I heard the door to my hotel room open, but I didn't bother to look from my spot on the bed.

How could I have lost? I had done everything - train, use logics, even form a relationship with my Pokemon! But when that Lear used his Sync move to beat me....

My thoughts were interrupted when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

I turned to see my brother with a sympathetic look. It's okay, Mia. I understand how sad you are. But you should eat

I shook my head. " I can't."

Why?

" Because losers don't deserve to eat. They don't eat until they train as hard as they can."

Red froze.

What?!

" You told me."

He stared at me for a second before whipping his phone out and texting someone.

Ten seconds later Blue and Leaf ran in.

"Mia!" Leaf exclaimed, rushing over to me. "What happened?"

Blue followed, his usual cocky grin replaced with a look of concern. "Red texted us. What's going on?"

I stayed silent, curling up tighter on the bed. I didn't want to see their faces filled with disappointment.

"Mia," Leaf's voice softened. "Talk to us, sweetie."

Red stood next to her, his face tense. He held up his phone and showed them the text he'd typed.

Blue's eyes widened in disbelief. "Wait, what?! You think losers don’t deserve to eat?"

I shrugged. "It’s just the truth. I lost. And Red said—"

"I NEVER said that!" Red's voice was fierce, cutting me off. My eyes widened at the rare outburst from him.

"But you did!" I insisted. "When I was little, and I lost that gym battle, you told me to train harder and not to complain."

Red's expression crumbled. He knelt beside me, his brown eyes filled with guilt. "Mia, I meant that you should never give up. I never meant you shouldn’t eat or take care of yourself."

Leaf sat on the bed beside me, her eyes glassy. "Oh, Mia, that’s not how it works. Losing doesn’t make you a failure. It makes you human."

Blue nodded, his tone uncharacteristically serious. "And for the record, Lear’s a freakin’ monster in battle. Losing to him doesn’t make you any less awesome."

I blinked back tears. "But I tried so hard... and I still lost. What’s the point if I’m not good enough?"

Red gently took my hand. "The point is that you keep going. You learn, you grow, and you try again. That’s what makes you strong—not winning every time."

Leaf smiled softly. "And for what it’s worth, we’re proud of you no matter what."

Blue grinned. "Yeah, even if you’re a loser sometimes."

"Blue!" Leaf glared at him.

"What? I’m trying to lighten the mood!" he protested.

Despite myself, I let out a small laugh.

Red stood up, pulling me with him. "Come on. You’re eating breakfast with us."

"But—"

"No buts," Leaf said firmly. "Red will literally carry you if you try to argue."

Blue smirked. "And I’ll help."

I sighed, but a small warmth blossomed in my chest. "Fine... but only because you guys are annoying."

Red ruffled my hair, a rare smile tugging at his lips. "Good."

As we walked out of the room together, I realized that maybe losing wasn't the end of the world. Not when I had them by my side.

Blue barged into the room, his face a mixture of confusion and concern. “What’s going on? Red practically sent an SOS text! Did you get hurt? Did Giovanni show up again?”

Leaf, who followed right behind him, frowned deeply when she saw me sitting on the bed with my head hung low. “Mia? What’s wrong?”

Red gave them both a look and gestured at me. I could feel the weight of their stares, but I didn’t move. I didn’t want to talk about it. What was the point?

“Look,” I muttered, not meeting their eyes, “I lost, okay? And losers don’t deserve to eat. It’s that simple.”

“What?” Leaf’s voice cracked.

Blue let out an incredulous laugh. “Hold on, what kind of nonsense is that?”

I sighed. “Red told me. A long time ago. He said I had to train hard, be the best, and never slack off. If I couldn’t win, then I didn’t deserve a break.”

The room went silent. Dead silent.

I finally looked up and saw Red’s face. His expression was pained, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles had turned white. He shook his head fiercely, looking like he wanted to argue but didn’t know how.

“Red,” Leaf said softly, stepping forward, “tell me you didn’t actually say that to her.”

He immediately shook his head, his eyes filled with guilt. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out, and then he whipped out his phone again, his fingers flying across the screen.

Leaf grabbed the phone when he was done, her eyes scanning it quickly. She gasped. “Mia, he says he never meant it like that! He just wanted you to stay motivated and work hard, not... not punish yourself for losing!”

I blinked, processing her words. “But… he said it. How was I supposed to know he didn’t mean it literally?”

“That doesn’t matter right now,” Blue interjected, his voice sharper than usual. “What matters is that you’ve been starving yourself over a loss? Are you kidding me? That’s not training—that’s self-destruction.”

I shrugged, looking away. “It’s not a big deal. I’ll eat when I win.”

Red sat down next to me, his movement slow and deliberate. He didn’t say anything, but I could feel his emotions radiating off him—anger, sadness, regret. Without a word, he pulled me into his arms and hugged me tightly.

For a second, I froze. Red wasn’t the type to initiate hugs, not unless something was really wrong. And now he was holding me like he was afraid I might slip through his fingers.

“You’re not a loser,” he whispered, breaking his usual silence. His voice was hoarse, raw, as if the words had been locked away for far too long. “Mia, you’re my sister. You’re amazing, and one loss doesn’t change that.”

I felt my chest tighten, my eyes stinging with unshed tears. “But I failed…”

“So what?” Blue said, sitting down on the other side of the bed. “Everyone loses. Even Red loses sometimes. Doesn’t mean you don’t deserve to eat or rest or be treated like the awesome kid you are.”

Leaf nodded, sitting down in front of me and gently taking my hands in hers. “Mia, we’ve all been there. Losing is part of the journey. You’re not less of a person—or less of a trainer—because of one battle.”

I sniffled, finally letting a tear slip down my cheek. “But I worked so hard…”

“And you’ll keep working hard,” Leaf said, squeezing my hands. “But you can’t do that if you’re starving yourself or beating yourself up like this.”

Red leaned his head down, pressing his forehead against mine. “Promise me,” he said, his voice breaking again. “Promise me you won’t do this again.”

I swallowed hard, tears streaming freely now. “I promise…”

Blue smirked, though his eyes were softer than usual. “Good, because if you don’t, Red’ll drag us all back here to give you a lecture.”

Leaf laughed lightly. “And trust me, you don’t want that. Blue’s lectures are endless.”

Red tightened his hug, and I let myself lean into him, finally feeling the warmth of his love and their support. Maybe losing wasn’t the end of the world. Maybe I didn’t have to be so hard on myself.

For the first time in a long while, I felt like I wasn’t alone. And that made all the difference.

Blue and Leaf burst through the door, their expressions a mix of confusion and worry.

"Red, what's going on?" Leaf asked, looking between the two of us.

Red didn't answer immediately. His arms were still wrapped tightly around me, holding me like I was about to slip away. I sat stiffly in his embrace, too numb to react.

Blue's eyes narrowed. "What happened? Mia, are you okay?"

I shook my head. "I'm fine."

Red tightened his hold, his body tense.

Leaf frowned, sitting down beside me on the bed. "You don't look fine. Red called us in a panic. What's going on?"

I bit my lip, my gaze fixed on the floor. "I lost a battle."

There was a beat of silence.

"And?" Blue prompted, his tone gentle but firm.

"And... losers don't deserve to eat," I whispered, my voice cracking. "Not until they train hard enough to win."

Leaf gasped. "What?! Who told you that?"

I hesitated. My throat felt dry, and I couldn’t find the courage to speak.

But Red spoke for me, his voice low and pained. "I did."

Leaf and Blue's jaws dropped.

"You what?" Leaf asked in disbelief.

"It was years ago," Red admitted, his voice heavy with guilt. "I was young and stupid. I said it when I was frustrated after a loss. I never thought she'd take it seriously."

Leaf's eyes filled with shock and anger. "Mia... have you been doing this since then?"

I didn't answer. I couldn't. The weight of their stares pressed down on me, suffocating.

But Red knew. His voice was thick with guilt. "She has."

Blue swore under his breath, running a hand through his hair. "Mia, that's insane. You can't do that to yourself. Losing is part of being a trainer. It doesn't make you worthless."

"But I am worthless!" I burst out, tears blurring my vision. "I trained so hard, and I still lost! What kind of trainer am I if I can't even win?"

Red's arms tightened around me. "You're not worthless," he said fiercely. "You're my sister. And you're amazing."

I shook my head, tears streaming down my face. "No, I'm not. I can't even live up to what you told me to be."

Red cupped my face, forcing me to look at him. His brown eyes were filled with pain and determination. "Mia, I was wrong. So wrong. You don't have to prove anything to me or anyone else. Losing doesn't make you a failure. It makes you human."

Leaf placed a gentle hand on my back. "He's right, Mia. Everyone loses. Even the best trainers."

Blue nodded. "Red's lost before. So have I. It doesn't mean we stop eating or punish ourselves. It means we learn and get better."

"But..." I hiccupped. "I just wanted to make Red proud."

Red's voice broke. "You already do. Every day. Just by being you."

I sobbed harder, burying my face in his chest. His arms wrapped around me protectively, and for the first time in a long time, I let myself believe him.

Leaf's voice was gentle. "Mia, we're going to get through this, okay? But first, you're eating something. Right now."

I sniffled, hesitating.

"Come on," Blue urged. "We'll order whatever you want. Burgers, pizza, ice cream—you name it."

Red nodded, his voice soft. "Please, Mia. For me."

My resolve crumbled. "Okay," I whispered.

Leaf smiled through her tears. "That's my girl."

As they called for food, Red held me tightly, his voice low and steady. "We'll fix this, Mia. I promise. You're never going through this alone again."

And for the first time in what felt like forever, I believed him.

Blue stormed in first, his face full of concern and disbelief. “Mia,  is this about losers not eating?” he demanded, his voice sharp but trembling slightly.

Leaf followed close behind, worry etched into her features. “Red just told us,” she said softly, sitting on the other side of me. “Sweetie, why do you think that?”

I looked away, my fists clenching the blanket. “Because it’s true,” I whispered. “If you lose, it just means you weren’t good enough. You don’t deserve rewards if you fail.”

Leaf and Blue froze, their eyes darting to Red, who sat beside me, his arms pulling me close. His expression was calm, but I could feel the tension in his body. He wasn’t calm at all.

“Mia,” Leaf started gently, “who told you that? Who made you think something so awful?”

I didn’t answer, my lips pressed into a thin line. I could feel Red’s heartbeat as I leaned into him, his hand rubbing small circles on my back.

“It doesn’t matter,” I mumbled. “It’s true anyway. If you don’t train hard enough to win, you don’t deserve anything.”

“What!” Blue snapped, his voice loud enough to make me flinch. He ran a hand through his hair, pacing the room. “What kind of twisted logic is that?! You’re a kid, Mia! You’re supposed to lose sometimes! That’s how you learn!”

Leaf shot him a glare before turning back to me, her voice soft again. “Mia, this isn’t normal. You don’t have to punish yourself for losing. Losing is a part of growing.”

I shook my head, tears brimming in my eyes. “You don’t understand,” I whispered. “Red told me. He said—”

“Stop.” Red’s voice, quiet and firm, cut through the room like a blade. I looked up at him in surprise. He rarely spoke, but when he did, everyone listened.

“I never told you that,” he said, his voice steady but full of pain. “Not once. Not ever.”

“But—” I started, but he shook his head, his grip on me tightening.

“No, Mia.” His brown eyes met mine, glistening with unspoken emotion. “I told you to work hard, to keep pushing yourself, but never to hurt yourself. Never to think you’re worthless because you lost.” His voice cracked. “If I made you think that, I’m sorry. I failed you.”

Tears spilled down my cheeks, and I buried my face in his chest. “I just wanted to make you proud,” I choked out. “I wanted to be as strong as you. But I’m not. I’m just... weak.”

“You’re not weak,” he whispered fiercely, his hand cradling the back of my head. “You’re my sister, and you’re stronger than you know.”

Leaf wiped her eyes, her voice trembling as she asked, “Mia, how long have you been thinking like this?”

I didn’t answer, my tears soaking into Red’s shirt. But I felt him tense, his silence speaking volumes. He knew. He always knew.

“Since she started battling seriously,” he murmured, his voice thick with guilt. “Since I left her to figure it out on her own.”

“Red...” Leaf whispered, her hand covering her mouth.

Blue slammed his fist into the wall, his face pale with anger. “This is messed up,” he muttered. “We let this happen. We should’ve noticed.”

“It’s not your fault,” I said weakly, my voice muffled against Red’s chest. “It’s mine. I wasn’t good enough. I should’ve—”

“No!” Red’s voice broke, and I felt his arms wrap around me tighter, his face pressing into my hair. “Don’t you dare blame yourself, Mia. Not for this.”

The room was silent except for the sound of my quiet sobs and Red’s steady breathing. After what felt like forever, Leaf spoke again, her voice firm.

“Mia, you’re not going to do this to yourself anymore,” she said. “You’re not going to skip meals or punish yourself for losing. You’re going to take care of yourself, and we’re going to help you.”

“Damn right we are,” Blue added, his voice rough but determined. “You’re part of this family, Mia. We don’t let family tear themselves apart.”

I nodded slowly, my tears finally starting to dry. “Okay,” I whispered. “I’ll try.”

Red kissed the top of my head, his voice soft but resolute. “That’s all I ask.”

Blue and Leaf burst into the room, their expressions a mix of confusion and urgency. Blue's eyes scanned the scene, landing on me sitting slumped on the bed, Red's arm protectively around my shoulders.

"What's going on?" Blue demanded. "Red sent a text like the world was ending."

Leaf frowned as she approached. "Mia, are you okay?"

I shrugged, avoiding their eyes. "I'm fine."

Red's grip on me tightened, and I felt his steady heartbeat against my back. He wasn’t fine, though. His whole body was tense, radiating concern and something else—anger.

"Leaf, Blue," Red's voice was low and steady, but it carried weight. "She thinks she doesn't deserve to eat because she lost a battle."

Leaf's face paled. "Wait, what?"

Blue blinked, then his expression darkened. "Mia, that's... that's messed up. Who told you that garbage?"

I hesitated. "Red did."

They both froze, and Red's body stiffened behind me.

"I... I was just following what he said," I continued quietly. "He told me once that winners train harder, never complain, and push themselves no matter what. And if I want to be like him, I can't be weak. So losers like me don't deserve to eat until they've earned it."

The silence was heavy, suffocating.

Leaf sat down beside me, her voice gentle. "Mia, how long have you been doing this?"

I didn't answer.

But Red did. His voice was rough, filled with guilt. "Since I told her that... two years ago."

Blue swore under his breath. "Are you kidding me, Red? Two years?!"

"It wasn't supposed to be like this." Red's voice cracked. "I just wanted her to be strong, to believe in herself."

"Well, congratulations," Leaf snapped, tears welling up in her eyes. "She thinks she has to starve herself to be worth something."

Red buried his face in his hand, his other arm still holding me close. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I didn’t know it would come to this."

I looked up at him, confused. "Why are you sorry? You’re right. I should be stronger."

Red's head snapped up, and before I could react, he hugged me tightly, burying his face in my hair.

"No," he choked out. "I was wrong. So wrong."

I blinked, stunned. "But... you never make mistakes."

"I'm human, Mia," he whispered. "I mess up too. And I messed up big time with you."

I felt tears pricking my eyes, but I bit them back. "It's okay. I'm not mad."

"But I am," he said fiercely, pulling back to look me in the eyes. "I'm mad at myself for making you think your worth depends on winning. You're my sister, Mia. I love you whether you win or lose. Always."

Leaf sniffled. "He's right. You're amazing just the way you are, Mia. And you deserve to eat, to rest, to be happy."

Blue crossed his arms, his expression softening. "Yeah, and if anyone ever says otherwise, they'll have to go through us."

I looked between them, my heart heavy with doubt. "You really mean that?"

Red cupped my face, his brown eyes filled with determination. "I swear it. And I'm never letting you go hungry again because of something I said."

His words broke something inside me. The tears I had been holding back finally spilled over, and I clung to Red, sobbing into his chest. He rocked me gently, whispering reassurances as Leaf and Blue sat close, their presence warm and comforting.

"I'll try to believe you," I managed to say through my tears.

"That's all we ask," Leaf said softly.

"And we'll be here to remind you every step of the way," Blue added.

Blue and Leaf burst into the room, panting and looking confused. Blue’s gaze darted between Red, me, and the mess of tissues and blankets scattered on the bed. “What’s the emergency? Did someone steal Red’s hat or something?”

Leaf elbowed him sharply. "Be serious for once." Her sharp eyes landed on me, taking in my puffy eyes and clenched fists. “Mia, what's going on?”

I shrank back into the bed, avoiding eye contact. Red didn't let me retreat, though. His arm stayed firm around my shoulders, holding me close against his side.

Leaf knelt in front of me, her expression softening. "Mia, honey, please talk to us. What's wrong?"

I shook my head, biting my lip. "I lost. I'm a loser."

There was silence for a moment before Blue crossed his arms. “Seriously? You think losing one battle makes you a loser? That's ridiculous.”

I glared at him. "You don't get it. I trained hard. I did everything right. But Lear still beat me. Red told me losers don’t deserve to eat until they train as hard as they can."

Red’s body tensed beside me, his grip tightening. "I never said that," he whispered, his voice rough with guilt. "Mia, I never meant it that way."

"You did," I insisted. "You told me to be the best and never complain. So I figured... if I lost, I wasn’t good enough. And if I’m not good enough, I don’t deserve to eat."

Leaf gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. “Mia! No, that’s not right at all.”

Blue's eyes widened. “Holy—Mia, that’s messed up. You can't—”

Red cut him off with a sharp look. His voice was low but fierce. “How long?” He didn’t have to spell it out. He was asking how long I'd been punishing myself like this.

I didn't answer, staring at the floor. The weight of Red’s silence pressed down on the room. But I knew he already understood.

“Since she was eight.” His voice was barely above a whisper, but the pain in it was unmistakable.

Leaf's face crumpled. "Mia... that's two years. Two years of thinking you don’t deserve to eat when you lose?"

I bit my lip, refusing to meet her gaze.

Red's arms tightened around me, and I felt his chest rise and fall unevenly. “Mia, I messed up. I never wanted you to think that. I just wanted you to be strong because I knew how tough this world could be. But I was wrong. I hurt you, and I’m so sorry.”

I shook my head. "It's not your fault. I just... I thought it was the right thing to do."

"No, it's not," Red said firmly. He turned me so I was facing him. His brown eyes were filled with pain and determination. "Listen to me. Losing doesn't make you a loser. It just means you get to learn and come back stronger. And you always deserve to eat. Always."

I felt tears prick my eyes. "But I—"

"No buts," Leaf interrupted gently. "Mia, you're not just some trainer who has to win all the time to matter. You're our family. You're Red's sister, and you're important to us no matter what."

Blue nodded. “Yeah, what she said. Plus, I lose all the time, and I still stuff my face like a Snorlax.”

I let out a shaky laugh despite myself. "But you're Blue. You're confident."

"And you should be too," he said with a grin. "You're awesome, Mia. You always have been."

Red pulled me into a hug, his voice breaking. "Mia, I love you. I don’t care if you win or lose. I just want you to be happy and healthy. Please don’t do this to yourself anymore."

I clung to him, my tears soaking into his shirt. "I'm sorry. I just... I wanted to make you proud."

"You already do," he whispered. "Always."

Leaf wiped her eyes and smiled. "Okay, enough tears. Mia, how about we all go grab some food? I think it's time for a proper meal."

Blue grinned. "I second that. And I'm buying." He paused. "Well, actually, Red's buying."

Red shot him a look, but I could see the corner of his mouth twitching in amusement.

I sniffled, managing a small smile. "Okay... but only if Red stays with me."

He nodded without hesitation. "Always."

Red's grip on my shoulder tightened as he stared at me, his face dark with disbelief. He shook his head as if trying to process what I'd just said.

I blinked at him. "Red, it’s not a big deal." My voice was hoarse, drained from the weight of defeat. "You told me if I wanted to be the best, I had to sacrifice everything—food, sleep, everything. So I just… followed what you said."

Red's lips parted as if to speak, but no words came out. Instead, his eyes filled with guilt. Before I could say anything else, he yanked his phone out of his pocket and furiously tapped the screen.

"Who are you texting?" I asked, confused.

He didn’t answer. Ten seconds later, the door burst open, and Blue and Leaf ran in, both out of breath and clearly alarmed.

“What happened?” Blue demanded, looking around like he expected an ambush. "Red's text was freaking out."

Leaf's eyes landed on me, wide with concern. "Oh no. Mia, are you okay?"

I sighed, slumping back against the headboard. "Yeah, I’m fine. You guys are overreacting."

Red shot me a sharp look, his jaw clenched. He sat beside me on the bed and pulled me into his arms without a word. His embrace was tight and protective, and for a moment, I forgot how cold and empty I’d been feeling.

Leaf's brow furrowed. "Mia, why does Red look like someone just stomped on his soul?"

I hesitated, but Blue wasn’t as patient. "Spill it, kid. What’s going on?"

"It's nothing," I muttered. "I lost a battle, that's all."

Leaf frowned. "But that doesn't explain why Red looks like he’s about to cry."

I stiffened. "He's just upset that I was following his advice."

Blue raised an eyebrow. "Wait, what advice?"

I looked down at my hands. "He told me to sacrifice everything if I wanted to be the best. So I haven't eaten since I lost." My voice was barely a whisper by the end.

Silence blanketed the room.

Leaf gasped, her voice trembling. "Wait... how long has this been going on?"

I pressed my lips together, avoiding her gaze.

"Mia?" she urged softly. "How long?"

Still, I said nothing.

But Red knew the answer.

"Years," he whispered, his voice breaking.

Leaf's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh, Arceus."

Blue's face darkened. "What?? Mia?! You can't live like that! That's not how training works!" He glared at Red. "And you—what kind of advice was that?!"

Red looked utterly devastated. "I never meant for this," he muttered. "I was trying to push myself, not her."

I curled into Red's side. "I just wanted to make you proud," I admitted softly. "I thought if I trained hard enough, if I gave up everything... you'd finally see me as more than just your little sister."

Red's arms tightened around me, his body trembling. "Mia... you never had to prove anything to me. I've always been proud of you. And I never, ever wanted you to hurt yourself like this."

Tears pricked my eyes. "But I lost... I failed."

Leaf sat down on the other side of me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "Losing doesn't make you a failure, Mia. It makes you human."

Blue's voice softened. "Yeah, and trust me—I've lost plenty of times. It sucks, but starving yourself isn't the answer."

Red lifted my chin, his eyes filled with a mixture of guilt and love. "You deserve to eat. You deserve to rest. And you deserve to know that I love you, no matter what."

I swallowed hard, my throat tight with emotion. "Really?"

"Really," he whispered, his voice breaking. "I'm sorry I ever made you think otherwise."

I buried my face in his chest, tears slipping down my cheeks. "I'm sorry too," I choked out. "I just didn't know how to stop."

Leaf's voice was gentle. "That's what we're here for. You don’t have to do this alone, Mia."

Blue nodded. "Yeah, we'll make sure you never go through this again."

Red kissed the top of my head, his voice soft but firm. "Starting now. You’re going to eat, rest, and heal. And I’ll be right here with you."

I sniffled, clinging to him. "Okay... I'll try."

Red held me tighter. "That's all I need."