Everyone in the room froze, staring at me as I smothered Red—the Red—in an overly enthusiastic bear hug. His Pikachu hopped off his shoulder and onto the ground, looking just as stunned as everyone else.

"Mia," Lorelei said slowly, her hand covering her mouth to hide her growing smirk. "You… know Red?"

I didn’t even look up as I kept squeezing him tighter. "Know him? He’s my brother! Well, technically my big brother, but same thing!"

Lance blinked, looking genuinely shocked. "Wait. Red is your brother?"

Bruno looked between us, dumbfounded. "That explains a lot."

Greta, however, was trying not to burst into laughter. "Mia, you mean to tell us that you’ve been screaming about battling him when he’s family?"

I finally let go of Red—well, mostly—and stepped back, keeping my hands on his arms like I was afraid he’d disappear again. "I didn’t know it was him! Lance said it was a legendary trainer, and I thought it’d be some stranger! Not Red!"

Red, to his credit, looked entirely unbothered by the situation. He gave a small, awkward wave to everyone in the room, his face slightly red from the relentless kisses I’d planted on his cheeks.

"Are you even eating properly?" I demanded, squinting at him. "You look way skinnier than last time! And why didn’t you write me? Or call?!"

Red opened his mouth to respond—or at least try to sign something—but I cut him off, poking his chest accusingly.

"You disappeared to the top of Mt. Silver without telling anyone! Do you have any idea how worried I was?!"

Pikachu hopped up onto my shoulder and nuzzled me, as if trying to calm me down. "Pika!"

"Exactly!" I said, as if Pikachu had agreed with me.

Lance crossed his arms, trying to suppress a smile. "Well, this changes things. I was going to let you battle him as your final test, but now I’m not so sure."

I whirled on him, still clinging to Red’s arm. "No way! I’m still battling him! Brother or not, I’m taking him down!"

Red finally managed to free one arm and signed something quickly.

Greta translated, snickering. "He said, 'We’ll see about that.' Looks like he’s ready for the challenge."

I grinned up at him, all the nervousness from before replaced with excitement. "Oh, it’s on, big bro. You better not go easy on me!"

Red smirked for the first time, and Pikachu leapt back to his shoulder, sparking with anticipation.

Bruno clapped his hands. "Now this is a match I want to see!"

Lorelei sighed, shaking her head fondly. "Only Mia could turn a battle with the legendary Red into a family reunion."

As we moved to take our places for the battle, I shot a determined look at Red. "You’re going down, and when I win, you’re taking me to get ice cream. Deal?"

Red gave me a thumbs-up, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

"Alright," Lance said, stepping forward. "Trainers, to your positions! Let the battle begin!"

As we were about to take our positions for the battle, we hit a slight... complication.

I was still clinging to Red like a monkey clings to a tree. My arms were wrapped around his neck, my legs around his waist, and there was no sign I’d be letting go anytime soon.

“Mia!” Lorelei shouted, trying and failing to sound stern as she stifled her laughter. “You’re supposed to battle him, not suffocate him!”

Pikachu, now perched on the ground, stared up at us with wide eyes, looking genuinely concerned. "Pika-pi?"

Red’s face was starting to turn a concerning shade of red—not from his name, but from the lack of oxygen. He flailed one arm weakly, trying to tap out, but I was oblivious.

“Do you know how worried I was?!” I yelled, still gripping him like my life depended on it. “You didn’t call, you didn’t write—NOT EVEN A POSTCARD!”

Lance stepped forward, sighing deeply. “Alright, that’s enough. Bruno, Greta, help me get her off before she actually kills him.”

Bruno grinned, clearly enjoying the chaos. “This is better than the battle itself.”

“Bruno,” Greta warned, though she was barely holding back her own laughter.

Together, they pried me off Red, who gasped for air the moment he was free. He stumbled back a step, his cap slightly askew, and gave me a look that was a mix of exasperation and amusement.

“Fine, fine,” I huffed as they set me down. “But you better not disappear again after this, or I’m going full monkey mode again.”

Red adjusted his cap, gave me a thumbs-up, and signed something quickly.

Greta translated, grinning. “He said, ‘Noted. Can I breathe now?’”

Everyone burst out laughing, even Lorelei, who had been trying to keep things professional.

“Alright,” Lance said, clapping his hands. “Can we please get this battle started now, or is anyone else planning to climb Red like a tree?”

I crossed my arms, pouting. “No promises.”

Red shook his head, clearly regretting his life choices, but his smirk told me he was ready for whatever chaos I had in store.

This battle was going to be legendary—and not just because of the trainer I was facing.

As everyone prepared for the battle to finally start, I raised a hand dramatically. "Wait! One more thing!"

Lance groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Mia, what now?!"

Without answering, I lunged at Red again, catching everyone off guard. "MIA, NO!" Lance shouted, but it was too late.

I tackled Red to the floor with the force of a Snorlax doing a belly flop. He let out a startled grunt as we both hit the ground. Before anyone could stop me, I peppered his face with kisses like a hyperactive Togepi.

"Mwah! Mwah! Mwah!" I exclaimed between kisses. "You’re the best big brother ever, and I missed you so much! Mwah!"

Red’s Pikachu watched in shock, his little paws covering his mouth. "Pikaaaaa…"

Lorelei gasped, trying to stifle her laughter, while Greta had to look away to avoid completely losing it. Bruno, meanwhile, was doubled over, laughing so hard tears streamed down his face.

Red, on the other hand, lay frozen on the floor, his eyes wide with bewilderment. He looked like he had just been hit by Hyper Beam and couldn’t process what was happening.

“Mia!” Lance barked, his hands on his hips. “Get off him! You’re not his girlfriend! He probably thinks you’ve fallen in love with him!”

I looked up from my assault of affection, blinking innocently. "What? I’m his sister! I’m the exception to all the rules."

Red finally managed to sit up, gently pushing me off and fixing his cap, which was now sitting sideways on his head. He glanced at me, his face redder than a Cheri Berry, and quickly signed something.

Greta translated between bouts of laughter. “He says, ‘What just happened? Do I need a restraining order?’”

"You're so dramatic," I huffed, crossing my arms. "It’s called sibling love, duh. You’re lucky to have me!”

Pikachu snickered from the sidelines, and even Lance couldn’t hold back a chuckle.

“Alright, alright," Lorelei said, finally pulling herself together. "Mia, you’ve had your moment. Can we please start this battle now before Red goes into shock?”

I stood up, dusting myself off like nothing had happened. “Fine. But don’t think this means I’m going easy on him.”

Red sighed, shaking his head, but a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips. He gave me a look that said, Only you, Mia.

And just like that, the battle was back on track—though I had a feeling Red was going to remember this day for the rest of his life.

Everyone froze, their jaws dropping in unison as I clung to Red like a lifeline.

Lorelei was the first to break the silence. "Wait… what?!"

Greta blinked. "Red’s your brother?"

Bruno scratched his head, looking utterly lost. "Is that... true?"

Red’s Pikachu, sitting on his shoulder, tilted its head and let out a confused “Pika?”

Lance, for once, looked completely thrown off his smug game. "Hold on. What is happening right now?"

I kept hugging Red, my words tumbling out in a rapid-fire stream. "You didn’t call, didn’t write! Do you even know how worried I was?!" I sniffled dramatically, still squeezing him like my life depended on it.

Red, completely unable to move or sign, just stood there like a statue, his face slightly red from either embarrassment or lack of oxygen—maybe both.

Pikachu finally decided enough was enough and jumped down from Red's shoulder to tug at my sleeve. "Pika pika!"

I loosened my grip slightly, only to look down at Pikachu. "And you! You didn’t keep him out of trouble, did you? You let him climb all those mountains, didn’t you?"

Pikachu looked genuinely offended, crossing its little arms and huffing.

Lorelei started laughing so hard she had to lean against the wall. "Oh, this just keeps getting better."

Greta clapped her hands together, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "This explains so much. No wonder Mia’s so dramatic—it runs in the family!"

Bruno nodded slowly, finally piecing it together. "The silent, stoic type and… Mia. Yeah, opposites, but I guess it works."

Lance sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Alright, can someone please explain what’s going on before my brain explodes?"

Red finally managed to pry one arm free and signed something quickly, his expression pleading.

Lorelei translated, still laughing. "He says, ‘Help. Can’t breathe.’"

I released him instantly, my hands on my hips as I glared at him. "You deserve it for making me worry!"

Red gave me a small, apologetic smile and signed again.

Lorelei smirked. "‘Missed you too.’"

My heart melted, and I tackled him in another hug, this time a little gentler. "Aww, I missed you more!"

Lance groaned. "So... does this mean the battle isn’t happening?"

I turned to Lance, still hugging Red. "Oh, the battle’s happening. But first, I’m catching up with my brother. You can wait."

Lance raised his hands in defeat, clearly regretting every choice that had led to this moment. "Fine. Take your time."

As I dragged Red over to a corner to bombard him with questions about his travels, the others could only watch in bemusement.

Pikachu hopped onto Lance’s shoulder, shaking its head as if to say, Good luck dealing with this one.

Just as I was halfway through interrogating Red about his eating habits (because honestly, who survives on just berries and whatever Pikachu can find?), the doors burst open.

"RED!" Ash’s voice echoed through the dojo, and I barely had time to turn before my twin bolted in like a Tauros on a sugar rush.

"Ash!" I squealed, pointing excitedly at our older brother. "Look who it is!"

Ash skidded to a stop beside us, his face lighting up like a Christmas tree. Without hesitation, he lunged forward and joined me in hugging Red, who barely had time to react before he was squished between us.

"RED! You’re back! Where have you been? Are you okay? Do you know how much we missed you?!" Ash and I yelled at the same time, talking over each other in a chaotic mess of words.

Red’s eyes widened in alarm as both of us clung to him, squeezing tighter and tighter with every second. Pikachu, still perched on Lance’s shoulder, facepalmed.

Greta burst out laughing. "Okay, now this is priceless!"

Lorelei was doubled over, gasping for breath between laughs. "They’re going to crush him at this rate!"

"Should we intervene?" Bruno asked, looking mildly concerned.

"Nah," Lance said, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "Red can handle it. Probably."

Red, however, was clearly reaching his limit. His face had turned an interesting shade of red—not his usual stoic demeanor, but a mix of suffocation and sheer sibling overload. He frantically started signing with one free hand.

Lorelei, still giggling, translated. "‘Can’t… breathe… Help…’"

"Oops," I said sheepishly, loosening my grip slightly.

Ash, however, wasn’t as quick to let go. "But we missed you so much! You can’t just vanish like that again, okay? Promise!"

Red gave Ash a thumbs-up, his other hand weakly patting my back as if to say, Please, for the love of Arceus, stop squeezing me.

Finally, Pikachu decided enough was enough and shocked us both lightly with a well-aimed Thunderbolt.

"Ow!" Ash and I yelped, letting go of Red as sparks crackled around us.

Red stumbled back, taking a deep breath as Pikachu hopped back onto his shoulder, looking smug.

"Sorry!" I said quickly, rubbing the back of my neck.

Ash grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, uh, maybe we overdid it a little."

Red just sighed, shaking his head with a small smile. He signed something, and Lorelei, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes, translated.

"‘I missed you too. But you’re both insane.’"

"That’s fair," Greta said with a laugh, clapping her hands. "But now that the reunion’s over, are we getting this battle or not?"

Lance grinned. "Oh, we’re getting the battle. And it’s going to be one for the books."

I glanced at Ash, then back at Red. "Fine, but only after Ash and I catch up with him! You can wait."

Lance groaned dramatically, throwing his head back. "Why do I even bother?"

****

Red sat on a bench, his usual stoic expression intact but his posture screaming help me as Ash went on a rapid-fire rant about everything that had happened since Red last appeared.

“…and then Pikachu totally owned this Charizard in Vermillion City! Oh, and you wouldn’t believe the Tauros incident! And, and—”

Ash gestured wildly, recounting his every waking moment while Red sat frozen, his Pikachu occasionally rolling its eyes as if to say, He’s been like this for years, get used to it.

Meanwhile, I plopped down next to Red on the bench, grinning like a Meowth who’d found a pile of shiny coins. "You know, you’re way too quiet for your own good. Ash wouldn’t have to ramble so much if you just talked more."

Red gave me a sideways glance, his expression saying, That’s not how this works.

Undeterred, I leaned over and kissed his cheek, making him flinch slightly as his face turned an impressive shade of pink. "That’s for disappearing on us, mister."

Ash barely noticed, too wrapped up in his story. "—and so then Misty was like, ‘Ash, stop being dumb,’ but, you know, I was totally right, because—"

Red turned his wide-eyed gaze to me, signing quickly with his hands.

"‘Please stop encouraging him,’" Lorelei translated from across the room, still trying not to laugh at the chaos.

I shrugged, smirking. "Hey, you’re the one who decided to vanish into the mountains for two years. This is what you get."

Red groaned silently, burying his face in his hands while Ash kept ranting about life, his battles, and who-knows-what-else. Pikachu gave Red a sympathetic pat on the head, and Greta whispered to Lance, "I think Red regrets coming here."

"Yeah," Lance said with a grin. "But I’m enjoying the show."

Eventually, Ash ran out of steam, finally noticing that Red hadn’t said a single word—or signed much—throughout his entire speech.

"Hey, are you even listening?!" Ash demanded, waving a hand in front of Red’s face.

Red just gave him a tired thumbs-up, silently pleading for a break.

I patted his shoulder, smiling sweetly. "Don’t worry, big bro. We’ll keep this up for a while longer. You owe us, after all."

Red slumped forward in defeat, Pikachu laughing quietly on his shoulder as Ash started up again.

When Ash and I finally finished our whirlwind reunion, poor Red was sitting on the bench, absolutely shell-shocked. His normally composed demeanor was completely gone, and his face was covered in lipstick marks from my relentless kisses.

“Look at you!” I teased, giggling as I wiped at one of the smudges on his cheek with my sleeve. “You’re like a living Valentine’s Day card now.”

Ash, who had finally taken a breath after his marathon rant, burst out laughing. “Mia, you overdid it! He looks like Pikachu after a Thunderstone mishap!”

Red blinked slowly, as if trying to process what had just happened, while Pikachu cackled and gave him a cheeky thumbs-up.

“I think he’s broken,” Lorelei said, stifling a laugh as she walked over with Greta.

“Oh, he’ll be fine,” Greta said with a grin. “He survived Mt. Silver; he can survive this.”

Bruno leaned against the doorframe, shaking his head in disbelief. “I’ve never seen the legendary Red look so defeated. This is a moment for the history books.”

Red finally snapped out of it, raising his hands to sign furiously at me.

“‘Why do you always ambush me like this?’” Lorelei translated, struggling to keep a straight face.

I shrugged innocently. “Because you’re my brother, and I missed you! Duh!”

Ash crossed his arms, smirking. “You’re lucky she loves you so much, bro. Otherwise, you’d just be sitting alone in your cave forever.”

Red sighed deeply, shaking his head as if to say, Why me? But despite his exasperation, a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

“Don’t worry,” I said, slinging an arm around his shoulder. “Next time, we’ll use washable lipstick.”

Pikachu let out a cheerful “Pika!” as if to agree, while Red just buried his face in his hands again, resigning himself to his fate.