Inside a café in Hau'oli City.
Cynthia sat by the window, slowly stirring her coffee as she watched the street outside.
Bright afternoon sunlight poured in, warm on her skin. Pedestrians drifted past, laughing and playing—it was the kind of scene that made the world feel light.
Cynthia sighed.
None of it felt like it belonged to her.
A week had passed since the incident at Ten Carat Hill.
This was Alola. Cynthia couldn't just step in and throw her authority around. All she could do was lean on Professor Kukui and Kahuna Hala and hope they found Caitlin soon.
Their last meeting had gone poorly, but Cynthia still wanted a real conversation with Caitlin. She couldn't stand watching someone she saw as a sister keep walking deeper into the dark.
She was afraid Caitlin would never make it back into the light—or back to anything resembling a normal life.
And then there was that young man named Damian…
"Hm?"
Cynthia's eyes tightened.
Down the road, a young man dressed in white walked at an easy pace, one hand in his pocket. Messy black hair. A handsome face. The kind of lazy confidence that made him look like he didn't take consequences seriously.
Damian.
Cynthia froze for a beat.
Are criminals these days really this brazen?
He was strolling down the main street like it was his. Like he had nothing to worry about.
Then she saw him whistle at a woman in a bikini as she walked by.
…What?
Cynthia's expression sharpened.
Was he really harassing women in broad daylight?
She snapped out of it, stood, and left the café.
Damian definitely knew something about Caitlin.
And as a League Champion, she wasn't going to spot a Team Rocket operative and pretend it wasn't her problem—especially one who was clearly dangerous, a trainer at the very top.
Outside, Cynthia tailed him.
She kept her pace controlled. The downtown area was crowded, people everywhere. Cynthia wasn't afraid of Damian, but she couldn't risk a battle spilling into civilians.
And Team Rocket wasn't known for morals.
If Damian got cornered, would he use people as shields?
Would he lash out at them directly?
So Cynthia didn't rush in.
She followed quietly, waiting for the right opening.
But what is he even doing?
Damian's path was deliberate.
Cynthia watched him until he stepped into a convenience store.
A convenience store?
She paused outside, alert, and didn't follow him in.
A few minutes later, Damian came out with a small bag of snacks and headed toward the beach.
To Cynthia's disbelief, Damian released Tapu Fini from a Poké Ball—
and then dropped onto a beach chair.
Just… dropped.
This guy came here to catch a sea breeze, stare at the ocean, and lounge?
Damian sipped juice, ate little cakes, and openly admired the beachgoers like he was on vacation. Cynthia stared, trying to process it.
Is this… normal?
Then Damian looked straight at her.
And waved.
Cynthia's brow drew down.
She was the Sinnoh League Champion, and he didn't run.
He greeted her.
Cynthia weighed it for a moment, then walked over.
"I didn't expect to run into you here. What a coincidence, Champion Cynthia," Damian called out with a laugh as she approached.
He motioned at the seat like they were friends.
"C'mon, sit. I bought a bunch of snacks. Have some."
Are we even that close?
Damian's casual familiarity tested Cynthia's patience, but her face stayed composed.
He nodded at the drink on the table.
"You want some? This place makes a solid watermelon juice. Ice-cold."
"Fini!"
Tapu Fini hugged her cup to her chest and made an offended noise, glaring at Cynthia like she was already taking something.
Half of that juice was hers.
If he shared, her portion got smaller.
Cynthia: "…"
She didn't understand Tapu Fini's words, but the possessive body language was obvious.
Damian waved it off. "Don't be stingy, Fini. The store's right there. If we run out, you can go grab more."
Tapu Fini puffed her cheeks and kept staring at Cynthia with open dislike.
She remembered Cynthia from their last encounter.
Damian acted like this was routine.
Tapu Fini cared way too much about food. Back home, Damian had seen her get into little scuffles with Gengar over stolen snacks. Most of the time, Gengar would turn invisible and play dead, leaving Tapu Fini furious and helpless—until she stormed off to Damian to complain.
Cynthia looked from Tapu Fini back to Damian.
"Thank you," Cynthia said evenly, "but don't bother. I'm not thirsty."
She hadn't come here to share snacks.
"Damian," Cynthia asked, "what are you doing here?"
Her left hand still held Garchomp's Poké Ball.
Damian lounged like he didn't notice. "You're looking at it, Champ. Sun, waves, scenery."
He tilted his head.
"That's not illegal, is it?"
"…No."
It wasn't illegal.
But that wasn't the real issue, and they both knew it.
Damian's smile said he could read her thoughts and didn't care.
"Don't box me in," he said, voice lazy. "Yeah, I'm with Team Rocket. I've still got a life."
He stretched his arms like the conversation bored him.
"And relax. If you don't come at me, I'm not doing anything stupid today."
Meaning: don't start a fight, and he wouldn't either.
Cynthia understood immediately.
Strange.
But in a crowded beach area… it really wasn't a place to throw down.
So she switched tactics.
"Your father is Giovanni," Cynthia said, "Viridian City's Gym Leader."
She didn't ask about Caitlin. Damian wouldn't answer.
Damian took a sip of juice, unimpressed. "You already confirmed that. Obviously."
He reached toward Tapu Fini without looking.
Tapu Fini, chewing a piece of pineapple, handed him a slice of strawberry cake as if it were automatic.
Cynthia kept her eyes on him.
"Why join Team Rocket?" she asked.
Caitlin was one thing.
But Damian—someone this capable—made even less sense.
"Tch." Damian clicked his tongue. "That question again."
He leaned back, then glanced at her like he was deciding whether she'd earned anything.
"I could tell you," he said. "If you do me one favor."
"Say it," Cynthia replied.
If it was outrageous, she'd refuse.
Damian sat up, suddenly serious in a way that felt like a setup.
"I like you," he said. "A lot."
His face stayed straight.
"Champion Cynthia—beautiful, elegant—you're basically an idol to me. I've been following you for a long time."
Cynthia didn't react.
She didn't believe him for a second.
Damian held her gaze anyway.
"So," he said, calm as ever, "can you wear a swimsuit?"
"I really want to see it."
"???"
Cynthia stared at him, genuinely lost for words.