwing on a hoodie, Cynthia masked her identity, set up a fresh online profile, and logged into Sunyshore's wildest battle club, ready to dive into the fray.
When Diantha returned to Sunyshore City to visit Cynthia, she caught wind of an interesting rumor, an unknown Trainer had won fifty consecutive wild battles using nothing but a Wailord.
Cynthia scoffed at the idea, unimpressed. A single Pokémon relying on Team Support moves wasn't exactly thrilling compared to an official Pokémon League battle.
Diantha found Cynthia's attitude ridiculous. Excitement in battles didn't just come from fighting equally strong opponents. If she wanted to feel that same tension, she'd have to handicap herself, either by using newly trained Pokémon in the wild or by restricting the power of her own team to make things more challenging.
Cynthia didn't consider that battling. She called it fishing.
The wild battle scene had exploded in popularity, and Diantha, now in Sinnoh, figured she might as well test her Pokémon's growth. However, before she even had a chance to send out her Sinnoh-raised team, the opposing Trainer hesitated and cautiously asked if she was the one who had achieved those fifty consecutive victories. That's when Diantha realized the truth, Cynthia had been disguising herself in a way strikingly similar to Diantha's own style. The only difference? Cynthia wore a hat and glasses for concealment.
Back at Cynthia's villa in Sunyshore City, the two strongest female Champions shared a heated discussion, not about battle strategies, but about how to make their lives more interesting.
Diantha gifted Cynthia a full set of limited-edition merchandise from her endorsements and personally taught her how to play the latest Pokémon battle simulator. Watching Cynthia fly off in boredom after their gaming session, Diantha finally made a suggestion:
Train a rival.
Whether Cynthia would start from scratch or pick an existing Trainer was up to her.
In Diantha's mind, Cynthia's problem was simple, she was bored. As long as she found something stimulating, she'd be fine. So, she encouraged Cynthia to continue her studies on Sinnoh's ancient ruins and legendary lore.
After all, the vast history of this world, with its countless forgotten sites, would keep her occupied for a long time.
And it did.
Three months later, when Diantha returned to Sunyshore City to promote her fashion line, Cynthia had completely transformed. She was now a gaming enthusiast and a dedicated archaeologist, but the one thing she hadn't done was to train a rival.
Cynthia defended her choice. Simply picking someone at random to be her rival would be disrespectful, to both herself and the Pokémon she had raised with care. What she needed was a worthy opponent, one strong enough to be worth her time, not just another challenger passing through.
Diantha couldn't help her with that. After their customary 6-on-6 battle, she returned to Kalos.
Still, Cynthia had to admit, Diantha's suggestions had brightened her once-monotonous life as a Champion. Thanks to her, Cynthia had planned out her schedule after the Lily of the Valley Conference. Once the Pokémon League season ended, she would have a year and a half of downtime, plenty of time to explore Kalos.
Of course, the idea of two Champions appearing in Kalos together was exciting in itself.
Cynthia gladly accepted Diantha's invitation. Only someone in the same position could understand the emptiness that came with reaching the top. And perhaps only another female Champion like Diantha could truly relate to her feelings.
But now, finally, someone had appeared. Someone worthy of being her rival.
For the first time in ages, Cynthia felt the stirrings of anticipation.
"Heracross, huh? Should I find someone to trade one to him?" Cynthia frowned, thinking about how to help Lude get the Pokémon he desired. "No, no… if he wants to be my rival, he should earn the Pokémon's recognition himself. Trading would be too easy."
After a moment of contemplation, her eyes lit up. She walked over to her video phone, picked up the Pokémon League directory, and quickly found a number to call.
The phone rang three times with no response. Finally, on the fourth, a somewhat tired voice answered.
"Oreburgh Gym. Who's calling?"
The voice on the other end sounded groggy.
"Yes? Who is this? If you're a challenger, Gym battles are over for today. Come back tomorrow."
"This is Cynthia. I need a favor."
There was a brief pause. Then, a sharp intake of breath.
"Wait, Champion Cynthia?"
Gym Leaders, while directly affiliated with the Pokémon League, rarely interacted with the region's strongest Trainers, especially the Champion.
"Sorry, I just came up from the mines. The signal might be weak. Is this personal or League business? If it's League-related, I might not be able to help."
"Personal," Cynthia replied. "I need you to keep an eye out for any wild Heracross near Oreburgh City. If you find one, post the details on a few popular local information networks. Keep the listing public."
The Gym Leader was confused. This wasn't exactly a difficult request. Every city had its own Pokémon sighting bulletin boards, and some Trainers even posted bounties on rare finds.
"Why not post it yourself? With your reputation, that'd get a lot more traction."
Cynthia sighed. "I'm helping someone, but some platforms don't allow anonymous requests. I'd rather keep my name off this one. Just make sure the listing stays public. I'll transfer the reward funds directly to you."
The Gym Leader hesitated for a moment but ultimately agreed. It was a simple task. Still, he was curious, who could possibly be important enough for Champion Cynthia to personally intervene?
He'd heard that Diantha was Cynthia's closest Champion ally. Was Kalos's Champion looking for a Bug-type to train?
Cynthia had no idea how much the Gym Leader overthought the situation. She had done her part. With that task handled, she finally noticed something,
She was starving.
She hadn't eaten since last night. Between gaming and researching old texts, she had completely lost track of time. Now, her stomach was making its complaints known.
Cynthia wasn't much of a cook, one of the reasons she preferred living in cities. With restaurants everywhere, she never had to suffer through her own terrible cooking.
Whenever Diantha visited, Cynthia was in heaven. Diantha's cooking skills were amazing, a rare luxury Cynthia got to enjoy without leaving her house.
Diantha had once suggested hiring a personal chef, but Cynthia had declined. She valued her personal space too much. If she ever hired someone, it would be a butler from Unova, someone to manage her long-abandoned estate.
She checked her reflection in the mirror, making sure she looked presentable. Satisfied, she recalled her Glaceon, who had been happily lounging in the sun, and stepped out of the villa, facing an age-old dilemma.
What to have for dinner?
Inside the now-quiet villa, the only sounds were those of Pokémon eating.
Garchomp stood tall, gazing down at the Wailord that had been happily munching away.
Sensing a chill, Wailord slowly lifted its head, meeting Garchomp's narrowed eyes.
A tense moment passed. Then, Wailord nervously nudged its bowl forward in a silent offering before shrinking behind Togekiss for protection.
And just like that, Cynthia's villa remained as peaceful as ever.
(End of Chapter)