“So, I suppose your stray from the forest is off finalizing their citizen registration?”

  Cynthia nodded absentmindedly, trying to stay engaged while filling out the report, if she didn’t do it properly, it’d just get dismissed.

  “Yeah, eh—” She hesitated, fingers hovering over the keyboard. Was "Eterna Forest" specific enough for the location field, or should she put "Heart of Eterna Forest" instead?

  “Yeah what?” Her grandmother’s voice cut in, eyebrow raised.

  Cynthia blinked, refocusing on the minimized video call in the corner of the screen. Her grandmother’s grainy face stared back, expectant. She scrambled to recall what had just been asked, but her mind came up blank.

  A sigh.

  The heavy, disappointed kind. “I see. You’re distracted, aren’t you?” Her grandmother shook her head. “Honestly, what happened to the little girl who used to hang onto my every word?” Another sigh, somehow even heavier. “And after I did you such a huge favor. Where’s my appreciation, huh? Young people these days, no respect for their elders.”

  “Grandma.” Cynthia started.

  Only to be cut off, “Honestly, after all the connections I had to pull, you’d think I’d get a few words of praise. But I suppose I expected too much.”

  She waited a beat, opened her mouth and—

  “Too busy with your new friend to care about the one who raised you with such care.”

  Cynthia stared blankly at the screen and her grandmother paused, likely recognizing that look on her face.

  “Oh? You don’t agree?”

  “Grandma, I called you yesterday to thank you.”

  “A single call for such a favour?” Her grandmother arched an eyebrow.

  “There were three calls,” Cynthia stressed.

  No reaction.

  “Only words?”

  “I sent chocolates!”

  Her grandmother paused.

  “Well, I suppose you did do that.” She shrugged helplessly, as if it were completely unreasonable to expect her to remember such a thing. “But really, there’s no harm in saying it a few more times, is there? It was, after all, quite the favour.”

  Her face was grave, but Cynthia had eyes.

  Eyes that could see.

  And her grandmother’s twitching mouth was not hidden from them.

  Cynthia sighed. She loved her grandmother, truly, she did. After her parents passed, she and her little sister were all she had… but why did she have to be so childish?

  “Well then, what were you doing that was so important it distracted you, dear?” Her grandmother’s voice was laced with amusement.

  Cynthia glanced back at the document.

  Sanctuary Damage Report (Civilian)

  And just like that, the familiar anger bubbled up again. Her jaw clenched, teeth grinding.

  The burning embarrassment kept her awake at night. Even her nightmares contained the look on Myst’s face when he realized the thing she had bragged about, the significant discovery she’d been so proud of, was just some idiot defacing a Pokémon Sanctuary.

  Okay, maybe that was a slight exaggeration.

  But the point stood.

  Whoever did this? They needed to see justice.

  “Nothing,” she muttered, unwilling to explain.

  “That doesn’t look like nothing. Did that first official trouble you that much?” Her grandmother leaned back in her chair.

  Cynthia paused, blanking for a moment.

  The official?

  Oh.

  Yeah, she had ranted about that. How the first meeting between Myst and the official had gone… poorly. Of course, some of the blame rested on Myst, but honestly?

  She didn’t blame him. That guy had been a complete—

  She paused, searching for the right words…

  Jerk.

  Actually no, he didn’t deserve the self-censoring.

  He had been a dick.

  Even she had wanted to punch him for the way he talked down to Myst… and that hadn’t even been the worst part.

  No, the worst part had been the realization.

  The sudden, sickening horror that if she hadn’t been able to call her grandmother, who had pulled a few strings to get a new official, Myst might have actually been deported.

  Deported because he didn’t know who the current Champion was.

  An amnesiac, deported for failing a general knowledge question.

  Now, should he have answered that the current champion might as well be a sloth, for all that they seemed to be doing for the region?

  No.

  No, he should not have.

  But the fact that others in his situation, others without the luxury of pulling strings, might face the same fate left a bitter taste in her mouth.

  Her grandmother expression shifted to something more concerned, and before she could begin to dig Cynthia hurriedly opened her mouth.

  “It’s fine, Grandma, I just—”

  The door slammed open.

  “Cynthia! You are now looking at the newest, and, honestly, most handsome, citizen in Sinnoh.”

  Myst stood there, looking way too proud of himself.

  Cynthia just stared, her brain failing to process the fact that he had just burst into her private booth. How did he even know which one was hers? Had he just tried them all—

  “I thought you said your friend was a girl, Cynthia.”

  Her grandmother’s voice rang out from the screen.

  Oh.

  Oh no.

  It sounded way too hungry.

  Cynthia whipped back around.

  “Oh-it-was-a-great-call-say-hi-to-Lily-for-me-okay-bye.”

  “Wa—” Her grandmother’s voice cut off as Cynthia slammed the call shut, clicking the disconnect button half a dozen times like that would somehow make it faster.

  For a long second, the only sound was the distant hum of the terminal.

  Myst raised a finger.

  “You told her I was a girl.”

  Cynthia stared blankly at the now-black screen.

  Doomed.

  So utterly, helplessly doomed.

  ………………

  She was behind schedule.

  One and a half weeks, to be exact. And that number would only grow the longer she put off challenging the Gym.

  Most of that time had been spent in the forest, with the rest spent helping Myst with his citizenship issues. She didn’t regret any of it, not really. She owed him, after all, and helping him was the least she could do.

  But it also meant she hadn’t had time to train her Pokémon as much as she was used to.

  Hadn’t finished preparing for the Gym.

  Hadn’t even figured out what to do with Roselia…

  Of course, she knew what she wanted to happen there. Roselia might be a menace, and more than a little annoying, but he was also strong.

  Talented.

  More than that, he was something she lacked, an unconventional fighter. Someone who didn’t fight like a bruiser or martial artist, but with tricks.

  So, she hoped he would join her team.

  It was just she wasn’t sure he wanted to join.

  Cynthia pursed her lips, tearing her eyes away from the Pokéball where Roselia rested, and glanced over at Myst, who was locked in a staring contest with Ralts.

  She sighed.

  “You still trying for telepathic communication?” she asked.

  He didn’t react, still locked in his staring contest with the tiny Psychic-type.

  “It’s fine if you just want to talk to her, but you do know Pokémon can’t do that in the middle of battle, right? It requires way too much concentration.”

  He paused.

  “I thought Ralts maybe had the ability Telepathy?”

  Cynthia stared at him, then shifted her gaze to the small Pokémon. Of course, Ralts had the ability to communicate telepathically; it was practically a given for every Psychic-type. But the way he said it…

  “What’s Telepathy?”

  Myst flicked his eyes over to her. “Ralts’s hidden ability.”

  Cynthia mouthed “hidden ability” to herself. They made sense on their own. Obviously, she knew what an ability was. It had become widely accepted ten to twenty years ago, and every Pokémon had one, like Riolu’s Steadfast, which made it faster every time it Flinched, or Queenie’s Sand Veil, helping her blend into the environment during a Sandstorm.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Some Pokémon even had two possible abilities, though the one not activated often lay dormant, requiring extra training to bring it to life.

  But a hidden ability?

  She had never heard of that.

  She stared at Myst… who seemed to slowly realize he was saying something she found outrageous again.

  Then, slowly, Myst took a step back, raising his hands in defence.

  “OK, I see your eyes.” He began, like he was talking to a hungry animal. “No need to look at me like you want to crack open my skull and drink my brains.”

  Cynthia rolled her eyes.

  “You know what I want to ask.”

  “Yeah, sort of figured out I said something weird again.” He scratched the back of his neck. “So, lay it on me. Hidden abilities, do they exist or not?”

  “I mean, I haven’t heard of them, but that doesn’t seem to matter much now, does it?” Cynthia said, then sighed.

  Usually, she was the one with all the obscure, weird Pokémon knowledge. Through hours of study, she’d managed to memorize the abilities of hundreds of Pokémon. That wasn’t common, most people barely even knew what abilities their own Pokémon had, let alone those from other regions.

  Compared to Myst though?

  She sighed again.

  Whatever.

  It was just another thing to keep in mind. Maybe he’d even be wrong this time, and they would find out Pokémon didn’t have hidden abilities.

  Somehow, though, she doubted it.

  “So, what do you mean by hidden abilities?” she asked. “Like, they have some sort of ability that isn’t natural, and you have to train them in very specific ways to activate it?”

  He paused.

  “You can activate abilities?”

  “Of course,” Cynthia replied. “How else would Riolu have both Steadfast and Inner Focus?”

  Myst held up a hand. “Wait, back up. Pokémon can have both of their abilities?” He asked, but before she could address it he continued, “Actually, let’s take turns. You tell me how abilities work, and I’ll tell you what I know about hidden abilities.”

  Cynthia paused for a moment, then nodded, quickly organizing her thoughts. She cleared her throat and adopted her best lecture tone.

  "Abilities are usually an expression of a Pokémon’s species traits," she began. "Take Lucario, for example. They’re known for having the best connection to their aura. That’s why they can have abilities like Steadfast, which uses the flinching effect on their aura to boost speed, or Inner Focus, which lets them ignore that flinch effect entirely. Rei’s ability, Run Away, works similarly, letting her channel her aura into a speed boost for quick escapes…" She shivered, half-expecting Rei’s disapproving glare to appear… then she remembered the bunny was safely tucked away in its Poké Ball.

  A small relief.

  She continued. "Abilities are like a Pokémon’s biology or their particular talents, expressed through their aura. Most Pokémon are born with one ability, but with training, they can unlock more."

  Myst cocked his head, but said nothing.

  “That’s all I know. I don’t really have any more details,” Cynthia added defensively.

  Myst pursed his lips, eyes flicking toward Ralts.

  "So... can you tell me what you know about hidden abilities?" she asked, gesturing toward the small Pokémon.

  “They have them…” Myst paused, like he was trying to decide how to phrase it. “…Probably.”

  Cynthia blinked, waiting for him to elaborate. When he didn’t, she raised an eyebrow. “And?”

  “No 'and.’ That’s it,” Myst said with a shrug, an awkward smile pulling at the corners of his lips.

  They stared at each other for a moment, the silence stretching between them.

  “Myst,” Cynthia finally broke the stillness, her voice a mix of disbelief and irritation. “Why did you have me explain all that if you were just going to say the same thing you said earlier?”

  Myst took a careful step behind Ralts, as if looking for refuge.

  Cynthia raised an eyebrow, watching him with growing exasperation.

  Ralts, sensing an opportunity, let out a startled yelp and darted behind Myst’s legs, seeking cover.

  "Wait, why are you hiding behind me, Ralts?" Myst squeaked, his voice high-pitched with mock indignation. "You’re supposed to protect me!"

  Cynthia slapped a hand to her forehead.

  Honestly, why did she even help him?

  …..

  Cynthia released Roselia with the kind of anticipation one might feel before an important test. A thin beam of red light materialized into the Grass-type, his red scarf fluttering behind him like a cape.

  Roselia blinked, quickly surveying his surroundings, the forest's edge, Cynthia's entire team assembled, and Myst standing nearby.

  His gaze snapped to Queenie.

  Instinct kicked in. Roselia’s hand twitched upward, energy gathering as if preparing to strike. But then, his eyes landed on Ralts.

  And he hesitated.

  A flicker of understanding crossed his expression, like he’d just realized this wasn’t some kind of elaborate revenge plot. Slowly, he lowered his bouquet hands, his stance easing. His gaze drifted toward the forest, shoulders loosening as a quiet relief settled over him.

  Like he’d just confirmed that Cynthia was keeping her promise, if he wanted to, he was free to go.

  “Roselia.” Cynthia called out.

  His attention snapped back to her, sharp and wary.

  Cynthia held his gaze, and for a brief moment, she had the distinct feeling that he already knew what she was about to say.

  Still, she pressed on.

  “We didn’t exactly start off on the best foot,” she admitted, voice measured. “And I won’t pretend we’ve had the greatest relationship. Or any, really.” She grinned lightly, before she inhaled, steadying herself. “But I’m still going to ask.”

  She straightened.

  “You’re strong. You’re smart. But you could be stronger, smarter. If you want, we can be partners. And I promise you, I’ll train you to be the greatest Roselia the world has ever seen.”

  It came out a little stiffer than she intended, but she meant every word.

  Now, it was his choice.

  Silence stretched between them.

  Roselia’s gaze flickered between Queenie and Rei, the two Pokémon who had manhandled him more than once. Then, he hesitated, glancing down at his bouquet hands, as if weighing his options.

  Cynthia forced herself to keep still. To stay silent.

  There was so much she wanted to say.

  She could tell him she’d already studied everything about the Roselia line she could find. That she’d devised a training program tailored for him and even talked to Myst about his movepool. That she had a plan, a clear path to his strength, his growth, his potential.

  But she held her tongue.

  She could tell herself it was because she didn’t want to influence his decision. That she had said her piece, and now the choice had to be his.

  But that wasn’t the real reason.

  The truth was, she wanted Roselia to join her because he wanted to.

  Not because she convinced him with honeyed words. Not because she promised him something so grand he couldn’t refuse.

  She wanted a team she could rely on, Pokémon who chose her despite her flaws, not because of her strengths.

  And honestly?

  Her first words were the most honest.

  She wanted to be the strongest trainer.

  And the strongest trainer needed the strongest Pokémon.

  Roselia took a step back.

  Her heart sank, just a little.

  Cynthia clenched a hand at her side, steadying herself as she watched him move towards the forest, but right before he was about to cross the line into the forest clearing Roselia stopped.

  His gaze flickered to Ralts. Then to Myst.

  “Roselia?” He asked.

  Neither of them spoke. She had asked them to stay quiet. Maybe if Ralts said something Roselia would join her team, but that wouldn’t be the same. Ralts had chosen to join Myst on her own initiative, because she wanted to get stronger.

  She wanted Roselia to want the same.

  Getting no answer Roselia tore his eyes away from them and squared his shoulders. His eyes darted to Queenie, then to Riolu.

  And then, with deliberate intent, he raised a hand and pointed at Riolu.

  “Roselia,” he said simply.

  Cynthia didn’t need to understand Pokémon speech to know what he was asking for.

  A battle.

  He wanted to test himself against Riolu, and without asking, Cynthia understood. Queenie was overwhelming, Cynthia had trained her since she was nine. Riolu, on the other hand?

  He had only been with her for four months.

  A much better representation of her qualifications as a trainer… and, almost certainly more importantly, a battle Roselia felt like he could win.

  Cynthia met Riolu’s eyes.

  “Riolu,” she said, a hint of challenge in her voice. “You feel like showing him what you can do?”

  Riolu grinned, more than happy to put their training to the test.

  With his affirmation Cynthia moved back, just far enough to stay clear of the action, with Queenie standing at her side. The dragon type unwilling to leave when she could get hurt by a stray attack.

  “Myst, want to be the judge?” Cynthia asked, glancing at him.

  Myst blinked, pointing at himself. Like there was anybody else she could be talking about.

  Roselia snapped toward him, nodding quickly, like he agreed on the necessity.

  “Well, if you both insist.” Myst cleared his throat, then took on an exaggeratedly stern voice. “This will be a battle between Riolu, and his trainer Cynthia, and Roselia—”

  Cynthia felt herself focus in.

  For one moment.

  “To the death,” Myst finished, voice deadly serious.

  Cynthia exhaled sharply, resisting the urge to facepalm.

  Roselia turned to Ralts with an unreadable look, like he was silently questioning her life choices. Ralts, in return, practically sparkled, gazing up at Myst with absolute admiration for the ridiculous human she had chosen to follow.

  Myst, still grinning, held up his hands. “Kidding. Just a normal battle. Well, one for the right of capture, I guess?”

  Roselia exhaled sharply, shaking his head, but Cynthia could see the briefest hint of amusement in his eyes.

  And as much as she hated to admit it, Myst had broken the tension.

  She felt lighter now, steadier.

  Still, she crossed her arms and shot him a flat look.

  “I will take that look as a compliment.” Myst said cheerfully. Then, clearing his throat again, he gestured between them with an exaggerated sweep of his hands.

  “Alright, Riolu versus Roselia! Begin!”

  Roselia didn’t hesitate. The second Myst finished speaking, it lifted its arms, firing off a flurry of Poison Sting with pinpoint precision.

  “Detect.”

  Riolu’s eyes flashed briefly, glowing blue.

  Then, like water slipping through cracks, he began moving. Twisting, contorting, slipping between the incoming needles with almost unnatural ease.

  Not a single one touched him.

  And he was still moving forward.

  Roselia narrowed its eyes but didn’t press the attack, realizing it was useless.

  But the moment Poison Sting ceased—

  His body flashed white.

  Between steps Riolu became a blur as Quick Attack activated in an instant. What had been a slow, deliberate walk through the Poison Sting became a white comet streaking across the battlefield.

  Roselia, unfazed, flicked a hand dramatically.

  Every leaf around them ripped free from their branches, glowing with a subtle green energy. For an invisible beat they simply hung in the air, before they shot forward, streaking toward Riolu like a storm of guided blades.

  Cynthia mouth quirked up.

  Magical Leaf was a move known for its unerring precision, colloquially known as a sure hit move. It’s reputation wasn’t without reason either, as every leaf was guided by Roselia’s will, shifting mid-flight to track its target no matter where it ran.

  But that meant it relied on the caster to direct it.

  “Speed up,” Cynthia called out.

  Riolu yipped.

  In a heartbeat, his form shifted from a blur to a shimmering silhouette.

  And even as the Magical Leaf twisted mid-air to chase him—

  It was too late.

  Roselia’s eyes widened in disbelief—

  BOOM!

  Before he simply vanished.

  Where Roselia once stood Riolu appeared, his Quick Attack impacting with enough force to make Roselia a green and red streak.

  BOOM!

  A tree exploded as he crashed straight through it, splintering on impact. He slammed into the ground, bounced once, flipped midair, and landed hard.

  Riolu was already moving.

  A blue streak tore across the field, covering ten meters in an instant.

  That instant was enough.

  Roselia shoved himself up with both hands, barely steadying himself—

  But he wasn’t fast enough.

  He should have been.

  Cynthia frowned.

  “Care—"

  Her command came a beat too late.

  Riolu was already there, his arm glowing an icy blue, frigid mist curling around his fist as he cocked back an Ice Punch.

  Roselia looked up and grinned.

  A single vine of grass snaked around Riolu’s ankle.

  WHAM!

  Riolu’s own momentum betrayed him, slamming him into the dirt with a deafening crack.

  Roselia didn’t waste a second.

  He pushed off the ground, slipping just under Riolu’s sloppy Force Palm—

  Then spun back, raising both hands with a flourish—

  And clapped.

  A thick cloud of yellow spores burst outward, rolling across the battlefield like a smoke screen, engulfing Riolu in an instant.

  Before he could react, Cynthia’s voice rang out.

  “Metal Claw to get out!”

  Riolu didn’t hesitate.

  Through the yellow cloud of spores, Cynthia saw the faint flicker of Steel-type energy as Riolu flicked his paw to the side, slashing through the grass that had ensnared his feet.

  Then a blur.

  Quick Attack carried him out before the spores could take effect. Landing hard, he skidded to a stop, body tense, scanning the thick haze.

  A low growl rumbled in his throat. Cynthia could almost see it, the way he was considering charging in blindly to finish Roselia off.

  Cynthia didn’t let it come to that.

  Not when there was a much simpler way.

  “Clear the Stun Spore with an overcharged Force Palm.”

  Riolu’s eyes flashed blue, his aura flaring with power as orange energy formed in both paws.

  He burst into the cloud for a split second.

  Then, mimicking Roselia’s earlier movement—

  He clapped.

  Cynthia winced as the sharp crack ripped through the battlefield, tearing apart the Stun Spore in an instant.

  The cloud vanished.

  And with it, Roselia’s cover.

  Cynthia’s eyes flicked to her opponent and realized what he had done with the time Stun Spore had granted him.

  He had charged up the largest Magical Leaf she had ever seen. The very air hummed with Grass-type energy, the leaves floating around Roselia glowing with raw, overcharged power.

  Cynthia didn’t need to ask to understand how it was possible, though, she could see the telltale sign of Roselia’s aura flaring.

  He had used Growth.

  A cocky smile tugged at Roselia’s lips and with a flourish, he flicked his scarf over his shoulder.

  “Roselia?” He taunted.

  Riolu growled but held his ground.

  Charging in with Quick Attack would only leave him open for a counter. And without the element of surprise like they had used earlier, evading the incoming Magical Leaf would be impossible.

  Cynthia sighed.

  So they’d have to use that move, the one they had practiced for the Gym battle.

  Roselia chopped a hand down like an emperor issuing judgment.

  A wall of Magical Leaves surged forward.

  "Leaf Defense!" Cynthia called out.

  Riolu smiled.

  His eyes flashed blue. Metal Claw came to life, stretching into long, sharp claws.

  And then—

  He stood still.

  And simply swung.

  The battlefield transformed into a flawless display of skill.

  It didn’t matter how many leaves approach or how fast they came. Riolu arms were like the arms of a clock, always in the right place at the right time. Razor-sharp leaves, each one primed to cut, were effortlessly shredded, devoured by the whirlwind of steel.

  It was the perfect synergy of Detect’s omniscience and Metal Claw’s razor-sharp precision, a special defensive move Cynthia had used weeks to perfect in preparation for her gym challenge.

  The only one she had time to finish.

  It was more than enough.

  Roselia stared blankly as his attack was simply eaten up.

  It staggered slightly, body sagging after the attack.

  Then, as if suddenly remembering he was in a battle, Roselia hurriedly fired off a Poison Sting—

  It was too late.

  A blue fist smashed into Roselias face as the Poison Sting was forced wide.

  Cynthia didn’t even blink as Queenie stepped forward, her aura expanding to shield against stray attacks.

  Still, Roselia didn’t go down.

  He refused to give up, even after taking the Ice Punch head-on.

  It was a commendable effort.

  It was also useless.

  Riolu had already won the second he got in range.

  Roselia forcefully tried to grab onto Riolu, activating Mega Drain, just as another Ice Punch crashed into him.

  BOOM!

  A green body collapsed to the ground.

  Myst voice rang out.

  “Roselia is unable to battle, the victor is Riolu.”

  Cynthia didn’t hesitate.

  She pulled a Poké Ball from her belt and walked over to Roselia. Then she knelt down, gently tapping the it against his body.

  A soft red light pulled him inside.

  Her voice dropped to a whisper.

  "Return, Roselia. You fought valiantly."