- Vagabond - Male Reader x Pokémon

Chapter 24: We'll Meet Again

[Outside The Jubilife Pokemon Centre...]

"Just be quiet, you big idiot. I'm glad you're alright." Cynthia mumbled, her face buried into [Y/N]'s torso, arms held tight under his arms, and he slowly reciprocated, not entirely prepared for the gesture from seemingly nowhere. Sycamore, with his brow still wet with sweat from the stress of a potential attack from the blonde trainer's Gible, threw up an uncertain thumbs-up from behind Cynthia, giving him some encouragement. [Y/N] nodded back, his face warming up. "Yeah, I'm glad too, but I couldn't just let you leave without a proper send-off..." He responded, patting her back in return...

Cynthia pulled away, a red tint to her face. "What happened?!" Her voice grew stern, desperate to know what happened to him. "Oh, well, you know..." [Y/N] tried to come up with a good excuse, but his mind went empty. It usually wasn't this hard but trying to lie to her was much harder than against some random Rocket grunts. "Oh! You haven't met my new friend over here, Cynthia, meet Sycamore, Sycamore, meet Cynthia!" He sputtered out, avoiding the question.

For some strange reason, with the morning sun hanging low in the sky behind Sycamore, a soft breeze passed by and ruffled his jet black hair, giving him an almost majestic look as he stepped towards her. "[Y/N] why didn't you tell me you had such a beautiful friend!" He shot her a smile with one eye closed, holding up his hair with a single hand. He extended an arm and took her hand, leaving a small kiss, and he flashed her a smirk. It was a traditional sign of respect in Kalos, especially between ladies and gents. "Mademoiselle, your beauty is incomparable! --"

However, Sycamore wasn't prepared for [Y/N] to crash into him, pushing him away, and the two struggled, cursing at one another. Cynthia, Lucian and Flint watched on as the two grappled back and forth with deadpanned expressions. "Y-You traitor! H-How could you?!" The limping trainer shouted. "A-All is fair in love and war, mon ami!" It was then that both of them were taken by surprise, as Cynthia hit them both over the head, sending them to the floor. "You're both stupid."

[Y/N] and Sycamore rubbed their heads, recovering from the hit, standing before the three trainers, ready to leave. "If we're quick then we'll get to Oreburgh in a week, but that depends on how the weather treats us." Lucian said, pressing his glasses further up, catching the sun's glare. "And then there's the Rocket problem, so we'll have to be extra careful." He continued. Flint shook his head. "I hope we come across some grunts, it'd be good training for my team!" He shouted, folding his arms with a smirk...

Cynthia smiled to herself, turning back towards [Y/N]. "What are you going to do then?" He scratched the back of his neck. "I'll probably stay around here, recover for a bit. Train up my team...." It was then that she realised he didn't have his team out, which was strange considering he always had his team out. They were all taking a well-deserved nap in the capsules.

He flashed her a smirk. "Don't think that just because you're getting a head start means you'll win the next time we fight! You're Gible won't be able to land a single hit on my awesome Pokémon! And that's a promise!" [Y/N] had a confident look to him, despite the pain in his leg, or his scuffed clothing from the brief brawl with Sycamore. "Oh, and take this..." His mind wandered to the small package he had been given, the two Pokétch devices. "Don't ask me how I got these, just take it." Cynthia's eyes ran across the metal casing, realising what it was he had given her. "Is this really a Pokétch, but I thought the detective--"

"Don't ask, you don't wanna know. You're welcome." Cynthia looked at him for a few seconds before turning away with a quiet chuckle. "Alright, but you better keep to that promise, or I'll never forgive you! The next time we meet, your team against mine, a real battle, not like the last one!" [Y/N] threw his hand out. "Shake on it! I'd do a blood pact but I've already lost too much..." He mumbled to himself, and she shook her head, never able to know what he'll say next. "Fine, it's a promise..." And she took his hand, shaking back.