Cynthia's arrival

Just as the three of them were enjoying themselves, a staff member walked over.

"Hello, guests. There's a young lady outside who says she's your friend. She'd like to see you. Shall I let her in?"

Since the deep-pocketed Steven had booked the entire enormous hot spring pool, no one else could simply walk in.

Now that someone claimed to be their friend, the staff member had come to check with them.

Chen Shi looked at Steven in confusion. "Did you invite another friend?"

Steven was puzzled too. Chen Shi was his only friend. Where had this other friend come from?

And a young lady, at that.

Still, Steven was always polite when dealing with strangers, so he asked a question.

"Did she give you her name?"

The staff member replied, "The young lady said her name was Cynthia."

Hearing that, Chen Shi jolted and hurriedly told the staff member, "She really is my friend. Please let her in."

"Of course." With that, the staff member left.

Nearby, Drakloak, Florges, Leafeon, and Togetic all gave Chen Shi baffled looks.

Cynthia? Naturally, they knew her.

They had traveled together for so long, after all.

They knew all about the ambiguous relationship between their Trainer and Cynthia.

Ignoring that lot, Chen Shi told Steven, "She's a friend from Sinnoh. I remember mentioning her to you once."

"She's also known as the Battle Goddess. You've probably heard of her."

"The Battle Goddess, huh..." Steven drew out the words, giving his friend a teasing look.

He had just seen the looks Drakloak and the others were giving Chen Shi. How could he not understand what was going on?

Chen Shi grew a little embarrassed under his gaze. "Friends, friends. We're just friends."

"Ahem, anyway, you don't mind her coming in so we can all get acquainted, right?"

Steven had booked the hot spring, after all, so Chen Shi thought he should ask.

Steven clearly didn't mind. With so few friends of his own, he thought meeting someone new would be nice.

He had figured it out: only people like them could come together and get along well.

So Steven had no objection to Cynthia joining them.

Soon, the staff member led in a beautiful blonde woman wearing a bathrobe and holding a Togepi.

Chen Shi paused at the sight of Cynthia dressed like that, then quickly greeted her. "Miss Cynthia, long time no see."

"Come try the hot spring. It's really nice."

Cynthia narrowed her eyes when she saw Chen Shi, then stepped into the hot spring pool.

"What's with 'Miss Cynthia'? That's far too formal. You make it sound like we barely know each other."

"Call me Severe Indecisiveness!"

At that, Drakloak and the others all looked at Chen Shi with undisguised delight at his misfortune.

Oh no. She's here to settle scores, Chen Shi thought, though he kept a smile on his face.

"What are you talking about? Why would I ever call you something like that?"

"Baseless rumors. All baseless rumors!"

"Really?"

Cynthia looked at Chen Shi with a faint, knowing smile.

"Then explain that 'indecisiveness' business on the Researcher Forum."

"Well..." Chen Shi scratched his head, then his eyes lit up when he spotted the Togepi in Cynthia's arms.

"The little one hatched! Looks pretty healthy, huh!"

Cynthia snorted and rolled her eyes at him.

Cynthia had arrived in Hoenn on the very day Chen Shi left, but by the time she found the Chen Family Farm...

The two elderly people told her that Chen Shi had already gone out to watch the Elite King Exhibition Match.

She immediately headed to Lavaridge Town to find Chen Shi, but after searching there for two days, she hadn't found so much as a trace of him.

It was only that morning, when Lucario suddenly said that he had caught Chen Shi's scent, that Cynthia finally found this place.

"Togetic, look! That's your daughter!"

"The little one hatched. You can stop worrying now."

Togetic, who had been enjoying the show, froze, then stared at the Togepi in Cynthia's arms in disbelief.

"To... togetic?"

"Lea... leafeon?"

Leafeon and the others were shocked too. They glanced at Togetic, then looked back at Togepi.

They had to admit, she looked exactly like Togetic had as a little one.

"Drak~"

Drakloak suddenly felt a little wistful. I never thought I'd become an uncle at just one year old.

I haven't even prepared anything...!

"Togetic!"

Snapping out of it, Togetic flew up and smacked Chen Shi on the head.

You're the one who had a baby!

I'm still a pure, untouched airplane!

"Toge-togepi?"

The Togepi in Cynthia's arms looked at Togetic with curiosity in her eyes.

She could sense that Togetic was one of her own kind, what she would look like in the future.

Chen Shi coughed twice, then introduced everyone.

"This is Miss Cynthia from Sinnoh. The silver-haired fellow over there is Steven Stone, and this little girl is Pheobe."

"We're all friends now, so let's get acquainted!"

Pheobe looked at Cynthia with stars in her eyes.

"You're so pretty!"

Cynthia replied politely, "Thank you. It's lovely to meet you, Pheobe."

Steven paused for a moment, then said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Cynthia. Your beauty surpasses even the finest Shiny Stone."

Everyone was dumbstruck by those words. Chen Shi stared at Steven in disbelief.

He finally had a clearer understanding of just how much Steven loved stones.

What kind of otherworldly compliment was that?!

Well, that was an eye-opener.

After recovering, Cynthia smiled. "I've heard of you, the Champion of this year's Ever Grande Conference. It's a pleasure to meet you too."

Next, Cynthia let out her Pokémon.

Garchomp, Lucario, Milotic, Glaceon, and Spiritomb.

"Hey, Sharky, pup, Milotic, and Glaceon! Long time no see."

Apart from the aloof Lucario, who merely nodded at him, the other three Pokémon gathered around Chen Shi.

"Garchomp~"

"Milo~"

"Glace~"

They knew Chen Shi very well. Glaceon even jumped into his arms.

Out of habit, Chen Shi began massaging Glaceon, whose eyes narrowed in bliss.

"Glace~"

Oh my goodness, a hot spring massage! Does anyone understand how amazing this is?!

Glaceon