And the support continues to grow! Thank you all so much!

Enjoy!

The rest of the day went by without much of note happing. Due to overwhelming pressure from the students, a majority of the day's class was spent on the battlefield outside, where the soon-to-be trainers sparred against each other while being given advice from Cynthia as well as the Pokemon Ed teacher. Even though Lucas couldn't compete, he enjoyed this change of pace. Cynthia was indiscriminate with her tips, even helping his previous bullies, who didn't so much as look at Lucas for the rest of the class. Their quiet and noticeably more humbled demeanors around the Champion were a testament to just how effective her attitude adjustment strategy from earlier was.

When the day- which had gone by remarkably faster than usual- had come to an end, Cynthia walked Lucas and Dawn home while politely waving at the inhabitants of Twinleaf as they traveled. It was once they met up with Johanna in the garden out front of the house that Cynthia said something that caused Lucas' heart to drop.

"I really can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me," She began as she smiled at Johanna before passing the look onto the two teens, "I've had a wonderful time here- who would have known that a visit to the local lake would have produced this much fun?"

Johanna's eyes saddened even as she smiled back. "Does this mean you'll be going now?"

Cynthia nodded. "I have to return to the Pokemon League and fulfil my pending obligations. Once I'm done with that I'll be submitting a notice for my temporary leave."

"Temporary leave?" Lucas and Dawn simultaneously asked.

She giggled and nodded again, smiling at them with closed eyes. "Yes, I'll be taking a short break from being the Champion. That is to say, I'll retain my title, but I won't be accepting challengers for a at least a little while. I have other matters to attend to at the moment."

When she said that last part her eyes swept to Lucas' own before she winked at him. He was unsure what the gesture meant, but couldn't bring himself to look for any hidden meanings behind her words at the moment. The very mention of her leaving saddened him, as he had hardly been apart from Cynthia's side since she had arrived. Not that it had been long, as she had only wandered into his world yesterday, but it had been an incredibly exciting and memorable day nonetheless. It seemed that adventure and knowledge followed her wherever she went, and he was going to seriously miss that.

"Well, I hope you keep safe during your travels- and hey, feel free to visit us any time!" Johanna replied, "I'll make dinner for you again whenever you'd like."

Cynthia brought a hand to her mouth as she chuckled. "Thank you. I'll certainly remember that."

"Yeah, seriously, come back whenever you feel like it!" Dawn agreed with her mom.

Cynthia nodded at her before turning to face Lucas. The teen was avoiding her eyes with a conflicted expression, rubbing his arm as he failed to find the right things to say. Luckily, it seemed he didn't have to look for them alone, as Cynthia stepped over and placed a hand on his shoulder. As he looked up at her with confused grey eyes, she smiled at him.

"It was very nice to meet you, Lucas." She said in a warm voice, "By far, the greatest pleasure of this trip has been getting to know you."

His eyes widened a bit before growing wet. As he avoided her gaze again, he sniffed.

"Yeah… You too, Cynthia. Thanks for everything."

She chuckled before patting his shoulder and turning away from the house. Reaching into her overcoat, she retrieved a pokeball and tossed it out over the street. Johanna's family and neighbors alike watched closely as it released one of the Champion's pokemon- a floating white creature that few of them had ever seen before. It had one red ear and one blue one, along with a pattern of triangles on its chest with the same color scheme. An overjoyed expression covered its face from between two wings that protruded from its sides.

"Wow, what's that pokemon?" Dawn breathed with sparkling eyes.

"This is Togekiss," Cynthia answered as she walked over and ran her hand along its neck, "My traveling buddy."

"You mean, you had a flying pokemon this whole time?" Johanna asked in disbelief.

Cynthia hopped onto her pokemon's back before turning and winking at them. "I was going to tell you all sooner, but you insisted that I stay- and I'm glad that you did."

She looked down and patted Togekiss' neck twice, causing the pokemon to trill happily before it began to rise through the air. Everyone watched in awe as she rose high above Twinleaf- even Lucas, though he was struggling to watch his new friend go. He knew this moment would come sooner or later, but somehow still wasn't ready for it. He was going to miss her.

It was only once the togekiss had risen far above the trees that it turned to favor the northeast. Before taking off, however, its rider made one last proclamation.

"Thank you all so much for your hospitality," She called to the people below, "Think of this not as a goodbye, but as a 'see you again'. Keep well!"

With that the pokemon rocketed away at an impressive speed, leaving no trace that it or its trainer had ever been there.

"My, at that rate she'll arrive at the Pokemon League in no time at all," Johanna said as she looked into the sky with a hand shielding her eyes from the sun, "And here I was, worried about her journey."

"That's a Champion for you, mom." Dawn replied with a sigh, "I'm sure she has a pokemon for everything."

Johanna hummed before turning toward her adoptive son, who stared at the sky without saying anything. "Lucas? Are you going to be alright, kiddo?"

He finally lowered his eyes and gave her a smile to mask his disappointment. "Yeah, it's just… I think I'll miss her."

"I'm sure you aren't the only one," She answered with a chuckle before turning for the door, "Come on in, you two. I'll get dinner started soon."

Dawn quickly bounded up the stairs and made her way into the house, Lucas following a pace behind. When he reached the top step, however, he couldn't help but shoot one last glance up at the sky. She said that they'd see each other again, but when? Would he have to climb the steps of the Pokemon League himself before they would be reunited? With a sigh at the thought, he turned and followed Dawn inside.

Cynthia had implied that she would return someday, but nobody could have guessed that it would be so soon.

The next day passed with little excitement, as it seemed everything had returned to normal with the Champion's departure. There was an improvement, though, in the trio that had been giving Lucas trouble. Whether it was fear of a trainer who could defeat all three of them with a single move, or the humiliation that came from their loss against Lucas, they had taken to completely leaving him alone.

Although the day was spent learning about pokemon-related things that would normally interest him, he had trouble paying attention in class. All day he stared out of the classroom window, watching the clouds pass while thinking back on his chance meeting with Cynthia. She had somehow managed to fit more adventure and experience into twenty-four hours than he had known his whole life. It was as if she was a genie who answered his heart's wishes before vanishing completely.

Eventually the school day ended and Lucas walked home with a chattering Dawn and Barry, the latter splitting off from their group near Johanna's house. It was only when Dawn had opened the door to their home that her unrelenting talk about contests suddenly halted.

"Cynthia?" She asked.

Lucas' eyes widened before he quickly made his way inside, practically shoving Dawn out of his way as he did so. Sure enough, the Champion in question was sitting at their dinner table across from Johanna, both women sipping on a cup of tea with content smiles on their faces.

"Hey kiddos, welcome home!" Johanna greeted with a grin.

"It's nice to see you both again." Cynthia said with a nod in their direction.

"You're… Back!" He breathed as a grin came to his face, "Didn't you say you had things to do at the Pokemon League?"

"Indeed, I did," She answered before taking a sip of her tea, "And it's all been taken care of. This batch of challengers was certainly a tough bunch, but I've defended my position as Champion."

"Does this mean your notice has been approved?" Dawn asked as she removed her boots and donned her house slippers.

"Yes, thankfully. I'll have to make up for lost time when I return, but for the moment I'm free to see to my own affairs."

"That's great," Lucas replied, "But why are you back? I-I mean, not that it's a bad thing at all, I'm just… Surprised."

Cynthia chuckled and turned to face Johanna. "Would you like to tell him?"

"Absolutely," She replied before turning to face Lucas with an expectant smile. "Lucas, Cynthia would like you to accompany her to meet Professor Rowan in Sandgem Town."

"Professor Rowan?" He couldn't help but exclaim, "The Professor Rowan? The head of pokemon intelligence in the entire Sinnoh region?"

Cynthia nodded. "The one and only."

He was shocked into silence for a moment before answering. "Of course I'll come, but… I guess what I want to know is 'why?'"

"Why?" The blonde echoed before finishing off her tea. Once she had done so she took her time in wiping her mouth with a napkin politely. Then she turned to him with her typical faint smile.

"Because we're going to make sure you get your own starter pokemon."

His eyes widened even further as Dawn playfully punched him in the shoulder. "Did you hear that? See? Everything works out in the end!"

"Well, let's not count our torchics before they hatch," Cynthia continued while stretching out in her chair comfortably, "After all, getting a starter will be difficult this year. Though, if anything, the Professor will be able to point us in the right direction."

"Are you serious..?" Lucas breathed as he stared at her, "You're really going to help me get my first pokemon? Why?"

"I'll tell you later, if you'd like." She answered with a wink, "But for now you should fill that backpack of yours with a change of clothes and whatever else you'll need to take care of yourself for a few days."

"A few days? Will it really take that long?"

"Maybe," She shrugged, "In any case it's better to be safer than sorry."

His eyes trailed from Cynthia to Johanna, who was clearly enjoying the expression of surprise and awe he was wearing. "Will it be okay to leave school for that long?"

She waved him off. "I've already talked with the principal as well as your teacher. They said that since you technically won't be beginning your journey this year, you can always make up the days you miss later on."

"You're so lucky, Lucas!" Dawn said with a large smile, "You get to meet Professor Rowan and pick your starter with the Champion! If I wasn't so in love with my turtwig, I'd be pretty jealous right about now!"

The two women giggled before Johanna nodded at the stairs. "Go pack, sweetie. Cynthia wants to reach Sandgem Town before the sun sets."

Breaking out of his shock, Lucas nodded at them with a beaming smile. "Right!"

It didn't take him long to stuff his backpack with whatever he thought he might need- a few changes of clothes for different climates, as well as general personal hygiene products. When he had completely packed, everyone headed outside. The sun was beginning to approach the treetops as Cynthia once again sent out her togekiss.

"Be safe, sweetheart," Johanna said as she pulled Lucas into a hug, "And please keep me updated on where you are whenever you move to a new place, okay?"

"I will," He answered while hugging her back.

"Yeah, and have fun!" Dawn added on, "I want to hear all about it when you get back!"

He nodded at her once he had parted from Johanna, then turned to Cynthia.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure he stays safe." She said while petting Togekiss' neck, "We'll be back in a few days with a new pokemon."

"Thank you again for doing this," Johanna said as she wiped some of the wetness from her eyes, "You really are too kind, Cynthia."

The champion shook her head, the adornments in her hair bouncing. "Really, it's nothing. I'm glad to be able to help."

With that she turned to Lucas. "Ready to go?"

He nodded confidently in response. She smiled, then hopped onto Togekiss' back with more fluidity and grace than he could ever hope to achieve. Once she was situated, she held her hand out for him to take. He ensured the straps of his backpack were tightened before reaching up and accepting her help. Before long the two were more or less comfortably positioned on the back of the pokemon, who seemed to have no problem with carrying both of them at once.

Lucas waved down at Johanna and Dawn, as well as a few of his neighbors, as they slowly climbed in elevation. To someone who had never flown in a plane before, let alone on the back of a pokemon, it was a surreal moment. Finally they reached their peak altitude and Togekiss began turning to the east.

"You might want to hold on to me." Cynthia said as she, too, wrapped her arms around the pokemon's neck.

Lucas' cheeks grew pink at hearing that, but he was more than willing to take her word for it. Being careful to avoid touching anything too intimate, he slowly wrapped his arms around her until his hands met over her abdomen. From this position he could feel the warmth of her skin through her clothes, and could smell the faint floral scent of her hair from where his head was resting against her upper back.

She hummed to herself while smiling back at him before facing forward. "Please take us to Sandgem Town."

Togekiss nodded before taking off at a remarkable speed. Lucas stared down in awe as his town was quickly replaced with the blurring form of treetops while they flew over forests and fields alike.

"Is this your first time flying?" She asked over the wind rushing past his ears.

He nodded his head against her shoulders.

"It's incredible, isn't it?"

"Yeah!" He answered, "Definitely beats walking!"

She giggled. "I think you'll learn to enjoy traveling by foot once you have pokemon accompanying you. In the meantime, let's make this a bit more comfortable, shall we? Togekiss, use Psychic if you'd please!"

The pokemon nodded before the cold rushing wind suddenly vanished. Lucas slowly lifted his head from Cynthia's back and looked around with amazed eyes.

"What just happened?"

"It's a little trick I picked up from some Gym Leaders in the Hoenn region. They told me that by using Psychic mid-flight, you can create a sort of bubble around the pokemon that protects you from the wind."

"That's so cool!"

She nodded, her grey eyes scanning the sky in front of her. "Every now and then we'll have to give Togekiss a break, but he's usually pretty good at maintaining the bubble for a while."

Lucas hummed and turned his head to the side, watching a flock of starley match their speed in amusement.

"You know, Lucas," Cynthia started after a moment, "You don't have to hold on to me while the bubble is up."

His eyes widened as a blush spread across his cheeks. He quickly let go of her and began rubbing the back of his head with an awkward chuckle.

"Sorry!"

She giggled before shaking her head. "I didn't mind, you know. You can hold on for as long as you'd like if it makes you feel better."

"N-No, I'm okay for now!"

"Suit yourself," She replied before changing the subject. "So, tell me how school went today."

"It was… Fine, I guess." He muttered, choosing to omit the fact that missing her made for a terribly long day.

"I see. Did those three bullies leave you alone?"

He nodded. "Actually, yeah. For the first time in a while they didn't say anything to Dawn, Barry, or I."

"I'm glad to hear that," She replied as her smile grew a bit, "Now then, let's talk before we meet with Rowan."

"About what?"

"About your starter pokemon, silly." She answered as she looked at him from the corner of her eye, "Have you decided on which one you want yet?"

He lowered his face as he thought about it for a moment. Picking your first pokemon was a big deal, as it often meant choosing a partner for life. Each of the three Sinnoh starters had their fair share of advantages, from a chimchar's speedy physical attacks to a turtwig's high defense- even piplup were naturally suited for powerful special attacks.

"No…" He answered in a low voice, "I'm having some trouble deciding."

"I see…" She replied, "It is a very difficult decision… Well, then, let's try narrowing it down. How did you feel about battling with Turtwig yesterday?"

"Well, it was nice to know it could take a few hits," He thought aloud, "But it was almost too slow, even as I was reading my opponent's attacks. I think I'd want something a little faster, and with more variety in the types of attacks it can learn."

"That's a good start," she said after a moment, "Well, then, how about a chimchar? If you want speed, that's your best bet of the three. Not to mention, they learn fire as well as fighting attacks as they grow. Would you be interested in something like that?"

"Maybe," He admitted, "But I'm still not sure… It seemed like the chimchar I battled yesterday went down a little too easily. I mean, it was a hard-won battle and all, but it only took a few Tackles to defeat it."

"Good point. So then, what about a piplup? They're faster than turtwig and are more defensive than your average chimchar."

"That's true…" He said hollowly, "But in truth I like them all, you know? They're all such wonderful pokemon, and I don't want to somehow make the wrong choice."

Cynthia hummed. "Alright, then let's look at this from a different perspective. When you saw those three starters beside each other at the battle yesterday, which one caught your eye the most? A gut feeling can be a powerful indicator that the pokemon is a good fit for you."

Lucas thought back to when he had been observing the starters during their battle against Lucario. In truth they all looked great in their own ways, but he could distinctly remember having a stronger reaction to one of the pokemon in particular.

"Actually… Now that you mention it, I thought that piplup looked really cute."

"So a piplup would match your battle preferences, as well as your aesthetic ones." She concluded with a smile, "Why not go with that one?"

He thought about owning a piplup for a moment. Brushing its soft down, battling alongside it as it grew, raising it into a powerful empoleon that could ferry him across water like Cynthia's milotic had… Before he knew it, there was a big smile on his face.

"Yeah, I think I will! I'll go with Piplup, then!"

She turned her head so that one of her steely grey eyes was smiling at him from over her shoulder. "That's fantastic! Though… If you really want to go that route, I think I should warn you now."

"Warn me?" He echoed with a cocked eyebrow, "About what?"

"Well…" She began as turned forward again, "Piplup are known to be very proud. They don't always listen at first, and only grow more independent as they get further along in their evolutionary lines. It takes a very patient trainer to bring out the best in them."

What she said was a bit worrisome, for sure, but he still found himself shaking his head. "Then I'll just have to work twice as hard so that we can both learn to rely on each other."

Cynthia hummed, her growing smile unseen by him.

Before long they reached their destination and began to descend in the light of the sunset. Although Professor Rowan's lab was technically in Sandgem Town, it was far enough from the majority of human activity that it could be considered a countryside residence. The strange building was nestled into a hill beside a large windmill, and its back liked a huge stretch of fenced-in land.

"That windmill powers the whole lab," Cynthia explained as they descended, "And see that fence behind it? That's where the Professor and his Aides let the pokemon roam. He cares for many trainers' pokemon while they can't, so he alternates between keeping them in pokeballs and letting them have their time outside. It gives him a lot of opportunities to study all different kinds of pokemon behavior."

"Wow," Lucas breathed, "Hey, Cynthia? What's the Professor like?"

She chuckled to herself briefly. "He's… Unique. You'll see."

Once they had landed in front of the large building, Cynthia returned Togekiss to its pokeball and walked to the front door with Lucas beside her. They couldn't knock, however, before a flustered Aide in a messy lab coat hastily opened the door.

"C-Champion Cynthia!" He said while fidgeting, "To what do we owe this, um… T-This visit?"

She gave him a pleasant smile. "I'm here to see Professor Rowan. I have someone for him to meet."

At seeing her smile at him, the Aide's face turned a bright shade of pink. "Oh, o-of course! He's been expecting you, so let's, um… Proceed!"

She nodded as he turned to hold the door for them, allowing the pair to walk into the large building. While Cynthia walked straight through the main chamber, Lucas marveled at everything they passed. When they reached a bookshelf-lined desk at the end of the corridor, the Aide spoke up again.

"Please w-wait here… I'll go and, um… Fetch the Professor for you..!"

Cynthia thanked him while Lucas wandered around the side of the desk to marvel at the large window behind it. Through the glass he could see part of the fenced-in habitat behind the building. There was a field, a stretch of forest, a large pond with a waterfall, and even some cliffs in the distance. This variety in environments wasn't what interested him, though. Instead he was staring in awe at the many different kinds of pokemon that inhabited it.

A rapidash and ponyta galloped through the vibrant grass of the field before slowing to a stop and looking around with large black eyes. Behind them a chansey marched by happily, a troupe of mime jr. following with identical movements. Starly and staravia circled overhead in small flocks, while hoothoot could be seen resting in the trees at the field's edge. Pink and blue shellos mingled with one another near the pond, in which remoraid and magikarp could occasionally be seen surfacing before diving back into the clear water.

It was a paradise in which all different pokemon could get along harmoniously.

"It's a wonderful sight, isn't it?" Cynthia asked as she walked to Lucas' side and joined him in taking in the view.

"Yeah, it really is." He answered without taking his eyes off the sanctuary before him.

"And those," A deep, gravely voice began, "Aren't even the tip of the iceberg, so to speak."

Lucas and Cynthia turned to see an older gentleman facing them from the other side of the desk. He had unkempt white hair that fused seamlessly into a pair of shaggy sideburns and mustache. Above his stern eyes were bushy eyebrows of the same color. He wore a navy blue button-up vest above his white dress shirt and grey tie, a long grey overcoat topping them off. The look was completed with his dark slacks and grey dress shoes.

From the professor's side, the Aide from earlier began wringing his hands together. "I've f-fetched the Professor, as I, um… S-Said I would."

"Indeed." Rowan said as his unrelenting gaze shifted to the man, "You may return to your research now."

The Aide nodded and bowed at Cynthia before hastily rushing to some other part of the lab. Once he had done so, the Professor grunted and straightened his tie.

"It is good to see you again, Cynthia. I hope you've been keeping well."

"I have," She answered with a nod, "I hope the same for you, Professor. How have my pokemon been lately?"

"They've been tremendous. I've kept countless trainers' pokemon here, and yet yours are almost on an entirely different level. You've trained them well."

She chuckled. "Thank you, that's very good to hear."

"Now, then…" He continued as he crossed over and sat in the desk's chair, turning in place to face his visitors. "Who is this boy you've brought with you today?"

"This," She replied while placing a hand on her company's shoulder, "Is Lucas."

"Lucas…" The elder echoed as his unwavering gaze met the teen's, "It's nice to meet you. As you've likely deduced, I am Professor Rowan. This is my lab."

An encouraging pat from Cynthia broke Lucas' silence. "O-Oh yeah, I thought so. It's a really nice place."

The Professor grunted. "A lot of work goes into keeping things efficient and organized around here. It isn't often that I get to 'show it off', so to speak. To what do I owe your presence?"

"Oh, that…" He replied while rubbing his arm sheepishly, "Well, you see, I'm from Twinleaf Town."

"That quaint village on the outskirts of Lake Verity?" He asked, "It's a lovely place. What of it?"

"It's just that… This year, we were given our starter pokemon. Unfortunately there weren't enough for everyone, and… Well, I didn't get one."

The Professor hummed in his deep voice. "I see. It has been a tumultuous year for breeders, what with the changes in climate patterns and such. I'm very sorry to hear that you weren't given one- but, to put it bluntly, that's out of my control. I cannot help you."

The hope that had been soaring in Lucas' chest ever since Cynthia returned quickly diminished.

"Oh…"

The Champion watched his shoulders slump without her usual smile. After a moment she slowly removed her hand from his shoulder and walked up to the desk before leaning on it and looking down at Rowan.

"Come now, Professor. We both know that's not true."

As Lucas looked at her with a confused expression, the Professor let out an annoyed sigh.

"I can see where this is going, Cynthia, and I don't like it. Not one bit."

"Can't you make an exception just this once?" She asked as her small smile returned below two confident grey eyes, "It's for a good cause, you know."

The Professor leaned back in his chair with a long exhale through his nose. "This is dangerous. You know that."

"What's dangerous?" Lucas asked, "What's going on?"

"While it's true that breeders supply the starter pokemon for the Sinnoh region," Cynthia explained, "Those species exist naturally as well. Very few people know where to find them, but it is entirely possible to catch them in their native habitat."

"Very few people know where to find them, indeed. And that is for a very good reason." The Professor shot back, "These pokemon are critically endangered in the wild, and with such high demand to possess their strength, it was decided that the only way to preserve their numbers was to protect them. That is why going to catch them is incredibly reckless as well as selfish. If someone were to tell the world where to find them, they could go extinct in the wild within years."

While Lucas' eyes widened at hearing that, Cynthia didn't budge.

"You know we wouldn't tell anyone, nor would I let anyone follow us there. We'll go in, catch exactly one starter pokemon, then never go back again. That I can promise you."

The professor grunted again, staring into Cynthia's eyes for a long moment before he replied. "Tell me, why is it so imperative that this boy get his starter pokemon this year? What reason do I possibly have to take the incredible risk of telling you where to find starter pokemon in the wild?"

"The reason," She replied before walking back to Lucas and again placing her hand on his shoulder, "Is that this boy is going to complete your pokedex."

Lucas' eyes widened while Rowan carefully examined the teen. "That's quite the claim, Cynthia. What makes you think someone like him could rise to meet such a monumental task?"

Her hand found rest on her hip while the other hung at her side. "Within an hour of meeting Lucas, we had an encounter with Mesprit."

"The spirit of the lake?" He asked.

Cynthia nodded. "He also displays a passion for pokemon that I've very rarely seen, even among the world's top trainers. Pokemon trust him easily, and he earnestly cares for them. That sort of spirit sounds familiar, doesn't it?"

The Professor finally averted his eyes while he scratched his chin in thought. "Even if you say those things…"

"You made a mistake in not giving this child his starter," She continued, "Random drawing or not, he doesn't deserve to have his adventure postponed. Not to mention, the sooner he begins, the sooner you can collect data for your research."

The Professor sighed again before turning to look at her. "I understand what you're saying, but why does it have to be a starter pokemon? Couldn't you catch something less threatened? Or even talk to your friend Riley about getting the boy a riolu egg?"

She shook her head. "Lucas wants a piplup, and that's what I intend on getting him. You don't have to disclose any of the other starter locations if you don't want, but please at least tell us where we can find wild piplup."

A long staring match ensued between the two, and Lucas couldn't help but feel anxious as the tense moment stretched on for an uncomfortable duration. Finally, though, Rowan broke the silence.

"Are you sure about this, Cynthia? About this child?"

She nodded without hesitation. "Have I ever misled you?"

He shook his head. "No, you haven't. Still, I wish you weren't so adamant about things like this… Ever since you were a little girl you've been this way."

She giggled. "Does this mean you'll cooperate with us?"

He sighed again. "I suppose it does. Very well, I'll give you the coordinates to an established colony- but only to you, and no one else."

"Of course," She answered with a close-eyed smile before turning toward Lucas, "Please call Johanna. Let her know that we're off to Snowpoint City."

Professor Rowan grunted. "I see you've already got a vague understanding of where the habitat is. I should have expected as much from you… Lucas, feel free to use the video phone down the hall and to the right."

"Snowpoint City?" The teen asked in disbelief, "Isn't that all the way across the region?"

"It is," She answered with a carefree smile, "So the sooner we get going, the better."

He stared at her for a moment more before breaking into an excited grin. "Right!"

The phone call with Johanna and Dawn had been brief, as they had congratulated him on choosing a starter and wished him luck in finding one. Of course they also fretted over him, making him promise that he would keep warm and stay close to Cynthia. With that they said goodbye, and Professor Rowan walked the pair to the front of his lab once again. Once there they walked into the evening air, the dying rays of the sun casting the world in shades of orange.

"Lucas," He began as his heavy gaze fell upon the teen, "I'm confident that you'll find a wonderful piplup to raise. With that said, I have a favor to ask of you."

"Sure, anything!" Lucas answered.

The professor grunted before reaching into his coat pocket and retrieving a strange red device. The object was thin and rectangular, with one round end and one flat. Rowan held it out for Lucas to take.

"Click the black button on the end there."

Lucas nodded and did as he was instructed, causing it flip to open. The inside had two screens- one on the bottom of its interface and one at the top part that had lifted. A few buttons lined one side of the bottom screen, along with a small black wheel. The top held only a screen and speaker.

"This," Rowan continued, "Is a pokedex- a virtual encyclopedia that us pokemon professors have been working on for many years. It is the culmination of our hard work and research. Within its database you will find information on hundreds of pokemon. Now… It is yours."

"Wow," Lucas breathed as he scrolled down an extensive list of pokemon names with the wheel, "This is amazing! Why would you give me something so incredible?"

"To aid you in your journey," The Professor answered, "And also in the hopes that you'll assist us in filling the pokedex's pages. You see, we lack information on many rare pokemon, and also on pokemon that may or may not exist at all. You've met Mesprit, correct?"

Lucas lifted his eyes from the screens and nodded at Rowan.

The Professor's hand slipped into his coat pocket. "That is no small feat, boy. Mesprit is one of the pokemon that many believe to be mere myth. I, myself, have visited Lake Verity and its cave countless times, and yet I have been unable to find any trace of the Being of Emotion. You, however, managed to meet it during your first visit. Perhaps the legendary pokemon can sense something within you… Something unique. All I ask is that, if you were to someday meet another pokemon like Mesprit, you would take a picture of it with the pokedex and input whatever information you can gather. Will you do that for me?"

Lucas gave the Professor a determined smile and nodded. "Absolutely. You can count on me!"

Cynthia smiled at the teen while Rowan's eyes lightened a bit. "Wonderful. Please feel free to call me whenever you'd like if you have questions or information. I'd also like to keep an eye on your progress as a trainer, as it seems Cynthia has high hopes for you."

Lucas looked toward the Champion in surprise, but she merely gave him a close-eyed smile before turning back toward the Professor.

"Thank you for your help." She said with sincerity behind her relaxed grey eyes.

"Yeah, thanks so much!" Lucas agreed while bowing his head.

Rowan hummed again before turning for the door to his lab. "Now get going, you two. You'll have to hurry if you want to reach Snowpoint City before tomorrow morning. Keep safe in your travels."

Cynthia nodded at him as he disappeared into his lab before turning to Lucas. "Now then, shall we get going?"

He gave her an excited nod, and so she called Togekiss out again and they got situated. Within a moment they were soaring through the sky once more, heading almost due north.

"So? What are your thoughts on the Professor?" Cynthia asked once the Psychic bubble had once again surrounded them.

"He was kind of scary at first," Lucas admitted, "But I think he's actually a really nice guy. Thank you for letting me meet him."

"Don't mention it," She replied with a chuckle, "More importantly, this will be your first trip to northern Sinnoh, right?"

"Yeah, I didn't get the chance to leave Twinleaf often," He answered as he watched the changes in terrain below them, "There was one time that Johanna took Dawn and I to a big pokemon contest in Hearthome City, and we went to Jubilife sometimes for festivals and stuff."

"Sounds like fun," She replied, "This is sure to be different from anything you've ever experienced before, though."

"Oh yeah? Why's that?"

"Well, for one thing, the temperature is below freezing year-round near Snowpoint City. Because of that, it's always covered in deep snow… Even the city streets can be a bit slick, so mind your step."

"I gotcha. What else should I know?"

"Well, the exact location of the wild piplup is actually even further north than the city. It's to the northwest, to be exact- a few miles past Lake Acuity."

"Lake Acuity?" He repeated, "Isn't that where Uxie lives?"

Her steely eye smiled at him from over her shoulder. "It is."

Lucas briefly recalled what Mesprit had said when Cynthia asked it about Sendoff Spring. It had said that Uxie would be the one to go to if she wanted to know more.

"Are we going to try talking to Uxie while we're there?" He asked, connecting the dots.

"If you're okay with that, then yes. I'd really like to." She answered as she turned away from him again, "If not, then I'll come back on my own some other time."

Lucas' eyes lowered with thought. Cynthia seemed really set on learning more about Sendoff Spring, and the reason why wasn't a mystery.

She said that her parents went missing near there… It only makes sense that she wants to know more about it. If she knows enough, then she might be able to see them again. I would do the same thing in her shoes.

If his hunch was correct, then this must have meant a lot to her. After all she had done for him, it was only natural that he wanted to help her too… No, even if she hadn't helped him out, he would still want to go. After all, it meant spending more time with her.

"I'd love to go!"

She smiled. "Alright, then we'll go to the lake after you catch a piplup. For now, though, I'm going to give Togekiss a break from using its Psychic. Hold on tight."

"Right!"

Several hours passed while Lucas and Cynthia talked about a multitude of subjects. The whole while Lucas watched in amazement as Sinnoh's landscape changed beneath them. From the towering buildings of Jubilife City to the colorful meadows of Floaroma Town, over the dense Eterna Forest and through the winding canyons on the west end of Mt. Coronet. Eventually the night air turned bitterly cold, and Lucas found himself holding on to Cynthia for a reason other than safety. After hours passed with nothing but white beneath them, Lucas began to doze off- the silence of the night and the softness of her hair lulling him into comfort.

As he began to snore lightly from behind her, Cynthia giggled to herself. She had forgotten how much fun it was to travel with other people.

Eventually the lights of Snowpoint City shone in the distance, and soon after Togekiss began to descend in front of a local hotel. Once they landed Cynthia placed a hand over Lucas', which had fallen into her lap while he slept, and she ran her fingertips over his skin.

"Lucas, wake up. We're here."

His eyes fluttered open before he sniffed and groggily lifted his head from her back. Looking around at the unfamiliar surroundings for a long moment, he slowly remembered their journey and gasped.

"I'm so sorry! Was I sleeping on you?"

She giggled. "Like a baby."

His face went red before he looked down. Luckily he hadn't drooled on her in his slumber, which came as a great relief. He likely would have died from embarrassment if that had happened.

"There's no need to apologize, by the way." She continued as she hopped off Togekiss' back and gave it a grateful pet, "You must be tired after today. Besides, it was kind of cute."

"O-Oh! Is that so?" He stuttered as he stumbled off Togekiss' back.

She brought a hand to her mouth as she giggled again. "It was. Now come on, let's get a room."

"Right…"

Cynthia thanked her pokemon before returning it to its pokeball, then turned for the front door of the modest building in front of them. Once inside they crossed to the front desk, the receptionist lifting her tired eyes from over the magazine she was reading.

"How can I help you?" She asked in a bored, gravelly voice.

"We would like a room," Cynthia answered, "Two beds, if possible."

The receptionist shook her head. "I'm sorry, but we're fresh out of those rooms. All we've got left is one single bed suite."

Lucas' eyes widened while Cynthia sighed and turned to him. "That's unfortunate… I chose this inn because it's closest to our destination, but we can go somewhere else if you'd like."

He frantically shook his head. "N-No, it's alright! We can stay here! I mean, we're already here and like you said it's the closest, so there's really no reason to go somewhere else."

She giggled before turning back for the desk. "Then we'll take the room after all. Thank you."

Cynthia paid for the night, then they made their way to the room. It was… Quaint, in a word. One TV, one bathroom, and as mentioned earlier, one incredibly small bed. It did have a decent view though, as the room was on the second floor and its window faced the lit streets below.

As they entered, Cynthia took a look around before shrugging to herself. "Oh well, I guess you get what you pay for after all."

"Yeah…"

While Lucas was still staring at the sad excuse for a bed, Cynthia shed her black overcoat and hung it on a prong on the wall. Lucas was amazed when she reached into it and pulled out an overnight bag full of clothes.

He deadpanned. "You could fit all of that in there? I noticed you pull your pokeballs from your coat, too... Do you keep everything you need under there?"

She paused in her rifling through the bag to wink at him. "Of course. It's not just big for the sake of fashion, you know."

After a moment she fished a pair of pajamas out of her bag, a sleeveless teal green top and baggy grey sweats. She also pulled out a few comically large bottles of what he guessed were shampoo and conditioner.

"Would you like to shower first?" She asked.

He shook his head from where he was sitting on the edge of the bed. "I took one this morning, so…"

She hummed. "Well then, I'll take one now. Feel free to get some sleep in the meantime! You'll need all the rest you can get for tomorrow."

He nodded as she disappeared into the bathroom, but as the water began to run, he doubted he could get a wink of sleep. The idea of her bathing form was just too much for his overactive imagination to take. Instead he changed into his own pair of sweats and a black Sinnoh League tee, hanging his hat on the prong beside Cynthia's coat before he flopped down onto the bed.

At first he began to scroll through the entries in his pokedex to divert his attention from the beauty who showered in the next room, though before long he was completely sucked into the information that the device possessed. It was clear that Rowan wasn't exaggerating when he said that years of research had gone into this… For each pokemon species it had pictures, averages for height and weight, a sample of the sounds they made, well-written information on their physiology and habits, and even a map that lit up with the areas where they could be found in the wild. Out of curiosity he looked up piplup and searched for its habitat, but all that popped up on the screen was a large 'Habitat Unknown'. He sighed- he really didn't know what he had been expecting.

"Read anything interesting?"

Cynthia's sudden voice pulled him from his thoughts, and he quickly looked over to see her in the pajamas she had picked out earlier. Her form fit into the top perfectly, though the sweats were loose enough that his adolescent mind wasn't given any further ammunition. She was currently removing a towel from her hair, which was surprisingly dry given how much of it there was.

"I know what you're thinking," She began as she crossed to her bag and began rifling through it again, "And the answer is simple: I use two towels to dry off."

"Oh…"

She pulled a brush from her bag and began to run it through her hair as she smiled over at him. "Couldn't fall asleep, huh? Are you that excited for tomorrow?"

He nodded with an inward sigh. It was true that he was excited about meeting his starter pokemon, but his mind was also kept awake by other thoughts- thoughts that she was directly causing.

"I can't blame you," She began as her eyes rose with thought, "I remember getting my first pokemon… It's a very exciting time for any trainer."

"Yeah, it is." He agreed, "I've been dreaming of having my own pokemon for as long as I can remember… The thought of finally getting one is so unreal to me."

He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Thank you so much for… You know, helping to make my dreams a reality."

She hummed before finishing her brushing and returning the object to its bag. "You can thank me by giving it your all as a trainer. I want to see your devotion and love for pokemon drive you forward, until one day you and your team are facing me at the end of the Elite Four."

She turned so that a relaxed grey eye was looking through him, a smile playing at the edges of her lips. "That will be more than enough of a reward for me."

He stared at her for a long moment before putting on a determined smile and nodding his head. "Alright, I'll do my best!"

"I know you will," She said as she crossed to the light switch, "But before any of that we need to find the perfect starter pokemon for you. It'll be a hard day tomorrow, make no mistake about it. You'll need your rest."

With that she flipped off the light, the dark room only being Illuminated through the slants in the window's blinds. Lucas watched her cross to the other side of the bed in the soft light of the streetlamps outside before she pulled the covers open and slipped under. Once she had done so she turned toward him and giggled.

"Aren't you going to get under the covers with me?"

He hoped she couldn't see the blush that he felt creeping across his face at hearing that. "Y-Yeah, I guess so…"

Once he had joined her under the comforter he noticed how warm it was with her there. He had never shared a bed with someone before, so it was a pleasant surprise to find her body heat joining his own to warm them both. It helped that the bed was pretty small, though that introduced its own set of problems. Lucas practically hung off his side of the bed, desperately trying not to touch the Champion.

She must have noticed this, however, as she chuckled quietly before reaching out and wrapping her arms around him. Before he knew it he was pulled completely onto the bed, his face mere inches from her own.

"That's better," She said as her relaxed eyes smiled into his own through the dark, "If you haven't picked up on it yet, I don't mind you being close to me. Don't feel like you have to sacrifice your own comfort for the sake of my personal space, okay?"

He stared dumbly at her as she removed her arms from around him. "O-Okay…"

She hummed with a close-eyed smile before turning to face the other direction. He watched her snake her hands under her pillow to prop her head up.

"Goodnight, Lucas."

He swallowed hard, then scooted just a bit closer to her before nestling into his own pillow.

"Goodnight, Cynthia."

After that the room fell silent. Lucas could have sworn that he wouldn't catch a wink of sleep that night, given who was currently sleeping mere inches away from him, but he was wrong. Between the faint floral scent of her hair, the warmth that they shared, and the eventual sounds of her rhythmic breathing, he quickly drifted off into an icy world inhabited by hundreds of adorable piplup-

A blonde beauty in all black standing at his side.

Will Lucas find the perfect piplup? Will Uxie appear like Mesprit did? If so, will Cynthia get the answers she seeks? Stay tuned for the answers to these questions, along with heaping amounts of romantic fluff!

So, it would seem that a few familiar faces are reading this story! To all of you who came over from Another Side, thank you so much! I hope you're enjoying this new fic- you have no idea how nice it is to know I have readers who will check out whatever I produce. You rock, each and every one of you ;]

For those of you who are new to my writing, I do this thing where I shout out whoever reviewed my last chapter in the next. It's a fun way to express my gratitude for your input and give back a little. With that said, let's give a massive thanks to those of you who reviewed chapter 2! Thanks to TheHiddenLettuce, Dragonfang20, Naruto is Jesus 666, XDiamondX90, RabidPanzer, and Crimson An'Xileel for your awesome feedback! It's much appreciated!

Please review this chapter if you have the time! I don't get paid to write fanfiction, but a review is just as good as money to us writers ;]

Thanks for reading!

-S/L