The harbor slept under silver light. Even the sea seemed to hush itself, lapping against the piers with gentle sighs. From the window of her apartment, Nessa could see the glow of the lighthouse reflected on the water, steady, patient, never flickering.
Her mind, however, refused such peace.
She stood barefoot by the counter, hair loose and damp from a shower, absently tracing droplets on her mug of herbal tea. The faint sound of the waves below filled the quiet, but her thoughts kept circling one thing, tomorrow.
Tomorrow, she'd face Niyah in an official League battle. Normally that would be routine. But this girl wasn't routine. Not by a mile.
The kid had raw instinct that rivaled veterans. She could feel the rhythm of a fight, adjust her Pokémon's tempo mid move, even push their typing to stretch beyond textbook limits. There was an untamed wildness in her approach, a chaos that somehow found elegance.
And then there was the power behind it. That strange energy that shimmered just beyond what was normal. Nessa didn't need Leon's warning to know the girl wasn't ordinary.
She'd already seen it.
Niyah could make waves boil when she fought. Literally.
Nessa smirked faintly at the thought, sipping her tea. "You really are something else, kid."
Her eyes drifted toward the closed door of the guest room, dark, quiet, the faintest sound of breathing within. Even after all her exasperation, she found herself checking on Niyah more nights than she'd admit. That girl could fall out of the sky and still land on her feet.
Still… she's just a kid. One with too many secrets, too much power, and too little rest.
Nessa exhaled, turning back to the window. "You'll be fine," she murmured softly, as if to the sleeping girl. "Just don't hold back on me."
Her Rotom phone buzzed suddenly, lighting up the counter with its blue glow.
Incoming Call: Raihan 🐉
Nessa blinked, then smiled tiredly. What are you doing calling me at this hour? she muttered, swiping to answer. "Raihan?"
The familiar grin appeared on her screen, half shadowed by the neon lights of Hammerlocke behind him. "Well, well, the great Nessa finally picks up. I was starting to think you blocked me."
"Tempting offer," she teased, leaning against the counter. "You're up late."
"So are you," he shot back. "Let me guess, pre-battle jitters?"
She rolled her eyes. "Please. I don't get jitters."
He chuckled. "You just brood dramatically by the window with tea at 11 PM. Very different."
Nessa laughed quietly. "Raihan…"
"Okay, okay," he said, raising a hand in mock surrender. "I actually called with good news."
"Oh? What kind of good news?"
He tilted the camera to show a gleaming object in his palm, the Shiny Stone catching light like a star. "Found this little beauty while raiding an old cave system near Route 8. Thought it might come in handy for someone."
Her eyes widened slightly. "You actually got one?"
"Of course. I'm amazing," he said with mock modesty. "Tell me it's for your little sister?"
Nessa blinked. "My what?"
"You heard me," Raihan said, grin widening. "Leon told me you've been taking care of some prodigy kid and training her yourself. Said you 'sounded like a proud older sister.' So I thought, hey, maybe it's for her."
Nessa sighed, half laughing. "Leon talks too much."
"Ah, so it's true!" Raihan crowed. "You do have a secret little sister! I'm so hurt you didn't tell me yourself."
"Right," she said dryly, folding her arms. "Because I definitely needed you gossiping across the region."
"Hey, it's only gossip if it's not true," he said smoothly. "So what's she like, huh? Got your attitude? Your hair? The same terrifying glare?"
Nessa couldn't help smiling. "She's got her own brand of chaos. Brave, clever, annoyingly independent. Keeps sneaking out of windows."
Raihan chuckled. "Sounds like someone else I know."
"Watch it," she warned, though her tone softened.
He laughed again, then leaned closer to the screen. "Anyway, I've already sent for a Corviknight. Overnight courier, should hit Hulbury by tomorrow morning."
Nessa blinked. "That… was fast?"
"Of course. What kind of friend do you take me for? Besides, I figured you'd want it in time for something important."
She smiled quietly. "You figured right."
"See? I do listen sometimes."
She raised an eyebrow. "Sometimes."
"Hey, don't ruin my reputation before our next double interview."
"Too late," she said, chuckling.
They fell into easy banter for a while, small talk about the weather across Galar, league rumors, half-serious competition over whose fanbase was more unhinged. Underneath it all was that same undercurrent, comfortable, teasing, something that felt like the tide's pull: steady and inevitable.
Eventually Raihan leaned back in his chair, grinning softly. "You'll crush it tomorrow, you know."
Nessa tilted her head. "You really think I'll win?"
"I think you'll do what you always do, make the match beautiful." His tone was suddenly softer, more genuine. "Doesn't matter if you win or lose. The kid's learning from the best."
She looked away, hiding a small smile. "You're getting sentimental."
He shrugged. "It's late. Don't tell anyone."
"Your secret's safe," she said quietly. "And… thanks. For the stone. And the call."
He winked. "Anything for my favorite water goddess."
"Good night, Raihan."
"Night, Nessa. Try not to drown your opponent too hard."
"Can't make any promises," she murmured as the call ended.
—
The room fell silent again, save for the faint hum of the sea. Nessa set her phone down, watching the reflection of the moon ripple in her teacup.
Tomorrow, it would all come together, Niyah's fierce spirit and the test she herself needed as a Gym Leader.
She finished her tea, turned off the lights, and let the sound of waves guide her to sleep, steady, sure, and waiting for dawn.