" Wait wait wait. What do you mean she just quit?!"

Blue winced at how high Rosa's voice was.

Lillie and Misty exchanged a look.

" This is bad..." Lillie sighed.

Rosa's voice grew even louder. “No, no, no, this isn’t happening! We can’t just let her quit, especially now! She’s so close! How can she give up now, just like that?”

Blue winced again, clearly regretting ever saying anything. He wasn’t used to seeing Rosa this flustered. He rubbed the back of his neck, his usual confidence faltering. “Look, I didn’t say she quit—she... walked away. But, uh... I might have pushed her a little too hard. Maybe I shouldn’t have said some of those things.”

Lillie’s eyes softened, but there was concern there, too. "You know how she gets, Blue. When she feels pressured, she just shuts down. It's like she's trying to protect herself by pushing everyone away. I’ve seen it before. But quitting... that’s a step further."

Misty folded her arms, her expression hardening. “I’ve seen this before, too. It’s the same thing with Ash and Red when they get stuck in their heads. They think they’re failures, that they can’t live up to the expectations of others... but we all know that’s not true.”

Red, who had been silently observing, finally spoke, his voice calm and collected but still carrying that underlying tension. “... She’ll come back.”

Blue and Misty exchanged a look. Blue clearly wasn’t convinced. “Come back? Are you serious, Red? She’s probably already halfway to Pallet Town by now. She needs someone to tell her she’s not alone, and I’m not sure you’re the one to—”

“... She’ll come back,” Red repeated firmly, his eyes locking onto Blue’s. “She always does.”

Rosa’s voice cut through the air again, this time softer but still filled with urgency. “Red, you can’t just stand there and wait for her. She’s not going to come back if you don’t show her that you care, that you’re there for her. You’ve seen how she is—she’ll run further away.”

Red’s face remained unreadable, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes. He glanced briefly at Blue, and then back toward the direction Mia had gone. “... I know.”

Lillie, noticing the moment of quiet understanding between them, stepped forward. “What are you going to do, Red?”

For the briefest second, Red’s expression shifted. It was subtle, but the faintest hint of something close to resolve appeared on his face. He didn’t say anything at first, but it was clear from his posture that something was shifting within him.

“... I’ll go after her,” Red finally said, his voice quieter now, but with the conviction that usually marked his most serious decisions. “She needs me. I’m not letting her do this alone.”

Misty gave a small nod of approval, though her worry was still evident. “Don’t let her push you away, Red. She might say she doesn’t want you around, but she’s still going to need you. She always does.”

Blue, still not entirely convinced, let out a small sigh. “I swear, you two are impossible. Well, go ahead then, but don’t think I won’t be keeping an eye on you.”

Rosa put a hand on her hip, giving a small but determined smile. “Good. Maybe now someone will finally get through to her.”

Red, without saying another word, turned on his heel and began walking toward where Mia had disappeared. His steps were steady, his gaze unshakable. He didn’t look back at the others.

Lillie, Misty, and Blue watched him go, each of them hoping that this time, he’d be able to reach Mia in a way none of them could.

But only time would tell if he could pull her back from the edge she was teetering on.