At this moment, on Ariel's side.
Steven's personal communicator beeped. Steven took a look; it was about Devon Corporation matters.
Steven was a decisive person. Devon Corporation had numerous affairs, and as its future successor, he could not remain detached forever.
He nodded at Ariel and Cynthia as a farewell. Then, accompanied by a clear, metallic chime, a Shinny Metagross shimmered with silver light and hovered behind him.
"See you again if fate allows."
Leaving behind this abrupt remark, Steven rode on the Metagross and broke through the air, transforming into a silver meteor that vanished into the skyline.
Ariel watched him leave, his impression of this hoenn champion improving even further.
Powerful, humble, and without the airs of a typical scion from a prestigious family.
"Let's go too."
Cynthia's voice rang out from beside him. She smoothed out her golden hair that had been tousled by the wind.
"The two Gym Leaders of the Mossdeep City Gym are very interesting children."
Interesting? Ariel pondered this word in his heart.
To be described as "interesting" by a Champion, they must be no ordinary figures.
The road to the Mossdeep City Gym was not long, but for Ariel, it was a novel experience.
Mossdeep City was truly a popular city in the Hoenn region; the entire city exuded an atmosphere where technology and nature blended perfectly.
The white architectural complexes glistened in the sunlight, with smooth and minimalist lines, while lush tropical plants were planted along both sides of the roads. A salty sea breeze blew past, bringing a hint of freshness.
However, no matter how unique the city scenery was, it could not overshadow the person beside him.
Cynthia's popularity in the Hoenn region far exceeded Ariel's expectations.
As soon as they stepped onto the main road, exclamations erupted one after another from the crowd.
"It's Miss Cynthia!"
"Oh my god, it really is Miss Cynthia!"
The crowd, like iron filings attracted by a magnet, instantly swarmed over. Camera flashes clicked incessantly, and pokédexes and mobile phones of various models were all aimed in this direction.
Ariel was a bit dazed by this spectacle and instinctively wanted to take a step back, only to find that his path was already blocked by the enthusiastic crowd.
He looked at Cynthia beside him; there was not a trace of impatience on her face. She still wore that calm and gentle smile, patiently responding to the fans' greetings, and would occasionally stop to fulfill a photo request from one or two young fans.
Every one of her movements was elegant and appropriate, as if she had practiced them a thousand times over.
Ariel sighed silently in his heart.
This was the future Champion, not just a symbol of strength, but also an idol and benchmark in the hearts of countless Trainers.
As for himself, he was like a shadow standing on the edge of the spotlight, ignored by all, yet feeling somewhat uncomfortable being stung by this radiance.
After much difficulty, they made their way through the crowd, and the futuristic building of the Mossdeep City Gym finally appeared before their eyes.
The Gym as a whole was a giant sphere, its outer wall seemingly made of some special glass material. One could see the wondrous scene of stars revolving inside, as if it contained a small piece of the universe.
Before they even got close, the Gym's automatic doors slid open to the sides with a "swish," and two figures rushed out, one after the other.
They were two children, looking almost identical, both with short, light purple hair and wearing high-tech, form-fitting battle suits.
"Big Sister Cynthia!"
The two voices rang out in unison, carrying the crispness unique to children. Like two little swallows, they pounced directly at Cynthia, jumping up to hang on her, one on the left and one on the right.
Cynthia was clearly accustomed to this welcoming ceremony and smiled as she rubbed the heads of the two little ones.
Ariel stood to the side, observing the twins with great interest.
These were the Gym Leaders of the Mossdeep City Gym, Tate and Liza.
They were really excessively young.
The boy who looked a bit more lively, who was Tate, soon noticed Ariel, the stranger.
He slid down from Cynthia's body, ran up to Ariel, tilted his head up, and reached out a finger to tap on his pant leg.
"Big Sister Cynthia, is this guy a Psychic?"
His voice was full of curiosity.
"He doesn't look like he has any Psychic powers, though?"
The other girl, Liza, also walked over. Her demeanor was much quieter, and she looked at Ariel curiously with a pair of large eyes:
"Big Brother, what is your name?"
"Ariel."
Ariel answered concisely.
"A Trainer who is currently traveling, specializing in Dark-type."
Specializing in Dark-type.
These four words were like a switch, instantly changing the atmosphere of the scene.
The curiosity on Tate's face instantly faded, replaced by a sense of extreme vigilance.
He abruptly took a step back, spread his arms, and like a hen protecting her chicks, shielded Liza behind him.
"Sister! He's here to challenge the Gym!"
Tate's voice even turned shrill.
Ariel felt a bit like laughing.
This child's reaction was just too dramatic.
"Bang!"
With a dull thud, Liza unceremoniously gave her younger brother a punch to the back of the head.
"This is a guest brought by Big Sister Cynthia, don't be rude!"
She scolded.
Cynthia looked at this pair of rascals and couldn't help but chuckle. She spoke up to explain:
"Tate, Liza, you've misunderstood. Ariel isn't here to challenge the Gym, and besides, he saved my life."
The weight of this sentence was not light.
Tate's eyes widened to the size of saucers. He looked at Cynthia, then at Ariel, his face full of the words "How is that possible."
"A Dark-type Trainer... would actually save someone?"
He muttered to himself, as if he had heard some incredible fantasy.
The corner of Ariel's eye twitched.
Just how much prejudice does this guy have against Trainers who specialize in Dark-type!
Does he think that in his eyes, Trainers who use Dark-type Pokémon all have to wear masks and black robes when they go out, and ask "Do you crave power?" upon meeting someone?
Tate struggled for a long time, but in the end, Cynthia's influence prevailed.
He cleared his throat, put on the posture of a Gym Leader, and said to Ariel:
"Fine! For the sake of Big Sister Cynthia, I'll make an exception and let you in to learn! But I'm warning you, don't have any ill intentions!"
Before Ariel could say anything, he saw a faint blue light welling up in Liza's eyes.
The next second, Tate, who was still talking tough, was grabbed by an invisible hand, screaming as he was thrown deep into the Gym, leaving behind only a trail of echoes.
"Ah——"
Liza retracted her Psychic powers and bowed to Ariel with some embarrassment:
"Sorry, my brother is too straightforward and speaks without thinking."
"It doesn't matter."
Ariel waved his hand.
To bicker with a kid barely over twelve would be too beneath him.
Besides, the interaction between these twins was quite interesting.
At this moment, Cynthia's communicator rang.
She took a look, and her expression turned slightly more serious.
"I still have some things to deal with on my end, so I'll excuse myself first."
She said to Ariel, her tone carrying a hint of apology.
"You can use the training facilities in the Gym as you please. If you have any questions, just go directly to Liza."
After speaking, she turned to Liza and instructed:
"Take good care of my life-saver."
"Don't worry, Big Sister Cynthia!"
Liza patted her chest in assurance.
Only then did Cynthia turn and leave, her long golden hair tracing a graceful arc in the air.
At the entrance of the Gym, only Ariel and Liza remained.
And, Tate, who was poking half his head out from some corner, secretly observing this side with a vigilant gaze.
Ariel looked at the twins with their vastly different personalities before him, then looked at this peculiar Gym that resembled a planetarium, thinking to himself that Cynthia's description of "interesting" was truly not wrong at all.
***************************
Enjoying the story? Don't forget to drop a review, leave a comment, and smash that like button! Every Power Stone helps push the story further—thanks for reading and supporting! 🚀