" Speaking of.... How do you give commands to your Pokemon in battle?"

Red turned to me, and I shrugged. " Uh... Maybe they understand each other without words?"

Red smirked and ripped his head.

" ... ... ... Words are unnecessary!"

" ?!" Flint looks amazed. " D... Did you hear that, Mia? Did Red just talk?!"

But I didn't hear him.

Because I had fainted.

I groaned as I woke up, sitting up and blinking as I took in my surroundings.

I was in a Pokemon Center.

With Red holding my hand.

I grinned. " Hiya Red! I just had the funniest dream! You talked! Isn't that funny?"

Red looked like he wanted to say something but didn't. I pat his head.

" Don't worry Red. No matter what I love you!"

Blue and Leaf had somehow come into the room without me noticing.

Blue stuffed a chuckle, while Leaf was covering her face, shaking because of laughter.

I looked at them. " What?"

I blinked a few times, trying to focus on the faces in front of me, but my vision kept swimming in and out. Blue was standing with his arms crossed, barely hiding his grin, while Leaf was covering her face, clearly struggling to hold back laughter.

"What?" I asked again, my voice barely a whisper, still half out of it. I turned my attention back to Red, who was standing at my bedside, his expression a mix of concern and amusement. His hand was still gently holding mine, and I could feel the warmth of it grounding me.

Leaf, struggling to compose herself, finally spoke up. "Mia, you- you really didn't know?"

"Didn't know what?" My head was starting to clear, but a sharp pain throbbed behind my eyes. Something was off. Why was I still in the Pokémon Center? "What's going on?"

Blue couldn't hold it in any longer and burst into laughter, nearly doubling over. "You really didn't know? Red can talk, Mia. He's always been able to talk."

It hit me like a ton of bricks. Red could talk? Wait. WHAT?! How had I never realized this before? How did I miss that? I mean, he was my brother-he always used signs, sure, but... talk? My heart began to race. I should have known!

Suddenly, everything made sense. The way Red had always looked at me, his silent communication, the subtle hand gestures. All this time, he'd been speaking without saying a word, and I hadn't even noticed. I knew there was something different.

And then, the realization hit.

"Red can talk?" I said slowly, still in disbelief.

Blue chuckled. "Yeah, it's not like he's been hiding it, Mia. It's just that, well... you were kind of always in your own little world when it came to him."

I turned to Red, my face a mixture of shock and embarrassment. "You... you can talk? Why didn't you tell me? All this time..."

Red gave a small shrug, the corners of his lips curving upward in an almost apologetic smile. He didn't speak, but his eyes told me everything I needed to know.

He was waiting for me to figure it out.

I felt my face burn with embarrassment, my heart sinking. I'd been so caught up in my own insecurities, so lost in my thoughts about him not wanting to talk to me, that I never considered he might want to, but just didn't know how to bring it up.

"Wait..." I gasped, trying to process everything. "You're telling me, you've been talking to me all this time, and I just thought you were silent?"

"Yes," Leaf chimed in, grinning now that her laughter had subsided. "He's been talking to you. You just... didn't catch on."

I couldn't take it. The embarrassment, the confusion, the shock. My vision blurred again. "No... no, no, no..." I shook my head frantically, trying to process, but everything just felt like it was spinning.

"Mia, are you okay?" Red asked quietly, finally speaking, his voice calm but full of concern.

And then, before I could stop myself, I fainted.

For the second time.

I could hear Blue's voice calling my name, but it felt so far away, like I was drifting into a dream.

"Not again..." I heard him mutter under his breath, but by then, everything had gone black.

---

I woke up again, feeling the coldness of the Pokémon Center's sterile air surrounding me. But this time, I wasn't in a bed alone. I opened my eyes, and there was Red, sitting next to me, his face inches from mine. He had a faint smile on his lips as he gently nudged me.

"Mia, you really need to stop doing that," he said softly, his voice so much more soothing than I ever expected. "I've been trying to get you to catch on."

I blinked a few times, my heart racing as the memories flooded back. "I... I passed out again?"

"Twice," Blue said from the doorframe, his arms still crossed but no longer laughing. "At least this time you didn't break the ceiling tiles."

I groaned, feeling my cheeks burn with embarrassment. I couldn't believe I'd passed out twice in a row, and over something so ridiculous. I'm his sister! How did I not know?

"Red..." I started, my voice shaky. "I'm... I'm sorry. I didn't know. Why didn't you tell me? I should've known."

Red just smiled again and squeezed my hand reassuringly. "It wasn't about telling you," he signed gently. "I knew you'd figure it out eventually."

"But I didn't-" I stopped myself, realizing I was rambling. I was already starting to feel embarrassed again. "I don't know how I didn't... but... I'm glad you can finally talk to me."

Red nodded, his expression softening. "And I'm glad you know now. No more pretending."

I nodded, my eyes finally meeting his without that familiar anxiety. I wasn't scared anymore. Red had always been there, and even though it took me way too long to realize it, he wasn't going anywhere.

And maybe now, finally, I wouldn't be too afraid to talk to him either.

I looked at Blue and Leaf, still confused. "What?" I asked again, feeling the weight of their silent laughter. My eyes narrowed as I caught their smirks.

"You didn't know, did you?" Leaf said through her giggles, wiping tears from her eyes.

"What?" I repeated, but my brain still couldn't fully process what they were hinting at.

"You know..." Blue started, trying to hold back his own laughter. "Red can actually talk. He just doesn't do it much. He's... well, he's not the biggest fan of talking in general."

My mind was racing. Wait, what? I glanced at Red, who was silently sitting next to me, his face still as calm as ever. Was he... serious? He could talk?

I turned back to Blue and Leaf, who were both stifling their laughs. Then, it hit me like a ton of bricks.

"No way..." I whispered, blinking rapidly as I felt my heart race in my chest. "Wait... he can-?"

Before I could finish my sentence, my body seemed to lose all control. My legs gave out beneath me, and everything around me went black again. I felt myself tip backward, my body sinking into the soft cushions of the bed.

I fainted. Again.

This time, though, the world around me was quieter, as if everything was muffled. I could hear the soft whispers of Blue and Leaf laughing at my reaction, but I couldn't respond.

"...She just... passed out again," Leaf chuckled, her voice distant.

"She really has no idea, huh?" Blue's voice was light-hearted, but I could hear the amusement in his tone.

And then, everything went completely black.

---

I slowly blinked open my eyes, the soft light of the Pokémon Center slowly coming into focus. I felt warmth around me, and as I looked up, I realized Red was holding me. His arms were wrapped gently around me, and his usual silent expression was there. But this time, something was different.

"Red...?" My voice trembled as I spoke, almost unsure of myself. "Can you really... talk?"

He stared down at me, his eyes soft, as if he were considering how to respond. And then, to my complete shock, he nodded.

"Yes," Red said, his voice deep and steady, breaking the silence that had always surrounded him. It was the first time I'd ever heard him speak in three years.

I didn't know what to say at first. My heart was racing, and before I even realized what was happening, tears started streaming down my face.

"Red... you... you can talk?" I sobbed, overwhelmed with a mix of relief and joy. I had always felt this aching gap between us, this invisible barrier that neither of us had been able to cross. And now, hearing his voice again-it felt like a dream come true.

Red seemed surprised by my reaction, his hand gently brushing away the tears from my cheeks. He didn't speak, but his expression was softer, almost apologetic, like he understood the weight of this moment.

For the first time in years, I felt like everything would be okay. That I wasn't alone anymore.

I wrapped my arms around him, burying my face into his chest, letting my tears flow freely. "I'm so happy... I missed you so much, Red. I never thought you'd talk again."

Red remained silent, but he held me closer, as if telling me without words that everything would be alright now.

And for the first time, I felt like we could truly understand each other. The distance between us was finally closing, and it felt like a weight had been lifted off my chest.

"Thank you, Red," I whispered, sniffling as I wiped my eyes. "I love you."

Red's hand gently stroked my hair, a silent acknowledgment of the love we shared. And as we sat there together, I realized that this was all I had ever needed-a simple word, a simple answer, and the knowledge that he was here with me, in every way that truly mattered.

No more silence between us.

I blinked a few times as I tried to make sense of the situation. Red was sitting beside me, holding my hand like it was the most natural thing in the world, but that was far from what was going through my mind.

"Hiya, Red!" I grinned, still a little dazed. "I just had the funniest dream! You talked! Isn't that funny?" I chuckled to myself, not realizing how ridiculous the whole thing sounded.

Red stared at me, his expression unreadable. It almost seemed like he wanted to say something-maybe even explain himself-but he didn't. Instead, he just gently patted my hand. The whole situation felt surreal, like I was still half in my dream, but the comfort of his touch made it feel too real.

"Don't worry, Red," I continued, my words a little shaky. "No matter what, I love you!" I grinned, trying to ease the confusion. I mean, I was his sister, after all. Who else could love him like I did?

Just then, I noticed Blue and Leaf sneaking into the room. They had clearly been trying to keep their distance, but I caught them off guard. Blue was snickering, trying to hide it behind a cough, and Leaf was shaking with laughter, covering her face with both hands.

I tilted my head. "What? What's so funny?"

Blue wiped away a tear from his eye, still chuckling. "Mia, you have no idea, do you?" he said, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Wait... what do you mean?" I asked, blinking. My heart started racing as I glanced between Red, Blue, and Leaf.

Leaf was wiping her eyes, trying to contain herself. "Mia, do you realize what just happened?" she asked between giggles.

"Uh... Red just-" I started, but then it hit me like a ton of bricks.

Red had talked.

I stared at him, trying to process the thought, but before I could form a proper sentence, everything around me started to spin. It was too much-Red-my brother-had spoken, and I hadn't even known he could. And I, of all people, had missed it? How did I not know this? I felt a rush of heat to my face.

How could I not know?

And then, before anyone could stop me, the world around me went dark, and I collapsed, the faint sound of Blue's voice calling out to me echoing in the background.
___
I woke up again, the familiar scent of antiseptic filling my nose as I slowly opened my eyes. The light was dim, but my head was throbbing, and my thoughts were still a whirlwind. I could feel my body aching, but there was a comforting weight on my hand. Red was still there, holding it, looking down at me with a quiet, concerned gaze.

"Red...?" I mumbled, my voice barely above a whisper.

Blue's voice interrupted from across the room. "Well, this is the third time you've fainted, Mia. Can you keep it together for just five more minutes?"

I shot him a glare, and his lips curled into a mischievous grin. But before I could respond, I felt another wave of dizziness crash over me, and before I even realized what was happening, I blacked out once more.
---

The world spun again as I woke up to the sound of Leaf giggling and Blue muttering something under his breath. My hand still lay comfortably in Red's, but something was off. I could sense the tension in the air, but I couldn't fully focus.

"No! No more fainting!" I groaned, trying to sit up but failing miserably as my head started to spin again.

I heard Leaf's laughter, followed by Blue's voice. "Okay, seriously, Mia, I'm impressed. You're setting records."

But this time, before I could even think of a response, I felt the world tilt again. My vision blurred, and I collapsed into the bed once more, losing consciousness.
---
Fainting... again.

How many times had I lost track of the world around me? How many times had I missed everything? Red could talk, and I couldn't even handle the shock without passing out repeatedly. But even in the chaos, I knew one thing for sure: there was no way I was going to stop loving my brother. No matter how much I fainted, no matter how shocking things were.

-