"Very good. You did well, Champion Cynthia."
Two hours later, the photo shoot finally finished. Damian took the camera from Tapu Fini. He looked through the photos quickly and nodded because he was happy.
Cynthia fixed her clothes. They were a little messy.
"I did what I promised. Now, we are even," Cynthia said calmly.
How should she describe it? She would probably remember this photo shoot for a very long time.
"Of course. I am a man who keeps my promises," Damian grinned.
"These photos…" Cynthia waited for a moment. She still wanted to ask what Damian would do with them.
"About that, Champion Cynthia, you can look for a user named 'Photographer Damian' on the Hoenn Forum. All the photos on that account are mine."
Damian gave Cynthia a simple smile.
"Before you, Wallace and Steven also had photos there. I took them."
"..."
Cynthia had a strange look on her face.
Photos of Wallace and Steven? Were those the embarrassing photos of Wallace and Steven in women's clothes?
Yes, that was right. Cynthia had seen those photos before. They were very popular on the Hoenn Forum. When Cynthia went on the forum, she always saw them in the top posts.
Cynthia had not asked Wallace or Steven about the photos. She respected what other people liked to do. But now she finally understood why those photos were online.
Damian was a mean guy.
She wondered if Damian would post the photos of her and him together.
Cynthia waited but did not ask. She knew that if Damian wanted to post them, she could not stop him. It was better not to ask.
"Damian, I know I cannot change your mind, but I want to ask. Can you let Caitlin go?" Cynthia asked Damian.
"'Let her go'?" Damian raised an eyebrow. This woman was starting again.
"Champion Cynthia, I am not happy to hear that."
"Wasn't it you who brought Caitlin into Team Rocket?"
Cynthia was sure now. Damian was the person who made Caitlin change. There was no mistake.
"It was me, but I do not think this is bad." Damian put the camera away. He moved his head to the side and looked at Cynthia calmly.
"Champion Cynthia, Caitlin and I told you this. You do not understand what people like us want."
Cynthia frowned.
"Caitlin has a lot of talent. But before, she was not free and did not have a self. People always compared her to you, Champion Cynthia."
Damian's voice was calm.
"You do not know, right? When I met Caitlin, she was ready to give up. She wanted to stop trying to be like you. She was going to give up her pride."
Cynthia bit her lip. She looked sad.
Was it because of her? Did her success put too much pressure on Caitlin? Cynthia felt guilty.
"But now Caitlin is free. She has a place where she belongs and a goal. She has Team Rocket. They accept her. She has no rules to stop her. How is she worse than before?"
Cynthia stopped breathing for a moment because of Damian's question.
"But Caitlin should not be in Team Rocket in the future…" Cynthia argued quietly after she calmed down.
"You just dislike Team Rocket. You think Team Rocket is an evil group, so you do not like us," Damian scoffed.
"Is it not?" Cynthia looked at Damian.
"Of course. It was true in the past. I agree." Damian shrugged. He did not argue.
Team Rocket was a group of criminals in the past. People hated them and the League wanted to catch them for a reason.
"So, please let Caitlin go, Damian. I can promise you anything!" Cynthia's voice was strong.
"You did not listen to me. I do not decide if Caitlin stays or leaves." Damian did not know what to say, but then he became interested. "Is it true that you will do 'anything'?"
"Yes."
"Does that include marrying me?"
"...I can." Cynthia waited for a moment. "If you and Caitlin leave Team Rocket together, we will get married."
Tsk. Why was there a sudden change?
Damian was confused. In LaRousse City, Cynthia did not want this at all.
"That is a good offer. But I cannot agree," Damian said with a quiet laugh.
"Caitlin makes her own choices. Also, she is my best helper. Caitlin is very important to me."
"If Caitlin leaves Team Rocket, who will take her place? Will you do it, Cynthia?" Damian asked with a smile.
Cynthia frowned again. She wondered if Damian meant this: Caitlin can leave, but Cynthia must take her place?
This...
Cynthia bit her lip. How could she do that? She wanted Caitlin to leave the evil group. But if she joined Team Rocket, it was the same thing.
Cynthia thought about this a lot. It was complicated.
...
In Ever Grande City, at the training field behind the League building.
Steven and the others were there. Cynthia also came back.
Her face looked strange, but Steven and the others were thinking about many things. They did not notice her behavior.
"These are the Mega Stones and Key Stones from Professor Sycamore."
Steven opened the case on the ground. Inside the box, there were shiny Mega Stones and Key Stones.
"So beautiful..."
Wallace liked how the stones looked.
"They are very pretty," Nemona said. She looked at the Mega Stones.
"Professor Sycamore is still studying where Mega Stones come from. If we do not need some stones, we must send them back," Steven said.
"These are Key Stones for Trainers. If a Trainer has a Key Stone and it connects with the Pokémon's Mega Stone, the Pokémon can Mega Evolve."
"This is Professor Sycamore's idea, but I think it works. That is how Damian evolved his Tyranitar before."
Steven picked up a Key Stone. He explained it to Giovanni and the others.
"Each Pokémon needs a specific Mega Stone. Professor Sycamore does not know which stone is for which Pokémon yet. We have to find out."
"Also, maybe some Pokémon cannot Mega Evolve. Let's let our Pokémon try to find their stones."
"Because these stones are for specific Pokémon, there must be a connection," Steven said.
"That is easy. I will go first!"
Wallace moved his hair back.
"I want my Milotic to Mega Evolve now. Then I will catch those evil Team Rocket Executives!"
Wallace was still angry about the past.
He would let Steven and the others fight Damian. But Wallace was very angry with Zinnia and Caitlin.
He was Wallace! He was the Hoenn Champion before! He should not lose to an evil group. It did not make sense.
"Alright." Steven nodded. He and Cynthia moved back.
Wallace opened a Poké Ball. Milotic came out and looked at him. It was confused.
"Milotic, look at these stones. Do any of them feel special?" Wallace asked Milotic.
Milotic moved its head because it was confused. Wallace told it to look, so it looked at the box of Mega Stones.
It smelled the stones on the left and the right. Milotic looked confused.
"No reaction?" Wallace was shocked.
That could not be true! He believed his Milotic could Mega Evolve.
"Can I try?" Giovanni asked.
"Sure."
Wallace said yes. He thought his Milotic was still okay.
"Beedrill." Giovanni sent out his Beedrill.
"Beedrill, look at these stones. See if one feels special or if you feel a connection." Giovanni pointed at the stones.
Beedrill thought for a moment. It flew to the box and used its stingers to move the stones. It pointed at one stone. Then it looked at Giovanni and made a sound.
It worked?
Steven and the others were happy.
"Is it this one?" Giovanni walked to the box. He picked up the stone Beedrill pointed at.
Beedrill nodded.
"Does it really work? Giovanni, please try it now!" Nemona was excited.
Giovanni's Beedrill was already very strong. If it Mega Evolved, it would be even stronger.
Nemona knew this. She had trained with Cynthia, Giovanni, and Leon because she was bored. They agreed to train with her because she was excited.
Giovanni's Beedrill surprised Nemona. She used to think Beedrill was weak, but now she changed her mind.
It was very strong!
Her best Pokémon, Baxcalibur, lost to Beedrill very quickly. She could not believe it.
Nemona wanted to catch a Beedrill now too.
"Yes, Gym Leader Giovanni, try it," Steven said.
"Alright."
Giovanni was also interested. He took a Key Stone and gave the Mega Stone to Beedrill.
"Professor Sycamore says Mega Evolution needs the right stones. But the Trainer and Pokémon must also trust each other very much," Steven said.
"If they do not trust each other, the Pokémon might become wild because the power is too much."
"Gym Leader Giovanni and Beedrill will be fine." Leon crossed his arms and looked at them.
He wondered if his Charizard had a Mega Stone. Leon was excited. In Galar, they use Dynamax. But Dynamax only works in Galar near special places.
But Mega Evolution works everywhere. If he could do it, he would be much stronger.
"Beedrill!"
Giovanni held the Key Stone toward Beedrill. He was very calm.
Damian gave him a Mega Stone for Beedrill a long time ago. Giovanni knew this was the right stone. He knew the evolution would work.
The Key Stone flashed with light. Then, a rainbow light covered Beedrill.
Steven and the others looked surprised when they saw this.
"It is working! It really works!" Nemona was very surprised.
"Great!"
"Now we have Mega Evolution, we can fight Team Rocket again!"
Wallace was very happy. He wanted to say, "Just wait, Team Rocket!"
Now the Champions have Mega Evolution, they are not afraid anymore.
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