"..."
I'm… I'm doomed. If this gets found out, that'll be the end of me as a Champion, won't it?
How am I supposed to explain this to Caitlin? And what will Haru and the others think of me after this?
Such thoughts flashed through Cynthia's head at lightning speed.
And the more she thought about it, the more frightened she became.
If it had only been Caitlin who saw her in this state, then sure, it would've been unbearably embarrassing—but Caitlin was her close friend. At least she could trust Caitlin not to spread this around.
But the problem was, Caitlin wasn't the only one here. The "culprit" himself, Haru, was standing right beside her. Closer, in fact, than Caitlin!
If Caitlin could clearly see the wet stain, how could she possibly believe Haru hadn't seen it too?
It's not like he's a Lapras used to spam Water Gun—he's not blind!
If Haru decided to upload what he'd just witnessed to the internet, then…
The sheer horror of that possibility made Cynthia instinctively want to run away on the spot—to flee reality itself.
But her body, for all kinds of "special" reasons, refused to move. She remained limp in that chair.
Honestly, she had only intended to try out that so-called "treatment method" in Caitlin's place, to see whether it really worked.
Who could've guessed that, before she realized it, she'd gotten hooked… and ended up completely losing control?
Who knew why that strange way of "adjusting psychic power" could be so addictive? The whole process was downright… indescribable.
Damn it, this was all Haru's fault!
Of course, if Cynthia were given the choice again, there was a very real chance she would go through the whole experience a second time instead of cutting it short midway—though logically, she knew the sensible thing would've been to end it quickly.
Still, she had at least confirmed one fact.
Haru's method really worked.
Even though she wasn't a psychic herself, she could tell that success would require a longer course of treatment. But if one stuck with it, there was indeed a strong chance Caitlin could finally control her abilities. Haru hadn't been lying.
And that raised the real question: should Caitlin really undergo this method?
If Caitlin experienced the same "treatment"… would she end up in the same humiliating state Cynthia was in now?
But before worrying about Caitlin, Cynthia realized her immediate problem was herself. How on earth was she supposed to wrap this up?
Just then, seeing Cynthia still slumped in the chair, Haru awkwardly turned away and addressed Caitlin:
"Cough, cough… I think I'll head to the bathroom for a bit."
Given the situation, even though he hadn't meant to embarrass Cynthia, the least he could do was act "gentlemanly."
If Cynthia snapped from sheer shame, that'd be bad. And Haru saw no reason to risk that.
Besides, he'd already captured some rather compromising footage with his trusty little gadget. Staying here any longer would only put him at a disadvantage.
Yes—because he'd been worried someone might accuse him of "crossing the line" during the treatment, Haru had secretly recorded evidence to protect himself. He never expected that evidence wouldn't even be necessary, but instead would capture something… well, unforgettable.
Haru could swear on Lillie's Steelix and her Alpaca, it hadn't been on purpose.
In response to Haru's request, Caitlin quickly caught on.
"The bathroom? By all means… be quick."
With her reply, Haru made ready to leave.
But before stepping out, he noticed Mew No. 2 was still standing there, looking lost. With no choice, he took her hand and pulled her along, ignoring her puzzled expression as they exited the room together.
The girl, purer than a snow leopard, clearly didn't understand why Haru was dragging her along, nor what had just happened.
But when she heard he was going to the "bathroom" and was bringing her with him, she started forming some odd misunderstandings.
Meanwhile, Cynthia sat there like a psychic Xatu, head bowed low. Only after the crisp sound of the door closing did she slowly lift her head.
Her lips parted again and again as she looked at Caitlin, as though there was a mountain of things she wanted to say—but no words would come out.
Several seconds dragged by, until at last, unable to endure the oppressive silence any longer, Cynthia forced herself to speak:
"Um… Haru's treatment method works really well. Do you… want to try it?"
"..."
Faced with the question, Caitlin was at a loss for words.
Did she want to try? That… wasn't an easy thing to answer.
She did want to regain control of herself. But wasn't the "price" for this method a little too steep? What if she ended up losing control in front of Haru, just like Cynthia had?
And yet, even though her mind was caught up in "serious" concerns, her lips betrayed her, blurting out:
"Was it… very comfortable, just now?"
---
Haru's "bathroom break" lasted nearly forty minutes.
Not because he was constipated, but because he wanted to give Cynthia enough time.
Her pants had gotten soaked, so she needed to change clothes—and shower, too.
Besides, Haru doubted the Sinnoh Champion would have the "courage" to face him again today. Best to give her the chance to make her exit.
At that moment, Haru felt he was the very picture of yasashii. Seriously, where else could you find a man as considerate as him?
Unfortunately, Mew No. 2 seemed unable to grasp his yasashii, only left puzzled by his actions.
Sure enough, when Haru finally returned to Caitlin's room, Cynthia was gone.
According to Caitlin, she had received an urgent call from the Sinnoh League and had to rush off to handle some emergency Champion business.
Of course, that was just the official excuse. Anyone who knew, knew.
But Caitlin did tell Haru that Cynthia would look for another chance to meet him—apparently she had something she wanted to say.
Haru could already guess what that "something" was.
Most likely, it'd be a request for him to keep quiet about what he'd seen today.
If he wanted, he could even use it to threaten her a little…
Not that Haru would ever stoop that low. At most, he'd use the footage to pull a harmless prank on the dear Miss Cynthia.
As for how Cynthia might react? Who could say—maybe she'd find some "reliable" way to make sure Haru stayed silent.
Who knew?
After confirming the situation, Haru was ready to resume his promise to help Caitlin begin her first treatment session. But she declined.
She said she needed more time to think, and that she'd decide after their upcoming battle whether to undergo treatment.
She even apologized to Haru, as though she felt she'd let down his goodwill.
Of course, whether or not she chose treatment, once he had completed a battle with her, Haru would still earn the right to catch that Ralts.
And so, accompanied by the butler, the two of them made their way to the grandest battle arena of the Battle Castle.
It was there that Haru finally laid eyes on the "special child" Caitlin had spoken of.
And he had to admit—this was indeed a truly special child.
From the moment he saw her, he recognized it at once: the Ralts was a Shiny Pokémon.
Her hair wasn't the usual green, but a deep, ocean-like blue.
That alone thrilled Haru.
Unlike a green Shiny Dragonite or a pink Magikarp, a Shiny Gardevoir was downright gorgeous.
Seeing the awe on Haru's face, Caitlin spoke with clear pride:
"I can see the fascination in your eyes.
"Well then—do you like this special Ralts?"
"I do," Haru answered without hesitation. "The only question is whether she'll like me."
"Which is why, in the upcoming battle, I won't be holding back in the slightest. I'll have to prove my strength to her."
***************************
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