B4 — 21. Surprise Party!

4:23 p.m. October 22nd, Thursday, 106 PH (Post Hoopa Event).  Day 135. Events:  Rhea and the girls are on a Badge Hunt, trying to get all the Kanto Encrusted Badges before time runs out!  Our girl started her journey on the 9th of June, and the end of registration for the Winter Indigo Cup is December 5th (43 days away).

Getting cleaned up with Amira and Kate, Rhea passively texted Jason and her father about what had happened.  It would still be a few hours before any results were called for the winner of the Contest Bronze Key.

She chatted with Kate as they changed into more casual clothes, and Amira continued setting up tomorrow’s meeting with the Hollywood director.  Apparently, she’d made it to the Bronze League Cup when she was eighteen and placed eighth, which wasn’t bad.  Yet, she and her Pokemon found more joy from Contests than straight battles, so they’d tried to transition.

Making money in Silver-tier by betting against teams dedicated to the Battle Scene was tough for them, but they’d managed to scrape by on a strict budget until six months ago, when they finally had to start taking out loans.  A Trainer could only make it long-term in the Battle Scene at Gold-tier, and they weren’t close to that.

All of that was about to change with this actress role, though!  If she managed to get into a movie like this, besides other huge actors, even as a supporting role to the main lead princess of the film, then her career would be set.

Flipping out her hair from the back of her dress, she did a final check in the changing room mirror, adding some chapstick, and smiled.  “Done!  Lulu…”

“Nee-ne!”

The puffball took the chapstick before she could return it to her small purse and smeared it over her mouth, mirroring her.  “Nee?”

“Yes, yes, we’re beautiful,” Rhea giggled, accepting it back and putting it away.  “This isn’t meant to make your lips stand out, though.  That’s lipstick or lip gloss.”

“Nee…”

Rhea zipped her purse closed as the curious Cosmog stared down at the items inside before she could get any ideas.  Exiting the stall, she finished putting her expensive kimono away inside the portable closet, several fascinated women observing and asking her about the item.

During the process, she saw Nova and Julia talking off to the side; Amira’s Pokemon were locked in conversation with Alice and Mya, discussing food, or so she gathered from their connection.  Once everything was packed up and they were ready to leave, she texted her parents and boyfriend to let them know they were coming out. Jason decided to surprise her, though.

Rhea tilted her head to the side as she stopped in front of Kate and Amira, staring at his message.  “Huh.  Not what I expected for a celebration dinner.”

“What is it?”  Kate asked, still looking somewhat nervous to be joining her group.  “Is there a problem?”

Amira lifted an eyebrow as she scooted over to read the holographic display.  “A popular high-end karaoke restaurant downtown?  I’m not opposed.  It’s more than just a bar and less than a full formal experience.  Why would Jason choose this place, though?”

Rhea’s stomach spun at the redhead’s leading question and thoughtful stare.  “He… wants to sing a song with me?  That could be fun!  We’ve been singing a lot, and I… don’t think I’ve ever heard Jason sing before.”

“That’s cute,” Kate whispered, playing with her cuticles and clearing her throat.  “I’m not… terrible, but I’m no professional.  Mmm.  I probably should start practicing if I’m going to start acting, right?”

“It wouldn’t hurt,” Rhea agreed, tapping on the restaurant link to see the classy, small rooms inside the restaurant.  “He booked a pretty cool room.  Oh, do you think he’s secretly super good, like you, Amira?!”

Amira chuckled as they exited through the back hallway to escape any traffic and notice.  “Like me?  No.  I’ve had professional lessons since I was young from the best vocalist instructors in the industry.  I can see him practicing while in Kalos, though.  If I remember right, I thought I heard a comment somewhere about Serena enjoying karaoke.”

Rhea found her elbow behind her back, excitement bubbling up in her chest.  “Probably from my random Gossip comments when we were traveling.”

She got an entertained side look from the redhead as she held the door open for her to proceed into the Contest Hall’s clean back alleyway that would take them to the Saffron streets.  “You do like your gossip, despite being featured in it quite a bit recently.”

“That must be fun,” Kate said, glancing back at their Pokemon, tagging behind them.  “Don’t we need to recall some of them to not clog up the sidewalks?  Sorry, I can’t really afford to get a fine.”

“It’s a fair point,” Amira nodded, recalling Serenity and Amber as Holly floated up to wrap around her Trainer’s neck.  “Rhea and I can’t recall Lulu and Mariah, though.  How long do we have until we’re supposed to meet them at the restaurant?”

Double-checking her messages as Mya and Nova returned to their Poke Balls, leaving Alice to walk beside her, Rhea shook her head.  “About thirty minutes, so not much time.  Why?”

Amira shrugged as they entered traffic.  “I needed to stop by a store to restock on a few items, but it isn’t that important.  We can go with Lori when she returns tomorrow.  She’ll be happy we’re going to warmer places for the next week or two.  By the way, is Jason going to be coming with us, and are you planning to have your battle with him tomorrow before or after the meeting about the movie?”

Rhea slowed, her mind slowly integrating everything that was happening tomorrow.  “Right… I told Jason he had to beat me tomorrow.  Lori comes off her farming thirst-trap mission with Miky, the movie Muk, and we need to get ready to travel to Celadon City for Erika’s Badge.”

“There’s no need to stress,” Amira soothed, looking up at the partially clouded sky as the cool Autumn breeze swept by them.  “I’m sure we could catch a teleport to Celadon with Erika since she’d need to go back on Saturday.  I’ve already messaged Sabrina about it, and she said it wouldn’t be a problem; it also saves us money.”

Rhea laughed, lightly bumping into the redhead.  “You’re so good at helping us save money.  I don’t know where I’d be without you.  What are you going to do, Kate?”

The quiet pink-haired woman scratched her neck and looked off to the side.  “I was going to move back home with my dad and find a job to pay off my debts if I didn’t win… but now I don’t know what I’ll be doing if I get this acting job.”

Amira pressed the button at the crosswalk at an intersection as they waited for the light to change.  “I do.  Your Pokemon and your lives will become a living nightmare, and you’ll be flying back to Viridian tomorrow night.  You will have zero time to yourself, be on a strict diet, and be engrossed in over six months’ worth of insanity-inducing study of the trade.”

Rhea’s chest felt the weight of every point like a nail being hammered into her chest.  “It, eh-hehe, can’t be that bad, right?”  she asked, seeing the lump drop down Kate’s throat as she envisioned the future the Rocket-girl laid out.

“You think so?”  Amira smirked and shook her head as they followed the crowd across the street.  “I’m downplaying it, by the way.  I know Ayn is full of it, but we’re still talking about a production with up to hundreds of millions of dollars sunk into it—of my Grandfather’s money, no less—and you don’t think you’ll be micromanaged down to the shoes you were out in public?  Image is everything to idols and actresses—even more than males.  And the hate…”

“Hate?”  Kate mumbled, now sounding nervous as her Raticate jumped into her arms to listen to the sobering reality they were stepping into.  “I do remember seeing a lot of hate articles about you growing up.”

Rhea’s lips drew in, thinking back to all the Gossip articles she’d read about Amira’s life before the laws changed and she became basically blacklisted on news sites without threat of being sued.  There were ways that they got around it, not mentioning her by name but calling her ‘The Rocket Girl’ in some kind of loophole.

Amira rolled her eyes and pulled Mariah up to nuzzle her cheek as they turned onto the long street that would take them to the downtown restaurant.  “I’m not talking about publications.  You’re not going to be in a star role.  Rhea will take that spotlight.  No, I’m talking about the wealth of women you’re cutting the line on—women who have been working for this kind of role their entire careers for you—a nobody—to get in on recommendation.”

She directed a cautionary look at Kate.  “You will not enter the scene with any friends and many enemies.  The director will be indifferent to you, so you will need to grow a backbone and fight for what you want.  This is a cutthroat industry, which is why that smart boy who backed out decided to use the leverage Rhea gave him to shoot for something more realistic.”

“Oh…”

Kate hugged Julia close, clearly stressed by her Aura and making Rhea a tad stressed just listening to what Amira described.  Her experienced teammate was one to lay it on heavy at the start before smoothing things out, though.

Amira’s expression softened.  “That being said, it is a life-changing opportunity that will put gold in your name for agencies to want to pursue you.  You just need to learn the delicate art of shutting up and letting go of what others say.  Let your success be your weapon.  I will give you a few agencies I’m favorable toward to get in contact with.”

The woman’s blue eyes widened.  “You’d do that for me?”

Rhea giggled.  “Amira is the best!”

“Not… exactly,” the redhead denied.  “I didn’t say I was going to recommend you, but at least these agencies are less predatory than the ones you’re bound to get wrapped up in otherwise.  If you are going to make it, you can’t attach yourself to Rhea’s name or else you will be brushed to the side the moment she isn’t involved.  You have to make a name for yourself out of this, and that is going to be a living nightmare at the beginning.”

“But…”  Rhea chirped, trying to find the silver lining.  “If she can make it through the tough parts, then her dream will come true, right?  Right?”

Amira’s lips became a line, looking forward and taking a few seconds to respond.  “…She’ll have a chance to break out from your shadow if she puts herself out there.  I can’t say anything more.  You will need to do a lot more work, as well, Rhea, unless…  Hmm.”

Rhea jumped on her teammate’s random thought like a triple-stack ice cream cone.  Kate had become totally self-absorbed.  “Unless!  C’mon, you’re the expert, Amira.  What are you thinking?”

Shifting Mariah in her arms, she glanced down at Alice, paying close attention to the discussion.  “If… you want Nova to have a chance to get to know her dad and mom… as a team, and a family, then… you may need to let her leave your party for a while.  It also depends on where we go for our next region.  You might have the sway to change the shoot locations, as well.  It’s a lot of maybes, but worth bringing up.”

A frown touched Rhea’s mood, now considering the actual reality of what this meant for her team.  Nova would be away from her for a while, and using her Fortitude; she was strong enough now to survive on her own, but that would leave an empty spot in her team for a bit.  Still, she wanted Nova to have a chance to get to know her parents, and she loved the Pokemon Adventure series.  Maybe this could jumpstart the possibility of her appearing on some of her favorite shows.

What do you think, Nova?

Her Eevee nuzzled her spirit, projecting her tentative emotions.  She wasn’t resistant but cautious, and as Rhea interpreted it, her growing-up little girl wanted to get to know both her parents more intimately.  Ambrosia and Elaine were very accommodating, as well.  The Champion wouldn’t be on the set for most of the time—Amira was positive they’d try to use Nova to get her mother involved—and with Will or her own Pokemon involved, teleporting long distances was possible.

Would you be okay spending a few weeks at a time away from us?

A worried pulse came from her that Mya quickly shot down; Lulu seemed to be tapping into their connection since the wiggly girl was now still as a statue on her head.

No!  I know you are having fun with us.  You want to explore having a relationship with your parents, and I totally, totally get that!  I’m sure my mom has more Pokemon to give us now that we’re reaching Gold-tier, as well, so don’t think you’ll be leaving us hanging.  We gotta let the newbies get their time to shine, too.

She grinned at Nova’s next wave of emotion, and Rhea had a suspicion.

You want to see if you can learn any new special Moves from your mom, and if your dad can help you better understand your multiple transformations.  A training arc for you, disguised as a movie production, huh?!  I love it!  

“I’ll talk to my mom about it tonight,” she said as the restaurant, far down the road, came into view.  “Nova seems open to it if we can make it work.”

Pulling back her straightened hair, a warm smile brightened her cheeks as she looked at the woman who was quickly becoming her new best friend since Jason was moving out of that category and entering the boyfriend circle.  “Thank you, Amira.”

Amira gave her a thumbs up.  “Just do what comes naturally to you, Rhea.  You’re a natural at interacting with people… even if you don’t even realize what you’re doing, and you think you’re awkward.”

“Haha.  Thanks!”

Sliding over to give the redhead a one-armed embrace, she fell silent the rest of the way to dinner.  Kate seemed too preoccupied with everything Amira had told her, which was fair since it was a pivotal movement in her life.  For Rhea, it was more like a means to an end—giving Nova a chance to finally meet her dad and be smothered in her mom’s cuddly hugs.

Arriving on time, she followed her boyfriend’s instructions and entered the room to exactly what she’d expected—a surprise party.  However, there were more surprises than she’d expected, as the cheers and praise showered her.

“Congratulations, Our Little Swablu!”  her rosy-cheeked aunt greeted with a beaming smile.  “I loved the performance.”

“Aunt Cynthia!  No way!”  Rhea gasped, running forward to jump into her aunt’s powerful embrace.  Her parents chuckled nearby.  “You were watching?!  When did you get into Kanto?!  Is Dawn or Granny with you?”

“I’m afraid not,” the Sinnoh and Former World Champion chuckled.  “Dawn is holding down the region, and your grandmother is swamped with Hisuian research since your mother bailed out on her to cuddle close to your dad.”

Her mom looked up at the ceiling and shook her head.  “Sure, Sis, it’s not like I was literally tortured by a terrorist organization and needed to—oh, we’re not alone!”  she said with a strained smile as Kate nervously hovered by the door as Amira closed it.

“It’s fine, Mom,” Rhea vouched, noticing her mother’s Aura was practically glowing compared to before; her dad was a Magician.  “So, why are you here?  It can’t be for my Contest since I didn’t even know I was going to do it until yesterday—Ambrosia?”

Her gaze fell to the tiled floor as the Champion-tier Eevee hopped up on her hind legs to paw her thigh.  The mother’s eyes sparkled with excitement and pride.

“Pwe-pwe?”

Obviously asking for her daughter, Rhea giggled with everyone else as Nova exited her Poke Ball. She didn’t even fully materialize before her mother tackled and rolled her across the floor.

“Pwe?”

“Pwe!”

“Pwe-pwe?!”

“Pwe-pwe-pwe!”

“Neeee!”

Lulu teleported on top of the pair, squeezing them in a hug and wanting to join the fun.

She let the pair reconnect as all of their Pokemon left their Poke Balls to speak to the others. Kate sat in a chair, a distance away, trying not to intrude.  Rhea wanted to pull her in, but her family had no mercy.  Her attention was instantly drawn to a few sealed letters on the center table, and balloons congratulating her floated around.  Chase was the one to answer her previous question aimed at her aunt.

“Cynthia and Elaine had some regional business to discuss, and it could be done over dinner.”

“Oh, that is not the reason I came,” her aunt mused.  Sitting down next to her sister and crossing her legs with an Impish smile, Cynthia’s devious gray eyes drifted between her and Jason.  “Your mother has been keeping me updated on the… developments you’ve had on your journey.  I had to see the growth for myself.  I am not disappointed.”

“Aunt Cynthia!”  Rhea groaned, cheeks turning pink as Jason laughed and waved.  “Can we just—oh, aww, you guys got me cards?  What if I lost?”  she asked, reaching down to pick one up.  “It was a close Contest.”

Jason flashed his teeth, sitting next to Chase and Elaine.  “Changing the subject?  You’ll find a winner’s ticket inside.”

Her parents were totally silent, soaking in the atmosphere as Ambrosia showered her struggling daughter in love.  Franky floated out of the wall to grin and take a seat next to her dad, but Rhea was too preoccupied with everything else to acknowledge the Ghost.  Amira smoothly joined her smiling parents in their booth seats.

Rhea gave her boyfriend a dubious stare as she broke the seal.  “Oh?  Again, what if your girlfriend lost?”

Jason reached into a bag beside his foot, winked, and waved a second sealed letter.  “Same message, different outcome.  I have to cover my bases, after all.”

“Oooh.  So you thought I might lose,” Rhea teased, her smile growing as she slid out the contents of her ‘winning’ letter.  A small, home-crafted ticket was inside the folded paper.  “Cute.  A stick-figure child’s drawing of me and you in this room, on stage singing.”

Her boyfriend shrugged as everyone chuckled.  “I never said I was good at art.  That’s more your department, Sunshine.”

“True, true…  You made some mean mud paintings when we were six, though,” she giggled, unfolding the bottom part to read the message, written in crayon.  “I love you enough to make a fool out of myself…  Aww!  And a free boyfriend coupon to sing anything I want, huh?  Bold to give me my choice in the opening song!”

“Brutal!”  Jason laughed, leaning forward and resting his elbows against his knees.  “I’ve got a tough crowd to please.  What a shock will it be, Ms. Joltic?”

Her mother chortled, speaking for the first time.  “Don’t be too hard on him, Sweetie.  He set all of this up himself.  By the way, those other cards are also from him.”

Rhea’s eyes narrowed, a devious smirk lighting her lips.  “So, what I’m hearing is that Jason wanted to sing to me.”

“Or hear someone else sing,” Amira said, entertained by her tone as her mother snuggled closer to enjoy her daughter.  “Go for the throat, Rhea.  He put himself in this position, after all.”

Jason puffed out a breath, showing a bit of stress now.  “Oof.  Uh, well, I will say that Len loves karaoke places—probably since his mom’s Gym is practically one.  Serena loved it, too.  Between them, I’ve learned a lot about music over the last few months.”

As she moved to sit between her mom and aunt, Rhea knew exactly what she wanted: “Okay!  Before we order our food, answer me this: I want to hear a specific song I cannot know.  It is a song you know well.  I have played it with my own fingers, yet I don’t know what it sounds like.  What song do I want to hear?”

Lyra clapped.  “Ooh!  I love riddles.  What is it, Jason?”

Rhea felt like she’d failed to hide it well enough through the soft, heartwarming smiles everyone gave her.  Jason hung his head, breathing out a long stream of air.  Running his fingers through his cobalt hair, he stood up.  Bolt, his salt-and-pepper Pikachu, jumped off his shoulder and excitedly cycled through the selection to find it.

He took the stage, silence taking them as Silver reached behind him to lower the lights around the outside of the room.  Rhea’s stomach squirmed with anticipation, finding it hard to release the air in her lungs as a hand gripped them.  Jason’s half-smile was aimed just at her as he took the microphone.

“A song you can’t know, a song I know well, a song you’ve played with your own fingers, yet never heard.  What is it?  The song you play in my heart…  The song I connect most with when thinking of you.”

Rhea’s thighs tightened, and her hands knotted in her lap, as Bolt hit the play button.  A slow guitar strum and a smooth drum beat hit the speakers.  Jason bobbed his head to the tempo, and her family and friends cooed and whispered to their loved ones.

“You know, Rhea, you really are a little Joltik, trapping me in your web,” he laughed, looking only at her.  “Len showed me this song, and the artist may not be all that popular, but it really resonated with me while I was in Kalos… away from Kanto… away from you.  By the way, an interesting fact, the drinking age in Kalos is seventeen.

“I’d embarrass myself for you,” he winked, making her smile as he started, surprising her a little with how good his low, smooth voice sounded—maybe it was just her own biased brian and elevated emotion, though.

“Oh, na, na, na-na, na, na-na, na… yeah…  I used to spend my nights out in a bar-room… liquor was the only love I’ve ever known, but you rescued me from reachin’ for the bottom… and brought me back from bein’ too far gone…

“You’re as smooooth as Couriway whiskey…  You’re as sweeeet as Mago wine…  You’re as warm as a glass of brandy, and Honey, I stay Charmed on your love all the time…  You’re as smooth as Couriway whiskey.  Oh no, no, no, no… as Couriway whiskey…”

Rhea felt hypnotized, a thick sensation in her throat as she watched every word leave his lips, aimed directly at her.  The song wove into her heart the struggle he’d gone through when away from her, regions away in a distant land, as he fought to become strong enough to meet her expectations.

The night flew by as a dream as she enjoyed the company of her boyfriend, family, and friends.  She swore there was some kind of tension passing between her dad and Silver as to who would pay at the end of the night, but her aunt swooped in at the last minute, snatching the booklet the server brought them and inserting her card before anyone could object.

She felt a little bad for Kate, but Amira and her mom pulled her into their circle—mostly Lyra—and made her a part of their little musical number.  She waved her goodbye before breaking away from Amira and her family to have a chat with her mom.  Her aunt went off with her dad, Chase, and Elaine to have a bit of a fun battle, which meant they’d be gone for a while.

Franky joined them in the shadows, the cool Saffron night breeze pulling at her skirt and unbound hair as Jason walked on the other side of her.  Her mother guided them to a park that was surprisingly empty, or it felt that way on their path through the trimmed brush and trees.

“So, what did you want to talk to me about, Honey?”

Rhea played with her fingers behind her back, glancing ahead at Ambrosia, Nova, and Lulu, playing with each other as Nova chased her mom’s tail and the Cosmog rode atop the older Pokemon.  “I told you about the movie deal, and I think I’d like Nova to get a chance to get to know her mom and dad.  She could be gone for weeks at a time… maybe months—I don’t know how movies go.  I’m all for it, even if it might be hard on both of us…”

“…And you’d need spots to fill in your team,” her mother finished, cupping her chin and glancing over at Bolt and Jason.  “Hmm.  You plan on battling Jason tomorrow morning, right?”

“Well, he is going to win against us tomorrow, right?!”

“Right!”  he laughed.  “Interesting take on having Nova leave for a bit,” he commented, rubbing Bolt under the chin.  “You’re growing so fast, and it isn’t like she’ll be slacking with her parents.  It’s a solid move, I think.  She’d get the best advice and guidance in basically the world between Vee and Ambrosia.  Your mom was talking to me earlier about our fifth Pokemon, actually.”

“Theoretically, it is… possible for you to bond to another one at Gold,” her mother hummed, her mouth creasing while scanning the dark woods and lamp posts around them.  “Now that V has been becoming more active, it may actually help mitigate the excess energy by feeding them, but… there could be mutations I can’t account for with V’s energy given to a newly hatched Pokemon.”

Squeezing her hand, she smiled and said, “Tell you what!  I’ll call some other specialists and talk it over with them tomorrow.  I have a few colleagues from Galar who are delivering some of my projects from a lab I had over there.  The next Pokemon I had planned for you will require some… special attention, I suppose you could say.  I’ll tell you more tomorrow night.  I may even have her egg for you!”

She pulled away from Jason’s hand to hug her mom.  “Thank you!  You really are the best, Mom.  Does that include Jason, too?”

“And Amira, and Lori!”  her mom chimed.  “It will be at least a few months before they mature and hatch—probably not until after the New Year—but it would be best to allow them to get accustomed to your developing Auras at this stage.  Things are moving along!”

Positive emotion showered Rhea at finally being able to have time like this with her mom, and Jason next to her was a bonus treat.  She spent another hour with her mom and boyfriend, flipping between topics and learning more about what they’d been up to, which, for her mom, had been her father spoiling her with awesome date after date—Jason was probably taking notes, as he should be.

When they finally made it back to the dojo, it was 12 a.m., and Amira was already asleep in bed.  Waving her boyfriend and mom off to have their own mysterious chat, Rhea was as quiet as she could be while getting ready for bed.  Ambrosia was sleeping over, and it was interesting having two Eevees snuggled together between her legs under the blankets.

They didn’t get a call from Sabrina, so it meant they probably didn’t win, which was fine.  Her thoughts were elsewhere than the Contest anyway.  With her Pokemon surrounding her, she drifted off to sleep.  Tomorrow, she hoped she lost because, for once, she didn’t want to win.

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