She was the first one to arrive in the conference room. Though it wasn't much of a surprise to her, however.
The Sinnoh champion had a habit of being punctual and arriving before anyone else for designated League conferences like this one. Today, it involved a meeting in Unova between her fellow champions to discuss the state of things, organized by Unova's own champion, Alder. While her own region was doing well after the incident with Team Galactic (happening just over a year ago), news of a suspicious organization in Unova had risen not long after, which concerned the well-being of the entire populace of people and pokémon.
Cynthia remembered hearing the stories of Team Plasma's nefarious plans – to liberate the pokémon from every trainer and for their leader to become the sole ruler of Unova. Simply hearing about it nearly caused her and several other champions, to step in and help. But Alder refuted, having managed to take down the criminals with the aid of the gym leaders and a talented trainer to bring back peace to the land – or so she'd heard. Alder had said the full story would be explained during the meeting.
She stood by the window now, gazing at the colourful scenery outside, when the doors to the room opened minutes later. Her attention was averted to the champions of Kalos, Johto, and Kanto all entering together.
"First one here again, Cynthia?" she heard Diantha remark with amusement. "My, and I thought we'd be first, this time!"
Cynthia smiled when she was enveloped in a tight hug after the brunette came to her. "I just decided to come in a bit early, is all," she said. "It's so good to see you again, Diantha, it's been a long time."
Diantha smiled warmly. "Indeed, it has."
"I've heard that you've booked a new film, by the way," Cynthia added.
Diantha nodded with excitement. "Oh, yes, I have! And it's coming along very well, thankfully! We're still doing principal photography, but thank Arceus this meeting didn't overlap with our filming times. My schedule's been all over the place for the past month or so because of it."
"I would think that comes with the responsibility of being both an actress and champion, Diantha."
Cynthia looked up when Lance's low tone chimed in. He neared the two of them, with the champion of Kanto in tow.
"Lance, Red, a pleasure to see you both again, as well," she greeted them both with a kind smile.
"And you, as well, Cynthia," Lance said.
Red simply nodded curtly, though she didn't expect much of an answer from him, anyway.
The champion of Kanto was indeed quite a mysterious trainer, she often thought. It was difficult to recall if she'd ever heard the teen speak before, since he often kept to himself. He was a trainer of few words, despite being known as one of the strongest.
"I suppose that makes four of the six of us who are attending," Diantha said after the exchange of pleasantries.
Cynthia appeared surprised. "Oh, there are only six of us today?" she wondered aloud.
"Alder had mentioned it would be a small group," Lance agreed, "but I don't think I caught that memo, either."
"Well, I'm not sure who the other one is, besides Alder, to be honest," the brunette explained. "He only mentioned six because we were the ones he was able to get in contact with, on such a short notice."
Cynthia pursed her lips. "I see."
She remembered getting his call one evening, a week ago, asking if she could attend. The concept of time zones seemed to have left the man's mind, to her dismay, as it'd been late into the night when he contacted her. Fortunately, her schedule was free for a few days that week and she was more than willing to fly over to attend.
But in truth, discussing the state of Unova was not the only reason she decided to come.
All four champions in the room decided to take their seats at the conference table, as they waited for the remaining attendees to join them. It was nearly ten minutes later when the doors burst open with the Unova champion striding in, appearing a bit winded.
Lance raised an eyebrow at Alder's sudden arrival. "You're late."
Alder scratched the back of his neck, bearing a sheepish grin. "Sorry, folks," he said apologetically towards them all. "I got caught up in a…minor dilemma on the way here."
Lance sighed. "Let me guess," he began, "you got lost, didn't you?"
The older man simply balked at his sudden accusation. "What – of course not!" he denied the dragon's master's claims, albeit a bit too excessively. "This building's pretty big, but I can tell you that I know my way around."
Lance merely shook his head as the corner of his lips twitched ever so slightly. "My mistake, then."
"Well, now that you're here, Alder, who else is joining us?" Diantha asked as she redirected the topic at hand.
Alder took a moment to look around at all of them before saying, "Ah, yes, Steven should be coming in soon, actually."
Cynthia quirked a brow. "Steven's coming?"
Through her peripherals, she thought she might have seen Diantha giving her a curious stare when she said it, but she ignored the feeling.
"Of course," Alder replied. "He was the first person I'd asked to come, actually. Funny how it looks like he'll be the last –"
As if on cue, the doors opened once again to reveal the Hoenn champion, walking in rather casually. They watched as Steven took a couple of steps into the room, only to stop in his tracks once he saw the others seated at the table.
"Oh, hello…you're all here already?" he commented with some confusion in his tone. He glanced at Alder. "Did I miss something?"
"You're late, as well, Steven," Lance replied matter-of-factly. "We were supposed to start ten minutes ago."
"Really? That's odd…" The Hoenn champion pulled out his pokénav from his pocket. "…I could've sworn I made it right on time."
Alder clapped him on the back and smiled. "Good to see you, Mr. Stone, and don't worry about it," he assured the young man. "Everyone's here now so we can get started right away. Just take a seat anywhere."
As the Unova champion went over to sit at the head of the table, Cynthia watched Steven cross the room and take the chair almost directly across from her. When he looked up, his blue eyes met her grey ones and she felt her body tense up.
Her cheeks threatened to blush at the direct eye contact but thankfully, the moment was short-lived. Steven merely sent her a polite smile before focusing his attention on Alder who began to address them all. Cynthia had to take in a silent breath to calm her racing heart and did the same.
Unbeknownst to her, was the Kalos champion sitting right next to her, having observed the entire silent exchange. The corner of her lips curled upwards.
The meeting ended an hour later.
Alder had informed them that the damaged areas in Unova affected by Team Plasma were well on their way to being restored, though there was still much work to be done. Unfortunately, the place that sustained the most was the Pokémon League. It proved to be quite the inconvenience for future candidates wanting to fight for the champion title, but there was hardly anything to be done about the situation. Any incoming challenges were postponed, he explained, unless they were to relocate for the time being.
Alder cleared his throat. "Anyhow, I think that sums up everything for what Unova's been up to in the past few months," he said with a tone of finality. "Would anyone else like to share anything?"
There were a few murmurs heard between all of them before Steven spoke in a loud enough tone for all eyes to look towards him. He was staring directly at the Sinnoh champion.
"I'd like to know how Sinnoh has been faring since the Team Galactic incident, if you'd be willing to share, Cynthia," he said, gesturing towards her.
Diantha nodded in agreement, fiddling with the Keystone pendant that hung around her neck. "Oh yes, I'd like to hear about that too, actually. How is everything over there?"
Cynthia tore her gaze off Steven to glance around at everyone else. "Everything's been going rather well," she replied. "The remnants of the Team Galactic buildings in Eterna and Veilstone have been taken care of, and all the harmful equipment they possessed have already been taken in for dismantling."
"And the lake pokémon are all safe?" she heard Lance ask.
Cynthia smiled and continued, "It's difficult to say for certain, but from what I personally think, I'm sure they've returned to their caverns safely."
Having witnessed the horror and grand spectacle of what took place on Mt. Coronet for herself was an experience she would never forget. Being able to enter into the Distortion World and see all the legendary pokémon up close, was an epic adventure she never expected to take place in her lifetime. It was absolutely incredible, yet terrifying at the same time.
And seeing that young trainer go up to stop Cyrus and the rampaging Giratina was truly extraordinary. It was such a burden to place on the shoulders of someone so young, yet they fought through the peril with ease.
"I feel that Sinnoh is finally at peace, once again," Cynthia said quietly, feeling relieved to be able to say it after so long.
Steven nodded, smiling faintly. "That's good to hear."
Their eyes met once again, and neither of them looked away until Alder's voice rung loudly throughout the room.
"Well, I suppose we can wrap up this meeting then," he said as he stood up from his seat. "I don't know about you guys, but all this talking's made me hungry. Anyone up for some late afternoon lunch? There's a place just down the street which I think serves the best food in all of Castelia City."
"Don't you think having six champions entering one restaurant would draw quite the attention?" Diantha asked warily.
Lance nodded in agreement. "Diantha has a point, Alder," he said. "Besides, I was planning to leave for Johto right after this."
"Well, if neither of you are willing to come, that's alright, I'll just ask everyone else." The Unova champion then turned to the remaining three posed with the same question.
Red merely shook his head.
Steven's response was similar. "I think I'll pass," he hastily replied. "Sorry."
Alder appeared disappointed by the lack of enthusiasm and agreement from the others. But he turned his attention to the Sinnoh champion with an expectant gaze.
"And how about you, Cynthia?" he asked her with a carefree grin. "Care to join me for lunch?"
The notion was flattering but she did not even have to ponder long for her answer. There were no hard feelings for the man – she just simply had no interest in humouring the idea of accepting his offer.
To her amusement, she was not at all oblivious to the way Steven's jaw clenched at the man's request, as he sent him a hard stare.
"I'm afraid I have a previous engagement already after we finish this meeting," Cynthia said.
Alder visibly displayed his displeasure with a frown. "Ah, well, I guess it can't be helped, then."
Everyone stood from their seats after that.
Lance was the first to leave after taking the time to say his farewells. Red followed soon after, with no more than a wave and polite smile to each of them. Steven hung back when Alder had to ask him a quick question ("Have you heard that you can mine for emerald over in Driftveil City?"), which left Cynthia and Diantha to exit the room together.
"Well, that certainly might not have been the most productive meeting I've been to, but I'm glad to know Unova is doing well," Diantha said to her. They stood in front of the elevator doors, waiting for the next lift a few floors away from theirs. "And Sinnoh, too."
Cynthia sent her a warm smile. "Like Alder said, there are still quite a bit of repairs that need to be done back home as well, before things can truly get back to normal."
"Oh, but speaking of Alder," Diantha began in a quieter tone as she nudged the Sinnoh champion with her elbow. "Where are you headed off to right now?"
Cynthia blinked. "Pardon me?"
"You said it yourself earlier," the brunette replied. "Are you really going somewhere after this?"
The elevator doors pinged opened just moments after and the two of them went inside. "O-Oh, that was – no, I'm not, actually." Cynthia pressed the button to take them down.
Diantha merely laughed. "It was just to get out of Alder asking you out again, wasn't it?"
The Sinnoh champion only grimaced at the thought, which was enough of an answer for her friend. It certainly was not the first time that it had happened to her, though she tried not to think about it too much. She was flattered by his invitation but she only saw the Unova champion simply as a colleague of hers, nothing more.
"Or is it that you've taken an interest in someone finally?"
She stiffened. Perhaps it was just her imagination but it seemed as though Diantha had said it almost knowingly, as if she knew more than she should have. But that in itself was absurd to think about, she thought.
Cynthia sighed. "You know I have no time for any of that with everything that's been going on, Diantha."
"I suppose you're right," Diantha said wistfully. "But you know that even champions deserve some time for themselves, too, yes? Might I suggest coming to Kalos, some time? Just to unwind, at least – if not to find romance. I'm sure Sinnoh wouldn't mind if their champion were to take a small leave, for a few weeks."
Cynthia had a hopeful smile on. "We'll see about that."
The elevator doors opened moments later, taking them to the ground floor of the building finally. Cynthia followed after her fellow champion until she stopped altogether, upon a sudden realization. Diantha caught notice of this and turned around with a confused stare.
"What's wrong?"
Cynthia brought a hand to her forehead. "I left my bag up in the room," she noted with irritation. "I'll need to go back and get it."
"Oh…I'll come with you, then."
But Cynthia waved a hand. "It's alright, I can get it myself," she assured her friend, as she made for the elevator again.
Diantha hesitated. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, of course. Don't worry, I'll be in Unova for the next few days so I'm sure we can make plans together during the week."
The Kalos champion still appeared unconvinced but she nodded anyway. "Well, okay then." Her blue eyes watched as Cynthia went back into the lift and waved goodbye. "It was nice seeing you again, Cynthia!"
Cynthia waved back just as the doors began to close.
The elevator felt like it was taking its time in getting her back to the previous floor than before. The music from the speakers above did not help the growing impatience within her, either.
All the while, Cynthia tapped her foot against the floor as she berated herself mentally for her carelessness. The key to her hotel room and everything else was in there and without it, she would surely find herself in a dilemma from being unable to enter. But she was glad to have realized it before leaving the building, or else the results would've been disastrous.
The doors opened after a loud ping and she simply rushed out without bothering to look, only to bump directly into the Hoenn champion, who'd been standing on the other side.
Steven reacted with a jolt when she bumped into him.
"Cynthia?"
"O-Oh! Steven, it's just you," she said with relief when she looked up. "I'm so sorry."
If it'd been someone else, the embarrassment she was feeling would have been tenfold from what she was already experiencing.
His lips formed a grin of amusement. "I assume you're looking for this?"
Her eyes widened when he held up a black handbag which she recognized to be hers. Cynthia immediately let out a sigh of relief. "Yes! Thank Arceus you found it."
"It wasn't a problem." He handed her possession back to her. "You left it on the seat right next to you earlier."
She still had not gotten over her carelessness. "I know, but thank you for going through that trouble of taking it with you."
Curiously, Cynthia peered into the empty hallway around him.
"Is Alder not with you?"
Steven seemed to stiffen at the mention of the man's name, but he shook his head and replied, "No, he said he'd take the stairs."
Cynthia raised a brow at this. Whatever Alder's reason for taking the long way down, she did not know but she decided not to comment any further on the matter.
"Are you going back down?"
"Oh, yes, of course."
She shuffled to the side to let him through as he wordlessly stepped in and pressed the button to the ground floor.
The elevator started to move seconds later once the doors closed and a silence came between them.
The soft music from the elevator was deafening. She adjusted the strap of her bag lying on her shoulder when she felt the need to say something to break the tense air. Thus, Cynthia turned her head as she began to say, "Steven –!"
And that was when she felt a pair of hands cup her face and a familiar pair of warm lips press against hers, which garnered a startled noise from her. Yet, despite her initial shock, she responded most eagerly as she clutched the front of Steven's shirt, feeling an arm circle around her waist to pull her closer to him.
When Steven pulled back, he gazed into her grey eyes.
"I've missed you," was what he whispered and she felt her stomach overflow with warm bliss.
Cynthia smiled as she pressed her face into the crook of his neck, wrapping her arms around him.
"I've missed you, too," she murmured against him. "I'm surprised that you came in late today."
"Blame my pokénav," he replied with slight distaste. "I'll have to take it to my father for repairs, once I return home."
A sudden wave of apprehension washed over her as she glanced around the still moving elevator.
"You know, I think there are probably cameras somewhere here."
Steven merely responded by tightening his arms around her. "I couldn't care less about that, right now," he said. "Forgive me for wanting to kiss my girlfriend, whom I have not seen in so long."
Cynthia felt her cheeks grow warm, but it was the truth.
It'd been nearly a month since they last saw each another in person and she felt just as eager to want to hold him, too. Even though she'd known that he was attending already, that did not stop her heart from racing when she saw him enter through the doors for their meeting.
"Are you heading off somewhere right now?" she asked, pulling back a bit to look up at him.
"Not particularly, no." Steven reached up to pat down her blonde hair. "Although I seem to recall you saying, earlier, that you had a 'previous engagement' to go to after the meeting."
Cynthia smiled sweetly. "I lied," she said.
"So, I take it you're free, then?"
"That depends if I find something worthwhile to occupy my time," the Sinnoh champion replied. "But I think I have an idea for the both of us."
"Oh?" He gazed at her curiously. "And what would that be, exactly?"
With an alluring smile, she leaned up to whisper in his ear and slowly, a knowing grin passed over his features.
The sound of his heartbeat, as she rested her head against his bare chest, was what woke her up from her mid-afternoon nap.
They two of them were lying in bed inside the apartment Steven had purchased for the convenience of having a place to stay in Unova, for his excavation trips. Essentially, it boasted for more privacy instead of heading for her hotel room. Because what resulted between the two, once they entered his small home, was simply driven by the strong passion and desire they craved for the other after having been apart for too long.
They had fallen asleep in each other's embrace until she awoke hours later.
Cynthia let out a sigh of content. It amazed her to think this kind of intimacy between them had been going on for almost a year now.
Under the stress of helping to piece Sinnoh back together, a month after Team Galactic struck the region, she remembered how Steven, and several other champions, had offered her support in the aftermath of the crisis.
It was during the aftermath that Steven found her overworking herself by travelling from one city to the next, wanting to do whatever she could to help, but hardly giving herself enough time to rest. He had suggested that she take a break, now that the crisis itself had been eliminated.
Cynthia had initially relented, only to eventually give in when she realized that what he spoke was true. She had only wanted to make things right again, since there was a feeling within her that made her feel partly responsible for letting something so horrible happen in her region.
But Steven reassured her, one evening, that none of it could have been her fault. There was simply no way of telling what would have happened and surely everyone was already thankful for her help in taking the group down.
His words had struck a chord in her and she felt grateful for having him talk some sense into her.
Cynthia had known him for several years, through League connections. At the time, it seemed like a petty infatuation to her, for she admired him as a fellow champion and admired some of his impressive feats. To her, there was surely no time to fit in a serious relationship, what with their busy lives they led on a daily basis – not to mention the fact that they lived in two separate regions. It seemed like a mess to begin with.
And yet, one thing led to another and she was deeply surprised – happy, even – to find out his feelings for her matched her own when they confessed.
It'd been a year since it began, but they kept this romance of theirs a secret from everyone. It was a matter of being able to keep their private lives to themselves, even from their colleagues. Except even that proved to be quite the struggle.
Still, it was frustrating at times, knowing Steven lived in a far-off region and she could only often make contact with him through video calls or talks over the phone. League meetings only happened several times a year and even then, it was difficult to make time to visit one another.
But despite all of that, the distance apart did not really put any strain or make them any less close to each other. Even now.
If it was simply being able to see his face through a screen or simply hear his voice talking to her, Cynthia would still get that same Butterfree feeling soaring within from every chance they got. And that was enough to keep her at ease.
Through her musings, she felt Steven's arms shift from where he had them around her bare form as he sighed deeply in his sleep.
Or at least, she thought he was asleep.
His eyes were still closed when he mumbled her name. "Cynthia?"
She lifted her head up from his chest to look at him. "Yes?"
"Are you thinking again?"
Her lips curled into a smile when his eyes opened halfway to look at her. "Why do you say that?"
Steven grasped her fingers that had been, without her even realizing it, tracing the expanse of his toned muscles the entire time since she'd woken up. A light blush dusted her cheeks upon realization.
"Ah, sorry," Cynthia said with a light laugh. She moved away from him to lay her head against the pillow beside him and stared at the blank ceiling above.
"Steven, can I ask you something?" she then asked.
Steven rubbed at his eyes before turning on his side and propping his head up with an elbow. "Of course, what is it?"
She paused for a moment. "I've been wondering…don't you think it's rather odd that quite a few organizations have been appearing in the news and causing havoc, lately?"
He took a second to contemplate before he nodded. "It is rather peculiar, I admit," he agreed with her as she gazed at him expectantly.
"And it's all happened in recent years, too," Cynthia elaborated further. "For one thing, it's only been five years since the Team Rocket crisis in Kanto which Red had managed to take care of, and two years since Lance had to deal with them again in Johto. And then Team Galactic showed up last year in Sinnoh…" She furrowed her brows. "I hate to say it, but I wouldn't be surprised if something similar were to happen in another region very soon. These criminal syndicates seem to have no end."
Though it was usually not in her nature to judge other people's mind sets too harshly, she could not seem to wrap her mind around why all the leaders of these organizations strived for something so nefarious as ruling the world – or in Team Galactic's case, recreating the universe. The mere idea sounded ridiculous to her own ears, but the fact that some of these groups happened to reach a point where it was even minutely possible was terrifying.
"But in the end, all their plans have been thwarted, right?" Steven pointed out. "If the next time something like that happens, which I hope it won't, we'll just have to keep our guard up."
Cynthia had to agree with that. People and pokémon have all lived together peacefully for so long and still, it looked like that was not going to change any time soon.
"I probably shouldn't be worrying over something so meaningless," she quietly said after a pause.
But Steven shook his head. "No, that just means you're being realistic," he said. "It's obvious that you care for everything that is good in this world, despite all of its flaws, and you show it with such poise and brilliance. It's just one of the endless things I love about you, Cynthia."
She could not help but smile embarrassedly, feeling a sense of warmth engulf her entire core as he brought her into his arms once more.
"Flattery will get you nowhere, Mr. Stone," she teased him when she felt him kiss the side of her temple.
"But I mean it," he replied and placed a kiss against her cheek right after.
She turned on her side to face him, then, cupping his cheek and simply wanting to look at him. It still amazed her how, even to this day, she had this wonderful man all to herself.
"You know, I've been thinking that maybe we should tell them soon," Steven said.
Cynthia hummed in agreement, already knowing exactly what he was talking about without the need for him to elaborate.
"I'm sure some of them may suspect already," she replied, thinking back to her talk with Diantha after the meeting and the way she ended up having to lie once more.
"I've had a few close calls with Wallace, actually," he told her and explained how the gym leader had tried to convince him in attending double dates with him. His expression suddenly grew grim. "And besides, it would finally get Alder to stop asking you out every time he sees you."
That managed to garner a genuine laugh from her, knowing full well how irked Steven had been after the meeting, despite his best attempts to mask his reaction. Sadly, it was not the first time he had ever witnessed it happen.
"Do I sense a bit of jealousy?" she teased him.
Steven frowned and said nothing.
"I only have eyes for you, Steven, there's nothing to worry about." Cynthia smiled in amusement as she touched his cheek to have him look at her again. "When should we tell them, then?"
"Whenever you'd like," was all he said before pressing his forehead against hers. "But whatever happens, know that I'll still love you just the same."
She could hear the honesty in Steven's voice as he spoke and saw all the genuine love he felt for her through his soft gaze. She never used to think that she would ever find someone who could show her so much love, until him. His mere presence was enough to send her in a state of bliss, and simply being held in his arms was a whole other kind of joy.
Steven ran his fingers through her long hair. "You have no idea how hard it was to not stare at you during the meeting, by the way," he said quietly. "Being a month apart has been difficult."
Cynthia sighed. "I know how you feel," she murmured softly. However, her eyes lit up with an idea. "But actually, while I was speaking with Diantha earlier, she told me I should go visit Kalos one day."
Steven raised a brow at this. "Did she now? And what are you possibly suggesting?"
"I suggest…" She pushed him down onto his back to hover her face over his, not missing the light flush matting his cheeks as his eyes glanced appreciatively over her form. Her lips curled into a sultry smile. "…that after we tell them, we promise to take a small vacation together, for a few weeks to go visit. I've heard Kalos is beautiful around the summer time."
Steven grinned. "Now that is a rather tempting idea." His eyes flicked over to her lips. "I'm sure if we can find the time, I suppose we could go."
He tried to kiss her then, but Cynthia tilted her head back before he could and a look of surprise crossed his face.
"You suppose?"
A light chuckle escaped him. "Fine, fine, I promise," he corrected himself. "Now can I –?"
Cynthia went ahead and pressed her lips against his, this time. His arms instinctively tightened around her waist.
And when she heard him whisper those three words she loved to hear from him, moments after they parted, a rush of excitement and contentment settled over her. She could hardly bother to think straight through the wave of happiness she was feeling.
It was after they separated that she closed her eyes and listened to the rise and fall of his chest against hers, savouring the feeling of having him right next to her, again.
For no matter the fact that they could not see each other too often or embrace in public as other couples could, they knew they would still be there for each other, in the end.
A smiled touched her lips. Indeed, that was all they could ever care about.
fin
