"Is this your little sister? Her mask is beautiful."
A passerby approached with a friendly smile.
"Could you tell where you bought it?"
"Sorry," Sora replied politely.
"It was specially carved by an elder in my family. There's only this one."
"I see…"
The person quickly apologized for the interruption, then warmly wished Sora an enjoyable stay in Eterna City, even recomnding a few local attractions.
Eterna City's most iconic landmark was undoubtedly the vine-covered Eterna Gym.
Its leader, Gardenia, specialized in Grass-type Pokémon.
Her Gym looked as if it had grown straight out of the forest itself—an entrance frad by ivy arches, moss creeping along the stone steps, and the faint chirping of Bug Pokémon echoing from within.
As Sora and Ogerpon passed by, the rumble of battle could be heard inside.
A challenger was clearly in the middle of a Gym match.
He didn't linger.
Gardenia might be a cool, charismatic woman—but she wasn't his type.
He preferred Cynthia.
"Let's find a hotel first," Sora said,
"then we can visit the museum together."
ntioning Eterna City inevitably brought up its second calling card:
the Eterna Museum, located in the city center.
By the ti afternoon arrived, Sora had taken his Pokémon to a nearby restaurant for a hearty lunch.
As usual, they attracted plenty of attention.
Fortunately, just like earlier encounters, no one noticed anything unusual about Ogerpon or Victini.
Most eyes were drawn instead to Ursaluna.
A few trainers even approached Sora to challenge him.
He declined every ti.
He had no interest in exposing his team's strength unnecessarily.
Right now, he still needed to build montum quietly.
There was no reason to reveal valuable information for a handful of coins.
"I see…"
One disappointed trainer sighed.
"That's a sha. You feel like a very strong trainer."
"I'm just a traveler," Sora replied calmly.
He saw himself as an adventurer rather than a League challenger.
Though in practice, the difference wasn't that large.
After all, adventurers still needed Pokémon to protect themselves.
Out in the wild, danger could strike at any ti.
"We're here. This is the Eterna Museum."
Soon after, Sora arrived with Ogerpon and Victini.
The stone building exuded an antique atmosphere.
At the entrance stood a massive statue of an ancient Pokémon.
Its imposing form imdiately captured the attention of both Ogerpon and Victini.
Taking advantage of the mont, Sora released Lilligant, Buneary, and Eevee from their Poké Balls.
"This statue looks a bit like Dialga… but I can also see traces of Palkia."
He studied it carefully.
It seed to be a product of historical misunderstanding—Sinnoh people's imperfect interpretation of the twin gods of ti and space.
At this point in history, Sinnoh mythology had not yet been fully uncovered.
People worshiped the Great Sinnoh Deity, yet few understood its true nature.
Long ago, villagers in the Hisui era might have glimpsed the truth—thanks to a certain hero.
But ti passed.
mories faded.
And now, only a vaguely accurate statue remained.
Inside the museum, Sora guided his Pokémon past displays of ancient fossils from various regions:
The shell of Omanyte
The claw of Aerodactyl
And mysterious stone tablets carved with unknown symbols
Occasionally, guides spoke softly about the legends behind those relics.
Travelers and trainers from distant lands often lingered here, trying to decipher the worn inscriptions—hoping to uncover the earliest secrets of the Pokémon world.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, Sora noticed a figure standing before one particular stone tablet.
A woman.
Tall.
Graceful.
Completely absorbed in study.
Golden hair flowed down her back.
A light blue T-shirt and jeans gave her a casual appearance—yet she radiated an unmistakable presence.
Her skin carried a cool, pale tone, like untouched snow on the peak of Mount Coronet, glowing softly in the light.
But what left the deepest impression was her gaze.
Her violet eyes resembled a starlit lake—deep enough to hold the secrets of the entire Pokémon world.
And within that depth lingered a faint smile.
A warmth born from countless battles, yet still filled with genuine love for Pokémon.
"Cynthia…"
There was no doubt.
The woman before him was the reigning Champion of Sinnoh.
What is this?
Talk about luck.
Sora had been planning to search for her—hoping she could help promote the Peat Blocks.
He had prepared for a long hunt.
He had even considered camping out in Celestic Town.
Yet sohow, by simply visiting a museum, he had run straight into the person he needed most.
"Hm?"
Cynthia sensed the gaze from behind and turned slightly.
She saw a young man—perhaps a year or two younger than herself—watching her.
Sora's current appearance was undeniably striking.
But Cynthia wasn't soone easily swayed by looks.
Her attention shifted instead to the small green figure holding his hand.
"A Pokémon I've never seen before."
She smiled gently and stepped closer, crouching slightly.
"Could you tell your na, little one?"
"Poné?"
Feeling shy under Cynthia's gaze, Ogerpon hid behind Sora.
"As expected of the Sinnoh Champion," Sora said lightly.
"You recognized right away that she's a Pokémon, not a human."
"This child is nad Ogerpon. She's a partner I t in an ancient forest."
"Ogerpon…"
Cynthia tapped her chin thoughtfully, searching her mory for any record of that na.
Reality wasn't like the gas.
The known regions extended far beyond the familiar ones.
Even Cynthia herself was aware of more than twenty regions—and many remote areas still lay outside the League's recognition.
—------------------------------
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