Roy spent another day in the Ruins, resting his tired body.
Yesterday's journey through the northern Snowfields had exhausted him, and he slept until around 10 a. m. the next morning when Professor Shuli dragged him out of bed.
"Roy, the sun's already high in the sky..."
Because there were no extra beds at the Research Camp, Roy had to share a tent with Professor Shuli.
Roy, who had been woken up, stretched and looked at Professor Shuli, who was still sorting the Unown, not knowing how to persuade him.
He said everything he needed to say yesterday; it's just that some things are beyond his control.
"Oh, by the way, I've arranged for a separate tent for you at the Researchers' camp tonight. You can sleep there."
"No need, I'm heading to Azalea Town soon."
After saying that, Roy left Professor Shuli's tent and went to the Researchers ' camp to find Cynthia, as he also wanted to say goodbye to Cynthia.
"Azalea Town?"
After Roy left, Professor Shuli kept muttering those three words, feeling like something was wrong, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
At this moment, Cynthia was wearing gold-rimmed glasses and a white lab coat, and was recording something on a tablet computer.
"Still researching? Let's eat something first."
Roy plopped down next to Cynthia and took out a box of chocolate cream cake from his Spatial Bracelet, placing it in front of Cynthia.
Cynthia was instantly drawn to the small cake, putting down her work and picking up the small fork Roy had given her to begin tasting it.
Cynthia picked up a piece of cake with her fork, intending to put it in her mouth, when suddenly her gaze fell upon Roy beside her.
After thinking for a moment, Cynthia held the cake on the fork to Roy's mouth, placing one hand under the fork to catch the crumbs.
Roy paused for a moment, clearly not quite understanding.
Are you going to eat or not?
"Eat!"
Roy ate the cake off his fork in one bite.
"Is it tasty?"
Roy didn't answer, but gave a slight smile.
"What... what are you laughing at? I'm asking if it tastes good."
"I was thinking that Professor Carolina entrusted you to me yesterday, you wouldn't go back on your word, would you?"
Recalling what her grandmother had said in the Ruins of Alph, Cynthia's face instantly turned red.
"Does it...?"
Haha~
Seeing Cynthia's flushed face, Roy's perverse sense of humor was satisfied.
Hearing Roy's laughter, Cynthia unleashed another flurry of punches at Roy, but Roy simply looked on with an expression of enjoyment.
After finishing the small cake, Cynthia originally intended to continue her work, but seeing that Roy was still sitting next to her and showed no intention of leaving, she realized that Roy was not going to leave.
Cynthia, who was preparing to work, suddenly couldn't continue. It seemed that her heart would race whenever Roy was around, and she couldn't concentrate on her work at all.
Especially since the other person was staring directly at her.
"Are you alright? I... I need to help Grandma organize the documents."
Looking at Cynthia's flushed face, Roy suddenly said out of the blue:
"I'm leaving now, heading to Azalea Town."
Azalea Town?
Cynthia didn't understand what Roy meant.
"Yes, Azalea Town."
Roy has come to say goodbye to Cynthia.
He needs to go to Azalea Town to obtain his fourth Johto Gym Badge.
This is also the last Gym Roy could find in the Johto. The Ecruteak Gym Leader is already having a full moon celebration, the Mahogany Town Gym Leader, Pryce, is too strong for him, Olivine Gym Leader is away on a trip.
He only needs the Azalea Gym to get his fourth Gym Badge in the Johto.
"Um."
Upon learning that Roy still had a task left by his teacher, Cynthia, though reluctant, did not stop him.
"Then I'll take you."
Cynthia put down her tablet and followed Roy out of the Researcher camp.
The two walked one after the other. Cynthia followed behind Roy with her hands behind her back and her head down. The swelling in her ankles had subsided, but she still couldn't walk too fast.
Cynthia looked down at Roy's legs, her mind filled with a myriad of thoughts.
It's fair to say that without Roy, she wouldn't have been able to leave the Sinjoh Ruins alive. The image of him shielding her from the wind and snow with his body and carrying her forward yesterday is still vivid in her mind.
Finally, Cynthia mustered her courage and stepped forward to take Roy's hand.
The moment their hands met, Cynthia felt Roy pause for a moment; she knew Roy hadn't realized she was going to take his hand.
Feeling the warmth from Cynthia's hand, Roy turned to look at Cynthia, offering no lengthy confession, only a single sentence:
"Wait for me to come back."
"Um!"
Roy looked down at Cynthia, and the sweet fragrance of Mina wafted into his nose. He lowered his head and gently kissed Cynthia's forehead.
The leaves on the trees drifted down slowly, as if witnessing all of this.
After the kiss ended, Cynthia looked up and met Roy's eyes. He only had eyes for her. When their eyes met, she was certain that he was the one she loved.
From within Roy's shadow, Ancient Gengar quietly peeked out a pair of eyes.
Just as Cynthia raised her head and closed her eyes, Roy was preparing to take the next step, a voice sounded from behind him.
Roy!
The visitor was none other than Professor Shuli.
The slightly ambiguous atmosphere vanished after the other person shouted that.
"Um... I still have research to do when I get back. Take care of yourself. I... I'll wait for you to come back."
Cynthia also opened her eyes, and after hearing Professor Shuli's voice, she quickly ran away from Roy's side.
Roy was speechless. Why did Professor Shuli have to come at this time of year?
He was about to kiss her, but now Cynthia has vanished without a trace.
What should I do when I really have the urge to kill someone?
Professor Shuli, seeing Roy's murderous gaze, still didn't understand what was going on.
Why are you looking at me like that?
"You ruined my plans!"
"Good news? What good news could you possibly have?"
Professor Shuli was a little confused and didn't understand what Roy was talking about.
Roy was speechless about Professor Shuli's single status and could only helplessly say:
"Sigh~ Everything's alright now, why did you come looking for me?"
Did you say this morning that you were going to Azalea Town?
"Yes."
After receiving Roy's affirmative answer, Professor Shuli stepped forward, took out the Leaden Ball and a Golden Poké Ball that he had previously discovered from his Spatial Bracelet, and handed them to Roy.
Roy knew the Leaden Ball was found in the Ruins, but what on earth is this Golden Poké Ball?
System Scan
Item: GS Ball
Effect: Mysterious Poké Ball.
This was the first time Roy had ever seen such a brief description.
Wait a minute... GS Ball?
Roy remembered that in the game, as long as you gave the GS Ball to Steel for research, Steel would return the GS Ball.
Then, after placing the GS ball into the Ilex Forest Shrine, the Celebi will appear.
However, the GS Ball, which served as a subplot in the theatrical version "Celebi: Encounters Across Time," never reappeared.
"Please deliver these two Poké Balls to an old man named Steel on the outskirts of Azalea Town. He's a friend of my teacher and specializes in Poké Balls."
The teacher originally wanted me to go, but I'm a bit busy right now, so I probably won't be able to go until next month.
Since you're going to Azalea Town, could you please give this to him while you're there?
By the way, Mr. Steel lives in a village not far from Slowpoke Well. You can just ask around there and you'll find out.
So, they're really going to hand over the GS Ball to Steel?
"Can't we teleport there?"
"Roy asked."
"That's also the strange thing about this Poké Ball. For some reason, the Transport Device can't recognize it, so it can't teleport you. Otherwise, you wouldn't have needed to deliver it."
"Okay, I understand."
Seeing that it was on his way, Roy took the GS Ball from Professor Shuli. It weighed the same as a regular Poké Ball, except that it was Golden in color and had the GS symbol engraved on it. Otherwise, it was basically the same.
After storing the two special Poké Balls in his Spatial Bracelet, Roy released Dragapult and rode Dragapult away from the Researcher camp.
Leaving the Researcher camp, Roy, riding on Dragapult, looked at the GS Ball in his hand.
He was also curious about what was inside the GS Ball, and tried to inject his own Ghost Power into it.
It turned out that the GS Ball seemed to be solid inside, Ghost Power could not be injected into it at all.
Seeing that the Ghost Power could not be injected into it, Roy tried to Sheer Force break the GS Ball with his hands, but no matter how hard he tried, the GS Ball remained undamaged, which was a bit outrageous.
He could easily break a regular Poké Ball with his strength, but the GS Ball didn't budge.
With no other option, Roy could only put the GS Ball back into his Spatial Bracelet and wait to see if Steel could research anything.