First things first.
6000+ words is tiring, but satisfying. 6000+ words in one day considering the fact I'm ill with flu and with some work to do? That's pushing it. Still, though, I hope not to leave this fic inactive for too long, so I decided I'd go with this anyway.
I might've screwed up a bit writing this, but I'd appreciate constructive criticism!
Hope you all enjoy, and thank you for the reviews/favs/follows! Let's see how far this fic can go! Keep them coming!
Oh, and since I forgot about the clarity earlier, I'll say it here: I don't own anything about Pokemon. Only a self-made plot.
And roll!
Pursuing A Champion's Heart - Chapter One: Emotions Twisting
It had been about two hours and forty-five minutes since her flight. Cynthia was now on her private jet, heading towards the Unova region to attend the upcoming fifth anniversary of the Pokemon World Tournament. The morning was nearing the end, and as she looked outside the aircraft's window, indulging in the view the morning sky had shifted from the beautiful hue of orange to a soothing azure, with an abundance of Flying Pokemon unseen in the Sinnoh Region, such as flocks of Tranquil, Unfezant, and Braviary - it was a magnificent scene to notice Pokemon in such numbers touring the skies. Altaria particularly blended in perfectly with their azure, avian bodies and cloud-like feathers as well. The migrating Pokemon convinced Cynthia somewhat that Unova would welcome her with a near-ending autumn, and by the time she'd finished her business here, the forthcoming winter would likely persist until the end of the year. For that, she didn't wear her casual blue blouse to suit Unova's warmer climate, and instead opted for her usual black coat and pants, wearing a fine, blue hat given to her by her grandmother, Professor Carolina, as to not appear too recognizable.
There were many reasons for Cynthia to be excited about this trip - being on break from her tedious duties as well as being able to meet and battle many of her friends across the globe was very gratifying. Cynthia had always enjoyed Unova as a holiday spot, especially during the summer seasons in Undella. Above all, of course, she placed a hand on her heart as she thought of the main reason she went to the Pokemon World Tournament. She was rather hopeful of what was to come when she was to meet Red again. Admittedly, he'd been on her mind the entire morning, ever since she woke up.
Red...today's the day. I'm going to see you again, and perhaps we could be together this time. She reminisced the first thought she had as she get out of bed in the morning.
As Cynthia pondered on the thought that it would be the first time for her to spend time in Unova under a cold climate, Jervis called from the cockpit.
"Miss Cynthia, we are due to land in the Mistralton airport in about five minutes." He announced.
"Very well." A slight satisfaction entered her at the revelation that she had reached Unova - it was her favorite spot to visit when on holiday, as the historical aspects of the region were engraved with thick grandeur as how modern it was as the years passed. Immediately, she also decided where she would head after they stopped at the Mistralton airway.
The view above the clouds descended to reveal surrounding trees of the city and it's trademark runway near the airport. Only a few vacant planes were left there, so the surrounding area was quite spacious compared to the other times she visited the city. In time, the jet had landed successfully, and Cynthia had finally reached the Unova region.
Cynthia disembarked the jet to discover a familiar man and two other airport workers standing behind him waiting beside the silver aircraft. The elderly figure had a touch of orange blended amidst his graying hair tied in a ponytail.
"Oh, Cynthia!" It was Skyla's grandfather, Miles, the former Mistralton Gym Leader, welcoming her sudden arrival. "I certainly didn't expect to see you here. Welcome back to Unova. I presume you're here for the PWT?"
"Indeed." She said. "It's been a long while, Miles. I assume Skyla's already gone there?"
"Yes, she came with Elesa this morning to go to Driftveil City. You'll find her at the PWT itself."
"My apologies for suddenly descending here." Cynthia professed. Randomly descending without permission or emergency on a public airport was somewhat inappropriate. "My new villa doesn't exactly offer an appropriate space, I'm afraid, but I'll ask Jervis to shift the jet after I head where I need to."
"Oh, you needn't do so, Cynthia." Miles answered openly. "The PWT's a grand event for all of us, so the airport's going to be inactive anyway, especially without Skyla around. Feel free to keep your jet here for as long you deem necessary."
"Thank you - I appreciate it." She said. "I should be going now, though. Goodbye."
"Good luck - and give my best wishes to Skyla as well!" He imparted his final greetings before Cynthia entered the limo Jervis got from the jet and went on their way.
"Where do you intend to go from here?" He asked, as he began driving.
"Undella - preferably to give an old friend a possible surprise." She said, an excited smile on her face.
Jervis smiled. "Speaking of which, have you replied to her letter yet? Perhaps it would be best if you gave her a call, at least?"
Coincidentally, Cynthia's phone rang just after Jervis had finished his sentence. She smiled at the said coincidence as she discovered who had called her. "Good morning." She answered.
"Good morning, Cynthia." A recognizable voice responded politely. "Well, afternoon in say twenty minutes. It's been a while."
"Yes, it's been a while, Caitlyn." Cynthia was pleasantly surprised that she called her again. "Sorry I've not replied to your calls and your letter a bit sooner. How are you?"
"I'm alright — I'm currently just relaxing in Undella." Cynthia could hear the soothing, relaxing sound of the beach's waves from Cailtyn's line. "It's getting more chilly outside, though, so it's not going to be the summer beach season you'd usually spend. Warm yourself up, okay? The Pokemon League's taking a break in accord with the PWT event, so I'll be free for quite some time. Speaking of which, are you coming for it, like I asked?"
"I've just reached Mistralton a while ago. I'll drop by Undella within the hour. You're outside?"
"I'm at the beach, yes, and that'd explain why I've not been able to call you for the past few hours." She said. "Wonderful, though. I'm glad you're coming." Caitlyn replied. "The villa's all yours, as always."
"I've actually purchased my own villa in Unova some time ago, but I appreciate the offer. I'm sorry I've not told you about it, though..."
"It's alright, really — my offer still stands nonetheless. There's space for your jet, after all, just in case Mistralton Airport isn't the best place to leave it."
"So is she coming soon?" Another fairly high-pitched voice called from Caitlyn's end of the line.
"Is someone else with you?" Cynthia asked, finding the voice on Caitlyn's background unrecognizable.
"Oh, Shauntal's actually with me." She said. "I sort of invited her along with me to meet you here since she insisted she had nothing to do and wanted you meet you as well. Sorry if she's possibly intruding anything...let's go grab some ice cream as you arrive, then. My treat."
"The more the merrier; I wouldn't miss it." Cynthia chuckled.
"Are you coming with the Sinnoh Leaders?"
"I'm likely the earliest to arrive." Cynthia said. "To my information they're probably pooling on one of Sinnoh's ships, although Roark and Byron will be coming here separately due to mining work. How's the tournament going? Is anyone there yet?"
"Well, most of the Hoenn leaders are already there - as is Wallace, but Steven will probably arrive later. At least, that's what I've heard from Clay as I dropped by momentarily an hour ago. Needless to say, all the Unova leaders, new and old alike, have arrived as well. For the first time, our new Champion Iris also seems to be competing, alongside Alder as well, of course."
"Be that as it may." She said. "Admittedly, I'm quite excited to meet everyone there."
"So, do you intend to win this year?" Caitlyn asked. "And break Red's record? It'd top the charts as an achievement."
Her mention of Red made her nervous.
"I...don't really know." She murmured. "Speaking of him, though, is Red there yet...?"
"He could be, I'm not sure." Caitlyn replied. "Likely not. Johto is quite some distance away from Unova, and knowing him he'd probably come flying on his Pokemon instead of proper transport. That said, he'll probably arrive in the evening with Gary, slightly later than the other Johto leaders."
Cynthia was relieved slightly. "I see."
"Is there a reason you asked me of him?"
"N-Nothing." Cynthia replied, somewhat hastily. "Really."
"We'll meet you at the Vanilitte Ice Cream Cafe, then." She suggested. "You know, just nearby the Pokemon Center."
"I'll see you there! I guess we'll talk more when we meet. Goodbye, Caitlyn."
"Goodbye, and I hope to see you soon." Caitlyn ended the call. She felt slightly amused by Cynthia's response. "I guess I presumed correctly, then." She said as she kept her cellphone.
"What do you mean?" Caitlyn's purple-attired colleague asked, curiously.
"Oh, it's nothing, good Shauntal." She replied as she finished a slight chuckle. "Perhaps you would discover it later."
An hour didn't seem to pass quicker enough - eventually, however, the limo's tires hissed as they entered the sandy grounds of Undella's beaches. It was, again, the first time Cynthia would spend time in Unova during the colder festivities, so returning to the beach there had a different feel to it, as the cool breeze brushed her face as she opened the window.
They eventually stopped at an extravagant cafe with an attractive banner featuring Vanilitte Ice Cream.
"Pick me up at three, then." Cynthia said. "I won't be that long."
"I'll go shift the jet, then." And with that Jervis departed.
Cynthia smiled as she noticed the two individuals standing outside the entrance of the posh, nicely furnished cafe. Thankfully, the autumn season meant that it wasn't as crowded as it was in the summer, in which she'd have to endure long queues to get even a scoop of the coveted treat. Both weren't in their usual get-ups; the taller one of the two was wearing a simple pink dress with her brunette-blonde hair unkept as always, wearing a pair of pink sunglasses as to not appear recognizable. The other was wearing a more, casual purple attire with her black scarf still intact, with a handbag in her hand and a pen behind her ear.
The two individuals smiled as they noticed their blonde friend from Sinnoh approach them for a stone's throw away. "Hello!" She waved at them, a shining smile greeting them from afar.
"My, in the flesh!" Shauntal hadn't seen Cynthia for very long, and the inquisitive novelist greeted her amiably. "It's been such a long time since I last saw you, Cynthia."
"Welcome back to Unova, Cynthia. It's a pleasure to meet you again." Caitlyn said.
The smile that appeared on her face widened as she shook their hands, enjoying the atmosphere the two Elite trainers had given her. "Likewise. I'm glad you both are well."
Before they sat down and talked, Cynthia, needless to say, was more than tempted for a scoop of Undella's signature Vanillite Ice Cream. Cynthia decided to opt for strawberry this time round, whereas Caityn and Shauntal ordered their respective scoops of blueberry and dark chocolate, respectively. They sat down inside near a nicely decorated steel table with comfy chairs surrounding it, as they began to enjoy their while beginning some idle chatter.
"Cynthia, there's something I've actually been very curious about for a while..." Shauntal began, feeling rather excited. "Just exactly how old are you?"
Caitlyn appeared mildly repulsed by Shauntal's question. "I really do hope you're not implying something."
"Come on!" Shauntal exclaimed. Admittedly, Cynthia was someone anyone would be curious of when it came to her age. "I mean, look at the girl! I'm very well within my rightful curiosity to ask this, am I not?"
"I'm twenty-one." She revealed casually, placing her left arm on the provided armrests.
"Oh, so you're as old as Caitlyn is!"
"We attended the same school when we were young, if that says anything." Cynthia revealed.
"Cynthia always stood at the top of the class." Caitlyn said, before her expression shifted to a mild, joking smirk. "Cynthia was always such a show-off back then..."
"Coming from you, rich girl?" Cynthia teased, recalling how Caitlyn was as big as a figure as she was in their Academy, and how well they always got along with their friendly rivalry, competitive as they were. And they all laughed.
"So, Cynthia, are you excited for the PWT this year?" Shauntal decided to shift the conversation to a more lively matter.
"Definitely." Cynthia said. "Admittedly, it's about time I tried this." She revealed an intricate charm under her neck tied to a necklace.
"A Key Stone." Caitlyn identified precisely. "I'll assume it's for your Garchompite, wherever you got it."
"I picked it up from Professor Scyamore about three months ago during my visit in Kalos." She said.
"Maybe you'll manage to beat Red this time, don't you think?" Shauntal asked. "You've always been pretty close to beating him, aren't you? Of course, he could always have his own Mega Evolution. I'm not surprised if all the Champions this year would have one, especially Red. Charizardites are fairly common, after all. It just depends on which one he intends to use..."
Another mention of Red. It was enough to trouble her with a slight fuzziness as well as an increasing amount of worry. She's already in Unova - and her chance to see Red was approaching as she resided. It was inevitable that every conversation about the PWT would always bring a mention of Red, as if the PWT always seemed to revolve around him, although she couldn't blame him for being that a popular figure when it came to the grandure events of battling.
"Cynthia, are you okay?" Shauntal's voice interrupted her thoughts, as she realized both females now shot her puzzled looks. She realized she'd been spacing out.
"Well...I-I guess we'll have to wait and see, then, perhaps." Cynthia shattered from her daze and took another lick of her cone of strawberry Ice Cream. "I'll do my best, so to speak..."
"You're acting a bit strange, aren't you?" Shauntal asked.
"Either you smeared some strawberry ice cream on your cheeks or you're having a fever, Cynthia." Caitlyn remarked, earning a rather hearty array of giggles from Shauntal, who jotted down the quote on one of her notebooks she withdrew from her bag and placed beside her, as she reacted in realization of what was going on at last. The slightly humorous content aroused a slight giggle from Caitlyn herself, as she placed a hand on her mouth to hide her laughter. "Or perhaps you're embarrassed about something." She now literalized her sentence.
"N-nothing's wrong." Cynthia shuttered in denial. This definitely wasn't easy for her.
"You like him, Cynthia. I get it. You speak louder through your reactions."
Cynthia seemed rather surprised that Caitlyn had noticed. Nevertheless, Caitlyn probably knew her better than anyone, and she had to admit that Red had consistently dominated the thoughts on her head ever since Caitlyn mentioned him to her in her letter. She wasn't herself and her body now did all the talking. Like it or not, she was very much the syndrome of a girl in a love.
"...Am I really being that obvious about it?" She murmured, her face growing even more flushed.
"Well, as of now. I had my doubts at first last year, but I didn't think you'd go that far." Caitlyn confessed, as the two girls nodded in unison. "Quite a nice catch you've set your heart on there - he's certainly a sight for sore eyes."
"It's alright, Cynthia. Everyone's been somewhere when it comes to love." Shauntal said. "There's nothing more exciting to a girl than falling in love or having a crush. The fact that yours is the infamous Red of Pallet Town doesn't make it any different."
Cynthia only remained silent as the red of her cheeks began to deepen.
"I wonder how you fell in love with him," Shauntal teased.
"A question I too am very much eager to ask, my dear Cynthia." Caitlyn chuckled as well.
"B-But...!" Her words froze in her mouth, unable to say anything. Her face was now as red as an apple.
"Alright, lover girl, we'll stop." Caitlyn said. "We'll ask that question at a later time, though. Don't think you'll get off of this that easily."
"Still, though, who knew!" Shauntal remarked. "Look at you, Cynthia. You probably could have any guy you wanted, and here you are, telling me you have a crush on Red, of all people. What an enticing plot twist! Not to say he's no awesome pick, but isn't he kind of seclusive or something? Perhaps he's not one to pursue a relationship and-"
Caitlyn sighed. The comment came across as somewhat snide, and Cynthia was inevitably depressed by Shauntal's words. Her embarrassment shifted to disappointment as a soft silence wavered the three females.
"...Whoops." Shauntal suddenly whispered sheepishly, before her smile finally disappeared. She realized she'd said something wrong -quite wrong. "Cynthia, I'm sorry about-"
"You're not wrong..." Cynthia replied. "Perhaps he actually doesn't want a relationship...More or less, maybe he doesn't even remember me anymore..."
She was assaulted by her own doubt in that Red could never be hers - and the paranoia of his reaction once they met again.
"You'll never know, Cynthia." Caitlyn intervened. She attempted to quell the awkward atmosphere Shauntal had inconsiderately facilitated. "Red might not be one to open to anyone and always stays on that snowy mountain and everything, but it doesn't necessarily mean he surrounds himself entirely with a social barrier. To tell you the truth, he actually visited the Frontier and challenged Darach quite some time ago - my butler told me personally that they enjoyed themselves very much. This goes for any other girl as well, if you're thinking of anyone - what's most important is that you will find happiness, from Red or not. That's something only time can dictate, but something you also rightfully deserve more than anyone."
"I wonder if he's your first..." Shauntal squinted her eyes upward and placed the tip of her pen under her chin in thought.
"Shauntal, stop it." Caitlyn asserted. Shauntal wasn't making the situation any better. "You're not doing her any good. And I thought you're supposed to be better than me when it comes to things like this, Miss Goodie two-shoes novelist." Her comment earned a slight laugh from Cynthia. Caitlyn always seemed to be the one to brighten her up whenever she was down, and despite her usually taciturn and princess-like demeanor, she had more humor and brightness than people gave the brunette credit for.
"Well, excuse me, princess." Shauntal replied with obvious sarcasm, a meek smile adorning her features as Caitlyn shot back with an irritated look, as they continued at each other's mouths like two young girls arguing over nonsense that wasn't to be squabbled over.
Cynthia stood bemused by their childish squabble, as she continued to laugh. It reminded her of her own younger self when Cynthia attended school with Caitlyn herself, and indulged in the slight nostalgia that repeated itself before her.
"You two certainly get along very well." Cynthia chuckled. Her mood now fell on lighter waters, as she decided to brush the matter off momentarily, finishing her ice cream. "Thank you for the advice, you two. I really appreciate it."
"You should probably hurry off to register." Caitlyn remarked, noticing they'd been in the cafe for almost an hour or so. It was already nearing three in the afternoon. "Wouldn't want you to be late, I guess."
"There's plenty of time." Cynthia reassured her. "Although I suppose you're right. It's almost three o' clock, anyways."
"Break a leg!" Shauntal said. "I mean, good luck! I'll be rooting for you!"
The three friends walked out of the cafe. Cynthia took a final glance at the both of them as Jervis arrived with their limo.
"You'll be fine." Caitlyn told her. "I wish you luck."
Managing a smile amidst her doubt, she entered her limo and continued towards Driftveil City. Entering another dimension of silence, she placed her thoughts upon Red once again. Within perhaps hours, sooner or later, Red would arrive, and her chance would come for her to talk to him again - to spend time with him, and for her to confess her everlasting love that dawned since her youth in which he had rescued her. She allowed that memory to pass through her again, indulging in the slight nostalgia of it. At this point of time, she seemed more positive and happy of his forthcoming arrival onto the PWT.
By the time the limo had reached Driftveil City, it was already forty-five minutes past four. Cynthia told Jervis to leave her there, as she wanted to walk through the city and spectate it's wonderful sights over the years. As Jervis rushed off to continue to other matters, Cynthia, ever a lover of ancient mythology and geology, circled the small town briefly, enjoying the view of the extravagant ruins and hills that surrounded the exits. Gradually, she grew content with what views the city had offered her, and at last walked to the PWT.
Taking a deep breath, Cynthia entered the crowded building. It was spacious and filled with many people, so it was also quite lively and noisy. She noticed quite the number of familiar faces; she first identified Wallace talking with a part of the Hoenn Leaders; his mentor Juan, Flannery and Winona. In another corner Jasmine was chatting with Whitney, whereas Lance was with his cousin, Clair, all deep in conversation. Cynthia could also notice a group of Kanto leaders such as Brock and with a brief look around the entire hall. There were many others she didn't have the time to notice one by one, as the crowd suddenly turned to the entrance, and all eyes were on Cynthia, leaving the crowd pleasantly surprised.
"And another Champion arrives at the scene!" Clay, the tournament's main host, guffawed heartily from the reception booth. "Welcome to the PWT. It's been quite a while since we've all seen you, miss Cynthia." A light, modest applause followed as she entered the halls.
"The pleasure's all mine." She said. "It's great to see everyone."
"Cynthia!" Another array of familiar voices called from afar as she noticed two female Gym Leaders approach her - the Nimbasa City Leader, Elesa, and the Mistralton City Leader, Skyla. The two Gym Leaders were amongst Cynthia's closest friends.
"Elesa; Skyla." Cynthia embraced the two for a hug. "It's certainly been long. I'm glad you two are well."
"It surely has been!" Skyla exclaimed. "How have you been?"
"I've been fine, thanks. I met your grandfather this morning, Skyla." Cynthia said. "I'm sorry for leaving my jet there for a while. He gives you his good wishes."
"Of course, thank you. It's great that you're here in Unova, Cynthia! How long will you be here?"
"Three months, perhaps." She said. "I've taken a break from duty and will probably be here for quite a while."
"That's great! Think about all we could do while you're here!"
"Looks like we've a lot of catching up to do." Elesa declared.
"We certainly do." Another voice called, as a large, red-and-orange haired man approached them. The three identified him as Alder, the former Unova Champion.
"It's been long, Alder." Cynthia took the man's hand and shook it politely. "It's good to see you here."
"Why, it has. Cynthia." He grinned widely. "It has certainly been long since I saw your marvelous face again."
Cynthia deadpanned slightly. "There he goes again," Elesa's voice came off as a soft whisper to the two girls. "Maybe we should skedaddle."
"Care for some dinner later, ladies?" He asked flirtatiously. "Particularly you, Cynthia."
Cynthia scoffed, crossing her arms in slight disgust. "I think I'll pass, thank you."
The two other girls could only chuckle sympathetically.
Time seemed to pass quicker as the day neared it's end. The evening was growing old as the orange shades begin to diminish into purple and a darker blue, as the night was being welcomed. The PWT seemed slightly less crowded, with several trainers leaving early to relax themselves.
"Is there anyone else not here yet?" Cheren, the City Gym Leader, asked. He was to supervise the event alongside Clay, acting as his assistant.
"Hmm..." Clay raised a brow, grunting as he examined the list he held in his hand. "Most of the list is full. Pretty much only Red and Gary aren't here yet."
"Gary's here!" Someone announced from afar. Clay didn't exactly know who reported his presence, presuming the voice to be that of the Fuschia City Leader, Janine's.
Gary's here. Cynthia's heart collected the news and began beating slightly faster. Then that means-
But only one individual came in. He was fairly tall, as he was followed by his avian Pokemon, Pidgeot, with spiky, brown hair and a collected expression on his face. Gary entered the room, wearing a green jacket with a gray turtleneck, with expensive maroon jeans. Everyone could notice that he looked slightly irritated.
"Speak of the devil," Clay said, welcoming the Kanto Champion. "Welcome to the PWT. And I suppose that's the last of it-" Clay suddenly noticed that he came alone - Red had always arrived to the PWT with Gary, so he seemed more puzzled at his absence. "Wait, where's Red?"
"He's not with me." Gary replied, withdrawing his Pidgeot back into his Pokeball.
He's not with him? Then where is he?
"He ain't with you this year, huh?" Clay questioned. "Where did the lad go to this time?"
"Were you not coming with Red?" Cynthia asked, looking rather concerned.
"I contacted him last night, but I didn't see him all day." Gary muttered, somewhat nonchalantly.
"Think something happened?" Wallace said.
"To Red? Not likely. He's probably just taking some time touring the skies like he always does. The guy's not one for avid crowds, after all."
"You two have come much later than usual this year, though." Clay remarked. "He's the last one on the list. If he doesn't show up within three hours, I'm afraid I've got to disqualify the kid."
Cynthia felt a mild disappointment tackle her, as if a child who had been denied of going to a place she yearned to go. Perhaps he wasn't coming after all?
"Sorry I'm late." A familiar voice called from the entrance.
Cynthia's heart skipped a beat as she noticed who had just arrived. Her disappointment immediately morphed into nervousness and awe as she realized who had come, denying her presumption. He's here, she told herself, as her heart continued to thump wildly. Red's here.
Red entered the building with an expressionless look latched onto his exterior. Cynthia felt her heart beat at an incredible pace as she examined him from head to toe. He was handsome through every feature, as his haunting scarlet eyes surveyed the area briefly, fortunately (or dismayingly) not noticing her. His spiky, raven-black hair made him as cool as he had ever been, most of it tucked behind his signature red cap. His red jacket that matched the color of his eyes left a plain, gray undershirt open, and his jeans were ripped in all the right places. On the index finger of his right hand he wore an accessory that seemed to be a Mega Charm. Cynthia could detect murmuring from a few members of the crowd as Red arrived. He was as big a figure as anyone would have ever imagined.
"Took you long enough," Clay grunted, leaving his final traces of irritation behind, before shifting to a rather jubilant mood. "Welcome back to the PWT, Red!"
Red simply nodded in response. Sighing, his red eyes met with Gary's blue ones.
"Where'd you go?" Gary asked. "And to think you were only seconds behind me."
"Flying." He answered simply. "I actually reached here in the late afternoon, but I decided to check the region out before I arrive. It's got a nice view, after all."
"Typical." Gary said. "Took your sweet time and got distracted, then. Why didn't you answer my calls?"
"My phone broke." He revealed a damaged cellphone from his waist pocket. "I'll go pick one up later."
"Coincidence?" Gary sound rather irritated. "I never thought you had one of those."
"What are you implying?"
"I'm saying you shouldn't have been late, or at least should've told me about it if you intended to go alone. I thought we already decided on that last night." Thankfully, Gary's tone lightened as he finished that sentence.
"My apologies, then." Red apologized quietly.
"Oh well," Gary's expression shifted to a slight smile, revealing his ring located on his right index finger, much like Red's. More observant, knowledgeable people like Alder and Wallace noticed Gary's gesture as a challenge, knowing that the competition rivalry had long settled within the Kanto Champion against the PWT's streak leader ever since the two were young. Upon the ring a Key Stone stood engraved intricately in the middle of the silver. "Wouldn't want to ruin the contest mood, after all."
"Save the rivalry for the battlefield, Gary." He smirked as he revealed his own ring, which was gold, as Gary grinned back in response.
There was a solemn look on Alder's face. It seemed that there were more than enough Trainers utilizing Mega Evolutions already. The battles this year were certain to be promising entertaining like no other.
"Wouldn't miss it. See you around tomorrow, I think I'll have to go chill out a bit." Gary decided to depart from the area early, as he left the hall after exchanging goodbyes with a few familiar Gym Leaders, particularly Janine and Sabrina .
"Again, I apologize for being late." Red turned to Clay.
"Never mind." Cheren pardoned him. "What matters is that you actually came."
"Well," Clay picked up a microphone and announced. "With that, registration is complete. You're all dismissed. Rest up well for the big tournament tomorrow! Good luck for all the exciting battles!"
And with that, the contestants began to scatter - some stayed whereas most of the crowd left the place.
"A word with you, Red?" Alder suddenly approached the boy, placing a large, warm hand on his left shoulder.
"Very well." Red replied. "Where?"
"You'll know where to find me. Of course, you could follow." Alder then marched out of the room. Red stayed for a moment before he walked out as well.
Cynthia tried to approach Red, but her body restrained her. Rather, her heart had restrained her. Why is this happening? She asked herself. Get it together, Cynthia. You can do this. Why did you have to show weakness when he's already this close to you, when you can easily just reach for him?
If he wouldn't make the first move, she would. But where was he going with Alder?
"Where do you think they've gone to?" Cynthia asked.
"The cliffs near Twist Mountain." Cheren answered. "Just nearby here."
"How do you know?" Clay asked skeptically.
"That's where Alder and Red first battled. I was there too. I doubt they're going anywhere else. I know Alder, after all, although I can't say the same for Red." Cheren placed emphasis in that he was under Alder for quite some time in the past.
"Good point, I guess." Clay replied. "They'll probably not go that far, so I guess it's sheer coincidence that they'd go there. Maybe you could look- Hey, where's Cynthia?"
"She rushed off." Cheren muttered. "I wonder what she's up to."
Cynthia rushed out of the building and headed outside to Driftveil City. Eventually, she reached what appeared to be an abandoned construction site near the more rocky parts of the vicinity.
I will find Red. And I will talk to him, as a start. She promised herself, her resolve strengthening. She had been waiting for this moment long enough.
"Togekiss, come out!" Cynthia released the Jubilee Pokemon from its Pokeball, as it let out a squeal of delight, soaring in mid-air.
"Find Alder and Red." She whispered.
Togekiss cried lightly in agreement before venturing across the night sky, encircling the large structures of granite that formed the mountain. It flew within Cynthia's view, hovering above the mountain several types before it descended. Togekiss returned to its trainer, pointing at a rocky stairway in the east that led to the highest point. It seemed that they were at the peak of the mountain.
"Good work, Togekiss. Return!" She recalled Togekiss to her Pokeball and hustled for the granite stairs.
She found them near an open cliff that displayed the view of the mountain, the glistening blue moonlight shining upon them as they talked. Not wanting to intrude, she hid behind a rock nearby the cliff's edge. The two individuals didn't notice her sudden arrival, as they continued talking to each other.
A part of her continued to succumb to nerves as she questioned her current actions; why was she hiding and pursuing him like some kind of obsessive stalker? Why didn't she have the bravery to confront him directly? She felt herself shackled by her emotions again, as she thought about Red and what she was supposed to do. Her resolve suddenly broke into vulnerability and hesitance, as she felt slightly disappointed in herself for breaking apart that easily.
"Cynthia's the closest anyone's ever been to beating your title." Alder said, awakening Cynthia from her daze of thoughts. Cynthia guessed that the conversation had went on for some time. What was surprising, though, was that they were talking about her. Were they talking about her? She wondered. With slight irritation of Alder's forwardness as she was reminded of his approach earlier, she continued observing silently behind her hiding place, eyes locked on Red. Her face grew heavier and warmer.
Expecting an answer from the other, she tried to hold her breath. Red, however, simply turned and faced the cliff, watching the night sky above, as if the question had no meaning to him - perhaps as if he didn't hear it at all.
"Red?" Alder asked, realizing his acquaintance was distracted. "Is something wrong?"
"Oh, it's nothing." Red said. "I was just thinking about something."
She felt a crack in her heart. Why isn't he saying anything? It can't be...he doesn't remember me?
"What do you think of her?" Alder suddenly questioned. "You know, Cynthia."
Cynthia was now locked into a moment of truth, escaping temporarily from her fear and slight depression. Despite not understanding why Alder was asking such questions, her heart yearned and thumped uncontrollably for his answer as she awaited slightly impatiently behind the bush he was in, trying to hear his voice revealing what she wanted to know.
Amidst her anxious confusion, however, she accidentally aroused the sound of a nearby pebble. It startled her from her distracted consciousness, as the two males noticed it as well.
Red turned around and flashed a serious look behind the rocks. "We're being watched."
Damn it, she thought. You just had to screw this up at such a moment, did you, Cynthia? Her heartbeat hastened ever more, and fear began to flood her nerves, icicles stabbing her spine. What if he realizes I'm here? Would he be mad? Suspicious? She'd landed herself in quite the predicament.
"Quite the perceptive one, Red." Alder remarked. His smile diminished slightly, as he raised a brow in curiosity. "And to whoever's actually behind us, quite the sneaky one."
Red peered behind the dark shadows of the granite and noticed a spot of blonde yellow that seemed to be hair between the rough gaps. It was long, curved and feminine. With that, he immediately realized who it was.
"You can come out - Cynthia." Red uttered, his expression shifting into a slight smile. "It's been a while."
