A bit different… huh?
When she hears that, Cynthia falls silent.
She thinks back carefully over what she just said.
She's been by Damian's side this whole stretch of time.
Inevitably, she really has picked up some of Damian's habits—but in Cynthia's view, that's not exactly a bad thing.
Looking back at her old self now, even she feels she used to be a bit too "soft."
"Maybe I have changed. In any case, Mr. Chairman, I don't recommend going to war with Team Rocket. Whether you look at it from our Sinnoh side's combat power or from the collateral damage of a war, it's not suitable."
"The key point is, we don't have any chance of winning."
Cynthia speaks to Chairman Carter very seriously.
"Not even a little?" Chairman Carter can't help being shocked.
"Not the slightest. Just Damian alone— even if you mobilized the combined combat power of three Leagues, I doubt you could bring him down."
Cynthia shakes her head.
And that's already her conservative take.
"Besides, the Team Rocket Damian leads is fundamentally different from the evil‑forces Team Rocket of the past. There are concrete examples—Alola, Hoenn, Unova, and now Kanto."
Cynthia lays everything out clearly.
"Team Rocket hasn't run wild in any of those regions. They just took control of the underworld; they haven't harmed innocent civilians, and they're actively wiping out evil organizations and hunter outfits."
"Cynthia, your stance is already tilting toward Team Rocket."
Chairman Carter keenly picks up on it and reminds Cynthia.
"I'm just analyzing things normally. Either way, I don't recommend Sinnoh going to war with Team Rocket's Sinnoh branch."
Cynthia answers calmly.
"I understand. Then we'll convene a meeting and send the notice down."
Chairman Carter gives Cynthia a long look and doesn't say more.
Cynthia nods.
Though she and Chairman Carter are the two with the highest authority in Sinnoh, a decision this big still has to be communicated to the Sinnoh League's upper echelon.
As for lawmakers who object?
Object all you want—if you don't like it, go fight Team Rocket yourselves.
"I heard Damian is a very young boy."
Chairman Carter rises and speaks as if in passing.
He has seen Damian's photos.
Worth noting: he's also seen those couple‑style photos of Damian and Cynthia that were circulating before.
He'd even thought at the time that Cynthia had finally opened up.
Didn't expect that boy to turn out to be Team Rocket.
"That's right."
Cynthia goes quiet a moment.
"He's already the strongest Trainer of this era."
"What a shame. A child that brilliant… otherwise you and he would be quite the match, Cynthia."
Carter smiles at Cynthia.
Up till now he's often wondered: with someone as exceptional as Cynthia, what man could possibly be worthy of her?
But it does seem Cynthia has someone she cares about now.
"Please don't tease me, Mr. Chairman. Things between me and Damian… are complicated."
Cynthia shakes her head.
If Damian weren't Team Rocket's… no, that's not quite right either.
Her thoughts knot up; she can't even put her feelings toward Damian into words.
Strictly speaking, this "ambiguous" thing she has with Damian is something Damian half‑forced into being.
But at the end of the day, Cynthia never pushed him away that hard.
More of a token resistance.
Maybe that's because she doesn't really hate Damian either.
Otherwise, she believes that if she'd stood her ground and rejected him outright, made her resistance very clear, Damian wouldn't have forced himself on her.
There were several times like that—Damian always stopped at the last step.
That already proves he won't just brute‑force himself past her bottom line.
But… she never fully rejected him.
Cynthia's feelings are a tangle.
She still just shakes her head and follows Chairman Carter out.
Conference room.
"What? You want to officially recognize Team Rocket's enterprises as legitimate?"
"I don't agree!"
"That's right, Mr. Chairman. Team Rocket is an evil organization, and just yesterday, in broad daylight, a Team Rocket Admin stormed Lily of the Valley Prison, killed those House of Dawn members, and then walked out like nothing happened."
"How can we possibly allow scum like that to put down roots in Sinnoh?"
The moment Chairman Carter announces the news, the conference room blows up.
Several lawmakers leap to their feet, voicing their opinions heatedly.
"Quiet."
Chairman Carter raps the table and signals everyone to settle down.
"This is the result I reached after careful discussion with Cynthia. Cynthia, say a few words."
Chairman Carter looks toward Cynthia.
"Champion Cynthia, why would you make such a decision? Where does that leave the dignity of the Sinnoh League?"
An elderly lawmaker fixes Cynthia with a deep voice.
"First: this is a choice I made after a lot of thought. Team Rocket's power is extraordinarily strong. Going to war with them carries catastrophic consequences, and the odds of victory are basically zero."
"If we lose, if Sinnoh's lands are ruined and Sinnoh's people die—who's going to take responsibility?"
"You? Or me?"
Cynthia slowly stands up.
As Sinnoh's Champion, her presence is majestic and overwhelming; her cool gaze sweeps the room.
Spoken so bluntly, that pointed question drops the whole conference room into silence.
"Second: you've all seen Team Rocket's actual data; don't pretend you haven't. If you think we can fight them, then tell me—who's going to fight?"
"You? Or me?"
The room stays silent.
"Third: if you're confident you can defeat Team Rocket, by all means go challenge them yourselves. Don't send League combat personnel to fight a war we have no chance of winning just to embarrass ourselves."
Cynthia's voice remains level, no fluctuation at all.
"Fourth: this isn't a proposal up for debate. It's a notice. I'm not asking for your opinion."
"Remember—I'm the Champion of Sinnoh."
Hiss—!
Flint, the Sinnoh Elite Four member with the flaming red afro, draws in a sharp breath without meaning to.
He stares at Cynthia, whose dominance is practically blazing off her.
Good lord.
Just… goddamn.
What did their Champion eat today?
She's this badass now?
Cynthia this domineering—he's only ever seen that on the battlefield.
And even then it was only when she led with her ace Garchomp.
By nature, Cynthia is calm and elegant, both in daily life and in battle.
Only when she fights with Garchomp does she show the full confidence and dominance of Sinnoh's Champion.
Flint trades a look with Lucian and Aaron.
They all see the same dazed confusion in each other's eyes.
Something's off.
Very off.
...
Night falls.
After dinner, Damian casually dials Dawn for a video call.
"Hello? Lord Damian, what's up?"
The call connects quickly.
Dawn's clear, crisp voice comes through.
In the background, though, there seem to be battle noises.
"Dawn, what're you up to?"
"Ah? I just found a hunter organization's base. I was about to blow it up for fun."
Dawn talks like she's just decided what to eat tonight.
Ever since she joined Team Rocket, Dawn feels like she's discovered a whole new world.
Being able to beat up evil organizations and hunter outfits every day?
That's just too nice.
Her only regret is that when those rude Unova people were still here a while back, they kept snatching missions from her.
Dawn really couldn't figure it out.
You're from Unova—wouldn't it be better to go back and clear missions in your own region?
Why come to Sinnoh and grind missions here like maniacs?
But once those Unova people left Sinnoh, Dawn felt like heaven had finally arrived.
Yeah, she doesn't mind anymore.
She's realized Damian really wasn't lying.
Team Rocket is nothing like the rumors.
"All right. Let Paul know— in a few days, you two are coming back to Kanto with me."
Damian nods.
"Huh? We're going to Kanto?"
Dawn blinks her bright eyes, tilts her head, and looks adorably confused.
"Yeah. Team Galactic in Sinnoh is basically done. The hunter organizations can't cause much trouble either. We don't need you cleaning house anymore."
Damian replies.
With Sinnoh's biggest evil organization, Team Galactic, falling apart, what's left are just small fry.
And those have already been mostly dealt with by Team Rocket over this stretch.
As for those hunter outfits that used to be rampant, now they're all hiding from Team Rocket.
Team Rocket's too fierce; they can't win against them at all.
"I'll take you to Kanto for a few days, then we'll head for the next region."
"Okay!"
Dawn's eyes light up.
Time to open up a new region?
She can already see piles of merit points waving at her.
"Also, remember to check in with your dad and let him know you're safe. You're about to go far from home; no need to have him worry too much."
"Emmm… but Dad still doesn't have a great impression of Team Rocket."
Dawn pokes at her soft pink lips in distress.
She has actually contacted Berlitz once during this time.
Berlitz first asked about her situation, then, all worked up, begged her to quit Team Rocket as soon as possible.
No matter how she explained that she's doing great and growing fast, Berlitz kept insisting that Damian—this utterly evil man—must be threatening her into saying that.
It's really hit Dawn with a headache.
"Sounds like Berlitz's a bit old‑fashioned. People who can't accept anything new tend to be like that."
"As long as Lord Damian's happy, that's what matters."
Dawn's tone turns awkwardly polite.
Why exactly does Dad have such a huge prejudice against Team Rocket?
Who could that be because of?
Dawn can't help grumbling internally.
Back then Damian had been all intimidation and "kidnapping," nearly breaking Berlitz mentally.
"Dawn, you've picked up some bad habits lately. You're even learning to talk back with that passive‑aggressive tone."
Damian raises a brow.
"I am not."
The noble young lady from House of Dawn doesn't sound very convinced of her own words.
"You really should spend less time learning from Paul. That guy might be smart, but his way of dealing with things doesn't suit you."
Damian figures Paul's probably the one who corrupted his originally gentle, well‑behaved Dawn.
"And I think I should explain something."
"Even if I did use some rough methods to take you away from Berlitz back then, that was a last resort."
Damian can't help sighing.
"Didn't expect Berlitz to still hold it against me now. But I believe he'll understand one day."
"He may have lost his daughter for now, but in the future, he'll gain much more."
Damian says it with absolute confidence.
Yeah.
Down the line, what Berlitz gets back definitely won't just be one daughter.
"???"
Dawn tilts her head in the video, completely confused.
How is it she has no idea what Damian's even talking about?
~~
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