At night, Ash returned with a smile on his face, as if he had experienced something truly enjoyable. When he finally lay down, holding Cynthia in his arms, she spoke softly, almost as if to explain herself.
"What do you even do when you sneak out at night? You look so happy when you come back. Not that I'm prying," she said quickly, worried he might take her as a nosy woman. "If you don't want to tell me, it's fine. I just… wondered."
Ash chuckled. "It's nothing serious. It's just been so long since I really let loose and had fun with my friends. I feel refreshed, like a weight's been lifted." He smiled warmly and hugged Cynthia tighter. Her faint fragrance lingered, something words could never quite capture.
"Not so tight," Cynthia murmured, her voice caught between joy and shyness as she felt the strength of his embrace.
"Cynthia…" Ash whispered into her ear, his voice low and teasing.
Flustered, she quickly patted his chest. "H-Hey! What are you saying? Don't talk like that!" Her cheeks burned red, as though his words carried something scandalous.
Ash gave her a playful look. "Come on. You blush so easily. We're not kids anymore. We don't have to hold back forever."
"You really don't understand," Cynthia muttered, embarrassed. Her fingers brushed through his hair gently. With their ten-year age difference, Ash sometimes reminded her more of a younger brother than anything else, though in moments like this, he was far from childlike.
"There's a first time for everything," Ash said softly. "If not now… one day, you'll have to listen to me." He let her go, though his expression carried unspoken longing.
"You really are impossible," Cynthia sighed, recalling Sabrina's words about men being insensitive. "You never think about how women feel." Her lips pursed in a mix of anger and helpless affection.
Ash laughed, but the fire in his gaze lingered. After a long silence, Cynthia finally slipped under the covers again.
…
When the night had passed, Cynthia leaned into his arms, her voice hushed but firm. "Ash… promise me you won't talk about tonight to anyone. If word got out, I'd never be able to show my face."
Ash smiled reassuringly. "Relax. I promise. Today was special—for both of us."
The warmth between them slowly faded into sleep.
But before dawn, at four in the morning, Ash's eyes snapped open. His scarlet gaze gleamed in the dark—the kaleidoscope-like aura within them whirling faintly. Moving with deliberate quiet, he slipped out of bed so as not to disturb Cynthia. After dressing and washing up, he silently pushed open the door and stepped outside.
The plains were empty at that hour, not a soul in sight. Ash dashed swiftly across the grassland, his movements sharp and precise. Before long, he reached the edge of the forest near the Laramie Ranch.
"No one should find me here," he muttered, scanning the quiet woods before venturing further in.
Ash first looked around carefully. After confirming that there were no Pokémon or people nearby, he sat cross-legged, brought his hands together, closed his eyes, and began channeling his Aura. His spiritual power spread outward in a focused direction.
Earlier, while asleep, Ash had suddenly sensed an overwhelming surge of psychic energy. It was massive—immense in scale, yet without malice, pure and untainted.
From his judgment, only a Legendary Psychic-type Pokémon of at least second-tier strength could possibly radiate such immense mental energy. Legendary Pokémon with psychic powers were exceedingly rare, which made this presence all the more shocking.
What unsettled him further was the sheer magnitude of the power. Even for a second-tier Legendary, projecting psychic energy across such a vast range would place a heavy burden on its strength. Recovery from that effort should take time.
That was why Ash had slipped away to this deserted place. If he investigated in the open, the other's spiritual waves could unintentionally harm anyone nearby. Psychic power was, after all, an invisible force that could attack without warning.
Finally establishing a link, Ash spoke into the vast sea of consciousness he had connected with.
"Who are you? Do you know me?"
If not for the Float Gem he had obtained earlier, Ash would never have been able to control his Aura finely enough to attempt such contact.
A calm, resonant voice echoed back through the connection.
"I should be the one asking that. Who are you? To wield such vast mental power… it's rare to see anyone dare attempt to link with me."
Ash's expression tightened. To connect at this level was no trivial matter. It wasn't something just anyone could do.
Normally, only those whose psychic strength was greater could link downward to a weaker one—or those whose powers were on equal footing. Otherwise, the backlash from attempting such contact could be devastating.
...
TN:
⚡ Pa-treon-com/LordMerlin (Support me! 😊)