" I'd imagine so. By the time we got back she was nowhere to be found!" Blaine exclaimed.

" We tried looking for clues but found none." Lorelei added.

" Tch. So we're back to square one." Blue grumbled.

" And we still haven't heard from Red either... This isn't good." Blue muttered.

Paulo turned, sighed, and walked out the door.

Me and Lillie exchanged a look before following.

" Where are you going?" Lillie asked

Paulo turned with a smile. " There's a nice breeze tonight, so I decided to go for a walk."

" With that gloomy face?" I asked.

Paulo scowled.

Me and Lillie exchanged a worried look.

Then Lillie took a deep breath. " When we were battling today, Blue had to stick up quite a lot for me."

Paulo blinked. " Really?"

I nodded. " Yeah! When we traveled, we encountered soooo many people to help us strengthen our skills! Why else do you think I'M the new Champion on Kanto? I had to beat Lorelei, Bruno, Agatha, and Lance! And if that weren't enough, I had to beat Gary! The love of my life AND my rival! Not to mention before that I had to battle Brock, Misty, Erica, Lt. Surge, Sabrina, Koga, Blaine, and Giovanni! And I had to beat Team Rocket a BUNCH of times, AND battle random people who just FORCED me to battle!"

Paulo blinked, And I took a deep breath. " What I'm trying to say, Paulo, is that even the best of us need help. And I think you could use some help."

Paulo nodded slowly. " Asking for help, huh? That's a good strategy...."

Me and Lillie exchanged a happy look.

" But I don't think it's gonna work for me."

We watched in stunned silence as Paulo walked away.

Lillie blinked at me. " Do you think.... I said something wrong?"

I blinked at Lillie, confused. " What do you mean?"

" Well, maybe it was a bad idea to even come out here and speak to him! We only made it worse!"

I stared at my best friend for a long time.

Then I hugged her.

" We didn't know, Lil. If we did, we wouldn't have."

She sniffed. " A .. are you sure?"

" Have I been your best friend since we were young?"

She nodded

" Then trust me on this."

" Pika pikaaaaa!!" Pikachu exclaimed, nuzzling Lillie's cheek.

Lillie laughed and gave my Pikachu a scratch behind her ear. Pikachu squeeled in delight.

" Should we go tell Blue?" Lillie asked

I thought for a moment.

" Is it okay if I show you something first?"

She nodded eagerly . " Okay!"

" But you have to promise to keep it secret."

Lillie held two fingers up. " I pledge to keep this secret until absolutely necessary."

I grinned. " I knew I could count on you."

We arrived at a small cave, and I grabbed my best friend's hand. " Come on. It's in here."

We crawled into the cave, and I stopped at a small rock. " Look on it."

Lillie peeked up, and gasped

There was a nest of baby Articuno's.

" Wooooow." Lillie breathed.

I grinned. " I already caught one, but since it's so young I decided to leave it here until it's old enough. Besides, the other allowed me to."

Lillie's eyes shimmered in amazement as she gazed at the tiny Articuno chicks nestled together on the rocky surface, their soft down feathers glowing a faint icy blue in the dim cave light.

"They're beautiful," she whispered, careful not to startle them.

I nodded, pride swelling in my chest. "Yeah, I come here whenever I can to check on them. The adult Articuno knows me, so it doesn't mind me being around."

Lillie turned to me with wide eyes. "Wait... does that mean you've actually seen the adult Articuno up close?"

I grinned. "Yup! And I battled it, too."

Lillie covered her mouth, stifling a squeal. "That's incredible! You never told me that!"

I shrugged. "It wasn't the right time. But I guess I wanted to share this with you now because... I trust you, Lil. And I figured this might cheer you up after what happened with Paulo."

Lillie softened, her expression turning warm. "Thank you for showing me this."

Pikachu let out a soft "Pikaaa~" and curled up beside one of the baby Articuno, who sleepily nuzzled against her. Lillie giggled. "They already like Pikachu!"

I smirked. "Pikachu has that effect on everyone."

For a while, we just sat there in comfortable silence, watching the baby Articuno as they stirred slightly in their sleep. The cave was cool, the air crisp with the faint scent of ice and stone. It was peaceful.

Then, Lillie sighed. "Do you think Paulo will be okay?"

I frowned slightly, pulling my knees to my chest. "I hope so. But... I think he needs to figure things out on his own right now."

Lillie nodded, resting her chin on her hands. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

We sat in silence for a little longer before I stretched and stood up. "Alright, we should head back before Blue gets mad and thinks we got kidnapped or something."

Lillie giggled. "Yeah, he does tend to overreact."

We carefully crawled out of the cave, making sure not to disturb the baby Articuno. Once outside, I turned back to take one last look at them before smiling to myself.

I'd be back for them soon.

But for now, I had to make sure my friends were okay.

As soon as we burst into the Pokémon Center, the tension in the room thickened. Blue, Lance, Lorelei, and Blaine were gathered near the counter, deep in discussion. They barely had time to register our entrance before Lillie lunged at Blue, gripping his shoulders with surprising strength.

"Blue!" she cried, shaking him frantically. "It's Paulo! He-he-he walked away all gloomy, and we tried to help, but he-he didn't listen, and now we don't know where he is, and-and-"

"Lillie!" I exclaimed, grabbing her arms to steady her. She was shaking, her eyes wide with panic. "Breathe! You're gonna pass out if you keep talking like that."

She inhaled sharply, but I could still feel her trembling.

Blue, who had initially looked stunned, frowned. "Whoa, hold on. What exactly happened with Paulo?"

I took a deep breath and explained, "We found him outside. He said he was going for a walk, but he looked really upset. Lillie and I tried to talk to him, to tell him that it's okay to ask for help, but he just... shut down. He said it wasn't gonna work for him and walked away."

Lorelei crossed her arms, concern flashing in her eyes. "And you haven't seen him since?"

I shook my head. "No. And the way he looked... it didn't sit right with me."

Lance frowned, his eyes narrowing in thought. "Paulo's not the type to just disappear without a reason. If he's avoiding everyone, it's because something's weighing on him."

Blaine stroked his beard. "That young man carries too much burden on his shoulders. If we don't find him soon, who knows what he'll do?"

Blue clenched his fists and muttered, "Tch. That idiot. Always trying to handle things alone."

Lillie, still tense, fidgeted beside me. "Blue... what do we do?"

Blue sighed, running a hand through his hair before standing up straight, determination settling over his face. "We find him. Now."

I nodded, relieved that Blue was taking charge. "Right. Let's split up and search the usual places he might go. We don't have time to waste."

Lance, Lorelei, and Blaine exchanged glances before nodding in agreement.

Lillie, finally calming down, wiped at her eyes and gave me a small, grateful smile.

We were going to find Paulo.

No matter what it took.

Lillie and I led the way through the streets, moving fast, with Pikachu perched on my shoulder, her little tail flicking anxiously. But while I was trying to focus, Lillie was full-on panicking.

"Oh, Arceus, oh no, oh no, oh no!" she rambled, wringing her hands together. "What if Paulo snuck onto a ship?! What if he left? What if we never find him? What if-"

"Lillie," I said firmly, glancing at her while keeping up our pace. "We will find Paulo. We just need to-"

"But what if he really did sneak on board a ship?!" she cried, looking at me with wide, panicked eyes.

I froze mid-step, blinking.

"...Actually," I muttered, "that's a good point."

And then another realization hit me like a Thunderbolt.

"What about my brother?!"

And just like that, the two of us, two ten-year-old girls, were now spiraling into a full-blown panic.

Lillie gasped dramatically. "What if Team Rocket put him on a ship?!"

My eyes widened. "What if Paulo and Red are BOTH on a ship?!"

Lillie nearly screamed. "WHAT IF THEY'RE BEING TAKEN TOGETHER?!"

That's when Blue groaned loudly, grabbed both of us by the shoulders, and shook us.

"Would you two calm down?!" he snapped, looking completely exasperated. "Paulo is not on a ship. Red is not on a ship. Team Rocket didn't suddenly open a cruise line!"

Pikachu let out a worried "Pika pikaaa," rubbing her little paws against my cheek, trying to soothe me.

Lance, Lorelei, and Blaine caught up to us, watching the scene unfold.

Lance crossed his arms, amused. "Haven't even been searching for fifteen minutes, and we already lost control of the mission, huh?"

Lorelei sighed but smiled slightly. "At least they care."

Blaine chuckled. "Quite the enthusiastic search team."

Meanwhile, Blue let out a long-suffering sigh, still gripping our shoulders. "Mia. Lillie. We are not losing our minds yet, got it?"

I swallowed hard, trying to breathe. "O-Okay. But what if Paulo did sneak onto a ship? Or-"

Blue groaned. "If I were Paulo and I needed to be alone, I wouldn't get on a ship. I'd go somewhere quiet. A place that reminds me of home."

Lillie sniffled. "You think so?"

"Yes," Blue said with an eye roll. "Now let's think instead of freaking out, okay?"

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself.

"...Fine," I muttered. "But if Paulo did get on a ship, I told you so."

Blue groaned again, but Pikachu cheered, happy that we were finally calming down.

Now we just had to actually find Paulo.

We had looked everywhere. Every alley, every quiet street, every rooftop, every possible place Paulo could be.

Nothing.

And now, we were panicking again.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no, this is bad, this is really bad!" Lillie was clutching her head, pacing in circles.

Pikachu was bouncing on my shoulder, her little paws gripping onto my jacket as if trying to hold me together.

"We lost him," I whispered in horror. "Paulo's gone. He's vanished off the face of the planet. He got on that ship, I knew it!"

Blue facepalmed so hard it actually hurt to watch. "Mia. Stop."

Lance crossed his arms, looking serious. "It is odd that we haven't found any clues."

Lorelei nodded. "But panicking will only cloud our judgment."

I was trying to listen. Really, I was. But my heart was pounding too fast, and my stomach was twisting into a knot.

And then-

"Mia?"

I froze.

That voice. That perfect, familiar, beautiful voice.

I whipped around so fast I nearly knocked Pikachu off my shoulder.

And there he was.

Gary.

My Gary.

Standing just a few feet away, looking at me with a mix of concern and confusion.

And just like that, my panic exploded.

"GAARYYY!" I screamed and bolted at him like a crazed Tauros, practically tackling him in my panic.

"MIA-?!" Gary barely had time to react before I grabbed onto him, shaking him wildly, my eyes wide with terror.

"WE CAN'T FIND PAULO!" I wailed. "AND MY BROTHER IS KIDNAPPED! AND PAULO MIGHT BE ON A SHIP! AND LILLIE'S PANICKING, AND I'M PANICKING, AND BLUE WON'T LET ME PANIC, AND EVERYTHING IS FALLING APART, AND-"

Gary grabbed both my shoulders and gave me a very firm shake.

"MIA!"

I immediately stopped rambling, blinking up at him.

He let out a slow breath, lowering his voice. "Breathe."

I sucked in a sharp breath, still gripping onto his jacket like my life depended on it.

"Good," he said, his voice softer now. "Now tell me-what's going on?"

I hiccupped slightly, sniffling. "Paulo's missing. Red's missing. And I don't know what to do."

Gary's expression shifted, his eyes narrowing with determination.

"Then let's fix this."

And just like that, my panic melted just a little.

Because as long as Gary was here, I knew everything would be okay.

We searched everywhere. Every corner, every hidden alley, every crack in the ground-nothing.

At this point, Lillie and I were a crying mess, utterly defeated. We sat on the cold ground, clinging to each other for support. Tears streamed down our faces, blending with the dirt and dust, and I felt like I couldn't breathe. My head was full of panic, and I could barely even think straight.

Pikachu was on my shoulder, trying to comfort me in her own little way, but it barely helped. She was chirping little Pika Pika piiii sounds, but even her gentle attempts couldn't calm the storm inside me.

Gary, however, was muttering something under his breath, rolling his eyes.

"Girls," he muttered. "Always so dramatic."

I couldn't help but glare up at him through my tears. How dare he?

But before I could say anything, Blue-of all people-groaned. "Look, if you two don't stop crying, we're not looking for them anymore."

My blood boiled.

Lillie tried to calm me down, reaching for my hand. "Mia, it's okay..."

But I was already in full-blown Tauros mode. Don't tell me it's okay. Don't tell me it's fine. Nothing was okay. Nothing was fine.

"Blue," I seethed through clenched teeth. "You don't get to say that. You don't get to tell me what to do when my brother and Paulo could be in trouble and you're sitting there acting like nothing's wrong!"

And then, before anyone could stop me, I yeeted him.

Just. Yeeted.

No warning. No hesitation.

Blue had barely registered what was happening before I picked him up by the shoulders and flung him-flung him-back like a ragdoll.

Gary's eyes widened as he grabbed Blue mid-air and caught him effortlessly, but the fury in me didn't stop.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" I screamed, pointing an angry finger at Blue, my hands shaking with rage.

Lillie gasped in shock, and Pikachu was squealing from my shoulder, looking like she was about to leap off.

Gary was standing there now, holding Blue who was looking up at me with wide, stunned eyes. "Mia..." Gary said, voice calm but firm. "You gotta calm down, okay?"

"No, Gary," I hissed, practically vibrating with anger. "I am not going to calm down. Not when Blue just stood there and dismissed everything that's been happening. My brother is gone-kidnapped by Team Rocket-and Paulo's missing too, and Blue wants to sit there and act like it's no big deal?"

Blue slowly stood up, brushing himself off with an annoyed grunt. "You..."

"Don't even talk to me," I snapped. "If you can't take me seriously, then I don't care what you think."

Gary stepped in between us, his expression more serious now. "Mia, look, I know you're upset, but this isn't helping. We need to work together, not tear each other apart."

I glared at him for a moment. "You don't understand," I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper. "I can't lose them. I can't lose him. I can't... I can't lose anyone else."

Gary softened at the raw emotion in my voice. He placed a hand on my shoulder, trying to steady me. "I know," he said gently. "But getting angry is only going to cloud your judgment. You don't want to do something you'll regret, right?"

I took a shaky breath, my chest still tight with frustration and fear. "I just... I just want to find them..."

Lillie, still at my side, wrapped her arms around me and whispered, "We will. We'll find them, Mia. I know we will."

I closed my eyes, clinging to that fragile hope as I took another shaky breath. "We have to. For Red. And for Paulo."

"We will," Gary said, pulling away from me. "Now let's get to work, okay?"

I nodded, wiping away the last of my tears. "Yeah... okay."

With a deep breath, I looked back at Blue, who was still fuming a little. "Sorry," I muttered, though the apology felt half-hearted. "But if you ever say something like that again, we're gonna have problems."

Blue just rolled his eyes, but there was no fire behind it. "Whatever," he grumbled. "Let's go find them already."

And with that, we all moved forward. No more distractions. No more anger. It was time to find Red and Paulo.

We couldn't find them. No matter where we looked, no matter how many places we checked, Red and Paulo were still missing. The more time passed, the worse my frustration became.

I clenched my fists. I could feel the anger bubbling inside me, threatening to explode. My vision blurred with fury, and I needed to let it out.

So I turned to the nearest tree and punched it.

Hard.

The impact sent a loud thud through the forest, leaves shaking from the force. But it wasn't enough. I reared back and kicked it, then punched it again. Again. Again. The rough bark scraped against my knuckles, but I barely felt it.

Lillie, who had been standing nearby, gasped. "Mia! What are you doing?"

I didn't answer. I just moved to another tree and started again. My fists slammed against it, my foot struck the base, and still, it wasn't enough.

I needed something stronger.

That's when I spotted a boulder.

Without hesitation, I ran toward it and threw a punch. A solid crack echoed as my fist collided with the rock. It felt good. It felt like I was doing something.

Another punch. Another kick. Dust scattered from the impact, but I kept going.

Lillie ran up to me, panic in her voice. "Mia! Why are you training right now?!"

Blue, who had been watching in stunned silence, finally spoke up. "Wait... this is her training?"

Lillie blinked at him. "Uh... yeah? Why?"

Blue and Gary exchanged looks, both of them looking very, very worried.

Gary crossed his arms. "Mia. You do realize punching trees and rocks isn't normal, right?"

I paused, turning to look at them. "What are you talking about? This is how I always train."

Blue stared at me like I had grown a second head. "You what?!"

Lillie sighed. "I've seen her do this plenty of times. It's just... how she is."

Gary pinched the bridge of his nose. "No wonder you're always getting into fights..."

I rolled my eyes and turned back to the boulder, gearing up for another punch. But before I could, Lillie grabbed my arm.

"Mia, this isn't the time for training! We should be finding Paulo and Red, not wasting time hitting things!"

I clenched my jaw. "I am doing something. If I can't find them, I can at least get stronger so I can be ready when we do find them."

Gary sighed. "Mia. You're already strong enough. This isn't going to help. You're just wearing yourself out."

Blue nodded. "And, uh, not to sound dramatic, but this is insane. How are you not bleeding? Or at least wincing in pain?"

I looked down at my hands. Not a scratch. Not even a bruise. It was like I had been conditioned for this.

I shrugged. "Training."

Blue groaned. "You're impossible."

Lillie tugged at my arm again. "Please, Mia. We need to focus on finding them. Together."

I exhaled slowly, letting the tension in my shoulders ease just a bit. "Fine." I shook off the dust from my hands. "But if we don't find them soon, I'm punching another tree."

Blue grumbled, "Noted."

Gary just sighed. "Let's just keep looking."

And with that, we set off again.

We tried everywhere. Every alley, every street, every possible place Red and Paulo could have gone. Blue even called Leaf, hoping she might have some insight.

Nothing.

The longer we searched, the worse my frustration grew. My hands clenched into fists, my teeth ground together, and before I knew it-

CRACK!

My fist collided with another boulder. This time, I didn't stop. I let all my anger out, punching and kicking the rock until-

BOOM!

It split in half.

Silence.

Everyone just stared at me.

Leaf, who had only just arrived, slowly turned to Blue. "She really is Red's sister, huh?"

Blue sighed. "Yeah, but way angrier."

Gary crossed his arms. "You're gonna break your hands one of these days, y'know."

I huffed, shaking the dust off my fists. "Yeah, well, at least I'm doing something."

Lillie gave me a worried look. "Mia, maybe you should-"

I shot her a glare, and she immediately clamped her mouth shut.

Leaf folded her arms. "Okay, okay, let's focus here. We still haven't found them, right?"

Blue shook his head. "Not a trace."

Leaf frowned. "Then we're obviously missing something. Think, guys-where would Red go if he was in trouble?"

I swallowed hard. "He wouldn't just go anywhere. He'd fight. He'd-" I froze, my blood turning cold.

He'd fight.

Which meant if he wasn't here...

"He didn't leave," I muttered.

Lillie tilted her head. "What?"

"He didn't leave," I repeated, my hands balling into fists. "They took him."

Silence.

Then, Leaf's expression darkened. "Team Rocket."

I nodded, my chest tightening with anger. "And we're wasting time standing here!"

Blue's eyes widened. "Wait-Mia, wait!"

But I was already running. If Red was in trouble, if Paulo was in trouble, then I wasn't going to sit around and do nothing.

Not again.

We stormed into the Team Rocket hideout, and I took down every grunt that came our way. One after another, they fell-none of them stood a chance. My fists, my Pokémon, my sheer determination-I didn't stop. I couldn't stop. Not until I found Red.

Then, just when I thought I had everything under control, a particularly strong grunt stepped forward. He had a whole team of fully evolved Pokémon, and they weren't playing around.

I grit my teeth. "You're in my way."

The grunt smirked. "Too bad, little girl. You're in ours."

I was about to charge when-

THUD. THUD. THUD.

The ground shook. Something big was coming.

And then-

Snorlax.

A familiar Snorlax.

My heart skipped a beat.

There was only one Snorlax like that.

I spun around, my eyes going wide. And there he was.

Red.

My breath caught in my throat. "Red-"

I didn't even think. I just ran.

Straight into his arms.

He caught me, holding me tightly like he'd been waiting for this moment just as much as I had.

For a second, nothing else mattered.

"Red!" I clung to him, my voice shaking. "I thought-you-I-"

He let out a soft chuckle, squeezing me just a bit tighter before pulling back to look at me.

"... ... ..."

I wasn't kidnapped, Mia.

I blinked. "What?"

"... ..."

I hid and waited for my Pokémon to recover.

I stared at him. Then, all at once, relief crashed over me like a tidal wave. I let out a choked laugh, shoving his chest lightly. "You hid?! You could've told someone!"

Red gave a small, apologetic shrug.

Blue groaned, rubbing his face. "Unbelievable. We were out here thinking you were gone, man!"

Leaf crossed her arms, shaking her head. "Classic Red."

Lillie wiped at her eyes. "At least we found you..."

Gary smirked, stepping forward. "Tch. Took your time, huh, Red?"

Red gave a tiny smile, then looked back at me.

"... ... ..."

You were worried, weren't you?

I swallowed hard, then punched his shoulder. "Of course I was worried, you idiot!"

Red just smiled again.

I huffed, wiping at my eyes. "Well, whatever! Since you're back, we might as well finish what we started."

Red nodded.

And with that, we turned back to face Team Rocket.

Blue crossed his arms, watching the last of the defeated Team Rocket grunts flee. "Alright, that's one problem solved. Now, Red, have you seen a boy with blonde hair and a Rockruff anywhere?"

Red shook his head.

"... ..."

No, I haven't.

Lillie gasped, gripping her hands together. "Then... then where did Paulo go?!"

I groaned, rubbing my temples. "How should I-"

Then, suddenly, it hit me.

I froze.

Paulo. His disappearance. The way he acted earlier. The way he left before we could stop him.

My breath caught in my throat.

"Wait."

Everyone turned to look at me.

I turned to Lillie, my voice urgent. "Where is Paulo from?"

Lillie blinked at me, confused. "Paulo? He's from... Oh!"

Her eyes widened as the realization hit her too.

Blue raised an eyebrow. "Okay, what am I missing here?"

I turned to him, my voice frantic. "Paulo's from Pasio!"

Blue's expression darkened. "And you think he went back there?"

"Think about it!" I insisted. "He was acting weird, distancing himself. And then he just vanished without a trace? What if he snuck onto a ship and left for Pasio?"

Lillie gasped. "Mia, you joked about that earlier, remember? But... what if it's true?"

I felt my stomach twist. "I was joking, but now I think I was right!"

Gary groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "So let me get this straight. We just fought through Team Rocket, found Red, and now we might have to chase Paulo all the way to Pasio?"

Pikachu, perched on my shoulder, let out a sharp, "Pika piiii!"

Lance, who had been silent until now, crossed his arms. "We can't afford to waste time. If he's really gone to Pasio, we need to confirm it. Now."

Lorelei nodded. "We should check the ports first. If Paulo took a ship, someone would have seen him."

Blaine adjusted his glasses. "Then let's move before we lose the trail completely."

Without another word, we all rushed out of the hideout. I clenched my fists, my body still thrumming with adrenaline from the fight.

Paulo. Please tell me you didn't actually leave.

Lillie was sobbing uncontrollably, clutching my sleeve like her life depended on it. Her entire body trembled as tears streamed down her face.

"H-he left," she choked out between hiccups. "He really left..."

Everyone else stared at her in confusion. Blue, arms crossed, gave me a questioning look. "Okay... Why is she the one taking this the hardest?"

Gary shrugged. "Beats me. Maybe she's just emotional?"

I sighed, rubbing Lillie's back as she sobbed into my shoulder. Of course they didn't get it.

I leaned in, whispering, "Lillie, do you want to tell them?"

She shook her head violently, her grip on me tightening.

I sighed again and turned back to the others. "Look, she's just... really upset, okay? Can you all just let her be?"

Blue raised an eyebrow. "But why? It's not like Paulo's never coming back."

Lance, ever the strategist, studied Lillie carefully. "There's more to this, isn't there?"

Lillie let out another muffled sob. I knew she wasn't ready to admit it, and honestly, it wasn't my place to tell them either.

So I just tightened my hold on her and shot them all a glare. "She'll tell you when she's ready."

That seemed to be enough for now, but I could tell they were all still curious.

Lorelei adjusted her glasses. "Regardless, we need to figure out our next move. If Paulo's in Pasio, we'll have to go there to get answers."

Lillie sniffled. "B-but how? We don't even know why he left..."

I clenched my fists. "Then I guess we're gonna have to find out."

Aerodactyl soared through the night sky, its massive wings slicing through the wind as it carried me and Lillie far from the others. The cold air whipped past us, but I barely noticed. My mind was focused on one thing-finding Paulo.

Lillie clung to my waist tightly, still sniffling from earlier. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" she asked hesitantly.

"Positive," I replied without hesitation. "We can't just sit around waiting. If Paulo went back to Pasio, we need to get there now."

Aerodactyl let out a sharp screech, flapping its wings harder to gain speed. Below us, the vast ocean stretched endlessly, the moon reflecting off the water like a shattered mirror. I tightened my grip on its neck.

Lillie stayed quiet for a moment before speaking again, her voice barely above a whisper. "What if he doesn't want to be found?"

I sighed. "Then he's just gonna have to deal with it, because I'm not letting him disappear without an explanation."

Lillie hesitated, then nodded. "Right... Right. We'll bring him back."

The determination in her voice made me smile. "That's the spirit."

The wind howled as we sped forward. The mainland was already far behind us, and ahead, I could see the faint outline of Pasio appearing on the horizon.

"Almost there," I muttered.

Lillie peeked over my shoulder. "It looks... really quiet."

She was right. Normally, Pasio was lively, even at night. But something felt off. There were fewer lights than usual, and the atmosphere felt strangely heavy.

As we neared the shore, Aerodactyl suddenly let out a low growl.

I frowned. "What's wrong, buddy?"

Then I saw it-several figures standing near the docks.

Lillie gasped. "Wait... That's-!"

I narrowed my eyes. "Team Rocket."

A group of grunts stood gathered, talking among themselves. I couldn't make out what they were saying, but the second I saw the red 'R' emblazoned on their uniforms, my blood boiled.

Lillie gripped my arm. "Mia... What do we do?"

I grinned. "We crash their little party."

Lillie's eyes widened. "W-wait, you mean right now-?"

But I was already diving.

"Aerodactyl! Go!"

The prehistoric Pokémon let out an ear-splitting screech and tucked its wings, speeding toward the dock like a meteor.

The grunts barely had time to react before we landed right in front of them, sending a shockwave through the ground.

I hopped off, cracking my knuckles. "Hey there. You wouldn't happen to know where my friend Paulo is, would you?"

One grunt stepped forward, smirking. "And if we do?"

I grinned back. "Then you better start talking."

The air grew tense. Lillie nervously held onto her Pokéball. Aerodactyl snarled.

The grunt chuckled. "You're Red's sister, aren't you? He's strong, but you? You're just a kid."

I scoffed. "And you're about to regret saying that."

Without another word, I lunged.

Red and the others finally arrived on Charizard, landing just in time to see the chaos unfolding before them.

I was beating the Team Rocket grunts-not just in Pokémon battles, but physically. One grunt went flying as I landed a clean punch to his jaw, another hit the ground after a well-placed kick to the stomach. The remaining grunts tried to scramble away, but I wasn't letting them off that easy.

Red jumped off Charizard, his eyes widening at the sight. "..."

Blue groaned, rubbing his forehead. "Yep. This is what I was trying to tell you, Red. Your little sister? She trains by punching boulders and trees like they owe her money."

Lance crossed his arms, watching as I flipped a Grunt over my shoulder. "Impressive. Dangerous, but impressive."

Lorelei adjusted her glasses. "This explains why she hasn't broken a bone yet."

Red remained silent, staring at me as I grabbed another grunt by the collar and yeeted him into the water.

"Talk!" I barked at the last conscious grunt, who was trembling on the ground.

"I-I don't know anything!" he stammered.

"Wrong answer." I cracked my knuckles.

Blue winced. "Oh boy."

Before I could punch the guy, Red finally stepped forward.

"Mia."

I froze. Turning, I saw my brother standing there, looking at me with an expression I couldn't quite place.

I blinked. "...Red?"

"You've done enough," he said quietly. "We need information, not unconscious grunts."

I huffed. "They weren't talking."

Red gave me a look.

I sighed. "Fine."

Lillie, still catching her breath from earlier, finally spoke up. "Mia, you were... really going all out."

Blue snorted. "That's an understatement."

Gary, who had just caught up, smirked. "Can't lie, though-watching her yeet a grown man into the ocean? Kinda satisfying."

I crossed my arms. "Thank you, Gary."

Lorelei shook her head. "We need to focus. The grunts might not know where Paulo is, but someone does."

Red nodded. He turned to the last grunt-who was currently trying to crawl away.

Red stepped on his back, pinning him down effortlessly. "Where is your boss?"

The grunt whimpered. "I-I swear, I don't know! We were just told to watch the docks! The real hideout-it's somewhere in Pasio, but we don't know where!"

I grinned. "See? Now they talk."

Red shot me another look.

I held up my hands. "Okay, okay, I'll let you do the intimidating thing."

Blue rolled his eyes. "Yeah, 'cause you're totally the subtle type."

I ignored him, looking toward the city. If the real hideout was somewhere in Pasio, then we had a whole island to search.

Lillie wiped her eyes, determination returning. "Then we keep looking."

Red nodded. "Let's move."

And just like that, we took off again-one step closer to finding Paulo.