Since the goal was to practice Swagger, Owen naturally sent Eevee onto the field. As she trotted to her position, Cynthia offered a gentle smile.
"In that case, I'll use my Eevee as well."
"Go get 'em, Vee."
Cynthia lightly released the Eevee she had been cradling, nicknamed "Vee." The little creature stepped gracefully onto the field, its calm gaze locking onto Owen's partner.
She looks well-raised... Owen thought.
While Owen was appraising the opponent, Cynthia was doing the same. Thanks to his specialized Pokéblocks, Owen's Eevee had a coat that shimmered with health, but he noticed that Cynthia's Eevee wasn't just on par with his—it seemed to be a step ahead in terms of sheer refinement. This gave Owen pause.
Maybe she's just been training longer, he rationalized.
The two Eevee stood face-to-face. Owen's Eevee struck first. Using Swagger, she sent a rhythmic, psychic ripple across the field, aiming to crash into Vee's mind.
However...
There was no reaction. A thin, crystalline barrier flickered momentarily in front of Vee, causing the status move to dissipate harmlessly. Owen and Eevee both froze.
Protect. It was a move that combined the best defensive traits of Reflect and Light Screen, negating almost all incoming attacks. The Swagger had failed completely.
"Vee, Baby-Doll Eyes."
Cynthia spoke softly. Owen's Eevee tried to focus, but before she could initiate a counter, Vee's eyes began to glow with a mesmerizing, iridescent light. The moment that "sparkling gaze" met Eevee's eyes, Eevee felt a strange surge of endearment and hesitation. Her reaction time slowed to a crawl.
"Vee-vui—!"
A split second later, Vee blurred into a Quick Attack. Owen's Eevee was slammed backward, tumbling across the dirt. Fortunately, the raw power wasn't overwhelming. Eevee scrambled up, shaking the dust from her fur, her expression turning deadly serious.
"Was that... Baby-Doll Eyes?!" Owen was stunned.
This was his first time facing a Fairy-type move in person. Eevee had clearly been intimidated by the move, missing the window to dodge. If this trainer's Eevee already knew Fairy-type moves... did that mean she was on the path to becoming a Sylveon?
Owen sharpened his focus. This opponent's Eevee was every bit as talented as his "Eevee God." This was a true rival.
An hour later, Owen was at the Pokémon Center.
Despite going all-out, Eevee had lost. While the opponent was a few years older, Owen hadn't expected to be outclassed specifically in an Eevee mirror match. Usually, he was the one being schooled by veteran teachers or Association coaches; being beaten by a peer-aged student was a first.
Double Kick, Protect, Baby-Doll Eyes, Last Resort...
Everything his Eevee could do, Cynthia's could do better. And the things his Eevee couldn't do, Cynthia's had mastered.
"To have mastered Last Resort, that Eevee's talent is insane," Owen muttered. "But what really gets me is that Baby-Doll Eyes move."
He returned to the hotel, feeling a bit dejected. He kicked himself for forgetting to ask for her contact information. If he could trade for the training method of that Fairy-type move, it would be a game-changer.
Given her age, is she on the Aurelia University battle team? He messaged Siyu to find out.
Siyu:Cynthia? I don't think there's anyone by that name on our varsity team. Maybe she's from another school? There are a lot of universities in Aurelia.
Owen:Got it, thanks anyway.
Siyu:No worries! Get some rest. We're visiting Professor Aoki tomorrow morning at 8 AM.
Owen closed the app and lay on the bed. His Eevee, seemingly unbothered by the loss, was already back on the bed playing with the phone.
Owen didn't know whether to be annoyed or impressed. Her mindset is too stable... she's more tilted when she loses a mobile game than a real battle. Truly a 'God' level of chill.
Fifteen minutes later, Siyu messaged him again.
Siyu:That 'Cynthia' you mentioned...
Owen:What about her?
Siyu:Search her name online. I'll leave you with a cliffhanger, but don't fall off your bed when you see the results!
Owen:???
Curious, Owen opened his browser and typed in the name. The search results hit him like a Thunderbolt.
Cynthia: > Winner of the "Scientific Star" Award, Registered Pokémon Researcher.Student at Magic City University, specializing in Fairy-type research. Gained official researcher status through her groundbreaking study on Rotom's various appliance forms.
But the thing that made her a household name in the tech world was...
She was the lead developer of the Rotom Phone.
The portable, intelligent encyclopedia that served as a Pokédex and smartphone in one. Her contribution to that project earned her the prestigious Scientific Star Award, a prize with immense weight in the academic community.
"What a monster..." Owen whispered.
He finally understood why her Eevee knew Fairy-type moves—she was a specialist in the field and a top student from Magic City University.
In elite schools like Imperial Capital or Magic City, students who achieved "Registered Researcher" status during their undergraduate years were one-in-a-million geniuses.
Siyu:She's a super-mega-ultra-VIP! I only remembered after I did a quick search. Did you actually run into her?
Owen:...Met her, had a battle, and uh... lost.
Siyu:Haha, that's expected! She's a Magic City University prodigy. Keep your chin up!
Owen wasn't the type to sulk for long. Once he developed more Pokéblock variations for his team, he was confident he could close the gap with those elite students. He was still in his "growth phase." Stay steady, don't overextend.
He did some more digging and found a bit more info. As a public figure, her starter Pokémon was common knowledge.
Swablu. Which, by now, was likely an Altaria.
"A researcher specializing in Fairy-types whose starter is a Dragon-type..." Owen didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Then it clicked: Altaria can learn Fairy moves like Disarming Voice, Moonblast, and Dazzling Gleam. And once it Mega Evolves, it gains the Pixilate ability and becomes a Dragon/Fairy type—famously known as the "Traitor of the Dragon Clan."
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