Rhea moaned, mind rousing; her muscles were on fire as she tried swallowing to ease her parched throat. It was cold, and soft beeps sounded from time to time.

Nova and Mya were sending her their concern, her Mawile radiating waves of guilt.

She forced a peek, vision slowly clearing, but the room flared to life as she moved, light assaulting her eyes. She appeared to be in a hospital room; fingers flexing reflexively, she adjusted her position with a groan.

Licking her dry lips, Rhea saw the door opened past the blinding lights, but everything was still a bit too blurry to identify the man.

“Rhea … how are you feeling? Horrible, I assume.” The voice was deep and somewhat familiar, but she couldn’t place his face.

Pushing herself up, she puffed air through her cheeks, clearing her throat before rubbing her eyes. Blinking a few times, she glanced left at the muscular man. He held a tablet, possibly going over her chart.

“W-Where am I?” She asked, glancing down at the medical gown she wore; a thin blanket had fallen off her chest with her shifted position.

“Just take it easy, Rhea,” The man’s tone was troubled. “Do you remember me?”

Focusing on him, Rhea’s brow furrowed. “... Brock … Doctor Brock Harrison?”

“Good,” he mumbled, glancing between the chart and a clear display beside her bed, showing medical data. “Just relax and settle in; try to collect your thoughts. Can you tell me what you remember?”

Rhea’s muscles loosened, falling flat on the bed. Her head shifted to study the room. It certainly looked like the hospital rooms she’d seen online and in movies. Mya and Nova’s pokéballs were inside an analyzing device beside the bed. Other than medical equipment, there wasn’t much else in the open room beside a stool for someone to sit beside the bed.

Her attention moved to the well-built man in a lab coat, gloves, and mask. Brock used to be a famous Gym Leader in Pewter City before his younger brother barely managed to take over the position.

There were a lot of rumors that popped up on the Gossip App about how close the Indigo League was to shutting the Gym down, potentially crippling the Pewter economy, but things had stabilized over the years, and Rocket had been a major contributor in that.

Brock was a famous human and Pokémon doctor, breeder, and a decent researcher, from what she’d been told. He’d come to meet with her mom once or twice three years back; he knew the location of her father’s village due to being a Gym Leader at the time and a High Master Trainer.

The man looked to be in his mid to late twenties, cleanly shaven, and handsome, as most Master Trainers were. His dark tanned golden undertone skin was a deeper shade than most of Kanto’s residence, and his chiseled figures showed a workout ethic to stay in shape.

Pondering his question, Rhea’s mind drifted. “... Umm … what do I remember? I … was I in an accident?” She asked, brow furrowing while trying to check herself for damage, but her toes wiggled under the blanket; other than a foggy mind, severe fatigue, and sore muscles, she felt fine.

The emotional discharge released by Nova and especially Mya confused her, too. Why do you feel so bad? What happened?

Rhea’s confusion only grew with the sensations her Pokémon fed her.

“Ahem,” her attention moved back to Brock as he smiled at her, settling down on the stool while pressing the tablet against his right thigh. “Rhea, how do you feel?”

“... Confused … sore?” She mumbled, licking her lips again. “Umm … could I have some water?” Her pearly blue irises moved to an IV beside her bed, noticing the tube feeding into her arm.

“Of course,” Brock replied, fiddling with his tablet for a moment. “I’ll have a nurse bring some in shortly. In the meantime, let’s continue to review how you feel. How sore?”

Shifting her shoulders a bit while adjusting her gown, she stared down at the metal rail guard. “... It just feels like I’ve worked out way longer than I should … my mind’s a little fuzzy, and my Pokémon … they’re really worried.”

“Right,” Brock whispered, taking a deep breath while staring over at her pokéballs. “Do you remember the match?”

“The match…” Her eyes widened. “Wait, the match … I won, right? Well, I mean, we won … it was … who was with me? Why … can’t I remember?” She asked with sudden panic, looking up at Brock.

“Take a breath,” Brock urged. “That’s it … just breath in … and out. Once we get through these questions, then I can help you understand. Can you go on?”

They both turned to the door as a nurse entered with a plastic cup of water, giving her an apprehensive smile. Her expression turned forced a moment later. “Umm … Dr. Harrison…”

Brock’s lips creased with displeasure. “Tell them I’ll be out to give them an update when I am ready.”

“But … understood, Doctor,” the nurse mumbled as his gaze moved to her, and after delivering the cup to him, she left in a hurry.

“... Your family is very worried … and can be quite intimidating … to say the least,” Brock grumbled, handing Rhea the cup.

She accepted it, sipping at the contents while trying not to show the discomfort she felt from moving.

Rhea could imagine her mother hounding the doctors for every shred of medical data while her father, aunt, and grandparents’ chilling atmosphere sent the hospital staff into a frenzy. There was probably a reason Brock was handling her case personally.

However, the following question popped out of her mouth upon the news, “If they’re outside … does everyone know about my family now?”

Brock shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck with a weak sigh. “It hasn’t been leaked yet,” he mumbled. “Please, Rhea, what do you recall … the last thing you remember?”

Rhea’s heart fell while doing her best to fight past the fog in her brain. “Umm … I think I won the match … that’s it. I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“There’s no reason to apologize.” Brock ruffled his thick, dark brown hair. “Rhea, you are in Oak Foundation Hospital’s VIP ICU, suffering one of the most severe cases of ROFD that I’ve ever seen, and I volunteer every year to support new Bronze-tier Trainers through the translation.”

Her mind blanked. “ROFD?”

“Rapid Onset Fortitude Distress. Rhea, you’re suffering memory gaps, high muscular irritation, rapid immune decline, and spiritual fatigue.

“It is the job of your spiritual fortitude to help accelerate your mental and physical faculties, which is also the main force used in helping Pokémon Mega Evolve; however, you’ve stressed it to the limit, which shouldn’t be possible at your tier … causing your body to respond in kind with hypoxia … forcing you to pass out to attempt to mitigate further damage.”

All of the words he was throwing at her made Rhea’s hands start to shake, the half-full cup of water sloshing with her trembling fingers. “W-Why?”

Brock’s hard gaze shifted to her Pokémon. “... Rhea, do you know what those pokéballs are?”

A lump dropped down her throat, her mind continuing to clear as she interacted with the doctor. “Those … yeah, Master Balls, right? My mom told me…” Her mouth snapped shut, remembering her mother didn’t want certain info to get out.

His stern glare softened, focus returning to her. “Yes. Master Balls were never meant for the consumer market … they’re Military-Grade items used for war, designated as such by most regions.”

“Then…” Rhea didn’t have to complete the question; her mother told her the reason, Nova and Mya required it.

Seeing her hesitance, Brock got up, studying the screen to her left. “... Let me tell you what I know, Rhea. Your mother is a great and brilliant scientist that has contributed heavily to the scientific field. However, she’s also an agent that has infiltrated many unethical … sometimes pure evil organizations and had a hand in what they did.

“I’m not saying your mother is evil,” he quickly added as Rhea’s eyes narrowed. “You cannot deny that she’s done a great many ethically gray things … in the medical field that would be outright barred.”

Rhea’s brain was doing its best to piece together everything her mother told her, but it was hard to focus with this clouded wall standing in front of her thoughts, disrupting so many connections she knew she should have easily grasped. Nova and Mya’s concern only heightened her frustration; her sore muscles, murky mind, and fatigue collected into a horrible concoction of agitation.

“... What are you saying?” She growled, a migraine forming between her eyes.

Brock didn’t respond for a moment. “I’m a very accomplished breeder and doctor, Rhea. With the data I’m looking at … okay, look at this graph…”

She followed his finger as he wheeled the screen around. “Your two Pokémon are currently drawing energy from you … even as you lay here, physically, mentally, and spiritually fatigued … extremely fatigued, and it’s not a small amount they’re pulling from you.

“I have only seen this type of phenomenon involved in weak Pokémon … born with so little energy that it requires a Trainer bonding with it to save them, which is a pretty noble thing, in my book. However … that isn’t the case here,” he growled, pointing at another graph.

“Based on the level of growth I’m seeing right now … with this chart here indicating the projected age of your Pokémon … without a doubt, your mother genetically altered these Pokémon to … ugh, they’re the highest readings I’ve ever seen when comparing age.

“I can’t even begin to understand the science behind this level of gene manipulation, to be honest; it’s a field I shy away from, but I have general knowledge in … this isn’t that. From the bits of your match … let’s take this in another direction. Were you sending advice to Mya?”

Rhea shook her head, knowing this answer after some thought. “No … she was too focused to listen … she feels awful right now, though,” she finished with a hard swallow.

Brock’s jaw tightened before he worked around his jaw, glancing between the information on the screen, clearly upset. “Rhea … I’m not trying to be mean; I’m worried about your health. Your mother is brilliant, that’s for certain, but she’s well-known for pushing the boundaries of acceptable science. I recommend that you leave your two Pokémon in Professor Oak’s care.”

Before she had the chance to protest, he pushed forward, answering every excuse her slow brain tried to produce.

“You’re worried about their health? There are plenty of Master-tier Trainers that could much more effectively take care of their energy requirements. Your father, aunt … nearly anyone in your family could adopt your Pokémon and provide for their needs.

“You’re uneasy about unbinding? The Master Ball helps promote bonding, but even your grandfather has been slowly transferring the spiritual connection of his Pokémon since he’s reaching the age where he must think about their future.

“Forced separation is exceptionally harmful to a Pokémon, and to Pokémon as long-lived as Dragon-types, even more so; however, mutual separation can be beautiful. Your grandfather doesn’t want them to suffer the backlash his death would inevitably cause.

“You need Pokémon for your journey? There’s still the Starters the Professors have and options available.

“It would take days of keeping your Pokémon in their balls, minimum, before your fortitudes would be at a normal level, and there’s nothing preventing this from happening again, which would further exacerbate the problem.

“Even though you could battle within a few days, I suspect the underlying damage would remain for months; this is new territory, but … it’s like recovering from an internal injury. If you strain yourself, the wound will open again and be worse than before.

“You might feel uneasy parting from them or they from you. I understand that.” He turned to the pokéballs, continuing to plead his case. “Although, wouldn’t you feel better if Rhea was healthier? Both of you are draining her … look at what you’ve already done; she’s in the ICU because you couldn’t control yourself, Mya. Is that the kind of Pokémon you wish to be?”

The guilt flooding her two Pokémon was unbearable. “... Please,” Rhea whispered, closed left fist trembling against her chest, “it was our first time.”

Brock sighed, slowly sitting down while giving her a compassionate smile. “I know, Rhea, but that’s the point. The Pokémon world isn’t what it used to be; the Gigavirus and Pokévirus have made it necessary to have Pokémon that are capable of protecting you in the wild. If you collapse after one battle in the woods … is it really fair to continue to put that burden on your teammates?”

The thought never occurred to her; she bit her lip, skin cold as ice as she shivered, staring down at her lap. Nova and Mya were going through similar emotions.

If there is a hard battle when we’re in the wild, then … even if it’s a long battle, I can’t last forever, and my stamina seems to drain really fast. It’s not like Amira and Lori could carry me … we’d have to call the Rangers for help … then I’ll be right back at a hospital.

Watching her conflicted expression, Brock stood up. “I’m just trying to look out for your health as a doctor … but it’s ultimately your decision. Maybe you should talk it over with your teammates; you’re of age, now, Rhea. This isn’t your parents’ choice; not your mothers; it’s yours, and how you want to live.”

He took her phone out of his pocket, placing it by her side while she tried to come to terms with the news. “There has never been a death due to a Master Ball’s use, but there’s never been a Bronze-tier Trainer that’s used one, nor been attached to Pokémon that demanded such energy from their Trainer just to survive.

“Think about it … there is a real possibility that the next time this happens … you could die, and not just you, but Nova and Mya would follow. I’m going to tell your family the same thing. When you’re ready to see someone, press the button to your left. Do you have any last questions?”

Rhea shook her head, stomach feeling worse after his recommendation, and Brock nodded, lingering for a second before leaving through the door, shutting it behind him.

Mom said it would be hard … she wasn’t kidding. I really don’t want to leave you two … I don’t. Was Mom wrong about me? Am I not strong enough?

Nova and Mya were just as conflicted as her; they didn’t want to hurt her.

She finished the water, dropping it beside the bed with a dull sound on the tile floor. Her hand hovered over her phone before turning it on; notifications flared across the projected screen, one catching her interest.

Activating the story, she watched the breaking news that showed Lucian and her faces on the front. It was titled Leaked Transmission. The audio recording of her response played through the silent room. “Sit the Muk down.”

The article was more about the vicious communication than her tired tone, but the comments on the video were alight with either emotes, laughing or talking about her voice's weak tone with the last few seconds of recorded images on the field.

Speculations were flying around about her whereabouts, with journalists scrambling to figure out where she’d gone; apparently, she’d somehow made it to the hospital without anyone being the wiser.

Her bounty had maxed out with Lori’s, but an earlier notification caught her attention.

Rhea’s brow furrowed while staring at her screen. Bianca had called, of course, leaving three voice mails that were likely filled with distress after witnessing the match and knowing the strain she probably went through. However, she called the newest number.

Trying to add a smile, the call answered after five rings, showing Sam, Jade, and Hannah, or at least half of Hannah’s face; the light red-headed teen seemed to have passed out next to Sam with a small dribble of drool falling out of the corner of her lips. Even while sleeping, she looked exhausted and sick.

“Hey,” Rhea forced a chuckle. “Seems we’re all sick buddies now, huh?”

“Rhea!” Sam’s brown eyes shot open while leaning forward a bit. “Woah … are you okay? Is that…”

“Is that the hospital?” Jade finished, blue hair bunching against the long pillow the three girls shared while snuggling closer to Sam.

“Yeah … I overdid it a bit,” she replied sheepishly.

“Crazy…” Sam mumbled. Her brow creased, focus darting to the right as a few dull bumps sounded in the distance. “Ugh … hold up,” she groaned, crawling over Jade while handing her the phone. “My sister’s Metapod wants to come in…”

The shaky video stabilized with Jade’s worried hazel irises; all three girls looked like they were ready for bed with bound hair, washed faces, and comfy clothes. “... Umm … yeah, so, Sam and I watched your match; it was pretty crazy. Mya’s beautiful, and super strong, by the way, but,” she giggled, looking a bit better than the last time she’d seen the girl, “although, I still like Nova more. Sorry, Mya; Eevee Gang, all the way!”

Her two Pokémon were too concerned about her to really follow the conversation; they seemed to be discussing something between each other.

She coughed a few times, making Rhea wince just watching her. “Still not feeling good?”

“... Yeah, but … I’m better than I was.” She said with a grin. “You’re not looking so hot, though … which is insane because you totally are!”

“Thanks,” Rhea laughed, feeling a bit better after talking to her new friends.

“Oh, hey, so Hannah convinced us to put money on your fight; we made a killing!” She cheered. “We’re in a way better spot thanks to you; Hannah said she didn’t doubt you for a second … before passing out halfway through,” she mused. “She totally tried to watch, though; it’s not like it wasn’t exciting, right?”

“Right,” Rhea smiled. “I’m glad you three are doing well. Maybe if you’re still in the city when we leave, we can all go together.”

Sam quickly climbed over Jade with a soft squeal. “I’d love that!”

“Me, too,” Jade added, and Sam shot an inquisitive stare at Hannah as she moaned, lips smacking a few times while turning her back to the pair, pulling a bit of the blanket off Jade.

“Hey … c’mon, Hannah…” Jade grumbled, pushing Sam a bit into her as she wrapped the blanket around herself.

“Hehe,” Sam adjusted her position. “Okay, yeah, I think Hannah would like that, too. Just focus on getting better!”

“You, too,” Rhea replied, and she ended the call, dropping the phone against her belly.

Her stomach felt better, and she pressed the button for the nurse, asking to see her new teammates.

Lori rushed in not long after, with Amira nervously trailing behind.

“Hey, you okay?” Lori asked with a deep frown, purple eyes sweeping the room. “Dr. Harrison said some things to your family that seemed to cause a bit of a commotion … your grandparents aren’t happy.”

“I bet they aren’t,” Rhea chuckled, wincing as she adjusted her position again. “Umm … you okay, Amira?”

Amira’s red eyes were fixated on the ground, holding her right arm behind her back. “... Yeah, it’s just … your aunt is Cynthia and your grandparents…”

Lori snickered, leaning forward with a twinkle in her eyes. “Blue came by with Oak; he was pretty pissed when he saw Amira, but your aunt chased him out before sending your dad to pick up her mom.”

Mallory scooted over to playfully nudge Amira’s side. “We were both pretty shocked when your dad teleported in with his Butterfree; he brought all of us here in the blink of an eye, and wow … I’ve never seen a Butterfree so big and pretty.”

“Vilora … yeah, she’s been in my dad’s main party since the start. Umm,” Rhea took a deep breath before explaining her situation to them.

Lori took the seat while Amira folded her arms, choosing to stand while listening with a slight frown. Once she finished, Lori hummed thoughtfully, “So … in short, you’ve got ultra-powerful Pokémon that your mother, super scientist and breeder extraordinaire, spent years developing just for you? Huh, well, I’d tell Brock to shove it up his Onix.”

“Mallory,” Amira mumbled, cheeks darkening at the simile. “It’s more complicated than that. What are you going to do?”

Rhea was a little surprised at the Rocket girl’s response. “... I don’t know … Nova and Mya are talking about it … they don’t want to hurt me. I don’t want to slow you two down, either…” She mumbled, vision falling to her lap as her fingers tightened.

“Hey, don’t worry about us!” Lori chided with a smile. “I’m in it through whatever, girl. If you end up fainting in the woods, or whatever, then we’ll just set up camp. Easy, done, we’re good!” She clapped.

Amira nodded. “... Look, Rhea … I don’t know everything that’s going on or … what pressure you’re feeling from your mother, but whatever you choose... ”

She glanced away, face softening into a weak smile, “You stepped up to support me when I was in trouble. I haven’t had anyone outside of my family do that for me, so … thanks. Whatever you want to do, I’ll do what I can to help.”

“Atta girl!” Mallory cheered, grinning at Amira, but she refused to make eye contact. “So, I don’t see much of a problem; breaking it down, the big issue is that you’re super drained after that fight, right?”

Rhea slowly nodded. “Uh-huh.”

“Right! So, that means you just gotta leave the battling to us for the next few days. Let yourself rest, Amira and I will handle any wild Pokémon that feel jumpy, and once you’re good and recharged, Mya’s learned her lesson! Consider her pokéball time as a timeout,” she giggled.

Nova’s frustration quickly flared. No, I know you didn’t do anything wrong, Nova. It’ll be your turn out next.

Her little Eevee was surprisingly angry at the depressed Mawile next to her, and Rhea tried to mediate.

Okay, we’ve learned a big lesson from this. Right, Mya?

Rhea’s smile softened on her remorseful response.

Right. We can let loose and have a good time, but we both need to work up to it. You need to build up your own personal energy pool while I develop my own! Sound good?

Their silent chirps brightened her mood.

Good, cause I really, really want to live the rest of my life with you two, and we’ll get really strong and show everyone we’re capable of beating the odds.

The warmth her Pokémon sent was like her mother’s warm arms hugging her close to her chest.

“Everything good?” Lori asked.

“Yup, everything’s fine.” Rhea took a deep breath, and the swirl of uncertainty lifted while staring at Amira; the red-headed girl still seemed somewhat conflicted about something. “... Umm, what’s going on, Amira?”

“Huh? What do you mean?” She asked, brushing her hair back with a forced smile.

Lori lifted an eyebrow, giving her a side-long look. “Mmh? C’mon, spit it out.”

They watched Amira nibble her bottom lip, feet twisting away as her cheeks flushed. “It’s just … are you two sure you’re willing to have me as a teammate? I mean, not a lot of people like me.”

“Bah,” Mallory scoffed. “They can go Pinsir themselves. Don’t sweat the hype; it all blows over in a day or two.”

“It’s not just that,” Amira mumbled. “I’ve … never really had friends … not that we are, it’s just…”

“What do you mean, not that we are?” Rhea asked with a frown. “We’re teammates, right? I don’t really care about what your dad or grandpa did … Muk, have you seen some of the things my grandpa did in the past?” She giggled. “He’s banned from two regions.”

Lori lifted an eyebrow. “Well, but that happened forever ago.”

Rhea shrugged with a light giggle. “He brags about it every Thankspoké Day. The point being,” she gave Amira’s uncertain gaze a confident smile, “I won’t call you Rocket, Amira, so don’t call me Everhart. You aren’t your family; you’re you, and all I see is my teammate with a gorgeous little Fennekin.”

Amira giggled, probably feeling her Pokémon’s proud chirp at Rhea’s statement. “... Thanks … umm, yeah … I’m looking forward to starting our journey.”

“After you sleep for the night!” Lori added, giving her an appraising look. “Oh, and we’ll head to the local spa before we go; my treat.”

“Wait, really?” Amira asked, focus darting to the purple-haired girl.

“Hehe,” she winked while holding up her phone, showing 15,000 Credits. “First thing Grimsley taught me, scout-out the biggest pockets and hedge your bets!”

Rhea and Amira’s mouths dropped open.

“... Did you win every match betting pool?”

Mallory held up a victory sign. “Most! So, get some good rest, girls, because tomorrow, we’re hitting the spa before headin’ out.” Her lips curled to the left. “Well, I wanted us to crash a party I caught wind of, but we can’t really be doin’ that with Rhea’s health.”

“Aww, thanks,” Rhea chuckled. “I don’t know about the crashing part, though.”

“Oh, c’mon!” Lori urged. “You’re totally up for it. Right, Amira? Oh … oh…”

Amira reflexively stepped back, heels tapping against the tile as her nervous eyes darted between them. “W-What?”

“Both party virgins? Oh, no … we gotta fix this…” Rhea’s gut tightened, and from Amira’s expression, butterflies swarmed her own stomach with Lori’s moans. “Oof, yeah, we’ll need to crash at least one in Viridian before Cass calls … yikes,” she grunted, running her left hand through her hair.

“... Go easy on us, please,” Rhea replied with a forced smile.

“Umm … can we not in my home city?” Amira whimpered. “I try my best to not draw too much attention … it always just finds me.”

“Perfect!” Lori nodded, expression brightening, and she snapped her fingers. “That’s right; Viridian’s your home turf, so you’ll know all the best joints … Rocket contacts, too … oh, I’m liking this!”

“Woah, hey,” Amira held up her hands, now looking scared, “what do you mean, Rocket contacts?”

“Oh, and … yeah, yeah,” she nodded, perfect teeth gleaming as a plan unfolded in her mind. “No, I need to go call Cass! Hey, I’ll be back later to see how you’re doing.”

She was halfway to the door before Rhea managed to stop her. “Woah, hey, Lori! Umm … yeah, there’s this other girl team that I met; can I invite them to the spa?”

“Huh? Yeah, sure, why not?” Lori replied with a lifted eyebrow as if she were strange for even asking. “Okay, well, I gotta set some things up! Oh, what if … yeah, yeah!” She giggled while exiting the room, long purple hair weaving behind her.

“I … mmh…” Amira moaned, lips a tight line while staring after her.

Rhea felt a little bad for her. “Ahem … umm, I mean, Lori’s a lot more crafty than Cass when it comes to her … crashing. Uh, it’s usually not such a big deal … at least when she was in Sinnoh.”

“Mmghmm … you sure it’s not just because she knows all the right people in Sinnoh? There are so many people in Viridian that would love to see me in jail overnight … it would be a scandal that could … I just can’t…” Amira rushed after Mallory, heels tapping with her exit.

Well … that went a lot better than I thought.

Rhea watched the door close with a soft smile, more at peace. Even if it was dangerous, she felt like continuing with Nova and Mya was what would make her happy. She recited a phrase from one of the songs she enjoyed. “Breathe, be happy.”

It doesn’t matter where we go, as long as I can have friends to enjoy it with while sharing the experience with Nova and Mya … yeah, I think I can handle it.

Pressing the button, she called her family in; Brock entered with them. Sabin, her dad, mom, Aunt Cynthia, and grandparents were present, warming her heart.

Her grandfather rushed forward, and Rhea’s winced, stomach rolling with soft laughter upon seeing Drake; her grandfather didn’t even wear a shirt to his wedding, sporting his trademark jacket.

“How is my little Swablu?” He asked, concern in his deep voice while rushing to her side. His age may have been in the triple digits, but you wouldn’t expect it with his tight muscles and chiseled face. The well-groomed beast of a mustache may have been gray, but it was a symbol to many in Hoenn.

“I’m doing better,” Rhea replied.

Her grandmother walked forward with her aunt, both wearing fashionable light blue dresses and heels. Of course, the first thing her mother did was give her a worried look, studying her appearance before walking to the board with Brock by her side; her dad took the opposite side of the bed with Sabin, both giving her a forced smile.

Christie’s long blonde hair was brushed, and she seemed a lot healthier than the day before, but there were still bags under her eyes; although, the first thing out of her mother’s mouth was somewhat typical. “This medical equipment is inaccurate … she’s worse than it shows.”

“Yes,” Brock replied with a short sigh. “I’ve taken into consideration the known inaccuracies with the data; most of Pallet’s medical equipment is passed down from Viridian. There’s nothing that we can do, in any case; there’s no treatment for ROFD except for rest, as you know.”

“A prescription of antibiotics will help with her lowered immune system, though,” her mother countered, flipping through the data and her chart. “... Hmm … there’s no permanent damage at this point. A few days rest will restore her lost fortitudes…”

Her grandma sat down on the stool by her bed, smoothing out her dress while giving her a warm smile; her shoulder-length blonde locks were unbound, and her porcelain skin was slightly rosy with what Rhea figured must have been the internal stress she felt. “How are you feeling, Rhea?” Even if she was distressed, her grandmother’s perfectly calm, reassuring voice helped to hear.

“I’ve been better. Umm … Mom, everyone…”

The group turned their attention to her, and she winced with a light giggle, taking her father’s hand as he knelt down beside her. “Geez … I’m not dying,” and before anyone could interject, she cleared her throat again. “Ahem, I hurt, yes … I feel pretty weak, to say the least, hehe. Mya feels really, really bad about what she did, and Nova’s given her an earful, but Mom did warn me that Mya was hyper-aggressive.”

Her mother bit her lower lip as Brock gave her a hard glare, but she didn’t seem to notice while moving around to join her husband. “Not enough. I didn’t predict that Mya would be so hyper-focused that she’d block out even the emotional link she shares with you. It was an oversight on my part.”

Rhea shook her head. “No … I didn’t sit down and talk to them about anything you warned me about. I kind of was a little overwhelmed with everything and forgot … hehe, did you see me jump in to help Amira?”

“Yeah,” Cynthia giggled, giving her a fond smile. “We were all cheering from out of sight. It was really brave to go into your first match at a disadvantage; I’m sure it really shocked Amira.”

“Ya can say that again,” Drake grinned. “You certainly got your grandmother’s blood in ya! Haha! Remember that time she froze the whole…”

Glacia shook her head with soft laughter. “I think we can skip by the details, Dear.”

“Ah, right, right!” He sheepishly grinned.

Brock stood at the end of her bed with a deep frown. “Have you been able to decide, Rhea?”

“On?” Her mother asked, giving him a questioning glance.

The doctor returned the look. “... Christie, you plan on sending more modified Pokémon to her, aren’t you?”

“I have been spending years preparing them, yes.”

Her grandparents looked a bit troubled at the news, but her father was the voice that filled the ensuing silence, squeezing her hand. “I assume Brock explained the same thing to you; there can be lasting damage if your Pokémon continue to drain your fortitude to such dangerous levels.”

Rhea nodded, taking a deep breath; needles pricked her chest as her breasts pressed against her bikini, showing the strain her body was still experiencing. “That’s why I asked all of you to come in. So…”

Her focus moved between each of her supportive family members before settling on Brock’s troubled expression. “I’ve talked it over with Amira and Mallory, and … I think I want to keep going with Mya and Nova … let me explain,” she replied as Brock opened his mouth to protest, making it fall into a concerned frown.

“Okay, so, after talking with you, I thought maybe I was pretty weak,” she pushed forward with the worry that swept her family’s faces, “but after my emotions settled down, I realized I’m actually pretty strong, right?” She asked with a grin. “Look at all those attacks Mya was able to do!”

“It was awe-inspiring,” her aunt encouraged.

Brock didn’t seem too convinced, though. “... I don’t want to harm your confidence, Rhea; yes, your fortitudes are very strong compared to the average Trainer, but the reason you were able to dominate that match was solely the Master Balls.”

“That is something I noticed, Christie; why does Rhea have Master Balls?” Her grandmother asked, cool blue eyes glaring at her daughter.

Rhea came to her mother’s defense. “Mya and Nova need them, Grams.”

Brock continued the explanation, giving her mother a look that asked her to clarify anything he got wrong. “I watched the footage. Mya has two Abilities. Intimidate is a powerful one but requires quite a bit of internal energy. Hyper Cutter is a solid one, too, but the amount of Pokémon naturally born with two Abilities is thousands of times rarer than even a Shiny, and they rarely survive in the wild due to the required energy to sustain them.

“Add that into the mix of perfect genetic IVs, maxed EVs … I don’t know how you pulled that one off after they first hatched, and from what I can tell, nearly every breeding Move the Pokémon can functionally know … yes, a Master Ball would be required.”

Brock’s brow furrowed further upon seeing the thoughtful looks that swept her family, but Rhea knew what was on their minds, and Sabin looked blown away at the news; all of them were top-tier Battle Trainers, within the sliver of the strongest Masters in the world, and all of them realized how much of a treasure her Pokémon were.

Rhea broke back into the conversation. “So … after talking with Amira and Mallory, they’re going to be providing all the support. Mya and Nova will stay within their pokéballs until we reach Viridian City, which should give me more than enough time to recover, and we’ll train on not going so hard,” she giggled.

“Are you sure?” Sabin asked with an unsure frown. “I’m sure one of us could temporarily bond to Mya and Nova until you can fully recover.”

“Yes,” Brock sighed with relief, likely happy someone was finally grasping the danger. “At the very least, Rhea, allow yourself time to be out of any danger. A normal Ultra Ball with a Starter Pokémon to use in…”

Rhea shook her head, feeling Nova and Mya’s subconscious unease at being separated from her; she knew they’d do it but wouldn’t enjoy the process. “Thanks, Doctor Harrison. Really, thank you so much for caring about me…”

“Rhea,” her eyebrow lifted upon hearing her mother’s apprehensive voice. “Please … don’t make that decision for my sake. I care about you more than any research, and I would have tried to do so much more if I knew this would happen. I wanted to push your fortitudes, not lead you to the hospital.”

Her head fell back to her pillow, eyes closing while pondering her mother’s words. “... I’m not, Mom … maybe at the start. I mean, I was a little worried about it, but now … I love my two little Pokémon, and they love me. They’d do what they had to to keep me safe, but it’s not necessary, and if I take the easy road here … I feel like I’d be losing out on an important training opportunity.”

“Training opportunity?” Her aunt giggled, brushing back her bangs as it obscured her face with her shaking frame. “... wow, it seems you really do have the mind of a Champion.”

“Being unreasonable?” Brock mumbled.

“No, beating the impossible!” Her grandfather laughed, fists tightening with passion as he reflected on her words.

“Hmm…” Her grandmother gave her a fierce stare. “I cannot say that I would make a different decision, Rhea. I am still concerned about the possible effects the Master Ball could have, but your mother would understand their functions better than I. What can you tell me, Christie?”

A lump dropped down her mother’s throat as her own mother’s glacial irises fixed on her, and Rhea felt saliva enter her own stomach at the gaze. “... No public records have documented long-term effects of Master Balls on Bronze-tier Trainers, but … Galactic had an extensive data bank on unethical trials conducted with them.”

“... Of course, they did,” Cynthia growled, fingernails pressing into her palm as she mumbled, “Cyrus...“

“... It was Charon that oversaw them, I did manage to see the results, and it gave me enough information to conclude that normally … yes, Master Balls would likely result in the death of a née Trainer and leave the Pokémon with permanent harm.”

“For what reason?” Brock asked, muscles flexing with frustration.

“Primarily … Pokémon inexperience. Continual fortitude depletion doesn’t seem that harmful on the surface,” her mother explained with a sad expression, “but as you can guess, the liberty of using a Trainer’s energy instead of their own leads to a dependence.”

“They become addicts?” Her father asked with a small shake of his head.

“In a manner of speaking, yes. Newly caught Pokémon tend to be the most susceptible to it, while the more a Pokémon and Trainer bond, the more that helps to keep them stable. However, with such a massive dose from the initial hit of energy that accompanies a Master Ball … few of the test subjects lasted the week.”

Cynthia folded her arms, gaze shifting to her sister. “You’ve obviously come up with a solution, though.”

“Yes … but I messed up in another area,” her mother hesitantly replied, rubbing her left arm, and they waited for her to explain. “... through genetic manipulation, I managed to curb the addictive nature of Rhea’s Pokémon…”

Brock’s mouth dropped open. “Then … that’s a massive genetic discovery. You’ve isolated the genetic markers for energy dependence? Breeders could tell how … no, go on,” he mumbled, shaking his head with a conflicted frown.

“... Right, well … specifically, Mya. I took great care in developing her genetic make-up to make her … well, you’ve said it, hyper-aggressive, unlike the vast majority of Mawile. The blend of characteristics and temperaments mixed into a phenomenal combatant, as we saw, but … also made her extremely independent of Rhea’s own input in battles … it’s instinctual, and I doubt she even noticed.”

Rhea nodded slowly; Mya was a bit confused by the information, unable to fully grasp the implications, which meant she had some work ahead of her. “It’s not a flaw, Mom!” Rhea assured, drawing everyone’s focus. “You told me that you bred Mya to be a bruiser because you wanted the best Pokémon out there to protect me, right?”

“... Well, yes,” her mother mumbled. “I still would have eased up a bit in certain areas had I known it would come to this.”

Reading the mood, her aunt stretched to the left with a low moan. “... Well, Christie, I think Rhea’s perfectly happy with her Pokémon. In short, mistakes were made and are now being corrected. Right, Rhea?”

“Yeah,” she smiled. “Is there anything else we should be worried about, Mom? I mean, I know we need to take it easy in battles for a long while, but anything else?”

Everyone turned to Christie, and Brock seemed conflicted with her direction, still concerned about her health. “... Um … well, I think you’ve come up with a fairly solid solution so far. Your Pokémon may not have addictive qualities, but they are incredibly energy-dependent at this early stage of their development.

“I would suggest using your Pokémon’s stronger Moves sparingly until reaching the Pewter City Gym. You can have them out once you reach Viridian, but be restrictive on the number of high-tier Moves.”

Her grandfather cleared his throat. “... Rhea, I got somethin’ ta add.”

“Okay?” She turned to face her grandfather’s twinkling eyes.

“So ya know, ‘cause I don’t think your mother would have the field experience, but Intimidate is a useful Ability for training.”

Her aunt’s eyes lit up. “You’re right, Dad! Hehe, oof…”

“What?” Rhea and her mother asked in unison, but Sabin, her father, Brock, and her grandmother seemed to understand the statement.

Her grandfather folded his muscular arms across his chest with a wry smirk. “Well, let’s just say your little team’s gonna have its hands full. Intimidate scares off all the little guys but draws in the big fellas, lookin’ for a fight.”

Glacia breathed a low sigh. “Indeed, and with how powerful Mya’s aura is, it might be troublesome while restricted on Moves. You may need to rely on your friends more than you initially thought.”

“But…” Rhea’s vision fell to her lap. “Um … doesn’t that only apply when she’s out?”

“Yes,” her dad replied with a forced smile, “but they’re talking about your entire journey. If you have Mya out, then things will likely get difficult over the next few hours while in the wild.”

Instead of frowning, a smile brightened her cheeks; Mya was burning with passion at the news while Nova poked at her, telling the Mawile to cool it and hold back more. “I think … that won’t be so bad. I mean, the Rangers scout out the areas, keeping tabs, constantly updating the map on dangerous locations. It should still be within our ability to handle if we follow the recommendations, right?”

“Yeah, sounds like fun!” Her grandpa chuckled.

Sabin followed his laughter. “You’d totally ignore all of that! Right, Gramps?”

“Ya know it!”

“... But Rhea won’t, will she?” Her grandmother probed, and she felt the heat of those icy eyes.

“... Um, nope! I mean, I need to take it easy, right?” She chuckled, but she couldn’t say how Lori or Amira would take the news.

Her father took a relieved breath. “Well, I’m glad everything’s working out!” He gave her hand a squeeze with a wink. “I think we should give her some time to rest now. Besides, don’t you need to head back to Sinnoh, Cindy?”

Cynthia gave him a light glare. “Dawn’s doing a good job … from what I hear.”

“No, no,” Keith snickered. “I’m just sayin’, I know how antsy you get with Aaron and Flint having free reign when you’re gone.”

Her aunt’s lips dropped into a grimace. “... You’re just trying to make me worry.”

“Is it working?”

“Oof, yeah, it is,” Drake winced, watching his daughter’s lips tighten.

“... I’m sure Dawn can handle their antics.”

Rhea watched her mother’s face crease with mock concern. “Remember that time Aaron covered Veilstone City in silk because he thought it would impress Maylene? He’s all about showing the power of Bug Pokémon!"

Cynthia’s jaw tightened again. “... Dawn can…”

“Oof,” her dad shook his head, “or that time Flint went on SHTV?”

“Yikes … he ruffled some feathers, for sure,” her mother replied with a weak smile. “He can be a bit careless with his words.”

“... Fine, I’m going,” Cynthia growled, storming out of the room in dazzling fashion.

Glacia gave the snickering pair a slow shake of her head. “You two always knew how to press her buttons.”

Her family laughed and joked for a bit before bidding her goodbye. Brock tried to get her to consider allowing her family to care for her Pokémon for just a few weeks, but she didn’t budge; however, her mother agreed with him that she should receive a follow-up at his Pewter clinic. Finally, once everyone left, she called her cousin.

Bianca’s worried face popped up on the screen; it seemed to be getting late in her time zone since she was wearing her PJs. “Hey! Rhea, how are you feeling? Mom text saying you were alright, but … you’re in the hospital. Your Mawile, Mya, right? She knew so many Moves, and…”

“I know, I know, hehe,” Rhea replied. “I’m sore, my head hurts, and I’m tired … my eyes are drooping a bit, see?” She asked, closing them with a weak snicker.

“Ha, ha,” Bianca huffed. “Really, Rhea! What’s happening?”

She spent the next fifteen minutes assuring her cousin she was alright, promising to call her in the morning when she got up. Hanging up with all of her weight now falling off her shoulders, she talked to Mya and Nova for a bit, telling them a bit about her life before heading off to bed.