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By the time they returned to the cake shop, night had completely fallen. The shop was still open, but from the outside, the main hall appeared deserted.
Mai peered through the glass door, puzzled by the emptiness.
The shelves were nearly bare, and only a few slices of cake remained, proof that the opening day promotion had been a clear success.
"Did they step out?" Luther asked, but as soon as the rich aroma of freshly cooked food drifted in from the back of the shop, he dismissed the thought.
"I thought you weren't coming back! Welcome, welcome! We're having dinner out in the courtyard with a couple of guests, care to join us?" The shop owner appeared from the rear, clearly having heard them arrive, and smiled as she greeted Mai.
"With guests here, wouldn't we be intruding?" Mai and Luther hesitated, uncertain if the offer was genuine or just a polite formality.
"Don't you want that grand prize? It actually has something to do with our guests tonight."
At the mention of the grand prize still being within reach, Mai instantly turned to look at Luther.
Luther wanted to warn her, not all prizes came easily. Since the shop owner said it was linked to the guests, there was likely a catch involved.
While Mai had been wandering around earlier, Luther had taken another glance at the event flyer. In tiny print at the bottom, the words "Final interpretation rights belong to the shop" had made him seriously consider heading home early.
Following the shop owner through the back rooms of the shop, the sounds of Pokémon eating echoed more clearly as they neared the courtyard.
Luther had just started wondering how many Pokémon the owner kept when Mai abruptly stopped, standing completely still.
Lost in thought, Luther walked straight into her, bumping his face against the back of her head. Both of them crouched down in pain, one holding their mouth, the other rubbing their forehead.
"Why'd you stop so suddenly?" Luther groaned, massaging his lips.
"Look at the courtyard," Mai whispered.
Luther glanced up and immediately felt a chill down his spine.
Garchomp, Roserade, Milotic, Togekiss, Goodra, Gardevoir, Gourgeist…
The shop's unsold cakes seemed to have been turned into snacks for these powerful Pokémon. Now, with empty bowls and curious eyes, they were all looking directly at him and Mai.
In the dim courtyard light, dozens of glowing eyes gleamed like warning signals. Luther suddenly felt as though they'd walked straight into a trap.
He wanted to compliment the shop owner for being so unassuming, these weren't ordinary Pokémon. Judging by the lineup and their strength, the owner had clearly traveled widely, with many of the Pokémon originating from the Kalos region.
But before he could say anything, he saw her.
Cynthia was sitting at the table in the courtyard. And next to her… was the passerby he and Mai had accidentally knocked over earlier that day?
While Luther froze in shock, Mai seemed to forget her injury entirely. She rushed forward eagerly. To her, meeting Cynthia again like this felt like destiny.
Luther shifted his gaze to the person beside Cynthia. Without the sunglasses and wide-brimmed hat from earlier, the woman's face was now fully visible, and oddly familiar.
Cynthia had noticed them as well, her eyes settling on Luther.
He took the cue and approached the table.
The shop owner's wife brought over a serving of grilled meat from the barbecue and placed it on Luther's plate. He thanked her and sat down beside Mai.
"I never thought I'd run into Cynthia San here," Mai said, her voice full of excitement.
"And I never expected the Pokédex holders the shop owner mentioned to be you two," Cynthia replied with a smile, then looked to Luther.
"Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you," Luther echoed with a nod.
"Mai," Cynthia said teasingly, "Can you guess who this is beside me? She didn't wear much makeup today, and her clothes are simple, so she's a bit harder to recognize. But she's quite the celebrity. Is there still room on your shirt for another signature?"
Mai furrowed her brow in thought, trying to place her.
Luther, however, glanced at the chocolate cake on the mystery woman's plate, and the answer clicked in his mind. Instinctively, he blurted out, "Champion Diantha?"
Diantha, who had been quietly enjoying her cake and watching the exchange, paused mid-bite.
"Oh? How did you recognize me? From my films, or one of my Kalos League Championship matches broadcast in Sinnoh?"
"Neither, really. If I had to say... maybe I saw you in a dream?" Luther replied vaguely. "You just looked really familiar."
He couldn't exactly tell the truth, so he kept his explanation hazy.
But instead of being upset, both Diantha and Cynthia burst into laughter.
Seeing Luther's delayed reaction again, Mai, recalling how awkward he'd been earlier, leaned over and whispered with a playful smirk, "Seriously? 'I saw you in a dream'? What kind of fossil are you? Should I take you to Oreburgh City and have them dust you off?"
Luther's face flushed deep red. Thankfully, it was a barbecue dinner, and the lighting in the courtyard was dim enough to hide his embarrassment.
"That's not what I meant, it's just... uh… how do I even explain it?" Luther fumbled for words, trying to salvage the moment.
"What's wrong with that line?" Diantha suddenly chimed in, apparently having overheard them. "Old-school charm has its own appeal. Saying you saw someone in a dream, it's dramatic, it sticks. First impressions matter, right?"
Luther felt like anything he said now would just dig a deeper hole. But to his relief, Mai threw him a lifeline by smoothly steering the conversation away.
"So, Diantha San, what brings you all the way to Sinnoh?" She asked, casually.
"Just a little getaway," Diantha replied with a relaxed smile. "There are always reporters and paparazzi swarming me in Kalos. It's much more peaceful here in Sinnoh."
"And getting to hang out with Cynthia doesn't hurt either, huh?" Mai added with a wink.
"Exactly," Diantha laughed. "That's definitely part of the charm."
"Then, can you tell me what the grand prize is? Cynthia San wouldn't say a word earlier when I asked."
Luther, while chewing on some grilled skewers, instantly tuned in. He hadn't cared much about the prize before, but now that it involved Cynthia, his curiosity was officially piqued.
Diantha smiled and shook her head. "No clue. She's keeping that one to herself."
Just then, the shop owner returned with the remaining cakes from the store. Since there hadn't been enough Pokémon food prepped in advance, the shop had decided the trainers' Pokémon would enjoy cake for dinner instead.
To the Pokémon, it might as well have been a feast. Marill, once released, immediately launched itself face-first into the mountain of cake in front of it.
Ralts and Mismagius, more restrained, quietly savored the whipped cream, each delicately licking at the fluffy topping with joy.
Jumpluff glanced briefly at Cynthia, then turned back to her own slice and began eating calmly.
"She seems to trust you a lot now," Cynthia noted, watching Jumpluff.
"Maybe she was just waiting for you to come back and take her away," Luther said, wiping grease from his lips.
"That wouldn't have been fair to her," Cynthia replied softly. "That would've felt more like charity. It's better this way, letting her make her own choice again... and getting it right this time."
"You think I was the right choice?" Luther asked quietly.
"I've gone over everything Professor Rowan sent me," Cynthia said. "Your Battle Gym videos, the incident with Mismagius, even the situation with Cyrus that had the International Police asking questions. I've seen it all."
Her voice was unusually gentle, her gaze steady. "And yes, I think you're the right person."
"I think so too," Luther nodded. "Jumpluff's smart, she didn't make the wrong choice this time."
(End of chapter)