10 A.M. June 25, Thursday, 106 PH (Post Hoopa Event)

Events: The Preliminaries for the Joint Kanto and Johto Indigo Summer League have concluded; 105 Trainers and their Pokemon have advanced from Bronze to Silver. A week of celebration is to follow, marked with events put on by the Indigo League, after which the Summer Round Robin Cup will begin, to crown the best of each Tier among those that advanced. The battles begin on the 27th. Rhea started her journey on the 9th of June—she’s been a Trainer for 17 Days (16 Officially; 17 since getting Mya and Nova).

Rhea held her hand behind her back, walking beside Amira and Mallory. They’d begun their long trek through Route 3, along the base of Mt. Moon; it used to lead to a well-traveled cave before the class of Pokemon increased when she was still a kid.

Their Pokemon were running along the dirt road, play-fighting in the grass to not waste their Trainers’ fortitudes. Alice and Nova seemed to be leading Holly, Serenity, Miky, and Roxie in the exercises; the goal was to dodge their jumps, punches, and basically, a game of tag.

She shifted her gaze to the scenery, focusing on the rocky face of the mountains to their right and Mt. Moon to their left; the colossal mountain was covered by a thick forest and veiled by snow higher up.

Rhea took a moment to count how many Pokemon she could spot flying in the air or hovering above the treeline; there wasn’t one she didn’t recognize. Spearow and Fearow flew in their packs, Pidgey and Pidgeotto, making sure they didn’t cross certain territories. Butterfree kept to their own little packs, protecting their young.

A Charizard flew high overhead, only visible by the trail of fire his blazing tail left in the heavens; he was heading from Pewter, following the path they were on from the air. Farfetch’d were less frequent but could be seen from time to time.

Several Pinsir stuck on a few trees to their right, sucking out the sap and claiming their territory. Shockingly, she caught sight of a Mothim migration, and Combee hive, but they were probably pushed into Kanto from the Shinjo-incident. She even spotted a Chatot, hanging in a nearby branch to watch who walked down the path.

They passed at least a dozen backpackers and overtook a few Bronze-tier Trainers that seemed somewhat nervous upon seeing them coming up from behind. After the last group gave them nervous waves, slowing down to let them pass on the wide road, Rhea hummed, following the three boys as they dropped back.

“What’s up with everyone our age giving us those looks?”

Lori adjusted her sunglasses before glancing back. “Eh … Well, our Pokemon were publicly ranked at the Gym, and umm, yeah, if we’ve been shown to go up against a Sandstorm Onyx, and other crazy matchups—don’t ya think they’d be nervous?”

“I guess,” Rhea mumbled. “Didn’t they see how strong Mya was, and all the Moves she used in the Starter Award Battle?”

Amira absently nodded, focused instead on her 3D map app while tracking their progress. “Once is a fluke, Lori’s meme a deterrent, and our intense Gym battle definitive proof. It means we’ll have tougher matches ahead. Weaker teams won’t come near us while those looking to test their own skills will search us out.”

“Hmm … Alice still needs battle experience. I guess we can challenge people.” Rhea caught the redhead zooming in on a branch in the path ahead of them, full lips pulled in with a troubled look. “What’s up?”

Mallory noticed her fiddling with the detailed app, as well. “Uh … Yo, are we not continuing along Route 3? Didn’t you say we needed to get to Cerulean City?”

“Well,” Amira pushed her round frames up a little on her nose, swiping the image to pull out a little, “there are a few paths we could take through Clefairy Valley but I think it might be beneficial to take the detour through Apple City before getting into the desert part, and we could—I mean, I’ve always wanted to try the Kayak Gorge route to Rifure Village.”

A small smile bloomed on Rhea’s face as she glanced at Amira’s new Pokemon. “Giving Serenity a chance to spread her fins in the water wouldn’t be influencing this, would it?”

“Heh, was it that obvious?” Amira asked with a forced laugh. “I don’t know if you know how to use a kayak, but it’s pretty fun and way faster than walking.”

“Uuuhhh … I do not,” Mallory flatly stated, “but I’d be willing to learn! Gables’s all for spreading his arms and chillin’ in the water with Serenity.”

Rhea looked to the side with a small frown while watching Nova laugh; she was running away from the hyperactive bunny pursuing her.

Nova, what do you think about trying to train to transform into Vaporeon? It might help if we’re on the water.

Her little Eevee tried to do a quick maneuver to throw Alice off, but the little bun was too good at split-second repositioning and managed to close the distance and tap her back foot with her ear. Nova gave her a happy cheer before telling Rhea she was super ready to practice her transformations.

“Well, it looks like Nova’s all for it,” Rhea laughed. “I think she’s been a little sad we haven’t been training her forms as much as we wanted.”

“Cool.” Lori hummed, pressing closer to Amira in order to scan the map. “So … We are going to rent some kayaks from Apple City … Oh, the river runs right beside it … Hold up…”

Amira laughed. “I know. I know. It’s a really big gorge, and there are a few rough parts, but they’re not that bad.”

“You’ve done it before?” Rhea asked, studying the river. “Wait … what’s that part you have pinged? It’s a little off the main path.”

“It sure sounds like she’s done this before,” Mallory mumbled, folding her arms and looking down at the dirt. “To be honest—I’m not the best swimmer. You, Rhea?”

Rhea pulled her ponytail around to check its security as they walked. “Eh … yeah. Yeah, my dad did a bunch of training like that with me when I was growing up; heh, he got stuck on an island one time with his team and they had to catch a Water Pokemon to get off.”

Lori’s eyebrow lifted. “They didn’t just call for help?”

Amira giggled. “I don’t think they had the kind of phone technology we have now back then. In a way, I wish it was like that.”

“It would make things interesting,” Rhea mumbled, thinking back on her grandparents’ and parents’ stories. “A lot changed after the Ultra War … they didn’t really even have portable phones when my dad was a kid.”

“I know, it’s crazy,” Mallory mumbled. “Anyway, uh,” she scratched her temple, “heh, if I end up falling in, then Gables will probably need to save me, but he’s cool with that.”

A wry smile crossed Amira’s eyes. “And you’re okay with going still?”

“Sure! It sounds like an adventure.”

“Rhea?” Amira asked.

She shrugged, looking up at the snowy peaks of the mountain; Katelin and her brother had explored it, and she wanted to but knew it would be stupid to try—doing so would put her baby Pokemon in an impossible situation if they came across any territorial Pokemon. “Yeah, I mean, I’m all for kayaking; at one point, my dad would take me sea kayaking at least ten times a year. It was pretty fun.”

When the two of them didn’t respond, she turned to face them. “What?” she asked upon seeing their expressions.

Amira shook her head. “No, it’s just … a little surprising. I’ve never been sea kayaking.”

“I mean, it’s not that hard,” Rhea dismissed. “My mom and aunt came a few times, too. We liked to explore new areas, and sometimes they’d show me underwater caves nearby that we’d dive to.”

“Dive,” Mallory repeated. “As in, freediving? You Mukin’ freedive?!”

Rhea’s eyebrows drew together. “Yes? Everyone in my village learned basic Training skills. Freediving was a course everyone had to go through.” She scratched the side of her head with agitation, returning her focus to the compact dirt road. “I never could beat my brother’s record.”

“Which is?” Amira asked. “I can hold my breath for eight minutes.”

“Oh, nice!” Rhea forced a laugh, rubbing her neck. “I umm … yeah, that’s pretty good.”

Curiosity creased Mallory’s eyes. “Hmm … How long, Ms. Water-Type Specialist? … Oooh, I bet you'd love the river or ... heh, scared you might see some Luvdiscs?”

“No! No! No!” Rhea laughed. “I mean, I can only hold my breath for fourteen minutes while Sabin got sixteen on his last test—I beat Jason, at least,” she grumbled. “Still, Sabin never lets me live it down.” A pout crossed her face. “I did place 3rd out of everyone that took the course, though.”

“Fourteen minutes?” Amira gasped, pulling up a search engine. “How? Umm … Yeah, the average person can only hold their breath for like … thirty seconds to two minutes!”

“No!” Rhea scoffed, waving her hand with a sly smile. “There’s no way! Thirty seconds? Most of the kids I grew up around could hold it for at least seven. My dad can hold his breath for forty-five minutes, and my aunt … ugh, I don’t know if she cheats or not, but I’ve seen her in the water for hours without coming up.”

Brushing her hair back after inspection, she giggled. “On the other hand, my mom can’t go longer than twenty minutes, which my dad makes fun of her for.”

Mallory scratched her neck with a slow shake of her head. “Mhm … Yeah, no, I’m not gonna worry about you in the water then.”

Amira puffed out a long breath. “No, Rhea will be the one saving you.”

“Mhm, at least she can…”

Rhea rubbed her left arm, watching Lori pull up on her shirt front and adjust her bikini a little before dropping it down again. “So … are we going to do the kayaking thing?”

Mallory nudged her head toward Amira. “I’m up for it—heh, if she gets my kayak!” Amira’s lips creased in confusion. “Revenge for forcing me on water!” She snickered.

Running her fingers through her red hair, Amira grunted. “Yeah, that’s fine … Actually, Rhea, there may be something you can help me with.”

Not knowing what Amira wanted but happy to get off her feet, Rhea smiled. “Sure. Something to do with diving?”

“Yeah,” Amira whispered. A look crossed Amira’s face as she studied the marked place on the map; Rhea couldn’t tell if it was anxiety or sadness. “Thanks … It’s something I’ve thought about for years.” She licked her lips and shivered before laughing, which drew Mallory’s vision. “Wooh! I just can’t wait to get back on the water … I used to come here with my mom when I was off for the summer.”

“Hmm…” Mallory checked her dress and shifted her pack as she spoke, trying to get everything back in place. “How long will it take to reach Apple City?”

Amira pointed at the split in the road ahead of them. “We go right.”

“Apple Way,” Rhea read, looking closer at Amira’s map. “Oh, it’s even got an estimated timer on it … six hours at our current pace? Not bad. Will we have enough time to get to the kayaks?”

“No, which is why we’ll need to reserve it for tomorrow; there’s usually a day’s wait, in any case.”

Mallory threw her hand in the air with a cheer, brushing back her long purple hair. “Beds tonight, girls! Oh, and maybe we should get our nails done. What do you think?”

Amira glanced down at her fingers with a light frown. “It couldn’t hurt.”

They turned to face Rhea as she hid her hands behind her back. “What? Nails? Heh, why would you suggest that, Amira? I, umm … I mean, we could…”

“Mmh?” Mallory hopped behind Amira to reach Rhea’s back. “I knew it! You’ve never had a manicure in your life! The spa was the first time. Wasn’t it?!”

Rhea folded her fingers in, hiding them in her skirt. “No, but … my nails aren’t that bad,” she whispered, her cheeks reddening. “I do my own, and—and I’m not the best, but…”

Amira smiled. “I honestly didn’t notice.”

“I knew it! I knew it!” Mallory mused as Rhea allowed her to guide her hand up. “Girl … how do you have the cutest hands I’ve ever seen—that’s somehow never been touched by a manicure?! And that thick, silky hair … I’m so jealous, Rhea!”

Pulling her hand away, Rhea pressed it against her breast. “They aren’t that great … I had some acne when I was twelve, and Jason used to poke fun at me for it…”

Amira laughed. “Rhea, every girl gets acne.”

“Not the models or Master Trainers,” Rhea grumbled, combing through her thick ponytail after Mallory finished playing with it. “I had this big red spot on my nose—gah, one of the most embarrassing moments of my life was going to school with that on my face.”

Mallory lifted her hand. “Uh, same, girl! Seriously, what’s wrong with skipping a few days of school to get rid of something that’ll emotionally scar you for life! Muk, and when Tory made fun of the pimple on my shoulder in the locker room … She was the worst! The worst!”

The two of them shot an inquisitive look at the redhead as she smirked, bringing her hands up to adjust her cap and ponytail sticking through the back. “Think I’ve got you both beat in that department.”

“Oooh! Do tell!” Mallory said, jumping ahead a little to turn and walk backward as they turned down the path that would lead them into Clefairy Valley. “Was this when you were in Public School?”

Amira shook her head. “Nope. Public really wasn’t all that bad.”

“No way!” Rhea blurted out. “I mean, that was when that video was leaked to the public; when you beat up that boy.”

“Yeah, what was that about?” Mallory giggled. “I mean, mad respect, girl, but give us some context to hate the dude with you!”

“Meh, that was regular bullying stuff—name-calling, making fun of my hair, or family. His name was Jefferson, and what you can’t see on the footage was the wad of gum he’d stuck in my hair—close to my scalp and smeared around. It was red, so … go figure.”

Mallory’s nose twisted. “Should have his Diglett Pinsired.”

“Mallory…” Amira blushed as her mind followed the symbolism. “I told you, please, don’t do that to my cute Digletts.”

“Oh! Right! Right! Eh … Oh, I got it!” Lori snickered. “His—he-he-he—his Onix should be twisted!”

Rhea’s own cheeks darkened while picturing the image. It was a bit of a hard name to swallow for her and Mya after their defeat; her Mawile shifted uncomfortably in her pokeball. “Heh, eh … Yeah, but the guy totally deserved his … uh, Luvdiscs crushed.”

Amira displayed her hair with a grim smile. “You should have seen how horrified my mother was … She spent the whole night using peanut butter to get it out of my hair.”

“Really? That works?” Mallory asked, watching Gables try to out flip Alice; he was still a decent amount faster and more agile than the Buneary. “Wait, if that wasn’t even bad … What was in … Where did you go to school after that?”

A grimace crossed Amira’s lips. “Pokemon Tech. It used to function as a badge alternative until the Ultra War when everything was revamped. It has top educators and excellent staff, but just like any school, there are those … special cases. I learned how emotion leaks into academia more often than I believed.”

“Meaning?” Mallory asked, her focus on a few normal bubbles Gables created for their Pokemon to practice hitting, constantly decreasing their size. A few tourists passed them, going the opposite way; they didn’t pay them much mind.

Amira’s eyes narrowed. “Bullies, I can do something about … instructors that have it out for you … there are limited options. Lost papers, ripped assignments, sharp words, and public humiliation in front of one’s peers can be … exhausting.”

Rhea couldn’t believe it. Every teacher she had may have been strict and pushed them, but she’d never experienced bullying; she saw posts about it online, of course, yet her little world consisted of very prominent Trainers that were very close to her family. Sure, she couldn’t hide anything from her parents because of that, similar to some of the girls Rhea saw in the dramas she used to watch, yet school was super fun—she loved waking up and going to class.

“Are you serious?” she asked. “You were bullied by your teachers?”

A hiss passed through Lori’s teeth. “I can see it. I bet your grandpa did something to affect their family or something when they were younger. Right?”

Amira massaged her neck with a light grunt. “Meh, some, sure, but Madaline Jamison was the worst of them, and the reason for her persecution was because my mother knocked her out of the Platinum League running and Master, which affected her overall rating—the part that put her over the edge was when my mom didn’t even know who she was … That’s it.”

“Tck…” Mallory spat on the road, glaring at Mt. Moon. “What a Nosepass—no, a Protopass. Bet she has a sweaty bush.”

“Huh?” Rhea had lost the insult after Nosepass.

Amira giggled. “Probably best you don’t know, Rhea! That’s pretty good, Lori—And you’re probably right. Anyway, it made me work harder, have backups of everything, and take photo proof of my tests for evidence. It’s challenging when the person that can decide much of your future credentials has a grudge against you for nothing you’ve done.”

Rhea’s mind pulled in, trying to find something to lighten the mood in her scattered memories, but Mallory got to it first.

“Well, you know,” she looked up at the sky as if being watched, “there was this one time my dad and I snuck into this Casino—he lost his wallet with his ID, and this place wasn’t on the best terms with my dad! I got caught—on purpose, of course—and they dragged me down to some kind of holding area—I don’t know.”

“Sketchy,” Amira mumbled, and a smile brightened her complexion. “What did you do?”

“They left me inside when my dad started winning big—heh, some thugs ran the outfit, and the League was doing some investigations on it, and my dad wanted me to have some on-hand experience.”

Her hands became more animated as she got into the story. “He showed me the schematics and everything I needed to know—I had a paperclip in my hair!”

“Shut up!” Amira snickered. “Did you really use a paperclip to break out of the room?”

She held up her hands in her defense, making Rhea chuckle. “Hey! I’m just tellin’ it how it was! I used two paper clips, excuse you! One they accidentally left on the table with this file showing pictures of me and public records of my age—good thing, too, because I broke my first one, he-he-he! I got out, got the USB in, and pulled the fire alarm! Walked out with sunglasses while listening to some boppin’ tunes playin’ in my headphones.”

“Classic,” Amira mused, shaking her head. “Agent Mallory.”

“It was a one-go, but so much fun! Eh … yeah, Cass couldn’t handle something like that, though—she’d choke, which is fine! She just can’t tell a lie.”

Amira stretching her hands in the air. “Man … I don’t know you at all!”

“Give it time!” Lori nudged her with a wink. “I’ll give you some stories to tell. You too, Rhea! I’m tellin’ you, we need to set up some dance time … I’m getting some withdrawals…” she said, breaking into a dance while they moved after throwing on a song that she made work surprisingly well. “C’mon, sing with me!” She laughed, grabbing Rhea’s hand and spinning her around. “Let the beat move those hips!”

Mallory managed to get Amira to join them, swapping between songs while learning various dances from the expert on their way to Apple City. Their Pokemon joined in, Gables acting as their tutor, and soon Holly and Amira were spinning around in circles to the music.

Several groups of people laughed and cheered them on; Rhea soon discovered how much work dancing was because she was sweating sooner than she thought, but Rhea couldn’t remember having more fun as she swayed with Alice in her arms—all the Pokemon were singing with them, and Nova got super excited when a Pikachu offered background vocals on one track that sounded pretty good.

The massive skyscrapers of Apple City came into view as the forest thinned, and Rhea caught sight of the plains leading to the rocky, desert-like environment of Clefairy Valley.

“Uh … heh, is that a UFO?” Lori asked, pointing at one of the largest buildings near the center of the city. “And … this place rivals Pewter City. Why isn’t this the City-State capital?”

“Gym influence,” Amira stated. “The UFO … yeah, it’s the main attraction of Apple City. If you’re a Clefairy maniac, then this is the place to go because they’ve got parades, events, and exhibits documenting everything they know about the Clef, the Clefairy’s homeworld, or something like that.”

Rhea leaned forward with big eyes. “Homeworld? What are you talking about?”

Alice looked up at her, ears pulled back as she listened with interest; it seemed like she’d heard some Clefairy somewhere in the trees as they walked.

“You really don’t know?” Amira asked. “I mean, the story was pretty big a few years ago when a lot of the news broke. The Apple City Space Center of Observation and Technology … TACSCOT for short … I know, stupid name, but they found the homeworld’s location. The biggest problem is actually getting something to go fifty light-years.”

“For real?” Mallory mumbled, glancing toward Mt. Moon. “So … all Clefairy are from that planet?”

Amira shrugged. “There are a ton of theories. Some scientists theorize Clefairy got help from Elgyem in the distant past and flew there to start a colony—it’s all speculation, of course. Some believe they originated here and went to Clef before making a return trip.”

Lori’s face blanked. “Elgyem?”

“A Kalos Pokemon,” Rhea mumbled. “I heard that they were extraterrestrial Pokemon, but I thought it was only a rumor—a conspiracy theory or something.”

The redhead pointed up at the blue sky. “I mean, sure, but apparently, they’ve got enough evidence to have the scientific community in a buzz. I thought you’d know since, you know, your mom.”

“Eh … My mom is more down-to-earth, experimenting with things she can touch, kind of scientist—mostly the genetic kind. This kind of stuff is somewhat pointless to her—unless she’s already discovered how they can survive in space—probably,” she mumbled, scratching the back of her head. “She’s pretty secretive about her work until she figures out the negative sides that can come from it and takes measures against it.”

“Smart.”

Mallory was on her phone, mumbling about alien Pokemon.

Rhea chuckled. “You know, we have Ultra Beasts and Deoxys—alien Pokemon aren’t unheard of; I’m just surprised it’s been confirmed for Clefairy.”

“Want to check it out?” Amira asked, gesturing to the big tower. “I could probably get us in to talk to Mimi, the head scientist of the institute. My grandpa’s a heavy investor for them. She’s the one that made the discovery.”

Mallory absently stuck her thumb up. “I’m game—huh … there is some crazy stuff they talk about here. What’s a … transdimensional multiphase drive … like what is it?”

Rhea pulled in her lips, taking out her phone to text her mother. “I can ask my mom if she knows anything; she likes talking about this kind of stuff.”

“Sounds good,” Amira gestured to the gates of the city ahead of them, Apple City Police on the walls and keeping the metropolis safe from any rampaging wild Pokemon that came from the Ultra Virus effects. “It shouldn’t take us long to check-in. You can talk to her if you want while I handle the paperwork.”

“Please!” Mallory groaned. “I hate paperwork!”

Scratching the back of her neck, Rhea nodded. “Sure … Eh, heh, you actually have me interested in finding out more.”

A small smile lifted Amira’s lips. “Yeah. I’m glad you don’t … nevermind,” she whispered, adjusting her cap. “Yeah, I’ll go ahead, just chill outside—it’s probably loud inside.”

“Thanks!” Rhea waved her off; her mother hadn’t texted back yet, so she called, slowing her pace and glancing around the cleared area around the city.

Most City-States had to build up after they reached their boundary walls, which meant buying old housing areas to expand into condos and apartment complexes. The League wanted to preserve the wild habitat for Pokemon, and that meant regulations on city growth and housing.

Her mother answered on the seventh ring. “Mmh … oh, morning, my little Swablu…” her mother yawned, rubbing her eyes while stretching out.

A rueful sigh puffed out of her lungs. “Late night, Mom? It’s almost 3:30 P.M.”

“Oh … Is that the time? Huh.”

Christie seemed to be in a dark lab that was probably still in Viridian. “Still in Kanto?”

“Yup! Mmgh … that’s the spot,” she grunted, twisting left and right. “Eh … Lusamine’s change has been keeping us on our toes. Anyway, what’s going on?”

Rhea’s lips flipped into an accusatory frown. “How much sleep did you get?”

“Hmm…” Her mother brought a finger to her chin with a thoughtful look. “I’m guessing here, but …nine-ish hours … seven-ish ... I can’t tell! So … Oh, she’s adorable! Hello, Mallory!”

She chimed as her Buneary jumped onto her shoulder to look at the hologram; no one was close enough to see her talk to her mother, but she moved off the front entrance area to lean against the wall.

Mallory waved back. “Hey! Can’t say your name, love you!”

“He-he-he, thanks, dear; I had a lovely chat with your mother yesterday. She asked about you.”

A slight frown touched the violet-eyed girl’s lips. “I text her every once in a while.”

“Hmm … I think she feels like you're hiding things from her about your sister. Can’t say why, but it is what it is, and that’s between you two,” Christie mumbled. “So! What’s going on?”

Rhea didn’t expect the mood to swap in this spoiled direction. “Yeah … umm, we’re over here at Apple City, and I wanted to know a bit more about this whole Clefairy being from a different world thing? I just thought you might know something.”

Her mother’s eyes lit up. “Oh! Yes, Mimi’s life’s work. The girl’s pretty dedicated and took over Professor Oswald’s work when he vanished. Most people thought he was a crackpot except Professor Oak—I had my doubts, but several genetic anomalies in various Clefairy made me a believer of the Space Theory. Another planet, on the other hand, heh, I was a skeptic. In fact…”

She paused, fiddling with the tablet next to her; Mallory was on her phone with a sour expression, likely texting her own mother.

“Eh … Yes! There it is … I’m in an old chain email with Mimi—I like to keep up to date on the latest projects and stuff.” Christie scratched above her ear with a small smile. “Oh! Yup, this is the one … Mimi’s preparing a craft with her Clefairy’s help to travel to their planet. Kind of hush-hush, but Giovanni’s funding it, from what I can gather. It should be ready in about two years—at least, if it’s on schedule … This is a 2nd Generation Terran Celfary, after all.”

Rhea’s forehead creased. “Seriously? That’s actually pretty cool. I’d like to see it someday—if it doesn’t take all that long to travel there,” she chuckled. “Fifty light-years is … a long time.”

“Mmh, not as much as you think—and light-years is a measure of distance, not time, honey—and with the proper technology…” her mother trailed off, scanning the information in the email. “According to these schematics … less than a week; she’s been in close contact with Hoenn’s Mossdeep Space Center’s top scientists on the subject—big names. Wow,” she paused, scrolling down the information, “no, this is some serious stuff, huh … Just not my field specialty.”

Feeling a little more excited after hearing her mother’s opinion, Rhea shifted the phone to her opposite hand and twisted her body as a group of Trainers looked her way, likely recognizing Lori and her. “That’s cool. Alright, thanks, Mom; that’s all I wanted to know. Oh, and we’re going to go down the Kayak Gorge Route.”

“Nice! I know you and your dad loved to do that in the ocean … me, not so much,” she laughed. “Your aunt burned me out years ago! She never stops … never!” A low groan rumbled in her throat as she sank to the messy countertop. “I suppose that’s why she’s a Legendary Trainer.”

“And who’s talking?” Rhea asked, lifting an eyebrow. “Legendary Researcher and Breeder?! I have to get on you to sleep properly!”

“Oh, I think your dad’s here with my breakfast!” her mother clapped.

“Don’t change the subject!”

“Gotta go, honey! Love you, have fun with the girls!”

Rhea’s expression dulled as the connection cut. “Humph…”

Take care of yourself, Mom…

Fifteen seconds later, Amira exited, waving for them to join her. They entered, Mallory still in a hot discussion with her mother through texts, before being scanned with their Pokemon and entering Apple City. Amira somehow had already organized a tour of the TACSCOT facility for them.

This was one of the few times in Rhea’s life that she felt excited to learn about science; most of the time, she just listened to her mother prattle on because she loved her and wanted to let her express her passion. This was different, though—space exploration, and from what her mother said, this Clef planet was just the beginning with this technological leap.