Lately, Caitlin had been finding Cynthia... a little off.
As someone who'd grown up alongside her—best friends since their early trainer days—Caitlin knew the Sinnoh Champion better than almost anyone else alive.
To the world, Cynthia was the embodiment of grace and power.
Sure, she had a notorious sweet tooth behind the scenes, but even then, Cynthia was always the picture of an independent woman.
And not the kind of "independence" you see on social media from people who measure their freedom by how much they can mooch off their boyfriends. No, Cynthia's independence was the real thing—the kind that came from strength, not convenience.
Being a Pokémon League Champion spoke for itself.
And not just any Champion—Cynthia ranked among the best of the best. Not like certain "former champions" who couldn't even keep their title warm before getting dethroned.
But lately... something about her had changed. Subtly, at first—but undeniably.
Her messages came less often. Her replies felt distant. Even her daily routines seemed different.
And when Caitlin thought back, she realized this weirdness hadn't started out of nowhere—it had begun right around the time Cynthia met Haru.
Back then, Cynthia used to mention him in passing during their calls—nothing strange about that.
According to her, Haru was a mysterious, brilliant trainer—powerful, well-read, and obsessed with the myths and legends of ancient Pokémon.
Given that Cynthia herself was a trained archaeologist, befriending someone like that wasn't surprising. In fact, Caitlin had been happy for her.
A little suspicious, maybe—but happy nonetheless.
Then the calls became fewer.
When they did talk, Cynthia somehow always found a way to bring Haru up—as if her whole world was starting to revolve around him.
Eventually, curiosity (and a twinge of something she didn't care to name) got the better of Caitlin, and she agreed to meet this mysterious man herself.
She'd planned to size him up—figure out what kind of person he was, make sure he wasn't bad news.
And the result of that meeting?
Well… it was hard to say. Did she learn a lot? Or nothing at all? Even she wasn't sure.
But from that point on, Cynthia's behavior had gone completely off the rails.
She barely pretended to have a normal routine anymore—just orbiting Haru like a satellite. A whole week could go by without her messaging Caitlin once.
Then came the rumor: Cynthia and Haru had headed off to Alto Mare.
And after that… radio silence.
Cynthia had practically vanished from the outside world.
If Caitlin hadn't managed to pick up bits of information through her League contacts, she might have honestly thought Cynthia had been kidnapped.
Still, with Cynthia acting strange—and her own psychic powers threatening to spiral out of control—Caitlin decided to head to Alto Mare herself.
After getting caught up in a wild mess involving Team Rocket, a Legendary Pokémon, and an all-out divine brawl, she finally got the chance to talk to Cynthia again.
And that's when she noticed even more... weirdness.
For one thing, Cynthia had become obsessed with her privacy.
She used to have no problem sharing a hotel room—or even a hot spring—with Caitlin. Now? She wouldn't even let her step inside her room, as if she were hiding something.
Every day she acted cagey, whispering with Mewtwo, Haru, or Liko with the kind of expression that screamed "conspiracy."
When Caitlin asked about it, Cynthia would brush her off with the kind of flimsy lie a five-year-old might improvise.
And then there was the food thing.
Cynthia used to devour sweets like a Snorlax at a buffet—no day was complete without a few macarons or a box of chocolate truffles.
But lately, she'd barely touched any sugar. Sometimes she went a whole day without even a candy, drinking from her thermos constantly instead.
Was she on some kind of new fitness regimen? But if so, why hadn't Caitlin ever seen her exercising?
Or was she... sick? No, she looked fine—if a little sleep-deprived. Just some dark circles, nothing major.
So what on earth was keeping her up all night?
Lost in thought, Caitlin adjusted the basket of strawberries she'd bought earlier and wandered down the hotel hallway.
She'd spent the day exploring Alto Mare and was planning to crash for a while before meeting Haru later that evening to talk about her psychic training.
He had proven that his methods worked—her unstable powers had finally started to settle. Once she mastered that, she'd have what it took to challenge Unova's Elite Four again.
Maybe even join the top ranks of trainers herself.
That thought made her grin, her steps light as she moved down the hallway—until she stopped in front of a particular door.
Room 801. Cynthia's.
Only this time... the door wasn't locked.
It was slightly ajar, a warm glow spilling through the narrow crack.
Her curiosity sparked.
Should she… take a peek? This might be her one chance.
Cynthia hated letting anyone into her room—which practically screamed that she was hiding something.
If Caitlin just took a quick look, maybe she'd finally understand why her friend had been acting so weird lately.
Caught between nosy intrigue and genuine concern, Caitlin's pulse quickened.
She wasn't trying to be sneaky. It wasn't like she wanted to invade Cynthia's privacy… but come on! The situation was suspicious enough to warrant a little reconnaissance.
That's what she told herself, anyway.
In the end, she decided to play it safe.
She'd just peek through the door crack.
If Cynthia wasn't inside, she could quietly slip in and investigate.
If she was… Caitlin would just leave.
Unfortunately—or maybe fortunately—Cynthia was there.
She was sitting by the window, a "WaveBurger" takeout bag beside her, still unopened.
So the unlocked door was probably just an accident after grabbing her food.
But even if Caitlin couldn't snoop around, she did see something… interesting.
Actually—more than interesting.
Cynthia had a sketchbook open on her desk, hand moving rapidly across the page, pen scratching with enthusiasm. And every few seconds, she let out a weird little chuckle.
"Eheheh… heheheh~…"
Not a sound you expect from the Sinnoh Champion.
Scattered across the floor were a dozen discarded pages—failed drafts or finished works, Caitlin couldn't tell.
Her eyesight was sharp enough that, even from a distance, she could make out what was on them.
And when she did—her breath caught in her throat.
Because the sketches were of… her.
Or, to be precise—of her wearing something indecently skimpy.
And right beside her in the drawings was a figure she recognized instantly.
Haru.
Compared to Caitlin's previous shock, this time she was even more stunned.
If the man drawn by Cynthia really was Haru, then aside from his facial expression—which seemed rather strange—the rest of the picture looked more or less normal. Except for one detail that was a little too… large.
And on top of that, the title written on the corner of the paper was something that made Caitlin even more speechless—
"Lillie in Alola."
Blinking in disbelief, Caitlin crouched down and started checking the other sheets scattered across the floor.
What she found made her freeze.
Apparently, "Lillie in Alola" wasn't just one random sketch—it was part of an entire series.
It seemed Cynthia had been quietly creating her own visual "storyline." And judging by what Caitlin could see, that storyline centered around Cynthia herself, Haru, and… Caitlin.
The plot, as depicted by Cynthia's drawings and scribbled notes, appeared to be a tangled love triangle full of betrayal, regret, and jealousy. The scenes played out like an overwrought romance: Cynthia, drawn as a beautiful but lonely woman, meets a mysterious man—clearly Haru. They fall for each other passionately, only for her dearest friend, who looked unmistakably like Caitlin, to fall for him too.
Torn by emotion, Cynthia's character suffers betrayal, heartbreak, and guilt. The drawings grew progressively more dramatic—there was one where she was kneeling on the ground, hair undone, tears streaming; another where Haru turned his back, fading into mist; and another, the most ridiculous of all, where Cynthia cradled a child in her arms, labeled in her own handwriting: "symbol of lost purity and new beginning."
Caitlin's hands trembled slightly as she turned the pages.
What in the world… was she looking at?
Cynthia—the famous Sinnoh Champion, composed and elegant to the world—had been staying up all night… secretly writing and illustrating some sort of melancholic self-insert fanfiction about herself and Haru?
Had she finally lost it?
That couldn't be right. This had to be some kind of coping mechanism. Maybe it was stress, emotional exhaustion, or a bout of creative mania triggered by her recent experiences.
Still… what on earth was Caitlin supposed to do with this knowledge?
She couldn't just pretend she hadn't seen it, could she?
As her mind spun in confusion, she suddenly heard a sound.
Cynthia put down her pen.
Caitlin froze on the spot, not daring to breathe.
Had she been discovered?
Luckily, Cynthia didn't turn around. Instead, she stretched, sighed softly in satisfaction, and began gathering the scattered papers off the floor.
She neatly stacked them into a folder marked "To Be Shredded."
Then, still humming to herself, Cynthia took a smaller stack of drawings and headed toward the bathroom. Her steps were light, her mood oddly cheerful, and—if Caitlin wasn't imagining it—her face was a little flushed.
Caitlin's mouth twitched.
Was… was Cynthia seriously taking her sketches into the bathroom?
Whatever was going on, now was the perfect time.
As soon as the bathroom door closed and the sound of running water filled the room, Caitlin took a deep breath, slipped silently inside, and tiptoed across the carpet toward the desk.
Her movements were careful, her heart pounding so hard she could hear it in her ears.
The bag labeled "To Be Shredded" sat by the desk. Cynthia had tied the knot tightly—years of habit from fieldwork, probably—but Caitlin managed to loosen it after some effort.
Inside were dozens of drawings, some still half-finished, others already crumpled.
She flipped through them quickly, her eyes widening more and more with each one.
Each page featured Cynthia and Haru—together in all sorts of situations. Some were intimate, others somber, others bordering on melodramatic fantasy. There were even scrawled notes in the margins:
"He smiled faintly, as if remembering that night."
"If love is a battle, then I surrender."
"She was his moon, but he belonged to the stars."
Caitlin's lips twitched violently.
This wasn't stress—this was full-blown delusion.
Still, she forced herself to stay calm. She quietly slipped a few blank papers from Cynthia's desk into the bag to make up for the missing weight, then tucked several of the real sketches into her own purse.
Just as she finished tying the knot back—
Click.
The bathroom door handle turned.
Caitlin's body froze like ice.
If Cynthia came out now, she'd be caught red-handed.
Her brain whirred in panic—should she hide? Pretend she'd come to borrow something? Or maybe have her Gardevoir Teleport her out of the room before Cynthia noticed?
But before she could decide, Cynthia's voice floated out from behind the door, calm but tinged with fatigue:
"…No, this won't do. I'll need to talk to Haru again tonight. I just hope Liko doesn't interrupt this time… that girl's too sharp for her own good."
The sound of water resumed, followed by faint humming.
That was Caitlin's cue.
Moving as lightly as possible, she retied the bag, slipped out the door, and—being the considerate friend she was—closed it softly behind her.
---
Back in her own suite, Caitlin locked the door, drew the curtains, and turned on the lamp.
She sat at her desk, staring at the pile of Cynthia's sketches she'd taken.
Her expression grew darker as she flipped through them one by one.
Each drawing told the same story: Cynthia and Haru, locked in moments of obsession, guilt, and longing. Sometimes Liko appeared, or Lusamine, or even stylized versions of Mew and Necrozma—but no matter who else was there, Cynthia and Haru were always at the center, as if the world itself revolved around their impossible bond.
The tone shifted between tragic and tender, between painful self-reflection and disturbing desire.
"…What happened to you, Cynthia?" Caitlin whispered.
Had something truly gone wrong between her and Haru?
Or had Cynthia… invented all of this herself?
The more she read, the more her pulse quickened. She could still picture Cynthia's flushed cheeks earlier, that strange light in her eyes, and the way she had murmured Haru's name under her breath.
No—this wasn't something she could leave alone.
If Haru really was behind all this—if he had somehow influenced or manipulated Cynthia—then Caitlin needed to confront him immediately.
Decision made, she carefully placed one of the sketches into her bag as proof, stood up, and strode toward the door.
---
Haru's suite was just a few rooms away, right past Cynthia's.
Caitlin released her Gardevoir as she walked, the Psychic-type gliding silently at her side. Against Haru's frighteningly strong Pokémon, it wasn't much protection, but it was something.
She stopped at his door, took a deep breath to steady her nerves, and knocked.
Knock, knock, knock.
A few seconds later, the door opened.
The suite inside was dimly lit, filled with warm golden tones and the faint scent of rain. Everything was neat, luxurious, and faintly mysterious—the kind of atmosphere that instantly made her uneasy.
Haru stood at the doorway, hair slightly damp, his expression calm and unreadable.
When his eyes met hers, he raised a brow.
"…Caitlin?" he said quietly. "It's late. What brings you here?"
Her throat felt dry.
He didn't sound defensive, or even surprised—just politely curious.
"I…" she began, clutching her bag tightly. "There are some things I need to ask you."
Haru's gaze deepened slightly, a hint of intrigue flickering there.
The air between them felt tense, as if the faint hum of psychic energy from her Gardevoir was reacting to something in the room.
If Haru really was connected to Cynthia's strange behavior, then tonight—Caitlin vowed—she would find out the truth, no matter what it took.
In this process, she had to be extremely cautious—she absolutely could not follow in Cynthia's footsteps.
Cynthia… I will save you!
The young woman made that silent vow deep within her heart.
"Anyway, come on in," Haru said, stepping aside to make way for her.
Nessa was still in the bathroom, taking a shower, so he had a bit of spare time to talk with Caitlin. That much wasn't a problem.
However, what Haru didn't realize was that the path he had just opened up—for Caitlin at that moment—was more terrifying than the very gates of hell.
She swallowed hard, mustered every ounce of courage she had, and stepped into Haru's room.
Thud—!
The moment she crossed the threshold, a heavy sound echoed behind her as the door shut firmly. The noise made her body tremble ever so slightly.