Once the shields slowed down, Ash commanded, "Puni, use Thousand Fierce Void Light Flash!"
Puni's three pairs of feelers whipped into motion again. This time, instead of six beams, several hundred thin rays shot toward Garchomp.
Having just unleashed a powerful move, Garchomp was too exhausted to move, so every one of the hundreds of rays struck home.
"Garchomp!" Cynthia shouted, but there was no response.
As the dust slowly cleared, the two saw Garchomp lying on the ground, its eyes already spiraling.
"I lost." Seeing that Garchomp had fainted, Cynthia recalled it in dejection.
"Thanks for your hard work, Puni." Ash recalled Puni as well to let it rest.
He walked over to Cynthia and asked, "Are you okay?"
But Cynthia ignored him, still staring down at the ground.
With a sigh, Ash stepped in front of Cynthia, turned his back to her, then bent down and backed up before hoisting her onto his back.
"What are you doing? Put me down!" Cynthia shouted, embarrassed.
"You're tired. I'll carry you to the lounge so you can lie down." Rather than putting her down at her protests, Ash held her even more firmly.
Looking at Ash as he carried her, Cynthia thought, Honestly, I never knew you had this side to you. Dad was right. You really are cute.
Cynthia rested her head on Ash's shoulder, and her eyes slowly closed.
In the shadows.
"Damn, Xiao Lei was right. The young master's skills with girls really are first-rate," Ice Attendant said in surprise.
Elsewhere.
"Shenglong, that boy of yours took just one day to steal my girl away. I've got to hand it to you," Yi Qinglan said as she watched Ash.
"That's my son for you! Haha!" Hong Shenglong laughed.
"Shenglong, do you remember that Puni's moves just now?"