The campgrounds bustled with life under the warm Kanto sun.
Skylar wiped sweat from his brow and adjusted his stance as Growlithe leapt forward to intercept a Water Gun from a fellow camper's Totodile. It had been a long training session under the watchful eye of none other than Gary Oak—competitive, sharp-tongued, and merciless when it came to battle strategy.
"Too slow on the switch!" Gary barked. "If that were a real Gym match, you'd have lost your badge and your dignity."
Skylar exhaled and nodded, signaling Growlithe to circle back.
"Got it. Next time I pivot to Ralts immediately."
"Exactly," Gary said, pacing. "Read your opponent's pattern before they force you into a corner. Timing is everything. Aura or not, you can't win if you're outplayed."
Skylar respected him. Gary wasn't soft—but he wasn't arrogant either. He pushed Skylar not with cruelty, but with expectation.
Meanwhile, in one of the camp's open-air classrooms, Professor Oak was enthusiastically waving a wooden pointer at a giant digital map of Kanto, filled with flashing dots and tiny sprites of wild Pokémon.
"And here in the Johto border region, we have roaming herds of Miltank that absolutely despise loud noise. They've been known to stampede at the sound of a Pokégear ringtone!"
The class laughed—well, most of them.
Skylar grinned faintly at the back of the group, while Cynthia took neat notes beside him, as always precise and attentive.
She watched as Skylar leaned over to whisper something to Serena, seated nearby. Serena giggled softly, brushing her hair behind her ear.
And later, he complimented Misty after she answered a tough question about aquatic migration patterns, earning a satisfied smirk from the redhead.
That's when Cynthia felt it.
A tightening in her chest. Subtle—but sharp.
She wasn't used to it.
Jealousy.
That evening, after dinner, Skylar sat beneath a cluster of trees near the cliffside, reading a passage from his aura journal. Ralts floated lazily in front of him, turning slow spirals in the air.
He didn't notice Cynthia approaching.
"You've been getting along well with the others," she said casually, arms crossed.
Skylar looked up. "Yeah, they're all… kind of incredible. Serena's really elegant, and Misty—she's surprisingly clever about terrain tactics."
Cynthia's expression didn't change.
But her eyes narrowed just slightly.
"Mm. I see."
Skylar blinked. "Is something wrong?"
She hesitated for just a second. Then she stepped closer and sat beside him.
"Do you think… they're better than me?"
Skylar blinked again. "What? No, of course not—why would you think that?"
"You lit up when you talked about them." Her voice was calm but guarded. "You never look at me like that."
Skylar opened his mouth—then closed it.
She looked away, trying to mask the storm behind her eyes.
"I just… don't want to be left behind. Or forgotten. I want to be the one you look to. The one who stands with you—not just now, but when it matters."
He reached out and took her hand gently.
"Cynthia, no one could replace you. You're not just strong—you're with me. In every moment."
She looked at him again. The intensity in her gaze returned—fierce, protective, proud.
"Then I'll prove it," she whispered.
"How?"
"By being better. By pushing harder. I'll train harder, study deeper, and fight smarter. I'll be so valuable to your journey that no one else could ever eclipse me."
She smiled—confident, not insecure.
"If Serena wants to shine, and Misty wants to match you—fine. Let them."
"But I'll burn brighter."
Skylar couldn't help but laugh softly—not mocking, but full of admiration.
"You already do."
From the trees above, unnoticed, a single leaf fell, landing on the open page of Skylar's journal.
It glowed faintly.
Unseen by either of them, a pulse of time energy shimmered inside the paper, just for a moment—like a heartbeat awakening.