Chapter 325: Is This Fucking Me?
"Hey, I said, haven't you chosen yet?"
Will's voice was a bit annoyed.
His tail had almost been rubbed bald by the passing children, and Cynthia was still picking ice cream flavors here.
No matter how good his temper was, he was somewhat annoyed.
The blind man and the Herdier had already left.
Originally, Cynthia intended to give the last ice cream to them, but they left with the reason "don't want to consume others' kindness recklessly just because I'm a special person."
The children passing by later weren't as kind and cute as the first two.
Often, there were naughty kids who didn't know light or heavy.
Or even touched him without asking.
For these, Will generally used the intimidating effect of Aura Power to scare them away crying.
"Hmm... Peach flavor is nice, but Strawberry flavor is also very good."
"Buy Strawberry flavor."
Will made the decision directly for Cynthia.
Originally, he didn't want to intervene.
But he couldn't stand it anymore.
In the future, he would make decisions for Cynthia on such matters.
"? Why? I think Peach flavor is nice too."
"Then buy Peach flavor."
"But Strawberry flavor..."
"Please give us a Strawberry Castelia Cone!"
Will climbed onto Cynthia's shoulder without a word and pointed to the Strawberry ice cream.
"Okay! One Strawberry ice cream, right?! Thank you for your patronage!"
The clerk was almost moved to tears.
Clearly, it was the last customer, yet he had to work 15 minutes overtime.
He didn't care if the Riolu meant it or not; anyway, he was making this Strawberry ice cream today!
Cynthia took the Strawberry ice cream and left with Will.
She still looked a bit puffy-cheeked.
Seemed she still had some obsession with the Peach flavor ice cream.
But soon Cynthia threw this matter to the back of her mind.
"Does Riolu prefer Strawberry flavor?"
"No, I like Melon flavor. Peach flavor is actually nice too."
Will shook his head.
Suddenly he remembered, he hadn't eaten any sweets for a long time.
More precisely...
Since Lorelei's mother left, he had never eaten any again.
He wouldn't think of eating them himself.
And no one else cared if he wanted to eat.
"Then why choose Strawberry flavor?"
Cynthia glanced at the red ice cream in her hand.
"Because it's red."
"Does Riolu like red?"
"Mm."
"Why?"
Will looked up at the top of Cynthia's head; her long straight blonde hair was brilliant under the sun.
"Secret."
"Tch! Stingy! But I think Strawberry flavor is quite good. Riolu, try it too."
Cynthia extended the ice cream in front of Will.
"You want to eat my saliva?"
"Pah! Don't say such disgusting things. I just don't dislike Riolu."
"Hehe, no need. Just eat it yourself."
Will grinned casually.
He had passed the age of liking sweets.
"You dislike me!"
Cynthia poked Will's face with a finger.
"...I don't."
"Then why don't you eat?"
"Don't want to eat."
"You just dislike me."
Will was speechless.
He found he was horribly wrong.
How calm the future Cynthia would be was a matter of the future.
The Cynthia appearing in the anime was almost thirty, naturally calm and composed like a wife.
This blonde now was just a twelve-year-old girl.
Thinking about Lorelei in his previous life.
The gap between twelve and thirty-two, Will understood instantly.
He couldn't hold the filter from the anime for the current Cynthia.
So.
Will extended his tongue and licked the ice cream ball on the cone into his stomach in one go, leaving only the cone outside.
Cynthia looked at the cone in her hand, staring at Will, stunned.
"See, I don't dislike you."
Will spread his hands, revealing a cheeky smile.
Cynthia instantly turned red.
Will started running without a word.
"Bad Riolu! Pay me back!"
Cynthia chased fiercely from behind while shouting.
The two little ones ran around in the huge Castelia City, unknowingly arriving at the Castelia Gym.
Castelia Gym wasn't simply an ordinary Gym.
It could also be said to be a small botanical garden, or an insect ecology museum.
When the Gym was idle.
Ordinary people were allowed to enter and visit.
But this obviously wouldn't happen in recent years.
The Gym system had just appeared.
Many trainers were attracted by the novelty.
Castelia Gym had no idle time at all.
"I decided! The first battle, I'll send Riolu!"
Cynthia dragged Will into the Gym.
Half an hour later.
Cynthia walked out of Castelia Gym sadly.
Didn't lose the Gym challenge.
The difficulty of Castelia Gym, a Bug-type Gym, wasn't high; the Gym Leader wasn't a particularly powerful trainer.
This was normal.
Without Will's influence on history.
The first eight Gym Leaders should have been invited.
Not selected through competitions, so varying strength was normal.
The current Leader of Castelia Gym would probably be replaced within two years, maybe even half a year.
Cynthia's expression was bad for another reason.
"Riolu, why didn't you listen to my commands just now? Do you hate me?"
Cynthia pulled Will's ear.
"No, if I hated you, why would I follow you? It's just that your command style differs too much from my fighting style. Listening to your commands makes my fighting restrained."
Will spread his hands, speaking the truth.
That Bug Gym Leader of Castelia Gym wasn't someone who could be crushed by stats.
Listening to Cynthia's commands, he would 100% get injured in battle.
But fighting by himself, he could clear it 100% unharmed.
In that case, why listen to Cynthia's commands?
He had no tacit understanding with Cynthia now.
Cynthia hadn't even seen a few of his battles, completely ignorant of his style; commanding forcefully would greatly drag him down.
It's like:
You are Itachi Uchiha with Mangekyō Sharingan activated, and in a genjutsu duel, Might Guy wants to command you to fight.
Is Might Guy weaker than Itachi Uchiha?
Can't say that.
Both are strong.
But strong in different fighting styles.
Letting Might Guy command Itachi Uchiha in a genjutsu duel is really interesting.
At least...
Cynthia had to reach the level of Lorelei during her Elite Four period.
Only then would Will relax his mind and body, stop thinking, and completely trust Cynthia's commands.
At that time, Lorelei could freely change her command style in battle.
Wait for an opportunity to counterattack when commanding Lapras in the previous match.
Take the initiative to attack when commanding Will in the next match.
Alert, flexible, changing freely.
Only such a Lorelei could minimize dragging Will down in battle.
The current Cynthia was still far off.
"In other words, the current me cannot gain Riolu's recognition?"
"...Yes."
Will thought about whether there was a euphemistic way to say it, but considering Cynthia's strong character, he nodded decisively.
"I understand! I will continue to become stronger, and one day become a trainer recognized by Riolu."
"Then, I'll listen to your commands."
Will grinned.
Cynthia's personality was great; she wouldn't pester and make things difficult for her Pokémon, nor would she be depressed because of this matter.
"Does Riolu really like me?"
Cynthia confirmed again.
"Mm."
"Hehe."
The blonde revealed a smile.
Only then did she have time to admire the green Insect Badge in her hand.
"This is the Gym Badge~ Feels quite simple; just need to collect seven more."
"Don't underestimate those Gym Leaders too much; there are always powerful characters."
Will glanced at her.
"I know. No matter who I face, I will go all out."
Cynthia clenched her fist.
"Where to next?"
"To Castelia Gallery (maybe referring to the art gallery in Nacrene City, but text says Castelia Gallery/Art exhibition?). I heard it records some history and legends of the Unova region."
Hearing Will ask this, Cynthia's eyes lit up immediately.
Challenging Gyms was secondary.
Exploring history and legends was the most important.
"Let's go."
About half an hour later.
They arrived at the legendary Castelia Gallery (implied art exhibition/street).
This was just a small gallery, exhibiting only works by Castelia City painters, with themes being legends of the Unova region.
However, many paintings inside were quite valuable.
For example, those paintings passed down from hundreds or thousands of years ago.
The recorded content had a high probability of being scenes witnessed by those painters personally.
Walking in the gallery.
Will casually glanced at the paintings hanging on the side wall and could basically judge their authenticity.
For example...
[Zekrom and the eldest prince of the Kingdom of the Vale drove the second prince out of the Kingdom of the Vale.]
Fake news!
Although Will's memory of Unova's past history was a bit blurry.
He still remembered the big events.
The real history was:
A thousand years ago, the battle between those two princes didn't have a winner.
The Black and White Dragons were sealed.
Dragon veins chaotic.
Kingdom of the Vale destroyed.
People of the Vale relocated.
Sword of the Vale...
"Riolu, look quickly!"
Will's thoughts were interrupted; Cynthia's exclamation came from the side.
He walked over to look.
His expression instantly became:
0.0?
The painting in front of Cynthia.
Was an old man with white hair wearing a crown, handing the scepter symbolizing supreme status in his hand to... a Riolu's hand.
There was a note under the painting...
[The King of the Kingdom of the Vale, before dying, handed the scepter in his hand to his most trusted 'Teacher' Riolu.]
"Oh my god, so a Pokémon like Riolu appeared in the Unova region a thousand years ago too. And this Riolu looks a bit big..."
Cynthia extended a hand to pinch her chin, issuing an incredible sigh.
Is this fucking me?! I don't remember Riolu existing in that history, bastard!
Will frowned tightly, his face turning black.
He didn't want to get involved in the chaos of the Unova region a thousand years ago!
"Cynthia, how about we leave? I think the Hoenn region is quite fun."
"~No! We're already here~ I'm super interested in this Kingdom of the Vale now! Riolu, research with me~"
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