As I stomped out of Brock's gym, still grumbling under my breath, Pikachu and Ivysaur followed closely behind me. My mind was swirling with everything that had happened—being dragged into a meeting about my habits, falling down a wall, and getting lectured by gym leaders who seemed to think they had the right to tell me how to live my life. Yeah, no thanks.

"Okay, maybe I overdid it a little," I mumbled, rubbing my sore back from my dramatic fall. "But seriously, I don’t need them telling me what to do."

Pikachu let out a soft, comforting "Pika," as if trying to reassure me. Ivysaur, always the practical one, just walked beside me, occasionally giving me a look as if to say, "You really should be more careful."

I stopped for a moment, letting out a long sigh. "But they don’t get it, Pikachu. It’s like they think being champion is all sunshine and rainbows. It’s hard work. Nonstop pressure. It’s not just about battling anymore. It’s managing everything, and I don’t even get a break." I kicked a small pebble down the street.

"Squirtle!" came a voice from behind me. I turned to see Squirtle happily waddling toward me, as if nothing had happened. I didn’t realize he had followed us out of the gym.

"Squirtle, you’re lucky you’re so cute," I said, lifting him up. "Otherwise, I’d be even more frustrated right now."

Suddenly, I heard footsteps behind me. I turned to find Blue jogging up, a look of mild concern on his face. “Mia, wait up.”

I rolled my eyes and continued walking without slowing down. “What now, Blue?”

“You didn’t have to snap at them like that,” he said, catching up to me. “They were just concerned about you. We all are.”

I shot him a sideways glance. “You don’t understand, Blue. They don’t know what it’s like to have the whole world watching you, waiting for you to slip up. They don’t know how hard it is to keep everything together, especially when you’ve got people like them—” I waved my hand in the direction of the gym “—pushing and prodding at you.”

He didn’t say anything for a moment, just walking beside me in silence. Then he spoke up again, his voice softer. “I know, Mia. I do. And I get that you’re stressed. But that doesn’t mean you should shut everyone out. Not even me.”

I stopped in my tracks, staring at him. “What are you talking about? You’ve always been... well, you.”

Blue chuckled, clearly amused. “Yeah, but you’ve always been my little rival, Mia. You’ve been my baby sister figure. I’ve known you since you were a kid. And I’ve seen you grow into someone I have to respect.” He shrugged. “But I also know you don’t want to admit when things are tough for you.”

I blinked, taken aback. “What do you mean?”

He took a deep breath, clearly thinking carefully. “I mean, I’ve seen you push yourself to the limit, Mia. Too many times. And yeah, you’re strong, you’ve got a tough attitude, but I’m not the only one who’s noticed how hard you’re working. You can’t keep going like this without burning yourself out.”

I stared at Blue, my heart pounding in my chest. “I’m fine,” I muttered, not even convincing myself with my words.

Blue raised an eyebrow. “Are you?”

I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding, finally admitting what I had been avoiding. “No. I’m not. But I don’t know how to stop. How do I just… let go?”

He smiled softly. “You don’t have to stop, Mia. Just let people in. Let them help you, even if it’s just a little bit.”

I looked at him, feeling a strange mix of emotions bubbling up inside me. It was so rare for me to show vulnerability, to let people see the cracks. But maybe Blue was right. Maybe I didn’t have to do everything on my own.

"Fine," I said with a sigh. "Maybe I’ll try. But no promises."

He grinned, nudging me playfully. “Good enough for me. Now let’s go grab a snack. You owe me after what you put us through back there.”

I managed a small laugh, finally feeling the tension start to ease. “You’re right. You’ve earned it.”

We walked off, Pikachu and Ivysaur trailing behind, and for the first time in a long while, I didn’t feel quite so alone in this whole champion thing. Maybe, just maybe, I could take Blue’s advice and let others help me shoulder the weight of it all.