Want to read ahead. You know where
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Shooting stars crossed one after another, painting long trails across the heavens until the whole world seemed wrapped in a grand meteor shower.
Cynthia lay nestled in Sam's arms, her golden hair catching the faint glow of the starlight.
Her half-closed eyes shimmered with sleepiness, yet she wore the lazy, content smile of a cat enjoying a quiet moment in its favorite place.
"Honey," she murmured, voice soft as the wind brushing the tall grass around them.
"Do you want to know what wish I made?"
Sam gently brushed a strand of her silky hair from her cheek.
"What wish did you make?" he asked, his tone more indulgent than curious.
She tilted her head, mischief dancing in her eyes.
"If you want to know… then sing me a song. After you sing, I'll tell you."
Her little pout and wrinkled nose made Sam laugh.
She had been teasing him like this ever since their last Contest performance.
During the finals, he had sung a piece dedicated to her —a simple melody, nothing fancy —but Cynthia found it the most romantic thing in the world.
Even now, during their harsh training sessions on Lily of the Valley Island, she would sneak away to replay the recording on her phone whenever she missed him.
"You just like bullying me," Sam said, lightly scratching her nose.
"Sing~" Cynthia whispered, tugging at his sleeve like a child demanding candy.
Sam sighed in mock defeat but couldn't deny her.
Watching the meteors streak across the endless night, he let his voice rise, not with the skill of a professional singer, but with sincerity alone.
"You look so wonderful in your dress.
I love your hair like that.
The way it falls on the side of your neck
Down your shoulders and back
We are surrounded by all of these lies.
And people who talk too much
You got the kind of look in your eyes.
As if no one knows anything but us."
"Should this be the last thing I see?
I want you to know it's enough for me.
Cause all that you are is all that I'll ever need"
His voice wasn't polished, but it was steady.
Each word carried warmth, like a confession whispered under the stars.
Cynthia didn't even glance at the meteor shower anymore.
Instead, her eyes stayed locked on him, wide and luminous.
She tightened her embrace around him, her lips curving into the softest smile.
To her, Sam at this moment was brighter than all the meteors combined.
When the last note faded and the sky grew quiet again, Sam lowered his gaze to her.
"Well?" he asked gently.
"Now, can you tell me?"
Cynthia's cheeks flushed pink. She met his eyes, her voice barely more than a whisper.
"I wished… that you'd give me a big family."
Sam blinked. Then, with a sudden laugh, he pulled her tighter into his arms.
"Oh, is that so? Then what are we waiting for?"
Her face burned scarlet as she playfully hit his shoulder, but she didn't resist when he lifted her easily from the blanket and carried her back toward their room.
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The next day, sunlight poured down on the bustling streets of Slateport City.
Known as Hoenn's biggest harbor, the city smelled of salt, fresh bread, and sea breeze.
Crowds filled the marketplace, merchants shouting over one another while tourists haggled for trinkets and snacks.
Sam and Cynthia strolled hand in hand, blending into the lively atmosphere.
Cynthia had both hands full, an ice cream cone in one and a sugar-dusted donut in the other.
Even with her Champion's elegance, she looked like a carefree girl lost in the joys of food.
Her eyes suddenly lit up as they passed a jewelry stall covered with shiny, colorful accessories.
"Sam, look!"
She tugged his sleeve, pointing at the table.
"They're selling headpieces over there. Let's go see!"
Without waiting for his reply, she stuffed her half-melted ice cream into his free hand and bounced toward the stall.
She picked up a pair of silver earrings shaped like tiny Eevees, trying them on in front of the little mirror.
"Well?" she asked, twirling to show him.
"Do they look good?"
Sam smiled, already reaching for his wallet.
"They look perfect. We'll take them."
Encouraged, Cynthia moved on to a necklace shaped like a Poké Ball, holding it against her collarbone.
"And this one?"
"Buy it," Sam said without hesitation.
Her eyes sparkled as she grabbed a delicate bracelet shaped like Garchomp's fin.
"What about this?"
"Buy it," he repeated with the same calm tone.
Cynthia giggled, her face glowing with delight.
They continued down the market street, stopping at stalls one after another.
Cynthia darted from accessory to accessory, sometimes laughing like a child, blushing when Sam leaned in to adjust something on her.
To anyone watching, they didn't look like the Champion of Sinnoh and a hidden boss.
They looked like a young couple lost in their own little world, strolling through the warmth of an ordinary afternoon.
Shopping with the one you love has its own kind of happiness.
Eat whatever you want.
You can buy whatever catches your eye.
Forget about prices, forget about practicality.
For Sam and Cynthia, this was one of those rare, carefree days.
"Wow~" Cynthia turned her head, her long blonde hair brushing against Sam's shoulder.
Her eyes sparkled as she noticed the pile of bags in his hands, big and small, hanging off both arms.
"Before I knew it, I bought so much. Is it heavy, husband?"
Sam shifted the bags with ease and shook his head.
"Not heavy at all."
For someone who carried three divine powers within him, this really was nothing.
Still, Cynthia looped her arm around his and leaned closer, her voice dipping into that teasing, affectionate tone only she used with him.
"You've worked hard today."
Sam chuckled.
"If anyone's working hard, it's the shopkeepers."
Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a women's clothing boutique just across the street.
A playful thought crossed his mind, and he nodded toward it.
"You've been buying so much. Shouldn't it be my turn now?"
Cynthia blinked, then broke into a grin.
"No problem! Tell me what you want, and I'll buy it for you."
She puffed out her chest proudly.
"Your wife's got this one."
"Then let's go," Sam said, tugging her hand.
But instead of heading toward a men's store, he pulled her straight into the boutique.
"Eh? Wait!" Cynthia laughed in surprise.
"Didn't you say you wanted to buy your own stuff? Why are we going into the women's store?"
Sam just gave her a meaningful smile without saying a word.
His expression alone said everything.
Cynthia blushed and lightly smacked his arm.
"You're terrible."
Inside, she tried on dress after dress, each more elegant or playful than the last.
Sam stood by, offering suggestions and occasionally adjusting a ribbon or brushing her hair off her shoulder when she emerged from the changing room.
Every time, Cynthia's cheeks grew pinker, but her eyes only grew softer.
By the time they finished, the sun was dipping low, casting a warm orange glow over Slateport.
Sam paid for everything and arranged for the clothes to be delivered directly to their hotel.
With that settled, the two of them walked hand in hand out into the cooling evening air, searching for a place to eat.
They didn't get far.
A sudden shout split the hum of the marketplace.
"No! Absol!"
Heads turned all at once.
People pointed up toward the rooftops in alarm.
"There, it's Absol! Look!"
Sam and Cynthia both followed the cries.
Standing high above the street, on the edge of a tall stone building, was a lone Pokémon.
White fur glimmered faintly under the sinking sun.
A scythe-like horn curved sharply from the right side of its head.
Its crimson eyes watched silently, fixed on something far in the distance.
"Absol…" Cynthia breathed, her voice low.
Sam's eyes narrowed.
Absol.
The Calamity Pokémon.
Though feared by many, Absol itself was not cruel.
It was gentle, almost noble, but cursed with a role that made people distrust it.
The sharp horn on its head could sense the trembling of the earth and the shifting of the skies.
Whenever disaster drew near, be it a storm, a flood, or something far worse, Absol appeared.
It wasn't a bringer of ruin. It was a messenger, a warning.
Yet, because disaster always followed in its wake, people branded it the Beast of Misfortune.
The crowd around them buzzed with panic. Some shouted to run.
Others whispered prayers.
Mothers pulled children close, while merchants hastily closed their stalls.
Cynthia stepped closer to Sam, her hand tightening around his arm.
"If Absol is here…"
Sam's gaze stayed fixed on the Pokémon, the unease in his chest growing heavier.
His voice was low, almost to himself.
"Then something's about to happen in Slateport."