"So, besides Rayquaza and Kyogre… you actually have Groudon too?"
After realizing that Aiden possessed yet another Legendary Pokémon, Cynthia's curiosity was instantly ignited.
By nature, she had always been fascinated by Legendary Pokémon and ancient myths.
However, most of the legends she knew were related to Sinnoh.
Stories about Arceus, the Original One, and the Jewel of Life.
Tales of how humanity once received the Jewel of Life from the Creator God to survive, only to later break their promise and refuse to return it.
The myths of the spatial god Palkia and the temporal god Dialga.
The legend of Giratina, ruler of the Distortion World.
And the mysterious lore surrounding the Lake Guardians.
As for the Legendary Pokémon of Hoenn, Cynthia had only a basic understanding of them.
"Since the Hoenn Trio are all in your hands, why aren't you the Champion of Hoenn right now?"
Faced with Cynthia's question, Aiden laughed and brushed it aside.
Why?
Because he hadn't challenged the Pokémon League yet.
And even if he did, did he really want to stay in Hoenn and handle all the regional affairs every day?
Obviously not.
At the very least, he'd need a suitable stand-in.
Or maybe he'd just become a hands-off boss.
"So if you really encountered those Legendary Pokémon in the future, could you also capture all the Legendary Pokémon of Sinnoh?"
Hearing this, Aiden thought for a moment before answering.
"If you're talking about Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina, then there might be a chance. But if it's Arceus… unless it acknowledges you, even if you captured every Legendary Pokémon, facing the Creator God would still be almost impossible."
After hearing this, Cynthia realized that Aiden's understanding of Sinnoh's Legendary Pokémon was far deeper than she had expected, and she immediately continued the topic with interest.
Thus, while chatting casually, Aiden and Cynthia once again arrived near the Mossdeep City area.
By sheer coincidence, Aiden ran into a familiar group there.
From a distance, his psychic power detected them—and he heard Ash complaining loudly.
"This is all May's fault! She insisted on taking this road, and now look—we're lost again! I really shouldn't have trusted your sense of direction!"
Faced with Ash's accusation, May snapped back angrily.
"It was clearly you who led us the wrong way at the beginning! I was just trying to help! Who's the real culprit here, huh?"
Listening to their argument, Brock and Max tried to mediate from the side.
Meanwhile, Aiden and Cynthia happened to be heading straight toward them.
"Ash, since you're also responsible, you shouldn't be so rude to a lady."
When Aiden's voice rang out, everyone turned their heads toward him at the same time.
When May saw Aiden, her face lit up with surprise.
But when she noticed Cynthia standing beside him, her expression dimmed slightly, though she still spoke.
"Exactly! Ash is so clueless!"
Brock, on the other hand, instinctively tried to step forward and grab Cynthia's hand—but suddenly realized he couldn't move at all. Seeing how close Aiden and Cynthia seemed, he felt utterly devastated.
"Waaah… Aiden is so charming… even such a beautiful lady is traveling with him…"
Seeing this, Max could only comfort Brock helplessly.
"Come on, calm down. Aiden is handsome and has Rayquaza. It's normal that you can't compete."
Of course, Brock's immobility was caused by Aiden's psychic power. Otherwise, with his personality, he would have already rushed forward to confess his feelings to Cynthia.
Ash, however, completely forgot his earlier frustration the moment he saw Aiden.
"It's Aiden! Aiden, did you already get the Sootopolis Gym Badge?"
"Just got it."
Seeing Ash run toward him, Aiden smiled and introduced him to Cynthia.
"This is Ash, an outstanding Trainer from Pallet Town in Kanto. These are his traveling companions—Brock, the Gym Leader of Pewter City, and Norman's children, May and Max."
After the introductions, Ash felt a little proud when Aiden called him an outstanding Trainer. Then Aiden turned to Ash and the others again.
"This is Miss Cynthia, the Champion of the Sinnoh region. She's currently traveling with me."
"Nice to meet you, I'm Cynthia."
Hearing that this beautiful blonde woman was not only Aiden's companion but also the Champion of Sinnoh, Ash and the others were all stunned.
But the next moment, Ash suddenly exclaimed:
"Ah! Miss Cynthia, please battle with me!"
Facing Ash's challenge, Cynthia smiled gently.
"You want to challenge me? Sure, but before that, you'll need to participate in the Sinnoh League and win the championship first."
Hearing this, Ash's enthusiasm instantly deflated.
"Ah… then there's nothing I can do. Champions really aren't that easy to challenge."
After chatting for a while, it was almost time for a meal. Brock began preparing food, and since Aiden and Cynthia were also hungry, everyone started eating together.
…
Meanwhile, the Team Rocket trio that had been secretly following Ash—Meowth, Jessie, and James—were observing the scene through binoculars.
"We've spotted the twerp, meowth! But that kid who had Rayquaza is also there, and there's also an unfamiliar blonde woman, meowth!"
Hearing this, Jessie and James immediately became excited.
"Oh? Does that mean we can catch both Rayquaza and Pikachu in one go?"
"Being promoted to executives and directors… sounds amazing!"
"So, that's it!"
Without hesitation, the Team Rocket trio began to act. But during their movement, they accidentally triggered a nearby stone platform, knocking down an ancient seal.
As the stone platform collapsed, an ancient Poké Ball fell out.
The Poké Ball opened.
And a gigantic Claydol—nearly fifty meters tall—appeared on the spot.
This enormous Claydol seemed to have been sealed by someone in the past. When it saw Jessie, James, and Meowth, it was instantly filled with resentment and launched an attack.
Facing the sudden appearance of this gigantic Pokémon, the Team Rocket trio panicked.
"Wh-What is this monster, meowth?!"
"Meowth, Jessie, don't just stand there! Run!"
"Run where, James?!"
"Doesn't that kid have Rayquaza?! Come on, run toward him!"
At critical moments, James was surprisingly sharp.
And so, just as Aiden finished eating his sandwich, a deafening explosion suddenly echoed nearby.
Looking up, he saw a massive Claydol charging forward, while Jessie, James, and Meowth were fleeing in panic ahead of it.
"Help!"
"Twerp, help us!"
"Help, meowth!"
…
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