To hopefully avoid any wrong impressions about the characters, I want to reiterate this: the lack of nicknames are due to me having a big cast. Trying to keep track of a bunch of nicknames could be difficult and confusing.

Outside of the Gothic Revival neighborhood that Valen, Rosa, and Hilda reside in, there's giant stretch of road that looks more like the countryside. A spacious, grassy battlefield occupies the location, surrounded by vibrant parks and winding dirt trails. The cool breeze is a conductor that directs the foliage to perform a synchronized dance.

Sometimes, one needs to surround themselves with the beauty of nature. That would be Valen's answer if asked. It's here where he's watching a battle between Rosa and Hilda with his Typhlosion. Also, gotta love how humans have been figuring out ways to accommodate battling since the days of the earliest civilizations.

Jacques and his Metagross are here too, but the latter seems surprised by Rosa's Eelektross using Flamethrower. It's been a while since the last time Metagross saw the move being utilized, but it must've been even longer that he thought. In any case, the surprised reaction is amusing to Melanie's Pyroar.

There's a Pokémon Center that looks more like a cathedral and a few businesses for travelers to pick up supplies and grab a bite to eat. A trip through here will lead you out of Angel City and into the lush plains that lie outside the Enchanted Woods. Fittingly, that tranquil but odd habitat is where a certain shy Ralts came from. Said Ralts eventually became the Gardevoir that takes care of him like she's a surrogate mother or a big sis. Melanie dubbed her a "pseudo-yandere" when she was a Kirlia.

He should've known that a forehead flick was coming. He gotta focus on the battle before the balls of fluff briefly pause it to bop him. What a horrifying mental image that is.

Hilda's Umbreon ducks to avoid another stream of swirling white flames. Eelektross keeps trying to land a hit, but Umbreon leaps and flips to avoid several more Flamethrower attacks.

Umbreon teases that Eelektross' attacks are weaker than her puns, but Eelektross jokes that Luxray watching with her would be a jolt for Umbreon.

"You won't get lucky again!" Rosa swings her right hand behind her shoulder. "Use Discharge!"

Vibrant, white static electricity flows in from Eelektross' mouth down to the tip of her tail. The electricity bursts into a large current that careens in all directions. Umbreon's enveloped by the electricity, causing her to shut her eyes and clench her teeth.

"Quick Attack!"

Umbreon charges in at a high velocity, a trail of white energy forming behind her. She slams herself into Eelektross, who wobbles for a few seconds.

It's not the most effective attack, but it'll buy her and her trainer just enough time for a stronger attack or two.

"Throat Chop!"

Umbreon's front paws glow purple and she jabs Eelektross twice. Eelektross shakes it off, her eyes catching a glimpse of Rosa's faint smirk.

"Crunch!"

Umbreon's eyes glow the color of her ring, a and a massive black jaw appears around Eelektross. The jaw chomps down and Eelektross stumbles down due to the pressure.

"You won't escape this time." Rosa winks a wags a finger. "Flamethrower."

This swirling stream of white flames singes Umbreon as she prepares for another attack. If that wasn't enough, white flames encircle her and the infliction commences.

Umbreon kneels halfway and grits her teeth. Seconds later, her prideful howl echoes like the cry of Noctowl at night.

"I love battling so much, Rosa!"

"Tee-hee, me too!"

Umbreon and Eelektross reaffirm their trainer's words with excited cries.

Things seem to be looking up, Valen thinks. The other day was rather rough, with both Rosa and him having serious doubts about the path ahead. It's not gone yet, but it's improving.

At least, it's improving for them. He doesn't want to risk making a blunder that hurts anyone, but should he do something about the self-doubt that Hilda may be going through.

"Aieeeeeeee, how'd she beat me?!"

"Cuz I'm Rooooosa!"

Oops, he got lost in his train of thought again. Chill out, everything's gonna be alright. They always pull themselves out of a rut.

Umbreon sighs, grateful that her handsome crush wasn't here to see this. She smiles when Eelektross helps her to stand up. They thank each other for a good battle, then their trainers recall them.

"Thanks for helping to distract me—I think I got too ambitious," she admits. "Lisia's coming over later to help re-evaluate."

"I can relate." Rosa sits down on the bench and rubs the back of her head. "Sometimes, I wonder if I'm too ambitious myself."

"You're more realistic than me, Rosa." Hilda sheepishly smiles. "I constantly have to bring myself back to reality."

"I don't know about that—can I even make it into the same ballpark as the Old Masters?"

Valen lets out a relaxed gasp as he sits next to Rosa. "I think that all three titans of the High Renaissance would praise your talents as a painter."

The bright bulbs in Rosa's eyes flicker on. Whenever she hears statements like this from him, it always carries a mixture of sincerity and affection that cloaks her in a warm blanket. The firmness in his voice emits authority like he's a veteran in the field.

"Michelangelo would be impressed by your ability to paint his sculptures. Leonardo would be amazed that his writings are being used as a guide five centuries later." There's her precious smile—she knows who's next. "And Raphael, the artist that first pulled you deep into the world of art?" He closes his eyes and rubs her head. "Heh, Raphael would leap at the chance to immortalize such a beautiful woman in portraiture."

Rosa blushes and playfully waves a hand. "Lovable idiot, we agreed that Titian should be the fourth titan." She leans in to kiss him on the laps. "Thank you, sweetie."

"Anytime," he affirms. "Titian would also jump at the chance to paint your portrait."

"Heeeeey, don't forget me!" Hilda bends forward so close that her chin touches his chin. "Do one for me too!"

Valen's eyes widen and he faintly yelps. He's able to regain his cool but he still needs to take a deep breath. That was a close one.

"This is the true story of Hilda White, the unorthodox but highly talented entrepreneur." Valen sounds like he's narrating a documentary. "A stunner with skills and spunk, she never gave up in her climb to the top."

"Hehe, I don't think you can make a documentary about either of us without your bias showing."

"Do I care?" He points towards the Team Skull logo on his gunmetal shirt. "I'm a bad boy, remember?"

Rosa's eyes sparkle as she clasps her hands. "Tee-hee, you're so cool!"

Melanie continue to remain quiet with Jacques, but they watch the trio be silly and wholesome with amused expressions. Their Pokémon discussing something about the trio or they're teasing each other. All she knows is that they're smiling and that's all she needs to know.

"I wanna battle more!" Hilda jumps with her palms folded next to her grin. "More more more more!"

"One thing at a time, silly Hilda!" Rosa giggles while wagging a finger. "You don't want to lose again!"

"Girl please, I let you win." She playfully winks. "You've been slacking off."

"Nooooooooo, you're just saltier than the ocean."

While Rosa and Hilda tease each other, a spark flickers inside of Valen's mind. He should go one step further with his magnanimity—it's the least he can do.

"Do you think they'll noticed if I sneak away to get them flowers?" Valen whispers to Melanie, Jacques, and the Pokémon. "A flower shop's not that far from here."

Melanie flicks his cheek and winks. "We'll cover for you, but check out your Typhlosion's answer."

Typhlosion's panting like a puppy…she wants a belly rub? It's been a while since she's wanted one, but she's a good girl. He kneels downs and gives Typhlosion her desired gesture of affection. Typhlosion waddles her legs around and tries to lick his face.

"You're a good girl." He kisses the top of Typhlosion's head. "A very good girl who deserves a bouncy ball."

Typhlosion may be ferociously prideful and bear her fangs in battle, but looks can be deceiving. She's still the little Cyndaquil he received from Professor Elm as a kid.

Melanie surprises him with a kiss to the back of the head, followed by a warm shoulder and back massage. She then jumps onto his back and slides her arms around his neck. "That was for being the sweetest guy ever," she whispers. "That noggin of yours is the world's most wholesome encyclopedia."

Right when Melanie lets go, Salamence pops out of his ball. He's got a big doofy grin, but…he does know he's a little too big for belly rubs…right?

Apparently not, because he rolls onto his back. An awkward silence befalls the area, minus the faint laughter of Rosa and Hilda. It doesn't take for Salamence to frantically wobble his legs and roars like he just made a fool of himself himself in front of his Milotic girlfriend. The flying puppy's face reddens when Pyroar, Typhlosion and Charizard start to crack up.

"When I daydreamed about a Salamence as a kid, belly rubs weren't a part of it." Valen shrugs with a loving smile. "But a good boy is a good boy."

Valen bends down and kisses the top of Salamence's head. The tri-colored dragon affectionately roars and nuzzles his head into Valen's chest. He bends down and strokes Salamence's white underside. The return of the grin suggests that being stuck isn't so bad after all.

"Such a good boy you are," he coos. "But are you a very good boy? Are you a very good big scary dragon?" he laughs. "Yes you are, you deserve the bouncy ball later today."

As expected, Salamence happily cries out. There's plenty of footage showing the silly dragon flying around in random directions upon seeing the ball.

Rosa exits the large bathroom on the second floor, disposing the gloves she wore on the way out. Her apron's taking a nap in the laundry basket. Two paintings have dried, and a third one was just finished.

The other day, she was doubting herself. That doubt lingered up to earlier today, but she was rocking it like a boss! It's sooo obvious that sunlight passing through the windows to illuminate her cute smile and gorgeous appearance! She trots up the staircase that leads to her studio, confident that Hilda's going to accept that she's the true Unovan queen. How'd she do it? Why'd she do it? Why is she so amazing? Cuz she's Roooooooooosa! Speaking of amazing, how about Portrait of Champion Rosalina Vervloet joining the other painting prints?

She's got to pass through Gengar's television room, but the good boy doesn't mind. In fact, he's watching Hilda and her high five each other with his grinning mouth hanging open. He's soooo cute!

"Twirl that brush, girl!" Hilda raises her fists up and down, her Umbreon trying to emulate with her paws. "Paint your way to victory!"

"Silly Hilda, I'm done for the time being!"

Hilda nods and wags a finger. "Oh no, you're never done."

Rosa sits down and crosses her legs. "And why not, hmmmmm?"

"Hehe!" Hilda tilts her head and places her fingers in front of her silly grin. "Because one day, your paintings will grace everywhere from Unova to Uttara Pushya through prints!"

"Tee-hee, good call!"

"Allow me to express my best wishes." Jacques bows. "One day, I hope to sculpt my own, original The Trainer."

"The marble speaks to you like the paint speaks to me!"

"That's correct."

Out of the corner of her eye, Melanie spots Valen trekking up the stairs with Gardevoir and Luxray. Rosa and Hilda already figured it out, or at least they suspected he was up to something generous. Upon seeing the two bouquets of red roses that he's holding, Rosa and Hilda shake their heads with affectionate smiles.

"Hi." Valen kisses their hands and hands them their red roses. "For you two."

Rosa and Hilda use Sweet Kiss on Valen and place their roses on a nearby desk. But there's one more.

Gardevoir hands Luxray the third bouquet of roses, which is contained in a box. She bows in encouragement and teleports away. Luxray gulps and begins to push the box towards Umbreon, who blushes and tucks her head in-between her front legs.

Umbreon takes a deep breath, then thanks Luxray with a kiss to the lips. She snuggles up to him and he kisses her forehead. Look at those silly humans gawking at them.

Rosa twirls to face Valen. "Bad booooooooy, look at my newest painting!" She yanks Valen's hand and pulls him closer. "I titled it Classical Romance!"

It seems that she painted this with the works of Jean-Jacques David, the leading Kalosian Neoclassicist painter, in mind. It's a rich, orderly composition with a touch of minimalism in it, a stark contrast to the extravagant decorative finish of the Rococo. The presentation is straightforward to convey a didactic scene.

A dashing young trainer kneels in front of his Gyarados with his eyes closed and the corners of his lips pointing north. He kisses the hand of a smitten princess, who waves her right hand in a playfully dismissive manner. The clothes consist of an elegant, flowing white gown and a exquisite blue waistcoat with a flower pattern near the opening exposing the vest. The Gyarados's gaze has locked onto a flritatously winking Milotic. The setting is a private, piazza-like space in front of a palace that proudly flaunts is simplified elegance.

"I even added a touch of Renaissance!" Rosa points toward a marble sculpture in the painting. "I'm especially proud of how this turned out!"

In between the palace and the lovebirds is Michelangelo's painfully gorgeous La Pietà di Yveltal, which was commissioned in 1499 and completed in 1500. Yveltal looks down at Xerneas with a pained gaze, the avian cradling the gazelle in his large wings. Xerneas' body is in a lying down pose with all four legs slumped backwards. There's a withered flower clenched in-between her teeth, and her face's contorted into an agonizing expression. The ground below the two figures is the desolate wasteland left by The Ultimate Weapon.

The marble marvel, the two main people, and the Salamence are joined together through an large imaginative triangle. The main light source is the sun itself, and the rays beam diagonally from right to left. This ensures the illumination of the main figures and the sculpture, the sunlight reflecting off of the latter.

"I included the sculpture in this painting because love's about the sad days too." Rosa rubs his right shoulder. "It was inspired by you."

"The beauty of art and love have been linked together in vibrant harmony." Valen wraps his arm around Rosa's waist and pulls her in. "That's my girl."

"Look at this one too!" Rosa points to Valen's right. "I woke up early to finish this one!"

"Ah, there's your take on Caravaggio's The Calling of Pokémon Battles," Valen remarks. "I was wondering what became of this."

One key difference is that instead of a dark tavern, Rosa's set this inside of the historic Opelucid Theatre, which dates back to the early 1700s. Like Caravaggio's work, the lighting is dim and dramatic, but there's no visible light source in this one. The main indicator of the setting lies behind the stern man pointing and his Luxray: Sculptures which prominently feature Reshiram and Zekrom.

The trainer being challenged sits at the other end of the table, and he's pointing to himself. He lifts up his musketeer hat, his furrowed brow an indicator immediate acceptance of this challenge. He's in the middle of standing up, revealing his ultramarine waistcoat. His Machamp makes eye contact with the hissing Luxray and cracks both sets of knuckles.

Two female trainers closest to Luxray's trainer lean forward and backwards respectively, exactly like the two guys in Caravaggio's work. Unlike her friend who's surprised by the man's boldness, the trainer leaning forward flutters her eyelids at the challenger, her gaze focused on the tan coat and waistcoat atop his vest. Two men in the back, one younger and one older, look on with amusement and disdain respectively.

"Soooooooooo, whatcha think?"

"Once again, that's my girl." He pats Rosa's read. ""It seems we got a bit of both suspense and romance here."

"Roar!" she twirls. "Good catch, Valey!"

"…Roar?"

"Roar!"

"Why roar?"

"Because roar!" She jumps onto his back. "Rosa's not to be questioned!" She ferociously bops him with her feet. "Grrrr, feel Rosa's power!"

"I'm so scared, help meeeee."

"Tee-hee, you're soooo funny!" Rosa jumps off. "Sooooooooooooooooo, do you think I should get prints made?"

"Definitely, these two are amazing."

Hilda's cell phone suddenly dings and she takes a look. Her smile vanishes for a brief movement, but Rosa and Valen catch it. A knowing glance is exchanged between them—is what they've been suspecting to be true?

"Lisia's here, I'll go let her in." Hilda exits the studio. "Don't worry, I'm okay."

Her Umbreon senses something's not right. That smile looks a little forced. The other Pokémon and humans seem to have sensed it too. She better go join her trainer.

Seeing how Umbreon's concerned, Luxray decides to go with her to let Lisia inside. The steps creak as Lisia makes her way upstairs, but Luxray notes that her usual energy seems to be absent. When she appears in sight, her smile's not as sunny as it normally is.

Lisia's faint smile vanishes as she looks at the others. "Have you noticed it?" She asks with a worried frown. "I'm getting concerned about her."

Upon seeing his worried expression, Gardevoir gives Valen a peck on the head. She then caresses his cheek.

"The project might be starting to take a toll on Hilda." Valen scratches the back of his neck. "If so, it's starting to leak out."

"Not just that, sweetie." Rosa crosses her arms. "Nowadays, she wants to follow more in her dad's footsteps more. You know, pro circuit and all that."

"She's headstrong. maybe a little too headstrong." Jacques looks out the studio's coupled windows. "A project this big may truly be too ambitious for her."

"Problem is that she'd rather keep it to herself than risk upsetting those around her." Melanie sighs and places her hands on her hips. "But at least she's trying to work on that."

Lisia looks back at the group, then slowly makes her way down the staircase. She's been absent for a reason, and it's not solely due to idol work.

A tense silence between Hilda and Lisia is ongoing in the dining room, but it's not due to each other. There are times when reality is so blunt that it leads to such a blanketing feeling.

Insufficient space for many of her ideas, excessive expenses could arise, difficulty in getting others to invest in it, and no luck with potential Frontier Brains. Ambition got the better of then with this project, but nobody can say they didn't try. At least this revelation came to light before they was deep into it.

Hilda's not looking at any of the sketches or written plans. She's intentionally averting her gaze and focusing on the antique dining table. She was so excited to show Val-Val the plan and rides that day…now look what happened. She knew this was a longshot, but it flopped before she could even make any serious progress.

"Why don't we shift it?" Lisia halfheartedly smiles. "We can call it Pokétopia Park, but we can put the most focus on creating this region's own Battle Frontier."

Lisia's words don't match the aura of uncertainly she's emitting, but Hilda's not mad at her. Lisia's smile can't hide her own dissatisfaction, plus there's a glimmer of concern in her eyes. She's not just a partner, she's a bestie.

"I guess no amusement park rides, huh?" Hilda rocks her legs back and forth. "So much for Eevee Rangers having rides."

"I'm sorry, but it'll make space even harder to find." Lisia rests her left hand on Hilda's right shoulder. "I wish it didn't come to this, but we have to adapt."

"…You don't know about the Battle Frontier either, do you?" Hilda sighs and slowly gets up. "It's fine, you don't have to hide it."

"…It's more doable but…I do have serious doubts." Lisia solemnly closes her eyes. "Even this narrowed down idea might not come to pass."

Hilda doesn't want to believe it, but Lisia's right. In hindsight, she should've thought about it beforehand. If only she had Lisia's expertise in giant projects. If only she stopped to ask why such a grand idea wouldn't be feasible.

"Why don't you take a break?"

"...Thanks."

Slowly, Hilda rises from her chair. She begins her logy walk into the living room, her mind so preoccupied that she fails to notice his gunmetal gray shirt peeking out from the hallway.

Lisia lowers her head, questioning if what she did was the right thing to do. That'd why didn't really say anything about the park these last couple of days, but hiding it was wrong too. She has to make this up to Hilda somehow.

She got her knack for big projects from Uncle Wallace, somebody she strives to emulate. With an estimated net worth of several hundred million, to say Uncle Wallace's got more than enough resources to pull it off is an understatement. She could ask him to take over this project but that wouldn't guarantee it. He's also a cautious individual when it comes to business and investment.

Maybe when Uncle Wallace returns from Kalos, she can show more of Rosa's paintings to him? He's a heavyweight in the art world and he was impressed by that portrait of her that Rosa painted.

…What about Valen? If he does go through with starting an EeveeTube channel on art and history, she can promote it to wider audience. She's come to learn about his written works that he might publish. Maybe she could promote those too.

…When should she tell Valen that Uncle Wallace has seen a few of his performances before? Uncle Wallace is Hoenn's Magnifico—he's their Niccolaio de' Medici. News like that might make Rosa and him nervous.

Speaking of Valen, he's peeking out from the hallway. She'd understand if he was mad, but there's not a trace of anger coming from. As his face comes into her direct line of sight, the gentleness and concern on his face becomes clearer.

Lisia takes a prolonged, deep breath. "You heard everything?"

"Yeah." Valen paces himself towards the walnut dining table. "I think you need to take a break too."

"Sorry, I—"

He rests a hand on her left shoulder. "Not your fault, I'll take care of it."

Lisia nods. "Thanks, Valen."

Instead of a reply, Valen surprises Lisia by wrapping his right arm around her upper back. The tension that was building up in her flees, and a relaxing current takes its place. Guess she came to trust him just as quickly—this sensation's making her feel like she's known him personally for longer.

"Feels nice." Lisia places her left arm around his neck. "I needed another one of these."

"It's also a token of my gratitude—thanks for sticking by Hilda's side."

"And this is my thanks for opening up to me so quickly. I'm glad that you came to trust me so soon."

After letting go of each other, they exchange a fist bump. Jacques and Melanie appear behind Valen, taking a seat to Lisia's left and right respectively. Rosa's already in the living room, rubbing Hilda's shoulders to soothe her mind.

Valen nods and makes his way towards the living room. Umbreon and Luxray have already entered the room, and they're nodding in acknowledgement. Rosa's standing out of Hilda's line of sight. He gestures for Rosa to approach first and Rosa faintly smiles for a brief moment.

Hilda's gaze has darted towards a painting gifted to her family in 1967. It's just been passed down to her a month ago, and she wanted it on display across from the living room's hallway entrance.

"…Sorry grandpa, I got carried away."

Painted by the last surviving member of the Unovan Realism movement at ninety seven years old, It stars her grandfather and, his Arcanine in front of the newly opened PokéStar Studios. It was an ambitious project…like hers…but he pulled it off. So…did she let grandpa down? Did she hurt an eighty eight year old man by being an utter failure? What about those who believed in her…such as mom…dad…Val-Val…Rosa?

Hilda slumps down on the sofa, her hands covering her face. Maybe she should save face and step away from the agency-no. She rubs her hands down to her chin and onto her lap.

This isn't her.

Hilda Odelle White's anything but a failure. She doesn't go down without a fight. There's a silver lining somewhere. She just needs to find it so she can return to being herself.

…Pokémon Musical…right, she's already shown off what she's capable of. The park and Battle Frontier may be out of reach but Pokémon Musical is thriving on a global scale. Hip-hop, salsa, ballroom, name the type of dance and her concept's got it.

"It's going to be okay, Hilda."

Rosa's rubbing her shoulders, while Luxray and Umbreon rub their bodies against her legs. She didn't see them come into the living room, that's not normal for her.

"Sorry." Hilda's voice cracks with emotion. "I should've told all of you about my increasing doubt sooner."

"Nobody's going to be mad at you, Hilda." Rosa wraps her arms around Hilda's neck. "We're proud of you because you still tried your best."

"Indeed we are."

The ring of his voice is her ears causes her to smile. It's not long before Hilda feels herself pulled into his loving embrace. She wraps her arms around his midsection.

"It might not work out the way you wanted it to, but it's far from over." He kisses the top of her head. "Use those amazing skills of yours to find a solution—we know you can do it."

"…Thank you." She whimpers, gripping his gunmetal black shirt. "I love you…so much."

"Right back at you." He kisses her on the lips. "Hilda, sweet Hilda, tell me what are you fretting for?~" His tone's sonorous and melodious. "Isn't life worth so much more?~"

"We'll always have each other." Hilda lovingly stares into his eyes. "It's not just pretend—we'll always win in the end."

Hilda's now a bit more grateful that this revelation came to light. She needed to return to reality and remember that not every plan will turn out the way you want it too. Focus on what you did right, not on what you did wrong. Instead, learn from what you did wrong so you can avoid the same mistake again.

Hilda pets Umbreon and Luxray, the former licking her hand and the latter purring. Typhlosion nuzzles her face into Hilda's midsection. Serperior follows suit. Gardevoir watches from the hallway with her arms folded. Her smile's that of a proud mother and she happily closes her eyes alongside Gengar, who's poking his face out from the ceiling.

"In hindsight, doubt was always lingering," Hilda admits with an embarrassed laugh. "But I felt that it was still worth a try."

"Nothing wrong with that," Valen reassures. "Like Rosa said, you tried your best." He moves closer to Hilda's right ear, whispering, "I'm proud of you."

"That'll always be a big win for me."

"You want a Battle Frontier regardless?" Rosa folds her hands on her lap. "Even if it's not you who makes it a reality?"

"Yep, I want my second home to have a Battle Frontier too."

"Listen, sometimes you have to step aside." Valen plays around with Hilda's dark brown hair and Rosa's long, brown ponytails. "Remember, you couldn't have moved the agency's main headquarters here on your own."

"You're right." Hilda sheepishly smiles and rubs the back of her head. "I had lots of help too…sometimes I still forget that by accident."

"We can still make that documentary on the exceptionally talented and beautiful Hilda White."

"I'm afraid you'll have to sit that one out, my beloved biased fanboy." She wags a finger. "I've got more experience in video making to begin with." Hehe, look at his fake pouty face. "Goofball."

"Heh, I can still-"

"Eureka!" Hilda startles Valen and Rosa into tumbling into each other the floor. "If we can't pull it off, we'll have to hand it over to somebody who can!" She jumps with her palms folded. "Musicals are still thriving too!"

Valen decides to chill while lying down on the rug, petting the good edgelord kitty. That purring has been a melody to him before he could even walk, before he could say "mama and papa." Luxray backs away for Typhlosion, who lies down next to him. This time, she does manage to lick his face while receiving belly rubs.

Rosa leaps back onto her feet, but then she kneels to kiss Valen on the lips. "You forgot to tell Hilda something, Valey."

Indeed he did. "That's my girl." To his delight, the response is a kiss of her own. "Being down in the dumps isn't your style."

"That's my Val-Val!" Hilda places her fists on her hips. "There's little that can keep me down—I'm the one who turn downer days into delightful days!"

In celebration of her positivity, Hilda pulls out her cell phone and gestures for Rosa to join her. Once she does, Luxray and Umbreon dash to join them. Rosa presses her back up against Hilda's back, whereas Umbreon and Luxray make Gardevoir cackle over their attempt to do the same. If that didn't make their faces red enough, Serperior's got them covered. The green serpentine bursts out laughing, commenting how absurd they look with their butts pressed together.

Hilda hits record. "Heeeeey, hope you're all having an awesome day!"

"Hiiii everybody, here's your daily motivation!" She winks and makes a peace sign. "It's about you, it's about me! It's about hope, it's about dreams!"

Hilda mimics Rosa's gestures. "It's about besties who stick together and achieve their destiny!" Hehe, Umbreon and Luxray accidentally smacked each other with their paws.

"You don't have to be perfect to reach for the sky!"

"Just keep having the courage to get up and try!"

"It's about never giving up, so flip that frown up!" They slide onto their knees like rock stars. "And you will carry on!" They spot Umbreon and Luxray trying to mimic, but they end up accidentally kissing each other. "Smiling's the victor, yeah yeah yeah yeah!"

Luxray and Umbreon run behind Valen, who still refuses to get up off the floor for some unknown reason. Instead, he's reading his copy of Kasmenestian Lives by Phaetarch.

"You're all so so so awesome!" Lisia leaps towards Hilda and exchanges a high five with her. "We're unbeatable!" Lisia rests her right hand on her hip and holds a peace sign horizontally above her forehead. "From the stairs and the ancient past-"

"They come to play but they never last!" Hilda and Rosa emulate Lisia's pose. "Yeah yeah yeah, we're unforgettable!"

Rosa and her would make Val-Val twirl with them, but they'll wait until he pauses his reading. She'll just high five Melanie twice instead.

Of course, it's still a bummer that it came to this. However, what good will dwelling do? She needs to be kind to herself. When somebody thinks negative, they continue the downward spiral. Positive reinforcement helps them to move forward. That's a big reason why Rosa and her love to give free smiles.

"Signorina, what's the status of your big decision about the BW Agency?"

Hilda looks at Jacques, stating, "That's still up in the air." She tilts her head and places her fingers in front of her grin. "But I've already cemented the legend of Hilda White in the entertainment world."

"That's the spirit," Melanie chimes in. "Keep on rocking."

"Hehe, can do."

There were times where she took an indefinite leave for her battling venture, but there'd be one major difference. This time, she's be stepping away from the BW Agency for good. This is one of the biggest decisions that she'll ever make. It'll require full certainty on her part before going forward.

But now that the main division is in Angel City, perhaps it's time to pass the torch to someone else. All of her hard work has more than paid off—the dream of getting talented people and Pokémon the attention they deserve will never die. A dream of a Calvanian Battle Frontier can still become a reality, even if she's got to watch from the sidelines. She'll try her best to never forget that.

"Now Hilda's the one forgetting something."

She laughs and bends down to kiss him. "Goofball can't get enough of us."

He's finally getting up from the floor, and the others are leaving the room. Well, not before Rosa and him exchange a few kisses of their own.

A cloak of serenity is wrapped around the living room. It's just her and her precious Val-Val now and she'll savor every millisecond of it. She wraps hers arms around him and tries to tackle him while kissing him. He stops her via wrapping his arms around his midsection. He quickly moves his hands up her back, leaving one there while using the other to stroke her hair. Her heartbeat and pulse race as their kissing becomes fiery, the air around them overwhelmed by endothermic passion.

"Is that all you got?" Hilda rests her forehead on his forehead, her coy gaze examining the gleam in his eyes. "Or are you making me work for it?"

"A gentleman never reveals all of his secrets."

"But Rosa and I are a dangerous combination." Hilda titters and her eyelids flutter. "Better check yourself before you wreck yourselves."

She comes to rest on his lap, but she brings him down onto the sofa via her awesome Seismic Toss attack. They resume kissing, but they're now leg wrestling too. Hehe, he's going to lose cuz she loves him more! Charm won't work on her, watch as she comes Fury Attack with Draining Kiss!

...On second thought, she's in the mood for prolonged kissing. Each steady, passionate motion of their lips is to be treasured, each stroke of her hair and his body is a symbol of his unconditional love for her. These attempts to pin each other's legs down are just one example of the silliness they enjoy together.

It's like time itself stops so they can live the moments without a care in the world. All she wants do is stay right here and bask in this warmth, and there's more of that surging up in her body. Rosa and her couldn't have asked for a better soulmate and they'll make sure he always remembers that.

A pleasant sunset and a pleasant surprise, Wes thinks. He went from never having a genuine group of friends to being told that Hilda was down in the dumps earlier. What's even more surprising than that? How about Hilda's ability to pull herself out of a downwards spiral? It has't even been two hours and she's back to sending strings of grin emojis with Rosa in the group chat.

He's also learned more about Valen and Rosa's own uncertainty regarding what they want to do, but they also sounded optimistic. He could use a gallon of optimism juice right about now, for he's still skeptical if Rui and him can, let alone will, get back together.

Or maybe it's not skepticism. Maybe it's just him being nervous. Whatever it is, Rui wanted to meet him near the Metagross-shaped building. He's not exactly across from it, but it's within his line of sight. She never specified where near the building, but Rui probably did that on purpose for some reason.

As for him, he couldn't ignore a challenger. His fervor for battling's heating up like a Sunny Day. That's why ended up in a public arena within a spacious plaza. That's why his Blaziken and his opponent's Hitmonchan have turned this battlefield into a boxing arena.

Slug after slug, hook after hook, the two exchange a flurry of punches covered in flames and electivity. In his mind, this match is already over.

"Use Sky Uppercut."

Blaziken's fists glow crimson red and it strikes Hitmonchan under the chin. The Hitmonchan' flung upwards, then he falls back down.

"Finish this with Flare Blitz."

"Flames swirl around Blaziken's arms. He uses a foot to leap up and a crimson phoenix envelops his body. He dives down like a plane landing, slamming his whole body into Hitmonchan. Hitmonchan goes flying behind his trainer and skips on the ground a couple of times. Blaziken slightly kneels over as flames spark around his body, but he lets out victory cry afterwards.

Wes smiles and exchanges a fist bump with Blaziken. He then recalls Blaziken, his ears picking up a certain somebody's boisterous laughter within the crowd. As he places the back in his trench coat, his opponent approaches him and offers a friendly handshake. He pauses at first, but then he accepts.

"It's ya girl!" Rui runs out of the pack with two peace signs held up near her eyes. "That was a sick battle!"

The orange-haired menace has arrived, her pink shirt boldly stating "'Nac Town Girl" on it. Once again, he'd like to know why she's wearing a Team Skull item, a necklace in this case.. Once again, he's too afraid to ask.

Rui's denim jacket rustles due to the wind, her eyes awkwardly meeting his eyes in what loosely resembles an attempted Old West staredown. It only lasts a few seconds before Rui howls over his puzzled expression.

Alas, Wes can't have even five minutes of peace and quiet. Whatever, time for business.

"Name a time and place." Wes' eyes narrow while his smirk grows. "Make sure there's a crowd to witness your defeat."

Rui's eyes light up and her smile extends towards her ears. She's been waiting for this—she wants to further jog his memory through this battle. They'll be together again soon enough and she can't wait!

"Backing down already?"

"Hahahahahaha, in your dreams!" Rui sticks her tongue out and makes two peace signs. "Don't forget that I was a stronger trainer than you when we first met!"

"Those days are over." Wes lowers his head and crosses his arms. "Long over."

"Prove it five days from now near the boardwalk." Rui tilts her head and cracks her knuckles. "Unless you're scared."

If Wes was scared of her, why has he snuck a whoopie cushion onto her seat one more than one occasion. Why'd he set up those traps that caused a bucket to cover her head? How about that pizza joint in Phenac City? Why was he trolling her during lunch, getting a laugh out of the guy in the black Team Skull jacket? Surely, she remembers that said guy, who introduced himself as Valen, enjoyed the antics?

He snaps back into focus via a jolt that surges up his left arm. Huh? Why did Rui grabs his right hand? Her smile's still smug, but now there's a sense of…gentleness? Affection? Bossiness? Something like that.

"I know a great pizza joint around here." She drags him along, amused by his confused expression. "Follow me."

"You're making me follow you," Wes retorts, unable to pull himself out of her grasp. "I don't have a choice."

"I'm not stupid," Rui fires back. "I know what I'm doing."

Wes cocks a brow. "Where's your proof?" A wild smirk appears. "Did you leave it at home?"

Rui rolls her eyes and tightens her grips Wes' hand. "That was an order, not a suggestion."

"Behold, Rui's suggestion!" Her elbow jab isn't very effective. "She still hasn't shown me any proof!"

"Still not letting go, Wes."

When there's no escaping the terror that is Rui, trolling is the next best thing. Slowly but surely, the fond memories are coming back to him. Their snark battles something that he truly missed.

Look at all of these people around him. Talking, laughing, holding hands, petting Pokémon, all of these little things that are precious to him. Perhaps reclaiming such moments with Rui isn't infinitesimal after all. It could be a bit difficult to readjust, but it's not impossible.

They pass a road sign that points in the direction of a giant shopping mall. Maybe he can take her there one day as thanks.

Thoughts on this chapter? Did you enjoy seeing the characters try to encourage and comfort each other? How about the belly rubs Typhlosion and Salamence wanted? Umbreon and Luxray's silly moment?

Jacques-Louis David was the leading painter of French Neoclassicism. Anita Brookner's bio on him is excellent and The Power of Art documentary series has one on him.

If you're into historical fiction, check out Oil and Marble and Raphael: Painter in Rome by Stephanie Storey