Chapter 84: Tiana, An Upgraded Cynthia
[Regular-Seat Chat Group]
"Hahahahaha! Tiana isn’t fighting alone!"
"Tiana: I have Daddy acting as my strategist. What can any of you do about it?"
"Sinnoh Elite Four: We thought our opponent was a three-year-old child. We never expected to face a three-year-old and her father."
"Asher’s logic: Demolishing the League headquarters is equivalent to making the Elite Four’s lives more entertaining."
"That line about adding excitement to their lives killed me!"
"Flint: Would you like to have this kind of excitement?"
"Lucian: I would rather work overtime."
"This father-and-daughter pair are pure Demon Kings."
[VIP Chat Group]
[Diantha]: Hahahahaha! This is killing me! Cynthia returned after being away on business for a few days, only to discover that her own husband was the true mastermind.
[Flint]: I was wondering how such a young girl knew so many ways to torment people. It turns out her strategist was right here.
[Gary]: The case has been solved. Every one of Tiana’s operations received technical support, and her biological father was the technical director.
[Steven]: Brother Asher truly is remarkable. Even the way he teaches his daughter is so methodical.
[Brock]: Hasn’t Asher’s mute already ended? Why isn’t he arguing against them?
[Asher]: At this point, I don’t even feel like saying anything anymore.
[Wallace]: Steven truly is a legendary figure. Not only did he survive, but he successfully lowered the limit of what Asher is willing to tolerate.
[Steven]: Thank you for the compliment.
[Asher]: Wait, who was complimenting you?
[Steven]: Hehe.
[Asher]: ...
[Gary]: Asher hasn’t said anything, yet I can already feel his despair.
[Wallace]: Indeed.
The video continued playing.
Cynthia looked at the father and daughter before her and decided that she needed to reconsider Tiana’s entire education plan.
"Tiana."
Cynthia crouched until they were at eye level.
"You’re coming with Mommy to the research institute in Celestic Town tomorrow."
"Why?"
Tiana’s spoon froze in midair.
"Because Mommy needs to work at the research institute for a few days. Your great-grandmother will also be there, so you can keep her company."
"Can I bring Gible?"
"Yes."
"What about Salamence?"
"...Yes."
"Is Daddy coming too?"
Tiana turned toward Asher.
Asher put down his teacup.
"Daddy still has a few things to deal with over the next two days. Once I’m finished, I’ll come and stay with you."
Tiana tilted her head and thought for a moment.
"Then you need to hurry."
"All right."
Asher rubbed her hair.
Cynthia watched the father and daughter interact and suddenly felt that Tiana behaved like two entirely different people when she was with her and when she was at the League.
Come to think of it, Asher was the same.
He had always been gentle and considerate toward her throughout their marriage. So why did he turn into someone completely different whenever he was taking care of their daughter?
The following morning, Cynthia brought Tiana to the historical research institute in Celestic Town.
Professor Carolina had been waiting outside for them. The moment she saw Tiana, she spread her arms and revealed a loving smile.
"Oh, my precious little darling! Come and let Great-Grandma have a good look at you!"
Tiana poked half her head out from behind Cynthia. Her golden and purple eyes blinked.
"Hello, Great-Grandma."
"Good, good, good!"
Professor Carolina swept Tiana into her arms.
"I heard from your mother that you’ve become quite famous at the League. As expected of my great-granddaughter~"
Tiana nodded bashfully.
"Grandma!"
Cynthia called out from behind them.
"Tiana caused trouble this time. Please don’t spoil her too much!"
Professor Carolina rubbed her cheek against Tiana’s, her face still covered in smiles.
"Trouble? What trouble? Our Tiana is simply lively! If a child isn’t lively, can she still be called a child?"
Standing behind them, the corner of Cynthia’s mouth twitched.
This wouldn’t work.
How could bringing Tiana here possibly discipline her like this? She needed to make her grandmother understand just how mischievous Tiana truly was!
Cynthia began exposing Tiana’s dark history.
"Grandma, she only spent a few days at the League, yet she threw the entire headquarters into chaos. Worst of all, she poured ten bottles of horseradish sauce into Flint’s Infernape’s lunch."
"Oh?"
Professor Carolina lowered her gaze toward Tiana.
"Did that happen?"
Tiana blinked her mismatched eyes.
"Uncle Flint said that Infernape had recently been practicing controlling the temperature of its flames, so I wanted to help it train."
Professor Carolina burst into laughter.
"Did you hear that, little Cynthia? The child was only trying to help!"
"Trying to help?"
Cynthia’s voice rose half an octave.
"Was making Salamence land on the statue of Dialga also supposed to be helpful?"
"That?"
Tiana raised her hand.
"The statue had been standing there for too long, so I gave it a practical function."
Professor Carolina laughed even more happily and patted Tiana’s head.
"This child’s reasoning is clear and well structured. She has the makings of a researcher!"
Cynthia took a deep breath.
She felt as though she wasn’t trying to reason with one person, but two—and both of them were firmly on the same side.
"Grandma, I brought Tiana to the research institute because I wanted you to help me discipline her, not help her justify everything she did."
"Discipline her for what?"
Professor Carolina took Tiana’s hand and began leading her into the research institute.
"You were even more mischievous than she is when you were young. Did I ever scold you?"
Cynthia’s footsteps paused.
"...That happened many years ago."
"Something stops mattering because it happened a few years ago?"
Professor Carolina didn’t even turn around.
"It’s hereditary. Who else can you blame?"
[Regular-Seat Chat Group]
"My goodness. We came here for gossip and somehow ended up uncovering the Champion’s childhood secrets?"
"I genuinely never expected Champion Cynthia to have this kind of personality when she was young."
"The Champion is having her embarrassing past exposed by her own elder. This is the first time I’ve witnessed gossip of such a high level. It’s making me nervous."
"Honestly, I think Tiana will grow up to have a personality more similar to the present-day Champion Cynthia."
"Why has the commenter above suddenly started making prophecies?"
"It isn’t a prophecy. I’m a psychologist. This is based on my professional experience."
[VIP Chat Group]
[Diantha]: Hahahahahahaha! It’s hereditary! Professor Carolina has delivered the final verdict!
[Steven]: The mystery has been solved. The genes came from Cynthia, while the instruction came from Brother Asher.
[Gary]: I always assumed Asher’s genes were simply too powerful. Now it appears both sides were stacked together.
[Bertha]: So this is actually a family tradition...
[Flint]: I suddenly feel that the Sinnoh League during Cynthia’s childhood must have experienced everything we’re going through now.
[Cynthia]: ...
[Professor Carolina]: It did. When she was five, she dared to force her way into the League and even blasted open the archive-room door.
[Cynthia]: ...Grandma!
[Professor Carolina]: All right, all right. I won’t say anything else.
[Diantha]: @Professor Carolina, Grandma, let’s discuss this privately~
[Cynthia]: Diantha!!
[Lorelei]: So the current Tiana is essentially an upgraded version of the young Cynthia?
[Lance]: What exactly was upgraded?
[Lorelei]: Cynthia only had one Gible. Tiana has Gible, Salamence, and a father serving as her strategist.
[Lance]: ...She certainly has been upgraded.
...
TL: Why did Lillie only show up for one Chapter? I still need her to introduce me to her mom. Also extra Chapter for the 50-stone milestone—just this once!