Caleb's face darkened as he grabbed the toilet plunger nearby and brandished it threateningly...
Terrence immediately shut his mouth, cowed.
Seeing Caleb remain silent, he whispered after a moment, "So... what do you think?"
Caleb sighed... Based on Officer Jenny's attitude toward Cynthia, he speculated, "She's not a Champion yet. She's probably still traveling and collecting Gym Badges. Do you really think it's appropriate for her to bring a three-year-old along in that situation?"
Terrence pondered, then muttered, "But you're not really a three-year-old. You can dress yourself, feed yourself, and use the bathroom... You don't need anyone to take care of you..."
Recalling last night's events from inside the inventory, he added, "Plus, your Dragonite is crazy strong. It went toe-to-toe with Regigigas. If anything happens on the road, you might even be able to help her out."
Caleb considered this. He looked at Smeargle and asked, "So how do we get Cynthia to take us with her?"
"Easy. Use the same tricks you used on Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny." Terrence said confidently, "Do you know a woman who doesn't have a soft spot for kids? Just deploy the classic trio... act cute, play pitiful, and be adorable. With your acting skills, it'll be a piece of cake!"
Caleb imagined himself pouting, batting his eyelashes, and whining in front of Cynthia. Three seconds later, he shook his head violently, banishing the horrifying mental image.
He couldn't stomach the thought of using a sugary childish voice to wheedle someone. Especially not Cynthia.
"Not happening." Caleb cut off Terrence's scheming, "And for the record, I never acted that way with Nurse Joy or Officer Jenny."
"Sure, sure. But do you want to travel with Cynthia or not?" Terrence pressed.
Caleb thought seriously for a moment, then answered honestly, "I do."
Who wouldn't want to join a journey that could fulfill their main quest and let them witness Cynthia's rise to Champion status?
Terrence nodded approvingly, "Then that settles it! A real man knows when to bend and when to stand firm, when to be soft and when to be hard. Think about that 990 000 point Pokémon World Travel ticket... The harder you work now, the less you'll suffer later."
Caleb: "Honestly, it's a waste you're not in multi-level marketing. And with this personality, how did you even survive your first few Instances?"
Terrence: "I only act like this around people I trust."
Caleb: "..."
Silence fell between them.
Then, a knock came at the door, followed by Officer Jenny's voice, "Terrence, I still have some things to handle here. Cynthia will take you back to the orphanage in a bit, okay?"
"Got it!" Caleb called back.
Terrence shot him a look: 'It's all up to you now, bro!'
Caleb twitched his lips, recalled Smeargle into the Poké Ball, then opened the bathroom door and stepped out.
Cynthia was already waiting outside with Dragonite, Caleb's 'newly' acquired friend...
She stood in the snow outside the police station, clad in her black coat, hands casually tucked in her pockets. Her golden hair spilled over her shoulders as she gazed softly at the overcast sky.
Caleb paused to watch her for a moment.
"Wuu!" Dragonite quickly noticed Caleb and called out to him.
Cynthia turned, following Dragonite's gaze. She warmly remarked, "It seems to really like you."
"I like it too," Caleb said, looking at Dragonite.
Dragonite beamed, waddling over and crouching to let its trainer climb aboard.
Just as Caleb was about to hop on, he remembered Cynthia was supposed to escort him back.
He hesitated, then turned and said, "Onee-san, you can ride too. Don't worry, Dragonite is really gentle."
Cynthia chuckled and shook her head, her tone shifting slightly to one used for coaxing children, "No need. Terrence can ride. Onee-san has her own Pokémon companion."
With that, she released her Garchomp.
Sensing a fellow Dragon-type, Dragonite narrowed its eyes slightly, studying Cynthia's Garchomp.
This Dragon was unlike any it had encountered before. Compared to the Dragons of the Dragon Holy Land, this Garchomp's aura was more restrained. It was almost deceptively ordinary.
Yet for some reason, Dragonite felt an instinctive lethal threat radiating from it...
Caleb also eyed the legendary Garchomp. Truth be told, he really wanted to ride it.
Garchomp noticed Dragonite's stare and returned a brief indifferent glance before looking away. Once Cynthia mounted, it lifted off smoothly into the sky.
'What an aloof Garchomp...'
Caleb exchanged a look with Dragonite before taking to the air, following Garchomp toward the orphanage.
Cynthia had Garchomp slow its pace so Dragonite could keep up.
Glancing back at Caleb, who was perched on Dragonite's neck, she asked, "Your name is Terrence, right?"
Caleb had been brainstorming how to broach the topic of traveling together, so it took him a second to realize she was speaking to him.
"Huh? Oh, yeah, that's right."
Cynthia found his dazed expression rather endearing. Recalling what Officer Jenny had shared about Caleb, she asked with concern, "Do you remember anything about where you used to live? Was it in the Kanto region?"
Caleb shook his head, "No idea. I've never even heard of the Kanto region."
He peeked at Cynthia's expression before adding with feigned distress, "I just remember there was a park near my home with lots of flowers... I wish someone could take me to other cities to look. I'm sure I'd recognize it if I saw it."
Cynthia considered this, "Are there any other family members? Like your dad or mom?"
Caleb put on a sorrowful face, "Just my grandma. One day, she got sick, and I went out to buy medicine for her... Then some bad people grabbed me and brought me here..."
Watching Caleb's pitiful and near-tearful expression on Dragonite's back, Cynthia felt her heart twist.
Under the influence of multiple emotional factors, she made a decision that would alter the course of her life, "If you're willing to trust me... I could take you to other cities to look. I'm actually traveling around right now anyway."
Caleb loosened his clenched fists slightly, "Really?"
"Of course!" Cynthia nodded, "My name is Cynthia. I'm a trainer from Celestic Town, currently journeying across Sinnoh to compete in the Pokémon League."
'Strategy successful.'
Caleb inwardly let out a quiet sigh of relief...