Chapter 0584: Cynthia, the Lady Who Wants My Confession

Natsume sat at home, crunching on an ice pop.

"Whirrr~ Rotom~" The air-conditioning-formed Rotom blew cool air, its yellow eyes closed as it slept, a snot bubble forming.

Garchomp sat at the dining table, flanked by Blastoise and Gengar.

They were playing cards.

"Garchomp..." Garchomp's cheek spikes flushed red, a vein visibly popping on its forehead—clearly stuck with a bad hand.

"Gengar~!" Gengar slapped down the joker card—a pair of kings, one gold Gengar and one silver Gengar.

"Groaargh!" Garchomp trembled in frustration before helplessly throwing in its cards.

"Blastoise... ヾ(■_■)" Blastoise adjusted its sunglasses, having not played a single card the entire round.

Its trump card had been buried way too deep!

Meanwhile, Gastrodon slithered vertically up the wall, leaving a trail of mucus behind.

Lucario sat cross-legged, meditating in Calm Mind, while the shy Spiritomb disguised itself as a potted plant.

Natsume nibbled his ice pop, controller in hand, glancing sideways.

"What?" Cynthia didn't take her eyes off the screen. "I'm about to overtake you!"

The summer heat had her dressed in cropped jeans, her long, fair legs crossed as golden hair cascaded over the sofa.

A white short-sleeve clung to her frame, the straps of her camisole faintly visible beneath, framing her elegant collarbones.

Beads of sweat traced the delicate curve of her neck, gliding down toward—

Cynthia tugged at her strap, tilting her flawless profile as she smirked and shook the controller.

"I win."

Natsume stared at the "LOSE" on-screen and sighed. "I never get the good items anyway."

Resting her arm on the sofa back, Cynthia poked his cheek, eyes crinkling.

"Even if you did, you'd still lose. Just admit defeat."

"I'll show you some real drifting today!"

Natsume narrowed his eyes before turning. "Togepi! Come be my good-luck charm!"

"Togepi doo-ee~ ヽ(￣▽￣)ノ"

Togepi happily bounced over—

And promptly plopped onto Cynthia's lap.

Natsume: "..."

"Seems luck's on my side." Cynthia blinked innocently.

"I give up..." Natsume sighed dramatically. "I'll come to your room tonight."

"In your dreams."

"Then you come to mine. Or we share the sofa. Pick one."

Cynthia's brows furrowed slightly—decision-making required careful deliberation.

Realizing both were traps, she murmured:

"You're daydreaming."

"A kiss from my beloved would make those dreams more vivid." Natsume brushed a golden strand behind her ear.

Her lips glistened, her hair spilling over her chest as she shot him a sidelong glance.

"Or perhaps... let me kiss her instead."

A faint shiver. The barest blush crept up her snow-white neck.

She exhaled softly, like a skittish Budew.

"Natsume."

Her gaze met his—regal yet alive with quiet warmth—as she spoke softly but firmly:

"After the fireworks festival..."

I want to tell my grandmother.

The words dissolved into breath as he closed the distance, capturing her lips in a kiss brimming with devotion.

On the TV, a romance film played—starring Diantha (not Audrey Hepburn).

The entire Pokémon family had gathered, eyes glued to the glowing screen.

Behind them on the sofa, two figures embraced as rain drummed against the window, painting the world in muted grays.

Drops splattered against emerald grass, mist rising in the downpour.

The rainy season had arrived, water overflowing fields and paths alike.

Clusters of dandelions swayed along the riverbank, dancing in the storm.

……

May 16th, Sunday.

The storm raged on, winds snapping tree branches, rain lashing against the trembling grass.

Dark waves swallowed the downpour as lightning split the sky, reducing the world to monochrome.

Ripples spread endlessly across the shore, where overturned umbrellas and chairs littered the deserted beach.

"Due to the unexpected storm, tonight's scheduled fireworks display has been canceled. Please inform fellow travelers..."

The TV news anchor delivered the announcement professionally, but Natsume could feel the frustration radiating beside him.

He glanced cautiously at the sofa.

Cynthia sat with arms crossed, one golden eye visible beneath her hair—cold as glacial ice.

"Maybe Kyogre flew by this area," Natsume offered weakly.

"I’m going to Hoenn." Cynthia rose slowly.

"Your Majesty, reconsider!!"

After placating her with ice cream from the fridge, Natsume watched as she took delicate licks of the scoop, her expression stern despite the sweetness.

Outside, the storm had turned afternoon into night by 4 PM.

"Sinnoh rarely has weather this extreme," Cynthia murmured between licks, having calmed slightly. "It might be due to spatial distortions."

"Roserade’s Sunny Day didn’t work either."

She finished the cone with a crisp bite, then stepped beside Natsume and admitted quietly:

"...I already tried it earlier."

Natsume stared at her slightly pursed lips, the faint embarrassment in her demeanor.

'Too adorable!!'

He looked back at the raging skies.

Short of Rayquaza’s Delta Stream, Groudon’s Desolate Land, or the rain-summoning Lugia—

Wait.

If Lugia controlled storms...

What about its counterpart, Ho-Oh?

"Come with me!" He grabbed Cynthia’s hand.

"Wait—you want to go out now? It’s pouring!"

"Sirfetch’d, clear the storm!!" Natsume hurled a Premier Ball.

"Sirfetch’d! ?"

In a flash of red, the loyal leek-wielding knight stood ready.

What Rayquaza could do, Sirfetch’d could match!

As everyone knew—the true Duck Deity of Natsume’s team was Sirfetch’d!

With a swing of its leek, the duck cleaved through rain and wind, carving a temporary dry path toward the shore.

"Sirfetch’d!!" Each strike parted the downpour like slicing space itself, shielding them as they ran.

Cynthia watched the young man ahead, rain shattering against an invisible barrier around them.

His back looked unshakably reliable.

A soft smile touched her lips as she called, "Togekiss, Defog!"

Even without fireworks—

Her gaze flickered to the man leading this rain-soaked escape.

Just reaching the shore with him would be enough.

Boom—!!

Thunder roared as they arrived at Sandgem Beach, its usual crowds long gone.

Natsume kicked aside the caution tape, the furious sea crashing against rocks just ahead.

"Do you trust me, Cynthia?"

Raindrops clung to his black hair as he turned to the golden-haired beauty.

"Of course." Her eyes held his. "Whether it’s Alamos Town, Michina Town, or anywhere else... I’ll always believe in you."

Grinning, Natsume threw a Luxury Ball. A radiant light erupted—

"Arcanine!! (｀0′)"

Arcanine emerged, the Rainbow Wing at its collar blazing with color as it howled skyward.

"What are you planning?" Cynthia blinked.

"If Ho-Oh’s power brings rainbows, it can clear this sky too."

Natsume pointed upward. "Arcanine, Sunny Day!"

"Arcanine!!" Light gathered in its maw, the Rainbow Wing glowing brighter—

But the storm only darkened further.

Cynthia brushed wind-swept hair aside, smiling softly.

"This is enough, Natsume..."

Just being here with him, fireworks or not, filled her chest with warmth.

Natsume gave the Rainbow Wing a quick Aura of Ripple boost: "One more try!"

The wing flared—

Cynthia gasped as a prismatic surge engulfed Arcanine.

"Arcanine!!"

The light shot upward like a reverse meteor, shattering the storm clouds in a burst of sunlight.

Golden dust rained down as the black-haired young man stood illuminated, haloed by the sudden sun.

Cynthia’s breath caught.

Above them, a perfect rainbow arced across the sky, holding back the encroaching darkness like a divine barrier.

As if the entire world still drowned in rain—except this single beach, where a rainbow bloomed just for them.

Her eyes stung as Natsume pulled a slightly crumpled sparkler from his pocket.

"Happy fireworks festival."

Her lips parted, heart pounding—

"I..."

"I love you, Cynthia."

Natsume smiled. "Let’s be together."

The wind stilled. The waves hushed.

Only Gengar’s muffled giggles broke the silence.

"Gengar~~ (≧▽≦)"*

Cynthia exhaled, shoulders relaxing as her lips curved into the most breathtaking smile.

"Yes."

Dandelions took flight worldwide. Bewear hugged the air. Alcremie’s dreams melted into reality.

That was the magic of this moment.

Natsume flicked his lighter—

"Huh?"

"It’s... damp from the rain."

"How long will this rainbow last?"

"Not sure. Maybe thirty minutes."

"Plenty of time." Cynthia’s eyes gleamed.

She turned, golden hair streaming as she called:

"Garchomp—"

"Draco Meteor!"

"Garchomp!!"

A scarlet blast rocketed skyward, exploding into a shower of falling stars—their own private fireworks.

Side by side, they watched the display.

Cynthia rested her head against Natsume’s shoulder as Garchomp and Gengar exchanged glances.

One tasted bitterness.

"Garchomp!! ￣へ￣"

Give back our cabbage!!

The other pure mischief.

"Gengar~~ (￣▽￣)~"*

Time to prep for the Baby Cup~