B4 — 23. Moms Need Hugs!

In the frigid north of a decaying empire, twins Victor and Elara are reborn into a world of magic and danger. Once siblings in the 1940s, Victor, a fierce World War II soldier, and Elara, a woman hiding a tragic secret, now face a new life with memories of their past.

Determined to protect Elara and build a better future, Victor harnesses his wartime skills and knowledge with the gemstone powers of his new world. Meanwhile, Elara, quietly recalling their shared past, becomes the calm force that balances Victor’s fiery drive as she learns what it means to become a lower noblewoman.

Guided by a mentor, an unlikely ally from Earth of centuries past, Victor must seize destiny rather than let it come to him to protect his family. As they navigate political intrigue, secret societies, and the mysteries of their new world, the twins must unite to defend their home, unlikely friends from discrimination, and step into the roles of leaders in a medieval world of magic.

11:21 a.m. October 23rd, Friday, 106 PH (Post Hoopa Event).  Day 136. 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 (42 days away).

Walking with her mom along Saffron’s streets, her mom’s fingers intertwined with hers, Rhea wanted to have a more serious conversation about her team’s future Pokemon.  Unfortunately, not soon after they started their journey, street journalists, fans, and haters started interrupting them from time to time.

Rhea glanced ahead at the amusement park as they neared, leaving a disgruntled group of teenage boys who had lost money on her win against Sabrina.  It didn’t really bother her that much, but she could see her mother getting a little frustrated with the interruptions.  It had been the fifth attempt to broach the topic.

Squeezing her mom’s hand, she felt shockingly calm for the variety of people who had tried to get their attention.  Rhea let the subject die for later and switched to hearing about the wonderful time her mother was having with her father as they came to the line leading into the park.

“Okay, Mom, what has life been like for you without disappearing into your cave to hunch over a lab desk all night?”

Brushing back her loose blonde locks behind her ear, her mother gave her a little pout.  “I’m not some hunch-backed old woman with skin as white as snow from staying inside all day.”

“When did I say that?”  Rhea giggled, leaning over to give her a peck on the cheek.  She saw girls with their boyfriends or friends chatting around her, but she didn’t feel out of place at all with her mom.  “Didn’t I just say not too long ago that you could be my gorgeous older sister?  Don’t be self-conscious!  You’re beautiful, Mom.”

“Aww.  I don’t know what has come over me recently,” she mumbled, looking ahead at the slow-moving line.  “I look in the mirror and see a pretty woman just barely hitting her twenties, and then I wake up feeling like a grandma and wonder if my mom feels the same way.  I don’t usually have these thoughts!”

Rhea had an idea why she may be feeling a bit older recently, which actually put a smile on her face.  “So, Dad has been able to spend a lot more time with you?  You look better.”

“Do I?”  Her mom hummed, a short chuckle following as a baby started to cry ahead of them in line.

Curious, Rhea nudged her.  “What?”

“Oh, nothing…  I’m just remembering how challenging it was to get your brother to stop crying when he was young.  During the Ultra War, it was hard, but… your father was my hero,” she whispered as the woman’s husband took the child and began bouncing the baby.

“I feel so bad for missing so many wondrous years of you growing up, Rhea.  So… I cherish the chances you give me now to spend with you.”  She pulled her closer, nuzzling her cheek.  “Why don’t we wait to talk about this egg business until the end of the night?”

“I’m game for that!”  Rhea hugged her mom, feeling her satisfied sigh while returning the embrace.  “If you’re going to keep changing the subject when I ask about you, then how is Dad doing now that you’re stuck to his leg and out of the lab?”

Breaking apart, her mother giggled, her cheeks darkening a little as she fidgeted with her reddish-orange knee-length dress.  “I think your dad wants to push me off the bed sometimes…  I’m always so hot and cold, but I can’t say no when he lines up that dopamine kiss, his hot hands pulling me in, making me feel safe and secure…  I’m such a sucker.”

“You really are!”  Rhea laughed, bumping hips with her.

“Hey!  You’re supposed to be nice to your mom,” she cried with a weak laugh.  “He’s just so… infuriatingly good!  Playing songs we used to listen to when we were traveling together, pulling me into a dance, mmm, the way he pulls me into his body and holds me while we move together—his smell.”

“Mom!  Haha.  Okay, I get it—jeez, and who thinks they’re too old?”  Rhea protested, finding her hand again as they neared the front.  “It sounds like things are going well, huh?”

Her mother’s eyes fell to their linked hands, her voice a tad distant.  “In many ways, it is… and in others, not so much.  It’s like… I’m not used to my brain being so unoccupied, and that can allow… other things to creep in.  Which… is why I enjoy these times that fill me with more and more dopamine I don’t deserve!  Tickets for two, please!”

Rhea’s smile fell a little as her mom bought their tickets and gave them a wristband for the day.  Something was eating her mom up inside, and she felt it in her Aura—a trap she built herself, feeling helpless and frustrated with herself.

Entering the park, Rhea pulled her mom toward the food area instead of the rides.  “Let’s get something to eat.  I burn ridiculous calories these days!”

“Absolutely!”  her mom chimed, yet it didn’t last long.  “I… should have made a packed lunch or something.”

“Mom… you’re forcing yourself!”  she accused, shooting an unhappy stare her way.  “I don’t want to bring it up, but I feel like I have to…  What’s wrong?  I know you’re happy, but then something just brings in this… I don’t know, Ghost?”

Her mother’s mask slipped, showing a pained smile as she almost pulled away from her hand before catching herself.  “Mmm.  I’m sorry, Rhea.  I’m trying to—it’s like I’m losing several steps every time I have a good few strides… it’s strange.  Where has my mind been lately?”  she asked, free fingers sliding through her hair as Rhea guided them to a bench to sit.

“I don’t know.  Tell me about it,” Rhea offered, now worried.  Yes, her mother was loads better compared to when they’d discussed their family’s past, but this was something else, something related to it.  “What’s wrong?”

Her mom’s drawn-in blue eyes lingered on her hand as she brought it to her lap and played with it a bit.  “I… pull away sometimes—like what I almost did to you…  It matters.  It matters to your dad—I know it does.  Hah!”

Her throat suddenly thick, and wiping back a tear, her mom puffed out her emotions.  “I don’t know what’s wrong with me, Rhea.  I’m just… broken, I guess.  What kind of conversation is this for a mother to have with her daughter?”  she asked, her face turning red again with shame.

“Hey!  Hey…  Mom,” Rhea leaned closer to hug her.  “An important one!  I’m here for you, okay?  Talk to me.  Don’t bottle it up.”

Her mother choked a laugh, pulling her head in to hug her as a tremor ran through her body.  “I’m trying—I think I’m trying… and other times… I feel like I’m not trying enough.  It’s so stupid.  It’s only chemicals in my brain—impulses that are battling to punch me in the gut…  And it hurts.  I hurt myself.  Why do I do that?”

Rhea could feel her mom’s helplessness seeping out, partly because she could not do much to mitigate the mixed baggage of responses they’d gotten on their way here.  She was a scientist, someone who strived to understand the universe and unlock its secrets, yet she was paralyzed by her own trauma.

“It’s okay, Mom…  It’s okay.”

“It’s not, though.  I’m a mother—I’m supposed to have everything together… to be stable, but… all I’ve done is pull away, break, shatter, and wait for your dad to try to put back the pieces.  You deserved so much better than what I gave you…  Why didn’t I feel safe enough to take you to one of these places when you were a kid—not to isolate you?  I’m… horrible.”

“Oh…”  Rhea followed her watery eyes, speckled with green when tears hit them.  Her mother’s focus was on a skipping little girl with her mom, playing in the nearby water park water sprayers together.  “Mom, we don’t need to spend time here.  Are you… punishing yourself?”

“No,” her mother wept, bringing her hands up to her forehead.  “I want this to be happy—but I’m crying… and I can’t stop.  Why did I think this would be a good place—no, I wasn’t thinking…  I’m an idiot.  Stupid…”

“Mom, please… stop tearing yourself apart.  I know you don’t feel worthy of love right now, but that’s not how it works!  I love you.”

Her mother didn’t respond, eyes downcast, hiccuping, and totally lost.  So Rhea breathed out the stress in her lungs and just remained close, silently making her love known.  If she pulled away, she knew it would matter to her mom.  She had to wait for her to bridge that gap.

Rhea ignored the looks they got from the parents, teens, or elderly couples that passed them, not that her mother could escape them.  She felt her mother projecting their judgment onto her—her overly active mind, no doubt, causing a sudden song of her mother’s generation to surface in her brain.

Whether it came from Aura or past memories of her depressed mother when she was a little girl didn’t matter.  She recalled her mother sitting in the dark one night, arms over her face, her father gone on some mission, and a bottle of wine by the couch.  The words made a whole lot more sense now.  It wasn’t her kind of music, but she knew it would connect with her mom—her mom singing to her alter ego.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she whispered, “I would swallow my pride, I would choke on the rinds, but the lack thereof would leave me empty inside…”

“What…  Rhea?”  her mother mumbled through her tears, shifting on her shoulder to look up at her.  “You don’t listen to… to depressing songs like that.  Where did you…”

Rhea just continued, rubbing her mom’s hand.  “I would swallow my doubt, turn it inside out, and find nothing but faith in nothing.  I want to put my tender heart in a blender, watch it spin around to a beautiful oblivion…  Rendezvous, then I’m through with you…

“You used to sing that to yourself when I was a little girl, dad was gone, Sabin was off with Kate, and you had a headache…  You’d turn the lights out, and I’d watch you from the doorway.  I didn’t know how to help you, but I knew you were in pain.”

Her mother shifted uncomfortably, blinking rapidly while her white hand gripped her wrist.  “I… thought you were with Jason.  I only did that three times…  I really am a failure of a mother.”

“No,” Rhea whispered.  “No.  You’re not a robot, Mom.  So cry.  Be mad and curse if you want—Muk, I’m not a little girl anymore…  I do know how to help you.  I’m here for you…”

She held her tighter and chuckled before singing, “I burn, burn like a wicker cabinet, chalk white, and oh-so-frail—I see our time has gotten stale.”

Her mother forced down the lump and whimpered through the next lines.  “The tick-tock of the clock is painful, all sane and logical… I want to tear it off the wall.  I hear the words in clips and phrases… I think sick, like ginger ale… my stomach turns, and I exhale…

“Why am I so illogical for a scientist, Rhea?  I make no sense!  I’m… broken… useless.”

“Because you’re human, Mom,” she said, smiling at Vanty, her 2’1” Bellossom, as she exited a Poke Ball on her mother’s waist to hug her from the other side.  “What really is it, Mom?  Talk to me.”

A few seconds passed as her mom got control of herself, allowing her to pull her up to rest against her chest.  “I don’t think you’re useless, Mom.  Broken?  Maybe a little.  But you’re broken in a perfect way for Dad and me… because we love you.  I’m here to help you get back on track because you helped me.”

“Hah!  When?  It’s always been your dad who has come to our rescue…  When have I ever done anything good other than run away?”

Her smile softening, Rhea fixed her mother’s hair, whispering, “I can think of four little girls who would disagree with you, Mom.  Let’s be honest, Mom.  Look at all the good you’ve done…  Look at Mimi and Jade—her little Pichu wouldn’t be here right now without you.  And I’m happy, Mom.  I’m happy that you’re my mom.”

Bottom lip trembling and body shaking against her chest, Rhea pulled her mother in closer as she broke down again, but this time, it wasn’t in despair.

“That’s right, Mom.  Just memorize in your heart these words, ‘Whatever I think about myself, my daughter loves me.  My daughter thinks I’m beautiful.  My daughter thinks I’m strong.  My daughter thinks I’m the best mom in the world.’  Because… it’s true, Mom.  Dad and you are my heroes,” she finished, leaning in to kiss her head.  “I love you.”

Cradling her vulnerable mom in public, Rhea sighed upon seeing a few people taking pictures from a distance.  Whatever came from it would come.  For now, her mom’s mental health was her total priority.

“I know you can’t forget the past, Mom.  Just memorize in your heart that you’re beautiful to me, okay?  All of you.  You’re my mom.  And you’re my responsibility, too.  We take care of each other because that is what family does.  I’m here for you always, so just breathe.  I’m here.”

Pulling up her legs onto the bench, Vanty helped manage her dress as Rhea moved her half-folded straw hat to the seat beside her.  She shifted a bit over to allow her mother a bit more room for comfort, reassuring her mother as she lay in her lap.  Her mother’s thick voice drifted between crying and a whimper as she watched the world pass them by.

“Sometimes I just… get stuck in the past.  Mmgm.  When your dad and I were young, when everything was so simple… before all the cross-dimensional politics when your dad betrayed Rainbow Rocket, and we had to fight each day for our lives.  Before the lies… the pain.  Ghetsis couldn’t do anything that wasn’t done to me by Rainbow Rocket.  When everything spun out of control.”

Rhea felt tears coming to her eyes as her mother spoke, her heart radiating open wounds with the honesty burning her mom’s throat, making her cry.

“Haha.  I usually don’t think about this stuff…  I’m too busy!  Work just… fills my mind, but now… now it just comes and grips me by the chest and throws me down the stairs.  All the hopes and dreams I’d given up on… how terrible I was as a mother when I’d dreamed of it as a teenager—how absent I was in Sabin and your lives.”

Palm coming up to rub away her wet cheeks, she cleared her throat while weakly taking Vanty’s hand as her watery-eyed Bellossom tried to comfort her Trainer.

“I gave up, Rhea.  I lost…  Was defeated by that pain.  I ran away from everyone…  I failed.  I hid.  I shut out everything that could hurt me… and that hurt your father so badly.  I know it did.  So… why didn’t he leave me?  No… he couldn’t… I made it so he couldn’t because you needed me.”

Rhea wanted to slap and smother her mother to death in hugs, telling her to stop being so hard on herself, but she knew she needed to let her mom’s heart bleed to heal.  It did hurt hearing her mom speak her darkest thoughts.  It hurt.  But it hurt her mom so much more.

“I haven’t dreamed in so long…  I haven’t allowed myself to dream,” she mumbled.  “Now, I see everything I missed… everything I threw away to protect myself… and now… now all I feel is shame.  No matter what I do, it’s never enough to make up for my failure.  Why am I so weak?  Why can’t Keith be a little weaker… just a little weaker…  Why am I the only weak one?”

“Mom…”

Her mother slowly shook her head.  “Some nights I told myself lies…  I would say I don’t love you, I don’t need you… research is my true love, and things are perfect like this…  I’m okay with just seeing you every once in a while…  All lies.  Lies that kept me alive when things grew too hard.  And then… I’d imagine your dad sleeping alone, and I couldn’t sleep… so I kept working… I kept working to not think about it—to not feel.”

Rhea rubbed her arm as her mother quaked against her, and now she knew the truth behind the dark bags under her mother’s eyes.  She hadn’t been chasing research all these years to remain one of the top scientists in the world—her mother had been running from the nightmares she’d see when she allowed herself to slow down.

“Now… all I do is feel, and it hurts, Rhea…  It always hurts!  When I see a child on the street, on TV… I feel like something is ripping out of my soul.  When I see your brother off with Kate—I don’t know anything about Kate…  How is that possible?  Your dad can tell me everything, though!  I don’t know many of your interests, Rhea…  I don’t even know if you like amusement parks.  I don’t know anything… and I’m scared.  I’m scared.”

“I’m here, Mom.  I’m here… and I’m not going anywhere,” she repeated, attempting to smile through her tears.  “I’m not scared—well, maybe a little,” she laughed, clearing her cheeks so she wouldn’t cry on her mother.  “I’m excited to get to know more about the cool, dorky side of my mom I never knew!”

Applying a little pressure against her mother’s cheek to bring her watery eyes to hers, Rhea reached over to squeeze her hand again.  “Maybe we can’t go back into the past, but what we can do is leave those memories there, and make new ones to overshadow them in the future.  What do you say about going to get a big lunch?  Crying takes a lot out of you!  Right?”

Her mother strained a laugh, trying to smile past her assaulting emotions.  “Crying really does burn calories… but not as much as you might think… only like… 26 for a 20-minute sob session.  Another twenty minutes, and we’ll break 50!”

Chuckling, Rhea leaned in to kiss her cheek as her trembling arms tried to push herself up.  “There’s my dork of a mom.  I love you.”

“I love you, too…  Thank you for putting up with your stupid… heh, beautiful mom.”

“I always have,” Rhea said, bringing her in for a strong embrace.  “When the world’s crashing down on you, and your husband is out interrogating your daughter’s boyfriend, you still have your baby Swablu to cuddle, right?”

“And cuddly she is,” her mother sniffled, kissing her cheek and then her forehead before pulling away, looking truly glorious for a cryer, and Rhea knew she must look the same.  “Maybe we should go to the bathroom to freshen up before getting a giant lunch.”

“Sounds like a plan!”

“Bellossom!”

They laughed as the flower Pokemon jumped up to hug both of them.

“You can join us, too, Vanty,” she chimed.  “Thanks for always being there to take care of my mom when we’re not around.”

“Bell!”

“She really does,” her mother fondly commented, rubbing the girl’s cheek and making the Pokemon giggle.  “Vanty has been with me since I was five.  She knows me too well.  Well!  Let’s have a wonderful first mother-daughter outing at the amusement park.”

“Let’s!”

Rhea held out her hand, allowing her mother to march them past the nosy public and journalists.  There was a new strength growing in her mom, a rebuilding confidence in herself.  It was slight but significant.

The rest is up to you, Dad!

After cleaning up and getting something to eat, Rhea laughed and joked with her mom about what kind of article would hit the Gossip market.  The heavy atmosphere lifted, and she found herself enjoying every minute with her mother, telling her about her teammates and Jason.  It didn’t take long for the dreaded subject to come up.

Sitting at a secluded table near the back of a rather tasty restaurant, hosting ice cream parfaits with juicy berries added, Rhea spread out her hands in disbelief as her mother laughed.

“Jason really countered the camping trip with your dad by saying you could spend some personal time with his mom?  Brilliant!  From everything your brother and dad tell me about Kate, he may be more like his sister than he thinks.”

“That’s what I’m saying!”  Rhea groaned, sinking into her chair as Vanty giggled, passively listening while devouring her dessert.  “What do I do, Mom?  Annila is totally terrifying!”

“Oh, believe me, I know, Sweetie,” her mother chortled.  “Remember, she hates me… and not for the wrong reasons.  Her judgment is valid.”

“Mom…”

“I’m better!”  she promised, shooting a soft smile her way.  “I’m just saying, I haven’t set a good example or impression.  Annila’s not the type to take out her personal grudges on others, though.  She was your instructor for many subjects.  Did she hate you in school?  Keith—eh, your dad always said your instructors were fine with you.”

Rhea bunched her lips to the side while shifting in her chair.  “Mmm.  I… may not have been so… attentive in my Pokemon courses because, well…”

“You were a rebellious teen?”  her mother asked with a sad smile.  “A rebellious teen who ran away from home, went on hunger strikes, and, in general, spent a lot of time outside of the house, exploring with her best friend?”

Cheeks turning pink a little while thinking back at all the time she’d spent with Jason, Rhea puffed out her cold cheeks, sampling the caramel on her tongue.  “Uh, sure.  I mean, she was always nice to me when I stopped by her house, but Jason always wanted to be out of his house, too, so… yeah.  She was strict and demanding when we were in class—I don’t know.”

She threw her hand in the air.  “All I have to go on are TV dramas, where the boy’s mom hates the new girlfriend and thinks she’s going to ruin her son’s life but he’s blinded by her beauty.”

 Her mother beamed.  “Ooh.  He does seem smitten from what your dad and I saw last night, Honey Pot.”

“Mom…”

“Facts are facts, and you do take after your parents,” she winked, making Rhea’s face burn.  “Plus, I kind of did genetically modify you, so you can’t deny you’ve got a lot stacked in your favor, Little Swablu!  Oh, wait, hehe, Ms. Joltik?”

“Mom!”

“What?  It’s cute!  I love it,” she chirped, reaching out to play a little with her bundled blonde hair.  “I adore all the nicknames your teammates and boyfriend are giving you.  You’ll always be the family’s little Swablu, though.  So… what do you think about him?”

“Mmm.”

“And what’s with that response, hmm?”  her mom teased, rubbing her flaming cheek before retreating with a giggle as she brushed her hand away.  “He has gotten a lot more handsome lately.  First thing on your mind?  C’mon—go!”

“Uh… he’s gotten a lot taller and bigger…  Mmmgm!”  She leaned forward in defeat as she remembered tackling him to the ground before he’d flipped her onto her back, pinning her to the floor.  “Stop, Mom!”

“What am I doing?  It’s all in your head.  I wish I could get a sneak peek.  You’re so cute.”

“Can we get back on the subject of his mom kidnapping me, tying me to a tree upside down, and interrogating me?  What am I supposed to do!”

Her mother lifted an eyebrow.  “Is… that what you think is happening to Jason right now?”

“I’ve seen movies,” Rhea mumbled, taking a bite of her parfait and evading eye contact.  “Why—what do you think is happening?”

“What do I think is happening?”  Her mom sat back with a fond look.  “A lot of guy-talk.”

“Descriptive…”

“Maybe some fishing for food and his time in Kalos.”

“Yeah, probably.”

“And… likely a lot about you!”

“Exactly!”  Rhea pulled her spoon out of her mouth to wave at her mom.  “Eeexactly!  A lot about me… with ropes and Bullet Seeds involved.”

“Hahaha!  I can’t tell if you’re being serious or not,” her mother said, doubling over and wiping away a tear.  “How long has your dad known Jason?”

“Uh… forever.”

“Mhm.”  Her mother nodded patiently, scraping out the bottom of her glass and popping it into her mouth.  “And… how many times have you all gone out camping or doing other activities?”

“…A lot.  What are you getting at, Mom?  Dad is super protective of me!”

“Exactly,” her mother repeated, a warm and annoyingly knowing smile on her lips.  “Your father knows Jason, and knows his character… probably a lot better than you since he’s a guy… because the male psyche is a strange place to navigate.”

“Tell me about it,” Rhea huffed.  “Why is he so fixated on my butt?  Like, I get that I have one, but why the butt?”

“Mmm.”  Her mother’s answer confused Rhea as she paused, glancing off to the side while tapping her lips with the back of the spoon.  “The butt, hmm?  And you’re this little thing pinned down by him?  Interesting.”

“And?!  Go on.  What, Mom?  And what is with that p-pinned comment—I didn’t say that!”

“Did you not?  Hmm.  Oh, just thinking about several studies, don’t mind me.”

Rhea’s shoulders slumped, a glare in her eyes.  “You’re not going to tell me.”

“Hehe.  The mysteries are what make it fun, Sweetie.  Enjoy them while they are slowly peeled back.  A study won’t give you the full picture and could give you the wrong idea.  People are complicated.  Boys are very complicated, yet extremely simple!”

“Great advice, Mom.  Basically, don’t even try.  Can we get back to the Annila situation?  Give me some good motherly advice!  What do I do when her mom leaves me on an abandoned island to try to survive, like Ariana did to Lyra when she first started dating Silver?”

Her mother’s left eye creased as she tried not to laugh.  “I… wouldn’t try to compare your relationship with Jason to Lyra and Silver’s, Honey.  That… is a wild one to unpack.  I’m sure you’ve heard stories from Amira.  Honestly, I think the Rocket Family wanted Lyra dead at the start, so… yeah.  Just be yourself, Sweetie!”

Rhea’s throat constricted as her mother leaned in to fuss with her clothes, the most motherly look she’d seen on her mom’s face silencing her.

“Show Annila why her son is so infatuated with you…  Show her why her son is lucky to have caught your eye.  Because he is lucky to be in your heart.  Don’t overthink it.  Just be you.  She’ll love you.”

“Fine…  I’m still afraid that I won’t be good enough for her…”

“We all feel that way,” her mother said, giving her a comforting look that made Rhea not feel so alone.  “Just know that if you’re not good enough for her, you are to him.”

Her stress eased a little with those words, making her reflect on the songs she’d sung with Jason the previous night.  “I guess you’re right.  Thanks, Mom.  So, uh, what about the eggs?”

“A topic I can turn my brain off for!”  her mother cheered, her chest shaking with mirth as she settled in.  Her mom breathed out softly, turning to stare at the Ferris wheel in the distance.  “…Do you remember your 10th birthday theme?”

“Fairy-themed,” Rhea nodded, excitement budding within her.  “I already have Mya, though.”

“You do,” her mother said, an enigmatic tilt to her mouth as her gaze returned to her.  “I’ve been experimenting a lot with genetics throughout my life, Rhea.  A phenomenon in Paldea I hadn’t had the pleasure of researching has recently been a hot topic since they opened their borders and expanded their schools to other regions.”

She shook her head, sighing.  “I’m getting ahead of myself.  Do you want me to tell you what the Pokemon are or let you discover them when they hatch?  Because yours, at least, might be sooner than I anticipated after getting in contact with my assistant, who is shipping her over.”

Rhea set her glass down and crossed her arms, pondering the potential revelation.  “How soon?”

“Days.”

Rhea smiled, scooting closer.  “Can you show me a picture of it?  I think it might be fun to let all the girls try to guess which Pokemon it will be.”

“Sure,” her mother laughed, reaching into her bag and producing her phone.  “Naturally, it will look different since it is white and black-themed, but… do you recognize this?”

Her eyes widened when she saw the two-thirds black bottom and the one-third white top, with thin horn-like pink bumps on the back and front.  She knew exactly what this egg was.

“No!”

Her mother grinned.  “You always loved them, and you’ve already met her mother!  Lori, Amira, and Jason’s eggs will be arriving from Galar in about two weeks—there were some delays.  Your little girl will require some special care, though, and I have a package for you to feed her.  She will be similar to Roxy and Nova, but hers will be far more… sporadic, and there is the possibility I’ll need to run a few follow-up procedures later.  She will be the first of her kind, and her Nature can be… volatile.  Just a heads up!”

“Totally worth it!”  Rhea cheered, ready to welcome in a new member of the family.  “She’ll be here soon?”

“When you arrive at Celadon tomorrow.  I wanted your group to have more… defensive Pokemon for your next region—you know, just in case.  Well, excluding yours since she’s… kind of coming soon!  Plus, I had to fulfill your 10th birthday wish.”

“Perfect!  Aww.  Mom!  I’m so excited!”  she squealed, hugging her mom and getting up.  “Ready to continue our date?”

“Absolutely!  Ferris wheel?”

“Let’s do it!”

Returning her glass to the booth, she skipped off to spend the rest of her magical day with her recovering mom and Vanty.  It was magical, and she saw her mother opening up and revealing more dorky quirks—such as her mom’s inability to aim a toy gun or fish out a Wishiwashi with a paper net to save her life—and she loved every new experience.

She opened up about her anxiety about Jason battling her for ‘the right’ to date her; well, she was anticipating it but was also scared, which was stupid, but true.  Her mother chuckled, reflecting back on their earlier experience, softening Rhea’s heart.  Jason would pick a good time, and she hoped there would be a fun twist.

With the sun lowering in the sky and the amusement park closing, she walked with her mom back to the dojo, talking about the amazing date.  She wanted to do it again.  Waving her off at the front, she went inside to meet Lori and Amira.  Tomorrow, they were teleporting to Celadon City with Erika and would battle her the next day.

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