"I'm sorry. I'm afraid I don't know anything more about Touko than what Bianca told you." Elesa's voice, though calm, had a faint edge of frustration as she stood with her back to the flashing neon lights of the Nimbasa City Gym. "The police kept it a secret to prevent widespread panic – after all, the region was still trying to recover from Team Plasma's ambush on the league. But there's a chance she left on her own. I didn't know the girl well. I only searched for her to try and keep the league together. After Alder took his position back, I returned to my gym and left it to the police department. But even after all this time, the situation has remained a mystery for everyone."

Rosa shifted uneasily in front of her, the words landing like heavy drops of rain. She hadn't expected a revelation, but she had hoped for a clue—something to make sense of the chaos in her mind. Instead, her heart sank further.

Even cloaked under the shadows of the gym's LED neon lights, Rosa could see the frustration pressed into Elesa's porcelain forehead. The battle for her fourth badge had been surprisingly smooth, despite Zaveid's annoyance at being benched for the high-voltage match. But no information about Touko. Again.

The sting of failure lingered. Still not one piece of concrete evidence against Team Plasma.

Rosa bit her lip, torn between the quiet pull of resignation and the fire that still burned within her. Why did I even bother? The question looped over and over in her mind.

Quite honestly, she wasn't sure why she felt so compelled to find Touko. There was no personal connection. She hadn't known the girl, not in the way Bianca had. Yet, something about her disappearance gnawed at Rosa. Her mind constantly returned to the cold silence surrounding it. The not knowing.

Maybe it was because of Hugh. After all, Team Plasma had killed his Pidove. She wanted justice for him. She wanted justice for Touko, too.

"And you don't have any idea where Team Plasma may be hiding now?" Rosa asked, not even bothering to hide the dismay that colored her voice.

"I'm afraid not."

Elesa's downy fur coat tightened around her arms as the young woman tossed a long lock of raven hair behind her shoulder. "I know you're disappointed, but I really don't have anything else that can help you. Well, aside from this gym badge. You've earned it, so please accept it. Go forward with strength and determination."

The Nimbasa gym leader opened one side of her fluffy coat and pulled from the inside pocket a glossy lightning bolt-shaped badge. Its golden paint shimmered under the lights, and as Rosa accepted it, she ran her fingers over its polished surface.

At least she knew she was progressing in some way.

"You are a shining example of a trainer, Rosa. I'm sure that you'll find what you're looking for if you continue down this path. You'll find the next gym in Driftveil City. Oh, and don't forget to ride the Ferris wheel while you're here – it's Nimbasa's main attraction, and the view from the top is quite breathtaking."

After tucking her new badge into her case and thanking Elesa for the battle, Rosa made her way back to the entrance of the gym and exited into the sunshine. The sun was already setting in the western sky by the time she stepped onto the mosaic-patterned concrete, and she was determined to finish a training session in the next route before dark.

She stopped by the local Pokemart to purchase supplies (the desert had drained her provisions dry), then slung her bag over her shoulder and traveled through town to the vegetation-dense forest of route 5.

There was a stillness to the air, despite the wind. Aged branches on ancient trees creaked as wild Pokémon scampered across their weathered bark, and as Rosa stepped off the marked path and wandered further in the maze-like jungle, she embraced the soggy earth that hugged her shoes and filled her senses with foliage and organic decay. It was easy to sink into the rhythm of rustling leaves and woody incense. Pine needles crunched under her trainer shoes, but the wildlife didn't seem to mind the noise, and neither did Rosa.

She belonged in places like this.

Regardless of the growing chill from winter's silent approach, Rosa slipped off her jacket to catch the last rays of sun. She'd roamed far enough into the woodland's realm that other trainers shouldn't bother her. "Alright, Anna." She whispered, pulling Lucario's pokeball from her belt. "Time to get down to business."

Days passed, and as they did, Rosa and her team spent almost every waking hour mowing down route 5's collection of Pokémon residents. She wasn't particularly worried about her next gym battle against the rugged cowboy Clay, but as she monitored her team's progress with her pokedex, she found herself feeling anxiously unsatisfied.

"Level thirty-two, Sven."

She forced a smile as she tucked her Pokedex back into her pocket. Sven barked enthusiastically and scrambled away from his fainted opponent to spring into Rosa's arms, and as she caught him, she scooped the pup up and buried her face into his fur.

"When are we going to find you a firestone?"

He squirmed in her grip, and she dropped him back to the forest floor. The pup wasn't satisfied with the meager amount of affection, however, and immediately twisted around to rub his fluffy head against her leg.

"If you were an Arcanine," Rosa mused, "I wouldn't have to worry about you so much. And you'd be able to carry me around on your back – wouldn't that be fun?"

Sven's charcoal eyes flickered up to meet hers, and she bent down to ruffle the whip cream tuft on his head. "Don't give me those accusing eyes. You're not weak, but I'm looking forward to your attack stat skyrocketing. Then you can chew Clay's Pokémon up and spit them out."

The broken Xtransceiver vibrated. Her body relaxed at the familiar buzzing, and Rosa settled into the sun-tinted grass to answer, her legs stretched out before her. Sven whined and nudged his nose into her lap, but she didn't mind, absentmindedly scratching behind his ears.

"Hey!" Curtis's voice boomed from the other end, and she flinched, pulling the device away from her ear. Sven jumped in her lap and his head wacked her chest. "How's everything going? Did you win your fourth gym badge? You're crushing it, right?"

Wind howled through the speaker, cutting into his voice as it crackled. "I can barely hear you over the wind," she said. "Where are you?"

"Lake Verity," Curtis shouted back. "Aside from the thick fog and my complete inability to see literally anything, it's absolutely beautiful here. I wanted to share the moment with you."

"You mean the moment when you get blown away?"

"It'll take more than a little storm to knock me over," he bragged. "You wouldn't be worried if you could see all this rugged charm."

Rosa made an embarrassed noise in her throat but couldn't find words to follow it up. How could he say such ridiculous things so seriously? It was, unfortunately, one of the things she liked best about him.

There was too much on her mind to match his banter though, so she stayed silent a few beats too long.

Curtis picked up on her mood and said, "You didn't immediately jump on the chance to crush my self-esteem. You okay? Is something wrong?"

She squirmed. There were too many answers to that question, and none were things she wanted to burden him with. Curtis was the single light in a pool of people surrounded in darkness. Why subject him to something so painful and heavy when he could just remain her glowing, happy light?

"Yeah," she lied as Sven's wet nose touched her cheek, "I'm just training. I've been working my team to get them ready for Driftveil. Elesa's electric types were easy enough to beat, but I won't face Clay until Sven and Anna hit level thirty-five. I just don't feel prepared enough without that."

"I think you worry too much," Curtis replied, his tone warm and reassuring. Guilt tightened in her chest. "You work harder than any trainer I've ever met. It's obvious how capable you are, but you won't belong in the league until you decide you do. Have a little faith. You're going to do great."

"Thanks," she murmured.

He hesitated for a moment, then asked in a quieter voice, "What's really bothering you?"

Damn it. Rosa glanced away, her eyes focusing on the trees in the distance. The fog was creeping across the edges of the forest, and as the sunlight waned, shadows began to stretch like cobwebs over the dense vegetation. That glow that had become so familiar with his phone calls spread through her, chasing away the threatening darkness, and for a moment, she felt the weight of her worries lift. If he were there beside her, his arms open to comfort her and soothe her fears, she didn't think she'd have been able to resist.

Arceus, she was starting to fall for him. Those cherished feelings of friendship she had worked so hard to nurture had burst from their planter, invading her pores, seeping through her bloodstream, smothering her heart until it waved the flag of surrender. That grating overconfidence had turned to silk against her skin, because she knew it was a veil that masked genuine compassion and care underneath. His worry for her danced like birds pecking at her tender heart, playing its strings in perfect succession.

The realization washed over her, a sudden tide of power stealing her breath. She shoved at it, desperately trying to push it back into its box, but her heart was pounding, her skin was hot, her palms were sweating, and...

She covered her face with her hands, mortified. Those horrible, cheesy pickup lines had worked. She was developing feelings for a man she had only ever heard through a phone.

It couldn't be true.

"I don't really want to talk about it," she said, forcing neutrality into her tone, willing her emotions to stay buried far from his perceptive ears. He'd been teasing her from the start, but a nagging doubt questioned if he was serious. It was safer to assume he wasn't. "There's not a whole lot I can do to change it at this point. I'm just trying to focus on training."

Curtis wasn't satisfied with that answer—not in the slightest. "You're always focused on training," he chided. "I'm worried you use it to avoid the things that bother you. Surely bottling things up all the time is hard to carry on your own. I'm here if you want to lighten the load a bit."

Rosa shrugged, and Sven leaped from her lap, plunging into the nearby tall grass. She didn't speak for a moment, instead focusing on the crunch of weeds underfoot and the soft sniff of Sven's nose as he explored. What could she say? There wasn't enough room in her to contain the cacophony of emotions threatening to spill over into tears.

"I'm fine," she said at last, brushing a finger against the edge of her eye to catch the water before it could fall. Sven snorted in the grass, and she heard the distinct crunch of a stick snapping between his teeth. "You've got work to do. Don't worry about me."

"I can't help it. You're always on my mind, so you're easy to worry about."

She shook her head, brushing aside the stray hairs that had slipped from her buns to tickle her neck. What did that mean? What were his intentions when he said those things to her? The gentle force was enough to crack her open and drag all her secrets to the surface. "Have you—" She cut herself off, then hesitated before trying again. "Do you know anything about a group called Team Plasma?"

Curtis was silent for a moment, and then his voice, a little more cautious, broke the stillness. "I've heard of them. They tried to take over the Unova region a few years ago."

"Yeah," Rosa said, her fingers gripping the grass a little too tightly. Some of it pulled off into her fingers.

"Rosa?"

"Yeah?"

"Did something happen?"

The silence between them stretched. She couldn't do it.

"No," she finally replied, her voice quieter than before. "Nothing happened. I should probably go, though. I need to get back to training."

"Wait, hang on—"

Before he could say more, Rosa pressed the "end call" button. She slumped onto her back in the growing silence for a moment, her gaze fixed on the sky as the thickening clouds swallowed the last bits of daylight.

Her Xtransceiver buzzed insistently, its screen lighting up with another call.

Sven returned with a damp stick in his mouth.

"I can't talk to him right now, Sven," she said, suddenly feeling exhausted as she plucked the branch from his puppy teeth and threw it. He seemed to sense her distress, though, and ignored the toy to shuffle up to her chest, pressing his padded feet against her stomach. With a quick lick to her cheek, his wet tongue dragged across her skin, and despite the cloud hanging over her, she giggled.

"Stop that, you big lump. Can't you see I'm trying to be upset?"

Sven grunted and ran his rough tongue over her nose and eyelid, and she laughed again before shoving him off. "Okay, I get it. You think I'm shutting him out," Which she was, but she needed time to get her head on straight again. Besides, it seemed unfair to drag him into her personal war against Team Plasma.

"It just bothers me that I don't know what artifact they stole from Juniper," she said. "Or why they wanted a bunch of trainer records. Or how this fits in with Touko. These people don't make any sense!"

Sighing, Rosa pulled herself into a sitting position and combed her fingers through her hair. She should be worrying about beating the league and leaving Unova. That was her dream, wasn't it? To travel the world?

And maybe meet Curtis.

"Then why do I feel so obligated to find out what they're doing? It isn't even my problem!"

A drop of rain slipped through the covering of protective branches and dampened her neck, and she again tilted her head towards the heavens.

***

Driftveil's steel-plated drawbridge stretched across the ravine with regal grace, its massive span reaching towards the horizon and nearly disappearing into the distance. A dusting of snow had settled across the metal, the tiny crystals sparkling untouched despite the usually heavy traffic. Although Driftveil's bridge was nowhere near as famous as Castelia's Skyarrow Bridge, to Rosa's untrained eyes, it felt like a structure that strained into eternity.

Beside her, Anna hopped onto one of the thick supporting ropes, her claws digging into the cold metal as she balanced herself effortlessly. With a single paw, Lucario lowered herself over the edge, peering down at the ocean landscape below.

Rosa's heart skipped a beat at the sight. The surface of the water was slick from the snow, its frigid currents likely capable of pulling anyone into its depths. The thought of Anna falling made her stomach twist. She wanted to call out, but the words stuck in her throat.

Anna wasn't in danger—not really. The likelihood of her falling was slim, and Rosa didn't want to be a helicopter trainer. She forced the panic down.

She could hide nothing from Anna's ability to read aura, however. Tasting her fear, the jackal flashed her trainer a wide grin before smoothly descending back to the safety of the bridge's solid ground. Warmth flooded Rosa's frozen fingers as Anna reached out to take her hand, and together, the two of them began to walk the distance to Driftveil on the other side.

However, they'd only been walking for a few minutes when two figures emerged from the haze of falling snow in the distance. At first, they appeared to be ordinary travelers, but as they drew closer, Rosa's stomach sank, a cold shiver working its way down her spine.

One of them was garbed in the shining armor of a knight—his silvered-blue outfit gleaming faintly in the overcast light. The other, unmistakably, was wearing the dark, branded uniform of Team Plasma.

What were they doing here? She hadn't seen any Plasma members since her time in Castelia. If they were stirring up trouble in Driftveil, she surely would have heard something by now. Hugh had likely already passed through on his way to collect his gym badge—had he missed them? If he had encountered trouble, he would've called her. Probably.

The two appeared to be in deep conversation, or more accurately, arguing heatedly. One was in the other's face, leaning in like an enraged dog ready to snap the other's ear off, while their victim turned their back and pointedly disregarded them. The harshness of their voices echoed off the cold metal of the bridge, but Rosa couldn't make out the words.

Rosa released Anna's paw, her gaze meeting the Lucario's for a brief moment of silent understanding. Without hesitation, the two of them moved forward again, this time more deliberately, keeping their movements quiet.

As they approached, the conversation became more distinct.

"I just don't get you!" the Plasma member shouted, jabbing his finger in the knight's face. "You never had a problem with it before. We stole plenty of Pokémon together, and now you think you can just walk away? Society won't accept you just because you've gone soft. Team Plasma is the only place you'll ever belong—and you know it!"

The other shook her head, and as she did, her knight's hood slipped off, revealing a cascade of curly, ginger hair that shone vividly against her pale skin.

"It doesn't matter what people think," she said boldly. "I only care what Lord N thinks. He would be saddened by my leaving him. Stealing is wrong, Archer. I refuse to be part of it."

"N is a joke," Archer laughed spitefully. A glob of saliva flew from his mouth and scattered across the woman's cheek, making Rosa cringe. "Nothing but a puppet-turned-traitor. We're setting in motion events that will change everything, and you're worried about pleasing an ignorant child? Don't be pathetic, Ella."

Ella bristled, and as she did, her skin flushed from her cheeks clear to her roots. "N is a good man. He would never betray anyone-"

"Then where was he when Team Plasma was falling apart?" the man demanded, grabbing Ella's delicate shoulders in his big hands and shaking her roughly. "When our leader fell apart, and we needed our king most? Gone! Off with that revolting champion, undoing all our hard work! Yet you continue serving that trash? It's shameful, and the fact that I ever called you family is disgusting-"

"Touch her again, and I'll throw you over the bridge."

Archer's grip fell away as he turned his head and caught sight of Rosa's blazing eyes. Her hands were closed into fists, daring him to repeat his actions, to again shake the woman and make her teeth rattle. Nostrils flaring, she signaled Anna with a nod of her head, and Lucario wasted no time in flinging a raging ball of aura in the man's direction.

The blue sphere hit Archer squarely in the chest. With crushing speed, he went hurtling backwards, and when his body hit the concrete, he groaned and crumbled into the snow.

Rosa marched over and snatched the front of his shirt. She could see in her mind his blue lips and blanched face in a sea of arctic waters, and it felt good. It didn't even matter that he might have information, she wanted him gone.

His silky uniform stretched under her fist as she yanked him upward, and he twisted away as she snarled, "You're the one who's disgusting. I can forgive being part of such a ghastly organization, but you have no honor. The next time you touch a woman like that, you will regret it. Now get out of here. You're a disgrace."

The man made a panicked noise, scrambling backward before stumbling to his feet and darting off. Rosa's nails dug into her palms, crescent-shaped indents forming as she clenched her fists. The pain was sharp, but it was nothing compared to the volcanic fury that churned in her veins.

"Thank you."

The soft voice behind her snapped Rosa back to reality. She turned, her gaze locking with the cool, vivid blue of Ella's eyes. From where she sat against the ropes, Ella offered a gentle smile, her face illuminated with warmth and sincere gratitude.

"You didn't need to save me, though. My brother is an idiot, but relatively harmless. He's just upset that I refused to rejoin Team Plasma, and he has a problem keeping his temper in check. Archer didn't mean those cruel things he said."

"There's no excuse for manhandling someone," Rosa said.

"Be that as it may, I still forgive him. I cannot turn my back on the only family I have."

Rosa ran a frustrated hand through her hair, exhaling deeply as she fought to quell the searing fire burning inside her. She didn't have siblings of her own, but Hugh was enough of a handful for her to understand the urge to forgive and move on.

Even if Archer did deserve a long dip in the icy ocean.

"You were a Plasma member two years ago?" Rosa asked to distract herself.

"You know about them?" Ella nodded slowly, her gaze distant as she spoke. "My parents perished in a house fire, and my brother and I had nowhere to go. Team Plasma took us in, gave us a roof... a place to belong. After they fell apart, Lord N split off into his own group to try and correct the mistakes of the past. I only ever wanted to rescue Pokémon anyway, and I've always been fond of Natural. When he asked me to come with him, I couldn't turn away."

Rosa's breath caught in her throat at the mention of that name—Natural. There was something there, something familiar that eluded her grasp. The name echoed in her mind like a whisper, pulling at a thread deep inside her, but she couldn't place why it made her stomach tighten. She tried to shake it off, but the feeling lingered. She didn't know him—did she?

Ella's eyes darkened as she continued, a quiet bitterness creeping into her tone. "But Archer... he stayed with Ghetsis. He's always hated being at the bottom. The idea of reshaping the world was just too tempting for him. We all have our weaknesses."

Ghetsis. The name itself tasted like something bitter and foul on her tongue. It stirred something deep inside her, a raw, unreasoning hatred. Reshaping the world? That wasn't just about Pokémon—it was about control. Power. Domination.

Who was he? The rage that welled up was foreign, primal—a gut reaction she couldn't explain. She wanted to scream, to throw something—anything. But it wasn't just Ghetsis. Natural... That name wouldn't leave her alone. She knew it—she had to. Why couldn't she remember?

Ella interrupted Rosa's thoughts with another smile. "Well, I can't just let you go without a proper thank you. Would you mind returning home with me? If it's information you seek, then I have a friend who may be able to help you."

***

Driftveil was a breezy old town that smelled strongly of sea salt and fish. Most of the snow had been cleared from the stone walkways, but there was still a layer of slush in the shade of buildings that squished every time someone stepped through it. On the southern side was a seaport, complete with a docking area for boats, but what drew Rosa's attention was the colosseum-like building surrounded by fair booths. It towered over any other structure in the town, and from what she could see, it pulled the most attention. Trainers and tourists of all kinds flocked around it, from even from their place near the Pokémon center, she could hear their excited chatter.

Shivering slightly, Rosa glanced over at Ella to ask, "What is that building over there?"

The ex-Plasma member's eyes twinkled with something like mischief or nostalgia, and she casually brushed a lock of curled hair behind her ear. "That's the Pokémon World Tournament. It draws travelers from all over, even from places like Unova. Sometimes, even the region's gym leaders take a break from their duties to clash there. I've always wanted to participate myself." She paused, glancing down at the ground, almost sheepish. "But I'm afraid I lack the strength to hold my own against that kind of power."

She straightened up, a more composed air returning to her as she gestured up the hill with a welcoming smile. "This way, Miss Rosa. My home is just up ahead."\

Ella's "home" turned out to be a small colonial house just outside of town. Snowflakes drifted lazily from the gray sky, blanketing the world in white as they made their way up the grassy hillside. Only Rosa seemed bothered by the cold, her breath forming little clouds in the air, and the icy crystals stinging her exposed skin. With her purple-tinted lips and gently chattering teeth, she followed Ella to the hardened oak door.

When they knocked, there was a flurry of sounds from inside—shuffling footsteps, something clattering against the floor—and then a gruff voice called out, "Ella, I keep telling you, you live here! No need to knock, eh? Why are you always so overpolite?"

Rosa took an instinctive step back as the door swung open with surprising force, almost catching her in the face. Standing in the doorway was an older gentleman, his silver-tinted hair and beard both neatly trimmed. The robes he wore around his rounded frame were old-fashioned, like a monk outfit he'd spruced up with golden thread and a jeweled neckline.

The man's beady eyes narrowed with feigned irritation, but as soon as they landed on Rosa, they softened. A smile crept across his face, and his expression shifted into one of warmth and curiosity.

"Well, what do we have here?" The man leaned in to examine Rosa more closely, his gaze sharp, but there was a glint of amusement in his eyes. Anna, standing a little behind Rosa with her usual critical expression, hummed a low, cautious note. The sound immediately drew Rood's attention, and he glanced around Rosa to get a better look at her Lucario.

"So, you've brought along a couple of friends, hmm?" he said. "Good sakes, I didn't even have time to clean up the house."

Ella's large eyes fell towards the ground apologetically, but they were still bright. "I met them on the Driftveil bridge today, Rood. This is Rosa, and her Lucario, Anna. They chased away Archer for me, and she wants to know more about Team Plasma."

Rood's eyebrows shot up in surprise, but his grin quickly stretched across his face, stretching all the way to his ears. "Ah, so you took care of my little Ella, did you? Well, any friend of hers is a friend of mine. But if you want information about Team Plasma... well, you're going to have to prove to me you're worthy of it." He looked Rosa up and down, a spark of challenge lighting in his eyes. "How about a one-on-one battle, eh? Show me what you've got."

***

The battlefield turned out to be Rood's backyard, but he wasn't messing around when he said he wanted her to deserve the information. His Pokémon was a Swoobat, and although Rosa would never admit to finding a bat challenging, the old man proved he had as much spark as anyone fifty years his junior.

It didn't help that she'd selected Anna to take him on when Lucario was weak against both physic and flying type moves. Maybe she craved a challenge.

Or she was tired from getting so little sleep last night.

Anna was worn out. Her pelt was soggy from being tossed around in the snow, there were spots of red doting her body from Swoobat's razor-edged wings, and Rosa was almost certain she'd sprained her ankle. She wasn't favoring her leg too badly, but she was missing her usual speed and grace, and it was affecting their battle. Badly.

Swoobat's great velvet wings expanded like curtains, and then it was careering towards Anna with deadly speed. Rosa's breath caught as gust whipped around its puffy body, but Anna swiveled on her broad feet and caught the bat's wings with her front paws. Her Lucario grimaced as the impact pushed her back and cut her hands, but the jackal didn't let go.

"Toss it down, Anna."

The bat grunted as it was hurled into the slush, but Rood didn't look concerned. In fact, there was a broad smile etched across the old man's face. His wrinkled brows were pulled up in excitement, and Rosa had to look away to maintain her composure.

Some ways off, Ella clapped enthusiastically and rolled up and down on her toes like an eager child. Honestly, Rosa couldn't tell who the girl was rooting for; she just looked happy to be there.

Anna hummed and stomped Swoobat's stomach with her good foot to pin it to the ground. A mass of churning shadows pooled in her palms, glowing brighter with every weave of her hand, and despite her opponent's desperate struggle to escape her, Swoobat was effectively stuck.

It was Rosa's turn to grin. "Shadow ball, Anna!"

"Counter with psyshock!"

The dark sphere blasted downwards at the same time psychic energy erupted from Swoobat's heart-shaped nose.

There was a blinding flash, like lightning, followed by an ear-shattering blast that echoed through the mountains and shook the trees. Rosa lost her footing and slipped onto her butt in the snow, but her eyes never left the rising ball of blackened flame that baked the cool air. It spread a miniature mushroom cloud across the makeshift field, scorching the tender grass to black confetti, and across the arena, she could hear Rood whooping joyously.

From the white cloud rose enormous wings on a narrowed body. Swoobat chattered as it rose higher into the blue-tinted sky, but its cry of victory sent Rosa's heart into an unsteady rhythm.

Her eyes swept frantically over the field. She took in the charred grass, the muddy puddles of melted snow, the fading smoke tangled in the branches of trees, and finally, the body lying in a heap across the scorched earth.

"Anna!"

Rosa stumbled to her feet and ran the distance to her fallen partner. There was a layer of grime coating her pelt from the explosion, and her crimson eyes were shut. Anna didn't stir as her trainer fell to her knees and gathered the fainted Pokémon into her arms, and remained still when Rood crossed the field to join them.

Cuddling the Lucario gently, Rosa dug through her traveling bag with one hand in a frantic search for a revive. She hated how motionlessness Anna felt in her arms. It had been ages since they'd lost a battle together, and although Rosa knew the damage was nothing severe, it still hurt to see her friend injured.

"Is she okay?" came a whisper across the field. Ella's long hair tumbled behind her as her shoes dusted the grass, and when she stopped behind Rosa's shoulder, she stooped down to smooth the ruffled fur near Anna's ear. "That was a big explosion."

"Anna will be fine," Rosa assured her. Her fingers brushed the smooth plastic surface of a revive, and with more vigor than necessary, she ripped the medicine from its pocket and tore away the seal.

There was far too much delight in Rood's wrinkled face as he watched Rosa spray a storm of chemicals, surely far more than was needed, over Anna's face and chest. He hummed blissfully, but when it became clear she wasn't going to give him attention, he just spoke as she worked.

"That was a wonderful battle," his eyes twinkled when Lucario's chest heaved and her sharp eyes flashed open. "I haven't had a real challenge in years – it was such fun!"

"Glad you enjoyed it," Rosa replied gruffly, hugging her awakened Pokémon close to her chest. She was fine with losing, wasn't she? Nobody could win all the time.

"Mm-hmm, it was perfectly lovely! Oh, but now you must come inside darling! We'll fix you up with some tea."

Rosa's eyebrows creased. "But I lost."

"So?"