Barry and Maylene ran into her half a street from the house, the latter wearing that one oversized jacket which made her look like a marshmallow.

"Greetings, Dawn." Maylene raised a hand at her and winked. She seemed energetic. "Got the text too?"

"Niss, you're white as snow!"

She raised an eyebrow. "Uh… yeah. That's just my face."

"No, I mean…" He pressed a hand against her cheek. The following shiver she felt had nothing to do with the cold. "Jeez, how long did you spend out there in the hail?"

"I'm fine," she said, cheeks reddening. "What's this about a visitor I heard about?"

"No idea," shrugged Maylene. "We were training back in the dojo when we got it. Let's go see."

Barry pretty much glued himself to her as they headed for the house, arms wrapped around hers like iron bars. Not like she wanted to complain, of course.

They saw Candice as soon as they entered through the door. She wore a decidedly different apron from last night's one and walked around the room with a mop on one hand, gripping it with the intensity of a warrior holding a spear. The look on her face was beyond sour. Almost as bad as that chilling expression she'd shown them on their first day here.

"That bad of a visitor, huh?" Maylene approached first, a nervous smile on her face. "You okay babe? Does someone need to be thrown out the window? Because I'm more than happy to…"

"That wouldn't be… a terrible idea, but no. Save your strength, dear." She flashed Maylene a quick smile, then faced them. "You two, come on. She's in the kitchen. Let's make this as quick and painless as possible, yes?"

Something in her expression told Inyssa that wasn't a question.

"I…" She gulped. "Sure, let's go."

Worry set in the pit of her stomach during the few seconds it took them to reach the kitchen, and Inyssa couldn't help but wonder who the hell could cause such a reaction in Candice. She didn't even treat her with such contempt. Cynthia was the first person that came to mind, but… No, that couldn't be. She'd been forbidden from interacting with the two of them, hadn't she? Mars came next, though she had absolutely no idea why she thought of that. A dry chuckle got caught in her throat. Yeah, that'd go well.

Maybe…

"Ah, there you two are. I was starting to feel… What's the expression here? Frozen by boredom? Oh yes, that's a nice one."

Inyssa had never drunk Fireblast Liquor, mostly because she valued the integrity and well-being of her taste buds, but she figured the burst of heat that spread from her belly outwards as she saw that woman couldn't be too far from said experience. At that moment, she must have looked like a Glameow with its fur standing up.

Selena Viper leaned back on her chair, one leg crossed over the other, and saluted both of them with her cup of tea as she took a sip.

"Ah… Aspear berry tea, simply can't be beaten during winter." She licked her lips and let out a dreamy sigh. "Mind joining me? I'm sure Candice wouldn't mind making a few more cups, w–"

Inyssa caught a glimpse of gold before Barry threw himself at Selena, rage exuding from every inch of him.

"Barry! N–!"

Both her and Maylene raised their hands to stop him, but it was Candice who got to him first. A grunt of pain and confusion left his lips as she grabbed onto his wrist with enough force to completely stop him on his track, the momentum of his body not enough to even throw her off balance. He looked over his shoulder, furious, then froze at the sight of her glare.

A moment passed in silence. The room felt a few degrees colder.

"Let's all calm down," said Candice with a tone so composed it was practically plain. "You wouldn't jump and attack someone out of nowhere, would you, Barry?"

He swallowed. "N-no, I…"

Another awkward pause, soon broken by the sound of Selena taking another sip of her tea and licking her lips.

"Don't feel bad, kid," said the woman, smiling. "You're not the first to react like that to my presence, and I really hope you're not the last either."

Inyssa was still too shocked to say anything, though luckily Barry wasn't. Candice let go of him only after giving him a look that she interpreted as 'Start shit in my house again and I'll turn you into a human popsicle'.

"What are you doing here!?" he snapped, shoulders tensed in anger. "And why'd you let her in, Candice? You know what she…!?"

"All I know is that she published a less than flattering article about Inyssa, one whose veracity is debatable at best," Candice cut him off. "Which would make her a journalist a dozen, nothing more."

"But…!"

"This is my house, Barry. I would appreciate it if you didn't lecture me on who I can or can't allow in here," she said scathingly.

Maylene placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure that's not what he meant, babe," she whispered to her. "Besides, we're Gym leaders. We're used to… people like her."

She'd clearly meant to say something else, though she caught herself at the last moment, to Selena's apparent disappointment. The woman took one last sip from the cup, then addressed them.

"Of course, I remember the piece I wrote for your coronation, Maylene. One of my best works, if I do say so myself." She raised a hand into the air, as though framing an invisible headline. "The tomboy apple doesn't fall far from the tomboy tree. Mary Avalon's legacy; tradition or just nepotism?"

"Yeah, it was a pretty good one," said Maylene. "Came in handy when I ran out of toilet paper."

"No such thing as bad publicity, or so they say. It is a nice surprise to see you here though, despite the rumors that led me to believe that'd be the case anyway."

Maylene narrowed her eyes. "…Rumors?"

"The dawn of the internet has made my job so much easier, if a bit more competitive. Still, nothing beats raw investigative power." She paid no mind to the girl as she talked, examining her sea foam green nails. "The Association's HR regulations, section D, subsection… 1.3 A, if I'm not mistaken…"

She cleared her throat and began to recite:

"League employees, regardless of rank or station, are not to form relationships beyond the amicable and/or strictly professional in order to avoid a conflict of interest and/or the hampering of their Association duties. This applies especially to Gym leaders, Elite Four members and the Champion. An exception may be made if the appropriate paperwork is filled, in which case the 'domestic partners' –as they will be known in the system– must attend a series of talks and interviews during which HR will determine if it is safe for the Association to grant them the benefit of mutual domesticity. Non-compliance with these regulations may and often will result in complete termination."

Inyssa and Barry couldn't help their jaw dropping. Selena spoke so fast and concisely that even she had trouble parsing most of what she'd just said, which meant Barry didn't have a chance at remembering a quarter of it.

Candice and Maylene got the gist of it, if the sour looks on their faces were any indication.

"I hope you're not accusing us of anything," said the former, expression completely blank. "And that was just some trivia you felt like spewing out for no reason."

Selena chuckled. "Of course not. I just wanted to give you two a… heads up, you could say. Anyone could present a formal complaint to the Association at any point, and none of us here would want anything to happen to two of the region's most respected Gym leaders, would we?"

"Bastard," Maylene muttered under her breath. "If you…"

Candice placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. To Inyssa, she looked by far the most terrifying of the two at the moment.

"I should be heading to work in twenty minutes or so," she said, forcing a smile on her lips. "If you have any business with Inyssa and Barry I'd recommend you get it over with before then. I wouldn't want to leave a stranger in my house when I'm not here. Nothing against you, of course."

The smile Selena shone back at her made Inyssa's skin crawl. There was something oddly… satisfied about it, as though she were enjoying immensely the back and forth Candice was providing her with.

This is all a game to her, she realized, furious. And Candice's the only one of us who knows how to play.

"Right. Wouldn't want to overstay my welcome." With a grunt she pushed herself up from her seat, stretching like a sleepy Meowth. "Ah, these winters always make me so sore. How are you finding Snowpoint? Inyssa, Barry?"

Barry opened his mouth to reply, his expression that of someone wanting to spit on the one in front of them, but Inyssa got ahead of him.

"We're busy," she said. "Please get to the point."

Selena pursed her lips. "Right. There's a simple reason I came here…" She dug into the inside of her coat with one hand, taking out a piece of paper. "A couple of aspiring trainers like you, I'm sure you've heard of our annual Ace trainer ranking, yes?"

They both startled at that, anger momentarily gone from their expressions. The trainer rankings… yes, of course Inyssa knew about them, she'd memorized them every year since the moment she'd learned to read. She'd even taken notes of some of them. One of her proudest moments –back when she frequented trainer fan forums– had been predicting young Flint's rise to the position of Elite Four even before he reached Victory Road.

Stolen story; please report.

"Yeah. 'course we know," said Barry, tone sour. "It's the top ten rookie trainers of the year, ranked by…" Suddenly his eyes went wide. "Wait…"

Inyssa felt a chill. "A-are we…!?"

"Look for yourself."

Selena handed the piece of paper and Barry ripped it from her hands as though it were the world's most tempting pancake. He and Inyssa locked shoulders, staring down at the results.

Annual Ace trainer Ranking – brought to you by Sword&Pen Daily

(Disclaimer: Each ranking position has been carefully calculated based on said trainer's win/loss ratio on official League matches as well as their contributions to the region as a whole during the course of their journey. As such, it is as objective as can be.)

Ranks:

1) "Azure Knight" – Riley Ordine

2) "Sinister Rouge" – Mikan Kondo

3) "Flame of Cinnabar" – Reiko Chabashira

4) "Yellow Hurricane" – Barry Paladino

5) "Child of Thorns" – Inyssa Dawn

6) "Monochrome Flash" – Marley Sawashiro

7) "Whirlwind Schemer" – Percy Morow

8) "The Wall" – Buck Oba

9) "White Magician" – Felix Grayson

10) "Windrunner" Cephandrius

Inyssa didn't know if the clump that had formed in her stomach was due to joy or sheer fucking indignation. On one hand, she'd always dreamed about being featured in the annual trainer ranking, but on the other…

"Fifth?" she muttered, voice thin. "I'm… fifth?"

"Wait… Why are you lower than me?" Barry looked up at Selena. "I thought… I mean she hasn't…"

"Your fight in Canalave was pretty famous," was her response. "And you won. What more proof do we need?"

Inyssa said nothing, lips pursed so tightly they turned pale. She was furious at herself. Not because of the rankings themselves, but because of the fact that she actually felt surprised at how low she'd been placed, as though it weren't incredibly obvious. Another thing she had rather not think about. Another truth she'd been running for.

Reiko and Mikan were obvious. Barry… She knew deep down that he was slightly stronger, but she was confident that she could find a way to beat him if push came to shove. And that Riley guy… she had no idea who he was. But as Shadi had told her once… There was always someone stronger.

"It is customary for me to visit every trainer in the ranking each year and get some words from them so I can later publish them in our paper. A little interview, if they're willing," said Selena. "You two are the last on my list, sans Percy and Reiko whom I haven't been able to contact."

But Inyssa was barely listening to her. She held the piece of paper so strongly she had started to wrinkle it.

"You should wipe that look off your face," Maylene. "You're on the Top 5 for Mew's sake! You'd think at least that would turn your frown upside down."

Candice nodded. "For two people who've been at this for less than a year, that's clearly above average. You should be proud."

Inyssa bit her lip. She wanted so badly to agree with them, to be happy that she'd reached such a milestone, but there was something heavy and uncomfortable setting at the pit of her stomach preventing her from doing that.

Selena folded her arms, a smug smile on her face. "Maybe our little Child of Thorns is coming to the realization that she's not what she's been painting herself as. A hard pill to swallow, I'm sure. But I'm always happy to provide people with those."

Barry turned sharply toward the woman, shoulders squared up and hands balled into fists. He looked just about ready to trample her.

"What the hell is your problem!?" The boom of his voice echoed off the walls. "What do you have against Niss!? She's never done anything to you!"

"Barry…"

"No, I hate all this pretending to act nice stuff! It's the same as lying!" He let out a Tsk, glancing at Candice. "We all hate her and she hates us. Why can't we just come out with that and stop screwing around? Why can't people just say what they mean ever!?"

Inyssa hung back, mouth agape. She couldn't remember the last time Barry had exploded like that. Everyone seemed to share her surprise, even Selena, whose eyes were as wide as those of a Hoothoot.

Candice was the first to speak. "Like I said, this is my house and I'd appreciate it if…"

"I'd rather leave and stay in the Pokemon Center if staying here means I have to act nice to people like her." He pointed at Selena unabashedly, brows forming a line over the bridge of his nose. "So if you wanna kick me out, feel free to."

That same chilling expression they'd seen twice before fell over Candice's face, but this time Barry held his gaze against hers, faint traces of gold gleaming behind his eyes. After a few seconds of tension so thick it could be cut with a knife, she blinked.

"You know very well I'm not going to do that," she said, looking away. "Selena, I'll have to agree with Barry. If you want the benefit of my politeness then you'll have to stop treating my guests like that. Otherwise, I'll be forced to ask you to leave."

Selena smiled and raised both hands in a 'I give up' gesture, letting out a sigh.

"I'll play nice. But before that, it wouldn't be right to ignore Barry's question." She looked at Inyssa. "What do I have against you? Technically nothing. You're an Ace trainer a dozen and you'd have safely flown under my radar if it weren't for all the platitudes you've been spewing from the moment you made yourself known to all of Sinnoh."

Inyssa frowned. Barry did the same, though the confusion on his face revealed that he had no idea what the word platitude meant.

"I've been called many things over the course of my career," said Selena, "but there's only one word I would ever use to describe myself, and that's patriotic."

Everyone's eyes went wide with shock at that.

"Don't believe me? I don't blame you; I'm confident in claiming that I've criticized Cynthia and the way she runs this region more than any other person on the planet, but that's because I care about Sinnoh and its people." Her expression grew dark as she frowned at Inyssa. "Cynthia is flawed, sure, but at least she's sure of herself and knows what to do in times of crisis. You're just a kid playing at being a grownup. I'm sorry, Inyssa, but nothing you've shown me has convinced me that you should be the next trainer to inherit the title of Champion. I treat you like this because I can't acknowledge you."

Barry opened his mouth to say something but Inyssa raised a hand and stopped him again. She didn't look away from Selena.

"You can quote me on everything I'm about to say."

"Niss…"

"It's fine. I know there's a lot of people in Sinnoh who hate the idea of me becoming Champion," she said. "And you're right that I don't really know what I'm doing. But I doubt Cynthia did either, back when she took the title."

Selena raised an eyebrow. "You're still comparing yourself to her?"

Inyssa took a deep breath. No, she was nothing like Cynthia, nor would she want to be. Why had it taken her so long to realize that?

"Someone told me recently that I should start facing the truth, even if it hurts. So I'll be the first to admit that whatever I say here won't hold much weight if I don't back it up with actions, which I fully intend to." She placed a hand on her belt full of Pokeballs. "A few days from now, Barry and I are going to challenge Candice and Maylene in a double battle. Do you think you could stay in Snowpoint until then, and stream the match?"

"I…" Selena seemed taken aback. "I suppose I could."

"Thanks. For those who doubt I'm good enough to become Champion, I'm not going to try to convince you with words, so…" She closed her hand into a fist and pressed it against her chest, smiling. "Just watch me."

All this time she'd been talking, Selena had been writing it down on a small notebook, but as she said that last part she looked up, and something like a devious smile formed on her lips. It seems she, too, liked a challenge.

"And for those who think I'm not mature or honest enough to succeed Cynthia…" She took a deep breath. Here it came. "I'd like to prove you wrong right here. I'm sure very few people are going to believe me, but that doesn't bother me. As long as even one person does, I'll be happy."

She closed her eyes, and by the time she opened them again their outline glowed with a golden sheen.

"I'm going to tell you all what Team Galactic's plan really is."

----------------------------------------

A few hours later, Candice tapped her knuckles against the blackboard of her classroom, instantly gathering her students' attention.

"That will be all for today," she said with a smile, trying to mask the exhaustion in her voice. "Remember to read the chapter on status conditions for tomorrow's test."

There was a cacophony of 'Yes Miss Candice!' along with other such affirmations and screams of joy that classes for the day had finally come to an end. Candice shared the sentiment, even if she wouldn't have said it out loud.

"Miss Candice!" Lucy, the girl sitting at the very front, raised her hand diligently. "I read what that Inyssa girl said in the news!"

"Yeah me too!" added Greg, grinning. "Is it true you'll fight her and that Barry guy!? And that Maylene will be there too?"

An air of excitement rose in the classroom and Candice found herself in a mix of appreciation and irritation.

"Now, how could you have possibly read that…" she said, folding her arms at them. "If the article was published after today's classes started? Unless you read it in your phone. Which, if I remember correctly, is something students are prohibited to bring with them."

Silence and panic fell over the classroom in a flash. Candice stared at her students with her best chilling expression, only for long enough for every one of them to look away. Then she smiled.

"Just don't let any of the other teachers catch you," she said. "And yes, Maylene and I will be facing them soon. You can all come watch, but only if you finish your homework for tomorrow. Understood?"

After another hail of screams and affirmations from her loving students, she led them out the door and closed it behind her, letting out a sigh of exhaustion so pronounced it felt as though she'd deflated. She walked back to her desk, letting herself fall on the chair behind it.

"This day cannot end soon enough," she whispered, face held in her hands. "This is one of those days I really wish I could sleep…"

A presence appeared behind her, and she felt the familiar sensation of a shimmer of pink light bathing her back. Her partner's voice filled the room.

"Again, I am sorry for that."

Candice leaned back and shrugged. "Not much we can do. Sometimes… sometimes I have one of those days, you know? But it's fine. I can handle it."

She let her back rest against the chair, eyes closed, and breathed in the stale air of the room which felt like it was clogging up her throat. Or maybe that was just anxiety.

It had been a long, irritating day. First she'd been called by the local authorities, reporting that Mindy Gibson was at it again with those everstone Haunter trades. Then the Pokemon Center had requested her help. Apparently some poor traveler had been found on the outskirts of town, passed out and wounded all over, a pale woman with red eyes, she'd been described as. So of course they needed her Audino's help, which meant no Heal Pulse for her that day.

And then… Selena. Anger and bitterness joined anxiety in the middle of her throat, forming an even bigger knot. Gods she hated that woman. And if her presence weren't enough, of course Inyssa had to make things more difficult by dropping what was possibly the biggest piece of bait for journalists all over Sinnoh. The news were all over already. This would surely cause problems.

How the hell did she even find out about that? she wondered. No one but Cynthia and a select few of us should know about Team Galactic's plans…

Or so was the case. Now everyone in Sinnoh knew, for better or for worse. All because of the stupid recklessness of a child wanting to prove herself.

"You're not much older than her, you know." Her partner's voice echoed in her mind. "Personally, I think she made the right choice. You humans always seem to keep secrets for the silliest reasons, as though you were allergic to the truth."

Candice bit back a retort. This wasn't the time to argue with her.

"You only come to me from the temple if you want to tell me something," she said, turning to the light. "What is it, Cresselia?"

The translucent shade of the legendary Pokemon showed a pair of worried, compassionate eyes she was well accustomed with. This was her secret. No one but Maylene and that horrid woman knew that she was bonded with such a powerful creature.

"She… has sent a message through my partner." There was pain in her voice, clear as glass. "One she wants delivered to you."

Candice grit her teeth. "Spit it out then."

"She's coming for us, once the moon is on her side. And she strongly suggests you decide what side you're on by then. She promises not to harm us…if you step aside and allow her to capture Inyssa."

Something not much unlike a chuckle left her lips. Of course. She should've expected a threat as crude and cold as that.

"So I either fight her and put in danger everything I love or I sacrifice a girl that, in all honesty, I don't even like that much." She shook her head. "That has to be the easiest decision in the world."

"And yet."

"And yet…" Candice placed her palms on the desk, pushing herself up with a sigh. "Maylene seems to be friends with her. If I do what Shadi tells me I doubt I'll ever be able to look her in the eye again."

"This isn't up for debate, in any case," said Cresselia. "You are simply not that kind of person."

Candice looked over her shoulder, smiling at her partner. "Yeah… And besides, we Gym leaders are supposed to act like teachers toward those who come challenge us. And a teacher always does her best to protect her students."

They shared a determined look, and though the projection of Cresselia couldn't move, she imagined her nodding.

"We fight, then."

"We fight," she confirmed. "Tell Shadi we'll be waiting for her."