He couldn't hear. He didn't want to speak. The atmosphere suddenly became quiet...
Caleb put down the rock in his hands, turned around, and looked up as Cynthia strode toward him with her long legs.
Snow was still falling from the sky. Flakes of silver-white landed on her hair, coat, and eyelashes, adding an ethereal chill to her already breathtaking beauty.
Cynthia didn't say anything. She simply crouched down and gently began treating the wounds on Caleb's hands.
Caleb froze for a moment before blurting out, "You… don't have anything you want to ask?"
Cynthia glanced up at him and instead posed an unrelated question, "Were you looking for me just now?"
Caleb nodded honestly, "I thought something had happened to you…"
Cynthia smiled faintly and stood, turning her gaze to Mimikyu, "And these are?"
"My Pokémon companions," Caleb answered truthfully this time.
Cynthia: "Dragonite too?"
"Mm."
A thoughtful expression crossed Cynthia's face, "So you've been lying from the start?"
Caleb pressed his lips together and stayed silent. he didn't know what to say in this situation...
Should he keep lying? But would Cynthia even believe him?
A mysterious three-year-old child who could pull multiple Pokémon out of thin air and command them in battle against a legendary Pokémon like Regigigas... was that normal?
Of course it wasn't!
"So," Cynthia's calm voice carried through the snowstorm, "Who are you?"
Caleb took a deep breath and shook his head, "I'm sorry, I can't tell you."
If he did, he'd be thrown straight into a punishment Scenario. Even saying he was from a parallel world was off-limits.
And he didn't want to keep deceiving Cynthia.
After a pause, he added, "But you don't need to worry. I don't have any ill intentions. I just… ended up like this due to special circumstances. If you don't believe me, I can leave right now."
At worst, he could take Dragonite and make a living as a street performer. If that didn't work, he could always return to the orphanage and scrape by.
As he thought this, he recalled Mimikyu, Lucario, and Smeargle into their Poké Balls.
He climbed onto Dragonite's back, glanced back at the silent Cynthia, and said, "I'm sorry."
"Wuu…" Dragonite gave its trainer a worried look.
Just as it spread its wings to take off, Cynthia spoke again, "Wait!"
Caleb and Dragonite turned their heads in unison.
Cynthia hesitated before asking, "Do you have somewhere to go?"
Caleb shook his head, "No."
Cynthia: "Then the grandmother you mentioned earlier... was that a lie too?"
Caleb thought for a moment and chose his words carefully, "I don't have a home. Not in Kanto, not in Sinnoh."
That was as much as he could say. Anything more was forbidden.
But Cynthia had already pieced together part of the truth. Her delicate brows furrowed, "Is something restricting you?"
Caleb didn't dare answer. Instead, he mimed slitting his throat with a hand gesture.
Dragonite: "..."
Seeing this, Cynthia's frown deepened.
The only reason Caleb had revealed even this much was to thank Cynthia for saving him in Snowpoint Temple. If it were anyone else, he wouldn't have bothered.
"Let's go, Dragonite," Caleb patted Dragonite, ready to leave.
But Cynthia stopped him again. She sighed softly and said, "Never mind. You should stay. In your current state, it's not like you have anywhere to go, right?"
No matter what, he was still just an adorable three-year-old child.
Caleb shook his head. He truly had nowhere else. And he really didn't want to spend the next three years in Snowpoint City, especially with its freezing weather.
Noticing the look of distaste on his face, Cynthia chuckled, "Little liar."
Caleb rolled his eyes and dropped the act entirely, speaking in his normal tone, "You're sure you want to take me along?"
Cynthia: "I can't very well let a three-year-old wander off on his own, can I?"
Caleb: "..."
He fell silent for a moment before glancing at the ruined surroundings, "Let's get out of here first. Back to Snowpoint City? Or straight to Floaroma Town?"
Cynthia thought it over, "Since you don't need to look for family, how about accompanying me to Sunyshore City instead?"
Sunyshore City... home to the Sunyshore Gym and the Beacon Badge.
Due to the earthquake near Mt. Coronet and the ongoing harsh weather, Cynthia and Caleb opted to fly directly to Sunyshore City atop Garchomp and Dragonite.
Before leaving, Caleb released the Tauros from its Poké Ball, and in return, his inventory gained a Rotom Bike. It was water-and-land compatible, with electromagnetic acceleration.
During their journey, he learned that Cynthia was heading to Sunyshore City to obtain her final Gym Badge.
The Sinnoh League was about to begin...
As they drew closer to Sunyshore City, the air grew noticeably warmer. Caleb shed his winter coat and changed into an adorable hoodie, courtesy of Cynthia's shopping.
In exchange, he provided free Pokéblocks and healing for Garchomp and the others.
Cynthia, too, switched to a lighter black trench coat.
Caleb noticed that Cynthia seemed particularly fond of these mature and dignified black coats...
Along the way, he triggered a few more random events, earning simple rewards like camping tents and Silver Sprays.
After witnessing him pluck Pokéblocks from thin air, Cynthia had stopped being surprised by these feats. Though curious, knowing it could endanger him, she refrained from asking, and even helped him complete tasks.
Thus, Garchomp and Dragonite became an unstoppable duo, leaving no wild Pokémon daring enough to challenge them in their wake...
....
Two days later, Caleb and Cynthia arrived at a Safari Zone out in the wilderness...
Safari Zones, also known as the 'Wild Area', were places where trainers could pay a fee to capture Pokémon freely within a time limit.
The area was vast, with diverse terrain; swamps, forests, rivers, grasslands, and deserts... all teeming with countless Pokémon of various types.
Standing at the entrance, Cynthia pulled out two League bills for admission tickets and asked, "Want to go in and take a look?"
Having never visited a real Safari Zone outside of games, Caleb felt a stir of interest and nodded.
Cynthia turned briskly to purchase the tickets.
Watching her retreating figure, Caleb suddenly had the odd sensation of being treated like a son...
The scene strongly resembled a mother taking her child to an amusement park.
He looked down at his clothes and tiny shoes, his face thoughtful, "Haven't I already explained to Cynthia that I'm an adult? Why is she still treating me like a child?"
He soon got his answer from Terrence. This Smeargle, who had been napping in his Poké Ball and only emerged every few days to stretch, scratched his nose and snorted, "She is treating you like a son! Think about it... you're adorable, with that soft and pale little face and big bright eyes. Even I feel the urge to kidnap you and keep you at home."
"...Now imagine how Cynthia feels. Plus, you're well-behaved. No crying, and no tantrums, you dress and feed yourself, and even use the toilet on your own. You're clean and tidy... Oh, and let's not forget, you're basically a walking Pokémon Center and Pokéblock machine."
"...Tell me, who could resist such an adorable and convenient little thing? Probably no one!"
~~~
Read ahead by 132 Chapters here:
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