Chapter no.443 Confession?

In the aftermath of the lively party at Austin's mansion, the scene was a mix of slumber and the aftermath of celebration. Austin, clearly inebriated, staggered around the room. His steps were unsteady, his eyes slightly unfocused, but he still held a sense of joyous abandon from the night's festivities.
He stumbled upon Yellow and Sabrina, both peacefully asleep, their faces relaxed in the comfort of deep rest. Nearby, Bill, Dr. Akihabara, and Sabrina's father were sprawled out, each knocked out from the night's indulgence in alcohol. Green, too, was fast asleep, a faint smile lingering on her lips.
In the midst of this slumbering assembly, Austin noticed something unusual. Primeape was standing amidst the snoozing crowd, looking at Austin intently, pizza slices haphazardly stuck to its fur. It seemed as though the fighting Pokémon was eager for some post-party action.
"You wanna train?" Austin slurred, his words blending together in a drunken drawl.
Primeape's eyes lit up, its body language brimming with excitement. Austin, in his inebriated state, came up with a training regimen on the spot. "Ok, you're gonna do 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and a 10K run."
With an enthusiastic grunt, Primeape dashed off, the pizza slices flying off its fur and one landing comically on Austin's face.
At that moment, Austin's Pokénav rang. He clumsily retrieved it, answering to see Cynthia's face on the screen. There was a brief silence as Cynthia tried to suppress a giggle at the sight of Austin, pizza slice and all.
"You might want to get that," she suggested, referring to the pizza still adorning his face.
Without much thought, Austin peeled off the pizza and, in a moment of drunken whimsy, flung it onto the ceiling. Cynthia bit her lip, trying hard not to laugh outright at the sight of marinara sauce smudged on Austin's face.
"Am I calling at a bad time?" she asked, her voice tinged with amusement.
"No," Austin replied, his words slurred yet sincere. "As long as you call, it's always a good time." His drunken proclamation was unexpectedly charming, causing Cynthia to blush.
She had never seen this side of Austin before – carefree, unguarded, and whimsically endearing. It was a side of him that she found herself surprisingly attracted to, a contrast to the composed and calculated demeanor she was accustomed to.
"I didn't know you could sing," Cynthia commented, a hint of surprise in her voice.
"I *hick* can't," Austin replied, his speech punctuated with hiccups.
"Oh really? Then why is your singing video the most viewed on PokeTube?" Cynthia asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Oh, that's nice," Austin responded, clearly not fully grasping the significance, another hiccup interrupting him.
Cynthia, realizing Austin's level of inebriation, asked, "Are you drunk?"
"Pssh," Austin dismissed with a nonchalant shrug.
"How many fingers am I holding up?" Cynthia probed, holding up three fingers.
Austin blinked, his eyes focusing with effort before confidently declaring, "A Dandelion?"
Cynthia sighed, realizing the futility of the conversation. "Ok, you're too drunk. Let's talk later, when you can think straight."
"Wait, wait, wait," Austin slurred, insisting on continuing the conversation.
"What?" Cynthia asked, her patience thinning.
"Can we please continue talking?" Austin asked, his drunkenness imbuing his voice with an innocent tone.
"Austin, you're drunk," Cynthia reminded him, though a part of her was amused by his earnestness.
"But I like hearing the sound of the woman I love. I also like..." Austin's words trailed off, his inebriation evident.
Cynthia's heart skipped a beat. "Repeat that," she asked, unsure she heard him correctly.
Austin hiccupped again. "Men are... Berries," he mumbled, his thoughts jumbled.
"You love me?" Cynthia sought clarification, her cheeks warming.
Austin nodded quickly, his actions betraying his drunken honesty before he got distracted.
Cynthia, taken aback and blushing, pressed on. "Why do you love me?"
Austin smiled dreamily. "What don't I love about you? I love your laugh, I love your talk, even about stuff I don't care about. But as long as you're the one saying it, I'll always listen."
Cynthia frowned, a mix of confusion and amusement on her face.
"I love your small hair clips; they're so cute on you. I love your passion for knowledge," Austin continued, his affectionate ramble revealing more than he probably intended.
Cynthia was visibly overwhelmed, her cheeks flushed.
Cynthia's voice rose with a mix of frustration and vulnerability, "If you love me so much, why didn't you call me to the party?"
Austin, still in his drunken haze, looked at the phone screen, not fully grasping the depth of her question. "But, Cynthia, you're like... way over there, in another country," he slurred, trying to make sense of her sudden outburst.
Cynthia, her cheeks flushed with a blend of anger and embarrassment, retorted, "That's not the point, Austin! It's about feeling included, feeling... wanted."
Austin squinted, attempting to focus. "But I always want you around. You're, like, the best, you know? Super smart and all... champion-y," he said, his words trailing off.
Cynthia sighed, her heart softening despite her frustration. "Austin, I saw your party online. It looked like so much fun, and I just... I felt left out. I know it's silly, but..."
Austin tried to sit up straighter, a sincere, if clumsy, attempt to address her feelings. "Cynthia, you're not silly. You're amazing. If you were here, I'd have thrown the biggest, coolest party... just for you."
Cynthia's expression softened, the hint of a smile tugging at her lips despite herself. "Really, Austin? Even with your legendary party skills?"
Austin nodded vigorously, then winced at the motion. "Yeah, the bestest party. With, like, cakes and Pokémon battles and... more cakes."
Cynthia laughed, the tension easing from her voice. "Alright, Austin. I believe you. Just... next time, maybe a video call or something?"
Austin's expression brightened. "Video call! Yes! That's a super idea. We can have a party... a virtual party!"
Cynthia chuckled, her earlier annoyance fading into amusement at his childlike enthusiasm. "Okay, Austin. But maybe let's plan that when you're sober, okay?"
"Deal!" Austin said, his voice filled with a drunken promise. "And, Cynthia?"
"Yes, Austin?"
"You're my best friend. And I, like, totally love you."
Cynthia's heart raced at Austin's declaration, the sincerity in his voice unmistakably genuine despite his inebriated state. "I... love you too," she found herself responding, her voice a mix of curiosity and affection.
A sudden thought struck her, compelling her to ask, "Why didn't you ever confess?"
Austin, still under the influence of alcohol, replied with a slurred and unexpected honesty, "Because we couldn't be together."
Cynthia's brow furrowed in confusion. "What?" she asked, seeking clarity on his cryptic response.
Before she could get any further explanation, Austin's figure slumped over, a clear sign that he had succumbed to sleep. "Hey, wake up," Cynthia called out, her voice laced with concern and confusion.
In his sleep, Austin thrashed slightly, inadvertently turning off the Pokénav, leaving Cynthia staring at the now blank screen. She sat there, a whirlwind of emotions swirling inside her – touched by his confession, yet puzzled by his last words and the abrupt end to their conversation.
Cynthia's mind buzzed with questions and possibilities about what Austin meant, and why he believed they couldn't be together.
Cynthia, overwhelmed with thoughts and what-ifs, grabbed her pillow and buried her face in it. "Why can't things ever be simple with this guy?" she muttered into the soft fabric.
In her mind, she imagined a different scenario, one where Austin stood before her, clear-headed and earnest. "Cynthia, I love you, marry me," she envisioned him saying. "I do," she whispered back in her fantasy, leaning in for a kiss, only to find herself actually pressing her lips against the pillow.
"Ahem," a voice interrupted her daydream. Startled, Cynthia turned to see her grandmother standing at the door, an amused look on her face.
"Granny, when did you come in?" Cynthia asked, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.
"Since the call with your boyfriend started," her grandmother replied with a knowing smile.
"He's not my boyfriend," Cynthia protested, her face turning a deeper shade of red.
"I love you," her grandmother said, one eyebrow raised playfully, eliciting an even more flustered response from Cynthia.
"You have your whole life ahead of you, so don't waste it lying to yourself," her grandmother advised gently but firmly.
Cynthia, a little confused but touched by her grandmother's insight, nodded in agreement. Her grandmother's smirk grew wider.
"Next time, introduce me to that young man. I'd like to have a word with him," her grandmother said, her tone protective yet teasing. "Trying to steal my precious granddaughter's heart."
Cynthia smiled, affectionately rolling her eyes at her grandmother's overprotectiveness. "You'll like him once you talk to him," she assured, her blush returning.
"Then I'll need my cane when I speak to that thief," her grandmother joked, her eyes twinkling with mischief. She then looked at Cynthia more seriously. "You can talk to your thief later. Now, go to sleep."
"But I'm an adult," Cynthia protested weakly.
"My house, my rules," her grandmother declared with a finality that brooked no argument.
Cynthia knew there was no point in protesting further. Her grandmother had always been a strong presence in her life, especially after the loss of her parents. Her words were not just commands but were imbued with love and concern.
"Alright, Granny."
.....
[ **Author's Note:**
Hey everyone!
So, we've had quite the development in our story, haven't we? Austin, in his not-so-sober state, ended up confessing his feelings for Cynthia. Now, we all know that Austin has had a soft spot for Cynthia, but he's been holding himself back. The big question is: Why? Well, it's all tangled up with the mystery of what's really happened to his real body and the enigma surrounding Ash.
It's a complex situation, isn't it? Loving someone while in another man's body – it's a moral and emotional maze that Austin is trying to navigate. And then, of course, there's Yellow and Green, two people he trusts implicitly. Trust and love, walking a fine line in our tale!
I must say, things are really heating up in our story. But here's what I really want to know – have my skills in writing romance improved? I'm curious to hear your thoughts. Your feedback has always been a guiding light for me. So, let me know what you think! ]
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[ Omake Paragraph]
Just as the song of a Poke Flute can wake a pokemon in the deepest of trances, the leaf of a Nuzleaf when properly whipped through the wind can wipe away even the most dire injuries a fainted pokemon may suffer. Yet pokemon centers will only call upon the expertise of Nuzleaf for the gravest of injuries, for like a Poke Ball in reverse, a Nuzleaf's power can make even the most tame and loyal pokemon forget that they ever had a trainer.
In remote areas of Hoenn, where true healers were unavailable, pokemon training took a decisively different character. Although their culture demanded that every pokemon was given a name, trainers strove not to grow too attached to their pokemon, for no matter how hard they tried defeat would inevitably someday return their comrades to the wilderness from where they came. Instead, the people of rural Hoenn scouted the wild for what powerful pokemon would inevitably return there, and learned not how one or two teams operated, but an entire metagame of techniques; the canonical texts of pokemon strategy unsurprisingly were written in this region, although they would in time be supplanted by a university which began as a school for Koffing trainers.
When the outside world was at last linked by road to these small towns, Chansey came with the changes of modern life to replace Nuzleaf at pokemon centers. But the ways of old were not forever lost. A contest based on the ways of the Nuzleaf-healed has spread as far as Unova and is beloved by countless trainers. They must fight every gym in a region and walk the routes in between, but may no longer use any who fall in battle, to simulate how they would be released into the wild in that era.