In the Footage—
Ash rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and said, "Well, isn't it good to try it once? Think of it as a brand-new experience!"
Chloe: "..." Who wants a brand-new experience like that!!
"Ash, Chloe, we meet again~"
A gentle and familiar voice called out. They turned to see Cynthia, dressed in her signature black dress, looking at them with a playful smile.
"Miss Cynthia! We were just saying—why are you here in Galar?"
"I bet Miss Cynthia is here for the Masters Eight match! After all, it's the Masters Eight, right?" Ash said confidently.
Cynthia tapped her chin with a finger, her expression growing increasingly solemn. Her serious demeanor quickly rubbed off on Ash and Chloe, who both straightened up. Was it something grave? A catastrophe?
"Actually... I just realized I forgot to buy ice cream!"
Ash: "...?" Chloe: "...?"
[Flint: Yep... that's very Cynthia!]
[Catlin: Haha, this is the cute side of Cynthia-chan~ Ash, did your heart skip a beat?]
[Professor Carolina: Don't talk about hearts skipping beats; Ash is probably terrified. Ash, don't mind her, she doesn't prank just anyone—she only does this to people she feels close to.]
[Cynthia: Grandma! What nonsense are you talking about!]
[Catlin: I think Grandma Carolina is right! It seems Grandma is a fellow 'Ash x Cynthia' shipper just like me! Teehee~]
Professor Oak's Backyard:
Cynthia sighed, resting her forehead in her hand. What did she do to deserve these two? Her best friend and her own grandmother were both teasing her relentlessly. She just hoped Ash wouldn't take it seriously.
"Miss Cynthia..."
Hearing Ash speak, Cynthia's heart tightened. Beside her, Misty also tensed up. Has Ash... actually been swayed by the shippers? No way!
"Do you really like ice cream that much?"
Cynthia: "...?" Misty: "..."
Well, they overthought it. Gary shook his head in silence, looking back at the screen. Ash's romantic EQ was officially beyond saving.
In the Footage—
Cynthia, seeing that she had successfully pranked the pair, dropped the act and giggled. "Haha, just kidding. My main goal for coming here is to investigate Galar's historical texts; watching the match was secondary."
Ash smacked his forehead in frustration. "I've been pranked so many times by Miss Cynthia, yet I still fell for it!"
"Pranked?" Chloe asked.
"Yeah, every time I've met her before, she makes that super serious face, only to reveal she forgot to buy ice cream or can't decide on a flavor. It scares us every time!"
"Hehe Don't say that, Ash. Choosing a flavor is a very important matter," Cynthia said non-committally.
Chloe felt her worldview shifting. This "Ice Queen" Sinnoh Champion was actually a gentle, mischievous, and slightly childish beauty? Wait... why does that personality type feel so familiar?
"Did you find anything in your investigation, Miss Cynthia?" Ash asked curiously.
"Yes. I've gathered some details from Professor Magnolia. She mentioned her granddaughter, Sonia, is currently researching the region's myths. She should be here at Wyndon Stadium today for Leon's match."
Cynthia looked around and quickly spotted a stylish girl with orange hair and sunglasses perched on her head, staring blankly back at her.
"Sonia?"
"Y-yes! Champion Cynthia, you're here for the legends of Galar, right?" Sonia was clearly nervous meeting Cynthia for the first time, but she quickly composed herself.
"Whoa~ so you're Sonia! Are you a Pokémon Professor too?" Ash asked, acting as if they were old friends.
"Ash, that's rude!" Chloe hissed.
Sonia waved it off. "I'm still just an assistant. I'll only be a Professor once I complete the task my grandmother set for me. Though I believe that day isn't far off."
"Sonia is a genius researcher," Cynthia added. "And she's Leon's childhood friend and a strong supporter behind the scenes."
This piqued Ash's interest immediately. The group talked for a while, and Sonia shared her current findings: The Darkest Day legend from 3,000 years ago, the myth of the Sword and Shield Heroes, and... the current disturbances in Galar.
"Lately, Dynamax Pokémon have been going on rampages! It's very similar to the ancient legends. I'm worried it's a sign that Eternatus is about to break its seal!"
Hearing the name "Eternatus," Chloe felt a chill. She remembered the rampaging Dreadnaw they saw when they first arrived.
"Anyway, we're off to investigate the historical sites. See you later, Ash!"
"Okay! Miss Cynthia, call me if you need help!" Ash called out as she and Sonia walked away.
As Ash and Chloe prepared to head back to Kanto, Ash turned to her. "Galar's legends seem so interesting! Chloe, let's investigate them sometime!"
"Huh? That sounds dangerous..." Chloe muttered. She had a bad feeling.
"It's fine! It's just a world-ending crisis! I've seen plenty of those! If the world is in danger, we have to get involved. If the world ends, where would we run to anyway?"
Chloe: "..." What do you mean 'seen plenty of world-ending crises'? Care to elaborate on 'seen'?! She was beginning to realize that the most dangerous place in the world was right next to Ash. This guy didn't just stumble into disasters; he was a disaster magnet!
As they chatted, a trainer holding a Chewtle ran up to them, asking for the nearest Pokémon Center. He claimed a Pokémon with a "big thing" was blocking the nearby bridge, forcing everyone to battle to cross. His Chewtle had just been thrashed.
Ash's eyes lit up. "Let's go, Chloe! Let's check it out!"
He grabbed Chloe's hand and started running. A blushing and exasperated Chloe followed behind.
TO BE CONTINUED
As the familiar text appeared, the screen faded to black.
World Audience: ??? Champions/Elite Four: ???
Wait... it ended again?!
The forums exploded with outrage!
"Where is Heaven's List?! I want to kill it!!" "At least let us see what Ash found at the bridge!" "You had to end it on a cliffhanger, didn't you?!"
Despite the fury, the three rankings for the day were over. To see "Road to the Masters Eight (III)," they would have to wait until tomorrow.
[The Super-Large Ranking—Ash's Road to the Masters Eight (I) has concluded.]
[Reward Recipients: Ash, Chloe, Cynthia.]
[Rewards are distributed to the two people with the highest appearance rate and the person who helped Ash the most.]
[Special Category Award: Best Assist Award—Jessie, James, Meowth.]
[Next Ranking: Tomorrow at the same time. Preview: War of the Gods!]
[Rewards will be distributed in one minute.]
The Team Rocket trio won the "Best Assist" award because they had inadvertently pushed the plot forward multiple times in the footage.
Cynthia won because she practically paved Ash's path by giving him tickets and fighting off Team Rocket's elite troops alone.
In the Real World:
Lance looked on with envy. He had yet to receive a reward, only punishments! He desperately wanted a Mega Stone or a Z-Crystal to help knock Leon off his throne.
One minute passed, and light descended on the winners.
In her school, Chloe found a Pokémon Egg in her hands and a brilliant scale beside her.
"Chloe, what is that?" her classmates asked.
Chloe whispered the information she received in her mind: "This is a Feebas Egg... a Shiny one..."
Classmates: "!!!!"
A Feebas was rare enough, but a Shiny? That was treasure-tier! Beneath it was a Prism Scale, a legendary item that would allow Feebas to evolve into Milotic.
This reward was tailor-made for Chloe's future as a potential Contest star. She looked at the egg and the scale with mixed emotions. She knew she only got these because of Ash. How am I supposed to repay him?
Professor Oak's Backyard:
As the light faded, Ash and Cynthia also received their items.
In Ash's hands was a blue-and-white Pokémon Egg. Before even checking the mental message, the Aura within Ash's body began to resonate with the life inside.
"This is Riolu's Egg!! The Heaven's List sent Riolu to me early!!" Ash cried out in joy.
He had felt a faint connection to this egg before, but it had been far away. Now, it was in his arms. But as the main protagonist, his reward wasn't just an egg. Two more items appeared before him.
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