10:51 A.M. June 27, Saturday, 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. The day has come for the Summer Round Robin Cup, where the top of Kanto and Johto’s advancing Trainers will compete to be named Seasonal Best. Rhea started her journey on the 9th of June—she’s been a Trainer for 19 Days (18 Officially; 19 since getting Maya and Nova).

The news was filled with speculations about the conference and what a joy it was to see Yellow in Kanto again; the cute blonde’s display and Blue’s usual confident showboating had stolen the public eye. Red wasn’t quite as noticeable to the every-day Trainer since he rarely spoke or had televised appearances, but Rhea had no doubt the Masters community was in a buzz at the revelation.

Unfortunately for all of those in this year’s Summer Round Robin Cup, the Legends had snatched commercial attention. Elaine and Chase were always the talk of gossip media, as well, and seeing the pair together had fans swooning with rumors about if they were seeing each other again.

Every channel Rhea casually flipped to was buzzing for more details regarding the sudden arrival of the region’s Legendary Trainers and what Plasma must have done to warrant such a response. Still, not a soul was concerned, given the strong faith the powerful Trainers’ presence gave the citizens—there wasn’t a negative thing said about them, which was odd when Blue was in the picture—Red’s oldest rival was drama candy to the news.

Sabin had laid out the pile of clothes he’d taken from her wardrobe back home, allowing Lori, Amira, and her to find something that would work. Rhea was the shortest of the group, Amira being a few inches taller than her and Lori roughly the same height above the redhead.

She was a little happy to see some of her old clothes, and she pulled out some white and black sandals, blue striped skirt, and deep sapphire puffy shirt to put over her black tank top. It was somewhat similar to what she wore when first starting their journey.

Rhea squealed with excitement, hugging her brother upon seeing the hair-ties he’d brought; he knew her well. He waved her off as she went to change in the back room with Lori and Amira, their family smiling after them.

She became a little self-conscious when seeing her teammates sorting through her outfits, Lori looking sad while plucking between the items in her hands. There were really only two options for the taller—and much curvier—girl: one yellow and one pink dress, both that went to Rhea’s shins but only came to the purple-haired girl’s knees.

After choosing the yellow dress she threw it on; understandably, Rhea grimaced—she could see the impression her bikini made against the fabric because of how tight it was around her shoulders, back, and bust.

“Sorry,” Rhea unconsciously whispered, attempting a smile.

Mallory chuckled while doing her best to adjust it around her figure. “Mmh-mh … Eh, heh, no it just kind of makes me feel a bit fat,” she grinned, pointing at her belly, “because, girl, this is a tight fit!”

Amira adjusted the black dress she’d selected, and Rhea thought the redhead looked better in it than she did—she certainly filled it out. “I wouldn’t say that—you look perfect for your height, and we can both agree Rhea is a bit thin around the belly,” she mused, eyeing her.

“Facts!” Lori snickered, edging forward to poke at her stomach. “Seriously, how do you get tone in all the right places? Wait…” she grimaced, looking down at her sides. “You work out a lot…”

Rhea’s face heated at the attention the pair were sending her way. “I mean, yeah, I do, but, umm … You dance a lot, too. You’ve got the perfect hourglass figure.”

“Extra fat that just gets in the way—sleeping’s a pain,” she grumbled, “and I get so hot!” Her purple irises turned cat-like as she turned to the Rocket girl. “Amira, though…”

The redhead took a step back, scanning herself. “What? I think this is a cute dress—simple, black, and well-designed. Rhea has good fashion sense—although, it would be nice if we could fit into her shoes, but…”

“Heh, I have small feet,” Rhea sighed, but it was encouraging to hear Amira liked her clothes. “Sorry.”

“Quit saying sorry,” Lori returned, bumping her hip against her before pulling her into a hug. “I mean, I’m the one stretching out your dress with this absurd fat!”

Rhea laughed, returning the embrace. “Okay, deal—I'll stop saying I’m sorry if you stop calling yourself fat!”

“Oof,” she pulled away with a wince. “You drive a hard bargain, but … look at these ‘big’ thighs and hips,” she grinned.

“Ha-ha,” Rhea snorted, “changing it from fat to big isn’t gonna fly. Weren’t you the one that told us to own our looks?”

“Beh-heh, I mean, when you look like the two of you…” Lori mumbled, shifting to the side to bring around her high-ponytail. “Amira and you have hair for days.”

Brushing her hand away, Rhea sighed. “Yeah, that means it takes forever to manage and—he-he, means it gets in the way a lot.”

“Really, it does take a while,” Amira grumbled, sitting down to braid her red locks. “I can’t say I’m not happy I have thick hair, though.”

Lori accepted a comb from Rhea, glaring at the blonde strands stuck to it before plucking them out to put in a nearby trash can. “My hair’s so hard to make look good,” Lori said while pulling it over her shoulder. “Amira’s got her dad’s hair and you’ve got your mom’s, Rhea. I don’t know who’s genetics I’ve got, but bah—my sister got the best parts, I swear.”

Rhea took a nearby armchair as her friends got ready; it was nice to sit back and just talk to one another while their Pokemon interacted in the other room—each of them had various things that annoyed them about their appearance, and since there weren’t any girls her age in her little village, Rhea didn’t have anyone to really share those feelings with other than her mother or cousin—she certainly wasn’t about to share those things with Jason.

“Hmm…”

Amira’s red irises tilted to her, expert fingers pulling apart her locks and bangs in a manner to craft her standard thick braid. “What’s up?”

Shaking her head, Rhea took in a deep breath and let it puff out. “Umm, did you two have anyone to teach you how to look good? Because I’ve been kind of self-conscious since meeting you two … Honestly, I feel like all my advice came from movies and online.”

“Ah,” Amira slowly nodded, looking over her attire. “I can see the influence of a few fashion sites, now that you mention it, but I don’t think the style is bad.”

Mallory snickered. “Seriously? How can she not look good in anything, Amira? Put her in a trash bag, and she’d look cute.”

Rhea frowned, looking down at her thin belly that showed between her tank top and skirt. “You know … When I look at you, Amira, I just … can’t help but think you’re classy … kind of like your grandma. You’re elegant and articulate, and you have that … that high-class beauty that radiates confidence.”

“Wow … Thank you,” Amira whispered, but before she could add anything, Rhea pressed on, trying to get her point across.

“And Lori…” The purple-haired girl’s hand paused in her brush strokes to listen, eyebrows pulled together. “Lori’s just so outgoing and proud of her looks—you don’t even care about talking about your body and making jokes like that. You have that—I don’t know, almost like a reserved sexy kind of vibe, and you wear things like gloves and stuff that make you look so mature … Plus, you actually know how to dance, unlike me…”

Mallory’s lips pulled in, vision wandering to her silky hair, gleaming in the overhead light. “If we’re being honest … I kind of hate how I look … I grew up being compared to Casey and my mom … I’m adopted, though, yet everyone always compares us…”

Her lips twisted into a half-smile that didn’t touch her eyes. “Being compared to my mom and sisters always made me kind of bitter because I know I’m not as pretty as them—my mother’s a Mukin’ model…”

Rhea shook her head. “I mean, yeah, Casey and Karen are gorgeous, but so are you … I’m just cute, and I’ve got no style of my own.”

Lori snorted. “Really? You’re more than just cute, Rhea—you’re practically candy to be around. C’mon, Amira, back me up here!”

The redhead had been glancing between their back and forth, silently working with her hair. “Mmh … In my eyes, you’ve all got different looks that work for each of you. Just because Karen and Casey are stunning doesn’t mean they can match you, Rhea, or I—my mom’s been the poster girl for being adorable forever, but it doesn’t mean I want to be like that.”

She crossed her legs and tilted her head to get a better angle on her bangs, looking into one of the mirrors nearby. “I learned a lot about beauty and fashion from her—I was not into my mother’s style at all—heh, not that there’s anything wrong with my mom’s country school-girl look … She admired Kris a lot growing up, so she mirrored her hair-style.”

Amira's slight smile slowly drifted to Mallory, glaring at herself in a mirror. “The way we dress tells others a lot about who you are—of course, it’s not everything, but it’s one of the manners we express ourselves to the world, and it should reflect not only us but the occasion we’re dressing for. For example…”

Finished managing her braid, Amira rose to stare at her black dress and bare feet. “I think this would be one of Rhea’s more formal dresses that she used for special occasions by how clean and taken care of it is—not only does it tell me something about you, but it makes me happy that you’d trust me to wear something meant for more formal events.”

Rhea’s cheeks darkened a little, surprised at Amira’s calm speech on fashion. Vision falling to her lap, she played with her skirt. “Umm, yeah, that’s the dress my mom and I picked out for when I graduated from school … I didn’t wear dresses often because of how active we always were.”

A sigh left Lori’s lips as she gave her a soft smile. “Yeah, that toned body of yours shows it.”

Amira directed her focus to the Unova girl. “On the other hand, the way you dressed made it clear you admired your big sister.”

The girl combed back her purple hair, rising to twist and look at her back. “Maybe it’s other things about myself that get under my skin … I don’t know, but you’re not wrong; my sister can be so wholesome and cute—ugh, then she can be aloof and stuck in her room for days writing.”

A shiver ran down Lori’s frame; hugging herself, she glared at the mirror. “Other times, she can be spooky—being a Ghost Grandmaster Trainer doesn’t help things, but everyone in the Unova Elite Four can be a bit much at times—including my dad.”

Rhea giggled, pulling strength from Amira. “You guys tease me about it sometimes, but we all know I can be pretty awkward … It can be a bit scary seeing all this new stuff—it’s just…”

She grinned at her two teammates. “I know yesterday was pretty rough, and we’re all working through our own things, but I love having you guys around … So, umm … do you still want to travel with me—as a party, I mean?” she nervously asked, posing the question that had been eating at her.

“Of course!” Lori laughed, setting down the brush to come over and hug her. “And scary—eh-heh, you know I’m super far away from home, right? I’m nervous as a Geodude in water!”

Rhea got up to embrace her back, feeling the girl’s heartbeat against her ear; it was nice having someone’s arms around her. “Oh?” she teased. “I think a Geodude would be more chill than you’d be … eep…”

She winced as Lori picked her off the ground and pulled her into a bear hug. “Mmgh! You’re never gonna let that go until I can swim, huh?! Fine, you can give me lessons, but not if anyone else is around—I get embarrassed, too. ‘Kay?”

“He-he-he … Okay! Okay!” Rhea snickered, pulling away to glance at the redhead. “Amira?”

Her focus was on her braid, expression somber. “Rhea, Lori … Can you give me some time to think about it? I’ve just got a lot on my mind … It’s not you—seriously,” she whispered, looking up at Rhea’s drawn eyebrows. “You saved my life, and—thank you, Rhea—really, but I’m just working things out right now.”

“No—No, yeah, sure…” Rhea mumbled, adding a reassuring smile that didn’t hit her heart. “Just … It’s not your fault—we don’t blame you,” she pressed, scared Amira was still blaming herself for the incident.

“For real,” Mallory jumped in, arms folding under her bust. “Rhea wasn’t the only one to save someone, girl … I’d be dead if you guys didn’t pull my fat butt out of the water—heh, I practically hit those waves like a Heavy Slam!”

Rhea gave her a quick glare. “Lori…”

“I’m not fat; I get it!” she moaned, rolling her eyes. “Geez, but no crap—you two saved me more than once yesterday … If anyone should feel useless, it’s me … Rhea’s practically a Ranger in the wild, and Amira’s got the brains of a genius. I can … dance?” she chuckled and flashed her teeth. “Heh, I’m just saying—I think I need you two if I’m gonna survive this thing—I need all the help I can get.”

Amira’s somber smile hadn’t changed. “I’m not saying no, guys … I just need to think for a bit.”

Figuring it was best to be supported, Rhea relented. “I understand. If you need anything, I’m here for you.”

“Me, too—as useless as I might be,” Lori waved. “So—what’s the plan for today? We going shopping? ‘Cause I’m totally down to just take today to shop; not that you’ve got bad taste, Rhea!” she hissed, glancing down at her compressed chest. “I’m just afraid if I move wrong, I might rip your dress.”

“I get it; no worries!” Rhea smiled. “Shopping would be good … I just wish my family could come.”

Amira rolled around her neck and groaned. “I’m fine with that—can I call my mom first, though?”

“Of course!” Rhea fervently nodded. “I mean, heh, mine’s in the next room, and I’m sure she’d want some more attention … but maybe a bit of a breather would be nice for a bit. Mmh … Yeah, maybe I’ll take a short walk with my brother while you talk to your mom.”

Lori’s grip tightened around her sides, hips twisting to stare at the door. “Mmh … I think my mom or dad might show up at some point, too … Wow, imagine if they both came,” she mused, not sounding confident. “I can hang out with Aya—my mom’s Honchkrow can be a real attention seeker,” she growled, glaring at the comb on the table. “He steals my stuff, so I have to look for him.”

Rhea’s shoulders fell in exasperation. “Sounds like a Ghost I know…”

The three went silent, causing their family and friends’ laughter and muffled voices in the next room to filter in. It was a bit uncomfortable until Lori went to the door to open it.

“You two ready?”

Amira got to her feet and adjusted a few places on her black dress before nodding, and Rhea followed suit.

They exited for Rhea to see her aunt Cynthia’s face on the TV, silver irises turning to her. “My, you look pretty, Dear—all of you do; although … Christie, you’re going to need to get a new outfit for Mallory.”

“I know!” Lori hissed as everyone centered on her. “I feel like the seams on this thing are about to burst—I have to be careful how I move.”

Silver gave them a reassuring smile. “We’ll be heading out soon, and Rhea, your aunt has some excellent news to share with you.”

“What is it?” Rhea asked, holding her elbow behind her back while stopping in the front room; she saw her mother’s phone attached to the top of the TV, acting as the interface.

To her surprise, her mother jumped forward to grab her hand, eyes sparkling. “I can come shopping with you!”

“Huh?” Rhea’s body tilted to the side to look at the Sinnoh Champion for an explanation. “How?”

Cynthia giggled. “Rissi—you’re always so hyper when things excite you.”

“That’s the meaning of the word, Cindy!” her mother shot back, turning to face her. “How else should I act when I can finally see my daughter whenever I want?”

Her aunt nodded, focusing on Amira. “By all means … Basically, Lyra’s gone above and beyond.” The Active Champion’s focus shifted to Amira. “I just got off the phone with your mother; Plasma’s operations in Kanto and Johto have been utterly dismantled, and it has sent a clear message to every other organization in the underground. In short, it is because of your mother’s actions that my niece can proudly walk down the street with her family.”

Rhea wasn’t sure why, but Amira’s lips tightened at the news, vision drifting to her father. “I see … That’s wonderful. I actually was hoping to call her, and if she’s gotten rid of Plasma, then she should be free…”

On the other hand, Lori looked stunned. “Wait, you’re not joking—yo, Kanto and Johto are insane … For real, Plasma’s been taken out across both regions—overnight?!”

Cynthia’s eyes narrowed slightly, her focus still on the redhead. “When a mother’s daughter is in danger, she’ll do anything to keep her safe, and given the connections and power Lyra can summon—clearly, the results speak for themselves. No other region has the raw power of Kanto and Johto, and when it’s threatened, the sleeping monsters it fostered awakens.”

Christie sniffed. “Rightfully so—Plasma’s been dealt a blow it won’t soon come back from, and it will send waves across the various empires in the criminal underground.”

Her aunt smirked, and Rhea could see the hidden dragon resting inside for a moment. “When a Legendary Trainer has something in their sights, either the world moves or is forced to move—much less when there are seven working toward the same goal.”

A lump dropped down Rhea’s throat as her past encounters with the seven in question crossed her mind—Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, Leaf, Kris, and Cynthia was even throwing Lyra into that list which spoke volumes about Amira’s mother.

As great as her aunt was, Rhea knew even she couldn’t take the combined might of Kanto and Johto, and Plasma had pricked the toes of those sleeping giants. The fact Ethan wasn’t invited, or that Lyra hadn’t gotten in touch with him made Rhea wonder if it was for a reason—she’d heard chilling stories about the typically loud and proud Legend if he was pushed or angered; Red was calm, cold, and collected—when Ethan’s eyes turned gold was when consequences left his mind.

Silver cleared his throat, breaking the tense atmosphere. “Your mother might be busy with other things, Amira, but you can try to get a hold of her. By the way, Mallory, your father should be arriving soon.”

“No way!” Lori grinned, fists tightening against her breast. “When?”

He shook his head, watching his daughter give him a short smile before exiting out of the sliding glass door to call her mother. “I can’t be sure. Will is going to teleport him here, so it shouldn’t be too long.”

A bit overwhelmed by the news that she could see her family whenever she wanted now, Rhea turned to her mother. “Hey, Mom…”

“Mhm!” she chimed, brushing back her unkempt hair in exhilaration.

Glancing around the room, she hummed. “So … where’s Sabin and Kate?”

Her mother’s smile froze. “Your brother? Umm … hmm…” Rhea caught her aunt’s smile, becoming forced as her sister blankly looked around. “They … went outside to talk, I think? Is something wrong?”

Rhea shook her head. “No, I just wanted to go on a short walk with him while Amira talks to her mom. Do you mind?”

“No! Heh-he, go right ahead!” she instantly replied, fidgeting with her hair. “I’ll just be—umm, right here talking to your aunt. Do you need anything?”

“I’m fine,” she said, jogging around the couch to the front door, but upon opening it, she turned back, clearing her throat. “Mom…”

Head rising, her mother blinked. “Mhm?!”

“I’m happy I get to spend time with you again … I missed it. Love you!”

“I love you, too!”

Rhea hesitated for a second upon hearing her voice catch. “You okay, Mom?”

“Ahem,” she giggled. “I’m your mom—of course I’m okay! I’ll see you after you spend some time with your brother … Oh, and your dad should be stopping by later, too!”

“I can’t wait,” Rhea grinned. “Does that mean we’ll have dinner as a family?”

“Umm … yeah!” her mother quickly nodded. “Leave it to me!”

Grimacing a little, Rhea coughed out a laugh. “Eh—Aunt Cynthia?”

“He-he-he, I’ll help her, dear.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Christie asked, directing a glare at her sister. “Cooking isn’t all that hard.”

“Thanks, Aunt Cynthia!” Rhea shouted, long ponytail whipping around as she made sure it was clear before closing the door; she couldn’t wait to see everyone in one place again.

Jogging around the house, she hoped Sabin hadn’t taken off with Katelin but understood why he might—she was safe now, and their mother was there—his girlfriend needed attention, too.

Her mind went white at the thought. When did I become totally fine with Katelin stealing Sabin’s attention from me?

“Hmm…” Rhea slowed to a stop as she caught sight of the two surrounded by some of their Pokemon, but as she was reconsidering if she should interrupt, Katelin waved her over.

“Rhea! Hey, girl, how are you feeling—oof,” she winced, gaze drifting between Sabin and her, “terrible question? Muk—yeah, terrible question!”

Rhea made her way over, trying to look cheery. “I’m doing a lot better now that you two can stop by and hang out with us whenever you want.”

“Wait … we can?” Sabin asked, turning to face her.

“Wooh!” Kate shot a fist into the air. “That’s wonderful, Rhea! Your brother and I were just talking about how we should spend more time with you—isn’t he a good brother?” she teasingly asked, nudging his side. “He’s basically the perfect man! Aren’t I lucky?”

“C’mon, Kate,” he smirked, reaching out an arm to pull her in and kiss her on the forehead, “any brother worth his salt should care for his little sister. I’m far from perfect.”

“Not from where I’m standing,” she doubled down, cheeks rosy as she grinned up at him. “Anyway, what’s up, Rhea? Want to talk to your brother?”

It was still a little uncomfortable watching her brother be intimate with the woman, but… “If that’s okay.”

“Absolutely,” she promptly winked at her boyfriend, tapped him on the back, and hopped toward her Noctowl. “Jace and I will get in some flight practice because without the work we did before, that Pidgeot would have made cubes out of us! Oh, Rhea, you know your chad of a brother also saved Jace and me from getting cut in half, too!”

“We were both caught off-guard,” Sabin returned, dismissively waving his hand. “We didn’t expect to get into a life or death situation.”

“Mhm,” Kate rolled her eyes. “C’mon, Sabin, take the credit! Rovane throwing out that Tailwind for us was literally the only reason we got away to call for help.”

“You would have gotten away,” Sabin replied, gesturing at the Noctowl. “Jace could have matched that Pidgeot if he wasn’t already tired from our previous game, and he was handling those currents like a pro.”

The Pokemon chirped, and Rhea turned back to the house upon feeling Alice and Nova running their way—Mya had drifted off to sleep again, having stayed up most of the night thinking about their flight from the Plasma terrorist.

On the other hand, for the past hour, Rhea’s long-eared Pokemon had been busy talking to Aya about tactics, hoping to be of more use. Rhea mirrored their sentiment.

“Aww, your Pokemon are so adorable and cute!” Katelin cooed after getting on Jace’s back. “Plus, Nova can be any Eeveelution for any party occasion! She’s so perfect!”

Nova puffed up her chest, trying to look proud, but Rhea could sense the doubt in her spirit; she was still beating herself up for not being able to transform into anything but a Glaceon.

Sabin knelt down to pet them as Kate waved them off and took to the sky. “So, this is Alice, and this is Nova?” The two Pokemon nodded fervently, making him chuckle. “Oh, looks like Atreyu likes you guys.”

The large Houndoom walked over with Snee-Kee resting on his left horn, and the pair got into a conversation. Her brother’s Pokemon soon crowded around, entering the conversation, and Rhea pulled Sabin to the side.

“Umm, do you mind talking with me for a minute?”

Sabin’s forehead furrowed as he adjusted his blue shirt. “Sure. What’s on your mind?”

They started walking down the long driveway to the road; dozens of Pokemon were hanging around the edges of the treeline to observe the newcomers to their territory, but Rhea ignored them.

It took a minute for Rhea to form the thoughts running through her mind, and Sabin patiently waited, vision wandering. “Sabin … I feel weak … It’s different from how I’ve felt in the past.”

Her brother’s chest expanded as he drew in a deep breath and let it stream out. “You had a brush against a killer that you couldn’t do anything but run from … Of course, you feel that way. What do you want to do?”

She looked up at the blue sky, going over the events in her mind. “Hmm … I wanted to protect Amira and Lori—to just buy as much time as we could.”

Sabin’s jaw tightened, lips pulling in. “Mhm … You didn’t know help was coming, though?”

“No,” Rhea whispered. “I didn’t, but … all I could think about was finding somewhere safe … I would have been lost, though—Amira blames herself for what happened, but without her, Lori and I would be dead. We couldn’t have gotten that Cloyster to buy us time—only Amira knew how to get it to help … I was paralyzed before she came up with a plan.”

A low rumble shook in her brother’s throat. “You feel ashamed.”

Rhea’s throat constricted, goosebumps cascading down her arms as tears came to her eyes. She coughed, trying to stem the liquid and stop the burning in her nose. “I shouldn’t—I told Amira she shouldn’t, and I know I shouldn’t—I know it, but…”

Sabin’s strong arm pulled her against his chest. “I know,” he whispered. “I know…”

Her body began to shake, Rhea’s emotions transferred to her Pokemon, causing them to tear up; she didn’t want to do that to them, but she couldn’t help herself. “Why—why am I like this?” she cried, pressing her forehead against his chest. “We did everything we could…”

She sniffed back the snot in her throat, coughing again. “I—I tried to save Amira, but—but she blames herself, and now she might feel too guilty to keep going—and I don’t want to feel this way…”

“What do you want?” Sabin softly asked, firm arms holding her as she let her pent-up emotions bubble out.

Her chest hurt, but Rhea fought back against the open floodgates. “What do I want … I want to be stronger—I don’t want to feel like this again … Sam and the Nidorino … being the only ones to lose my Gym challenge … the way Mya broke down … this … I don’t want to feel like this again. I want to get stronger, Sabin…”

“Okay … You have a loving family to help you with that—a team and support system. I’m here for you, Rhea—always. If you want to get stronger, then remember how you feel—burn it into your heart because it’s what will keep you going when you want to quit. You have us to cheer you on—to have your back—but only you and your Pokemon can walk this road.”

Rhea slowly let her brother’s words sink in, tempering her resolve in the searing fires that licked at her heart. She didn’t want to be weak anymore—to feel helpless and blank when she should have been able to take the lead like Amira.

She would become stronger.