Want to read ahead. You know where
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The phone in Cynthia's pocket began to ring.
Sam glanced at the caller ID and sighed with relief.
"It's your friend, Diantha," he said.
Cynthia froze, her expression still tight with emotion.
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down before answering.
Diantha and Cynthia were close friends; they often chatted late into the night, teasing each other and sharing gossip.
But right now, Cynthia's patience was hanging by a thread.
"Hey, Cynthia," Diantha's cheerful voice came through the speaker.
"Mind if I borrow your husband for a bit?"
Cynthia's expression darkened instantly.
"First that woman, and now you too?" she muttered under her breath, her hand tightening around Sam's arm.
Sam winced dramatically. "Ow, ow- Cynthia, that hurts!"
Seeing his pained expression, Cynthia's anger softened for a moment.
Her instinct was to reach out and rub his arm, but the thought of what just happened made her freeze.
Her jealousy flared again, and she quickly withdrew her hand, stamping her foot in frustration.
Sam could only sigh helplessly.
'How did things turn into this?'
"Cynthia, I swear, you've got it wrong!" Sam said quickly.
"I've got nothing to do with anyone else. I haven't even met Diantha in person! In my heart, there's only you."
Cynthia turned her back to him, shoulders trembling slightly.
Her voice was sharp but laced with hurt.
"Then tell me, why is Diantha calling you?"
Sam pointed at the phone still in her hand.
"Maybe you should ask her."
For a second, Cynthia blinked, realizing she'd forgotten the call was still connected.
Her face flushed with embarrassment, and she quickly lifted the phone.
"Diantha," she said, trying to steady her tone, "you've got great timing."
There was an awkward pause on the other end.
Diantha seemed to realize that her earlier teasing had hit at the wrong moment.
When she spoke again, her voice was all business.
"Cynthia, sorry— that wasn't the best joke for the situation. Listen, we've detected something unusual. The Cocoon of Destruction is showing abnormal energy fluctuations. It looks like it's… waking up."
Cynthia's breath caught. "The Cocoon of Destruction?"
"Yeah," Diantha continued seriously.
"That's why I called. I was hoping to ask Professor Samuel for his input. He's researching history. Maybe he knows what's going on."
Sam's expression turned solemn.
The air in the room seemed to grow heavy as the name sank in: the Cocoon of Destruction.
Cynthia slowly turned off the stove, the faint sound of the fire clicking out filling the silence.
When she heard what Diantha said, Sam immediately straightened his back, his expression saying.
See? I told you so.
Cynthia gave him a side-eye and ignored the gesture. Her focus shifted back to the call.
"The Cocoon of Destruction?" she asked.
"You mean… Yveltal?"
"Exactly," Diantha confirmed through the line.
Cynthia's expression grew serious.
"I understand. Sam and I will head to the Kalos region tomorrow."
"Got it. I'll send you the coordinates later," Diantha said before hanging up.
The room went quiet again.
Sam tilted his head up at a dramatic forty-five degrees, wearing an exaggeratedly sad face as if waiting for comfort.
His performance was so over the top that Cynthia couldn't help but sigh.
She crossed her arms and asked dryly, "Does your arm still hurt?"
Sam nodded with fake solemnity.
"Yeah. A lot."
"Then I'll rub it for you," she said softly.
Her cool fingers touched his arm, gently massaging the spot she had squeezed earlier.
The warmth of her hand made Sam's heart soften, and for a moment, all the tension between them melted away.
After a minute, Cynthia looked up again.
"Still hurts?"
Sam met her eyes, his voice dropping just enough to sound wounded.
"Yeah… but it's not my arm that hurts. It's my heart."
Cynthia blinked, caught off guard, then laughed despite herself.
"You hurt me first and still manage to turn this around?"
Sam dramatically sighed, pretending to sing in a melancholic tone.
"Then how can you forgive me~?"
Cynthia rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile.
She knew he was teasing now.
"Fine," she said, matching his playful tone.
"What will it take for you to forgive me, Professor?"
Sam leaned closer, eyes glinting mischievously.
"Show some sincerity."
"Oh?" Cynthia raised a brow, amused.
"And how exactly do I do that?"
Cynthia blinked, confused for a beat, before realizing what he meant.
She let out a helpless laugh and gave him a light kick on the shin.
"There. Sincere enough?"
Sam chuckled, rubbing the spot.
"Guess I deserved that."
Cynthia finally relaxed, her earlier jealousy fading away.
The tension between them dissolved into laughter, replaced by a quiet warmth that lingered between their glances.
But beneath that light moment, both knew, the words Cocoon of Destruction weren't something to take lightly.
Whatever was waiting in Kalos could change everything.