Li Yuan dialed Cynthia's number with mischievous intent. The call was picked up quickly.
"Little brother Li Yuan, what gives you the free time to call your sister?"
Cynthia's familiar, mature voice came through the line, but it sounded slightly weary. It was as if she had been running around all day and was too tired to move, only forcing herself to sound composed when she saw his caller ID.
"Sister Cynthia, you sound exhausted. Is everything okay?" Li Yuan asked with feigned concern.
"Sigh... something has come up. I might have to make a trip to see Officer Jenny later," Cynthia sighed, her headache evident.
She had thought her workload was light today and was looking forward to a relaxing evening. Ever since she took Li Yuan's advice and declined meaningless guest appearances at minor tournaments, her daily schedule had become much more manageable.
But fate seemed determined not to let her rest. She had barely sat down after work when she received a frantic call from Platinum (Dawn). Her sister's starter Pokémon, Piplup, had been snatched by criminals and was now missing.
Of all people, why did it have to be Platinum? Is the universe just trying to ruin my day?
"Why don't you tell me what happened? Maybe I can share the burden," Li Yuan offered warmly.
"It's no use telling you; you can't help with this. Just stay home and relax," Cynthia shook her head, not wanting to add to his worries.
"Don't say that. You know I have Aura. I'm quite good at finding lost things~," Li Yuan said.
"That's right! I forgot about your ability... Wait, how did you know I was looking for something?"
"I guessed. You sounded frantic, like someone who lost something important."
"Did I?"
"You did. I even bet that whatever you lost is related to Platinum, right?"
"You... how do you know my sister's name? I never told you," Cynthia paused, stunned. Guessing she lost something was one thing, but guessing her sister's name? That was pushing the boundaries of credibility. Are you guessing, or are you stalking me 24/7?
"Oh? Did I mention your sister's name? I don't recall~," Li Yuan's tone shifted into playful teasing.
"Heh! Stop acting. Tell me the truth—why did you call me today?" Cynthia realized the brat was up to something. Although she had only met him once, she knew he was the type who wouldn't get up early unless there was a profit to be made. If he was calling just to chat, he definitely wanted something.
"Well~, I was just thinking about our date. Since we're going on a date anyway, isn't just holding hands a bit too simple?" Li Yuan began his performance.
"Hehe! What else do you want then?" Cynthia laughed coldly. See? I knew he was up to something!
"As a little brother, wanting to cuddle in my sister's arms and act spoiled is perfectly reasonable, right?" Li Yuan shamelessly stated his demand.
"That's it? I thought my bad little brother would be bolder than that," Cynthia mocked him, unconvinced.
"I want to be bolder, but if I move too fast, would you allow it?"
"Should I praise you for knowing your limits then?"
"That's why I say our hearts are connected. You understand me so well, Sister~."
"Stop flattering yourself. Now tell me, do you have information?" Cynthia rolled her eyes, though he couldn't see it.
"Not exactly..."
"Then how dare you negotiate with me?"
"I can't help it. The kidnappers are already dead. I can't exactly interrogate a corpse, can I?"
"Wait... you mean you've already found Piplup?" Cynthia asked, stunned. Can't you just say that from the start?!
"Maybe I found it, maybe I haven't. So, Sister Cynthia, what do you think of my proposal?" Li Yuan played dumb again. He needed a firm "yes" on the date terms.
"You child... you really are obsessed with gaining advantages. Can't you learn to do a good deed without asking for a reward?" Cynthia sighed helplessly. She understood his game now: he was stacking buffs on her. First, it was holding hands; now, it was hugging. Next time, would he demand a kiss or a bed? Would it still be a date then, or just a room booking?
"Sister Cynthia, don't say that. 'Don't advise others to be kind until you've suffered their pain,'" Li Yuan said solemnly.
"What's wrong? Do you have some tragic backstory? You can tell me; maybe I can help," Cynthia asked, her curiosity piqued by the sudden depth in his words. Did this frivolous boy have a dark past?
"No, I just always wanted to say that line," Li Yuan shrugged.
"..."
Fine. I'm the idiot. I knew he was full of it, and I still fell for it.
The beauty on the other end of the line was speechless for a moment. Finally, she skipped the topic. "I accept your condition. But don't go too far."
Cynthia decided to agree. It was just a hug. Since she had recognized him as her "cheap brother," a hug wouldn't kill her. And frankly, finding Piplup was a massive favor. Finding a specific Pokémon in this vast world was like finding a needle in a haystack; just thinking about it filled her with despair. Knowing Li Yuan had solved the problem was a huge relief.
So, letting him hug her wasn't too high a price. It wasn't like he asked to kiss her.
"It's a deal then! I'll look forward to our date~," Li Yuan said, satisfied.
"Dream on. Now, can you send Piplup over?" Cynthia asked, rolling her eyes again.
"Give me a few days. I'm still in the wilderness catching a Pokémon. I'll bring it when I come back," Li Yuan said.
"What Pokémon is worth you camping out in the wild? I might have channels to help you get one," Cynthia offered.
"Great! I want a Shiny Gardevoir. When can you send it over?" Li Yuan didn't hold back.
"Hah? ...Do I look like a Shiny Gardevoir to you? You can keep feeding the mosquitoes out there," Cynthia's mouth twitched.
She had assumed he wanted a Pseudo-Legendary, since those were the only things usually out of stock. She forgot he was a teenage boy. And teenage boys only wanted one thing: Gardevoir.
The problem was that Gardevoir was priceless. Rich kids had driven the market price to astronomical levels, but there was zero supply. Catching a Pokémon that could Teleport and sense perversion was nearly impossible. Hunter J had only succeeded because this specific Gardevoir had a daughter as a weakness.
Cynthia couldn't fulfill that request. "Still wants a Shiny Gardevoir... why don't you ask for the moon while you're at it?" She'd rather search for Piplup herself than try to catch a Gardevoir.
"So cold-hearted. And here I thought I was your favorite brother," Li Yuan complained.
"You have no shame. Just bring Piplup back first. How long will you be searching for that Gardevoir? A month? A year?" Cynthia asked, exasperated.
"That's not your concern. The Shiny Gardevoir is actually nearby. I'm currently working on taming her," Li Yuan said casually.
"Huh? You actually found one?" Cynthia was surprised. Was it really that coincidental? And a Shiny at that?
"Do you think I enjoy feeding mosquitoes for fun?" Li Yuan retorted.
"Are you confident you can catch her? Do you need help?" Cynthia grew tense. A Shiny Gardevoir was a big deal. If he missed this chance, he'd regret it for the rest of his life.
"Relax. It's just a matter of time."
"The problem is how much time?"
"Who knows? A day, two days... maybe a month or two. Courting a girl takes patience, right?"
"But in two months, the National Tournament will have started! What's the use of bringing Piplup back then?"
"Sister, seriously? You still want that Piplup to compete? You know how weak it is."
"Before, I knew. But now I have you, don't I?"
"You really think highly of me."
"It's not that I think highly of you. It's that if you still want to date me, you have to make me think highly of you."
"Fine, fine. I'll hurry. Or you can come here and pick it up. I'll send you the coordinates."
"Alright, send them over. When I'm free, I'll come see your Shiny Gardevoir too."
Cynthia decided Li Yuan's suggestion was more practical. Waiting for him was a waste of time. Her Garchomp was a "jet fighter"; she could drop in anywhere in the country in no time.
Now, I better tell Platinum the good news before she loses sleep tonight.