Here's an early Christmas gift to you readers! I'm so glad I found more time to write: it's been over two weeks since the last update!

So yes, vanilla ice cream bars in a chocolate and almond shell are gifted to DaX0315, QUEENSPELLER67 (have a Crème de Lune Opéra too), Jumaboy, and StRAngE ToASt!

DaX0315: I'm going to place Astrid's age at 16 in this story. And yes, Cynthia is very jealous... I wonder what it'd be like if Lucy was here instead. Though I can imagine Steven would still be interested in having a battle. It's just that he wouldn't need to train her.

QUEENSPELLER67: I'm going to place Astrid's age at 16 in this story. And yes, Cynthia is very jealous... Plus, Diantha is still Champion. I've made a few references already. "Fondue Fight II" mentioned it once. In the previous chapter, Astrid said she wanted to remove Diantha from her seat! I've mentioned the current Hoenn Champion in the previous chapter too, but I left out the gender.

This chapter may be dramatic.

Anyway... bon appétit.

Chapter forty-seven: Glimpse of Character

Cynthia had been walking back and forth inside her villa for at least ten minutes non-stop. She was clutching her jacket in frustration as tears streamed down her face.

She had all reason to hate him. First attacking by attacking her since day one, to his declaration of hatred, and now there was that girl…

Why did Cynthia even bother caring for him at all? If anything, he probably liked her ice cream because he had finished it. As she paced around, she kept staring at the empty ice cream stick in her hand. But Cynthia felt like she had lost again.

It was for that reason she was trying to get through the rest of 'Episode 6' of 'Vulpix on ICE'. That was the easiest way she could get out of her predicament. More ice cream for herself was in order.

Quite unfortunate for Roserade and Garchomp, they were staring to get used to seeing Cynthia in this state and did what they could to make her comfortable. While Garchomp got to putting away Cynthia's jacket and giving her a blanket, Roserade prepared a cup of tea for Cynthia. It was made from boiling water and the insides of an Aspear berry together with the skin of the berry to add extra flavour.

She passed the cup to Cynthia, who was busy eating chocolate ice cream and was already halfway through a tub. With a spoon in one hand, Cynthia kept eating.

"This episode is so good…" she said with tears still streaming down her face.

Roserade shook her head and offered the cup directly. She pointed at the ice cream, saying, "Rose, roserade," in a stern tone suggesting Cynthia should stop. Cynthia sighed and went to drink the tea. Nothing was going to stop her from finishing up 'Episode 6'!

But as she sipped the tea, she found it extraordinarily sour, yet why was it so tasty? Could it be…? Cynthia glanced at the chocolate and the tea. She had an idea to work on! As she finished crying over her ice cream and finishing 'Episode 6', she got the confidence to head back into the kitchen. Roserade and Garchomp, who were curious, went to spy on what Cynthia was up to.

Cynthia had no options.

She had to fight back.

The next day, Martine Grenadine was finding it weird that Steven was behaving somehow normally for once. Ever since he had that battle with that platinum blonde yesterday, he was in higher spirits. It was like he was a refreshed man.

It was exactly that that was putting Martine on edge.

"Boss…" she whined. "How could you?"

If Steven could, he would have dismissed Martine to doing her usual duties. But for some reason, the Stone Restaurant and Bistro was not busy today, even though it was the weekend. Steven supposed it would get a lot busier in the night, but for the time being he had to deal with Martine's questions.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Martine," he replied calmly.

"Oh come on, don't you have any idea what you're doing to her?!" Martine said back. "That ice cream… you could have at least said something."

Steven flashed a humourless smile. Now that Martine was no longer being an irritant on his love life, he thought he could get some peace. Unfortunately, it appeared that his plan was backfiring on him. Between that predicament and trying to fight off the competition (Cynthia, of course), where did that leave him now?

"That Pokémon battle was enough to get me motivated again," he said. "I guess I just needed some adrenaline in the heat of battle."

Seeing her efforts were getting nowhere, Martine shook her head. "Well, you're missing out, I'm telling you! You won't get another opportunity! If you didn't care so much, you wouldn't have known that she had created something new and tasty today!"

That caught his attention, so Steven gave Martine the go-ahead.

"Laurent and Sophie… they were eating what looks like a tasty dessert," Martine explained. "It's all the rage! It's something that is outselling Cynthia's cakes and your cakes today! That's the rumour."

Steven looked away.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to see what's going on," he said. "Want to go scout – I mean – see what she's up to?"

Was there ever a time Steven had asked Martine to go out with him? This seemed like a first for the 19-year old redhead. Normally she would be dragging him out. It was no wonder Martine was happy to do so, but she was a little more conscious of Steven this time.

They went out and found a crowd had gathered at the entrance of Vue sur la Lune. On that basis, it was unlikely that whatever it was, it would not be found at the chocolatier or the coffee shop. Great. Just great. That would mean they would have to eat there. Steven followed Martine quietly into the marble-and-glass lobby.

In his eyes, he couldn't believe was back in enemy territory, and was given a seat on the fourth floor – just under the roof. For the most part, he kept his head down and prayed that Cynthia would not see him, or the media for that matter. He wore not sunglasses this time, which made him uneasy.

"Bonjour," Martine greeted.

"Bonjour," the receptionist replied. "Combien?"

"Deux," Martine said.

Steven breathed a sigh of relief that Cynthia was nowhere in sight. Maybe this lunch would turn out nicely after all. As he and Martine went to their table, he took note of what the customers were eating. It looked like some kind of chocolate mousse, but thicker. Was that the craze around here?

He and Martine took their seats and had only water to start. Now for once, Steven would have to pay for a meal at Vue sur la Lune. No longer would Cynthia have to treat him as if it was some kind of pity –

"Boss? You okay?" Martine said.

He snapped out of his thoughts. "Yeah. Just fine."

The waiter looked at Steven suspiciously before taking out his pen. "What would you like, monsieur?"

Steven glanced at the tables around him. "May I ask what is it the other tables are having? It looks pretty delicious."

"Ah, that is the chef's latest creation," the waiter replied. "Chocolate purée infused with Aspear berry – La pluie de chocolat. It is an excellent dessert, which I recommend served with the salad de poisson au Qualot."

Steven didn't know what to say. He knew Qualot berries were known for their spicy, sweet, and sour flavour. Just how would that pair with a fish salad of all things? Before thoughts formed in his head, Martine was already ahead of him. She had ordered two apiece.

Sitting together with Martine like this was bringing back some bad memories Steven had.

"Avec un verre de vin blanc, s'il vous plait, " Steven ordered.

Now Martine smiled. White wine paired nicely with salads, so was Steven really going all in with this? Or was he just playing games? Nevertheless, she knew Steven was more interested in the dessert that awaited him – or was it a dessert at all? She placed her order and got talking with Steven.

"Having fun already? You know, I'm really flattered that you're taking me out on a date, but I'm not ready for a relationship yet," she teased. She knew that would unnerve him. "What? You're not thinking of choosing me? I would be flattered."

Steven stared back at Martine. "Okay, okay. We're not going there. I don't have time relationships, and if you think it is possible…"

"It isn't," Martine said smugly. "Your heart is with someone else."

"My heart is… Now just hold on!" Steven said quickly. He looked flustered. "My heart isn't with anyone! If there's anything, it would not be with her. Maybe I've found someone else."

But he played right into Martine's hands. She wore an amused smile as she rested her elbow on the table to support her face.

"Ooh. But does that not mean that someone would be her?" Martine said. She was having too much fun. "Let's be honest here. There isn't anyone else."

"I still have time to look for someone–" Steven started. "Someone who really shares my interests. You know, there might be someone who isn't Cynthia that fits that description."

Martine realised where the conversation was headed.

"Attendez… Who was that girl you met yesterday?" she said cautiously. "You know, that Astri–"

"Okay, before you say anything, I have no time for relationships," Steven quickly said. "That girl was a championship semi-finalist. I was just itching for a battle; nothing more. Though I have to admit, she did get me an appetite for battling again."

That left Martine confused as her Qualot fish salad and Steven's arrived at their table. The waiter presented Steven with the bottle he was using before pouring some of the white wine into Steven's glass. However, Martine noticed Steven was surprisingly silent.

"Let me guess… love trouble? Are there too many girls pulling your heart in different directions?"

"Now what would make you think that?" Steven's reply was automatic. "Bon appétit, Martine."

The two of them only picked up their forks and started to eat. The savoury and sweet flavour of the Qualot berries paired nicely with the fish, and was a pleasure to eat.

When Henri Matin was not working in Le Café Sinnoh, he would spend some of his days training to be a server in the main restaurant. Given the length of time he did customer service, it wasn't that hard to adapt to. It gave him a different view of the food and beverage industry.

Today, however, was one of those days that gave him an amusing light of his employer.

"What is he doing here?" Cynthia whispered to Henri, urgently.

"Oh, you didn't know? He and his… friend wanted to drop by for lunch," Henri replied. "I thought you of all people would know."

"Don't go there." Cynthia was annoyed. "What do you mean, 'he wanted to drop by for lunch'? What did he order? How long has he been here? What was the precise time that he and his friend arrived?"

Henri raised his eyebrows. Cynthia was overthinking things, clearly. The information system at Vue sur la Lune was capable of tracking down orders including the time they were taken, so why didn't she check that? Otherwise, Cynthia would have to ask the respective server who was handling Steven's table over there.

"I suspect the order was carried out already, but if you must know, you will have to ask his server," Henri replied. "It looks like their food has arrived."

"What?!" Cynthia almost shouted. "Why wasn't I told about this? Whoever was responsible was supposed to tell me! Why wasn't I told?"

"Not that you ever mentioned that either…" Henri muttered, before raising his voice. "It seems they have ordered a fish salad, so it seems completely normal."

"Anything else?"

"I suspect they're here to try out the purée you created," Henri added. "I mean, who wouldn't want to try it? It's all the rage, one after the other. And you know, I thought the fondues were the talk of Cyllage, and you surprise us with better cakes. Is there no end to the surprises?"

But Cynthia was not listening because she had hurried off to the kitchens. While Henri wouldn't question his boss, he suspected Cynthia must have something personal reason why.

Sure enough, Cynthia was in the one of the kitchens where an Aspear berry and chocolate purée was just ready for service. Upon her arrival, the cooks and servers were curious why Cynthia was here to see this one dish through.

"It looks ready," Cynthia said to the servers. "Don't worry. I've got this one."

"Hmm… I know that Steven is sitting out there," the waitress said. "Cynthia! Is there a reason why you have to serve this one yourself?"

Cynthia glared at the waitress who dared mention Steven's name. It was too late, however, because the staff all wore smug grins or soft chuckles. With shaky hands, she took the two bowls of chocolate purée and carried them out.

She was catching the eyes of several customers she passed. However, she kept her mind focused on getting these to him. The presentation was good, with the purée retaining its thick but soft texture, but was distinguished by the bubble in the middle. Somehow, the clear liquids of the Aspear berry were separated from the thick purée, like oil and water, but it was all contained in the bubble.

Sighing, Cynthia took out the dishes out to the Steven and Martine. Two orders of Pluie de chocolat.

"Your desserts…" she mumbled.

"Cynthia! What a pleasure to see you!" Martine said cheerfully. "You know, it's been a while since we've had a meal here."

"And I seriously thought you would never set foot in here again, not that I wanted you to," Cynthia kept mumbling. She did her best not to look at Steven as she placed the bowls down. The purée was served in typical soup bowls, but it was a dessert nonetheless.

Afterwards, Cynthia walked away without saying another word.

It was such behaviour that caught Martine's eyes.

"You know, the only time people would ever look that down is if there's someone on their minds…" Martine said, hoping to poke some holes in Steven's mind. "She looks deeply saddened."

Steven scoffed. As if Cynthia had reason to feel sad! But what reason would there be?

"Would it be because she knows you and Astri–?"

"No, no. It's nothing like that," Steven quickly interrupted. "But still, she isn't too bad personally. Would you believe she asked me to be her mentor?"

Martine stared at Steven, and said, "But that would mean spending more time with her!"

"To be fair, she's not that much older than you, if not younger," Steven added. "Besides, am I not spending time with you? Cynthia can clearly see that."

Now Martine was silenced, and answered nervously, "Um… That's different."

She and Steven turned their attention to the desserts in front of them. It looked odd, with the thick chocolate purée encircling the liquid-like bubble. Incredibly, it looked like they were as separate as their properties permitted; yet it looked like they could blend together at just the slightest disturbance.

With a spoon, Steven scooped a bit of the purée and examined it before tasting it. Martine did the same thing.

"Mm…" Martine hummed. "The blend of milk chocolate, a touch of dark, and… Oh gosh, I can't even describe it!"

"The purée is infused with Aspear berry," Steven explained, after swallowing. "There's that tiny bit of sourness and gently balances the flavour of the dark chocolate but does not overpower the overall sweet taste of chocolate."

He looked at the dish again.

"But that was only the purée and not the Aspear bubble in the middle," he went on. "Somehow, Cynthia managed to separate the purée and the so perfectly…"

Both he and Martine gave the bubble a poke, and instantly the bubble burst and juice was being absorbed by the purée around it. Normally, this would have appeared unappetising, but this purée was different. There was something really tempting about it.

Now curious, Steven and Martine gave the dessert a taste.

The sweet and sour flavour was like painting a beautiful drawing. The design of the drawing was beautiful in its own right, but already, Steven and Martine could tell that adding paint to it would bring it to life. That paint was what was missing.

So Martine mixed in watercolour paint, and brushed against the canvas delicately. Steven stood alongside her and did the same. Normally, this should have been a job for one artist, not two. Yet it seemed that the colours Steven picked complemented Martine's nicely.

Unexpected, yes, but welcome.

From the looks of it, it was truly a whirlpool of colours. They colours blended together yet were independent in their own right.

"So this is what has been taking away my business…" Steven muttered.

"Personally, I think it's really yummy," Martine said. "Did you notice she served it to you personally?"

"Um, Martine, if you're trying to imply something, I –" Steven started.

"Oh come on, boss. I bet you have this dark hole in your heart right now," Martine said. "This purée is trying to speak into your soul! She is what completes you…"

"I will want nothing to do with that strange woman, not unlike you," Steven bluntly said.

While placing a palm on his forehead, nevertheless Steven kept on eating the dessert. He had to admit that Cynthia had done a brilliant job infusing the flavour of Aspear with the chocolate. However, how much more could his business survive if this kept up?

Yet… Steven could detect there was more to the dish that what was on the surface. He dug underneath the chocolate purée to find a pie crust. How peculiar. At his discretion, he tasted it on its own, and then with the purée.

It was delicious, yes, like the sort of bitter flavour one would get from dark chocolate. The flavour of Wepear berry worked too well with the chocolate. It was like… the Wepear berry crust could not be left alone without the purée to go with it.

It was sad. It was like seeing someone who needed a shoulder to cry on.

It was raining, and Steven was returning home with an umbrella in his hand. He walked past the streetlights in the dark, with the rain falling all around him and splashing against the ground.

As he walked, he noticed a familiar face up ahead just standing by herself in the rain. She had no umbrella, and neither was she wearing a coat of any sort. It was Cynthia, no doubt, but what was she doing? Her face was buried in her hands.

Steven stepped closer, and the closer he got to Cynthia, the more audible her cries were. She was sobbing nonstop. Alone.

Perhaps it would have made sense to at least comfort her, or ask what was going on. But Steven remained silent, as he was unsure of what to do. Instead, he brought his umbrella to shield Cynthia from the rain, and stand beside her.

"You okay?" he asked. "What's going on?"

But Cynthia didn't answer, and instead rested her head against Steven's shoulder and kept crying.

"Boss? Boss!" Martine waved her spoon worriedly in front of Steven's eyes. "Steven! You're spacing out!"

But Steven sat there emotionless, and had continued eating the purée. He remained quiet for the most part and waved at the waitress to get the bill.

Confused, Martine started on her purée too. For her, it was as delicious as Sophie's expressions promised. Then, when she got to the Wepear berry base, she couldn't stop eating it with the purée. However, even Martine could sense there was something more to the taste. But Steven… he only wore a still face. Words failed him.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Martine," he said, like he came back to life. "It's nothing, I assure you. I don't know what came over me."

But Martine had other ideas. Instead, she drew a grin. "I bet you have something going on, eh? So I was right after all! This is a dish that is speaking into your soul! Any feelings? What's on your mind?"

Steven put down his spoon after finishing what was left of the purée. Martine noticed, furthermore, that Steven had completely cleaned off his plate. There was not a crumb of tart shell left, neither the purée.

"I think I'm ready to leave, but I suppose this meal wasn't too bad either," Steven said. The bill eventually arrived and Steven paid the appropriate amount of Poké, with tips. "Now I see why this dish became popular."

A short distance away, Cynthia was observing Steven's interactions the whole time. This moment was perfect. Now that Steven was all the way in her restaurant, she could press her counterattack, and sent out Garchomp.

"You know what to do," Cynthia ordered. "I don't care how you do it, but it must be done. There is no time to waste."

Garchomp looked concerned for Cynthia, just like Roserade did, but went to carry out her task as instructed. Just what did Cynthia have in mind? As Garchomp left, Cynthia saw to cleaning up Steven's table.

Cynthia wore a tired face, but she was nonetheless tense. She clutched her jacket. Was it really a smart decision she had made? But there was no turning back. She had her reasons to hate him, but also had many more reasons to envy him. Her mind was in pieces.

First there was that Astrid girl, and… No. There was no way Steven would try to get into a relationship with Martine. Even Martine's personality spoke for itself. Rather, Cynthia wondered just what kind of games Steven was playing. Plus, she wondered if Steven would meet up with Astrid again. Could it be that he has eyes for Astrid?! Was it because Astrid looked younger?

Why did Cynthia care so much for Steven, anyway? She couldn't bring herself to answer that.

I suppose you can take a stab at how the chapter got its name. Just eat the dish, la pluie de chocolat, and you'll understand.

La pluie de chocolat will be served to anyone who reviews! Plus, the next chapter promises to be more laughable.

Merry Christmas!