GoketsuShipping

GoketsuShipping is the het ship between Alder and Cynthia from the Pokémon fandom.

Canon
Cynthia is the champion of the Sinnoh region and currently one of the 8 masters in the World Coronation Series. Alder is a former champion of the Unova region since the champion title is currently held by Iris. The only time the two have ever met is in the anime, specifically in Pokémon The Series: Black & White - Rival Destinies. Alder, if he were still champion, would battle Cynthia in the World Coronation Series if it were not for the fact that Iris actually succeeded him as Unova champion.

It all starts in the episode "Jostling for the Junior Cup!", where Alder was trying to ask Cynthia on a lunch date. Regardless of Cynthia's refusal, Alder laughs and compliments her. However, at that moment they were caught by Cilan and his Unova friends, including Ash. Trip insists Alder that he would beat him to become the new champion. Cynthia at that moment remembers that she has to attend the Junior Cup and leaves, but Alder chases her insisting on their date.

As the Pokémon World Tournament Junior Cup kicks off, Alder sits next to Freddy O'Martian, waiting for Cynthia's show. Later, he is thrilled when Cynthia goes to battle against Caitlin, a member of Unova's Elite Four. Cynthia decides to use her Garchomp against Caitlin's Gothitelle. Alder is surprised when Cynthia's Garchomp manages to hit Gothitelle with the Dragon Rush despite Gothitelle's powerful psychic powers. The climax of this display comes when Gothitelle blocks Garchomp's Draco Meteor with Thunderbolt, causing explosive fireworks to form on stage, further impressing the audience and especially Alder.

The exhibition ends when Garchomp and Gothitelle use Brick Breack on each other, both at par. Neither of them took damage, since the attacks had the same power level. Cynthia leaves the field and Alder starts the Junior Cup by revealing the trainers who would face each other. During the following episodes, although they were not together, Alder and Cynthia watched all the battles between the trainers, until Trip emerged as Junior Cup champion. Cynthia saw that the prize for Trip is a battle with Alder, but even so, Trip is defeated, proving that Alder deserved to remain champion, which doesn't usually impress Cynthia enough, given that she is also a champion, but in another region.

At the end of the Junior Cup, at the closing ceremony, Alder and Cynthia, although not together, are seen participating in the closing ceremony with all the Pokémon trainers who participated. Freddy O'Martian thanks everyone for their participation. Then, without interacting, Alder and Cynthia separate to continue defending their champion title in their own region. Since then, Alder and Cynthia have never seen each other again.

In Pokémon Journeys: The Series, Cynthia is promoted to Master Class in the World Coronation Series, while Alder, although he does not appear, is no longer champion due to Iris taking this title.

Fanon
GoketsuShipping has some following. It is not as well known due to the fact that Alder and Cynthia meet in a season that was considered the "worst" by fans, in Black and White. Those who don't know all the episodes where Alder appears tend to say that he would marry Cynthia, due to their champion statuses and also, their passions for Pokémon battles, although in reality, Alder usually behaves like Brock: he tends to flirt with any adult girl he sees, so fans who know this think that he won't end up staying with anyone, because Cynthia is not yet interested in dating men.

Cynthia usually has no potential when it comes to ships, so Alder is the only man who has tried to flirt with her, and therefore, this ship has no rival ships.

Fandom
FAN FICTION
 * Alder/Cynthia tag on FanFiction.net