Gifts

Steven suddenly slapped his forehead.

"Miss Cynthia, is the Severe Indecisiveness you mentioned that genius researcher who's recently published findings on Leafeon, Glaceon, and Steelix in quick succession?"

Cynthia nodded slightly, then shot Chen Shi a fierce glare.

"Ask him yourself!"

He ducked his head at once, pretending to be an ostrich.

Steven looked at Chen Shi in confusion, not understanding why Cynthia wanted him to ask him.

"Ahem. Yours truly, as it happens."

"I just... did a little research."

With everyone's eyes on him, Chen Shi knew he couldn't escape and had to admit it.

There was nothing he couldn't tell them anyway, so he might as well own up to it.

"You're Severe Indecisiveness?"

This time, Steven was genuinely shocked. His friend had quite a few secrets up his sleeve.

He hadn't expected him to have another identity as a genius researcher.

Chen Shi waved a hand. "I just did a little research. Don't make too much of it."

Everyone's mouths twitched. He called that a little research?

Cynthia was thinking about Friendship-based evolution and that eighteenth type.

Steven, meanwhile, was thinking about those stones and their unknown, formidable power.

If that counted as a little research, every researcher below the rank of Doctor might as well bash their head against a wall.

"Oh, right, Steven. I just remembered-Scyther's pretty good too. You should consider one."

"I did a little research recently and discovered that Scyther has another evolved form. It's Bug- and Steel-type."

This time, Steven was much calmer. He merely nodded to show he understood.

Pheobe chimed in, "Brother Chen Shi, I caught a Scyther for you and already sent it back."

"Sneasel's been hard to find, though. I haven't caught one yet."

Chen Shi replied casually, "That's fine. Take your time. There's no rush."

"Just catch me one if you come across it. I don't have time to write a paper right now anyway."

"Are there any other Pokémon you want me to catch?" Pheobe looked at Chen Shi expectantly.

He knew exactly what the little girl was after.

"All right, all right. I'll give you some money later!"

"Great! Thanks, Brother Chen Shi."

Pheobe answered gleefully, then went back to soaking in the hot spring with her eyes narrowed in contentment.

Now she was even happier.

Chen Shi glanced at the Togepi in Cynthia's arms, got up, and rummaged through his backpack for a box of Fairy-type Pokéblocks.

"Come here, little one. I've got something tasty for you."

As he spoke, he took out a Pokéblock and showed it to Togepi.

Togepi immediately caught an irresistible scent. She swallowed and looked up at Cynthia.

"Toge-prii?"

Cynthia nodded gently, and Togepi immediately jumped out of the hot spring and ran around the edge to Chen Shi.

After accepting the Pokéblock, Togepi trotted all the way back to Cynthia.

Chen Shi laughed and scolded her. "You clever little rascal."

She was just like his own Togetic before evolving, turning her back on him the moment she got what she wanted.

Cynthia looked at the pink Pokéblock, puzzled.

"This Pokéblock is so unusual. How come I've never seen it before?"

"And Togepi seems to really enjoy it."

"Toge-prii!"

Chen Shi smiled and said meaningfully, "I specially formulated these Pokéblocks for Togepi."

"My Togetic still eats them now."

Understanding dawned on Cynthia. There was probably more to these Pokéblocks than met the eye.

Having traveled together for a year, Cynthia knew him very well. There was likely a deeper meaning behind his words.

Then she remembered the eighteenth type he'd mentioned in his letter and didn't ask any further questions.

Steven didn't think much of it either. It was perfectly normal for a breeder to formulate Pokéblocks for their own Pokémon.

He'd seen these Pokéblocks before. Their color was a little prettier, but there was nothing particularly strange about them.

"Oh, right, Cynthia. I have some gifts for you too."

Steven's gaze immediately turned odd again, and he remained quietly off to the side.

Even Pheobe seemed to pick up on something, her gaze darting back and forth between Cynthia and Chen Shi.

Chen Shi took out three boxes and had Metang use Confusion to send them over to Cynthia.

"What's inside?"

Chen Shi shrugged. "Gifts. Open them and see."

A little warmth bloomed in Cynthia's heart as she took one of the boxes and opened it.

"Lipstick?"

Cynthia looked at Chen Shi in surprise. He'd actually bought her lipstick?

The sun must have risen in the west.

But Cynthia soon realized this wasn't ordinary lipstick.

A stone with distinctive rainbow-colored markings was set into its base.

Seeing Cynthia notice the Key Stone, Chen Shi chuckled inwardly. I had that custom-made.

Cynthia didn't seem to dwell on it, however, and took another box to open.

The instant she opened it, Lucario's gaze snapped to the stone inside.

For some reason, Lucario felt that this stone was very important.

Cynthia noticed too and asked directly, "What's wrong, Lucario?"

" Luca!"

After a moment's hesitation, Lucario shook his head.

He couldn't sense anything unusual and assumed he'd imagined it.

Steven, however, had noticed from the other side. Isn't that one of those really important stones?

He hadn't expected Chen Shi to simply give Cynthia one.

And you still say you're just ordinary friends?

Would you casually give something like that to an ordinary friend?

We're friends too, but I haven't seen you give me one.

At that thought, Steven gave his friend a reproachful look.

Chen Shi noticed Steven's gaze as well. After a light cough, he grew indignant.

"Don't you already have two?"

"And you said you had plenty more at home!"

Steven rolled his eyes, not wanting to speak to someone who put romance before friendship.

By then, Cynthia had opened the third box.

There was another stone inside, but its colors and markings differed from the previous one.

Garchomp suddenly seemed to sense something too, snapping his gaze toward the box in Cynthia's hands.

He felt the same thing Lucario had.

This time, Cynthia also noticed Garchomp's unusual reaction, but she said nothing and simply closed the box.

Once could be a coincidence, but twice?

She wasn't stupid.

Chen Shi wouldn't give her two useless stones, either.

These stones probably held some secret, one specifically connected to Garchomp and Lucario.

There was also the lipstick she'd paid little attention to earlier, which had a stone set into it as well.

Now it seemed that stone was no ordinary one either.

Chen Shi suddenly said, "I put a lot of thought into these gifts, so make sure you keep them safe."

Cynthia nodded slightly, a hint of tenderness flickering deep in her eyes as she looked at Chen Shi.

"Thank you. I really like these gifts."

I really like Glaceon like this.