It was mostly quiet within the school's auditorium, despite it being packed to the brim. Students and parents sat together, while teachers and faculty members stood in a neat line behind the podium, and behind the person speaking through its microphone. She was one of the students too, though the ornate golden sash tied diagonally across her uniform set her apart from her classmates below, as well as the firmness and eloquence of her speech despite her young age. She couldn't have been older than fourteen.

"…an honor to receive this recommendation in spite of my young age, yet there is an even greater honor in having partaken in the kind of education that would lead someone like me to…"

Though her cadence was nothing short of perfect, those who cared to listen would realize that there was no emotion, no earnestness behind her words. She spoke well, but mechanically. It didn't sound as though she believed a single word she was saying.

"…an institution that has stood for many years, producing ever finer crops of students and human beings…"

It was a show of sorts. A final check dressed as ceremony. Shadi didn't believe a single word she was saying, and why would she when they weren't her own words? Though her voice stayed firm and professional, deep down she couldn't think why this was necessary. She despised speaking words that were not her own. And even more so when it was clear not a single person around her cared for said words.

Her eyes moved through the room full of people as she spoke. Most of the students couldn't have cared less, and those in her class especially looked about as disinterested as comatose Slaking, some even going as far as audibly yawning whenever she looked at them. Their parents disguised it better, but they were much the same. Why should they care about a child's accomplishment that was not their own?

Only a single girl her age in the front rows seemed to be paying attention. Or at least trying. Shadi knew well that the script they'd prepared for her was truly horrid, but she appreciated the attempt nonetheless. As her gaze fell on Reina, her only friend, she shot her a quirk smile which the girl returned shyly.

The faculty members behind her weren't nearly as enthusiastic. Maybe one or two of her teachers had been genuine in their pride toward her, but most of them only cared about her accomplishments as far as it would help the institution's image. After all, it had been some time since a student had earned perfect grades on all her subjects three years in a row… or so the official record claimed. In actuality, she'd been allowed to skip P.E. because that was the one subject she couldn't study for. Even so, it was clear Shadi was a prodigy, academically at least.

Too bad that had only ever benefited people that weren't her. Even despite her grades, she'd been denied the option to skip the last year of middle school and enroll straight into the trainer high school of her choosing. It seemed they wanted to milk her success for as long as they possibly could.

"…will of course forever be thankful… for the incredible institute that has molded me into the student I am today…"

Enrolling here had been a stupid idea, something she still chided her younger self for. She could've easily chosen one of Twinleaf's respected institutions. But no, she'd been too cocky. Nothing less than the biggest and most opulent of stages would do for her stellar performance, and that of course had to be Sinnoh's number one academy for proper young girls, located in the middle of Jubilife's richest district. The jewel of the crown that was the city.

Right. A jewel of sneer and disdain atop a crown of gray concrete. This place was filled with nothing but filth painted a nice bright gold. Two thirds of the students had been sent here because their rich parents had deemed them to be 'troublesome', a term so wide it could mean anything from 'My child is an actual sociopath and we want her as far away from us as possible' to 'We saw our daughter kiss another girl so we decided to throw money at the problem until they beat it out of her'.

Shadi was in the other one third, the group that had come here of their own accord, in hopes that the institution's pedigree would mean a higher degree of education for their age. Unfortunately, that was not the case. The school's curriculum was the same as every other in the region, the only difference was that the building was bigger, the students were all haughty and arrogant, the tuition was higher and the faculty was much, much stricter. They didn't care about their education. All they cared about was padding their students' grades until they were higher than those of every other school in Sinnoh, through any methods necessary.

And of course, that meant the other two thirds saw them as easy picking. Well, all except Shadi, of course. Her classmates had learned quickly that trying to openly belittle her didn't work, as she was much better at stabbing into people's insecurities than they could ever hope to be. And after the first beating, she'd learned to time her leave from the classroom so that she could be in the bus back home before her classmates could find her. That only left gossiping and talking behind her back, which she could not have possibly cared less about.

She felt… well, not pity, more… disgust toward them. But not an active, furious disgust. More like the kind she felt when walking next to a Grimer or a Muk, the kind that made her scrunch up her nose and want to get away as fast as possible. It was a practical, dispassionate disgust. She didn't hate them, of course not. Even if sometimes her face got red and her hands balled into fists and her heart started beating almost out of her chest with irritation… but no, she didn't hate them. She couldn't. Because if she did, that meant that she cared about them, and that couldn't be farther away from the truth.

"…and it is as such, that today I accept this commendation and pledge myself to continue my academic success for the following year as well. And I hope all my wonderful classmates can embark on this journey alongside me. Thank you."

For a couple seconds after the end of her speech, there were sneers and derisive laughs, especially from the girls in her class, but then the rest of the distracted audience seemed to realize it was over, and they started clapping. It was only loud because of how many people were in the auditorium. Other than that, the sound was drab and disinterested.

Shadi lowered the piece of paper toward the small podium, and hung her head, eyes disappearing into the shadow of her hair. Deep breath. She was okay. She wasn't angry or upset; these people didn't deserve that reaction out of her. Just had to… stop applying so much pressure on the paper and let it go. There were creases already from her firm grip. She had to… let go.

It made her retch with disgust, but in that moment of weakness, Shadi's downcast gaze moved toward one the chairs in the front, not too far from where she was standing. It was the chair next to the one assigned to hers, the one where Johanna would have been sitting, as her parent and legal guardian.

It was empty. Shadi swallowed, and took in another deep breath, trying to calm herself.

Then, a second after, she raised her head and gave the audience a wide, dead smile, and followed it with a bow.

The school's literature teacher walked toward her, still clapping, and gave her a quick congratulations, though her smile was as artificial as ever. She dismissed her with a nod, and Shadi walked back toward her spot, standing firmly in between the dean and the headmistress, while her teacher began to speak on the microphone.

"That was wonderfully spoken, Shadi."

Fuck me.

Shadi pursed her lips for a moment, then shone the headmistress next to her a quick, polite smile.

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"Thank you."

"Though I can't help but think you could have put a smidgen more… energy and emotion into it," the tall, haughty woman said. "We wouldn't want to misrepresent the institute, now would we?"

Shadi's veins were on fire. The lines of her smile faltered for just an instant.

"I… simply did as I was told, and read the words I was given," she said, some bitterness falling into her voice. "I don't see what more this school could want of me."

The headmistress' face darkened. Shadi cursed herself internally.

"…Mind your words, young lady." A nasty expression rose to the woman's face. "Do not forget your manners, nor the opportunities this institute has given you."

It was hard. Harder than any time before. Stabbing a nail into the joints of her fingers would've been easier than speaking those words with a smile, yet she somehow managed.

"I'm… terribly sorry for my rudeness. I promise it will not happen again."

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

Shadi wanted nothing more than to get home, go to her room and lie on her bed for the rest of the day while reading a book or listening to some music, but she knew that'd be difficult without running into anyone. She'd have to pass through the dining room, where Sarah and her mother probably were. And if there were two people she absolutely didn't want to interact with right now, it was those two.

As she reached the door and opened it, she thought maybe she could be quick and scurry to her room before they noticed her. But of course, that plan flew out the window the moment she took a single step inside. A young, energetic voice called for her from the living room's couch.

"Shadi, Shadi! You're back!"

She sighed, but then forced herself to smile at the small girl bouncing excitedly toward her. This wasn't Inyssa's fault. There was no need to take it out on her.

"Huuuuuug!" Inyssa yelled, tackling her and trapping her torso with her arms.

"H-hey, Niss. Back from school already?"

"Yep!" she exclaimed, smiling up at her. "They let us go early, super lame! If I knew we were gonna have that few classes I would've skipped and gone to see your ceremony!"

A bitter, conflicted smile formed on Shadi's lips. "It's… alright. That's not your responsibility," she said, putting emphasis on 'your'. "You should always focus on your education first."

"Mmmmh I guess…" Inyssa pouted. "Anyway, how'd it go!? Did they give you a prize or something? Everyone must've been so excited!"

"…Yeah. Something like that," she muttered. "Hey, Niss. Sorry, but I'm feeling a bit… worn out. Is mom…?"

Inyssa, smart as she was, picked up on the question immediately. She let go of her and took a step back, looking over her shoulder toward the entrance to the dining room. Her expression darkened.

"Y-yeah, she wasn't feeling good today."

It was hard to repress her disdainful laughter. Shadi wondered exactly whose fault that was.

"Is Sarah with her?" she asked.

Inyssa gave a quick nod. "They're having tea."

"Right. I'll…" She sighed. "I'll be going to my room for a bit. Need to rest."

Though she tried to hide it, Inyssa's disappointment was clear as day, and it made something bitter rise from her stomach.

"I'll… play with you later, I promise," she said. "We can read some stories together, okay?"

"Y-yeah! You should rest… it's okay," said Inyssa, giving her a big smile. "And congrats too!"

"…Yeah. Thanks."

She gave her sister a quick pat on the head and then hoisted her bag over her shoulder, heading straight for the door at the end of the hallway, where her room was. She quickened her pace as she approached the opening to the dining room. Maybe if she was quick, if she zoomed past it, no one would call for her and she coul–

"O-oh! Shadi, you're… back."

Shadi stopped in her tracks, teeth clenched so tight it was a wonder they didn't creak. She'd walked so fast she was almost past the opening entirely. For a moment, she considered continuing and locking herself in her room, but she knew that would only cause more drama later on.

With a deep, tired sigh, she tried her best to wipe the glum look off her face and turned around, entering into the dining room.

"…Hi."

Sarah and Johanna sat on opposite sofas across the small tea table, the sharp, citric aroma of the tea wafting through the air. They were looking at her. Sarah held her cup with one hand, her expression cautious, as though she sensed danger. Johanna had that glassy look on her face that betrayed her hangover, and she held her temple with one hand, grimacing with pain ever so slightly.

Silence hung thick and heavy for a few seconds, but Shadi didn't falter. If her mother expected her to say the first words, she'd be left waiting for as long as was needed. Sarah seemed to notice this, breaking the silence herself.

"How was the ceremony?" she asked. "Did you have any trouble on the way back?"

"No, it was a quick trip as usual," Shadi replied, just as impassive. "And the ceremony was fine, if wholly unnecessary, at least in my eyes."

Sarah let out a polite chuckle. "Well, I think it's important to recognize your achievements. It's not every day someone as young as you demonstrates such academic prowess."

"Hm. I guess. I could do without all the pomp and fake smiles, though. There wasn't really much to look forward to during the ceremony."

That word. 'Much' was subtly, yet brightly highlighted in that sentence, and despite Johanna's state she didn't fail to pick up on it. Her face darkened and she hung her head.

"I'm… sorry," she muttered. "I couldn't attend."

"Yeah," said Shadi, her voice cold and sharp like a scalpel. "I noticed."

It was rewarding, at least, seeing the result of her words so quickly and clearly. Johanna recoiled strongly. The fingers pressing against her scalp curled inward and her face scrunched up even more, lower lip shaking violently. Shadi couldn't help but smile. For just a moment, the taste of payback was enough to erase that anger and bitterness that'd been stewing inside her chest.

"I-I…"

"Shadi." Sarah stood up from the sofa in an elegant, yet forceful manner, and frowned at her. "Could I have some words with you?"

Shadi chuckled. Oh well, it'd been worth it at least.

"Sure."

She and Sarah walked back to the living room. Inyssa couldn't be seen anywhere; she'd probably gone up to her room. Good, she didn't want her to hear this. Shadi walked toward the big couch in front of the fireplace and leaned against its back, folding her arms.

"If you're gonna scold me, do it quickly," she said. "I'm tired."

The woman's face grew harsher, and for just a moment Shadi regretted her words.

"Shadi… your mother hasn't been feeling well lately."

"You don't say."

A crease formed on the bridge of her nose. "You could stand to be a bit more considerate toward her."

"Considerate?" Shadi repeated and laughed. "Sorry, I can't be what I've never been taught."

"I… understand you're upset and disappointed, but a disease like this…"

"Hm, I didn't know they called 'intentionally drinking poison despite everyone's warnings' a disease now. Maybe I'm not quite as academically gifted as I thought. I could stand to brush up on my medical knowl–"

"Shadi."

Sarah's tone shifted, and the room suddenly felt a few degrees colder. It was hard not to shrink into herself, but Shadi just about managed it, keeping her gaze against the woman's.

"…Look." Sarah closed her eyes tight and breathed out. "I'll… stay with Johanna today, and make sure she's alright. You, in the meantime, should try to cool off. How about you go keep Inyssa company for a while? Play with her or read her some stories."

"Wh-I…"A clear look of displeasure rose to Shadi's face. "Sarah, I'm fucking tired. Today's been… can't she go and hang out with Barry like always?"

"Barry is with Palmer today, I'm afraid," frowned Sarah. "Bring your Child to Work Day."

"Still…"

"Remember what I said about consideration?" Sarah cut her off. "Inyssa must be feeling just as lonely as you. You can keep each other company. Isn't that the responsibility of an older sister?"

Her responsibility? Hers? The fucking nerve to say something like that with her mother all but useless there in the dining room… not to mention that obvious guilt trip. Who the fuck did she think she was? Shadi opened her mouth, and about a hundred sharp and scornful responses wanted to get out all at once, which made it so she said nothing at all, choking on that burst of unsaid resentment.

"I'm…"

Sarah's eyes never left her, and the intensity behind them told her the bitter truth. She wouldn't back down. No matter what Shadi said, the woman's opinion would not change. And she was too exhausted to try, anyway.

Defeated, Shadi hung her head low and let out a long sigh.

"…Fine. I'll go keep her company."

A thick block of resentment tried to rise up her throat, but she forcefully swallowed it down. This wasn't… Inyssa wasn't responsible for this. She didn't deserve to…

"I'll get going, then."

Lower lip shaking with rage, Shadi walked past Sarah and toward the large staircase in the back of the room. Unfortunately, to do so, she needed to pass in front of the dining room again.

Her mother's voice was like needles into her temples, making her wince at every word.

"S-Shadi…!"

She stopped with one hand in the handrail, but didn't turn around. She could hear Johanna getting up from her chair and walking toward the sill separating the two rooms.

"Shadi, I'm… I'm sorry."

Of course, she didn't respond, didn't give her the words or the reaction she wanted. She just stood there on the base of the staircase, letting the knife of silence slowly dig deeper and deeper into her mother.

Sarah was quick to break it again, however.

"Shadi, your mother just apologized." Her next words were silent, but implicit. 'So accept the damn apology.'

Instead, Shadi looked over her shoulder with a completely emotionless face and locked eyes with Johanna.

"Oh, don't worry. I heard it loud and clear."

Then, before she could be scolded, she ran up the set of stairs and disappeared into the second floor.