After finishing the experiment on the powerful Z-Move, the group had just returned to the venue when Lucas was surrounded again, with people constantly asking him questions about his project report.
Lucas's mouth was dry from talking, so he winked at Gothitelle in the distance.
After Gothitelle said a few words to Daili, Daili nodded repeatedly, then forcibly squeezed into the crowd, grabbed Lucas, and ran off.
Gengar and the others also snuck out from the corner.
Cynthia, wearing high heels, led Garchomp and Gengar and the others to a park near the venue, and from afar, she saw Lucas sitting on a swing, with Daili standing behind him pushing it.
"Do you want to join?"
Lucas patted the spot next to him and asked Cynthia.
Cynthia didn't stand on ceremony and sat down next to Lucas.
The double swing had plenty of room, but Lucas insisted on making it crowded.
Cynthia felt Lucas constantly squeezing toward her and spoke helplessly.
"If you keep squeezing over, I'm going to fly off."
Hearing this, Lucas chuckled, "I'm not afraid of flying off, I just want to hold onto my beloved cute one beside me."
Cynthia smiled upon hearing this and reached out to hold Lucas's hand, "How about this?"
Fingers interlaced, feeling the rough texture of Cynthia's palm with his own, while his fingers felt the smoothness of the back of her hand, giving Lucas a sensation of ice and fire.
Lucas squeezed Cynthia's hand, turned his head, and said, "Gengar, it's your turn."
"Gen gengar~"
"I'm coming~"
Gengar, having just bribed Garchomp with snacks, happily floated over when it heard Lucas's words.
Gengar gently pushed the double swing. On the park slide, two children were sliding down. After they finished, they brought small buckets and shovels to the sand area not far from the swing to build sandcastles.
The little boy was quite considerate of the little girl; at such a young age, he was already showing chivalry, and his tiny mouth could actually say such heartwarming things.
"Just like you."
Cynthia gently leaned her head on Lucas's shoulder, and hearing what the little boy said, she smiled and spoke.
"What do you mean? I'm much better than him, okay."
Lucas was naturally unconvinced.
"You're even comparing yourself to a child?"
"Otherwise?"
"You—always act like a child."
Cynthia said softly.
Hearing Cynthia's words, Lucas didn't continue, but adjusted his body slightly to make Cynthia more comfortable, and then just quietly accompanied her, watching the two little brats play in the sand.
After a long while, Cynthia spoke: "You know? When I was as small as them, my grandmother was busy with research every day, leaving me alone at home, watching others being able to play with friends."
Lucas listened quietly.
"Later, my grandmother gave me a Gible egg. After the Gible hatched, I finally had a friend who could play with me."
"Back then, I played much happier than them."
Cynthia thought of the good times from her childhood, her eyes curving into crescents.
"Me—I didn't have any Pokémon when I was a kid, and even the people around me didn't have any. Back then, we could only see cute Pokémon on TV."
"When our parents didn't let us watch TV, we would run outside to play, throwing sandbags, playing hide-and-seek; either way, we still had a great time."
"It wasn't until I grew up and came to the Sinnoh region to inherit the Breeding House left by my Great-Aunt that I truly saw Pokémon for the first time. To tell you the truth, Daili was the first Pokémon I ever knew."
"Wasn't it Gengar?"
"No, at that time, Gengar was just a little rascal who hid on the ceiling, trying to scare me."
Lucas remembered when he first met Gengar and couldn't help but laugh, "Let me tell you, Gengar originally wanted to appear behind me and scare me, but when it patted my shoulder, I turned around and made a funny face at it, which scared the air out of it."
"That kid scurried back into the ceiling, wetting its pants."
"Gen gengar!"
That was me cooperating with you!
"Oh right, it was to cooperate with me, you were so scared your face turned purple."
"Gen gengar!"
You're still talking about it!
Gengar, having its dark history exposed, got a bit anxious, mainly because Gothitelle and the others were hiding nearby, covering their mouths and giggling.
It turned out that Gengar, who usually ruled the roost at the Breeding House, had also been scared off by Lucas at the beginning.
"Although Gengar wasn't the first one I knew, it was the first one I met, just the process wasn't very friendly. I even brought it chicken legs and noodles back then, but it—it messed up all the clothes I had painstakingly organized."
Lucas felt a bit angry just thinking about that scene.
"Gen gengar"
Heehee.
With Gengar pushing them, Lucas and Cynthia took turns talking about how they met their Pokémon.
Garchomp, Lucario, Milotic, Spiritomb, Glaceon, Roserade, Togetic—
Gengar, Daili, Lilligant, Gothitelle, Ninetales, Mime Jr., Latias—
Cynthia listened quietly to Lucas, then glanced at the hand Lucas was holding. At this moment, both hands were resting peacefully on her lap, and Lucas's fingers were gently moving toward her thigh.
Cynthia applied a little force and moved both hands back to her knees.
The next second, the hands started climbing again.
Just like that, the two kept talking, while their hands were also busy.
The main point was that their mouths were doing the talking, and their hands were doing their own thing.
The sun slowly moved west, and the brilliant red sunset spilled over this ancient Sinnoh continent, calling the Starly, Staravia, and Staraptor in the sky back to their nests, and also calling the children who were out to go home for dinner.
The little boy put away his shovel, stood up, pulled up his pants, and looked at the little girl with twin tails, saying domineeringly: "My mom called me home for dinner. You should hurry home for dinner too. It'll be night soon. I heard that at night, big monsters come out to eat people, but you don't have to be afraid, I can walk you home. My mom says I'm a little man, so I'm not afraid."
The little girl nodded obediently, packed up her things, and stood up, "My house is over there."
The little boy pointed to his lips, "But you have to give me a kiss, then I can walk you home."
Lucas: ??
Wait—huh?
Cynthia was also a bit dumbfounded.
Unexpectedly, the little girl really kissed him.
Huh?
No way, you actually got it, kid?
Lucas's mouth was wide enough to fit a pokémon egg.
Such a good kid, not learning proper things, but learning to flirt?
Whether he's flirting or not isn't the point; the point is that he actually succeeded?
Where did you, a little chubby kid with glasses and a center-parted hairstyle, learn these moves?
The chubby kid was quite responsible, carrying things for the little girl and walking her home.
"Learning bad things at such a young age."
Lucas said in a low voice.
"When you grow up, you'll probably be just like him."
Lucas: ?!
Slandering me again!
At this moment, a woman carrying groceries hurried over, looked around, and then turned to ask Lucas and Cynthia who were sitting on the swing.
"Hello, excuse me, have you seen a little boy? About this tall, a bit sturdy, wearing glasses? He was just building sandcastles over there."
Cynthia smiled and said: "Yes, he just walked his new friend home. He'll be back in a moment, don't worry."
"This—"
The woman was still very worried.
She glanced at Cynthia, felt she looked familiar, identified her carefully, "You—you are Champion Cynthia?"
Cynthia nodded, "You don't need to worry about him. The gentleman beside me asked Gothitelle to follow them, so there won't be any accidents."
Just now, when the chubby kid walked the little girl home, Lucas turned back and signaled Gothitelle to follow them to ensure they wouldn't have any accidents.
Lucas was always very good with these details, which was one of the things Cynthia liked very much about Lucas.
He was very gentle to everyone and everything; even if he said no, he would always secretly do it in his heart.
Perhaps this was the reason why he could get along with all Pokémon.
The woman looked at Lucas beside Cynthia, saw their tightly clasped hands, and as a person who had been through it, she saw at a glance that they were a couple.
But when did Champion Cynthia get a boyfriend?
She swallowed her confusion and thanked Lucas sincerely.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome, I quite like him."
Lucas said with a smile.
He suddenly remembered something, his eyes rolled, and then he said a few words to the woman.
After speaking, the voice of the chubby kid came over.
"Mom."
He saw his mother standing in the park waiting for him, so he quickened his pace and ran back. Reaching his mother's side, even though he was panting from exhaustion, he still reached out quite naturally to take the bag from her hand.
"Let me carry that for you, Mom."
A very sensible little chubby boy, though a bit lecherous.
The woman naturally refused to let her son carry her things. She switched the bag to her other hand, "No need, it's very heavy. Mom can carry it."
"It's fine. I'm a little man already; I can help Mom do a lot of things."
Hearing her son's words, the woman smiled happily. She took her son's hand, and they walked home together.
The chubby boy happily told his mother about what happened in the park today, and the woman kept praising him.
The setting sun stretched their shadows long, very long, and their voices stretched along with the sunset as they drifted over.
"I heard you let that girl kiss you just now, is that right?"
"Huh?"
"You little rascal, at such a young age you're already————"
"Ah!"
Listening to the screams coming from afar, Lucas let out a satisfied breath.
That feels good.
"You actually went and told his mother, honestly."
Cynthia looked at Lucas beside her and rolled her eyes.
"I'm doing this for his own good. You don't understand, if we don't correct this kind of mistake when he's young, who knows how many girls will get hurt when he grows up? I'm doing this for his own good."
Lucas argued reasonably.
Watching Lucas, who was still talking non-stop, she silenced him with her lips.
Lucas: !!!
Lucas: ( )
Lucas: (*~*)
Lucas: ~
Behind them, Gothitelle and the others were huddled together. Latias was using her psychic power to control the camera, taking pictures from every angle imaginable.
"Lilli." Oh, hurry up and take the picture! Find a good angle!
"Gothitelle." Here, quick, this angle is good.
"Shh." Yes, yes, yes, that's it.
"kao!" Ugh, you guys are so slow! Give it to me, I'll take it!
Garchomp snatched the camera from Latias and pressed the button hard. *Click*————
"My camera!!! I begged Lucas for so long before he bought it for me!!!" Latias let out a pained cry.
"kao!" Oh no! My photo! Garchomp also let out a pained cry.
On the other side, the four Gengar were taking photos from truly every angle.
"Gen gengar~" Perfect~
After a long while, Cynthia pulled away from Lucas, feeling a bit parched. She looked at Lucas's flushed face and gave an over-the-top smile.
"Then what about you? Will you tell on me to my grandmother?"
Cynthia reached out and poked her own beautiful cheek, her voice as gentle as water, "Just say————I kissed you? Hmm?"
Looking at the ultimate move Cynthia unleashed, Lucas opened his mouth, just about to speak, when suddenly———— "Hmm————" *Pshhh*~ The kettle boiled over.
Lucas was defeated, suffering a crushing defeat.
Gengar: !!!
"Gen gengar!" Stop it! Lucas is going to catch fire! Smoke! So much smoke! No! Where's the water! Where's the water! Who knows Water Gun! Quick, save Lucas!
Gengar watched Lucas, who was emitting steam non-stop, and let out a shrill screech.
Behind the swing: Garchomp: Useless! Lucario: Can't handle even this? Gothitelle: ————Although I really want to defend you, just now you were really———— Lilligant: Lilli~ Ninetales: Can't bear to watch.
Cynthia had already found Lucas's weakness, so she kept launching attacks. Lucas's current state was such that if Cynthia dared to tell Lucas to fight Arceus one-on-one, Lucas would dare to go and brawl with Arceus.
Lucas lost completely today, and it was only Professor Carolina's phone call that rescued him. The two walked back to the venue together.
Lucas held Cynthia's hand, swinging it high as they walked, just like when they were little.
"Cynthia."
"Hmm?"
"You said you had a lot of fun playing with Gible when you were little, right?"
"Yeah."
"And now?"
"Hmm————yeah."
"Is that so?"
—
"Because now I don't just have them."
"I also have you."
Lucas: !
First blood!
"What about you?"
"Me too. My life used to be very dull, just eating and sleeping every day. Since meeting Gengar and the others, and later meeting you, my life has————"
"I love you."
Lucas: !!
Double kill.
"I love you too."
"Thank you."
"Lucas, I saw a shooting star yesterday."
"Hmm? A shooting star? Did you make a wish?"
"Yeah."
"What did you wish for————"
"I wished that I want to be with Garchomp and you forever."
Lucas: !!!
Triple kill!
"Cynthia."
"Hmm?"
"What do you want to eat tonight?"
"Anything is fine, I'll listen to you. As long as it's made by you, I like to eat it, just like how I like you."
Quadra kill!
"Do you want to eat ice cream tonight? I'll make it for you."
"Sure, I want to eat————" Cynthia fell silent.
Lucas breathed a sigh of relief. As expected, when he couldn't handle her, letting her make the choice was the best method.
"I want to eat ice cream handmade by Lucas, filled with love for me. A little more love than yesterday, a little less than tomorrow, just like my love for Lucas, it will only keep increasing forever."
Penta kill!
Ace!
Cynthia looked at Lucas's expression, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly. You want to stump me? Keep dreaming.
Lucas opened his mouth, just about to speak.
"Grandma." Cynthia trotted up to hug the arm of Professor Carolina, who was standing at the entrance of the venue.
"Grandma, what do you want to eat tonight?"
"Hmph! You still remember me, an old woman?"
"Why would you say that? I love Grandma the most."
"Forget it, I see that you love Lucas the most now."
"That's not true, I love Grandma the most."
"You! You've had a sweet mouth since you were little. Let's go, let's go home and eat."
Lucas watched Cynthia run over to hug Professor Carolina. The setting sun stretched her shadow long, reaching all the way to his feet. Lucas stood in place, watching the two talking, listening to their conversation, the smile on his face not fading in the slightest.
His shadow was refracted by the sunset onto the wall, then bounced back, forming a broad shadow that enveloped Cynthia's shadow, like a wall.
"What are you still standing there for, you brat? Don't want to go back and eat? Or do you look down on my old woman's cooking?" Professor Carolina slammed her cane against the ground and snorted coldly.
Lucas realized what was happening and quickly spoke up, "Coming, coming! I'm cooking tonight, nobody fight me for it." Lucas ran forward with a smile.
He and Cynthia each took one side, linking arms with Professor Carolina, and walked towards the distance. The three's shadows lengthened as they moved, becoming long, very long. Behind their three shadows were the shadows of Garchomp, Gengar, and the others. These shadows happened to wrap around their shadows.
"By the way, Grandma, how are we getting back?"
"How are we getting back? By car, of course!"
"By car? How about we have our Pokémon take us back? Flying back should be pretty fast."
"Are you saying you want me, an old woman at my age, to fly around in the sky with you? What? Do I bother you?"
"Oh, no, no such thing."
Professor Carolina glanced at Lucas and said, "You brat, you did well today, keep it up."
"Yes! Grandma!" Lucas stood at attention immediately.
"Why are you shouting so loud? My ears aren't deaf yet."
"Hehe."
"You drive, and Cynthia and I will sit in the back and have a good chat."
"Hmm————"
"What? Not happy?"
"No, Grandma, it's just that————I've never touched a steering wheel in my life————"
"I don't even know where the brake is————"
"You————you go back and get your driver's license as soon as possible! You hear me? Sometimes Pokémon aren't omnipotent."
"Okay, I understand, I'll get it when I get back."
"By the way, Grandma, we aren't driving, we're going back directly through the Distortion World."
"Are you talking in your sleep?"
"No, Grandma, look."
Professor Carolina looked at the Distortion Channel that suddenly appeared before her and was silent for a while.
Then she said, "Next time something like this happens, remember to tell me in advance so I can prepare myself mentally."
"No problem, let's go, heading home."
"Slow down, slow down, don't pull me over. Cynthia, keep your boyfriend in check."
"Lucas!"
"I was wrong."
Gengar: Stealing my lines?! You shameless person!
***************************
Thoughts on where the plot is heading? Let me know in the comments! If you're enjoying the ride, please leave a quick review and toss a few Power Stones my way. Every bit of support means the world! 🙌