June 10, Thursday, 106 PH (Post Hoopa Event)

A sharp inhale filled Rhea’s lungs with air, followed by a soft moan; stretching out, she twisted her shoulders and hips, mind rousing from its sleeping state. Releasing a quiet yawn, she opened her eyes, blinking to adjust to the brightening hospital room as it flipped, noticing her movements.

She was alone with the light beeps of the tech board beside her bed, and she watched her heartbeat increase a bit with her activity. Loosening up, she grunted, blue irises sliding over to Mya and Nova’s pokéballs as they wished her good morning through her link to them.

Good morning to you two, too.

A bit of saliva passed through her throat, but it was too little to abate her thirst, she then noticed the small table with a sealed water bottle beside the bed. Reaching over, she snatched it, reflecting on yesterday’s events.

Her body felt more rested; in fact, she didn’t remember even falling asleep. She knew she must have, but there were a lot of holes in her memory about what she did the day before.

My body feels better … still a bit sore. Overall, though, I think I’m…

The door opening caught her attention, and the nurse she’d seen before still appeared to be on duty. She seemed to be in her mid-twenties, shoulder-length glossy black hair tied back, and minimal makeup added.

“Hello, Rhea, I’m Calista, but you can call me Cali if it’s easier.” The woman’s brown eyes moved from the board to her, noticing the bottle in her hand. “How are you feeling? Oh, let me get that for you!”

Rhea handed over the bottle at her request; she’d tried to unscrew it, but it was a lot more difficult than it should have been.

“Umm … yeah, hi, Cali,” Rhea mumbled, accepting the water as the woman easily opened the item. She wet her throat before continuing. “Uh, so … have you gotten any sleep?”

“Mhm! Thank you for worrying about me, but I managed to get a good six hours. Another aide came to look after you during the night.”

Rhea’s vision fell to her belly, covered by the hospital’s thin white blanket, fingers tightening on the plastic bottle. “So … what now?”

Cali snatched a small tablet attached to the medical board before sitting on the stool beside her bed. “Now, I ask you some questions that Doctor Harrison wants answered, and then he’ll be in when he’s able to follow-up. Oh, and,” a light blush touched her cheeks, “could you, umm … is there a way I can get in contact with your grandparents?”

Her eyebrows furrowed. “For?”

“Well,” she forced a giggle, “Drake … I don’t know if I should call him Champion or Grandmaster,” she mumbled, “but he tried to slip me a five credit bill, asking me to keep the info on the low.”

“Five credits … Drake’s fine, too,” Rhea rolled her eyes. “The whole title bit is exhausting. Yeah, it sounds like something he’d do. He probably then told you a story about how much five credits could buy you when he was a kid.”

“That, he did,” she replied with a smile. “Then … I got a notice that fifty-thousand credits were sent to my account. I suspect it was to keep my mouth shut about your family … I heard your identity was withheld on the news. I wasn’t going to try to say anything anyways … Umm, I was wondering if I could return it. I asked the bank, but … they said it wasn’t possible.”

Rhea’s head fell limp on her pillow, hair tickling her neck as she slowly shook her head. “No, probably not, and that was likely from my grandmother. She’s more subtle about those kinds of things.”

“Glacia?” Cali asked with widening eyes.

“Yeah … honestly, it could have been my mom or aunt, but I’d bet money it was from my grandmother if it’s non-returnable.”

“I see,” Cali whispered, eyes falling to her side. “Umm … well, it really would help to save a little for my son’s journey. It’s just … that’s as much as I make in a year.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Rhea yawned, “my grandma’s an old school noble … not like Kalos nobles, though.”

“Yeah, she does kind of have that noble feel about her,” Cali chuckled before clearing her throat. “So … you don’t have to worry about me or the other nurse leaking your identity. Now, how are you feeling?”

Returning the woman’s smile, Rhea resituated herself on the bed. “Umm … a bit sore, but nothing like yesterday. Heh, I think I kind of passed out, to be honest; I don’t remember falling asleep. My mind’s clear … I think,” she mumbled, “and I’m not feeling as tired … even if I’m yawning.”

“That’s good. What about Mya and Nova?”

Her two Pokémon gave internal chirps as the question.

“... They’re fine.”

“Okay … how much can you remember of yesterday?” Cali asked, concerned vision lifting to study her.

Rhea’s lips pulled in, eyes darting to the right wall while pondering the question. “... How much do I remember?” She quietly repeated. “I … don’t know how to answer that. I mean, I know what I know, but I couldn’t tell you what I forgot. Mya and Nova hatched, I came to Pallet, met a few friends…”

Her eyes widened, recalling her conversation with Lori and Amira. “Oh, no … I forgot to tell them about the spa trip. I need to text them,” she mumbled, searching under her blanket for her phone.

“Spa?” Cali questioned, her smile lifting a bit. “That sounds nice.”

“... Yeah … where is it … there it is … umm,” she swiftly unlocked it, noticing a ton of notifications, but dismissed them for later to form the message. “Lori … Mallory,” she corrected, seeing the woman’s querying look, “said she’d make plans for it after I leave.”

“How sweet … well, you appear fairly cognisant,” she whispered, glancing at the questions on the tablet. “Hmm … I’ll leave some notes for the doctor and let you have some privacy. Is there anything more you’d like before I go?”

Rhea wrote out her message twice in that time, deleting parts while trying to figure out how to frame the invitation. “... Umm, yeah … uh,” her stomach growled, reminding her of its existence. “Food?” She questioned. “Yeah, food would be nice,” she mumbled.

“Anything in particular? I can bring a menu.”

Rhea shook her head. “No, it’s fine … whatever is good.”

“Alright,” she chuckled, getting up and moving to the door. “I’ll go grab some and be back in a bit. Doctor Harrison is fairly busy, but he should be in when he’s able.”

“Cool.”

The woman left through the door, shutting it behind her; Rhea was too focused on her message, though, sucking on her lower lip nervously.

I’ve got some tickets to the spa … no, that’s stupid, they aren’t tickets. “Hmm…” Mallory said she’d treat me … that doesn’t mean she’ll pay for them, but didn’t she say it’s fine to bring them along? I don’t know…

No, how about … I’m probably gonna get out of the hospital soon, and my team is gonna hit up the local spa. Just wanted to know if ya wanted to join? I got the price. It’d just be nice to meet up.

Too desperate? Maybe … am I being desperate? I mean, they’re kind of my first friends outside of the village, but am I trying too hard? No, that’s stupid. Don’t overthink it!

She growled.

… Okay … When I get out of the hospital today, we’re gonna stop by the local spa. Wanna join? My treat! We all deserve some relaxation time after being sick, right? How are y’all feeling, too? Up to it?

And send!

Rhea stared at the message to Sam, regretting the phrasing as her mind presented several alternatives, but the response was a lot quicker than she expected.

She sat up a little while reading it in her head. Hey, Rhea! Yeah, we’re doing good. Hannah’s feeling a lot better; turned out to be the twenty-four-hour bug. A spa trip sounds really nice! But are you sure about paying? Some of the spas around Pallet can be expensive. Which one are you going to?

A swift follow-up message came up shortly after. Oh, and we’re so happy you’re feeling better, too! Jade says to say hi to Nova, and she wants to pet her again!

Nova’s passionate burn next to Rhea’s heart caused her to release a sad sigh. In time, Nova. Remember, Viridian.

She could almost visually picture the white and black Eevee releasing a depressed sigh before shooting a light glare at Mya, returning an apologetic signal.

Sam had a good question, though. Swapping messages to Lori, she noticed several missed texts and calls from Jason. Oops … he probably heard from his sister, who heard from Sabin … yikes, yeah, he’s gonna be mad.

Rhea text Lori first. Hey, which spa are we going to?

Oh, morning, by the way! How did you guys sleep? Did you sleep in the hospital?

Flipping over to read Jason’s texts, her smile started to rise.

7:23 P.M. Rhea, what the Muk! You’re in the hospital and you didn’t even tell me? Call me!

7:24 P.M. Yo, what’s going on? My sister won’t tell me anything!

7:24 P.M. Okay, apparently, Sabin won’t tell her, either. What’s happening?

8:01 P.M. Poké … you’re not dead, right?

8:11 P.M. Oh, so, apparently you passed out … so it’s your brother’s fault no one told me sooner? Geez, and I probably shouldn’t let Lucian know … Mallory’s talking to Len right now.

9:14 P.M. I guess Sabin said you’re sleeping. Mallory told Len that you were okay … I’m just worried. Dude, give me a call when you wake up! No one will even tell me where you’re at, but I guess … yeah, Lucian and ell, I get it … give me a call.

9:14 P.M. allll*

9:15 P.M. gah … all* I can’t even type!

Chuckling a bit, Rhea messaged him. Yo, I’m dying here! If I don’t kick it now, your messages will do me in. Geez, actin’ like my boyfriend or somethin!

=P I’m playing. =3 No, I’m good. Lori’s gonna take me out to the spa when I get out, maybe get somethin good to eat.

Oh, and I’m going with some new friends.

Maybe you can split off from your little crew and hang in Viridian; I hear Lori’s planning somethin. Let me know if Len and you plan on ditching Lucian for a bit!

Her eyebrows drew together, recognizing the time.

Yo … it’s Mukin 2? I slept forever! Yeah, I just got up! Uh, yeah, what’s goin on with you guys?

2:06 P.M. Your alive!

2:06 P.M. You’re* alive! Geez, I’ve been biting my nails over here. Literally! I haven’t done that in like … forever! So, yeah, Lucian’s all on about going to Viridian to get a head start on the free Protect TMs before the government stock dries up or somethin. We’re already hiking through the forest, and it’s not like we could give him an excuse without letting the Skitty out of the bag.

2:07 P.M. Anyways, sounds good. We’ll have to meet up in Viridian. Maybe we can get him to slow down a bit for a rematch … he’s taken out like three Trainers that found us and challenged him. Think he’s still a little pissed, and Cobalt’s been acting a bit differently, too. At least, I think he is.

2:07 P.M. Get well!! <3

Rhea smirked.

A heart, really? He must be pretty worried.

Her focus moved to Lori’s return message.

2:08 P.M. Yo, girl! Good to see you textin. Uh, yeah, no, we didn’t sleep in the hospital. Your dad hooked us up with a place … btw, Amira’s got a crazy long nighttime maintenance routine! Girl goes for the mask and everything; think she’ll run out pretty quick on the road, though, hehe. Guess she’s planning on buying replacements in each city.

Can’t handle the heat, either; I don’t know if she can even take pepper!? Crazy, huh? That flaming hair doesn’t translate to her mouth … well, for food anyways, she can have a tongue, hehe.

Uh, which spa? It’s called PikaSpring; think it’s named after Red’s Pikachu … no, maybe Yellow’s. Yo, just give us a text when you want us to meet up somewhere! We’ll hold off on Lunch.

A bit of excitement entered Rhea’s belly, returning the text. Funny! I’ll hold-off, too. I don’t think it’ll be that long before I get out. TTYL!

2:09 P.M. ✌ (:peace)

Pressing the button to call the nurse, she was a little surprised when her voice fed through a speaker embedded inside. “Yes? I’m currently in line to get your food. Did you want something specific?”

“Umm, actually, I just talked with my team, and I think I’ll hold off on some food for now.”

“Okay. Just let me know if you change your mind.”

“Sounds good.”

Ending the call, she rested her phone on her belly with a soft hum.

Lucian’s worried about the free Protect TMs the government has in each city? I suppose it would help mitigate some of the losses he took after paying up the 500 credits for losing the battle to us; Protect is one of the cheapest TMs because it’s subsidized, though.

If that’s the case, then it’s already sold out in Pallet, which makes sense with so many of the other region’s Bronze Trainers starting here. Still, it’s not like our group’s hurting for the credits. I can pay the 1,000 credits on the partial subsidized TM—no need to rush.

Settling in, she picked up her phone to read the top stories, opening up her News App that showed most networks’ headlines. The battles after had all been team matches, and just as was planned, boys versus girls. Each of their Starter Pokémon was shown, too; most were shiny.

Casey (Mother: Karen; Mudkip), Inoa (Mother: Olivia; Cyndaquil), Ellie (Grandfather: Kabu; Charmander), won against Kale (Brother: Sophocles; Pikachu), Ludovic (Uncle: Siebold; Sobble), and Mark (Father: Morty; Grookey).

Amy (Aunt: Maylene; Treecko), Olivia (Mother: Candice; Totodile), and Isabella (Sister: Flannery; Oshawott) lost to Angel (Mother: Clair; Bulbasaur), Victor (Brother: Milo; Chikorita), and Allen (Brother: Brawly; Squirtle).

Catherine (Father: Gordie; Tepig), Ariel (Mother: Gardenia; Rowlet), and Iva (Grandfather: Wattson; Eevee) won against Hi’ilei (Uncle: Nanu; Chespin), Barry (Grandfather: Clay; Snivy), and Jean (Aunt: Korrina; Poppilo).

The three to one victory in favor of the female teams caused a stir among News anchors, as was the fact Kalos became the only region not to win a single match-up. Spirits were low for the Kalos fans and outlets.

Stories were beginning to pop-up about where she might be, and a few debunked articles claiming she’d already left the city; it wasn’t hard to confirm since her battle option still showed within Pallet City.

Questions were being thrown around about the Rocket family’s sudden flurry of activity after the match. However, with the conglomerate boss back in Viridian, along with his son and daughter-in-law, it was all left to speculation.

A few recent articles were beginning to surface, showing pictures of Amira and Mallory in public, producing even more questions about her location or speculations about her Pokémon. Her team had already refused to comment, and it appeared the response Amira gave kept journalists at a distance.

Rhea’s eyes lifted from her device as Brock entered the room. “... Rhea, I hear you’re doing better,” he commented, moving to study her charts.

“Yeah, a lot better. So, uh, when can I go?”

“Hmm … well, that depends on how you feel. I’d recommend one more day, but if you plan to spend today resting with your team, then that works, too. So long as Mya and Nova remain in their balls, you’ve already begun the fortitude recovery process, but it will take much longer than most Trainers since they’re still draining you to some degree to survive.”

“Ookay,” Rhea slowly replied, “basically, as long as we’re careful, then I’m good to go?”

He tapped a few things on the board, signing his name, and pressed his fingers against the screen; a small piece of paper exited the side of the device, and Brock ripped it off, handing it to her. “You’ve got enough antibiotics in your system for the next several hours, but I suggest you stop by and pick up this prescription as soon as possible.”

Rhea nodded, setting it on the bedside table. “Got it … umm, so…”

“I’ll handle the checkout forms,” Brock replied, setting the tablet back on the screen before folding his arms. “Rhea … please, be careful, and think more about what I told you. Look … I had a chat with your grandfather, and he told me something I was unaware of.”

“Which is?” Rhea asked, eyebrows coming together.

“It is possible for a Trainer to create a barrier or cut-off point for their Pokémon with Master Balls. It takes some concentration and practice, but … he assured me that it is possible. I called your aunt to get her own opinion, and she said it hasn’t been something she’s had to investigate, but she’d look into it.”

“My Mom?”

“Your mother hasn’t used any Master Balls, only researched their effects on others,” Brock explained, lips pulling in slightly. “It’s something extremely experienced Trainers would understand, and I do have a great deal of respect for your grandfather. If he says it’s possible, then it must be, but then I have to wonder if it’s because of his sheer force of will. It may be possible, but that doesn’t mean anyone can do it.”

Rhea’s vision fell to the floor. “I get it … so, it’s possible to have a safety measure?”

“It’s just something for you and your Pokémon to explore, but a lot of what you’re going through is unknown territory. Please, just be careful, Rhea. Your grandmother seemed to have some reservations about the news, but she didn’t elaborate.”

“Got it,” Rhea sighed, brushing her bound hair to the side to lie back down. “It’s something to test out; my own form of training, I suppose.”

Nova and Mya sent encouraging feelings, wishing to help any way they could.

“Alright.” Brock released a long puff of air. “I’ll tell the nurse to bring in your clothes with your pack; they’ve been cleaned.”

“How much will the visit cost?” Rhea asked, glancing down at her phone.

“Oh, don’t worry about any of that. Your father is a big donor to the hospital; he’s made a lot of contributions to the city over the years, and I’m volunteering free of charge.”

“Nice! Thanks for caring so much,” Rhea smiled at him as he waved goodbye.

“I’ll see you in Pewter; just make sure you get some good rest.”

Texting her team, they made plans to meet, and she sent the location to Sam. Cali returned several minutes later to deliver her attire, and Rhea dressed, handing the woman her hospital gown. Removing Nova and Mya’s pokéballs from the monitoring device, she added them to her belt before going to the bathroom down the hall to touch-up her appearance.

Her backpack felt heavier, but it was manageable, and she used the items inside to freshen up, brushing out her hair. She eyed her outfit, frowning with a bit of dissatisfaction.

Amira and Lori have dresses while I have a skirt … I guess it works. Maybe I should braid my hair after the spa.

Releasing a long puff of air, she put on her rainbow aviator with gold frames to draw less attention, repacked her bag, and left the hospital, following the exit signs.

Her focus moved to her phone on the way out as Sam called. Adding a smile, she answered, adjusting her hair and pack. “Hey, guys! I’m on the way out of the hospital.”

Hannah, Sam, and Jade came into view on her holo-screen; they appeared to be wearing the same clothes she saw them in before, clearly cleaned through the night.

“Yo, Rhea!” Sam grinned.

“Hey, you look so much better than yesterday,” Jade commented.

Hannah rubbed her neck with a sheepish smile, adjusting her red hair. “You kiddin’ me, Rhea; you’re stunning! I still look horrible…”

“No!” Rhea defended. “You three are cute, and you should see the rings under my eyes if I take off these glasses,” she returned, walking out of the hospital while searching for the way out of the parking lot. “... Umm, yeah, so you gonna meet us over at PikaSpring … wherever that is?”

“Uh … about that,” Sam chuckled, smile turning forced. “You know PikaSprings is like…”

“Super ritzy,” Hannah finished, mirroring Sam’s expression.

“Oh?” Rhea asked, lips falling a little. She spotted the main street to her left and made her way to it; the sun was out, casting its warm rays on Pallet and the faint breeze barely moved her hair. “How much?”

“Eh … I don’t know exactly,” Sam mumbled, glancing to Hannah.

The redhead was quick on the response, brown eyes creased with concern. “Like … 200 credits for the cheapest pass and 500 for the deluxe … 50 credits per Pokémon, well, and some are banned for obvious reasons.”

“Which comes with?” Rhea pressed, sliding the call to the side to check her account.

“Uh … I’ve never been,” Sam admitted, vision shifting to her companions.

Jade silently shook her head, blue ponytail swinging with the motion.

“Yeah, uh,” Hannah’s eyes squinted to the left, “let’s see … I’ve only done the standard, but the deluxe has … I think an hour treatment with each; a personalized facial, Alolan full body massage, manicure, pedicure, a spa lunch or dinner, and full access to the lounge and jacuzzi.”

“Wow,” Rhea grinned, turning to study the hospital. “What do the Pokémon get?”

The building was five stories tall and branched out on either side to take up a massive area; it was the largest structure she’d ever seen in person, making her a bit dizzy. The reflectant glass and concrete building was a spectacular sight.

If there’s something like this here … what’s Viridian like?

“Uh, similar stuff … I’m not a hundred percent since I didn’t have any Pokémon at the time. They’ll get personal attention.”

“What about the standard pass?”

“Just access to the lounge and jacuzzi.”

“Heh, okay,” Rhea mused, examining her personal account. “One sec…”

The Oak Starter Award gave 5,000 credits, and the boys appeared to bet 500 credits each for their match. Jason, Sabin, Katelin, Annila, Kent, and her aunt were a part of her egg bet, giving her the 6,000 credit pot, which totaled her 11,500 credits on hand.

Wow, I’ve got a ton, and all of that sounds really good after being sick … oh, yeah, the massage will feel wonderful!

“Well, I bet Lori’s gonna choose the Deluxe Pass. You’ve each got one Pokémon, right?”

The three nodded with a soft frown.

“Yeah,” Sam mumbled, “but that’s a lot of money … uh, 550 times 3 … 1,650 credits is like half our individual funds. That’s so many products…”

“No, no, don’t worry about it!” Rhea waved their protests away. “I’m inviting you, and offering … no, demanding! Besides, I won a bet, and Lori’s loaded right now.” She replied, giving them a peace sign. “So, meet us there!”

“You sure?” Jade asked, playing with her ponytail.

“You dislike me that much, huh?” Rhea asked with a playful grin.

“No, no!” Sam protested.

“Yeah, okay, we’ll meet you there!” Hannah cheered. “Thank you so much, Rhea!”

The other two mirrored the thanks.

Ending the call, she met up with Amira and Mallory two streets down.

“Hey, girl!” Lori called, waving with a toothy grin. “Yo, where’s these friends of yours?”

The purple-haired girl had ditched her gloves in the heat but kept her black tights. Rhea noticed Lori revealed a bit more cleavage than she would have.

Amira’s red dress was form-fitting but had a high neck and shoulderless design. She seemed somewhat annoyed while glancing back at a few people leaning against the side of the street.

“They’ll meet us there … uh, somethin’ up, Amira?”

Lori leaned in with a wink, following the bright redhead’s gaze, eyes hidden behind her rosy shades. “Paparazzi; Amira’s like a Growlithe at sniffing them out.”

Amira let out a light sigh, hands on her hips. “I’ve spotted five so far. Three are tailing us to get a headline while two are staying back, taking pictures.”

“Wait, really?” Rhea asked, scanning the crowds of people walking around them. “With their phones?”

“Easier to use,” Amira mumbled. “So,” her head dropped to the side for a moment, eyeing her. “You really feeling better?” She asked, lowering her voice.

“Mhm!”

They fell into step beside Lori, the purple-haired girl leading the pack.

Glancing around at all the people going into stores and moving around in packs, Rhea asked, “Did you see Casey won her match?”

“Yeah!” Mallory giggled. “Before her private conversation with the other Kalos boy could be jacked by the news, she released it on her own PokéTube account. She really got that guy fuming, and then the humiliation after.”

Amira’s full lips lifted a bit. “It’s not looking good for the Kalos boys.”

“How was Jean, Korrina’s nephew? I don’t think he’s as bad as the other two.”

Mallory shrugged. “Didn’t pay any attention to him.”

“From what I could see, he’s keeping a low profile,” Amira added, glaring across the street at a guy with his phone pointed their way. “Were you followed around in Sinnoh, Lori?”

Lori hummed thoughtfully, leaning forward to catch sight of the guy. “Uh … kind of, but not like this. Hmm … wanna ditch them?”

“How?” Amira asked, brushing her waterfall braids back while turning to stare at her.

“Okay,” her voice lowered, “we could go with a few dirty methods to get the stalkers to back off, but we can also do the distraction play. Pretty easy now that we have Pokémon,” she mused, releasing her Froakie. “Don’t worry about a thing; they’ll leave on their own,” Lori winked. “Just leave it all to Gables.”

“Hmm?” Rhea lost track of the shiny water Pokémon as it seemed to blend into its environment. “Where’d he go?”

“Camouflage,” Mallory snickered. “Like I said, don’t worry about it!”

As they went on, the men and women tailing them slowly disappeared.

Amira lifted an eyebrow. “Impressive … there’s only two left that I can see.”

“Where?” Lori asked, sounding excited to meet her next opponents in the silent war happening among the bustle of tourists.

“See the man and woman … three groups behind us…”

“Got it! Hmm … we’re getting close to the spa, though.”

A short gasp caused everyone to slow, turning to see the man and woman grimacing down at a splatter of what appeared mud; the woman had a long streak on her back while the guy showed a big brown spot all over his butt.

Lori snickered beside them, but her expression was sympathetic. “Oof, guess they couldn’t hold it, huh?”

“Lori!” Amira gasped, full lips trying not to grin. “Did you…”

She motioned them to pick up their pace as the crowd hovered around the pair, seemingly wanting to help or not knowing what to do about the embarrassed partners.

“Camouflage plus Mud Sport; no real damage … well, maybe a bit of psychological damage,” she giggled.

Gables appeared beside them, sticking to the side of a building with a V-sign on his three fingers while blowing a small bubble as if saying, Got ‘em!

“Nice!” Lori grinned, holding up her hand; Gables jumped off, slapping it before returning to his pokéball.

“Although, you know that’s illegal,” Amira mumbled with a low hum. “Attacking a person with your Pokémon…”

“Only if ya get caught!” Lori grinned. “So, let’s get outta here.”

“Mhm…” Amira returned, but she seemed a bit happy to be rid of the spying eyes.

They quickly made it to the spa, meeting Sam, Hannah, and Jade out front; all of them had their hair done in simple ponytails.

Hannah was the most dressed of the three, sporting a close-fitting red and black Trainer-style plaid summer dress that fell to her lower thighs, last spring’s Trainer-style Cerulean 5 blue and white hiking sandals, a matching Cerulean 5 watch, and a charm bracelet for her left wrist.

Jade’s blue hair was pulled through a plain cap that matched her locks, and she wore a black tank-top with simple brown shorts. She had the Vermilion 3 Kicks from a few years ago, rocking a yellow and green design with a lightning bolt across them, and a simple beaded anklet with some shells.

Sam was the picture of practicality, a gray t-shirt with Adventure written in black letters across the front, blue, fashionably ripped denim shorts, and brown hiking boots.

The three girls were a lot more reserved once they caught sight of Rhea’s party, Mallory in the lead, and Rhea was the first to link parties.

“Hey, guys!”

Amira and Lori followed her gaze.

“... Oh, are they the girls you were talkin’ about?” Lori asked with a bright smile.

“Yup!” She pushed herself to skip forward to introduce them, hiding how sore she felt, and the girls gave a weak hello in response. Amira seemed somewhat bored by the whole exchange, folding her arms under her chest while glancing off to the side. “This is Sam, Jade, and Hannah. I’ll handle their price, Lori.”

“You sure?” Mallory asked. “I’m cool with payin’ the bill. You can grab our dinner at Viridian; I want to try out one of those fancy places over there! Hehe…”

She trailed-off as Amira cleared her throat. “Ahem, actually … my grandparents wanted us to come by for dinner. It’s cool if you want to go somewhere else, though.”

The firey-haired girl said it in such a nonchalant way that Rhea didn’t know if she wanted them to go or not. “Umm … yeah, yeah,” she replied, glancing at Lori, “that’d be nice.”

“Dinner with the Rockets?” Mallory mused. “... Sure, sounds interesting,” she grinned. “We should be able to try one of those restaurants before we leave, though!”

“They’re not all that,” Amira grunted with a weak shrug. “So … we gonna go in?”

Mallory’s eyes lit up. “Oh, you’re right, Amira! We don’t want to give the paparazzi time to catch up!”

“Or the police…” Amira mumbled.

“Paparazzi?” Sam and Hannah asked, Jade focusing on the latter part.

“Police are chasing you?”

“Oh, no, no,” Rhea waved her hand, ushering them inside with a quiet laugh. “We just have some nosey press looking for a story on our tail.”

Guiding them inside, she pushed open the glass door, walking into the brick and wood themed front entrance. A second glass wall was inside with a greeter, leading to the front lounge with soft couches and hundreds of candles that the employees had to maintain and replace each day.

“Welcome to PikaSpring,” the young man greeted, giving them a warm smile while opening the door. “I hope you enjoy your stay.”

The girls gave quiet thank-yous before entering; there were a few residents already inside, but it seemed relatively empty for the size of the place.

I guess it is a pretty expensive spa.

Lori swiftly took the lead, pausing their advance for a moment to ask their Pokémon number. Confirming it, they stopped at the front desk, where a woman waited.

“Welcome. My name is Kora. What can I do for you?”

“What’s the best package?” Lori asked without hesitation.

“Would that be a Year Pass, month, week, or just for the day?”

“Just today!” She chimed.

Sam, Jade, and Hannah hovered around Rhea to Lori’s right as Amira stood off to the left, glancing around the interior with a disinterested fashion.

“The Day Deluxe Pass would cost 600 credits, plus 50 per Pokémon; a list of barred Pokémon are in this packet,” she smoothly replied, sliding over an expensive-looking booklet.

Rhea’s three friends winced at the price, Hannah whispering, “Sorry…”

“For?” Lori asked.

“N-Nevermind…” She mumbled, and Rhea gave her an encouraging smile to let her know it was fine.

“Okay,” Mallory replied with a shrug, turning back to Kora. “Six girls, five Pokémon, Rhea’s two won’t be coming out this time,” she noted, drawing the woman’s gaze to her.

“Of course. That comes to 3,850, total; 3,600 credits for the six of you, and 250 for your Pokémon.”

Lori handed over her phone, already unlocked and on the payment app, ready to be charged. Kora accepted it, running it over the screen in front of her as Sam, Jade, and Hannah quietly thanked her in the background.

Handing the device back, Kora turned to Rhea. “I apologize, but if your Pokémon will not be going inside the spa with you, then we request to hold onto them for security reasons; some people try to sneak in barred Pokémon.”

Rhea was a bit hesitant but knew it was a common practice, and she’d know where her Pokémon were at all times due to their spiritual link. There were ways of weakening Trainers’ directional sense to their Pokémon, but those types of objects were heavily regulated, and businesses had gone bankrupt more than once after failing to properly secure a Trainer’s Pokémon.

Still feeling a bit uncomfortable, she asked, “What protocols do you have in place for security?”

Kora secured her brown locks behind her ear as a few fell out of place, smile not faltering. “In accordance with Pallet City Law, all businesses that require the handling of Pokémon must hire a Pallet City certified guard or League equivalent. We currently employ a Gold-tier Trainer that keeps an eye on the patrons Pokémon at all times throughout operating hours, and two more are in rotation as needed.”

“... Okay, thanks for the information,” Rhea chuckled. “I’ve just … well, this is the first time I’d be so far away from them.”

“Completely understandable!” She assured.

Sorry, guys … I promise we’ll have a fun time in Viridian, Nova.

Nova seemed to be getting irritated with Mya again but held her peace as Rhea handed over her Pokémon. Mya sent a depressed sorry to Nova, the Eevee not responding, but both told her to relax and regain her strength.

Kora took the offered pokéballs, giving Rhea a bright smile. “I watched your match on break. Mya was amazing.”

“Thanks.”

Rhea let the conversation die, Nova growing even more frustrated at the praise Mya was getting for hurting her, and Kora’s comment prompted more guilt from the Mawile.

Guys … please get along. I know you didn’t mean to hurt me, Mya. We’re all learning. Me, too, Nova. You guys can enjoy a bit of it with me through the link, though. I hope…

Nova gave a chirp, wishing for her to feel better, and the simmering heat in her chest cooled as the Eevee regarded Mya. The two began talking again; Nova had all but refused to speak to the Mawile for a bit.

Kora handed Rhea a small tablet. “If you could list your name, Pokémon, and their nicknames with your contact information and a second contact.”

Rhea’s lips pulled in, reluctantly taking the device. “I can put just my first name, right?”

“This is just protocol when handling your Pokémon,” Kora responded. “When you initial at the bottom, you’re taking part in the city’s standard Pokémon Business Protection laws. You can read what those are on the city’s website if you are unaware, but by signing, you are choosing to participate in them, which includes some business protection acts for possible damages we receive from your Pokémon, among other things.”

“I understand,” Rhea replied, signing her initials, leaving out her last name, and using Professor Oak and his lab’s address as the second contact.

The other girls signed their own agreement before letting out their Pokémon for inspection. The spa hired a few Pokémon Type specialists in massage therapy and Pokémon relaxation, and Kora added each Pokémon to the database.

Hannah had a female Ledyba named Limru that her father got for her, Jade had a male Pidgey named Orin that her sister recently caught for her, and Sam caught her own male Pineco with the help of her parents, calling him Hector.

The three Pokémon gathered around Amira’s Fennekin and Lori’s Froakie, apparently enamored by the two shiny Pokémon. Amber was eating up the attention while Gables was more aloof, acting pretty laid back with the whole exchange.

When the woman returned from securing Mya and Nova, Amira asked, “Is the spring charged with elemental energy?”

Rhea hadn’t even considered it, but Fire-Types or any Type of Pokémon with a weakness to an element could be harmed if entering an area that was charged with the natural elemental energy they were vulnerable to.

Kora promptly shook her head, handing out specific keys to each of them. “We are not that type of spring, Ms. Rocket; warning labels are required if a business uses such elements, and Pallet is not near an energy-rich source to utilize. No harm will come to your Fennekin within the pools.”

Amira hadn’t offered her last name on any of the reports, meaning Kora knew who she was based on the news.

“I see,” Amira replied, turning away to study the architecture.

The woman nodded, turning to each of them while guiding the six back to the locker area, their Pokémon trailing behind. “We don’t allow any devices beyond this area; this is supposed to be a relaxing experience.

“The keys I gave you have a number on them; once they are secured, you may keep them with you, using the strap to wear around your wrist, or hand them back to me for safekeeping until you are ready to leave. There will always be an attendant close by if you have any questions, but we keep the patron count low to provide a more relaxing atmosphere; you’re lucky we had a few cancelations.”

“So, it’s pretty private?” Lori asked, giving Amira a wink. “No stressful reporters or journalists hounding you in here.”

“I’d hope not,” Kora replied with a soft chuckle. “If you have any issues, then please don’t hesitate to let us know.”

“I will,” Amira replied, eyes still scanning the polished brown wood themed design of the relaxing environment the spa boasted. “... Reminds me a bit more of Johto than Kanto design.”

“Oh, you have a sharp eye,” Kora noted, following her gaze. “Yes, much of PikaSpring takes heavy inspiration from Ecruteak City in Johto.”

Mallory’s violet eyes lit up. “Oh, and your name from Yellow’s Pikachu, Pika, right?”

“Correct! Well, kind of,” she chuckled. “The builders of the spa sold it to the current owners quite some time ago, and Yellow was the first patron; at that time, PikaSpring was the lowest-ranked spa in Pallet, and she had Red’s Pikachu with her, so … there was a bit of a mix-up.”

“Interesting,” Lori mused, pointing at a picture on the wall. “That’s her, right?”

“Yes,” Kora replied, following her gaze. “Fifteen years ago.”

Rhea walked closer to the wooden framed photo, lips pulled to the side. “She doesn’t look too much older,” she giggled.

The others gave her a questioning look. “You’ve met Yellow?” Jade asked with wide eyes.

“Well, yeah,” Rhea shrugged, “Red and her stopped by … well, uh, yeah, I have.” She chuckled sheepishly.

“Wow…”

“Hmm?” Lori nudged her with a sly grin. “How much older? Yellow’s been in Alola for a while now.”

“Uh, I saw her about … a year ago,” Rhea admitted. “She looks about fifteen, to be honest, even though she’s thirty-seven.”

“Young Champions-tier Trainers. Am I right?” Mallory snickered. “She’s thirty-seven and looks younger than us. Just like your mom, huh, Amira?”

“Yeah…” She grunted with a small grimace.

The others seemed stunned at their casual talk about living legends.

“... Umm, in any case,” Kora swallowed, clearing her throat. “I assume you have bathing suits?”

They all nodded, following her instructions while undressing and putting their items in their designated lockers, each handing her their keys for safekeeping except Amira, keeping it around her wrist.

Rhea stretched to either side with a low moan, trying to loosen up her tight and sore muscles, listening to their guide explain the process. Sam, Hannah, and Jade’s focus slid between her, Amira, and Mallory as they removed their clothes before studying each other with dissatisfied expressions.

The Pokémon were still getting to know each other, chirping lightly in their small group.

There was no natural light in the spa, making it like an oasis in the city. Kora explained the routine and left shortly after, leaving them to relax. Not a single person was inside the large space, most of the city’s occupants likely getting ready to travel to Viridian or backpack through the forest to catch any challenges.

Rhea entered the very warm large saltwater pool with the others, lying on their backs to soak while floating in the dim space. Their Pokémon joined them, and the faint sound of running water relaxed her mind, and even Jade’s Pidgey was laid out on his back, wings spread out as they floated. Amber’s flaming ears were currently cute tufts while lying across Amira’s thin and toned stomach while Gables swam under them, unaffected by the salt.

After a while, they each slowly moved to the Jacuzzi hot tub; the bubbles were a lot more aggressive than Janice’s private hot tub back in the village, helping to exfoliate their skin.

Some of the Pokémon refrained from the Jacuzzi, and some of the employees each came to collect their Pokémon for their personal treatment.

Rhea’s body was beginning to feel a lot better with the various treatment methods the pools provided, moving from the hot tub to the warm 102-degree pool after getting rid of all her dead skin, slowly moving down the temperatures to the 97 before steeling her nerves to enter the 50-degree waters to help circulate her blood.

She screamed softly while getting into the ice path, the other girls following. “Eek … it feels like 30 below, not fifty,” she giggled, body quivering as she sunk lower into the pool.

“W-Why are we doing this again?” Jade asked.

“T-The blood circulation,” Hannah responded through chattering teeth.

Amira didn’t seem bothered by the experience at all, not even shivering with Lori and the rest of them. “... It’s not that bad. I take cold showers.”

“G-Good for you,” Mallory mumbled, hugging herself under the water. “I’m … not that kind of girl … hot showers … I like hot showers!”

They all giggled before talking about how relaxed and good their Pokémon were feeling, making Nova a bit salty again. Finally, they went to the wine path; non-alcoholic so it wouldn’t dry their skin, it was an immersion into the antioxidant world of unique red grapes that were imported in from Sinnoh’s harsh northern environment, soaking in the liquid for half an hour as employees brought them their dinner since it just passed 5 P.M.

The food was incredible, and surprisingly all meat-free by the taste.

Hannah seemed to be in heaven, finishing her meal while sinking to her neck in the large font of wine. “Amira, is this the kind of thing you do often?”

Amira rested her head against the padded edge of her seat, breathing slowly while settling in. “... This place is okay, but my family … I guess you could say I do this kind of often,” she whispered.

“Must be nice…” Jade commented with a relishing sigh. “My skin’s never felt so soft…”

“I never thought I could feel so relaxed,” Sam mumbled, eyes closed as she breathed slowly. “I think they’re rubbing some kind of lotion on Hector … he’s in heaven.”

“What about Amber?” Rhea asked, letting her body stay limp in the red liquid.

Amira was silent for a time, and they listened to the wine’s gentle movements with their light motions below. “... They’re brushing her out and using some kind of product on her ears she enjoys. This was a good idea, Lori … I needed this.”

“Hehe … yeah, it’s been a good bit since I’ve been to a spa,” Lori commented.

“... I’ll show you guys our private one in Viridian when we go.”

“Sounds nice,” Rhea mumbled. “All of us?”

“Sure…”

“Aww, you’re spoiling us too much,” Sam whispered.

Jade grunted a bit while shifting her weight underwater. “Yeah … I feel kind of bad.”

“Aye, if your friends with Rhea, not like we can exclude ya,” Mallory chuckled. “You’re traveling with us, too, right? We’ll be leaving early tomorrow.”

“That’ll be nice,” Hannah cooed. “This is really nice … thanks, Rhea, Mallory, Amira.”

“Just call me Lori.”

The other two repeated Hannah’s thanks, and after spending some time in the herbal-infused steam room, moved on to the next stage.

Entering their own private rooms, a woman came into Rhea’s to start the PikaSpring’s custom facial with a holistic approach, combining Johto techniques with modern technology that went into the facial massage.

They cleansed her face two times; once to remove makeup and once to really clean the skin, using a product produced from a Vileplume’s leaf gland that helped balance the skin; it exfoliates, rehydrates, and prepared their skin to receive treatment before the massage.

The woman administering her treatment noted Rhea’s skin was so dehydrated, it literally drank up the renewing pack, so she had to add a little extra.

Between the products and modalities, Rhea’s face never felt better. One of the creams they used smelled like pie, making her mouth water for something sweet, and the treatment helped tone and lift before using a jelly mask to calm the skin, followed by a vitamin and enzyme cocktail for an intense glow. Ending in micro-currents and LED lightshow with oxygen.

The full body massage was magical, and Rhea had never had a manicure or pedicure, which left her hands and feet feeling renewed with life.

Once finished, they dressed and gathered their Pokémon, each expressing their satisfaction with the experience. Nova was moving from anger to depression, and Mya was right there with her.

Saying their goodbyes and picking a spot to meet outside of the city in the morning, Rhea followed Amira and Lori to the hotel space her father rented. It had three beds; most hotels had single, double, or triple models since Trainer teams were commonplace.

She didn’t get to see Amira’s routine since they’d just gone through a full care treatment, and they prepared for bed, sleeping in their bikinis as would be Rhea’s norm for quite a while. Nova and Mya had been a lot more chatty with one another since they left the spa, but Rhea’s mind and body felt like butter after the relaxing experience, swiftly drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Nova released a low moan, watching the other Trainer’s Pokémon chirp their pleasure at the phenomenal care they’d received, and the sleek glow that enhanced Amber’s already shiny fur made her jealous.

It wasn’t like resting in her pokéball was terrible; it was exceptionally comfortable, and she didn’t even have to walk, Rhea doing all that work, but it bugged her. When she first connected with Rhea, she was strong, and the energy within her deep, but much of that had changed since Mya’s battle.

Rhea’s body hurt, her mind was dulled, and the strength Nova felt from her had diminished significantly. She could sense her Trainer’s experience when Mya sapped all of her fortitudes, and the strain she was under, which made her even angrier and confused as to how the Mawile didn’t know what she was doing.

She glared at the ethereal figure that was also linked with her Trainer; there wasn’t exactly a direction, but the emotions were transmitted nonetheless. “You really didn’t know what you were doing?”

Mya released a very long sigh, remorseful voice reaching her through Rhea. “No … all I felt was excitement. I wanted to prove that Rhea and I were stronger than any of those Pokémon. We are … I just … I don’t know.”

“If you don’t know, then you can’t fix it,” Nova snapped.

“I know … Rhea said; we’re figuring it out. Her mom said it was because I was too focused … how do I unfocus?”

“You need to figure it out. Rhea’s hurt, we’re useless to her right now, and all you can say is I don’t know? I can tell exactly how much energy Rhea has and when it might get too much for her. Why can’t you?”

“No, I can … I just can’t when fighting.”

“That makes no sense.”

“... I know. I’m sorry … I didn’t want to make us lose so much time with her. I just wanted to fight.”

“Now we can’t for days … if you really want to fight, then learn how much you can use, and start using your own energy instead of Rhea’s.”

“It’s so small, though,” Mya mumbled.

“Of course it is, which is why we gotta use it to make it grow,” Nova grumbled, rolling her eyes while watching the world through Rhea’s eyes. They were getting ready to leave for a hotel so Rhea could rest. “Jade wants to pet me, and I can’t even feel anyone stroke my fur because you had to go too far … whatever. Just don’t do it again.”

“... What do you think about that energy block that doctor guy talked about?”

Nova released a low growl. “She wouldn’t need to use something like that if you knew how much energy Rhea had left. If you do something like that again … we might have to leave Rhea. I don’t want that.”

“I don’t either!”

“Good. Don’t do it, then,” Nova huffed. “... Do you think Amber and Gables will be able to protect Rhea?”

“We should be…” Mya whispered in a sad tone.

“That’s not what I asked…”

“... I mean, Amber’s not that weak, but … I don’t know how strong wild Pokémon are.”

“... At least Rhea’s feeling better.”

“Yeah.” Mya’s low mumbles barely reached her. “Nova…”

“Hmm?”

“I’m really sorry. I didn’t want to punish you.”

“... It doesn’t matter now. We just need to do better. We were born to help Rhea … not kill her. To be honest … I’m a little scared, Mya.”

“Of me?”

“No … me.”

“...” Mya’s confusion transferred through their shared connection. “Why?”

“What if I’m like that, too? What if I can’t tell Rhea’s energy levels when I’m battling … what if I kill her?” She whimpered.

“I don’t think you will.”

“... What if I do?”

“You won’t.”

“You can’t be sure.”

They fell silent, pondering the possibilities ahead of them.

Nova watched Rhea laugh with Lori, Amira being somewhat quiet on their way to the hotel. “It takes a lot of energy for me to change forms … should I even try? I don’t know how hard it’ll be on Rhea. I’m not good at it either … I need to practice, but that could hurt her.”

“Rhea’s not worried about you, though,” Mya mumbled. “I’m the one she’s worried about.”

“Maybe she should be more worried about me,” Nova returned. “Maybe I’m the one that could really harm her.”

“Let’s try not to…”

“Yeah…”

They tried to distract themselves from the troubles clouding their thoughts by living through Rhea’s joy.

Rhea still loves us … even when we hurt her. I need to do more, but … I can’t right now. I could try to increase my energy from within the pokéball, but no … that might hurt Rhea still. We’re just so useless…

Rhea soon fell asleep, and after a bit, Nova did, too, mind still worrying about the future.