Rhea happily flung the door open to reveal her Aunt Cynthia’s smiling face; however, her joy noticeably fell upon seeing the handsome orange-haired man next to her.

“Aunt Cynthia … Blue…”

The heat in her heart rose to the surface as the traumatic incident returned, bringing her mind back to the events of her eighth birthday.

Blue Oak had a strained smile on his face as he folded his expensive sunglasses, securing them on the front of his black button-up T-shirt. “Aye, what’s happenin’, Rhea. Uh … can I start by saying I’m sorry?”

Her aunt gave Blue a knowing smile as Rhea moved out of her way to let her in, standing in front of the Legendary-tier Trainer at her door.

“Hey, Sweetie,” Cynthia giggled, moving in to give her an appraising look. “My … you’ve grown! I like your dress, too; it suits your pretty eyes.”

“Thanks, Auntie … so, umm … what’s he doing here?” she asked, letting her displeasure be known.

Blue glanced away, scratching his neck. “Aww, c’mon, Rhea … are you still mad at me? It’s been like nine years, and I said I’m sorry.”

Cynthia shrugged with a light giggle. “You ruined the girl’s eighth birthday party, Blue. What would you expect?”

“It was a bad time for me,” Blue pleaded with a forced smile. “I got help!”

“Humph,” Rhea backed up against the wall to allow him inside. “Well, at least you don’t look or smell like a pathetic drunk; I’ll give you that.”

“Oof,” her aunt winced. “Yeah, you kind of deserved that one. It has been four years since she’s last seen you.”

Blue stepped through, closing the door and following Cynthia to the front room with Rhea tailing. Her aunt’s silver eyes narrowed slightly when she saw her sister slumped over, Rhea’s call with her mother still projecting from her phone.

Rushing over, Rhea quickly cut off the call.

“Have a little sympathy,” he mumbled, only partially taking notice of the call while running his left hand through his trademark ruffled hair. “I took the end of the last war pretty hard and went through some ups and downs. When we sealed that last Ultra Wormhole, I lost a lot of my Pokemon… My best friends.”

Cynthia puffed out a depressed sigh, turning away from her phone to address the man. “Why do you think we’ve all tolerated your sorry butt this entire time?” she asked, giving him an encouraging smile. “Hey, we’re all happy for you getting back on your feet and doing the whole Battle Tree thing with Red. Still, no one’s been able to beat you two, huh?”

“Well, it’s not like Ethan’s gonna jump Red halfway across the world,” Blue chuckled, “and you’re too busy to stop by for a serious battle.”

Rhea folded her arms, leaning against the wall while glaring at him. “What does any of that have to do with destroying the cake and letter my mother made for me?”

“Aye, I get it,” Blue replied with a down expression. “I know it was important to you.”

The heat in her chest tempered a little, and she glanced to the side while playing with her hair. “Fine … that doesn’t mean I like you, though.”

She couldn’t help but remember all the articles following after one of the world’s biggest legendary public stars. After the war had ended, it seemed to be the final straw that broke the Numel’s back, and from those ruthless reports, she knew that a large part of it had been the loss of his parents as a kid mixed with the the continual cost of peace he and his Pokémon took on, shouldering the burdens of many conflicts around the world.

He’d fallen into a drunken mess, causing all sorts of public incidents that put his remaining family in the heat of ruthless journalists looking for fame and credits.

It wasn’t like she didn’t know about the rehab, and efforts he went through to get clean after the last incident almost caused a regional uproar with the Alolan Guardian deities.

Now, he’d retaken the position at the Battle Tree with Red, and from what she heard, his relationship with Leaf, his wife, was doing better, or at least that’s what the Gossip App indicated.

“So, Aunt Cynthia,” Rhea muttered, glancing between the two, “since Blue’s here, then I’m guessing this isn’t just a fun visit. Oh, and I was talking with Bianca, and she said you were going to see Steven Stone, but Hoenn is super far away.”

Her aunt crossed her legs, adjusting her long hair and red dress. “I was, but I flew here as fast as I could once your father released some of the final data your mother revealed.”

“Cynthia,” Blue whispered, brow creasing, “do you really think you should be talking about that?”

Cynthia shrugged with a light chuckle. “Honestly, most of you treat Rhea like a child. When you were her age … well, you know what you were doing.”

Rhea’s excitement rose dramatically; her aunt always stuck up for her, often bringing her in on things when she was around. Heart thumping, Rhea moved around to sit next to her.

Just as she was taking her spot and adjusting her dress, Franky appeared between them, giving Cynthia a wide, expectant smile.

A light giggle shook Cynthia’s frame as she studied the floating ghost. “Franky … so, you’re on guard-duty, huh?”

Franky snickered before his eyes widened, smile faltering a bit as the Active Champion studied him.

“Yes, yes, I know,” Cynthia replied, reaching into her purse by her side to extract a unique pokéball. Activating it, she tossed it to the side.

A lump dropped down Rhea’s throat as Lila, her aunt’s Spiritomb emerged. A cavity of darkness gushed up from the small stone, and as if crawling from an abyssal realm, the ghastly outline of a luminous green face emanated from its depths. The eerie purple fog expanded, flowing emerald flames materializing around it.

Rhea winced, tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth as Lila’s dense spiritual weight pressed against Rhea’s entire frame, trapping the air in her lungs, and the ghost hadn’t even begun releasing her true power.

The two top-tier Pokémon radiated spectral glee as the lights in the room immediately dimmed, shadows intensifying once the two faced each other, and Franky’s grin turned sinister.

The constrictive atmosphere popped like a bubble as her aunt returned the pokéball to her red purse, promptly chastising both Pokémon as if they were children. “Aye, you both know the rules.” She snapped her fingers, pointing to the door. “Get outta here!”

Both ghosts gave her a bow before fading with spooky snickers.

Rhea coughed a little, pressing her hand against her chest while trying to collect herself, coral blue irises following the glowing keystone as it lifted off the ground, quickly moving toward the exit.

The front door opened, then shut, and they were gone.

“Tch…” Cynthia frowned, shaking her head. “Those two … my apologies, Rhea. How are you feeling?” she asked, reaching over to rub her back with concern.

Trying not to show any weakness, Rhea forced a laugh. “No, no, I’m fine!” She swallowed, licking her dry lips. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Lila … She seems a lot stronger.”

Blue chuckled, easing back into his seat now that Rhea’s tension wasn’t directed at him. “Those two have a history?”

“You could say that,” Cynthia sighed, still checking over Rhea’s condition. “Lila’s not as good at restraining her spiritual pressure as the other members of my main team.”

Rhea had to take a few minutes to calm her pumping heart, trying to keep herself presentable while not showing any signs that Lila had shaken her.

“Mmh, but can Franky really compete with Lila?” Blue asked with a doubtful glance at the wall. “Don’t get me wrong, Franky’s Grandmaster material, for sure, but that’s just it, Lila is far above Grandmaster. From my own experience, your Spiritomb’s a worthy threat, and I mean, it makes sense, she’s on your main lineup.”

“Heh,” Cynthia leaned back, folding her arms with a gleam in her silver eyes. “Oh, absolutely not, but Franky has a few tricks up his sleeve to keep Lila on-guard. Keith and Franky can be sneaky.”

“So, you got a message from Keith, too? Seems pretty important if…” he trailed off, confident smirk lighting his lips as he turned his head, looking at the kitchen.

“Haven’t lost your senses, I see,” Cynthia chuckled.

“Wow … Franky’s goin’ all out.” He licked his lips, leaning forward as his eyes sparkled. “That’s gonna draw a lot of attention.”

Rhea’s eyes widened as her aunt cocked her head to the left; she’d seen the action many times when Cynthia wanted something. “Feeling up to a real stretch? Esfforia’s been itching to train against anyone near her level.”

Blue’s clumsy demeanor vanished as a half-smile lifted his lips, and his lime-green eyes appeared to glow. “Your Garchomp, huh?”

“You haven’t lost your edge, right?” Cynthia pushed.

“Hmm…”

Not a second later, the door opened, and Sabin walked in, eyeing both legendary Trainers; unlike most of their family, he had light brown hair, cut in a casual style, and a very carefree attitude that drew attention the moment he stepped into a room.

He had a bright smile as he entered, sharp dark sunglasses secured on the collar of his slightly unbuttoned plaid shirt, tight enough to give the faint impression of his chiseled figure. He wore thin, light blue pants and white soft sole shoes, completing his outfit with a black Trainer’s watch.

“Yo, Auntie Cynthia, Blue, what’s up? I felt Lila and Franky gettin’ it on! Oh, Rhea, hay, lookin’ cute in that dress, Sis…”

“Th-Thanks!” Rhea stammered, getting up with a bright smile as her brother closed the distance.

“Aye, come here; give me a hug!”

Rhea gladly stepped forward, and her brother’s strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her into a bear hug as he lifted her off the ground.

“The big day tomorrow, huh?”

Rhea buried her head in her brother’s chest, breathing in the natural pine scent he usually wore. “Yeah! What about you? Someone in your fan club said you were in Johto for something?”

“Yeah,” he chuckled, setting her down and pulling away. “Been keepin’ an eye on some suspicious activity from a few Rocket goons, but turned out to be a false flag. Oh, so, uh … Blue, Aunt Cynthia, what’s the occasion?”

“Huh … your dad didn’t fill you in?” Blue asked, eyebrow lifting.

Cynthia popped her tongue, spreading her arms across the back of the couch while eyeing Sabin. “Must be above Platinum-tier.”

“Shoot! Guess I should hurry up and get stronger,” Sabin replied with a sheepish grin. “Oh, yo, Aunt Cynthia, did you bring Polic?”

Their aunt shook her head with a sad expression. “Afraid your father asked me to come with the heat.”

“Gah,” Sabin snapped his fingers. “Makes sense if you have Lila here. Wait, were you two goin’ to have a match?” he asked with an enthusiastic sparkle to his tone. “Muk, I want a seat!”

Blue’s chest shook slightly as the hard edge in his eyes returned, staring at their aunt. “Cynthia did challenge me to a one on one, but we’ll have to see what your father says.”

Cynthia giggled. “My brother-in-law will be fine. Are you just trying to sneak out of it?”

“No, I’m always game for a challenge, and if it’s you, then maybe I can actually feel it in my chest.”

“Hoh, there’s the little brat I remember,” Cynthia smirked. “I saw you ride in on your Pidgeot, but I don’t think Thifo will put up the kind of fight Esfforia wants.”

Blue sucked in a breath through his teeth while repositioning himself, lime-green eyes still alight with the challenge. “No, Thifo would put up a decent brawl, but no, I’d go with Riyo or Ray if we’re going to make it a real match.”

Sabin whistles. “Your Aerodactyl or Alakazam?”

“You would need the speed,” Cynthia snickered.

Rhea felt like the odd one out in the room as the two Legendary-tier Trainers appraised each other. “Umm … so, uh, my mom’s sending me some Pokémon eggs for my Starter … I don’t know, it just feels a little late to have eggs when my journey starts tomorrow, ya know?”

The silence that followed drew in on Rhea as everyone turned to give her an astonished look.

“What?” she mumbled, right arm tightening against her abdomen as she gripped her arm.

“For real?” Sabin whispered. “Yo, Mom’s giving you eggs she personally bred? That … uh, hmm…”

Blue popped his tongue. “Huh … She did handle Lila’s minimum pressure fairly well. Whatever Christie sends her should be in-line with her current spiritual growth, right? I mean, it’s smart.”

“Hmm,” her aunt’s expression looked conflicted as she studied her, sucking on her lower lip. “It’ll be rough at the start if it’s the project she’s been having me help with … how is your mother, by the way? I saw that sorry state she was in.”

Feeling a little nervous now that the conversation had moved to her, Rhea fidgeted with her dress front. “Umm … well, she was pretty crazy sounding when she called, to be honest. Dad said it was alright, but…”

She trailed off as Cynthia and Blue’s gaze moved from her to the wall leading to the kitchen, and Sabin quickly followed their gaze.

“Is it my dad?”

“Yeah,” Blue mumbled. “Looks like he’ll be here soon … heh, is he over watching Franky and … ooh.”

A shiver ran down Rhea’s spine as an ominous pressure passed over the area.

“Che…”

Cynthia gave the wall a somewhat annoyed glare, and Rhea’s pearl blue eyes widened with surprise as a light glow surrounded her aunt’s frame, her irises illuminating with a sharp silver hue; her long blonde hair resting against her front started to rise slightly with the power linking both Trainer and Pokémon. “Your dad decided to help Franky out with Mega Evolution…”

Blue leaned forward, tongue pressing against his bottom lip as he smirked, seemingly following the distant fight. “Countering with Syncro-Burst, huh? I’m impressed by Franky seeing you feel the need to jump in, even with the Mega Evolution.”

An overwhelmingly powerful aura passed through Rhea, but this was more of an eerie chill than the crazed heat of the Mega Gengar.

“Just enough to give Lila a minor boost…”

Even from this distance, Rhea felt the pressure colliding with her chest; the pair were likely over the ocean, three miles away, but the added stress was totally worth it as Sabin stepped closer to wrap her comfortingly in his warm arms.

“You okay?”

“Mhm!” Rhea replied, leaning into her brother’s chest with a content smile.

It was rare that she was spoiled like this, and she was even guilty of bribing Franky with sweets to scare her, giving her an excuse to snuggle into her brother or father’s reassuring arms, and ever since Katelin and Sabin started dating, it had only increased her possessive traits.

The exchange only lasted another few minutes before Franky’s aura quickly faded, soon followed by Lila’s, and her aunt’s Syncro-Burst glow receded.

Rhea’s stomach twisted, eyes lifting as a heavy gust blew over the house, causing the windows to shudder.

“The punk,” Cynthia chuckled with a slight shake of her head. “He tried to take Lila by surprise.”

“Your reaction speed was impressive, and that last attack was beautiful,” Blue replied with an amused nod.

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“Heh,” Sabin squeezed her arm before stepping away, making her hide a pout. “I couldn’t sense much past those crazy bursts of power, but that sharp spike caught me a bit off-guard.”

“Hmh,” Cynthia brushed her hair out with a slight frown. “Your dad’s specialty is burst evolutions to quickly overpower an opponent; he’s practiced for years to cut milliseconds off Mega, Synchro-Burst, and Gigantamax Evolutions … he’s pretty fast with Z-Moves, too.”

“Yeah, the cheapshot brand he developed isn’t really my style,” Blue shrugged, “but I can respect it. I like to go full out from the start and just tear it up.”

Cynthia sighed. “It served him well during the war when conserving energy turned out to be the best tactic, and his surgical style opened up a lot of opportunities.”

“It definitely has its place,” Blue concurred. “Saved my butt once or twice; even if he’s not the strongest Grandmaster, his efficiency makes him a threat. In fact,” he grinned at Sabin, “I heard you took after that style yourself.”

“Nah,” Sabin waved his hand dismissively. “I can’t hold a candle to my old man.”

“Give it time,” Cynthia urged before turning to Rhea with a small smile. “So, Rhea…”

“Huh?” she gave a start, only partially listening while trying to think up another way to hug her brother.

“You were talking about your mom sending you some new eggs, and how’s my sister doing?”

“Eh … like I said, she was pretty crazy earlier. I don’t think she’s had any sleep for … who knows with her, but anyway, she passed out when talking to me. Dad’s sending Grandpa to go check on her.”

Cynthia winced. “Oof … yeah, Christie isn’t going to be happy about that, but I guess it can’t be helped. She does need someone there to take care of her when she doesn’t look after her health.”

“Dad should be bringing the package; Mom teleported it over from Hoenn.”

Sabin leaned against the wall beside the stairs with a weak chuckle. “Yeah, figured she was there after you mentioned Grandpa. Wait, does that mean she’s back at her first lab in Sootopolis?”

“I don’t think so,” their aunt hummed. “No … I believe she had a secret base built there. It’s a pretty high-traffic area; not many would even think she’s in Hoenn given its distance from Sinnoh, Kanto, and Johto.”

The conversation died down as the door opened, and Rhea saw her dad walk through. To her displeasure, Katelin was by his side; she’d returned to town two days ago to spend time with her brother, Rhea’s best friend, Jason, before the Bronze League started.

Katelin had cheery features and a decent figure with wide hips and shapely, long legs. Her waist-length dark blue hair was tied into a ponytail, passing through her black pokécap, and her amber irises instantly locked on Sabin as she entered.

With a light squeal, she dashed past Rhea’s father to jump into his open arms. “Sabin,” she called out before kissing him on the lips, making Rhea blush and turn away. “It’s been over three weeks!”

“I know, I know,” he laughed, pulling back to examine her with an appraising eye.

“What do you think, cute, huh?” she asked, twirling in a circle. “Oh, Champion Cynthia, Champion Blue!” Katelin exclaimed with mild shock, doing a swift bow.

Rhea did her best to hide the light blush darkening her cheeks while eyeing her brother’s girlfriend.

Katelin was wearing black training tights with a dark blue line running down the outer edge of her sides and matching themed rompers with a yellow and cream themed blazer, the front cut out, showing the jumpsuit’s chest pattern underneath.

A white belt with a yellow-white pokéball themed buckle held her pokéballs around her waist. To finish the outfit, she wore black fingerless gloves, black and yellow shoes, and a black choker with a small Ampharosite Mega Stone attached to it.

“Hello, Dear.” Cynthia gave her a welcoming wave, and Blue lifted two fingers in a salute.

“Yo!”

“Was it one of your Pokémon fighting Franky?”

Blue silently jabbed his finger toward Cynthia.

“Ah…”

Keith stayed in the hallway with a soft smile on his lips, arms folded across his broad chest, watching silently while everyone got situated. He’d carried in a big box she assumed was from her mother into the kitchen a bit earlier.

Sabin’s smile turned reminiscent, eyeing Katelin’s neck. “The choker I got you.”

“Yeah!” Katelin giggled, touching the stone with her thin fingers. “The Ampharosite really helped with my last Gym Battle.”

“Oh,” Blue piped up. “Which one?”

Turning to face him, Katelin grinned, showing her gleaming teeth. “Fuchsia City Gym’s Encrusted Platinum Badge; Janine’s a tough High Master! Of course, she was going easy on me.”

Blue smirked, glancing at Keith. “Eh, you’d be surprised. Even if they’re a lot more experienced, Gyms are required to use weaker Pokémon, approved by the League for that purpose, allowing trainers to properly prepare for the challenge while the Gym Leader has no knowledge about the type of Pokémon you’ll be using.”

Cynthia nodded. “It’s actually pretty good training.”

They turned toward Keith as he laughed. “And you get to battle different Trainers all the time; the Gym Leader life is awesome … the pay, too!”

Cynthia hummed with amusement as the door opened again; Lila and Franky floating in.

Rhea’s eyebrow shot up upon seeing Franky slumped over in the air with a drained, depressed expression. Lila didn’t look any different, but the energy she released was a tad less, if the lessened tightness in Rhea’s chest was any indication.

It was a bit amusing to see the resident poltergeist down in the dumps as Lila snickered in her eerie manner, appearing to try and comfort the sad ghost.

“Tryin’ to steal a victory for Franky?” Cynthia asked with a smirk at her brother-in-law.

He gave a weak shrug, running his hand through his blonde hair. “It was worth a try! Franky’s been biting at the bit, training to take the V, but there’s always next time.

“Although, I was a bit shocked when Lila suddenly Syncro-Burst … had me sweating there for a second! I saw all the wild Pokémon for miles, normally accustomed to our strong Pokémon pressure, running for their lives.”

Blue sucked on his lower lip as he talked, eyeing Franky as Cynthia returned Lila to her ball with a few words of praise. “I felt the power of that Dark Pulse from here, the torrent of wind it whipped up shook the house … how’d Franky get out of that one?”

“We didn’t,” Keith forced a chuckle, giving Cynthia a light glare. “We were forced to use Protect, and then Lila hit Franky with a solid Disable … better than Imprison, but still, we had to call it after that. Why didn’t you use Imprison?”

Cynthia just smiled at his question, playing with her hair, and Blue filled the following silence.

“Oof … yeah, running against a Pokémon at Lila’s level without Protect is a good way to die. Pokemon that can use Imprison are top-tier for a reason … why I love double and triple battles more,” Blue stated, crossing his legs. “If one Pokémon’s Moves get locked down, the other can cover until the seal fades.”

Everyone settled on couches and armchairs. Katelin took Sabin’s right, and so Rhea took his left.

“Anyways,” Cynthia turned her focus on her brother-in-law. “What’s the urgent message for? I flew over here as fast as I could when I got your text.”

“Heh,” her dad sighed. “Not gonna answer, huh? Well, knowing you, the Disable was a sufficient move to conclude the battle without the extra energy. Bah, we can wait a bit,” Keith waved his hand, motioning to Rhea. “It’s my daughter’s big day; her first Pokémon! Why don’t you go grab the box and open it so we can see the eggs?”

Rhea’s lips became a line, fiddling with her dress front as everyone turned their eyes on her. “Well … okay, but I’m just really confused. I’m supposed to start my journey tomorrow, but they’re still eggs … shouldn’t Mom have sent them a while ago?”

Her aunt snickered, brushing back her bangs. “Don’t worry about that, Sweetie. I know my sister, and if she says they’ll be ready by the time you start, then they’ll hatch.”

“My guess,” her dad cut in, “they’ll hatch tonight!”

“Oh, this is exciting!” Blue rubbed his hands together. “Anyone up for bets?”

“Bets?” Rhea questioned, glancing around, but the atmosphere took on a clearly competitive tone.

“It’s a Starter,” Sabin mused. “I mean, the first one usually is pretty standard, and even Mom should follow that rule, but then again … there are exceptions.”

Cynthia promptly spoke up. “Eevee, one hundred thousand in the pot.”

Both Katline and Sabin winced.

“One hundred thousand,” Katelin squeaked in horror. “That’s umm … that’s a lot of food, TMs, and challenges at our level … I don’t think I’ve made that much in the past six months.”

“I agree,” Keith forced a smile. “C’mon, Cindy, let’s be fair to the kids; they’re not rich.”

“Using my nickname to get to me, hmm?” Cynthia chortled. “Fine, fine, one-thousand starting off, but I know my sister.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Blue’s eyes narrowed, fingers coming together suspiciously. “You were talking about knowing a few of Christie’s projects just a bit ago … I’m sensing some foul play here.”

A gleam appeared in her aunt’s eyes. “The question about our foreknowledge never came up; I don’t have to disclose it unless it’s explicitly stated.”

Rhea laughed with the others.

Her father shook his head. “There it is! Okay, let’s focus on the second Pokémon.”

“Fine … I’ll keep the grand in the pot, though,” Cynthia smirked. “Hmm … instead of Pokémon, why don’t we go with typing?”

Rhea was fine with the whole thing since she’d get at least an idea of what was coming, and an Eevee would be a dream come true. In fact, it was originally what she’d wanted to select from Oak’s email, but a girl from Hoenn got it before her; her mom might have got one for her because of that. She’d always wanted the adorable little Pokémon, but the problem was their rarity; since Eevee had such an unstable anatomy, it was extremely rare to find one in the wild, meaning one of the only places to get them was from top breeders, making it very expensive.

“Sounds good to me,” Sabin grinned. “How are you guys with breeding info?”

“To be honest, Trubbish,” Blue laughed, “but it sounds fun!”

“I’ve got to know my way around Pokémon eggs from Christie, hehe,” her father stated while staring at her aunt.

“Hmm? We’ll see how good of a study you are in a minute, Keith!”

Katelin leaned over to Sabin, whispering, “We’re totally going to get creamed!”

“No, no, we got this; if it’s a dual-type, then we still have a pretty good shot!”

Her brother’s girlfriend promptly raised her hand with an impish smile. “To be clear, egg apps are against the rules, right?”

“Yes, Dear,” Cynthia giggled, “but I like your train of thought.”

“Shoot…”

Feeling a little amused and happy that the whole gathering's attention was centering around her new Pokémon, Rhea went to the kitchen and grabbed the package; it was a bit heavier than she expected.

Bringing it into the front room, she set it down on the table with a light grunt, moving back through the doorway to get a knife. Cutting the box open, everyone sat on the edge of their seats as she pulled out the interior container, discarding the cushioning to the side.

The thin metallic capsules inside were warm to the touch. Finding the release mechanisms, she peeled back the container, revealing two incubation devices with some kind of black tinted glass and a cardboard box separating both machines.

She took out the box first, dumping its contents on the table and causing everyone to focus on the items as they scattered across the wooden surface.

A small velvet pouch the size of her fist, a letter, two bags of pokéfood, and two minimized pokéballs.

“Huh…” Rhea happily took out the letter first.

Her father, aunt, and Blue’s focus all shot to the pokéballs with narrowed eyes before staring at each other; when they didn’t elaborate, Rhea shrugged it off, smiling down at the piece of paper in her hands.

Yes, another letter to add to the collection!

Opening it, she turned away secretively. “Don’t want to ruin your game!” she snickered. “What if she names them in it?”

Everyone shook with silent laughter as she browsed through the text. Her expression furrowed the further she got, and eventually, she started from the top, reading aloud.

Rhea! I’ve been on quite a journey over my whole career, studying legends and myths, traveling to magical places in the name of science and breeding, while also having to blur the ethical line too many times to count.

I can’t say I’m proud of everything I’ve been a part of, but because of what I’ve managed to experience and learn, I want to give you the best experience I can for your journey, and if you don’t want to be a Battle-Trainer, then that’s fine, too.

In short, over the past year, I’ve been doing everything within my power to prepare for this day, and against all my predictions, I made it happen! I combined all the research I’ve done through the years to breed and genetically modify these Pokémon that I hope can match your phenomenal potential.

I remember a chat we had on your eighth birthday when I asked you what kind of Trainer you’d want to be, and I’ll never forget what you told me. You said you didn’t want to be a collector, but you wanted real Pokémon friends because you wanted someone to have fun with, and that’s been my primary goal.

Pokémon are the best friends you can have, and so I wanted to give you the very best I could as your mother! Oh, and as your mother, I want them to be as powerful as they can be to protect my little girl! So, I’m planning on sending you each of your six core team Pokémon throughout your journey as I complete the projects.

Now … I know that I might have been too obsessed with this goal … I’ve been gathering everything I needed since you were eight, after all … yeah, maybe we need to come up with a stronger word than obsessive to describe me (>w<), but you love me for all my flaws!

The first two eggs are prepared (you’ve probably seen them at this point) and don’t worry, they’ll hatch by the morning! It is CRITICAL that you follow the instructions inside the velvet bag once they hatch. Please, don’t take them outside until you’ve completed those steps!

I’ve spent most of my life on these projects, and if I’m right (and I usually am!), then this will shake the entire Pokémon world as you travel. Of course, I won’t reveal the secret, fufufu … it’s just very powerful stuff that I know what would happen if it got into the wrong hands … I’ve worked with those terrible people!

Anyway, I love you so much, and I want this to be the best time of your life! I know you’ve been longing to experience the world out of that oppressive forest, and with strong Pokémon to protect you, I know that all the enemies your family has made over the years won’t hurt you!

This was for my heart as much as it was for you! I just can’t even dream of anything happening to you, and once you’re out in the world, it won’t take long for people to start connecting the dots.

Your dad and brother have a pretty big reputation; it affected your brother’s journey, and it will affect yours. All it takes is one reporter finding out who your brother, mother, father, aunt, cousins, grandparents … one leak, and all the work we’ve done to keep you from the public eye will crumble to dust. I want people to love you for you, not who you’re related to.

And if you want to return these Pokémon, then that’s totally fine, too! I know this is a lot to drop on you out of the blue, and I’d be lying if I didn’t say this also was partly for myself, seeing how far I could push breeding and science.

Gah, this is getting long … umm, I just love you so much, and I hope I can say all this before you get the letter, but who knows when it comes to me? I know my limitations, haha!

Oh, just open the containers and sleep with them tonight. In the morning, boom, your first Pokémon! I’ll talk to you when I can after you’ve read this or … before. Hehe, I suppose whichever comes first; I know I can be dramatic!

Loves you so much, my lil’ Swablu! Kisses! And I’ll crawl over dunes, glaciers, and Arceus himself to see you off in Pallet tomorrow! Umm … secretly, of course, your father and I don’t want to draw too much attention to you, hehe!

Rhea’s heart warmed upon finishing the letter, allowing her mother’s loving words to flow through her. It was hard to restrain the tears as her nose burned.

“Christie’s never changed,” Cynthia laughed.

Blue wore a half-smile. “Yeah, I’ve always seen her as a bit of an eccentric … workaholic would be an understatement.”

Her father’s chest shook. “Coming from you? That’s rich, Blue!”

“Eh, yeah, I mean, I was pretty single-minded when I was a teen, but I’ve mellowed out a lot.”

Katelin giggled. “Your mother’s so cute!”

“Think so?” Sabin grinned.

“Definitely!”

“So, got any questions, Sweetie, or can we get this egg reveal going?” Cynthia asked with an encouraging smile.

Taking a deep breath, Rhea brushed back her bangs while carefully setting the letter beside the box. “I’m a little overwhelmed … since I was eight … all for my birthday wish? Mom certainly is dramatic.”

Puffing out a few more calming breaths, she took out the first egg, opening it up.

Everyone held their breaths before releasing confused notes; the egg was white and black with a conjoined diamond pattern through the middle.

Katelin was the first to voice her thoughts. “Isn’t that an Eevee egg? I mean, every little girl would notice that pattern, but…”

“White and black?” Cynthia whispered. “Hmm … yeah, that’s new. Who knows what Christie did to give it that color.” Her smirk appeared again. “I was right, though!”

“Huh…” Blue mumbled. “Do you think it’ll have breeding moves?”

Cynthia lifted an eye. “Without a doubt. Knowing my sister, I wouldn’t be surprised if she managed to get most breeding moves into that little Eevee’s genetics.”

“I’m so jealous!” Katelin squealed, leaning forward a bit to study it. “I always wanted one when I was little, and this guy will be a complete monster in battles with your mother’s reputation.”

Sabin leaned to the side, giving his girlfriend a cat-like smile. “Oh? Remember when you were thirteen, and that Eevee was in the forest turned out to be…”

Rhea was a little surprised to see Katelin’s face turn bright red. “No, no, we’re not going there, Sabin!”

“I’m just…”

“You promised, Sabin!” Her cheeks puffed out, giving him a cute, pleading glare.

“Fine, fine,” Sabin laughed to Rhea’s disappointment. “So, the last egg, Sis?”

Rhea sighed, but a smile touched her lips, seeing Katelin’s flushed face, and she tossed a throw pillow at his face. Taking the second lid off, everyone’s heads tilted again.

“White and black again?” Her father mused. “It must be a part of the breeding and genetic process.”

The egg had a thick white halo around the top and bottom while the body was a smooth, reflective black.

“I suppose, but that Pokémon choice … interesting,” Blue mumbled with a thoughtful expression. “Well, you guys have your guesses on the type?”

“What?” Katelin cried out. “No, you know what it is already?”

“It’s a pretty telling pattern,” Cynthia whispered. “Yes, to be short.”

Sabin’s eyes were narrowed as he stared at the Legends. “Is it a bluff?”

Keith chuckled before releasing a low groan, getting to his feet. “Well, I suppose we’ll take a walk and discuss why I called you here. Be back later, guys!”

“See ya,” Katelin waved.

Cynthia stopped in the hallway, smiling back at the group. “Put your bets in before we get back!”

Blue and Keith laughed as they exited the house.

Once they left, Katelin’s smile fell into a depressed sigh. “Ugh … why do I feel this whole thing is a set up to make me budget again? What do you think, Sabin?”

Rhea quickly piped up. “Umm, I’ll go with Fairy-type!”

“Huh?” Katelin’s eyes widened, thighs pressing together. “Wait, you’re competing, too, Rhea?”

“Why not?” she asked with an innocent grin. “Won’t I have the Oak Starter Award money?”

Sabin smiled. “You know none of us would take that!”

“Hehe, yup!”

“Hmh, smart, smart,” Katelin nodded. “Fine … I have a feeling they won’t actually hold us to it anyways. So, umm … Flying … no, Water!”

Rhea and Sabin gave her a pitying smile.

Yeah, she doesn’t know our aunt.

“Good guess, Kate,” Sabin hummed, staring at the egg. “Water is the most common typing … hmm, guess I’ll go with Normal.”

Katelin gave her a victorious smile. “You know, Fairy is one of the rarest types.”

“Eh … okay, but we’ll see,” Rhea replied. Her mother knew one of her favorite types was Fairy, and she hoped her instincts wouldn’t let her down; the extra money could be considered an official bet since her aunt was involved, and that could help a lot on the journey.

Gathering up the items, she transported everything upstairs, Katelin whispering to Sabin about the strange look of the pokéballs.

“I’ve never seen a purple-colored pokéball, and it doesn’t even have a letter on it. Huh, a new prototype your mom’s been working with … is it from Silph Co?”

“Ah, I couldn’t tell you … hmm, want to have a battle, Kate?”

“You mean it?” she asked with another squeal. “Tona made a bet that I couldn’t beat you last week, and I’ll hold her to it!”

“Oh? Henry made a similar bet … think they’re conspiring?”

“Those lovebirds? Absolutely!”

Rhea felt a little left out whenever the two got together. They often talked about people she barely knew from Sabin’s texts or calls. Tona was the only companion Katelin had left from her Bronze League group, and Henry went with her brother on his Silver League journey; the two Trainers met each other through Sabin and Katelin, causing what Katelin called love at first sight.

Sitting on her bed, she stroked the edge of one of the egg containers, mumbling, “Soon we’ll have our own stories and friends … let’s just hope we’re not the weird ones, huh?”