New story. " Hmph. Such impudence." Giovanni stated.

" Sir?" I hesitantly spoke up, stepping forward.

Red reached for my hand, but I shook my head.

" Sir, I just want to ask you something," I continued. " Why do you see Pokemon as tools? Pokemon are living, such as yourself. They fight for you because they want to!"

Giovanni smirked. " What foolishness. Pokemon are tools. They have powers us humans do not have. They must be used."

" But why not actually catching the Pokemon? Why stealing?"

" Mia, drop it." Lillie whispered.

" Yeah, it's not worth it!" Paulo replied.

I ignored them. " Sir, Pokemon are family! They fight because they want to!"

Giovanni's smirk only deepened as I stood my ground, challenging his views. His sharp eyes glinted with disdain, and for a moment, I felt a chill run down my spine. But I refused to back down. My fists clenched at my sides as I met his gaze.

"Foolishness," Giovanni muttered under his breath, though the bitterness in his voice was laced with something darker. "You don't understand. Pokémon are just tools to be used, nothing more. The sooner you realize that, the better."

"That's where you're wrong!" I shot back, my voice growing steadier. "I’ve seen Pokémon fight alongside humans, not because they have to, but because they choose to. They trust us. They love us. And that's not something you can take away."

Red squeezed my hand from behind, but I still didn’t turn to face him. His touch was comforting, but this was something I had to do on my own. I had to stand up for Pokémon and what they deserved.

"Pokemon are not yours to control!" I continued, stepping closer to Giovanni, my voice unwavering. "You can steal them all you want, but they will never truly belong to you. Not like that."

Giovanni's smile twisted into something cruel. "You think you can change my mind, girl?" His voice lowered into a dangerous growl. "I’ve been using Pokémon to further my own goals for years. And I’ve seen firsthand what they can do when controlled properly. What makes you think you can teach me anything?"

I took a deep breath, refusing to let his words shake me. "Because I believe in something more. I believe Pokémon are partners, not tools to be discarded and replaced. You’re the one who’s blind."

Behind me, I could hear Lillie and Paulo muttering, but I blocked them out, my focus solely on Giovanni. He might be the leader of Team Rocket, but I wasn’t afraid to face him head-on.

For a moment, it was silent, the tension hanging thick in the air.

Then, Giovanni's expression changed—his smugness replaced with a cool, calculating demeanor. "You have spirit, I'll give you that. But spirit alone won't save you."

Without warning, he summoned his Pokémon—his massive, intimidating Rhydon and the sleek Persian. They stared us down with their cold, calculating eyes.

"You think you’re the first to challenge me with such idealism?" Giovanni sneered. "Let’s see how long that idealism lasts when you’re staring defeat in the face."

I didn’t flinch. I wasn’t backing down. "I don’t need to defeat you to prove a point. I just need you to see Pokémon the way they truly are—partners, friends, not objects for exploitation."

Giovanni laughed darkly. "Then you’ll learn the hard way. Let’s see if your words hold any weight after this."

Red stepped forward, his silent determination obvious. He stood next to me, ready to fight beside me, and I felt a surge of strength flow through me.

"Let's do this," I whispered, knowing that our bond with Pokémon was something no one could take away.

Giovanni’s eyes narrowed, and he nodded to his Pokémon, preparing for battle. It was time to show him, once and for all, what it truly meant to fight for Pokémon.

I collapsed to my knees, my breath ragged and shallow, the weight of defeat crushing me. My hands were scraped, bloodied, and my clothes torn from the battle that had just ended. But it wasn’t just my body that hurt. It was my spirit. Giovanni had made it clear—his vision of the world was far stronger than mine.

I tried to push myself up, but the pain in my arms and legs was too much. Red was kneeling next to me in an instant, his hands gently resting on my shoulders as he helped steady me. His face was filled with concern, his usual silent strength now radiating more than ever.

"You okay?" Red asked quietly, though his eyes told me he already knew the answer.

I gave him a small, pained smile, though it didn’t reach my eyes. "I... I’m fine. Just... just a little bruised."

But the truth was, I didn’t feel fine. I felt defeated, humiliated even. Not by the battle itself—those were just scratches and bruises that would heal. But by the way I had failed to make Giovanni see reason. My ideals felt so small, so fragile against the cold, ruthless power he wielded.

Lillie and Paulo came running over, their faces pale as they took in the sight of my injuries. Misty and Erica weren’t far behind, their expressions a mixture of shock and concern. "Mia!" Lillie gasped, kneeling beside me. "You’re hurt!"

I shook my head weakly, trying to push them away, though I had no strength left to do so. "It’s not—"

"Don’t you dare say it’s nothing!" Paulo snapped, kneeling down as well and carefully taking my hands into his. "Mia, look at you."

I didn’t have the energy to argue with him. Instead, I let my head fall back, leaning against Red’s chest as he carefully held me. I could feel his heartbeat, steady and strong, contrasting sharply with the chaos that was swirling inside me.

"Why did you do it, Mia?" Lillie asked softly, her voice laced with worry. "You knew the odds weren’t in our favor."

"Because..." I trailed off, my throat tightening. "Because I believe in Pokémon. And I wanted him to see it. I thought... I thought if I could just show him—if I could just make him understand..."

"But you did," Misty said gently, her tone surprising me with its warmth. "You did show him. You stood up for what you believe in, even if it didn’t go the way we wanted. That takes more strength than any battle."

I closed my eyes, absorbing her words, even though the ache in my chest refused to subside. "It didn’t matter," I whispered. "He still doesn’t understand."

"That’s not the point," Erica added firmly. "It doesn’t matter if he understands. What matters is that you showed yourself what you believe. You didn’t give up."

I swallowed hard, feeling the sting of tears in my eyes, though I fought to keep them at bay. It wasn’t supposed to end like this. I wasn’t supposed to feel so... helpless.

Red, ever the quiet supporter, gently lifted me up, his arm around my shoulders. His eyes, even without words, told me that no matter what happened, we would move forward together. "We’ll get him next time," he whispered, his voice soft yet resolute.

But I couldn’t help the sinking feeling in my chest. Next time... Would there even be a next time? Or was this all just a cruel reminder of how small my ideals seemed in the face of true evil?

As the group helped me to my feet, my legs still shaky, I knew one thing for sure: this battle had only just begun. And no matter how many scars I wore, no matter how many times I fell, I would keep fighting for Pokémon, for their freedom, and for everything they st
ood for.

I just hoped that one day, Giovanni would see what I saw.

As we stepped out of the building, the cold evening air hit my face, but it did little to numb the ache in my body. Red's arms were securely around me as he carried me, my head resting against his chest. His steady heartbeat was my anchor, keeping me grounded as the weight of the battle lingered in my mind.

We didn’t make it far before a group of familiar faces approached us, their expressions shifting from curiosity to shock in an instant.

"Brock? Sabrina? Surge?" Lillie called out, surprised. "What are you all doing here?"

"We got word that Giovanni was up to something," Brock replied, his sharp gaze scanning all of us before settling on me. His brows furrowed. "What happened to her?"

Lance, who stood at the forefront with Lorelei, crossed his arms and frowned. "Mia looks like she’s been through a war. What did you get yourselves into?"

Blue, who had been trailing behind us, stepped forward with his usual smirk, though it was tinged with unease. "She decided to go head-to-head with Giovanni, that’s what. Tried to change his mind about Pokémon being more than tools."

Sabrina’s eyes narrowed as she looked at me, her calm but piercing gaze reading more than I wanted her to. "She’s hurt more than just physically," she said softly, almost to herself.

Surge let out a low whistle, crossing his arms. "Kid, you’ve got guts, I’ll give you that. But you’re lucky to be standing—well, sort of," he added, gesturing to the way Red was carrying me.

Lorelei’s icy expression softened as she stepped closer, her voice calm and soothing. "Mia, you don’t have to push yourself so hard. It’s okay to rely on others, you know."

I opened my mouth to reply, but no words came out. My throat felt tight, and I could feel the sting of unshed tears threatening to spill. I wasn’t sure if it was from the pain, the exhaustion, or the overwhelming support I suddenly found myself surrounded by.

Red tightened his hold on me slightly, as if sensing my inner turmoil. "She’s fine," he said simply, his voice low but firm. "She’s strong."

The others exchanged glances, clearly surprised to hear him speak so directly. Brock raised an eyebrow, his expression shifting into one of intrigue. "Did... did Red just talk?"

"Not the time to focus on that," Blue cut in, though I could see the corner of his mouth twitching as he fought back a grin. "Mia’s been through enough."

Lance stepped forward, his commanding presence making everyone quiet down. His crimson eyes softened as he looked at me. "You’re brave, Mia. Braver than most. But bravery doesn’t mean you have to bear everything alone. You’ve got a team—a family—to stand by you."

Those words hit me harder than I expected. I looked up at Red, who glanced down at me with an unreadable expression, and then at the others. Lillie, Paulo, Misty, Erica—each of them standing there with concern and determination etched into their faces. Even Brock, Surge, and the others, who I hadn’t expected to see, were here, offering their support.

Maybe Lance was right. Maybe I didn’t have to fight alone.

I took a shaky breath and whispered, "Thank you."

Red’s arms shifted slightly, and I felt him nod. "We’ve got you," he murmured, his voice so quiet I almost didn’t catch it.

As the group began to move, heading back toward the Pokémon Center, I let myself relax for the first time since the battle. I wasn’t sure what the future held, but for now, I knew one thing: I wasn’t alone. And that made all the difference.