(Word count: 2,106)

Stella heard the doctor scribble on her clipboard as she read out the final word on the chart. She then said calmly, "Alright, I believe we're done here. I'll escort you back to the waiting room."

Stella nodded and pushed the device away from her eyes. She felt slightly disoriented after reading large words and letters for hours.

"Ma'am, my friend has been surgery since we got here," Stella started slowly, dreading the answer. "Have you heard anything...?"

The doctor sighed and told her sadly, "No, I'm sorry, dear. It's still happening as far as I know. It's a difficult surgery."

This did not make Stella feel any better. She did not wish to talk about the matter anymore, so she stood up and walked out the door that the doctor opened for her. Stella was led through the hallways, which seemed oddly quiet. They passed by a few nurses and other doctors, but all of them looked worried and talked to each other in whispers. Stella could only imagine what was being discussed.

"Here you go, dear," the doctor finally said as she opened the door to the waiting room. "Your family is over there. You can stay and wait to hear about your friend."

The moment the door was shut behind the doctor, an small scream echoed through the waiting room as someone flung themselves until Stella while crying, "SISTER!"

"Gosh, Raven, not so loud!" Stella winced as she put her hand on top of Raven's head. She could feel her shaking.

"Well what do you expect," someone said crossly. "You and Astro both gave us a scare! That man's still scaring us!"

Caramia was sitting in the corner of the waiting room, her arms folded as she watched Stella scornfully. A folder was on her lap, along with several papers.

"I'm fine, really," Stella assured them, helping Raven back over to Caramia and sitting down on one of the couches. "I guess you still haven't heard anything."

Caramia nor Raven said anything. Instead, Caramia pointed to the second door across the room. Stella looked over to see Poe, Blitzen, and Nyx gathered next to it. The three of them all looked petrified and nervous. The Fennekin was even in tears.

"They keep waiting for Astro to come out," Raven sniffed as she wiped her eyes. "Poor things...they already lost Kalliope, and then Blaze is in the Pokemon Center with a couple broken ribs too..."

"Kalliope's still missing?"

"Yeah," Caramia growled, her hand curling into a fist. "The police are still looking for them. The sheriff said that this is the fifth ambush in a month! He said we were lucky that they only took Kalliope, but it doesn't make it any easier!"

"He said that no one has ever found Team Flare's hideout, so rarely any stolen Pokemon are found," Stella's sister added sadly. "The worst is that the longer she's gone, the less likely she'll remember us. Apparently they brainwash all the Pokemon they capture, so if they are returned to their trainer, they won't remember them..."

Stella couldn't believe this. It was evil... attacking a trainer then stealing and brainwashing a Pokemon so it wouldn't remember it's past life.

"Why did they take Kalliope?" Stella then asked. "They only seemed interested in Blaze before Astro got hurt."

"It seems that they like powerful Pokemon," Caramia explained bitterly. "After Astro and Blaze were injured, Kalliope put up a heck of a fight. Since Blaze was injured and the rest didn't fight as hard as Kalliope, they changed targets and took her pokeball and returned her. Then they bolted. At least if they are caught, they'll be charged heavily, especially with attempted homicide..."

The girls stopped talking after this. The thought of Astro dying and Kalliope's disappearance was hanging over them like a thunder cloud. Stella didn't know how long they sat there, listening to the storm outside while Caramia continued to fill out paperwork, medical and police related.

Then the door finally opened, and a new doctor came out. Stella saw her frown sadly at the sight of Poe, Nyx, and Blitzen piled up near the door, asleep. The doctor closed the door and approached the three girls.

"Caramia, Raven, and Stella Knight, I presume?" She asked the three of them uncertainly.

"That's us," Caramia grumbled as she set aside the papers while Raven squeaked fearfully, "I-Is he ok?"

The doctor's frown broke into a small smile and told them quietly, "Mister Gomez will live, he made it through surgery."

Stella felt the pressure lift from her chest at the words. Her cousin sighed with relief, and Raven burst into joyful tears.

"All the rib bones on his right side were broken, to put it mildly," she continued on, looking through her papers. "A few of the shards punctured his lung, so that caused his shortness of breath. We screwed the ribs together, and we managed to repair his lung. But I'm afraid his rib cage will be very fragile after being shattered, and he will feel a sort of 'ghost pain' when walking. He won't be able to move the same way."

"So...what needs to be done?" Stella asked nervously.

"We can go over it another time, he will need to stay here for a few weeks at most. You may see him later on, he hasn't woken up yet."

As Caramia continued to speak for the three of them, Stella fell back in her chair and out her hands over her face. She was relieved that Astro was alright, but now she had to tell him his partner was gone.

~✨*⭐️*✨~

One week later...

Stella stared at the looming hospital as she stood outside the building. She was alone, she decided not to bring anyone else with her to visit Astro. She had visited him before, but only with everyone else. They weren't even fun visits. When Astro woke up from surgery, the three girls had to explain about Kalliope's disappearance.

To say that he took the loss of his Gardevoir hard was an understatement. He was devastated. Stella had never seen him so depressed. He rarely talked when anyone visited, and when he did, it was to ask if the police had found Kalliope. So far they have all been disappointed. No one had seen the four women, but the police were still looking.

Sighing, Stella walked through the hospital doors. It was still fairly quiet inside, just like the day they had first come in. She walked straight up to the check in counter and told the nurse behind it, "Hi, I'm Stella Knight, I came to visit Astro Gomez."

The nurse nodded and replied professionally, "Mister Gomez is most likely outside in the garden. He has been encouraged to walk around more. I believe you know the way."

"I can figure it out, thanks." Stella said a little cooly, moving back and going through the door to the right. Most nurses and doctors were use to seeing Stella around the hospital now, so nobody stopped her. She knew the way around the hospital fairly well too, since she spent so much time there. She knew roughly where the garden was.

She soon found the hallway with many windows and a glass door that led to the huge garden that was placed outside in the center of the building. Stella opened the door to instantly see Blitzen and Poe rolling around in the grass. They were both making loud cries of delight as they chased each other around. The Fennekin and Pancham both stopped after seeing Stella step through the doorway.

"Hello, Poe, Blitzen," Stella greeted them with a smile. "How are you both today?"

"Pancham!" Poe squeaked happily while Blitzen barked, "Fen!"

"Is Astro here?"

The two Pokemon nodded and began to run through the grass and beckoning Stella to follow. They dodged around bushes and small trees before they came across the largest tree in the garden. Underneath it sat Astro, playing his guitar. Nyx the Meowstic laid beside him sleepily while his crutches were on the other.

He looked up after hearing his two Pokemon give happy cries. He smiled and greeted, "I was wondering when you'd come, Princess."

"Yeah, sorry I didn't come earlier," Stella replied as she went to sit next to him.

She felt a stab of sympathy as she watched her friend. While his ribs were his main medical problem, he had other injuries. The second most serious was his broken right leg, which was now in a cast. He had bruises on his face and arms, and Stella could see the lump in his shirt from the brace covering his ribs.

"So, how are you doing today?" Stella asked him quietly.

Astro frowned slightly before answering, "As well as to be expected..."

Stella paused before continuing, "The police still haven't found Kalliope, but they aren't giving up."

She could see the great disappointment in his face. Astro turned his head away and whispered, "I see..."

"Don't give up, Astro. Kalliope is tough. She would never allow herself to become the Pokémon of anyone but you! She'll come back, or else the police will find her!"

Her friend turned to look at her again. Stella could see the pain and sadness in his eyes.

"I know she's strong," he told her seriously. "I've practically raised her since she was a baby. But that's why it's so hard. My Pokemon are the only family I have. They're like my own kids."

He then reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out two folded pieces of paper.

"You see these?" He asked, gesturing to the papers. "They are the only letters I've gotten all week. They're from my family's butler and maid. My parents have been informed of the ambush, and they haven't called or wrote. The butler and the maid did. They were literally the only people who cared for me growing up. When I left home, my Pokemon became my family. I love them, and they've never let me done. But I let Kalliope down... I let them take her when she needed me the most..."

Astro then let the papers fall to the ground and he covered his face with his hands. Stella noticed that his entire body was shaking now. Nyx looked up and mewed softly after seeing her trainer was upset.

Stella put her arm around his shoulder and told him seriously, "Astro, there was nothing you could do. Your rib cage was shattered, you couldn't have done anything. I know it's not any easier, but Kalliope knew the risks. And I'm sorry about your family... I can't imagine what it's like to not have your parents connected in your life...but we consider you family. You're like our older brother, and we care about what happens to you and your Pokémon. We will help in any way possible to bring Kalliope back home."

Astro did not speak right away, but after a minute she heard him say, "I'm going alone."

"What?"

"I'm going to look for her myself. You girls ain't coming. I don't want you hurt again...I can handle fractured ribs, but I don't want to see you hurt."

"Astro, we're not going to go along with that, especially when you're the one who's hurt!"

"Stella," Astro began, his voice becoming more pleading. "Did you know that Kalliope's family is on Route 15? The second route out of the city? Her tribe let me take her with me on my journey when I first went through Kalos. I promised to take her to see them after the gym battle. I feel like I should go back and tell them what happened, and I don't want you there."

It was clear that she couldn't persuade Astro to stay or let them come with him, but she could see his thinking. If Taika or one of her other Pokemon had been taken and their family was close by, she would probably want to see them alone too. To explain herself to them and why she had let her Pokémon get taken.

"I don't agree with this," Stella finally replied. "But I think I understand."

Astro seemed to relax as she said this. He looked up at her with a forced smile and whispered, "Thank you, Princess."

"When will you leave?" Stella asked with slight foreboding.

"Most likely when I can walk again, which will be a long while."

"Well let's make the best of it all together then, ok?"

Her friend smiled at her and told her, "I wouldn't have it any other way."