Cynthia awoke to things going from bad to worse.

  She didn’t notice at first, exhaustion pinning her down like a Snorlax using Rest. But when she cracked open her eyes, she saw the problem immediately.

  Her heart skipped a beat.

  Cynthia froze, her eyes locking onto his form, not quite believing what she was seeing.

  No.

  It wasn’t possible.

  She shot up, her mind racing, desperately trying to figure out if there was some way to salvage the situation.

  “Myst!”

  His head snapped toward her, eyes unfocused and dazed, like he couldn’t quite comprehend anything. He shifted slightly and something rustled.

  Cynthia’s heart sank before her gaze even reached his hand.

  It was too late.

  There was nothing to salvage, that much was obvious at first glance.

  Myst blinked, forcing himself to focus. As he took in her horrified expression, he slowly realized she was, in fact, awake and aware. That she saw what had happened, and that there was no avoiding or hiding it.

  “Cynthia, I...” He trailed off, looking down at his arm.

  Cynthia stared at him, feeling her stomach sink.

  “You didn’t.” She said simply.

  For a heartbeat, she didn’t know what to feel. Then, slowly, she let her eyes drop again, daring to face the truth.

  In his hand, hanging limply, was a small blue bag decorated with golden lightning symbols.

  The bold letters were obscured, but she didn’t need to read them.

  She knew what they said.

  Mareeps: Electrically Delicious, Shockingly Nutritious.

  Myst looked up at her, then slowly opened his mouth. “Would you believe me if I said Rei ate them?”

  Cynthia’s gaze flicked to her side, where the Rabbit Pokémon was still sleeping peacefully.

  Her eyes returned to Myst.

  She smiled at him.

  He smiled back.

  It was a truly crooked thing.

  …..

  Cynthia had honestly gone easy on him.

  Really.

  If anybody else had pulled that kind of stunt, eating her emergency candy like that… she wasn’t sure what she would have done, but it wouldn’t have been pretty.

  But he was lucky.

  And she still felt a little bad for him, so she let it go.

  She would remember this, of course. Take it to heart that he knew where the hidden compartment was. Clearly, it wasn’t hidden enough. She’d need to get a special one designed for her bag.

  In fact, that would be the first thing she did when they got back to the city. Find a tailor who could add a secret pocket, one that was actually secret. It would be useful for other things, too. Like if she needed to hide something somewhere less obvious than inside the waterproof compartment.

  The fact that it would also hide the candy was just a convenient bonus.

  Honestly.

  “Cynthia, why are you smiling like you’re planning my murder?” Myst asked, sounding genuinely perturbed.

  She froze, instantly letting her smile disappear.

  “My smile is not creepy. It’s a very normal and beautiful smile for a young lady,” she stated.

  Myst’s eyebrows shot up. “Yeah, because somebody with a normal smile would definitely answer like that.”

  Beside him, Queenie let out a chuckle, followed by a rumble of agreement.

  Cynthia shot her oldest companion a betrayed look, but all she got was a flat one in return. They didn’t need to communicate through words, she still understood what her Gabite meant.

  Why are you looking at me? He is right.

  Instead of fighting a losing battle, she turned around, glancing over to the entrance. The sky was covered with dark clouds and even without knowing much about that kind of stuff Cynthia could tell that the rain about to fall wasn’t going to be just a light drizzle.

  Honestly the entire situation wasn’t worth getting mad at about, after all, she didn’t really care.

  Cynthia managed to convince herself of that for exactly ten seconds.

  “You know, for somebody who would steal my candy, you seem awfully high on your own horse, Myst,” She said quietly.

  The words still carried more than well enough in the quiet morning.

  Myst cringed at her words. “I thought we were over that. Didn’t I sort of save your life, like, yesterday? I feel like that should give me some credit here.” He crossed his arms, his voice growing more confident. “Really, I feel like I deserve a reward.”

  Reward.

  He deserved a reward.

  Cynthia spun around, feeling anger flare as she looked at his stupid face growing surprised.

  He had deserved a reward, that was something she would readily agree to.

  In fact, she had already thought about that yesterday.

  “You did deserve a reward, but maybe I wanted to give it to you today? After all, you were exhausted yesterday, so I didn’t think you would be in any state to enjoy it. Then I awoke and saw…” She clenched her fist.

  It was stupid to feel angry about it when she had already decided to give him her last candy.

  Really, he had just taken something that was already his.

  She still felt acutely robbed of something.

  “Oh.” He said simply, glancing down at the blue bag that now lay discarded on the cave floor. His shoulders slumped as the reality of the situation sank in.

  “Oh,” he mumbled again, his voice smaller this time. His eyes dropped, refusing to meet hers. His face flushed with embarrassment, a faint pink tinge spreading across his cheeks.

  An awkward silence filled the cave, heavy and suffocating. It was the kind of quiet that felt too loud, amplifying every rustle of the wind and every drop of rain outside.

  Cynthia crossed her arms under her chest, her fingers digging into her sleeves as she took a slow, measured breath. She forced herself to look away, fixing her gaze on the cave entrance.

  Rain poured down in thick sheets, the sound a steady, unrelenting drumbeat against the earth. The forest beyond was a hazy blur, distorted by the downpour. Even if they wanted to leave, it would be impossible to get anywhere in this weather.

  They were stuck here, with nothing to do but wait. And wait. And wait.

  Her eyes flicked back to Myst, who was still standing there, shoulders hunched, face turned downwards. Even now, he looked better than he had yesterday. His colour had returned, and his injury had closed, but she knew his limits.

  She’d seen his stamina, or lack thereof.

  Even before the Aura booster had closed his wounds, his endurance hadn’t been anything to brag about. And after using it? He was running on borrowed energy. Even if he tried to push himself, they wouldn’t get far before he collapsed.

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  No, traveling today wasn’t an option. Not with him in that state.

  Which meant they were stuck here.

  As she stared out into the rain, she slowly realized something.

  This place…

  It couldn’t have been too far from where she had found those carvings.

  The memory sent a thrill through her, excitement bubbling up and washing away some of her irritation. A plan started to form as she focused on the steady drumming of the rain. With Riolu, she could try to find a trace of her old Aura, and following that would lead them straight back to the cave.

  She’d even have an easy way back, the Aura trail would be fresh.

  Honestly, maybe this day was off to a good start after all!

  She glanced at the pack of candy. Its emptiness hitting like a shock to the system.

  Or maybe not.

  She hadn’t lied; she had meant to give him some candy as a reward.

  But like…

  Maybe one or two pieces.

  Maybe.

  “Honestly, boys.” She mumbled under her breath.

  ………..

  She did get her wish.

  Sort of anyway.

  She’d been right about the caves being nearby, which was great. She’d just been wrong about being able to leave Myst behind while she went exploring. That part had been pure wishful thinking.

  And, annoyingly, it wasn’t even his fault. He’d actually made a good point.

  If they were this close to the caves, then they were also close to the Dustox hive. Which meant that if either of them got spotted, they’d have to run. Fast. And since they had no way to communicate from a distance, splitting up was just asking for trouble.

  She hated that he was right.

  She hated it even more that he looked so smug about it, leaning against the tree like he wasn’t still recovering from almost dying yesterday. Arms outstretched, head held high, looking for all the world like he was perfectly fine.

  His eyes flickered to her face, and he shot her a smile.

  She turned away, huffing.

  Honestly, couldn’t he have felt bad for a little longer?

  Luckily, his smugness didn’t last. The moment he opened his mouth, his bravado shattered. “Really... can’t we...” he wheezed, “move a little... slower?” He was practically gasping between every other word.

  Cynthia pursed her lips. “We need to get to the cave first. If we get spotted out here, we’ll have to run, and I don’t think you’d enjoy being carried by Queenie as much as you think,” she said, her fingers brushing the Poké Ball at her side.

  She normally preferred to have Queenie walk beside her, but navigating the dense forest while avoiding anything that even looked like a Wurmple required a bit more subtlety. And a Gabite was anything but subtle. Between her size, her claws, and, most importantly, that unmistakable dragon aura, Queenie stood out like a Gyarados in a kiddie pool.

  For now, keeping her in her Poké Ball was the safer option. At least until they made it to the cave.

  Riolu yipped.

  Cynthia tensed instantly, only for him to wave his paw.

  Not enemies.

  “Riolu.” He waved in a general direction, and Cynthia smiled as she understood what he meant.

  He had found a trace of their old aura, which meant he could lead them right to the cave.

  “I guess he found your tracks,” Myst muttered, pushing himself off the tree.

  They did not end up moving slower, instead they sped up and by the time they neared the cave, Myst was already dead tired again, more or less dragging himself forward by grabbing at branches.

  She ignored him, mind focused on only one thing.

  “You’re about to see something incredible,” Cynthia said proudly, her heart racing at the thought of dating the carvings.

  Were they from the times of Hisui?

  Or even older?

  “Well, I sure hope so, considering how cagey you’ve been about why exactly we needed to get to that cave,” Myst between pants, his exhaustion breaking through his usual sarcasm. He hesitated before muttering under his breath, “Really, I don’t get what I’m supposed to have missed. This is pretty much where I woke up when I got here.”

  Cynthia didn’t bother responding, already moving ahead with a spring in her step. She hadn’t expected to feel this excited, but anticipation buzzed through her veins. Most people didn’t share her enthusiasm for ancient carvings and old legends. Some even thought it was silly to dig into the past like this.

  Not that she thought Myst would outright mock her but expecting him to share her excitement was probably asking too much.

  When they finally spotted the cave opening, she didn’t slow down, instead she rushed inside without a second thought.

  As she stepped into the cave, her eyes locked onto them immediately.

  There weren’t many carvings, and she’d completely missed them when she first stumbled in here. But now, with the light cracking through the clouds and filtering through the entrance, they were unmistakable.

  It was unlike most other cave carvings she had seen. They didn’t feature humans or basic Pokémon, but at the same time it was unmistakable that they were from humans.

  Because while she couldn’t read them, the stuff on the wall was unmistakably words.

  Sentences scratched into the wall, complete with a small rudimentary map in the corner and some kind of counting system. She moved closer, fingers brushing over the carvings.

  Then froze.

  They felt…

  New.

  She’d visited many ancient sites before, touched carvings that were rough and weathered, worn down by time. The lines had always been uneven, softened by erosion.

  These?

  “Ehm, Cynthia?” Myst’s voice rang out from behind her.

  She narrowed her eyes, noticing details she hadn’t seen before. Last time she was here, she’d been too focused on snapping pictures, too careful to touch anything. Then she’d gotten distracted by an adorable Wurmple outside, only to be chased off before getting a proper look.

  Now?

  She could tell there was no way these carvings were ancient. A few years old, at most.

  Her hands trembled, a surge of raw emotion flooding through her. She didn’t usually get angry, but right now?

  After everything today?

  A dark laugh escaped her, sharp and humourless. She barely noticed Riolu and Myst taking a cautious step back.

  “When I find the one who dared deface this…” Her lips curled into a vicious smile. “I will-”

  Myst let out a nervous chuckle, cutting her off. “So… this was what you wanted to show me?”

  Cynthia’s head snapped toward him, eyes narrowing. If he dared to so much as smirk…

  But he didn’t. He just watched her, waiting patiently for an answer.

  She gritted her teeth, unsure if she wanted him to speak up and say something stupid just so she’d have an excuse to yell.

  “Yes,” she admitted, her voice tense, “but that was before I realized they were freshly made. I didn’t have time to inspect them last time, and I stupidly assumed no one would be idiotic enough to deface the heart of Eterna Forest like this.” Her fingers curled into fists. “When I get back, the first thing I’m doing is reporting this to the Rangers. They’ll sic their best psychometry specialist on this and find the one responsible.”

  Myst looked at her, then back at the carvings.

  “Maybe they just didn’t know, I mean they don’t even look that bad do they?”

  “They’re vandalism,” Cynthia snapped, her frustration bleeding into her words. “Someone thought it was funny to deface a Pokémon sanctuary, and they’re going to pay for it.” She forced herself to take a deep breath, her anger simmering.

  She didn’t notice Riolu throwing a worried look towards Myst, raising his paws like in prayer.

  ……

  Cynthia cradled her knees to her chest, her face buried against her kneecaps as she stared into the ground.

  Today had been terrible.

  Yesterday had been horrific.

  Really, most of the week had just been a disaster.

  And to think people saw her as one of the most anticipated trainers of the gym challenge circuit. What a joke. Thinking she was going to do well just because she had done well in her first gym battle?

  They should see her now.

  Lost on a simple trip between two close cities.

  Unable to handle a battle against a bunch of wild Pokémon, with an honest-to-God amnesiac having to save her.

  And to top it all off, she hadn’t even been able to tell the carvings were recently made. She’d gotten excited over fakes.

  Obvious fakes.

  What a joke.

  “Cynthia,” Myst’s voice was quiet, almost drowned out by the rain outside.

  She didn’t respond. Didn’t feel like hearing any of his jokes right now.

  “Cynthia,” he tried again, a little louder this time.

  Honestly.

  She snapped her head up, glaring at him. He was standing now, making his way across the cave. “What?” she spat, anger lacing her voice. “You want to laugh at me?”

  He froze mid-step, his face falling. Cynthia felt a pang of regret, but before she could take the words back, Myst spoke. “I’m sorry.”

  “For what? That candy was yours anyway.” She mumbled, her head sinking down into her knees again.

  “Not really. Just because you intended to give it to me doesn’t mean I had the right to eat it before that.” He paused, his grin growing rueful before continuing. “Honestly, I don’t have an excuse for why I did it, or at least, not one that doesn’t make me sound seven. They just spoke to me, like some kind of dark lord trying to brainwash a young hero.”

  Cynthia’s lips twitched, the corner of her mouth threatening to curl upward. “You thought they looked that good?” she asked, her voice muffled by her knees.

  Myst’s face grew mock-serious. “I have never felt so weak in my life.”

  Cynthia looked up again and almost jumped when she realized how close he was. Then he sat down beside her, his thin arm just inches from hers. Glancing sideways, she noticed his expression had shifted, no longer playful, just serious.

  “But it was still wrong of me,” he said, his voice soft, genuine. “So... I apologize for stealing them.”

  She stared into his eyes, usually half-hidden by his long, rakish hair, and suddenly noticed just how blue they were. Not the muddy, dull blue she was used to seeing on people. Myst’s eyes were a sharp, clear sky-blue, almost unnatural in their vibrancy.

  They were beautiful.

  Cynthia felt her face heat up, her heart skipping a beat at how close his face was. She quickly scooted away, putting some distance between them.

  “It’s fine. To be honest...” She hesitated, flicking her gaze toward him before quickly looking away, her hair falling like a curtain to hide her face. “To be honest, I hadn’t even decided to give you the candy. And even if I did, I probably would’ve just given you a piece or two.”

  Myst leaned forward, his eyebrows raised. “So you just wanted me to feel bad?”

  Cynthia nodded, feeling her face flush even hotter. “Yeah... a little.”

  He blinked, then let out a laugh. “Well, mission accomplished.”

  Cynthia glared at him playfully. He mimed getting shot, like her gaze hurt him, and she broke.

  She laughed.

  “You are so stupid. Honestly, can’t you stay serious for two seconds, Myst?” she said, barely managing to form the whole sentence between her peals of laughter.

  “I mean, would that be any fun? Really, you’re lucky. If you’d met me a couple of months earlier, you would’ve seen how little fun I am as a gloomy bastard.” He grinned.

  Cynthia shook her head. After knowing him for merely three days, it was almost annoying how on-brand he was. She couldn’t even imagine he was ever gloomy.

  “I can’t even imagine.” She said, shaking her head.

  A brief silence settled over them, but before it could grow awkward Myst spoke up again.

  “Where did Myst come from?” He asked, casually watching Rei command Riolu to get her another piece of Oran Berry.

  Cynthia felt her cheeks colour at the question but still threw him a look. “Hey, you’re the one without a name. I needed something to call you by. Honestly, don’t you think that in the middle of battle, Mr. I’ll-Come-Back-You is a little too long?”

  "Touche, but why Myst and not something more describing, like Boss or, actually, this one actually really fits," he paused, waiting for her face to grow flat, before finishing proudly "Lord!"

  “Lout and Buffoon? You’re right, those do sound a lot better than Myst.” Cynthia grinned, her earlier embarrassment fading as she watched him feign a wounded look. “No, but honestly, it was just natural progression. I kept calling you Mystery in my mind, so that became Myst, I guess.”

  “So you’re saying my nickname could have been Mystery, but instead I got it shortened to Myst?” He asked with a dramatic gasp.

  Cynthia rolled her eyes.

  Honestly, she had always wondered why people went on journeys with others.

  It seemed like such a hassle.

  They got in the way when you battled.

  They ate your candy without asking.

  They watched you embarrass yourself thinking you found a major archaeological find, only to realize you found the equivalent of somebody tagging.

  It seemed stupid.

  But honestly?

  It was probably for moments like these.

  “How do you feel about Lord of Mystery? I think that sounds perfect.”