"Your head really is full of just yourself, huh?"
For a beat, Cynthia was genuinely caught off guard.
Not anger—surprise.
It was simply the first time anyone had spoken to her like that, straight to her face, with that kind of blunt bite.
Dignified. Elegant. Calm. Rational. Poised.
Those were the impressions Cynthia left on almost everyone.
And beyond that—she was kind.
Friendly, even after becoming Sinnoh's Champion. Anyone who had truly interacted with her knew that.
It wasn't an act.
It was just Cynthia.
Pokémon and Pokémon. Pokémon and humans. Humans and humans.
No matter the pairing, she believed that if they met, it was affinity—and that affinity, if nurtured, would grow into something beautiful.
She believed in bonds.
She believed in people.
She believed the future would be bright.
Responsibility. Strength. Conviction. Knowledge.
In Sinnoh, to most people, Cynthia was practically flawless.
Perfect—except for the occasional indecisiveness when choosing what ice cream she wanted.
And honestly, didn't that only make her more charming?
Even her appearance seemed unfair. Tall, graceful, clean lines, golden hair, clear eyes—
But this wasn't the time for that.
Because right now, the Team Rocket executive in front of her was calling her selfish.
Calling her arrogant.
Was she?
Cynthia went quiet for a heartbeat.
"You didn't think about Caitlin's feelings, did you?" Damian continued, smiling like he was enjoying himself. "No—let me rephrase. You did think about them."
"Then you decided they mattered less than what you call 'right.'"
His tone wasn't loud.
That made it worse.
"People like you are all the same."
"You shove your will onto others, wrap it up in pretty words like 'I'm doing this for your own good,' then you play the hero with 'it doesn't matter if you hate me for it.'"
Damian's smile sharpened.
"What a joke."
"At the end of the day, it's simple."
"You're strong."
"So you think you're allowed."
Allowed to interfere.
Allowed to decide.
Allowed to drag someone's life wherever you want.
He tilted his head slightly.
"Tell me, Champion Cynthia."
"Have you ever actually treated Caitlin like your equal?"
Damian wasn't shouting.
He didn't need to.
Each line landed clean and cruel.
Caitlin watched Cynthia without saying a word.
Cynthia pressed her lips together. Emotion surged up despite her control. Damian's words had hit—especially with Caitlin looking at her now.
"That isn't true," Cynthia said, steady. "I have always viewed Caitlin as my dear friend. I have never thought that way."
"And this is how you treat your friends?" Damian snapped back. "With force?"
"She has taken the wrong path," Cynthia answered, her voice firm. "As her friend, I have an obligation to lead her back to the right one."
She didn't spiral.
She didn't break.
She inhaled—slow, controlled.
Then she spoke with conviction.
"No matter what you say, I will not give up."
"I will rescue Caitlin."
Damian lifted an eyebrow.
Caitlin kept her gaze lowered, thoughts unreadable.
"I'd expect nothing less from you, Champion Cynthia."
Damian smiled again.
Then his eyes slid over Cynthia—openly, shamelessly.
A slow, lingering look.
Cynthia's skin crawled.
"Relax," Damian said lightly, like he was shelving a thought for later. "It's not the time yet."
"But don't worry."
"We'll meet again."
His expression smoothed back into a normal smile.
It was time to leave.
There was no point staying here to fight Cynthia.
Caitlin released her Alakazam.
"Wait!" Cynthia's expression changed. "Caitlin, don't—"
"Cynthia."
Caitlin lifted her head.
Her eyes met Cynthia's head-on, cutting her off.
A faint blue glow had started to gather again in her gaze.
"Wait for it," Caitlin said, voice flat—yet unshakable.
"The battle between us."
She believed it was inevitable.
Just not now.
The time wasn't right.
"Caitlin…"
Cynthia's expression tightened. She didn't know how things had twisted into this, but she couldn't just stand there.
"Garchomp!"
Garchomp surged forward—Dragon Claws flashing.
But before it could close in, a pitch-black Shadow Ball snapped into the space between them.
The Shiny Gengar hovered there, grinning.
A living wall.
Garchomp had to dodge.
At the same time, Alakazam raised its spoons.
Psychic energy poured out—clean and precise.
In the next instant, Damian and his group vanished from the spot.
Teleport.
Only the Shiny Gengar remained for a split second longer, making sure the Teleport went through cleanly.
"Je je je~"
Once Damian and the others had disappeared, the Shiny Gengar waved its little chubby hand at Cynthia and the rest like it was saying goodbye.
Then it dove into the ground and vanished at high speed, rushing after Damian.
Cynthia didn't order Garchomp to chase blindly.
She stared at the empty space Caitlin had left behind.
Caitlin…
Saying the name silently in her heart, Cynthia felt drained—body and mind—for the first time in a long while.
And a cold premonition settled in her chest.
Just as Caitlin said…
One day, there would be a battle between them.
A bitter one.
A tragic one.
But it was never the battle Cynthia wanted.
How did it come to this?
On the other side, Kukui and the others exchanged looks. Cynthia's loneliness was obvious, and they hesitated, unsure whether they should disturb her.
"Champion Cynthia… are you alright?" Kukui finally asked, careful.
Cynthia snapped back, turned, and offered him a faint smile.
"My apologies. I'm fine."
Her heart was tangled, but she wouldn't let it spill onto the people around her.
"I believe you can persuade Caitlin to come back, Champion Cynthia," Kukui said seriously. "If you need anything, contact us at any time."
He sounded confident—like Cynthia's arrival had saved them, like Damian hadn't been able to leave so easily because of it.
"Thank you," Cynthia replied, still smiling faintly—though her voice lacked certainty. "I hope so."
Then she shifted, forcing herself back into something actionable.
"Professor Kukui—do you know anything about Damian's background?"
Caitlin mattered.
But Damian—a Champion-level trainer this young, this strong—was a threat that couldn't be ignored.
"I don't," Kukui admitted. "This was the first time he appeared in front of us. However…"
Kukui looked toward Nanu.
Nanu had been scrolling on his phone the entire time, searching through Kanto forums.
He'd actually found something.
"Winner of last year's Indigo Conference…" Nanu read, voice lazy. "The son of Giovanni, the Viridian Gym Leader?"
Cynthia froze.
"The son of Giovanni…?"
Shock flashed across her face as she stared at the screen.
Damian was actually a Gym Leader's son?
Then why would he join Team Rocket?
For the first time in a long time, Cynthia felt the world tilt into something absurd—like the rules she believed in were being rewritten right in front of her.