In the suite's living room, Caitlin sits elegantly on the sofa, holding a book.
"Caitlin, you're still up?"
Cynthia steps out of Damian's room and spots Caitlin at a glance.
"Half an hour more. I'll wash up in a bit and put on a face mask."
Caitlin checks her watch.
She closes the book in her hands and sets it aside, then lets out a lazy yawn.
It's already ten at night; almost her bedtime.
She naturally loves napping, and with her good sleep habits, she always starts getting sleepy around ten.
"Team Galactic's dealt with. If the Sinnoh League doesn't make any moves next, we'll probably be leaving Sinnoh soon."
Caitlin looks over at Cynthia.
Her mood's been pretty good lately.
No random fox spirits showing up to let Damian "practice technique."
Cynthia really is reliable.
"I'll head back to the League tomorrow and talk to the chairman. That'll be enough."
Cynthia's already made up her mind.
"That's the best outcome. Damian is the chosen one's son. No one in this world can really stand in his way."
Caitlin's lips curl into a faint smile.
Her tone is full of worship for Damian.
"…"
Cynthia falls quiet.
Honestly, she's thinking the same thing now.
Damian really is absurd.
Even the God of Creation, Arceus, thinks so highly of Damian, treats him kindly, and even granted him power.
It's no exaggeration to say Damian is the protagonist of this era.
Who could stop him?
"But Caitlin, don't you think Damian's a little too exceptional?"
Cynthia's eyes rest on Caitlin.
"How exactly are you going to make Damian fall for you alone?"
"When did I ever say I want Damian to only like me?"
Caitlin asks that back as if it's the most natural thing in the world.
"…?"
Cynthia freezes.
"You don't get Damian, Cynthia. Men only really care about a few things: power, money, strength, and beauty."
Caitlin's tone is very calm.
"Damian's still human. He has all those normal tastes too. I've been with him for over half a year now. I know him very well."
She's seen plenty with her own eyes—and heard plenty too.
"In that regard, Damian's not exactly disciplined. He's too outstanding; of course he attracts bees and butterflies. All those shameless women are going to stick themselves to him."
At first, she really hated those women trying to hook up with Damian.
But as time went by, Caitlin slowly got used to it.
She still doesn't like those women, obviously.
But she's adapted.
"And you?"
Cynthia looks at Caitlin, baffled.
"If Damian were truly a one‑woman man, I wouldn't have had any chance to begin with, would I?"
Caitlin smiles lightly.
Her tone is still elegant and reserved.
What she's saying, though, is anything but "reserved."
"I've never expected that once Damian became my man he'd only love me and no one else. That's just not realistic."
"But…"
Here, Caitlin pauses.
"I'm going to become Damian's wife. I'll bear the crystallization of our love with him."
The blonde noble girl's voice is steady.
This is what she believes, deep down.
She doesn't mind Damian fooling around now.
To Caitlin, those women are all insignificant; almost none of them pose any real competition.
At best, they're there to let Damian practice his technique and sample different "flavors."
"Even if you're not the only wife he has?"
Cynthia feels like her sis's thought process is… something else.
Where does this confidence come from?
Cynthia can't figure it out.
Sure, Caitlin's exceptional—but is there any world where prodigies are in short supply?
There's Dawn, and those "monster" boys and girls over in Unova.
"I'm confident I can win Damian's favoritism."
Caitlin's smile is bright and poised.
Yes.
Why wouldn't she be confident?
In terms of looks, she's not losing to any woman.
In terms of strength, she's a powerful Psychic and a Champion‑tier Psychic‑type Champion with a Little Lugia Damian entrusted to her.
In terms of her bond with Damian, she's his closest colleague, almost always at his side.
Why shouldn't she win?
"Caitlin, you're too arrogant."
Cynthia's honestly speechless.
"Who's Damian's girlfriend, anyway?"
Cynthia throws the question out there like it's nothing.
"She's a rookie Trainer on her journey. Supposedly in Alola."
Caitlin thinks it over and answers.
Looks like Caitlin doesn't actually know.
Cynthia has an even harder time keeping her expression straight.
So up to now, Caitlin doesn't even know who her main rival in the lineup is?
How's she supposed to fight this love brawl?
Cynthia feels like her sis… aside from being stubborn as a turtle, doesn't really have many "virtues."
"I think you'd better confess to Damian sooner rather than later, Caitlin. Things might not play out the way you're picturing them in your head."
Cynthia feels obligated to give Caitlin some advice.
She is her sis, after all.
Since Caitlin has that kind of "great ambition," she may as well give her some support.
As for herself…
Cynthia's feelings are pretty complicated.
She managed to "hold the line" today and not go all the way, but that's only for today.
If Caitlin hadn't warned her in advance, Cynthia probably would have ended up sleeping with Damian in a daze.
It's that guilt toward her sis that's kept her holding firm.
But Cynthia has no idea how long her will can really last.
What if she does end up sleeping with Damian, even gets pregnant, and Caitlin still hasn't made any progress by then?
How is she supposed to face Caitlin?
"I know."
Caitlin still holds that elegant, reserved smile.
Know what, exactly?
Speaking of which, with how flirtatious Damian is, the fact that he still hasn't "done anything" to Caitlin really is strange.
Cynthia feels like she should ask Damian about that sometime.
With Caitlin's refined looks, slender figure, and noble aura, it makes no sense.
Time skips ahead to the next morning.
Cynthia has already left early, heading back to Lily of the Valley Island.
She's going to talk to the Sinnoh League's chairman.
As for Damian, after waking up he goes out to wander Hearthome City with Caitlin.
Things in Sinnoh are basically wrapped up; even if he wanted to go looking for trouble, there's nowhere to find it.
In the original, the Sinnoh arc's movies served as a bridge, all three of them rooted in Arceus.
Because when Arceus was recovering from Its injuries and about to awaken, the space‑time ripples caused Dialga and Palkia to meet in the space‑time gap.
Both sides thought the other had invaded their own realm, so they duked it out.
Then the second Giratina movie happens.
Because of Dialga and Palkia's huge battle in the first movie, the Reverse World was affected, and Giratina came out to chase down Dialga in the real world.
The third is when Arceus fully awakens and descends on Michina Town, venting a thousand years of resentment.
But in this world, that misunderstanding from a thousand years ago never happened.
So naturally there were no massive space‑time brawls or any of that.
You could say… it's actually a bit of a shame.
But it's not a big deal.
Damian's got plenty of leisure to just enjoy Hearthome City with Caitlin.
Elsewhere, Lily of the Valley Island.
Garchomp lands.
Cynthia looks at the towering League building ahead, her feelings… complicated.
How to put it?
It's only been, what, half a month?
And yet she still feels like she's been away for ages.
Yeah.
As Sinnoh's League Champion, she's been sticking with an evil organization's boss all this time.
And lying in his arms every night.
Cynthia straightens out her mood.
She recalls Garchomp and walks into the League building.
She rides the elevator to the top floor and knocks on the League chairman's office door.
"Mr.Chairman, it's me. Cynthia."
"Cynthia, welcome back."
Sinnoh's League chairman is an elder man in his late sixties.
Seeing Cynthia walk in, he greets her with a warm smile.
"Sorry for worrying you."
Cynthia gives Chairman Carter a small nod.
"Sit. Tell me what you've been through lately."
Cynthia only told her about her recent itinerary.
Chairman Carter might be old, but she's not rigid.
She's been very worried about Cynthia's safety; to her, Cynthia is Sinnoh's hope.
"Team Galactic has already been wiped out by Team Rocket. Team Galactic's boss Cyrus and all four of his Admins have been captured by Team Rocket."
"So fast?"
Chairman Carter pushes up her glasses.
She'd half‑expected something like this—but that pace is still too fast.
Cyrus is, at the end of the day, a Champion‑tier Trainer.
"The power gap between the two sides is too big. Damian didn't even have to act."
Cynthia speaks quietly.
Not counting Charon, the entire Team Galactic was no match for Team Rocket.
Damian, Zinnia, and Caitlin barely even had to lift a hand.
"Then, Cynthia, how should we respond to Team Rocket now?"
Chairman Carter asks for Cynthia's view.
She's better with handling League internal affairs.
When it comes to dealing with evil organizations, she trusts Cynthia's judgment more.
"Honestly, I don't like saying this. But with just the Sinnoh League's strength, there's no way we can beat Team Rocket."
"Mr. Chairman, I suggest we follow Hoenn and Unova's example and negotiate with Team Rocket. As long as we formally recognize Team Rocket's enterprises as legitimate, Team Rocket won't clash with us."
"Is that really okay?"
Chairman Carter frowns, her gray brows knitting.
"We don't have a choice."
Cynthia's voice is low.
"If we insist on going to war with Team Rocket and driving them out, the Sinnoh League will only suffer a crushing defeat."
"Team Rocket is not something we can handle. If you want a straight fight with Team Rocket, the only chance is if Indigo League sounds the call to arms."
Cynthia lays it out.
"I understand. But just yesterday a Team Rocket Admin barged into our detention cells. That's an ugly, serious act. Those lawmakers will never agree to this."
"If they disagree, they can go talk to Zinnia themselves. The Sinnoh League can't pay the price for their stupidity and tantrums."
Cynthia's tone is cool.
Those League lawmakers all strut around on normal days.
But once real trouble hits, they go quiet.
Fight Team Rocket?
Are they going to fight?
They only know how to sit in the back and bark orders.
Once they start losing, they'll just switch masks again.
"???"
Chairman Carter just stares at Cynthia.
This… is this really Cynthia talking?
In Chairman Carter's impression, Cynthia may not be that old, but she's always been extremely graceful, composed, calm, and dignified.
Even when she's displeased, she only hints at it gently.
She's never been this blunt, never mind calling League lawmakers "stupid" to their faces.
Chairman Carter thinks for a bit, then speaks her mind.
"Cynthia, you seem to have… changed a little, haven't you?"
~~
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