Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Midori was getting impatient with her humans. They had been gone for two days now, but they hadn’t returned home. For some reason, they’d left in a hurry in the middle of the night. And stranger still, they’d left all their Pokemon behind.
She snorted grumpily. How rude of them to forget her.

Midori had been sleeping soundly in the living room when Kieran and Julie suddenly rushed by. She’d fallen off of the couch on top of Ponpon in surprise. They were making quite the commotion running around like that in the middle of the night. Kieran counted the items by the door – two duffel bags and a backpack – then dashed back to the bedroom, swearing under his breath. Julie waited for him by the door, looking a little pale.

The little Applin chirruped at Julie in concern. The woman looked like she was in pain. Was she sick?
Julie waved weakly at her in response. Her voice was soft, but Midori could still understand her.

“I’m fine, we’ll be back soon, I promise.”

Then Kieran came rushing back with one last bag under his arm, and out the door they went.

At the time, Midori didn’t think much of the strange event. Wherever they were going, they’d come right back. They always did.

She’d gone right back to sleep, fully believing she’d wake up to the sounds of her people going about their day. It would be like just like any other morning, and life would go on as usual.

But morning came, and her people were nowhere to be found. The apartment was eerily silent apart from the anxious chatter of the other Pokemon. The elder members of Kieran and Julie’s party had huddled together in the living room. She found a cozy spot in Clover’s lap and did her best to understand their conversation.

Furret and Ponpon seemed the most agitated – the people they’d sworn to protect had left them behind. Something was wrong. What if something bad happened and they weren’t there to watch over them? They were beside themselves with worry.

Tama and Clover exchanged glances, but seemed relatively calm about the whole ordeal. Midori sensed that they knew more than they were letting on, but they weren’t keen to share their knowledge just yet.
The pair did their best to reassure the other Pokemon. There was a perfectly good explanation for all this, and they’d all know soon enough. They were sure of it.

Midori sighed, feeling even more confused.
She missed her people now more than ever.

But they weren’t alone for long.
A knock at the door announced the arrival of their first of three visitors.

Chapter Text

The tall smiley woman dropped by first to feed them breakfast. Nemona sure had a lot of energy, Midori thought as she munched on a mouthful of kibble. The woman dashed around the living room, straightening a pillow here and tidying up there. She was on a mission to make the apartment look as perfect as possible.

Midori was impressed; she’d never seen someone clean with such enthusiasm. She must have been looking forward to Kieran and Julie’s return, too.

“Are you excited about the baby, Dori?” asked Nemona. She’d sat down on the couch to catch her breath for a moment. “I know I am.”

Midori squeaked in confusion. What was a baby?

Nemona patted the little Applin affectionately. “You won’t have to wait much longer. I bet you’ll love her, too. Maybe you two will be best friends someday.”

That sounded nice, Midori thought. She liked the idea of a new friend.

Nemona clapped her hands in delight. “And maybe someday when both of you are all grown up, we can have a battle together! Won’t that be fun?”

Midori sank into her apple in fright. She remembered how fierce Nemona’s team was; Kieran’s team had barely managed to scrape out a win last time. Maybe she’d consider her offer once she reached level 100.

“Aw, don’t worry,” Nemona said cheerily. “I promise I’ll go easy on you.”

Midori whined. Somehow she didn’t believe that line one bit.

Once she was satisfied with her work, Nemona took them all on a walk in the Mezagoza’s central plaza. Grey clouds loomed overhead, but that did little to dull the cheerful woman’s spirits.

“We’ve got enough time to have some fun before it starts raining,” she said, eyeing her Rotomphone’s weather app. “Maybe it’ll finally get cold enough to snow.”

Nemona’s mind was on anything but the weather, though. She was waiting as patiently as she could for an update from Julie and Kieran. She’d cranked up her Rotomphone’s alert volume to max; she was determined to see that first picture of Himiko the minute it arrived in her inbox.

She checked her phone for the fifth time in five minutes. No new messages.

She sighed, tucking her phone away once more. Maybe it wouldn’t be much longer. Patience had never been her strong suit.

Nemona let her thoughts drift to the future as she waited in line for a crepe. What sort of person would Himiko be someday? She liked to think she’d inherit her parents’ best traits. Would she have Julie’s adventurous spirit, or would she have Kieran’s intense determination? And who would she look like more, her mother or her father? And most importantly, at least in Nemona’s mind, what Pokemon would Himiko choose as her first partner?

She laughed softly to herself. Maybe she was getting a little ahead of herself. She knew she should take Eri’s advice to live in the moment more seriously, but the future excited her so much. There was so much good to look forward to – she couldn’t help but bubble over with excitement. Compared to all the darkness that she and her friends had overcome in the past, the future looked especially bright.

A merry chime sounded from Nemona’s jacket pocket. This woke up the snoozing green Applin wrapped up in her scarf. Until now, Midori had only seen the woman move this fast when she was throwing a Pokeball. The Applin stretched herself up from her apple to see what all the commotion was about.

Midori tilted her head, trying to make sense of the picture on the Rotomphone’s screen. Whatever it was, it was lumpy, sort of pink, and wrapped up in blankets. It didn’t look too remarkable to her.

This was not the case for Nemona.

The woman let out a squeal of pure joy, startling the line of people in front of her. A nearby flock of Rookidee took flight in surprise.

“SHE’S HERE!” Nemona screamed in delight. “SHE’S FINALLY HERE!”

The rest of Kieran and Julie’s team watched on in confusion as Nemona danced around the square. She held Midori aloft as she spun in circles, much to the amusement of the snack cart patrons. Clearly this lady had something big to be excited about.

This was the worst day ever, Midori thought, growing dizzier by the second. The plaza spun around her in dizzying whirls. It was a good thing she was already green – she could at least pretend not to be nauseated by Nemona’s sudden celebrations.

Whatever this “baby” thing was, Midori was already over it.

**

The small woman with brightly colored hair arrived later to feed them lunch. Midori couldn’t help but notice Penny was distracted; her Rotomphone floated in front of her face the entire time she filled up their food bowls. Impressively, she hadn’t spilled a single kibble. Her multitasking abilities were truly something to behold.

Penny plopped down on the couch to scroll through her Rotomphone. Given the situation, she’d been glued to it even more than usual. But who could blame her? The euphoria she’d gotten from seeing Himiko’s first picture had been unlike anything she’d ever experienced. She needed more baby pictures, and she needed them now.

A snowflake icon appeared suddenly in the center of the phone screen. Penny rubbed her eyes, wondering if the all-nighter she’d pulled was getting to her. The last weather report hadn’t forecast any snowfall for at least another week.

She tapped the alert to read the full message.

“Snowfall expected in your area within the hour,” she read aloud. “Random, but alright.”

A calendar alert appeared onscreen next. She went to swipe it away but paused. For once, it wasn’t a work reminder. It was a personal one.

Operation Eurydice: One-Year Anniversary.

“I’ll be damned,” she said with a note of awe in her voice. “What a coincidence.”

Penny remembered vividly how the snow had begun to fall the night she’d made her promise to protect Julie. She’d sworn to Kieran that she’d give her all to protect her from greatest evil they knew: her father. She’d gone home that night and stayed up until sunrise putting together a plan that, in her mind, was utterly foolproof.

But Dean Castle had been no fool.

No Signal.

She flinched at the memory. That phrase still haunted her. She hadn’t banked on the hapless drunk she’d observed for months to smash his phone at the last second. He was many things, but stupid wasn’t one of them. Her dad’s favorite saying rung true in that moment: the best laid plans of Tandemaus and men often go awry.

Penny stared at the wedding portrait hanging on the living room wall. She thanked Arceus above that Kieran had decided to face that monster himself. He’d made short work of Dean’s team… at least until he revealed his ace. She thanked Arceus again that Julie had showed up in the nick of time to save Kieran from a violent end.

And getting to apprehend Dean with the help of her Sylveon? Well, Penny thought with a wry smile, that was just the Cheri Berry on top.

According to the Wyndon police blotters, Dean Castle was serving a life sentence in a maximum-security prison. Attempted murder on foreign soil was not a charge the authorities had taken lightly. The last time she’d checked, there was no chance of him getting parole. Needless to say, Dean wasn’t meeting his granddaughter any time soon.

“You’ve got some timing, kid,” Penny said with a smile. She’d have all sorts of fun stories to tell Himiko someday. That is, if Julie and Kieran would let her.

Penny decided she’d forego her plans to take the Pokemon on a walk. Besides, the cold weather was all the more reason to make herself cozy. She helped herself to a bag of chips from the pantry and got comfortable on the couch once more. She scrolled through her texts, hoping for another update from her favorite famous family.

“Nothing from Julie,” she muttered. “Oh well. She’s probably exhausted.” She scrolled through another text thread. “Nothing new from Kieran either.” Penny smiled to herself. “I guess Orpheus is on daddy duty.”

Penny opened her package tracking app next, wondering if she’d finally see the “Delivered!” message she’d been waiting so long for. Surely the bassinet she’d ordered last month would arrive any day now. The last time she’d checked, the stupid thing had been stuck in a warehouse in Levincia. If it arrived today, she’d even make sure it was assembled and ready by the time Kieran and Julie came home. If that wasn’t true friendship, she didn’t know what was.

A message appeared onscreen.
“Package out for delivery!” the update read. “Arrival time: Tomorrow by 8 PM.”

She groaned and put her head in her hands. Even the mighty Cassiopeia couldn’t bend the will of the postal service.

“You’ve GOT to be kidding me,” she grumbled. “I could walk from Levincia faster than that, even in the snow!”

Penny huffed and picked up the TV remote. This level of incompetence called for some serious stress relief. She flipped through the channels at incredible speed until she spotted a familiar, brightly colored face. Intel-Leon reruns would do nicely.

Midori made herself comfortable atop her human friend’s shoulder. Penny’s Eeveelutions played a little too rough for her liking, and she needed a break from the chaos. She nibbled on the chip Penny offered her appreciatively. She’d never have gotten to snack on one of these if Julie and Kieran were home. At least, not when they were looking.

Midori chewed thoughtfully as her mind wandered to the morning’s events. That strange word Nemona had said still lingered in her mind, not to mention her wild outburst. What was a baby, anyway? And why did it make people act so strangely?

She let her drowsy thoughts fade into sleep as she listened to the sounds of the television. All this thinking was making her tired.

**

The big man and his Mabosstiff arrived at dinnertime with boxes of delicious-smelling food. She recognized the take-out boxes right away – she’d enjoyed Arven’s cooking before, and she was eager to dig in. This meal would be way better than kibble.

Midori curled up in Arven’s lap and munched happily on a mix of roasted nuts and berries. The tasty treats were taking her mind off of the strange situation, at least for a little while.

Mabosstiff snuffled at Arven’s free hand. He wanted attention, too.
The man scratched his old companion’s ears affectionately. “Be patient, Boss. Let the lady finish eating.”
The old Pokemon lay down beside his friend with a huff. He supposed he could wait a few extra minutes.
Arven let his thoughts drift as he watched his friends’ Pokemon enjoy their meals. One particularly joyful thought came to his mind as he watched the tiny Applin enjoy her meal.

“I’m an uncle now,” he said to himself. “Can you believe it, Boss?”

Mabosstiff sighed. He could believe it, actually. This was the fifth time Arven had asked him this question today.

Arven was still wrapping his mind around this fact. Somehow he’d gone from being an orphan to an uncle in ten short years. Those long nights spent alone in the lighthouse felt like a lifetime ago. He didn’t find himself clinging to his memories of his mother and father anymore. He still had a picture of them in his living room, but their absence no longer haunted him. The anger he’d felt towards his parents had quelled into a quiet sort of sadness. Perhaps he could finally call it grief.

Sometimes he wondered what they’d think of him and the life he led now. He wondered if they’d be proud of him for following his dream of becoming a chef. He liked to think so. Maybe they’d love his colorful group of friends as much as he did. Maybe they’d like Giacomo’s offbeat sense of humor. And maybe, in some happier timeline, they’d come by and enjoy a meal with him during the week after a long day in the lab.

He cleared his throat, causing the Applin in his lap to look up at him curiously. No sense in crying over something that would never happen.

There was so much light in the life he led now. But sometimes, the grief cast a long shadow.

Arven rubbed his eyes with his free hand, and then went back to petting Mabosstiff.

No time to get distracted, he thought. I’ve got a name to pick out.

Uncle Arven had a nice ring to it. It was a classic, but it sounded a little too formal. He didn’t exactly have a lot of options, though. The thought of just being called Arven didn’t sit right with him, and plain ol’ Uncle made him sound like an old man. He scowled in frustration. This was harder than he thought.

Mabosstiff barked at him softly. He knew that look all too well. His friend would start grousing and grumbling any minute now.
“I’m not mad, I promise,” Arven mumbled. “I’m just thinking.”
Mabosstiff snorted. Yeah right.

Arven caught a glimpse of his reflection in the electric kettle on the counter. He winced. His expression was exaggerated in the warped reflection, but it was still quite fierce. That furrowed brow and frown would be enough to scare him, much less a little girl. He put his face in his hands and sighed.

Sometimes he wondered if people still saw him as this intimidating beast of a man. He’d come a long way from his angsty teenage years; he was practically a ray of sunshine now in comparison. But in all honesty, he sometimes looked less than approachable, especially after a long day in the kitchen. Giacomo had told him that he still had trouble determining if he was happy to see him when he got home from work. Perhaps he still had some work to do on his resting face, after all.

Maybe he just needed a cutesy name to help him bring out his softer side.

And then, the perfect name came to him.
He sat up in his chair, a smile forming.

Arvi. That was it.

It was simple enough for a little kid to say, and cute enough for him to tolerate hearing a million times a day. It was absolutely, positively perfect.

He fiddled with the golden wedding band on his right hand as he considered another important decision. It’d be only right for Himiko to call Giacomo something silly too, he thought. Like Gigi. He stifled a laugh. He’d earn an eye roll from his husband for that one, but it’d be worth it.

“Arvi and Gigi,” he said quietly, his smile broadening. “I like that.”

But what would he call Himiko? He scratched Mabosstiff’s chin as he considered his options. Nothing was coming to mind.

Arven tapped his Rotomphone’s screen to find some inspiration. He’d changed his lockscreen the moment Kieran had sent him the first photo of the baby. He didn’t think it was possible to love somebody he hadn’t met in person yet. But here he was, absolutely adoring a kid that wasn’t much bigger than the Applin in his lap.

“What do you think of Dumpling?” Arven wondered aloud. “Too silly?”
Mabosstiff snorted. Hard pass.
“Junior?”
The silence spoke volumes.
“That’s a no, then. Ok, uh…maybe Little Applin?”
Midori squeaked in protest. That was her nickname, and she didn’t feel like sharing it.
Arven laughed. “Alright, not that one. Back to the drawing board, then.”

A thought occurred to him. First names got passed down in families all the time, so why couldn’t nicknames? There was only one that he really liked, and it’d be only right to keep this one in the family.

He smiled to himself. “Little Buddy” sounded just right.

**

Another morning soon dawned, and another round of visits from the trio came and went. But Kieran and Julie still hadn’t come home. Midori was starting to wonder if “soon” would ever come.

The little Applin sunk low into her apple, feeling horribly overwhelmed. She had so many questions, and no one seemed to have the answers.
Why did they leave everyone behind? When would they come back? And why did they leave in the first place?

Midori felt herself being lifted off the living room floor. She peeked out from her apple to see Clover and Tama looking down at her worriedly. Clover cradled her gently in both paws, while Tama gently patted the back of her apple.

They reminded her so much of Julie and Kieran.
That thought alone was enough to make the poor Applin burst into tears.

Midori snuggled into Clover’s fur for comfort, as she did often when she felt afraid. The minty scent of the Meowscarada’s fur usually calmed her down, but tonight nothing was working.
Tama wrapped a big striped arm around the two of them, purring reassuringly. He wasn’t sure how to comfort them best, but he could at least provide some warmth. Midori chirped at him in thanks. He looked big and scary, but she knew the Incineroar was a big softie at heart.

Even with her friends around her, Midori still felt lonely without her humans around. It wasn’t the same here without them, and the emptiness she felt was growing by the minute.

All she knew is that she wanted her people back, and “soon” wasn’t coming fast enough.

And then, it arrived all at once.

Chapter Text

The sound of footsteps approaching the front door made the Pokemon pause. It was too early for Nemona to visit again, and Arven had left hours ago.

They looked at each other hopefully. Could it be?

Two voices could be heard conversing softly on the doorstep.

“You got it? I can get it if you need me to.”
“I promise I can open a door, Kiki. You hold the car seat, I’ve got this.”

The Pokemon waited in tense silence. The lock clicked, and the front door swung open with a creak. Two smiling faces greeted them.

“Hi everybody!” said Julie cheerfully. “We’re home!”
“Thanks for waiting up for us,” added Kieran. “Sorry we’re so late.”

A delighted cheer went up from their Pokemon. After two agonizing days, their people were finally home.

Furret was the first to dash from his perch on the couch towards his beloved trainer. He was also the first to be scooped up by Tama in one graceful motion.

Furret whined and wiggled impatiently in his friend’s grasp. He’d been waiting all day to see his trainer - why was he being held back now, of all times?

Tama snorted, tossing his head in the direction of the two humans. Furret took a second look at his humans, unsure what all the fuss was about. They looked the same as ever to him.

His ears wiggled as a realization dawned on him. They’d brought something back with them. Furret wasn’t exactly sure what it was, but it was certainly big.

Julie stepped through the doorway first, followed by Kieran. He was holding the handle of an oddly-shaped object. A pink blanket covered this new thing, shielding its contents from the cold winter winds.

Kieran grumbled as the car seat handle bumped the bruise on his hand. Julie had squeezed his hand with all her might in that last hour of labor. He’d sworn he heard something snap, but the nurse had reassured him nothing was broken. Right now, though, he was beginning to doubt that diagnosis.

He’d do it all again for Julie, though. And for Himiko – he wouldn’t have given up being there for her arrival for anything. A bruise was a small price to pay for that moment.

And, considering all that Julie had been through in the past two days, he didn’t have much to complain about. It’d be best for him to pop an ibuprofen and keep quiet.

Kieran shut the door behind him with a thump. He brushed the snow from atop the blanket. “Wowzers, I’m glad to be out of that mess. It’s snowin’ like crazy out there.”

“Me too,” agreed Julie. “It’s good to be home.”

“Definitely.” Kieran studied the crowd of Pokemon waiting patiently in the living room. “Should we get the introductions out of the way, or do you wanna rest first?”

“Let’s introduce her first,” said Julie. “I think they’ve waited long enough.”

Kieran carried the carseat into the living room and sat it down on the floor before their Pokemon. He sat down on the floor beside it, while Julie opted to ease herself into the recliner.

She sat down atop a pillow and sighed with relief. She’d never been more thankful for the cushiony chair in her whole life. It would be a welcome comfort in the late nights and early mornings to come.

The Pokemon crowded around the blanketed object, more curious than ever. Furret stepped forward first to sniff at it. He took several long sniffs of the blanket, trying his best to sort out what was beneath it.

He furrowed his brow. Surely his nose wasn’t lying to him, but the conclusion he’d reached was impossible. Whatever this thing was, it smelled like both of his people at once. He tilted his head in confusion. How was this possible?

Furret’s ears wiggled. Unless his ears were lying to him, this new thing in front of him was… breathing. And cooing. Like a…

His ears shot straight up as the answer came to him. Now he understood why they’d rushed off the other night - his humans had hatched an egg.

Or, well, whatever humans did, he reasoned. He hadn’t seen them with an egg, exactly, but that wasn’t the point.

He squeaked excitedly. He knew exactly what he had to do now.

Furret circled the car seat, and then settled down on the carpet. His long body formed a protective circle around the baby. Someone this important needed an experienced guardian like him to watch over them.

He sighed contentedly. He was already loving his new job.

Kieran scratched his old friend’s ears affectionately. “Good boy, Furret.”

Ponpon sat herself down in front of the object. She crossed her arms, deep in thought. There was something familiar about this strange contraption. But what?

A faint memory floated through her mind: a woven reed basket covered with a blanket, and a loud cry sounding from it.

The sound had surprised both her and Sergio on their walk through Kitakami one long-ago afternoon. The baby’s mother had apologized for frightening them, and had offered her a freshly picked apple as an apology. Ponpon had watched in wonder as the woman scooped up a tiny human from the basket and rocked him in her arms.

A soft sound came from beneath the blanket, bringing Ponpon back to the present moment. She swore it sounded like a sneeze.

Julie laughed. “Bless you!”
“I think she moved the blanket,” joked Kieran. “That was a big sneeze!”

Ponpon froze. The connection between the past and the present was suddenly crystal clear. So THAT was the reason they’d left so suddenly.

Kieran gestured for her to come closer. “Ponpon, do you want to see her?”

She nodded, and stepped forward curiously. She sat down beside of Kieran and faced the car seat. He lifted the pink blanket just enough for her to see who was beneath it.

A tiny little girl in a pink onesie was sleeping peacefully. She was a little smaller than the baby Ponpon had seen so long ago. She leaned forward to get a closer look. The little girl had the same nose and mouth as Julie, and what little hair she had was dark like Kieran’s. Her eyes were closed, so her eye color was a mystery for now.

In her opinion, this baby was much cuter than the other one had been.
But in all fairness, she was a little biased.

Clover and Tama snuggled together beside the recliner, purring loudly. They’d been waiting patiently to meet their trainer’s first child. The two of them knew firsthand all the joys of parenthood. To them, it felt like Kuro had hatched just yesterday. Now, under Julie’s care for the past year, he’d grown up to become a Torracat with a penchant for mischief.

Maybe time would pass a little slower for their trainers than it had for them. If not, they hoped they’d enjoy every minute of time they had with their little one.

Kieran put a hand atop the pink blanket and smiled. “Everybody, there’s someone we want you to meet.”

Before he could continue, a loud cry came from beneath the blanket.

Midori jumped in surprise and hid behind Clover. This new someone sounded very unhappy.

“You’re alright,” Kieran said softly, putting a hand beneath the blanket. “We’re home now, sweetheart.”
Julie held her arms out towards Kieran. “Let me hold her.”

The Pokemon watched in wonder as Kieran moved the blanket aside to reveal a tiny, wiggly human. The baby cried louder now, surprised by the sudden light of the living room. Kieran lifted her from the car seat and held her close.

“Goodness, what a fuss,” he commented. “That’s a lot of noise from such an itty bitty girl.”

Julie would argue that ‘itty bitty’ might not be the best way to describe an eight-pound baby. She chose instead to save her strength for the long night ahead.

She took her daughter into her arms and rocked her gently. “You’re safe, Himiko. Mama’s right here, and so is Papa. And look, all your Pokemon friends want to say hello too.”

The baby’s soft cries quieted into whines. The little girl hid her face in her mother’s chest. This big new world was more than a little overwhelming.

Now Midori had to see this “baby” for herself. She hopped atop the arm of the recliner to get a closer look.

Julie smiled at the little Applin. “You want to meet her, Midori?”

She squeaked in reply. She was as ready as she’d ever be.

Julie held the baby out towards the Pokemon. “Himiko, look, Midori wants to see you.”

Midori had never seen such a tiny human before. Himiko looked very different from Julie and Kieran, in her opinion. Her eyes were scrunched shut, for one, and her cheeks were far chubbier than theirs. But if she squinted, she could kind of see the resemblance.

Midori rose up from her apple to sniff the baby for herself. The baby smelled like Julie and Kieran mixed together somehow. She growled softly, confused at how this could be.

A thought occurred to her. She’d smelled something like this before – Clover and Tama had hatched an egg not long ago, and she’d noticed their kitten had smelled like both of them, too.

Ohhhh, she thought, realization dawning on her. So that was what a baby was: an egg, but for people.

Himiko whined softly and wiggled in her mother’s arms. Julie bounced her gently, shushing her to soothe her.
“It’s ok,” she cooed. “Midori won’t hurt you. She just wants to say hi.”

Midori nudged the baby’s onesie-clad hand, chirping softly. She’d comforted Kuro the same way when he cried at night as a kitten. Hopefully the gesture would comfort the baby as well. She didn’t want the little one to be scared of her.

Julie and Kieran watched as their little girl settled down into peaceful sleep once more. The little Applin snuggled up beside the baby, cozy and content.

An awestruck silence fell upon the room.

“I think Himiko made her first friend,” said Julie softly.

“What do you think, Midori?” asked Kieran, patting the tiny Pokemon. “Think the two of you will be friends?”

Midori sighed happily. That was an easy question.

Yes. She knew that, beyond a shadow of a doubt, she loved Himiko.
Babies weren’t so bad after all.

Chapter Text

Carmine began to wonder if she’d gotten her time zones mixed up again. She’d tried to call Kieran twice now with no answer. Usually he picked up on the second ring when she called. Today, both of her calls went to voicemail.

She checked the world clock app again. It was 2:30 in the afternoon in Paldea, so she’d done her math right. She frowned. It wasn’t like Kieran to ignore her calls.

Drayton sat down beside her at the kitchen table, a bowl of cereal in hand. “Still nothing?”

“Nope.” She took a sip of her tea. “I think he’s dead.”

Drayton laughed. “He probably feels like it. Remember our first night home with Ryuji?”

“Barely,” she admitted. “It’s all kind of a blur, honestly.”

Carmine glanced down at the baby in question. He was fast asleep, one tiny hand gripping a Dratini plushie. That first night seemed like yesterday and a lifetime ago all at once. Somehow that tiny baby they’d brought home in November had grown into the chubby-faced cherub in her arms. Time needed to slow down already.

She’d joked with Drayton about how unfair it was that Ryuji looked so much like him. He had the same platinum blond hair, the same golden eyes, and the same cheeky smile when he was up to something. At two months old, he couldn’t get into too much trouble yet, but she’d learned when he was preparing an especially loaded diaper for them. She let Drayton handle those.

But there were small traces of her in him. The tiny mole by his right eye matched hers, and she swore she saw a few strands of red hair amongst the wispy silver strands. Maybe he’d favor her more in time, but for now, he was Drayton in miniature.

But even if he didn’t, he looked just like the love of her life. That was fine by her.

Carmine’s Rotomphone lit up. The incoming call message read “Kiki Calling.”

“Finally,” Carmine grumbled. “About time he decided to answer the phone.”

“He probably just woke up, honey,” said Drayton. “Give him a break.”

“Eh, you’re right,” she admitted. “I’ll forgive him this time.”

She tapped the green phone icon to accept the call. She hoped her brother and sister-in-law weren’t too worse for the wear from their first night with Himiko.

Kieran’s face appeared onscreen. For a moment, Carmine was reminded of his reign of terror all those years ago. His hair was pulled up in a messy ponytail, and the dark circles under his eyes were quite noticeable. Thankfully, the sour attitude had been left in the past. Kieran was all smiles today.

“Hi, Sis! Hi Drayton!” he said brightly.

Kieran’s chipper demeanor surprised Carmine. Maybe the sleep-deprived delirium was kicking in.

“Hey, Kiki. How’d the first night go?”

He yawned before answering. “Oh, just fine. We’ve been takin’ turns looking after little miss here.” He reached out to tilt the Rotomphone down towards the sleeping baby in his arms. “She’s sleepin’ like a rock now, but there for a minute, we were wonderin’ if she’d ever settle down.”

Drayton sighed. “Been there, done that. That first night isn’t for the weak.”

Kieran laughed. “No kiddin’. I’m beat.”

“How’s Julie doin’?” Carmine asked.

“She’s doin’ good. She’s exhausted, for sure.” Kieran looked over his shoulder into their bedroom. “She’s restin’ now, thankfully. I just finished makin’ her some lunch, so when she wakes up she’ll have somethin’ ready to eat.” He yawned again. “Right now, I think I’ve got everythin’ under control.”

Carmine smiled. “You’re doin’ a good job, Kiki. I’m proud of you.”

He grinned wearily. “Thanks, Sis. I’m doin’ my best. You two doin’ ok?”

“As good as I can be with these two bozos around,” she teased.

“Hey,” Drayton pouted. “We’ve been on our best behavior.”

Ryuji grunted and wriggled in his mother’s arms. It was too early in the morning for this nonsense.

“See!” protested Drayton. “He agrees with me.”

“He would,” Carmine smirked, handing over the wiggly baby to his father. “You and your little twin, I swear.”

Drayton held up his son so their faces were side by side. “It’s a subtle resemblance, really.”

Carmine rolled her eyes. “Sure.”

A thought occurred to Drayton. “So Kieran, who do you think Himiko looks like more, you or Julie?”

Kieran studied his daughter’s face thoughtfully. “Hmm… honestly, I see Julie in her more than me. Same nose, same mouth, and the same happy personality.” He smiled at her fondly. “She’s absolutely perfect.”

He gently took off the tiny hat on Himiko’s head. Fluffy wisps of black and violet hair stood up every which way.

“I think all she got from me was my hair,” he joked. “Bless her heart.”

Himiko whined and wiggled in her papa’s arms. Something had changed, and her head was cold now. She didn’t that one bit.

“Gomen, gomen,” he apologized. “Papa’s sorry for takin’ your hat. I’m puttin’ it right back.”

“So you’re gonna teach her Kantonian, too?” Carmine asked, watching her brother ease the hat back onto his daughter’s head.

He nodded. “Yup. It’d be wrong not to, y’know? I wanna pass on what I know to her. And besides, I wanna make sure she can understand Grandma and Grandpa and the folks back home when we go visit.”

Carmine stopped herself before she said something she might regret. Their grandparents were getting older, and she wasn’t sure how many more years they’d have with them. She desperately wanted Ryuji and Himiko to grow up knowing their great-grandparents. Surely there would be many summers they’d all spend together in Kitakami ahead of them. But she knew in her heart of hearts that time was getting shorter each day.

“That’s a good idea,” she said quietly. “I need to work on that.”

Drayton put an arm around his wife’s shoulders. “You’re doing a good job too, y’know.”

“Yeah?” Carmine was confused. “How so?”

“I don’t understand a lot of Kantonian yet,” Drayton admitted, “But from what I do know, you’re teaching him good stuff. You tell him how much you love him and how cute he is all the time.”

Carmine smiled. “Yeah, I guess I do.”

Drayton grinned. “He’s gonna have plenty of self-esteem. With a cute face like that and a Mom that loves him, he can’t lose.”

She nudged him playfully. “And he’ll be so humble, too.”

“Exactly.” Drayton puffed out his chest. “Just like his Dad.”

Carmine shook her head. “Bozo.”

“Yep.” Drayton kissed her cheek. “I’m your bozo forever.”

She returned the kiss. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Am I interruptin’ somethin’?” teased Kieran. “I’m still here, y’know.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Carmine said with a wave of her hand. “I’ve sat through enough of you and Julie bein’ all mushy for years now. You can deal with five minutes of us flirtin’.”

Kieran scrunched his nose, grinning cheekily. “I dunno, Sis. I might hurl if y’all keep it up.”

Carmine stuck her tongue out at him. “Dork.”

Kieran returned the gesture. “Dummy.”

A familiar voice from off-screen took Kieran’s attention away from his sister.

“Are you two at it again already?”

Kieran laughed softly as Julie sat down beside him on the couch. “Yep, but she started it this time.”

“I did not,” pouted Carmine. “He’s pickin’ on me. Make him stop, Julie.”

“Yeah,” added Drayton. “He’s setting a bad example for Himiko.”

“I-I am not!” sputtered Kieran. “Julie, I promise I didn’t say anythin’ mean!”

“You called me a dummy, you dummy!” laughed Carmine. “Didja forget that already?”

“And now you did too, so we’re even,” Kieran smirked.

“Alright, that’s enough,” Julie sighed. She was beginning to wonder if giving Himiko a sibling someday would be a good idea. Her husband and sister-in-law’s antics were more than enough for her to deal with on a daily basis.

“Let the poor woman rest,” said Drayton. “She just woke up and we’re already driving her crazy.”

“Says the guy who called me a bad example,” grumbled Kieran. “I’m not a bad Papa, I promise.”

“I know you’re not.” Julie kissed his cheek. “He’s trying to get a rise out of you, just like old times.”

Drayton dipped his head to bow theatrically. “What can I say? I live to entertain.”

Ryuji grabbed at his father’s head, closing a chubby fist around a lock of silvery blond hair. Drayton yelped in pain.

“Ow-ow-ow-ow-owww,” he whined. “Leggo, man, that hurts!”

Ryuji giggled. His dad could be funny when he wanted to be.

Kieran tried his hardest not to laugh. “You’re right about one thing: you sure are entertainin’ me.”

“Happy to oblige,” muttered Drayton. He’d finally loosened his son’s grip on his hair enough to free himself. He’d lost a few strands in the struggle, but he’d made it out alive. Maybe he’d make it to his son’s first birthday without going bald.

“You doin’ ok, Julie?” asked Carmine. “I know you’ve got to be worn out.”

Julie took a moment to yawn. Every muscle in her body ached, and she wasn’t sure what day it was anymore. Part of her wondered if she was cut out for motherhood after all, and the other wanted nothing more than to sleep for a solid week straight.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Nothing a little rest won’t fix.”

“You sure?” Carmine remembered how hard those first few weeks had been for her. “Don’t sit there and pretend you are when you aren’t, Miss Hero. You know I’ll pick up anytime if you need me, ok?”

Julie nodded, smiling softly. She felt tears prickle in her eyes. Carmine really could see right through her façade of strength every time. “Ok. I really appreciate that.”

Drayton leaned into the frame, giving Kieran a serious look. “Same goes for me, too. If you need me, I’m here.”

Maybe it was the exhaustion running his emotions, but Kieran found himself fighting the urge to cry. “Thanks, man.”

Carmine glanced up at the clock on the kitchen wall. “I hate to say it, but we’ve gotta get goin’. Drayton’s gotta open up the gym, and the little guy needs his breakfast. You two be good, ok?”

“We will,” promised Julie. “You two take care.”

Kieran waved. “Bye y’all. Don’t go easy on the challengers today, Drayton.”

“I never do,” he smirked.

Carmine waved back. “See ya!”

The video call ended, and Kieran’s lock screen photo of Julie and Himiko reappeared on the Rotomphone’s screen.

Julie leaned against her husband, feeling the weariness sinking in. Kieran put an arm around her and kissed her temple.

“You hangin’ in there?” he asked quietly. Something about how Carmine had asked Julie if she was ok had made him worry.

She hesitated before answering. She couldn’t lie to him, not when she felt like this. She felt the tears well up in her eyes again.

“I’m scared.”

“Of what?”

“Of…not being good enough.”

“Julie-“

“I’m scared that I’m not going to be a good enough mother to her. I’m scared I’m not gonna be around enough when I go back to work and I have to travel for tournaments. I’m scared that she’s gonna resent me for being busy or that she’ll forget me…or-or I’ll…“

The dam broke. Julie sobbed into Kieran’s shoulder, letting the pent up emotions flow freely from her eyes.

Kieran knew exactly how that last sentence would have ended, and it made his stomach hurt. He held her close, careful not to squish Himiko too tightly between them.

“Julie, I promise you that you’re not anythin’ like him, and you never will be.”

She sniffled and squeezed his hand. “I hope not.”

“I know you aren’t. If you were, you wouldn’t be here right now wantin’ the best for her. You wouldn’t have been up all night lookin’ after her and lovin’ on her the way you did.” He’d sat up listening to Julie talking to Himiko, and knew for a fact how much she loved their daughter. There was no doubt in his mind that she was a great mother already.

“I know, b-but…-“

“But nothin’. You aren’t anythin’ like your father, Julie. You were both Champions, but that’s all you have in common. You’re not the kinda person who’d up and leave or come home all messed up like him. I know you’re not that person, and you know that, too. You told me when I was goin’ out of control back then, and I’d do the same for you now, I promise. But right here right now, I can assure you that you’ve got nothin’ to be afraid of. You ARE a good mama, and that’s the absolute truth.”

She rubbed her eyes. “Yeah, you’re right. I…I think I’m just a little overwhelmed right now. My thoughts are getting the better of me, that’s all.”

“I can tell.” He was quiet for a moment. “If they get bad again, tell me, ok?”

She nodded, and rested her head against his shoulder. “Ok.”

“I love you, Julie.”

“I love you too, Kiki.”

Himiko cooed softly. She looked up curiously at them, wondering what her Mama and Papa were up to.

“Hi, little love,” said Julie softly, stroking her daughter’s cheek. “We love you, too.”

Julie and Kieran knew there would be more sleepless nights and drowsy days ahead of them. But if it meant that their daughter could grow up in a home that was full of love and laughter, they were determined to power through. It was only right for two Champions to rise to the occasion and give this new challenge of parenthood their all.

They’d make it through this new chapter of their lives the same way they’d made it through all of the previous ones.

Together.