March 21st, Saturday. Sunny.
Today was the final day before the Psychic-type Master Tournament began.
It was also the day Cynthia would arrive in the Johto region to cheer for Aiden and Caitlin.
Skillfully snoozing his Rotom phone, Aiden half-sat up in bed after waking from a hazy sleep, letting out a long yawn.
Did I arrive too late? A 7-hour time difference isn't that easy to adjust to…
After muttering to himself, Aiden immediately raised both hands, slapping his cheeks to rouse his dormant energy.
Stretching fully revived, he glanced at the weather outside.
Hmm, as expected.
Casually retrieving the Sunny Day doll hanging by his window, Aiden nodded in satisfaction.
Indeed, sometimes a bright sunny day was absolutely necessary.
Sinnoh and Johto were geographically close—the Battle Frontier was even situated between the two regions. Caitlin's Battle Chateau was one of its renowned structures.
Thus, traveling to Johto was far more convenient for Cynthia than for Aiden—at least she didn't need to endure a several-hour flight.
Moreover, compared to Miraidon—who still lacked flight capabilities—Cynthia's Garchomp was reportedly no slower than a passenger jet in aerial efficiency.
So they'd agreed to meet directly at the arcade.
Though slacking off before a major tournament sounded unprofessional, it was well-known that relaxation before big exams was essential for stress relief.
"What do you think, Sylveon?"
"Sylveon?"
After washing up, Aiden turned to Sylveon, asking unexpectedly. As anticipated, he received a confused stare in return.
"Nothing."
Aiden smiled, stroking its head as he quietly inquired:
"By the way, do you want to come with me to meet Cynthia today?"
"Sylveon!"
To Aiden's surprise, Sylveon—who hadn't seen Cynthia in ages—immediately shook its head vigorously, its body twitching like a rattle drum.
"Alright."
Seeing this, Aiden could only nod helplessly.
Seems my Pokémon's thoughts don't always align with mine. Maybe they prefer to refine their skills one last time?
"Well then, I'll head out first. You all stay in the room. If you go outside, don't wander too far—be careful not to get lost in unfamiliar places."
"Syl!"
Aiden's instinctive reminder earned him an impatient eye-roll from Sylveon.
He could only scratch his head in exasperation.
'Sylveon seems unusually impatient today… must be my imagination…'
Aiden didn't dwell on it. He soon pushed open the door. With a soft thud as it closed, footsteps faded into the distance.
"Sylveon…"
Once Aiden was confirmed gone, Sylveon inexplicably sighed in relief.
"Luca!"
Lucario, who had been silently training in the workout room, immediately poked its head out, signaling Sylveon with its eyes.
Receiving confirmation, the dumbbell-lifting Lucario set down its weights and quietly growled to the other Pokémon behind it.
"Mew~"
In a blind spot corner, Mew—muzzled by Mewtwo—immediately broke free, letting out its signature giggling sound.
"..."
Mewtwo sighed inwardly, feeling slight relief—
Thank goodness the others remembered Mew might cause trouble. Otherwise, if Aiden discovered them, things would get interesting.
"Sylveon!"
With Aiden gone, Sylveon—the household's "eldest sister"—held absolute authority.
After a commanding growl, even the utterly unserious Mew immediately stood at attention mid-air, waiting silently for "Commander Eevee's" orders.
The reason Aiden's Pokémon gathered was simple—
This was a rare opportunity to bring him and Cynthia closer together. But from Sylveon's understanding of its trainer, he'd definitely fumble it himself!
'Years have passed—why are we still stuck at square one…'
'Our trainer is truly hopeless!'
Thus, the entire family needed to unite as support troops, providing various off-field assistance!
If Sylveon's plan were discovered, Aiden would certainly forbid his Pokémon from "spying" on his "date."
For various reasons, these "helpful" little ones ultimately resorted to this scheme—waiting until Aiden left before secretly tailing him.
"Vee~"
At Sylveon's command, the "Aiden Support Team"—led by Sylveon and Lucario—officially mobilized!
...
Walking down Goldenrod City's main avenue, Aiden's heart felt complex.
Recalling how Cynthia had unexpectedly arrived in Cabo Poco before, catching him completely off guard—he'd definitely been nervous then.
But after so much time together, Aiden now felt unusually calm this time.
Perhaps this was progress too?
Like Celadon City in Kanto, Goldenrod also boasted a massive game center filled with everything from arcade machines to leisure mini-games, beloved by young people.
Theoretically, an ideal dating spot.
After turning the corner following signposts, a technologically sleek skyscraper immediately came into view.
However, Aiden's gaze focused almost entirely on the slender figure nearby—not the backdrop behind him.
Her smooth golden hair swayed in the wind, and though wearing sunglasses to conceal her identity, he recognized her instantly.
To others, such crude disguises might work—but he wasn't a native of the Pokémon world!
Just as Aiden noticed Cynthia, she seemingly sensed him too. Looking up, she smiled and waved in greeting.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
Smiling as he approached, Aiden inwardly questioned his wake-up time.
'This shouldn't be…'
'We agreed to meet at 10 AM—I arrived at 9:30, early by half an hour, yet she's still ahead of me…'
"Not at all—I just arrived too," Cynthia shook her head with a playful smile. "Besides, thinking I haven't seen you in so long already made me look forward to today."
"Same here," Aiden nodded in agreement.
Initially, he'd blushed at Cynthia's words. But after so much time together, he'd grown accustomed to her straightforward manner.
Isn't directness better? At least it makes interactions smoother.
Entering the game center felt like stepping into a new world. Neon lights and noise created a magical atmosphere that quickly made Cynthia hesitate.
"So many options… what should we play first…?"
"How about claw machines first?"
Knowing Cynthia's "little problem," Aiden understood well.
This was someone who could seriously ponder ice cream flavors for one to two hours—a severe case of decision paralysis!
So he decisively chose for her, pointing as he spoke.
"Hmm… not bad?"
With someone making the choice, Cynthia's previously furrowed brows relaxed visibly.
After passing through special corridors separating different facilities, Aiden and Cynthia arrived at a room filled with claw machines.
Perhaps due to the early hour, most attractions had few visitors.
Different machine models were categorized by region. The first to catch Cynthia's eye were Kanto and Johto's iconic, immensely popular Pokémon—
Pikachu!
"Speaking of Johto, Pikachu truly is the undisputed popularity king."
Cynthia smiled as she spoke, her steps already bypassing this neglected "star," stopping before Sinnoh's machine section.
"But I like our Sinnoh's Pachirisu more than Pikachu."
Just as she prepared to try, she suddenly found the claw unmoving no matter how she pushed the joystick.
Puzzled, Cynthia watched as Aiden—who had briefly disappeared—reappeared with a basket of game coins.
"Never been to an arcade before?"
Seeing her curious expression, Aiden couldn't help but laugh.
"No. I rarely go out. Even when Caitlin invited me, we'd usually go somewhere more… 'refined'?" Cynthia recalled softly.
"Hmm… makes sense," Aiden shook his head inwardly.
Truly a noble young lady from high society—her family actually owned a castle. Probably never knew places like this existed.
Come to think of it… Cynthia initially planned to come to Johto to cheer for Caitlin…
And she'd even specifically invited him along.
So the question was—
Where was Caitlin right now?
Thinking this, Aiden's expression turned peculiar.
The time was nearly 10 AM. Knowing Caitlin—the night owl—he guessed…
'She's probably just finished staying up all night and is sleeping soundly right now?'
For some reason, he suddenly felt like laughing~
But as the "culprit," laughing now would be too despicable.
So Aiden chose his now-mastered expression control.
"Do I need to insert coins to use it?"
"Yes—two coins per attempt."
After Aiden's explanation, Cynthia curiously observed the machine, soon taking out two coins.
As coins dropped in, a hypnotic electronic tune played.
"How amazing!"
Seeing the machine activate, Cynthia scanned the plushies, quickly locking onto her target—
"I want to catch this Pachirisu."
Aiden only smiled, silently waiting for her to operate.
As everyone knew, claw machines required skill—newcomers almost never mastered their techniques!
Reality matched Aiden's prediction.
After several attempts, Cynthia's claw failed to grasp anything, let alone deliver it to the exit.
Pouting slightly, she thought carefully before decisively stepping aside.
"Your turn—I'll learn by watching!"
"Sure."
Aiden nodded, flashing a confident smile.
"Actually, I'm an expert at this~"
Other arcade games might challenge him, but claw machines? He was absolutely professional!
In his past life, a mall near his home had these. As a child, Aiden often visited with friends on weekends to play mini-games.
Eventually, he accumulated so many Pokémon plushies that his house couldn't hold them—all gifted to friends.
Of course, being able to grab so many plushies on a tight allowance proved Aiden was fundamentally a claw machine master!
"The technique is simple—like Pokémon battles, you just need to press the command at the right moment. Like this."
As he spoke, Aiden skillfully manipulated the joystick with two fingers, his eyes locked on the Pachirisu plush above.
The moment the claw entered his line of sight, Aiden decisively pressed the button!
Responding to his command, the mechanical claw extended downward with perfect precision—landing exactly over the plushie.
Touching the Pachirisu plush, the claw tightened and locked firmly.
Success!
Aiden's smile grew more confident.
Surely, claw machine skills were universal across worlds!
But just as he grinned triumphantly, an accident occurred—
During the claw's return, its swaying motion grew unstable—as if about to drop the already-caught prize.
"..."
Aiden inwardly cursed:
'Seriously—even claw machines in the Pokémon world are this slippery?'
'Is this fair?'
Helpless to intervene, he could only watch tensely as the swaying claw threatened to embarrass him before Cynthia.
Perhaps his prayers worked.
Under Aiden's hopeful gaze, the wobbling claw suddenly stabilized—remaining perfectly still until reaching the exit, dropping the nearly-lost Pachirisu plush inside.
"Amazing."
Cynthia—who had silently observed—applauded sincerely, delivering full emotional support.
Relieved, Aiden quickly smiled again.
Bending to retrieve the plush from the exit, he handed it directly to Cynthia without hesitation.
"A gift—for our reunion after so long."
Cynthia showed no surprise. Blinking her bright eyes, she accepted the plush.
"Thank you~"
Smiling sweetly, she twirled the plush in her right hand before looking up seriously, pointing to another machine nearby.
"Then as a return gift… let me catch a plush for you too."
"What about this Emolga plush? Isn't it cute? It looks like this Pachirisu too."
This time, Aiden was slightly surprised.
But he quickly recovered, smiling as he replied:
"Anything you give me, I'll love."
"Alright—I'll try again!"
Receiving Aiden's affirmation, Cynthia nodded before taking his wrist, leading him to the new machine.
"Syl…"
In the corner of the claw machine room, a soft, relieved voice murmured—drowned out by the arcade's noisy background.
However…
If one followed the sound's direction, no living being would be visible there.
This wasn't a supernatural event—the principle was simple:
In the Pokémon world, one species could change its body color at will, camouflaging perfectly into surroundings.
Native to Hoenn, the mischievous Kecleon loved blocking paths to prank travelers!
Of course, Johto theoretically had no Kecleon habitats.
But for Mew—the Pokémon that could become any other—this was effortlessly achievable.
After psychically analyzing this special energy technique, it could even share the camouflage effect with companions.
"Next, should we help Aiden catch more plushies?"
The invisible Mewtwo retracted its hand, the bright blue glow in its eyes fading.
It looked down at Sylveon—the mission's decision-maker.
"Sylveon!"
Sylveon nodded vigorously, inwardly thinking:
'Psychic power is truly convenient—it helped so much!'
Luckily, it had anticipated Aiden's potential failure at critical moments, having Mewtwo prepare a backup…
But their assistance was limited—they'd mostly rely on Aiden himself.
Thinking this, Sylveon refocused on Aiden.
Over the next period, Cynthia attempted several more times.
Though slightly improved—at least touching the plush each time—she still failed every attempt.
"Ugh… so hard!"
Sensing her discouragement, Aiden noticed her expression shift.
After brief consideration, he stammered:
"How about… I guide your hands?"
Hearing this, Cynthia paused, then quickly smiled.
"Alright."
For her, this gift must be personally earned to hold meaning.
Aiden's suggestion exploited a loophole—
If they succeeded together, it might carry even deeper significance?
With Cynthia's consent, Aiden no longer hesitated—moving closer.
As their distance rapidly closed, his large hands covered her slender, warm ones.
For Aiden, this was a uniquely intimate position.
A downward glance revealed Cynthia's snow-white nape. A faint violet fragrance filled his nose—making his face flush instantly.
'No distractions!'
'I need to help Cynthia catch the plush. If my heart races and hands shake, I won't be able to operate!'
Aiden instinctively took a deep breath.
But this only intensified his racing heart—overwhelmed by the concentrated "Cynthia scent."
'Disaster—it's the feeling of falling for someone!'
"..."
In Aiden's blind spot, Cynthia also remained silent.
Outwardly, both seemed focused on controlling the joystick.
But actually, Cynthia's cheeks had clearly flushed, her lips unconsciously curving upward.
Had Aiden observed closely, he'd have noticed her neck and décolletage similarly tinged pink.
Through their joint efforts, the next several attempts successfully captured targets.
When Aiden finally released his hands, accumulated plushies nearly filled the exit tray.
"Here—the Emolga plush we promised."
Turning back, Cynthia's expression remained unchanged—still gently smiling as usual.
"And this Gothitelle plush—I'll give it to Caitlin tomorrow."
Aiden accepted it, now calmer himself.
But seeing Cynthia's Pachirisu plush, he too smiled.
Waving the plush playfully, they exchanged warm smiles.
"Lucario…"
From the corner, their "eager spectators" collectively grinned like matchmakers.
The most moved was likely Lucario.
Cynthia and her Lucario were mentors on his growth path. Aiden was his most trusted partner—the reliable trainer he'd follow to the end.
When two sources of happiness merged, creating new bonds…
Even Lucario's mouth curved upward.
Perhaps this was what Aiden once called "the bonds of fate"?
"What next?"
After mutually ignoring the previous moment, the claw machine challenge concluded.
Facing Cynthia's question, Aiden studied guide signs ahead, quickly deciding:
"Hmm… how about a dance machine?"
"I heard Alola has a special Z-Move requiring trainers to dance—the move's power amplifies based on the trainer's sincerity."
"And Kommo-o has a uniquely powerful signature Z-Move too. You might need this someday."
This was a lie.
Though partly true, Aiden's real purpose…
Those who understood, understood!
"I see—if this intel is accurate, practice is indeed necessary."
Cynthia nodded in understanding, her eyes crescent moons brimming with liveliness.
She clearly felt very happy.
"But I've never danced before. If I'm bad, you can't laugh at me."
"Of course! I'm forever your loyal fan."
Aiden thumped his chest in guarantee.
Thus, the entire morning and afternoon saw Aiden and Cynthia immersed in various arcade attractions—completely forgetting the world around them.
Happy times always pass quickly. Evening soon arrived.
As Aiden and Cynthia parted reluctantly, a certain villa's golden-haired little girl suddenly opened her eyes—her expression filled with lingering terror.
"Felt like a nightmare…"
"Aiden and Cynthia getting close together, playing claw machines…"
"Must've been sleep-deprived dreams."
Rubbing her sleepy eyes, Caitlin nearly forgot the dream's content.
Probably from preparing counterplays against Aiden lately—no wonder he appeared in her dreams too…
Finding a reasonable explanation, Caitlin soon smiled confidently:
"Wait, Cynthia!"
"I'll prove who the stronger trainer truly is!"
------------------------------------------------------
40+ Chapters Ahead: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)