The atmosphere was tense. Gym Leader Endou and Matsuto were glaring at Akimoto and his disciples, while the Pokémon on both sides were bristling, fists clenched, looking ready to roll up their sleeves and fight at the slightest provocation.
Luther and Cynthia, however, ignored them and sipped their tea in peace.
"You said you were going to see the stone tablet. How come you're back so soon?" Luther asked curiously.
Cynthia gave a dismissive "hmph" and said, "That was a fake. Nothing worth seeing."
The two hostile groups, who had been on edge, perked up their ears at Cynthia's words.
"Fake?" Luther asked in disbelief.
"Yes, fake. You don't specialize in this field, so I won't bother with the technical terms. I can just tell you that anyone with expertise can tell at a glance it's a forgery."
"It was artificially aged, buried in the ground for a while, and they thought they could fool everyone?" Cynthia scoffed. "A fake can never pass for the real thing, and the real will never be mistaken for fake."
"No matter how convincing the disguise, it's still a counterfeit. It may look similar, but it lacks the essence. Anyone observant enough will see through it."
Luther's hand froze mid-sip, tea sloshing out of his cup.
"That Luther is already dead, isn't he?"
The face of Shiran suddenly surfaced in his mind. Their conversation that day in the Pokémon Center replayed like a slideshow:
"I'm really curious how you managed such a transformation. Teach me. I want to start a new life too."
Then came the memory of Oleander's questioning, when he himself had been struck dumb.
Cynthia seemed not to notice Luther's unease and continued mocking the effort to fabricate academic relics by slapping on a false veneer.
Her words kept echoing in Luther's mind. After a long pause, he raised the now-cool tea to his lips and finally steadied his spirit.
"Cynthia, the battles are over. Your assessment should have a result by now, right?"
Akimoto shot a glare at Gym Leader Endou, then turned to Cynthia.
Cynthia brushed the dust from her hands. "Mm. There's a result."
Both groups immediately turned to her, necks craned, waiting with bated breath.
It was like the moment after a final exam when the teacher announces scores, some were anxious, some forced calm, some restless, some gnawing at their fingers.
Holding the "test papers," Cynthia glanced at Gym Leader Endou, then at Akimoto.
"Rockfist Gym, "
Gym Leader Endou's whole body jolted.
"Breakstone Gym, "
Akimoto froze. She had called one and then the other?
"Both Gyms have failed the assessment. I'll report this to the Pokémon League. The League will reselect candidates for Snowpoint City's Gym Leader. Until new Gym Leaders are chosen, both Gyms will suspend operations. If replacements are appointed, Elite Four Bertha will deliver the notice."
Endou and Akimoto were both stunned. After a moment, Akimoto stepped forward and shouted in protest:
"I object! This assessment is utterly unreasonable for us! You are the Champion, the undisputed number one in Sinnoh. If you go all out against us, of course we can't show anything and will be crushed! Declaring us unqualified on that basis is unfair!"
With Akimoto taking the lead, the apprentice Trainers and disciples of Breakstone Gym, who had been intimidated by Cynthia's Champion title, began whispering and muttering among themselves, voices growing into open dissatisfaction.
Cynthia seemed to pay no mind to their protest. Instead, she cast a sidelong glance at Gym Leader Endou.
"What about Rockfist Gym? Do you have any objections?"
Endou opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Matsuto tugged at him.
Matsuto stepped forward first, bowing deeply to Cynthia. "Thank you for your guidance. Rockfist Gym has no objections. We lost because we lacked the skill, nothing more."
"Lacked skill? Rockfist Gym sure knows how to dress up words. If you had Cynthia's skill, would you still be here running a Gym?" Someone jeered, and the room erupted in a chorus of boos and sneers.
Cynthia glanced at Matsuto, her interest piqued.
Then she turned to Akimoto with a sharp look. "You're accusing me of being unfair?"
The approachable Cynthia vanished in an instant, replaced by the overwhelming aura of a Champion.
Akimoto's throat felt dry, but his Gym meant too much to him. Stiff-necked, he forced out: "I only wish for a fair battle as proof."
"So you think me using Togekiss against you was bullying?"
"I wouldn't dare."
"You've already said it. What's there not to dare? I'm not unreasonable. If you have the courage to ask, I have the courage to answer, though you might not like what you hear."
Cynthia stood, walked directly up to Akimoto.
"You've taken on so many disciples and gathered so many apprentice Trainers. That's why I only said 'unqualified' earlier and left it at that, to save your pride, and to give those children an easy step down. They're still young, and in their eyes, you're the greatest Pokémon Trainer they've ever seen."
"You should know what I'm getting at. Are you still sure you want me to go on?"
Akimoto gritted his teeth. "Please say it!"
Cynthia looked at him with disappointment and spoke calmly: "Your sense of battle rhythm is abysmal. You put no heart into raising your Pokémon. When faced with adversity, you leave everything to a dice roll, gambling on luck. Your ability to seize an opportunity is paper-thin. And your bond with your Pokémon… is practically nonexistent."
"That may be true in your eyes!" Akimoto shot back, unwilling to accept it.
Cynthia turned back to the stone table and patted Luther on the shoulder.
Luther, lost in his wandering thoughts, blinked and was half-dragged to stand before Akimoto.
"This is Luther. He only became a Trainer this summer. Once a Pokémon-phobic patient, he hasn't even been a Trainer for six months."
Luther's eyes went wide. He had a faint sense of what Cynthia was planning.
"You want fairness? I'll give you fairness. Akimoto, take up your Poké Ball. One-on-one battle. If you beat Luther, I'll reconsider Breakstone Gym's case."
"If you lose, you will disband your apprentice Trainer group. Your personal disciples are your own matter, but apprentice Trainers must leave. Their youth is precious, don't waste their time."
The group of apprentice Trainers fell into dead silence.
Akimoto thought for a moment, then countered: "You're so close to Luther. How do I know he's really just a rookie Trainer?"
Before Cynthia could answer, Luther snapped back:
"Breakstone Gym sure thinks a lot of itself. You think the Champion has nothing better to do than scheme against you?"
Luther's words made Akimoto clench his fists. "Fine. I accept. One Pokémon, winner takes all."
"Not bad," Cynthia said approvingly. "I thought you were still in a daze."
"…I was just thinking about something."
"Oh? So distracted, what about?"
Luther parted his lips slightly, hesitated, then turned his eyes aside. He fumbled at his belt for quite a while before finally pulling out a Poké Ball.
"…Forget it. I won't say. Better focus on the battle."
(End of Chapter)
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