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The light breeze flew across the sea, pushing up small waves here and there as Wingulls flew above. Her hair danced, caught in the wind, as she gazed upon the vast blue land. The horizon seemed endless, a serene display of the nature that Hulbury had to offer. Though just as she got to relax for a moment, her attention was quickly directed back to the photographer once he called her name.
“Great work, Nessa. The director would like just a few last photos of you and Drednaw together and then we’re all done here” the man concluded, having approached her at the back of the yacht, his smile widening as he was pleased that this session was going so well.
Nessa, the elegant water gym leader, silently nodded, her calm demeanour evident. Her gaze softened as it drifted down to her partner, sitting relaxed next to her legs. He looked up at her, letting out a joyful cry. Nessa couldn’t help but chuckle at his enthusiasm, “Hear that? They’re gonna make a star out of you” Reaching into her bag, she pulled a small treat and offered it to Drednaw. Without hesitation, he took it and chomped down on the treat in delight. Watching him, Nessa smiled warmly as she sat by.
Her hair once again catching the breeze as the sound of the sea echoed behind her, a refreshing day by the sea was just what she needed after yesterday’s horrible loss against the farm boy. It was frustrating, sure, but Nessa knew better than to let defeat consume her. And if there’s one thing she learned over the many years as a gym leader, is that she shouldn’t let a simple loss like that get the best of her and just focus on improving what she had messed up.
She would be lying if she didn’t admit that it was in some way irritating as well, the way Milo stood on the opposite site, with that carefree smile on him. And then afterwards not even mentioning a single word about the battle to anybody, as if he didn’t even care or took it seriously. Taking a deep breath in, she let the fresh air fill her lungs, clearing her thoughts. She may have underestimated Milo a bit as well, if she was honest, but that shouldn’t matter anymore.
She retrieved her phone out of her bag, her smile fading as Sonia hadn’t replied to any of her texts yet. Who knew where she was, suppose her research as a professor was keeping her busier than ever.
“Ms. Nessa, we’re ready for you!” just what she was waiting for, she got up, having stowed her phone away before then giving Drednaw soft pats to signal that they were going to begin. Right when she thought this was just going to be a normal day, a massive splash erupted from the water below.
At first, she thought that she must have been imagining it all. But there, right before her eyes, stood a fierce Arcanine - dripping wet. It had leapt from the water up with such force that the yacht shifted beneath the team, sending the photographers stumbling back to regain their balance. Nessa and Drednaw instinctively took a step back as the Arcanine shook off the seawater in a single, powerful shake. Nessa’s eyes widened in shock, the powerful pokemon stood high and proudly on the platform before her, its fur still damp however.
But then, just like that, something changed with the canine. The creature, which had been standing so confidently, started to act strange. It barked loudly, the sound echoing across the open water, it ran in frantic circles around the deck. Back and forth it went, its paws thudding against the wooden ground.
“Ms. Nessa, get away from that Arcanine!” the make up artist shouted in alarm, with the rest of the team already prepared to intervene between the two, ready to pull Nessa away from the wild Pokémon. But the gym leader furrowed her brow in confusion. Raising her hand to stop the team before they could step in. Her gaze was sharp as she studied Arcanine’s body language. She was more experienced in the field of water-types but that didn’t mean her studies don’t apply to other pokémon’s as well, especially with a behaviour like this.
This wasn’t typically normal for such a Pokémon. The barks were insistent, pleading like, and the way it moved – frantic but purposeful – as if it was trying to communicate something.
Drednaw, sensing the tension, stood alert at her side, watching Arcanine’s erratic movements with curiosity. “Calm down, buddy, calm down” Nessa murmured softly, extending her hands towards the Arcanine. Her voice was calm but firm, hoping to bridge the gap between them, her eyes never leaving the Pokémon’s. Once it had somewhat eased up, she stepped forward “What’s going on with you?” she asked, her sharp eyes following the Arcanine’s every move. It kept barking, racing between the edge of the yacht and back to her, as if it wanted to guide her somewhere. That’s when it clicked, like a light flipping on inside her head.
This wasn’t just a random wild Arcanine – it was Kabu’s Arcanine.
Nessa had worked with him long enough, and if anyone knew him like she did, they’d know that neither Arcanine nor any other of his companions would ever leave his side willingly. They were always together, inseparable in and outside of battle. So for Arcanine to be here alone, barking frantically, she knew that something was terribly wrong. Her pulse quickened. Whatever had brought his Arcanine here wasn’t a coincidence, it was a cry for help. She couldn’t afford to waste a second more standing dumbfounded by; she had to act. “Something’s wrong, isn’t it?” she asked aloud to the Arcanine, to which her expression hardened.
“We’ll have to end it here” Wasting no time, she addressed the director, pulling out one of her dive balls to let Drednaw retreat into it as the team looked on in confusion. But Nessa’s tone left no room for argument. She put on her water gym jacket, securing her bag before then turning to Arcanine and nodding, “Lead the way” she urged, trying her best to keep her voice steady despite the situation. The Arcanine barked once more, with a leap, he sprang back into the water, cutting through the waves with impressive speed.
Nessa sprinted to the edge, diving into the water with a smooth practised motion. She swam with all her strength, pushing through the water to keep pace with the Arcanine. The Pokémon’s strength made quick work of the distance, and Nessa focused on staying close, her heart pounding with anticipation.
Luckily, the yacht wasn’t that far off from the shore so that the two reached solid ground in just a minute. Arcanine was the first to step out, shaking the water off as he took in his surroundings. As soon as Nessa caught up with him, Arcanine barked once more and ran off. Yet making sure to keep it slow enough for Nessa to keep up. She sprinted after Arcanine, her breathing steady but her mind racing with worry. Afterall she dreaded what she would come to find, could it be that Kabu might have gotten kidnapped? Or maybe he was lying somewhere injured, unable to help himself. She couldn’t shake these thoughts off, as the anxiety got the best of her. The landscape unbeknownst blurred around her as she focused on keeping pace, her eyes fixed on the fiery Pokémon ahead. Who looked every second or so behind himself to see if Nessa was still following close.
Arcanine led her through the winding paths and streets, as they approached the bustling city of Motostoke. Nessa could feel her heart pounding in her chest, both from the exhaustion and the anxiety. Up until when they finally reached the house of her beloved friend and mentor, would her worry only deepen. The two doors of the entrance were flung wide open, the doors barely hanging on to the frame's hinges. Not a good sign, Nessa’s instincts screamed that something was horrible wrong more than she could have imagined. She paused for a moment, considering her next move. Watching collectively as the Arcanine continued to bark, directly into the inner house.
The way the door looked in this state was unsettling, even more with the small glimpse she got into the hallway. Everything laid wild about. She pondered, if he really was in danger then she couldn’t afford to wait. With a deep breath, she made her decision and prepared to go in when she heard a familiar voice. A voice, to which she was not prepared for.
“Slow down, slow down!” it advised, she turned her head to the man nearing her. Who could have guessed, Milo. Though without his usual hat on. While her expression wavered into annoyance, she still stayed alert based on who exactly was dragging him forward. It was Kabu’s ninetales, who pulled Milo with her by his shorts as he looked both bewildered and slightly embarrassed, even more so when the two gym leaders met eye to eye. Milo straightened up, catching his breath as he looked at Nessa with a sheepish smile.
“Milo.” Nessa exclaimed, her tone flat as her gaze darted between Milo and the Ninetales, the gym leader awkwardly waving back as the two of them hadn’t expected to see each other so quickly again after yesterday’s battle. Just as Nessa wanted to get into what happened yesterday, Milo had caught wind of the disarray around them, “What happened here?” The grass gym leader proceeded, stepping past Nessa as the ninetales finally let go and joined Arcanine’s side.
“not sure..” Nessa admitted, finally her expression softened as she got back to the situation at hand. “Arcanine was the one who got me here.” gently petting Arcanine in an attempt to calm the anxious Pokémon. Milo leaned closer to Ninetales, his eyes scanning the disarray of the house. “Have you heard from Kabu? Or.. at least seen him recently?” Nessa asked, since Kabu was the kind of old-fashioned that he would never get a rotom phone even if his life depended on it, the only form of communication that could be done with him was through his usual jogs.
Milo though simply shook his head, clueless, “Not since a few days ago.” recalling the last time he spoke with him when their paths crossed as Milo was putting out a delivery to motostoke. The gym leader got closer to Ninetales' side as the two were practically leaning into the house by now. “I think someone broke in.” Nessa concluded, putting a hand on the door frame as she began to look inside more clearly.
To her surprise, Milo chuckled, a hint of amusement in his voice. Leaving Nessa to raise an eyebrow, clearly irritated. “Not burglars,” Milo said with a grin. “Just look at the hinges. It must have been Arcanine.”
“Arcaine did this?” her gaze shifted to the Pokémon upon that, to which Milo confirmed, “Yeah. Arcanine’s are strong and Kabu’s no less, it must have caused this when it was trying to get out.” leave it to Milo to ease her troubles, now it made sense why they were in this weird position anyways. Yet he was also the one experienced with far more different Pokémon than in her own knowledge of overall water-types.
“Then, why was it trying to get out so quickly?” Nessa began to head in, partially muttering to herself as the two Pokémon followed hastily beside her and Milo. Heading into the open space, the interior of the house was more orderly compared to the chaos at the entrance, minimalistic as they would have expected from Kabu, just a bit rummaged through. Though what they didn’t account for was the extreme unbearable heat that swallowed both of them whole. Making the air thick and uncomfortable.
The ninetales had jumped onto the coffee table and then onto the couch. The rest of Kabu’s Pokémon were all out and sprawled about across the room, up until their heads shot up at the two gym leaders entering. That was when they finally saw who they were crowded around. Right beside the couch was Kabu, lying unconscious as he looked alarmingly pale and drenched in sweat. His normally well-groomed hair was unkempt, so that his bangs were covering most of his face, wearing nothing else but a red sweater and longer pants. Surrounded by his Pokémon, who, while clearly distressed, tried their best at offering him some form of comfort.
Nessa’s heart raced as she knelt beside Kabu, calling out his name several times with no response. The sight alone of him in just this vulnerable state heightened her worry. She put a hand to his forehead, just then grasping the true weight of the situation, as he felt unnaturally warm. Her eyes widened in horror, “He’s burning up!” she called out to Milo, who had taken over in calming Kabu’s Pokémon. It didn’t take much for both of them to figure out that this intense heat was indeed caused by Kabu’s own Pokémon. Which seemed unusual since he wasn’t the fire gym leader for nothing, he could handle being around in high temperatures better than any other person could.
Milo had quickly assessed the situation around the Pokémon. The heat alone emanating from the Pokémon was overwhelming, almost as if they were radiating unnatural amounts of warmth. “I know this might be hard, but we’re only here to help Kabu” It was clear that they were in a state of agitation and anxiety, and Milo being the kind-hearted Man he was, brought at least some form of reassurance that everything would be okay from here on.
“You’ll have to wait outside for a bit, he needs some space to recover.” Milo advised, his tone calm and steady as the Pokémon exchanged a few glances before answering him back in various tones of soft growls, chirps and brief nods. Though they all were clearly on edge, they trusted the gym leaders to handle their trainer well, they wouldn't have reached out to find them without a reason. Eventually, they began to leave one by one, opting to take watch at the entrance of the house.
Milo moved swiftly over to the windows, pulling them open to let in a much-needed breeze. The fresh air immediately made the stuffy atmosphere a bit more bearable, giving them some relief. Now fully free to assist, he joined Nessa, who was still kneeling beside Kabu yet frozen with uncertainty. Something he rarely got to see. She was skilled in battle, but the sight of Kabu, one of the strongest gym leaders she knew, reduced to such a fragile state left her feeling powerless. The weight of it bore down on her, though through Milo’s steady and calm presence it helped ground her – even if she didn’t want to admit it.
He then decided to get a read for himself, gently putting his hand to Kabu’s forehead. He couldn’t say that he expected it to be so high, yet for a brief moment, his usual calm demeanour faltered. His smile faded momentarily unbeknownst to him, though as Nessa began to pick up her gaze to him, he quickly gave an awkward grin, “Don’t worry, Nessa,” Milo assured her, “I’ve dealt with things like this before.” referencing his own experiences with having to take care of his younger brother’s occasional illnesses.
It might just be a light flu or cold that Kabu could have caught, something that could easily go away with just time and rest, hopefully that was just it. Nessa assisted Milo in getting their friend up on the couch, having to remove the heavy sweater off to help him cool down, but letting his shirt on underneath. Even though his skin was still too warm to the touch.
The fresh air from the open windows helped ease the oppressive heat, but the tension in the room remained as they worked carefully together. Nessa, now more focused, decided to assist the best she could to help Milo, who had taken the responsibility upon him to play the caretaker. She had brought a bowl with cold water, handing Milo the damp cloth to put it atop Kabu’s forehead, taking precise care not to lower his temperature too quickly. It was working, in some way, at least enough so that they could rest easy. To Nessa especially, her earlier anxiety that had her gripped like a stormy sea was more like a single, calm wave. Knowing now that nothing worse had indeed happened to their friend.
“If this is really just a fever,” Milo said, his tone steady, “we’ll just need to keep him cool and hydrated until he at least starts to come to himself,” He had rummaged through the fire gym leader’s fridge in search for a bottle of water, sitting on the arm rest of the couch as he gently lifted Kabu’s head slightly up so that he could get some water into his system.
Nessa watched him with precision as he continued, exhaling slightly as she leaned back into the couch. Though it had shaken her, she had to give it to Milo for having taken such a firm grip on the situation in the first place. If he hadn’t been here she surely would have lost it at. Oh what was she saying.
For a moment, the room was quiet, save for the soft rustle of the breeze from the open windows and the gentle reassuring sounds of Kabu breathing, albeit shallowly. Nessa’s thoughts drifted, trying to make sense of how things had escalated so quickly. Kabu, normally the stronger and composed type, reduced to this state by something as simple as a fever? It didn’t sit right with her, at least for now, things seemed to be improving. Though she wouldn’t be all that forgiving for Kabu giving them both near heart attacks.
Nessa held her arms crossed over her chest as she had finally gotten to take off her bag. While she was physically more at ease, her mind was far from it. Every few seconds, her gaze switched from a spot on the ground to Milo, who had wandered into the kitchen, likely preparing something for when Kabu finally woke up. Milo’s natural calmness and the rhythmic sounds of him working in the kitchen were oddly comforting, but her mind couldn’t fully settle. She felt irritated at the way someone so calm like him could so easily forget about what had happened, he should at least acknowledge his victory or something. It just felt awkward that he was so carefree as if the battle meant nothing to him.
Her fingers tapped against her arm in a slow, steady beat, frustration growing with each tap.
It wasn’t that she wanted him to gloat or rub it in – but how could he just brush it off as if it meant nothing? Her thoughts ran in circles. Did the battle really mean so little to him? Or was he just that calm, that unaffected by everything around him? She couldn’t tell, and that made her slightly more annoyed. As she got up from the couch, Kabu stirred lightly, his breathing becoming more regular. To which her eyes widened, she put her hand over his as she stopped in her tracks. Smiling lightly as he was somewhat improving. Nonetheless, she still had to settle one matter. She got up, heading to the small kitchen as she stood with her arms crossed.
“Milo,” she finally spoke, her tone sharper than intended. “How can you just not care?”
The grass gym leader froze, as he had started to think of what he could cook up with the little ingredients Kabu had left, blinking in confusion as he glanced up at her. “What do you mean?” he asked, his usual easy going character falling for a moment. Nessa looked down to the ground, pondering as she shifted in her spot. “You beat me, and now you’re acting like it was nothing. Like it didn’t matter.” she clarified, her voice straining as she struggled to keep her emotions in check.
Milo looked puzzled, turning to face her more fully. “I don’t get why you think I wouldn’t care,” he said slowly. “It was a tough battle, and I respect you as a competitor.”
“Then act like it!” she snapped, “It wasn’t just some measly battle. I lost, I worked hard for that match, and it slipped through my fingers. And you’re just–” she gestured to him in frustration, “So calm about it. Like you didn’t care if you won or lost!”
Milo’s brow furrowed as he listened. He opened his mouth to respond but seemed to choose his words carefully, not wanting to escalate things. Yet, she was getting this all twisted. “I do care,” he said. “But I don’t hold on to wins or losses”
Nessa stared at him, incredulous. “So what, it just rolls off you like nothing happened? We’re gym leaders, what part about that don’t you get?! People look up to us. Winning and losing isn’t just about us” Her voice had risen slightly, the hurt she felt clear as day in her words. Milo, however, just stood there, his expression soft but unreadable. After a bit, he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Nessa, I do take my role as a gym leader seriously. I just.. They aren’t everything for me. What did matter is that we gave it our best, and we had fun.”
“Fun?” she exclaimed, a bitter laugh escaping her. “That’s what this is to you? Fun?! I’m not some rookie trainer, we both aren’t, I’m supposed to be better than this, and–” she stopped herself, catching her breath. Her words came out harsher than she meant them to, but the emotions behind them were too real to hold back. Milo, the calm in person, simply sighed as they grew both quiet. Rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. “I didn’t mean to make you feel like your effort didn’t matter,” he said, his voice gentle. “It was a good battle, Nessa. One of the best I’ve had in a while. I just.. Didn’t think it was something you’d want to dwell on. Like this.”
She felt her chest tighten. “You don’t get it,” she muttered, shaking her head. “Losing like that – it’s not just about the battle. It’s about everything. How people see us and you. You just smile like none of it bothers you.”
Milo shook his head quickly, his expression softening further. “I’m not saying that. I get it, Nessa. I really do. You’re one of the strongest gym leaders out there. But for me, it’s about the challenge, not the outcome. You’ll win next time, I’m sure of it.” There it was, that cursed smile, so gentle and reassuring. Nessa felt her face redden, looking away. She should be angry, but after hearing him, she wasn’t sure anymore. She wanted to stay mad, to keep her frustration burning, but Milo’s sincerity made that impossible.
“Besides, I think it was from a certain someone who both told us that we shouldn’t hang on to victories or losses so badly.” he grinned, signalling with his eyes over to Kabu. Before Nessa could even finish, a sudden realisation flashed in his eyes as he looked back over to Kabu. Milo cut off the argument entirely as he exclaimed, “Kabu’s Pokémon!”
Nessa blinked, caught off guard by the way he immediately zoomed past her, “What?” leaving little time for her to try and call Milo back. He was already out in the hall, moving out to the Pokémon to look over them.
Just like that, the moment was over. Leaving Nessa to stand there in frustration, staring after him as he disappeared outside. Her mind spun, clenching her fists as she bit back the words she wanted to say. She wanted to yell, to argue, to make him understand, but now she was stuck. How could he just act so nonchalant? She simply sighed, leaving it at that as the tension in her shoulders eased only slightly. There was no point in pressing the matter now, not while everything with Kabu was still unresolved.
With a final glance into the hall as Milo sat on the steps of the entrance, cuddling each one of Kabu’s pokémon one by one to ease their stress, she turned back to the living area. The silence of it all greeted her. The heat from earlier had started to dissipate, but it lingered in the air – like her raging emotions.
Just as she was getting settled into the recliner, her eyes caught wind of how Kabu began to stir. His eyes fluttered open as he groaned softly. Nessa immediately got back up, forgetting her previous anger just like that as she focused on her friend, getting down on her knees on the floor beside him. He had attempted to try and push himself up, but his movements were too slow and straining on him to even manage it properly, so Nessa had to gently guide him back down as she took off the damp cloth off his forehead to dampen it once more.
“Nessa?” he muttered, his voice weak, barely audible. Her face lit up instantly, and she gave him an awkward, yet relieved smile. For all the stress she’d been feeling earlier, seeing him awake now put her at ease, if only a little. “You sure had us scared.” she said softly, dunking the cloth back into the water bowl on the table. Wringing it out before gently placing it back on his forehead. The coolness of the cloth seemed to help but Kabu’s vision remained hazy, his thoughts scattered.
His eyes darted around the room, confused as he attempted to sit up, but his body wouldn’t cooperate fully. “Where..?” he croaked, his voice strained with concern.
To ease his worries though, Milo had gotten back just in time, stepping in with a warm and bright smile, “Outside, don't worry.” he reassured him, chuckling lightly. “We had to keep them away for a bit,” He really couldn’t bear to keep them apart from Kabu, but for the moment, he still wasn’t sure if they could even come closer to him in this state.
Kabu blinked, his eyes focusing better now. He was surprised to say the least to see both of them here, in his own house. Come to think of it, the last thing he remembered was him wanting to get up from the couch but after that, his memory faded into a blur of heat and exhaustion. "How are you feeling?” he asked, moving forward to the couch. While the veteran gym leader had made an effort to sit up straighter, his aching muscles got the better of him and he had to lay back down. Through Nessa’s persistence guide. His face was relatively flushed with a lingering warmth that just wouldn’t go away. “I don’t know..” he admitted, clearly confused and still disoriented by everything.
Nessa intently watched the exchange, her earlier frustration at Milo now pushed aside by the sight of their beloved friend. She glanced at Milo, catching his eye for a moment. There was a silent understanding between them, despite their slight argument earlier, they were both here to help Kabu, and nothing more. So that her attention solely laid on Kabu as he began to shift again, trying to sit up.
“Everything felt so hot..” he closed his eyes, clearly still weak. His body instinctively tried to move, but Nessa was quicker. Gently yet firmly, she pressed him back down once more, “Don’t,” she murmured softly, her hand lingering on his arm. He winced slightly but complied, sinking back into the couch with a tired exhale. His body was still too weak to put up much resistance. Especially towards Nessa.
“How come you two are here?” he asked, his voice raspy. To which Milo was already high on alert about, heading back into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. “Thank your Pokémon for that, they’re the ones who led us to you.” Nessa answered back, as Milo simply chuckled fondly along at his earlier fuss with the fire gym leader’s pokémon. “Ninetails was so out of it that she dragged me all the way here. In the rush I even lost my sun hat” Kabu let out a frail, half-laugh, as the two began to share their shared recounts over Arcanine and Ninetales had practically dragged them all the way back just to aid him. Though he couldn’t blame them, for him to just give out like that and have them running rampant in worry, he’d definitely have to apologise big time to them.
The warmth of the moment was brief as Nessa’s expressions turned more serious. “and they had every reason to be worried.” she continued, her tone shifting. While Milo had handed over the water to Kabu, who luckily, had at least regained a bit of strength to drink from it on his own. Although through slight assistance from the grass gym leader as he steadied him to sit up. “What even happened to you?” she turned to the fire man, always the person to handle heat better than anyone and to not give out that easily when he did catch a slight fever, it's like she had never seen him such a state before, neither had Milo and the three have known each other longer than anything, “You were burning up and everything.”
“We found you passed out on the ground.” Milo put-in, his easy demeanour giving way to worry. The fire gym leader was still visibly exhausted, his brow furrowed as if trying to recall the events that had led to him collapsing, but if he was honest, he couldn’t recall a thing through the haze of heat still rising uncontrollably to his head, “It’s nothing really, I must have caught something” He reassured them, although letting that nothing hang in the air thick, as if it sounded so promising when coming from the same guy who once showed up to one of his gym tournaments with a twisted ankle and ended up collapsing from the pain just minutes into it. That surely didn’t fool Milo and Nessa.
The two exchanged a glance, clearly not buying it. It also wasn’t the first time he’d downplayed something serious. “You were overheating, that wasn’t just nothing.” Milo replied, “And with your fire pokémon all around, it doesn’t surprise me that this whole house turned into a sauna.”
Kabu shifted uncomfortably against Milo’s touch, as the grass gym leader decided to just let him lay back down. The heat was still radiating from him as if his fever was feeding off every air around him. His vision wavered for a bit, making him feel as though the room was spinning. He had to admit, something wasn’t right, but it felt so out of character for him to admit to it. He wasn’t used to this, being the one cared for, being the one laid low.
“I have .. been feeling kind of under the weather lately..” he said, through his reluctance.
“Kabu,” Nessa interjected, getting up from the side of the couch to kneel right beside him down, “If you’re that sick, you could’ve just called us.” Her sharp gaze pierced him as she put her hand over his, she wasn’t going to let him off easy, not when he had it let get this bad.
“You haven’t been drinking or eating anything as well, have you?” her question cut through the thick air, as Milo was anticipating the answer, having gotten a thermometer to hand over to Nessa.
Yet, Kabu remained silent, his lips pressed into a thin line as he looked away. Even if he didn’t respond to anything, the truth was there, obvious and undeniable so that Milo’s expression fell as he exclaimed, “You know better than anyone how dangerous dehydration can be, especially with the kind of heat your Pokémon can produce.” He replied, clear as day, scolding him like a young child. Unable to fathom how the usually cautious gym leader had let himself spiral this far.
Nessa’s patience was wearing dangerously thin as she handed Kabu the thermometer with a firm, silent insistence. He took it reluctantly, placing it in his mouth while she removed the cloth from his forehead. She wasn’t in the mood for his stubbornness, and despite his clear feverish state, he was still reluctant to even admit how bad things were. The damp rag had turned lukewarm from the heat radiating off him, she dipped it back into the bowl of cool water, wrung it out, and then placed it back on his forehead gently. Kabu, feeling cornered, crossed his arms in defence as if that would somehow shield him from the fact that he was in no shape to argue.
The thermometer beeped, and Nessa’s face immediately tightened in anticipation. Without a word, she plucked it from his mouth and glanced at the reading – 40°C. A low, defeated sigh escaped her lips as she turned to Milo, holding up the device like it was the final piece of evidence she needed to drive her point further.
“Well, you brought this onto yourself. Both of us are not gonna leave until we at least get your temperature down to a normal level that doesn’t scream ‘hospital trip’” she concluded, showing off the thermometer of 40° degrees. Kabu, still groggy and feverish, blinked at the number. He had known it was bad – his head felt like it was on fire and every muscle in his body ached – but seeing it spelled out like that made it real in a way he wasn’t prepared for. So he was sick, great, but that only brought more problems with it.
Kabu, his face flushed and drenched with sweat, had to cough for a second to clear his throat. Forcing a weak smile, trying to wave their concerns off, “I can’t, I wouldn’t want you two to stay here because of me,” he muttered, “You both must be busy with your own gyms.. Not to mention mine.. I can manage–”
Nessa cut him off, her frustration boiling over. “Don’t even start.” her patience finally snapping. “You passed out, we found you burning up like a damn furnace, and your Pokémon were ready to drag us both from opposite ends of the world here just to help you!” her words hung in the air, and for a moment, Kabu couldn’t muster up the courage to respond as she went on. “For once, stop thinking about your gym,” she said, “You can barely sit up, do you really think you’re managing anything right now?!” her words were direct, and though they stung, they were necessary.
She blinked, now that she was really looking at him, she noticed a strong parallel between the image of the usual fierce gym leader of fire and the man she called her friend, and mentor. Kabu’s usual confident demeanour was replaced by a pallid complexion and a feverish red that highlighted the severity of his fever. His hair, unkempt, fell messily across his forehead. She saw not the proud, responsible figure of the gym, but simply Kabu. It made her feel an odd mix of sympathy and discomfort. So much so that she grew quiet.
Though even through her persistent view on things, Kabu’s face flushed with effort as he tried to argue. “Nessa, there are things that I need–” This time, Milo interjected though, in place of Nessa, his tone firm but sympathetic. “Your gym can wait, and so can ours” he said, “We’re not going anywhere right now though, and you shouldn’t either”
So much so that he looked away momentarily, a flush creeping up on his face, though it was hard to tell if it was from embarrassment or the fever. His body shuddered slightly as a wave of heat coursed through him, thinking over her words as he reluctantly began to give in.
“Whether you like it or not, but we will stay here with you” determination grew in her eyes as she stared him down, yet he couldn’t argue back with them. Specifically Nessa. He had opened his mouth to protest but found he didn’t have the strength anymore. The heat that had been his companion for as long as he could remember now felt like an enemy, and in his weakened state, he was finally forced to admit defeat. He nodded, barely perceptible, letting out a long tired breath.
She breathed in as well, taking her phone out of her bag as she left to make a quick call. “Just relax, we’ll take care of everything.” Milo addressed, his voice soothing as ever.
Nessa on the other end, sighed as she leaned up against a wall in the chaotic hall. Scrolling through her contacts until she found the number she needed, her finger hesitating for a moment before she pressed call. The phone rang a few times before the familiar voice answered, delighted as ever to hear from one of his good friends after so long.
“Nessa! How’s it going?” Leon’s cheerful tone was a light change from things, as a small smile tucked at the corners of her mouth. “Leon, Hi,” she said, it had been a while since anyone from the gyms had even seen him. Seeing as that he had his own hands full with running the league as new chairman, she just hoped that he could at least help her out with a small favour, “Uh, look I know this may come as a bit sudden but I need someone to run Kabu’s gym today, he won’t be able to.” opting to just get it all out in one go.
There was a brief silence on the other end before Leon’s voice came through, concern evident. “Is he alright? What happened?”
“Just, a slight fever. Nothing the man of fire can’t handle.” She joked lightly, “Milo and I are taking care of him, but his gym needs someone to oversee things. Could you step in for him today?” she wouldn’t have minded it to do it herself but the fear and worry over leaving him alone with just Milo by his side gnawed at her heart too much. She looked back to the two for a second, only to see Kabu stirring restlessly, having turned onto his side as Milo looked over him worriedly, helping him the best he could.
She got pulled back into the conversation once Leon asked the first question off the top of his head, “So if you two are by his side, who is taking care of your gyms?” he didn’t sound all too mad about it, his tone was rather calm.
“No worry, my gym is out, all the trainers are out on holiday leave. And Milo.. well, don’t think they have it all too busy.” seeing as his gym was located right in the countryside, and that most of his trainers were made up of farmers just like him, she was sure that they were all happily taking care of their own work, instead of having to help out in the arena.
Once she looked back at Milo, her heart sinking as his condition took a turn for the worse as Milo had gotten just in time a bowl from the kitchen to help Kabu in vomiting everything out of his system, “So you want me to handle his gym while he’s out of commission?” Leon repeated the question just for confirmation.
She winced at the image in front of her, “If it’s not too much to ask for.” now coming to the conclusion that he was definitely not gonna get out of this house in just a few days, and she’d make sure of that. “Of course not, I’d be happy to.” Leon responded, his bright smile could be practically heard through the phone as he gave his last regards, wishing for a speedy recovery for Kabu and ending it at that. She sighed in relief now that that issue was handled, though not being able to rest easy any time soon as the next one had just spiralled up. Quickly moving back to the living area.
“You’re doing fine,” Milo reassured him, having switched his spot to kneel beside Kabu, rubbing his back up and down as he helped the gym leader to get it all out. “There..” he muttered gently, after that was over, the grass gym leader had taken the cloth back, dampening it in the cool water to then gently wipe Kabu’s heated up face, his neck as well. “It’s alright, just breathe..” he advised. Kabu instantly tried to regulate his own breath, breathing in and out to get some control back over his body.
Nessa on the other hand, stood idly by as it seemed that Milo had it all under control. Watching him precisely. Maybe she was a bit too harsh on him earlier, he obviously could still care for the little things.
She kept her hands together behind her back, slowly nearing the two as his fever showed no sign of stopping. So, she took over, putting Kabu onto his back and taking the cloth from Milo’s hands to take over caring for their friend. To which, Milo complied as he sighed. The only really stuck on his mind were the Pokémon however, having to be kept outside as a precaution really mustn’t be such a relieving state, they must all be deeply worried.
His brow furrowed in thought, “I’m not sure if it’s a good idea, but do you think we can let Kabu’s Pokémon back in.” The water gym leader looked up from her task, her face clearly etched with concern. Shrugging her shoulders, “They might freak out too much.” she responded.
“Yeah but they’ve been waiting for so long now, they must be worried..” his gaze shifted to Kabu, who laid a bit more at ease but still sweating heavily, “The last thing we want is for them to add more stress, plus, he’s not in the best shape and his Pokémon could likely spike up his fever more.” Nessa’s eyes narrowed as she continued, before then wringing the cloth out once more to let it rest on Kabu’s forehead. They were getting too warm too fast for her liking.
Milo considered his options, weighing the pros and cons out. The water gym leader took a glance at him, knowing just how much the little farm boy cared about Pokémon more than himself. She simply sighed, “Milo, if it’s bothering you so much then just go talk with them, say that we got everything under control.”
“Mm.” he muttered, directing himself to his friend, “Kabu, where do you keep your Ultraballs?” As soon as he asked for them, the man of fire took hold of his wrist, barely conscious as he tried to lift his head up from the couch. He figured that Kabu would want his Pokémon safe and properly managed but as soon as he had gripped Milo’s wrist, with surprising strength for someone so fever-ridden, the message was undeniable even without any words – don’t push them aside.
“Kabu, easy.” Milo murmured, caught off guard by the sudden urgency in his old friend’s gaze. He didn’t need to speak to get his message across, he just couldn’t afford to have them stress beyond sanity over his own well-being. Nessa knelt down beside him, gently prying Kabu’s fingers off Milo’s wrist. “Hey, hey, it’s alright.” she assured him. As his breathing was laboured, he slowly released his grip but his eyes remained focused, searching both of their faces as if begging them to understand.
“I’m not gonna just put them away, Kabu,” Milo continued, his hand resting on his arm, “I can let them in to see that we are taking care of you but that’s it, you need rest.” fighting through the fog of the fever, his body visibly straining, Milo had at least gotten him to nod in approval of that. Fortunately. Though Nessa obviously wanted to disagree on that, she couldn’t bring herself to put in any final word, seeing just how much they meant to Kabu.
“I’ll make sure they’re gonna be alright,” the grass gym leader added, straightening up to stand. With that, Kabu pointed to a bag on the kitchen counter, the grass gym leader quickly retrieved the ultra balls and stepped out. Prepared to check on their needs, and knowing them, they likely were pacing about the place in anxiety. With him gone, Nessa returned to her friend, leaning in closer, “We know you love them but with the way your fever is going, I’m not sure they can even be around you.” she said softly, as she had her own doubts with bringing them all in.
As the doors were still, pretty much destroyed beyond repair, he calmly walked out onto the steps to find each one of Kabu’s Pokémon waiting anxiously. Their eyes were full of painful concern, and their movements restless. Ninetales and the others looked up at Milo with hopeful, worried expressions as they practically stormed him to find out what was going on with their beloved trainer.
“Hey there, everyone” Milo smiled bright, he could feel the weight of their worry in the air, trying to create some space between himself and them as he began to explain the current state of things, “You all must be pretty worried about Kabu.” he responded, petting Ninetales lightly on her head as the rest gave off responds in barks, chirps and soft growls. To which he had to chuckle as Ninetales began to lick his hand, “Alright alright, well I can assure you that we have everything under control with him.”
Practically over the moon with joy as they danced around, to which Arcanine himself put his paws upon Milo’s shoulders to lick him in gratitude. “Whoa, easy there, big guy!” Milo laughed, using all his strength to steady himself under the weight of the enthusiastic Arcanine. Once he finally managed to get Arcanine down, patting him on the head, he turned back to the rest, “And you’re free to see him now,” he said, pausing for a moment to let the excitement settle, ”under one condition though.” Instantly, the Pokémon fell silent, their eyes trained on Milo as they sat down patiently, eager to listen.
“Once you’ve seen him, you’ll have to stay a while in your balls though until he’s healthy.” he continued, his tone taking on a bit more serious turn, “We can’t afford him overheating a second time” He looked at them carefully, hoping they understood the gravity of the situation. The Pokémon were already exchanging glances, quietly communicating with one another. Centiskorch, usually one of the most stoic, let out a loud chirp, as it was also the one most affected by all this. It was clear, despite their worry, they trusted the two gym leaders more than anything and were willing to follow his orders if it meant helping Kabu recover.
Milo’s eyes lit up, relieved that they seemed to understand, “Great,” he completed, his voice soft as he had already turned back towards the front entrance, waving for the Pokémon to follow. But before heading inside, he paused and bent down to scoop up Torkoal, seeing as it had the disadvantage of being rather slow than the others. The Pokémon let out a puff of steam from its nostrils, as a small thank you gesture before settling into Milo’s arms.
“Guess who are here to see you!” Milo announced after reaching the living area, letting the Pokémon see their trainer for themselves. Kabu, who had been resting but still visibly struggling with the effects of his fever, heard the familiar voices of his Pokémon. And right as soon as they had gotten into his view, he managed to get enough strength to push his upper body up, Nessa having taken the cloth off his forehead for a moment as his smile grew at each one of them crying out in joy over seeing him well.
And while the two were unsure of whether or not to allow them to get close to him, they still complied as they couldn’t very well just step between them. Salazzle and Centiskorch especially had coiled themselves onto the couch, hugging Kabu in relief. While Ninetales simply settled at the foot of the couch, her fiery tails fanned out protectively as she gazed up at her trainer with warm eyes. Arcanine on the other hand, knew his limits with his joy, opting to instead gently nuzzle Kabu’s arm as he couldn’t very well just jump on top of the poor man as he would have liked. To both the gym leaders' surprise, they were acting rather relaxed towards the situation than they would have anticipated. Seeing them all together like that, they both smiled as Kabu reached out to pet each one of them, his movements slow but full of affection. “I missed you all too.” he murmured, his voice hoarse still but filled with joy.
Milo moved closer with the Torkoal still in his arms, letting out a puff of steam towards Kabu to get his attention, “Hey, I wouldn’t forget you” he chuckled, turning to pet his Torkoal while the others continued to crowd around him, careful not to overwhelm their trainer but clearly relieved to be by his side again.
As promised though, after just a few minutes of joyful reunion, each one of Kabu’s Pokémon understood that their visit had to be brief. So, one by one, they gently retreated. Ninetales being the first to bow her head and give Kabu one last affectionate look before returning to her Ultra ball. Arcanine, reluctant as ever, nuzzled Kabu’s arm for a long moment before following suit. Centiskorch, although not wanting to leave now so soon, let out a chirp. Though its long body moved slowly, it obediently returned to its ultraball after a reassuring nod from Kabu. His Torkoal, still nestled in Milo’s arms, gave a soft puff of steam before it retreated as well with Salazzle following close behind. The last one vanishing in a flash of light.
Kabu’s smile, though still present, faded slightly as he let out a tired sigh. He leaned back into the couch, looking visibly drained but relieved. He loved them all equally, yes, but even he had to admit that with them around the heat was unbearable, something that he would have never thought of as possible with the way he had practically grown resilient towards it. Without the overwhelming heat of his Pokémon around however, the air in the room felt cooler, and Kabu’s laboured breathing eased slightly with it.
“They’ll be waiting for you, you know. When you’re back on your feet.” Milo gave a soft smile, trying to lift his spirit. “That of course means they’re counting on you to get better, too,” Nessa added with a grin, her tone teasing but full of warmth as she settled back onto the couch.
Kabu, still pale and feverish, managed a small chuckle, though it was clear he was still struggling. Sitting upright was an accomplishment in itself, and the strain showed on his face. Nessa had already damped the cloth once more, wringing it out with care before leaning forward to place it on his forehead. To which Kabu then took it from her hand, pressing it against his throbbing head himself.
“Here,” Milo offered, holding out a clear bottle of water as hydration for him. Taking it from Milo’s hand, “Thank you,” he muttered, although rough but sincere. The coolness of the cloth seemed to offer him a brief moment of relief, so that he could close his eyes, leaning back into the couch as they decided to settle in for today. After all that happened. Nessa, carefully draped a blanket around Kabu’s shoulders, extra heat wasn’t exactly what he really needed but he took it without a word, as a sort of comfort.
While on that, Nessa got up, the destroyed hinges of the front door lying gravely on her second priority, so that she retrieved her rotom phone once more to call for a repairman. Milo, on the other hand, finally had time to prepare a few meals for all three of them. Placing Kabu’s ultraballs back into their bag on the counter and moving on. He had to admit, despite the man of fire always prioritising a well balanced meal and exercise, he had very little food stored up in the fridge. Then again, he hadn’t left the house in a few days so that would account for the lack of groceries. Nonetheless, Milo was determined to make the best out of it.
He got to work, chopping the few vegetables he could find up, heating up some water he had already put in a pot, and scanning the cupboards for anything that might help. Every few minutes, he paused to glance back at Kabu, who had opted to lie back down on the couch, curled up slightly on his side. Milo’s heart went out to him, sure he was resilient to most things, so Milo wholeheartedly believed that he’d be able to pull through a mini fever like this, too. He quickened his pace, wanting to get the meal ready as soon as possible. He could overhear Nessa in the hall, her voice firm but polite as she explained the door situation to someone on the phone. Soon afterwards, she had managed to at least get a date for tomorrow to have the doors fixed, they would have to board the entrance up in some way but she was sure that they could find a way out together.
Thinking about it, So far they've worked well enough together that they completely forgot about their earlier ordeal, Milo mostly. Perhaps it was because they’d each had bigger problems to worry about, or maybe it was simply Milo’s natural ability to appear so collected and calm in every situation. Still, as Nessa leaned there, arms crossed, watching him, she couldn’t fully shake her frustration.
“Milo,” she started, breaking the silence that had settled between them. Her tone wasn’t sharp like earlier, but there was still a trace of the unspoken argument lingering. Milo didn’t look up directly from his work, listening intently to her as he carried on with his cooking. “Do you really just see your job as a gym leader as fun?” she asked, her tone quieter than she intended.
“I sort of do, don’t I?” he chuckled fondly, “And you really don’t hold anything of winning.. Or losing” she asked once more, trying to get it right for herself. Milo simply nodded without thinking much, “But that doesn’t mean I don’t value my role. I love being a gym leader, and I love farming too. It’s just that those aren’t things that conflict with each other, if anything, they balance me out.” he turned to her, the bright smile making her flush red once more as she pouted.
He rubbed the back of his neck, “Suppose it’s the same with your modelling career–”
“Forget it,” Nessa broke it off just like that, shaking her head and leaving the argument at that. She knew she wasn’t the bigger person either to just walk off like that but rather how Milo could just stand there and not view his title with the same competitive intensity as she did. It bummed her to say the least, especially since he is supposed to be her sworn rival. Or was he? Now she was really losing her standpoint. “You’re something else, you know that?” she muttered, not having intended for her thoughts to be said out-loud that even Milo got wind of it at the last second.
Before either of them could dive deeper into the conversation, they were interrupted by a soft groan from the couch. Nessa held her hand out to Milo to signal to him that she would take care of it, turning immediately to Kabu, who had stirred slightly in his cut-short nap. His face clearly wasn’t improving either as he looked paler than a ghost, not to mention the sheer heat alone radiating off from his body.
“Easy there,” Nessa advised, sitting down beside him as he tried to lift himself up from the couch. Placing a hand on Kabu’s shoulder, she readjusted the blanket a bit, brushing a few damp strands of hair from his face away before letting her hand rest there, Grumbling slightly at the unrelenting fever that still caught him, as if it never wanted to let him go.
She kept him leaning up against herself, muttering hoarsely, caused by his obvious dizzy state as he was more exhausted than anything else, “You’re okay, I got you..” reassuring him in any way she could, despite it feeling kind of strange for those words to come out of her mouth. Kabu had attempted to sit up more but regretted it in an instant as his body betrayed him, slumping back onto Nessa, visibly shivering despite the intense warmth radiating from him.
Nessa smirked, “Relax..” to which he sarcastically groaned, lacking the strength to protest further. Just then though, his face suddenly contorted in discomfort as his hand instinctively went up to cover his mouth. “Who, whoa!” Nessa exclaimed, quickly moving to support him as she reached over to the now empty bowl and held it right in front of the gym leader before he lurched forward, puking everything out of his system once more.
She sighed in relief, just one wrong move and the whole couch would have ended up reeking of vomit. Nessa let her head lay back, rubbing Kabu’s shoulder up and down as she caught a glimpse of Milo giving her a thumbs up from the kitchen. To which she, surprisingly, smiled back.
She moved her hand up and down in an attempt to soothe him. Kabu on the other hand was a mess – drenched in sweat, his face pale, save for the spots of red heat from the fever, yet there was a slight relaxation in his posture, as if emptying his stomach had done him better.
“Guess you’re gonna be stuck with us for a bit longer,” Milo said, having neared the two to put a plate of banana slices on the coffee table, “these will help with the nausea” he added, his hands moving carefully as he set down a steaming cup of herbal tea on a coaster beside it.
Nessa looked up, catching the soft smile Milo gave them before he turned back toward the kitchen. No matter how bad things got, he always brought a sense of calm to the room that she couldn’t quite explain. Maybe that was his secret weapon at winning so nonchalantly. The man of fire still laid slumped against her, his breathing shallow but a little steadier now. His eyes fluttered open briefly, taking in what Milo had brought him.
“Try to eat a little, when you can,” she replied, brushing once more the damp strands of hair from his forehead away to put the damp cloth against it. Kabu didn’t quite respond, just gave a few small nods here and there, even though it was clear he didn’t have strength to do much else yet.
So, Nessa shifted on her spot, adjusting her position on the couch as she let Kabu continue to rest against her. Having turned on the Tv, one that Kabu rarely used, but didn’t say anything against watching whatever was on. The low hum of a program played in the background, though neither of them were really paying much attention to it. The Water gym leader kept her arm around Kabu’s shoulders, keeping him propped up as they sat together, his fevered body gradually cooling as the moments passed.
At first, she had been hesitant – this wasn’t exactly something she saw herself doing, being all nurturing and soft. But for Kabu she would make an exception at any hour of the day, and she really didn’t mind it much seeing as that she owed it to him as always having looked out for both her and Milo through the years. She even chuckled a bit as she recalled the many times Kabu had to save the two from wild pokémon, thinking they were up for the challenge and could just capture any one of them whenever they liked. Although, she pitied him a bit, having to put up for so long with both of them. Well, they didn’t call him the Man of fire for nothing. She couldn’t deny there was a certain comfort along in it, as strange as that was. Her heart softened a bit each time Kabu leaned into her, letting himself relax instead of fighting the exhaustion. At least one good sign from him, knowing how stubborn he could get.
“You doing okay?” she asked, her arm leaning on the arm rest. Kabu’s eyes opened slightly, giving off a weak but genuine smile, nodding.
As if on cue, Milo appeared from right behind the recliner, wiping his hands on a dish towel. HIs signature smile lighting up the room. “Dinner’s ready,” he announced warmly, “I figured after everything today, we could all use a proper meal.”
“How generous.” Nessa rolled her eyes jokingly, before returning to Kabu as he had sat up, taking the cloth off his forehead as he rubbed his eyes. “Think you’re up for it?” she asked, arching a brow playfully, either that or it would right back out again.
The fire gym leader nodded, “Yeah..” his voice was a bit stronger now, and with Nessa’s help, he began to stand up from the couch. She stayed close though, her arm around his waist to steady him as they made their way to the dining table. Milo had set it with great care and accounting for every detail, the simple meal of vegetables and soup arranged neatly. “It isn’t much but I hope you’ll enjoy it.” scratching his cheek awkwardly as he sat down on one side of the table.
Kabu though had to ease himself into the chair with a sigh, seeing as every little movement he made still caused his entire world to spin around him. Adjusting the blanket around his shoulders. It must be the fever still raging on, but he could care less for that now, after the whole day, the aroma of Milo’s cooking left him with a comforting warmth. Just what he needed, and for the two as well. Nessa however, had to retrieve a hair tie from her bag first, tying her hair up before joining her two friends at the table. “Looks amazing, Milo.” Kabu said, giving him a grateful smile as Nessa sat herself right next to him.
“You sure you’re feeling well enough though?” The grass gym leader looked over to him, a touch of concern still lingering in his eyes, “I’m sure of it, thank you, Milo.” Kabu reassured him, leaving the farmer boy beaming with glee. Digging into his own portion as the rest did as well.
For the first time since the initial shock of finding their beloved old friend passed out, the atmosphere felt lighter. Much better even. There was no urgency, no worry hanging over them. No fights. Just the simple act of sharing a meal together, after a long, exhausting day. As they ate, Nessa found herself stealing glances at Kabu every now and then. His colour had returned, and while he was still clearly recovering, the worst seemed to be over. She couldn’t help but feel a quiet sense of accomplishment.
Right after they each cleared their meals, the peace had settled in and they each began to talk to make the most of the evening. Laughing at jokes here and there. It would have all gone well and the night would have ended with no further complications, until Milo had started to bring up yesterday’s tournament to Kabu since he had been way too sick to even get out of bed.
He chuckled, resting his elbows on the table as he spoke fondly of yesterday with getting to meet each one of his fellow gym leaders and good friends again, “Bu then the chances looked very slim for Gordie, so much that nobody could have even thought he would make it” he spoke of the finale highly, with Kabu invested he could go on like this into the night. “When Bea came in with her Machamp, everyone had already concluded that she would win but no sir,” he waved his finger, “Gordie pulled through and won the tournament by a hair!” his eyes widening, as did Kabu’s.
He knew himself that Gordie had always had the potential, but to beat Bea like that in the finals. Especially against her Machamp. He would have to remember to congratulate the boy on it as soon as he was back on his feet. Kabu chuckled softly, his voice still weak but carrying a sense of pride.
Nessa had been quiet up until now, just opting to listen to them and not to intervene much. But as the two gym leaders continued, she couldn’t shake the feeling creeping back up from earlier – especially with Milo’s new found tone. “Yeah, you would know all about that, wouldn’t you?” she responded quietly, crossing her arms as she stared onto the table.
“Nessa, please..” getting wind of where exactly she was going with this again, caughting the subtle shift in her expression. Not being the only one to have a sharp eye for the slightest of details however, as Kabu himself grew concerned over what he must have missed.
“He left one thing out of it, Kabu,” she said, straightening up in her chair. Not hesitating either, for her pride wouldn’t stay silent any longer, “our fight.”
Kabu’s own attention wavered between the two of them, quickly catching the weight behind her words. As they stared each other down, mostly one-sided.
The man of fire slid in, “So.. would that mean you-?” but before he could finish his sentence, Nessa cut him off with a sharp, frustrated tone, “Of course I lost!” turning to him then back to the culprit, pointing a finger at him, “And this country boy doesn’t even pride himself in it!” Milo sighed, trying to keep his cool, “I told you before, I do take my role seriously.”
“No,” Nessa shot back, almost scoffing. “You said you respected me, that the battle was fun.” she shot back almost instantly, with a mix of sarcasm and irritation. Shooting back at him an incredulous look, “Do you have any idea how infuriating it is to fight tooth and nail in a battle, only to have your opponent look like it was just another day in the field for him?!”
“Nessa, I’m not boasting,” he replied, his voice still calm and wanting to keep it that, “I’ve worked hard to get where I am, just like you. I’m just different when it comes to victories or losses. It doesn’t define me, I don’t need to make a spectacle out of it.”
“Is that what this is about?” Kabu intervened, though he had already gotten a sense of what was eating who. Being met almost immediately by Nessa back as she exclaimed, “No!” quickly adding to it, “Well. not entirely.” her eyes flicking to the floor for a moment as if gathering her thoughts. “It’s not just that I lost. It’s that as soon as he defeated me, he suddenly he thinks he’s too good to give any interviews or even acknowledge his win”
Milo’s expression softened, “I didn’t think it was necessary. I mean, I didn’t even make it past Bea. It didn’t feel like a victory either way.”
Nessa threw her hands up, clearly exasperated as she clutched her head. “But that’s exactly the point, Milo! It doesn’t matter if you lost to Bea after. What matters is the battle between us! I gave it everything, and it felt like you didn’t register it for you. That’s what makes it so frustrating.” Kabu, who had been listening quietly along, finally got a chance to speak up as one thing didn’t sit with him about this matter. “Nessa, If I can ask, why exactly did the battle mean so much to you?” deciding to flip the conversation around a bit. That at least got her silent for a moment as she paused, taken aback by the question.
She considered her words, “Well.. because we are rivals and all. It was supposed to be more amped up for us and he took me out in one go.”
That got Milo’s signature smile to return, though it was tinged with curiosity. ““You see me as your rival?”
Nessa met his gaze firmly. “Obviously.”
Milo chuckled, “But I hardly see you the same way.”
Kabu’s eyes held a calm wisdom as he spoke, “You two are more alike than you realise. You’re both passionate – just in different ways.”
“One way or another,” he said, Nessa’s gaze being fixed on Kabu. And while she still was frustrated, his words made her pause. The way he continued, looking between her and Milo, was almost as if he was piecing together a puzzle she had been struggling on for far too long. “There’s no right way to handle the pressure of being a gym leader. Some of us thrive on intensity and want to go further. Others, like Milo, find balance.”
Nessa of course continued to stare at Kabu, considering his words. She still felt frustrated, sure, but hearing it from him, that even he had a different view on these things. It gave her a pause to overthink it for herself. Her arms now resting loosely on her lap.
“We don’t have to be the same to be great,” Kabu added, giving her a tired but fond smile. “We’re all different. That’s what makes us strong in our own ways.” The room fell into a reflective silence, the earlier tension completely giving away to a more serene atmosphere. The water gym leader sighed, leaning back in her chair. “I guess, I just don’t want to feel like I’m the only one constantly pressured to do best in her battles.”
The conversation, now having shifted, and to have been nothing more than a small misunderstanding between the two gym leaders, wanted to keep it at that and Nessa apologised the most towards Milo. They might have had their disagreements, but they were also united by their shared experiences and the mutual respect that grew from understanding one another’s strengths and challenges.
For the night, they just had decided to keep it simple and set up a sort of pillow and blanket haven on the living room floor. Even with Kabu’s persistent pushes to get them to return to their own homes, and through Nessa’s polite resistance against it, the three had instead come up with a compromise to sleep all in one room together, taking it as a sort of slumber party. As childish as it sounded.
Milo would sleep in his own clothes, but Nessa on the other hand, given that she was still dressed in her model outfit and that it wasn't really the most comfortable thing, had gotten from Kabu the permission to just use his old clothes. His pants were a bit too short for her but nothing that was much of a problem. Milo, counting himself lucky had managed to find some curtains, in the garage, large enough to cover one door, the left one luckily could still close but it was clear that this one would just give out in a few days top, while the other was completely ripped off, hopefully with the curtain it would at least last them through the night, for extra measure, Milo had also moved a large dresser in front of it. Surprisingly, Kabu had nothing against a slight furniture rearrangement.
For the rest of the night, they kept each other up practically past midnight, talking and overall just being there for one another, even if it grew sort of two-sided since Kabu had already passed out once more just two one hour in from exhaustion. They couldn’t blame him however, he would need sleep the most out of them. Milo had adjusted the light blanket on him as he stayed in his spot on the couch, the two taking extra caution to not wake him up through their childish banter as it grew later and later into the night. It was like they had never even argued hours before, and were now practically giggling and lying about like children. Until eventually, they both had passed out from exhaustion as well.
Over the next couple of days, things sailed much smoother. His fever had subsided drastically so that his Pokémon could finally join him again, and they sure made use of that to cuddle up tight with him. More than eager to be by their trainer’s side again, practically forming a warm, furry Pokémn pile around him at every second of the day. To which he could have cared less, other than finding comfort in their presence. Especially with Nessa and Milo being slightly concerned if that would affect his condition to spike up again or not. Luckily, it hadn’t.
Despite his improved condition, Nessa remained focused. Dedicating most of her free time to staying at Kabu’s home, keeping a watchful eye on him and ensuring he stuck to bed rest.
Milo, on the other hand, had to return to his hometown for a few hours each day to check on his own responsibilities. Despite the distance, he made it a point to manage everything from afar, ensuring that his gym and other obligations were running smoothly. Whenever he was in town, he had also taken on the task of grocery shopping for Kabu, stocking up on nutritious food he needed the most in his ill state, but of course other supplies he might need as well.
Others had started to call in too, in their little circle it was quite easy for things to speak around fast. And when the rest had gotten wind of Kabu’s condition, many of course wished him a speedy recovery both in form of simple text messages out to Milo and Nessa, although, with Melony she had even gone the extra length and sent a huge bouquet both of flower and sweets that she knew Kabu was very fond of. Even if he couldn’t stomach chocolate in his current state, he still appreciated it when it came from his good friend.
Opal was part of that little entourage as well, and had even gifted a scarf with a fiery design to, in her words, give him courage to get back on his feet as fast as possible. Needless to say he blushed quite a bit at both of those gifts and he’d make sure to thank them accordingly.
For the most part though, he enjoyed the peace he had gotten over the days. Far different than from what he was accustomed to in his surroundings but growing quickly to savour each moment he got off the quiet. Even more as he had to prepare himself for what state Leon would leave his gym in, after Nessa had explained that he was the one left in charge of it. And knowing the former champion, it surely couldn’t get worse than the last time he had left Leon in charge of tending to his league.
Nessa and Milo though made sure to not have him worry all too much about work, encouraging him to fully rest and take a break from his usual busy schedule. Not to mention that both had completely forgotten about what they were so caught up in these previous days too, mostly Nessa. Having moved past it to just focus on their old friend. The last conversation didn’t leave Kabu however, as he got back to thinking about it one day, to which he of course had an amazing idea to give. “How about this, a rematch for the both of you. But not in a stadium, we can try the wild area. Just us three without anyone around.”
The two gym leaders looked at one another, Milo was already on board with it though waited on how Nessa would feel about it. Yet, he knew her well, enough so that she only had to think about it once before a wide smile took shape on her face, the weight in her chest easing, “Let’s do it.” she gleamed.