Chapter Six

After a long day, everyone had retired to bed. The adults had fallen into a deep sleep, but the same could not be said for the children. Cynthia's excitement for her new Pokémon overcame her exhaustion. She couldn't wait until morning to introduce Gible to Feebas.

When Cynthia arrived back at the manor, she found an old fish tank to place her Feebas in, wanting to show it off rather than keep it locked up in a Pokéball. The manor was a grand old building, its history visible in every corner, from the worn stone steps to the ancient tapestries hanging on the walls. Cynthia loved the sense of tradition and mystery it held.

After cleaning the tank meticulously, she placed it on her dresser. The moonlight streaming through the window cast a soft glow on the water, making Feebas's scales shimmer. Her thoughts began to drift off as she imagined her journey to come. She envisioned the beautiful Milotic her Feebas would one day evolve into, a small crown on its head, its tail wrapped around her as she held up a trophy. The image of a cheering crowd and swirling confetti filled her mind.

Her happiness soon turned to confusion as she realised her Gible was nowhere to be seen. Where did he run off to? she worried to herself, glancing around her room cluttered with various Pokémon-related items and keepsakes from her travels.

She snapped out of her fantasy when she saw Gible near her feet, chewing on one of her old slippers. "Just what are you, little one?" Cynthia whispered, stroking his head as he slowly drifted off. She marveled at his tough, dragon-like exterior and wondered about the potential he held.

"I was thinking the same thing."

Both Cynthia and Gible became alert, turning their heads toward the door. Steven stood there, a look of mild amusement on his face.

"Sorry," Steven said. "I didn't mean to startle you. I couldn't sleep and heard you were up. I hope you don't mind."

"Of course not, come on in," she said with a warm smile. Her shoulders dropped as she finally relaxed, knowing there was no danger. "I was only concerned that Team Galactic had come back."

"I guess I should have thought of that before coming in," Steven said with slight embarrassment, rubbing the back of his neck.

"It's fine, really. It's sweet that you came to check on us," she gushed. They both found themselves blushing. She pointed to the end of the bed, signaling him to sit down. As he sat on the bed, he noticed the fish tank with the Feebas he had given her earlier in the day.

"Glad to see Feebas is making herself at home."

"I really can't thank you enough. I promise I will take good care of her."

"I know you will," Steven said, smiling softly. He paused, looking thoughtful. "You know, it's incredible how quickly you bonded with Gible. So, what about Gible? How much do you know about it?" Steven inquired.

"Honestly, I really don't know anything, and I'm not even sure where I would start to find any information," Cynthia admitted, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the mystery surrounding her new Pokémon.

"I heard my father talk about the Canalave Library here in Sinnoh. Perhaps that's a good place to start," he said enthusiastically, his eyes brightening with the idea.

Cynthia's eyes lit up. "Of course, you're right. I'll have to convince my grandmother to take me there. They have tons of books on history. There must be something I can find relating to my Gible."

"I'm glad I could help figure out something, considering we came here to investigate a stone that's now gone," Steven said, a hint of frustration in his voice.

Cynthia was shocked by his response. "Are you serious? You fought off Team Galactic while the rest of us could do nothing. If you weren't there…" Cynthia paused, lowering her head, "I'm sure they would have taken my Gible, perhaps even before it hatched."

Steven was in awe of her response; the realisation of his actions had not yet occurred to him. Now, thanks to him, Cynthia had two Pokémon, and they were both safe with her. He placed his hand on her cheek, raising her head. "You're safe now, and so is Gible," he said in a soft tone. "We know of them now, so we can be on the lookout for them. Don't forget it was Gible in the end that scared them off. I doubt they will even think of coming back for a long time."

"You're right," she said with a smile.

He noted the tiredness in her eyes. "I think you should try and get some sleep now. We can talk more in the morning." He stood up and walked to the door, pausing for a moment. "Goodnight Cynthia" he whispered.

"Goodnight," Cynthia whispered back, feeling a warm glow of reassurance as she slowly drifted to sleep.

Steven watched her for a moment longer before quietly closing the door behind him, leaving Cynthia to her dreams of future adventures.