INTERLUDE - A TASTE OF RULE AND FORGIVENESS

As it turned out, pushing Chase around on a wheelchair was a very demanding job for Cecilia. For one, he always complained about how sitting permanently meant that he'd be short as hell for the rest of his life and that he'd have to look up at people, a personal pet peeve of his. Having people in front of him cut off his field of vision whenever it got too crowded. He hated the way so many passersby looked down at him with pity in their eyes, probably thinking 'oh, that poor thing! Disabled and so young!' They never said anything, of course. He would have talked their ear off with countless insults if they had, but just that look was enough to piss him off. The fact that Chase still wore some bandages over his shallow burns didn't help. Apparently none of it would scar, save for a spot on his shoulder blade.

He would also complain if she was going too slow. Cecilia thought that it was due to some insecurity about being handled 'softly' due to his new condition, but the honest truth was this was her first time pushing a wheelchair and she didn't want to bump into some poor League Trainer or even worse, a child.

Both of them were technically breaking a rule, at the moment. While Chase had been allowed to go out on his wheelchair, he hadn't been discharged, nor had his doctors allowed him to go this far from the hospital. He kept insisting he was fine and he could do this, however; she had gone through too much with him to doubt Chase now.

She brought him south of the island, stopping at a vantage point once built to observe the League's densest residential zone right around its relatively small port. Cecilia assumed that once upon a time, this place could have been used to observe any enemy force landing on the League's shores. Today, it had been turned into a touristic spot with paid binoculars and a colorful sign explaining the significance of this place to passersby. Cecilia didn't read it, however. She enjoyed guessing how places and their purpose changed throughout the years. The Unovan placed Chase's wheelchair right next to the old-looking stone railing so he could have the best view possible. Even with how cloudy it was, this place was breathtaking.

He wasn't as much of a view nerd as she was, but one would have to be blind not to be taken aback by the beauty of the world unfolding before you. Everything looked so small from up here. The League was growing busier every day, yet they all looked like little ants going about their purpose. She should have brought Grace here. They could have taken a picture— maybe of them kissing above the world.

Cecilia shivered, hugging herself, craving for her like she was some sort of drug. Her leg began to impatiently tap against the ground, as if helping Chase with his issues was a waste of time when she could spend more of it with Grace. The thought disgusted her as soon as it came, and she chased it away with a head shake.

"What, you're cold in this warm ass weather? Is this a ghost thing again?" Chase asked with his usual lack of tact. "I guess there's a bunch of wind."

Cecilia pondered that question for a moment as she observed the bustling port below the stone railing. "I think some of it is," she said. "Some of it is just me, though. Just me."

"Cryptic," he said with a hint of irony. He pushed himself up with his hands to get a better look. "Yeah, I think this is a good spot to leave me in."

Her hand lay to rest on the side of his chair. "Are you sure you'll be able to get back alone?"

Chase shrugged. "Nothing like getting thrown in the sea to learn how to swim."

Cecilia scoffed, and looked at him like he was insane. "That's also a very good way to have you drown." He had been the one with the insane plan for her to bring him in the middle of nowhere so he could practice moving around on his lonesome.

"That's how they do it in the Iron Islands," he explained. "Plus, when you're a baby you automatically know how to hold your breath."

"What? No way."

"Dude, I'm telling you that's how it works! I've seen it with my own eyes." Chase placed his hands around his wheels with a firm grip and mumbled about needing to get back to working out soon. "Anyway, thanks for bringing me out here. I'll…" a sigh, "wheel my way back to the hospital soon enough. I just needed fresh air."

A Pelipper flew overhead, followed by a group of Wingull. One of them passed so close to her she could have snatched it out of the air. Pokemon here were as they were in any other city— they were used to people and content to live their lives in their company. Chase and Cecilia stuck around for a few minutes until her phone rang in her pocket. She was wearing shorts today; shorts that weren't black. Grace had helped her get dressed so she didn't have a horrid mix of colors. What greeted her was a small group chat with Maylene and Grace, one that she had the immediate urge to unravel.

Maylene Suzuki - Hello

Maylene Suzuki - I hope this isnt like

Maylene Suzuki - Forcing anything or whatever.

Maylene Suzuki - Theres a problem with my dad cus he leaked that u were both here ayt the Gym. Hes trying to push the narrative that Grace hurt me so she shouldnt be here and that foreigners shouldnt be involvedin Gym business.

Maylene Suzuki - Its not catching on rn so I wouldnt worry, I just figured Id warn you

Forget everything about any notions of unraveling, Cecilia thought to herself. This was important.

You - Pathetic. He desperately flails and tries to discredit your leadership because he can't do anything else but salvage his wounded pride.

Maylene Suzuki - Can u 2 come over?

Cecilia waited to see what Grace would say, which resulted in a rather long silence.

Maylene Suzuki - Its not urgent so dw if you cant

Now she was just feeling bad for her. Cecilia pursed her lips.

You - I said I would come over. I'll come over.

Grace - Sorry! I was busy making food for my kids. I'm picking up Honey, Cass and Sweetheart from the Center today so I don't think I can unless your dad is literally there and you need some huge emotional support from yours truly.

Maylene started to type, then stopped and started again. She could not have made her disappointment more obvious.

Maylene Suzuki - Dont worry haha ill be fine.

Maylene Suzuki - I nmean its fine.

You - I am still coming over.

Grace - Good luck Cece! Beat him to death!

Grace - In the marketplace of ideas*

Maylene Suzuki - Ok Cecilia ill send a Kadabra to ur hotel

Grace - Oooh if you're swinging by can you come up? I wanna see you really badly. I'm barely holding on as it is.

Teleportation was convenient, even when it took the fun out of travel. The Unovan looked up from her phone. "Well, I'll be on my way, then."

"Thanks for hanging with me pal," Chase said with a lazy thumbs up. His hospital gown looked terrible on him, she had to admit.

"I'll be busy today, actually, so if you need help, you gotta call one of the others—"

"I'll be fiiiine," he insisted before patting his breast pocket. "My phone's right here, and if something actually happens, some guy or girl's going to feel bad for me and help anyway. You do you and… you know, good luck with your Pokemon." He glanced at the two Pokeballs clipped on her hip and grimaced. "It's gonna take a while, but you're gonna work together again, I believe in you."

A soft smile reached her lips. "Thanks."

She used the tramways to get back to her hotel as fast as she could. Luckily for her, they were running routinely and she didn't have to wait very long. Cecilia's Teleporter was the same Kadabra Maylene had sent before. He still carried that horrid, ragged spoon and still sneered at her whenever she got near. Grace was out of the hotel waiting for her, but she'd been chatting up Kadabra with bright interest in his craft as if it was second nature to her. There was impatience in her face too, though, one that disappeared as soon as she noticed Cecilia.

Warm.

Unbelievably warm as if she'd jumped into a jacuzzi. It started from the throb in her heart and spread throughout her body like an unstoppable force. A tsunami of warmth that heated up further when Cece saw how genuinely glad she was to see her. Grace skipped forward, ignoring the outraged Kadabra, and tackled Cecilia into a tight hug. This was what she'd craved. Her skin against hers. Cecilia squeezed back so tightly that it was as if she wanted the two to meld into one person. Grace was still wearing an apron dirtied by a little flour— had she been making some kind of cake?

Cecilia mind whispered at her to stay for an hour, or two, or more. Maylene could wait, it would tell her. Can you last an afternoon without her? With a goal in mind, she could. The longer it lasted, the more she began to doubt herself. Cecilia's hold loosened, and Grace's tightened in response as if she didn't want to let go.

"I missed you," Grace whispered.

This wasn't good. This really wasn't good.

"I should go," Cecilia said.

"Maybe."

"Not maybe. I have to." Cecilia finally managed to find the strength to leave.

Grace looked at her with an irresistible pout— Legendaries, Cecilia missed seeing her green eyes. She'd been in better spirits since her conversation with that Plasma member and Mallory, though it was fading rather quick. She was still riding that high. "Okay. Guess I'll get back to it, then. Tell Maylene not to feel bad for the leak! She'll beat herself up over it if you don't."

"Will do. You have a good time with your team," Cecilia said.

"And good luck with yours. Especially Zolst," Grace whispered.

You interrupted a wonderful conversation, revenant. I hope you're happy, Kadabra grouched. She didn't bother responding. The psychic inhaled as his eyes lit up and his spoon bent, and in an instant, they were in Veilstone.

The transition between the dull overcast that had covered the League to the radiance of the white sun was so abrupt it was nearly dizzying. At midday, the sun had reached its zenith, a blinding orb amidst the varying shades of gray that formed the skies. Here it was, a ball of burning hot plasma hovering in space, yet having lost all of its golden splendor. The Kadabra was already gone before Cecilia could even thank him. The psychic hated what she'd done to herself and couldn't believe she was still alive.

By all accounts, she should be dead.

Her face soured when she remembered the fight with Jupiter, and Talonflame and Hydreigon's Pokeballs seemed just a little heavier. With a tired exhale, Cecilia made her way inside the Gym. Maylene seemed to have put a receptionist back in the lobby even though it hadn't opened. The girl, who looked to be in her early twenties, did not notice her until she leaned against the Gym's desk and cleared her throat.

She yelped and scrambled to push herself back against her chair until it reached the wall behind her. The small taste of satisfaction Cecilia got was short-lived and immediately replaced by a dull annoyance. She was growing tired of everyone being scared the first time they noticed her.

"Maylene summoned me to meet her here thirty-six minutes ago. I thought she would be here," the Unovan said, trying to be as loud as possible, which wasn't very much. Truth be told, she had expected the Gym Leader to greet her in the lobby like the other day. When the receptionist didn't answer, Cecilia tried changing her expression to a pleasant one. It seemed to work somewhat. "Sorry to bother you, I'm just wondering where I should go to meet her. Were you not warned of my arrival?"

The girl answered with a meek nod. "Uh— y—yes, you— she said she would come down for you." Cecilia frowned. What was her deal, to invite her and then not bother to come when she showed up? "Icancallherifyouwant!" the receptionist blurted out.

"I know where her office is," Cecilia said. Trickery wasn't like Maylene, so something must have happened. "Thank you for the help…" she waited for a name or an introduction of some sort, leaning further into the desk.

None came.

Cecilia gave up and decided she was better off cutting her losses. She would need to practice at things like small talk if she wanted to do well in Unova. It wasn't as if she'd forgotten how. Being sociable was one of the things her tutors had forced into her from the time she'd been a toddler. It was just harder to care now, and everyone looked at her like they'd seen a ghost. At least Professor Juniper sounded like she was over the moon at the opportunity to have her work with her now. She liked new things, and someone resurrected from the dead through a ghostly song was certainly novel. Cecilia hoped her fellow sponsees wouldn't mind her too much.

Lost in thought, she made it to Maylene's office. Her fingers wrapped around the doorknob, which she nearly twisted until she remembered to knock.

"Who is it?!" The voice came back mildly annoyed.

Cecilia silently scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief. "Cecilia."

She was met with silence for nearly five seconds. She heard a little scrape through the door, then a swear and the sound of someone desperately cleaning up a room. Had she lost track of time? That would certainly make more sense than tricking her in some sort of nonsensical love rivalry. All was well. Cecilia decided to pass the time looking at things around the hallway, trying to guess what color things were. Brown for the door, of course. Maybe gray for the ground? They were tiles in most areas. A darker brown for the roof—

"Coming! Just a sec!" Maylene yelled, the voice inching closer with every word. The door swung open and bumped into Cecilia's foot. "Oh my God— Oh, I'm so sorry, crap, crap, crap!" Maylene's eyes frantically alternated between Cecilia's feet and face. "Do you need some ice? I wasn't thinking, I'm sorry."

It did hurt, but pain wasn't that bothersome any more. "One 'I'm sorry' is fine." She peered into the office where stacks of paper had hastily been shoved in drawers they were nearly spilling out of. "I assume you lost track of time."

"Yes, I— I have a lot of work," she said. She was wearing her Gym Uniform, as usual; a blue tank top and white pants. "Luckily they let you up here anyway."

"They weren't supposed to let me up?"

"Well, you're technically not a part of the Gym, so no." Maylene sheepishly scratched the back of her head. "Normally she would have called me and I would have come down, but it's fine!" she hastily said. "Come in, come in. Don't mind the mess. Usually my team keeps me centered at times like these but other than Lucario they're all in Snowpoint helping, so."

"I don't mind. You get used to it living with Grace." The Unovan stepped inside the office, which was actually quite smaller than she expected. There was only enough space for one desk and she felt like she would have gone insane working here for too long. This was smaller than even Pokemon Center rooms, though at least the view over Veilstone was good even if its buildings had none of the elegance of Castelia or Jubilife. The ceiling felt a little low for her, leaving Cecilia somewhat cramped. Her gaze lingered on the window for a second, and Maylene asked about how messy Grace was, exactly.

"She's the type of person who lets things pile up in her room until she can't take it anymore and goes on a huge cleaning binge," Cecilia answered.

"Woah. That's kind of like me!" Maylene beamed. Ugh, now that was something they might bond over; annoying. "Then Lucario pushes me into cleaning things up. Or Machamp. Or Infernape— you know what, all of them except Medicham. She's a slob."

"Do you like working here?" she asked out of the blue. "Not as a Gym Leader, but in this office, I mean."

"Yeah?" Maylene looked out the corridor before she closed the door. "I like empty and enclosed spaces. They make me feel comfy. I picked this office; dad used to work down the hall."

Well, if she said so.

"So. The leak," Cece said.

"Yeah… it's not ideal. Like I said, my Dad's been furious and is trying to undermine me by saying that I let 'strangers' into the Gym during such unprecedented times. It's… not really catching on. Or less than I thought 'cause most of it has to do with some people online being weirded out that I'm friends with Grace." Maylene's face scrunched up. "It probably would have been way different if Veilstone had been bombed though. Oh, and I guess people are wondering what the hell happened to your face." Maylene opened some drawer inside a wall that had been nearly invisible to the naked eye and grabbed a mat that she unfolded and placed on the ground. "A place to sit. I don't have another chair. I could get one if you want."

"Whatever."

Maylene shrank. "What?"

Cecilia stood there, stoic, then remembered that whatever could be taken as rude. "I meant it doesn't matter to me." She slumped down against the comfortable blue mat with a heavy sigh, and Maylene did the same, facing her cross legged. "The leak also doesn't matter to me, really. It was only a matter of time, and while it is annoying to have people wondering about what happened to me, I won't have to suffer the endless questions until I leave the League." She shrugged. "It'll be a while until then. Maybe it'll be out of the public consciousness."

"I still feel sorry… it's my fault. What does— what does Grace think? Did she say anything when you two spoke?" Maylene shuffled against the mat and averted her eyes.

Cece felt her eye twitch in irritation, but she contained the feeling as best she could. "She's worried about other things. She had a conversation with someone that she can't really let go of, at the moment, so she's in rather high spirits. I wouldn't worry for now." Maylene leaned forward, knees up and arms hugging her thighs. "No," Cece said.

"No, what?"

"No, I won't tell you what it was about." Should Grace want to, she could, even if it would make Cece jealous. Just imagining it was pissing her off.

The girl deflated, sagging against her propped up legs. "Hey, I feel like I should apologize for— being so close to her and stuff. I think we've gotten off on the wrong foot." Her feet anxiously tapped against the mat in a nonsensical rhythm. "I know you're her girlfriend, but I was close to her despite that. Like, physically. That hug the day my dad came over? I saw how it angered you but I kept going anyway, so I'm sorry."

Had it been anyone else— Pauline, Emilia, Mira, or any other girl— honestly it wouldn't have bothered her. The issue was that Maylene was interested in Grace romantically, so her apology wasn't very effective, even if Cece knew she meant it.

"She's a great person, even if she's a little broken. That makes me want to help fix her." Maylene smiled, and her legs flattened against the mat. Blushing, she twirled her fingers together. "She tries her best to be better, and that's admirable. I wanted to tell you that I just wanted to be friends with her. Good friends, but nothing more. I don't— I don't even swing that way, so I won't come in-between you two."

Cecilia squinted. Oh, you sweet summer child.

Surprisingly, she wanted to grab Maylene by the shoulders to shake and drag her into reality; luckily she stopped herself before she could make that mistake. The last thing she wanted to do was rock the boat— what if she was abandoned for her?

"And— and even if I did a little, theoretically, just because two people are gay doesn't mean they can't be friends," Maylene said. So at least she wasn't that clueless, just pretending for the safety of her own heart. "Again, that's just a hypothetical. If you tell me to, I'll back off, and, uh, I'll be fine."

She was so brazen, and yet so clueless about it! "That hug came after you'd faced your dad," Cecilia said, making sure each one of her words was curated not to hurt. "It did irritate me, but it was fine. You needed a shoulder to lean on. If he shows up again, I would just suck it up." What was she doing? She could have told her to screw off and never have to deal with her again. Her instincts screamed at her to retract her words. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't make it an everyday occurrence."

Damn it. She bit down on her tongue to stop herself from snapping. Cecilia was certain she would come to regret her inaction, but she had no choice. This girl had no one else to rely on; all of her coworkers were too busy to show up consistently. Without Grace as a pillar of support, she would collapse and her Gym would go with her, which would open up an opportunity for Oscar. She could absolutely not let him win.

Legendaries, what a mess. They were so tangled up, the three of them. Less so Maylene and Cecilia, but the fact that they were talking today meant that they were, even if it was through Grace. Coronet and the Distortion World had scarred them all. Cecilia had been mulling over how she could possibly fix her own issues, but the only solutions she came up with would tear her apart and open up an opportunity for Maylene to slide herself into her spot—

The Gym Leader let go of a breath and relaxed. "Got it. Thanks." There was a little nervous laugh. "Whew, Arceus I was so nervous about this talk. I thought you'd— well, nevermind. Thanks for being so nice to me," she said. "Uh, if I asked you to stick around today, would you?"

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

Cecilia raised an eyebrow. "I expected you to ask. You wouldn't have told me to come by just for a leak that could have been discussed on the phone."

Maylene blinked. "Woah. You look like Grace when you do that."

"Do what?"

"That eyebrow thing— nevermind." She shook her head in dismissal. "I kind of need help to figure out how to step forward. Lucario is still here and could help, but he's… we were raised together. He's my brother. We think too similarly, and I was hoping to get someone who's a little different to help me."

"Help you do what? I'm no Gym Leader, I have no idea how to even begin to run a Gym."

"I just need you to help me be a judge of character," Maylene blurted out. "And maybe to bounce ideas off of you, just to help me think."

"Ah yes, Denzel is the same." Cecilia felt a squeeze in her heart at the thought of her friend, still in a medically induced coma because the pain would have been too much for him to bear if he were awake. Hopefully they would wake him up soon. "Very well. I will stick around, but I want something else in exchange," Cecilia said.

Maylene was clearly eager to help. "What is it? If it's within my capabilities, I'll do whatever I can."

"I need to use your arena if I can; an empty one is fine," she said. "If you can guarantee me privacy, I would appreciate it. If not, I'll find somewhere else."

A nod. "I can."

"And is it alright if there is some… damage dealt to the field?" she asked.

"Yeah, it's not like anyone's using it anyway. Knock yourself out."

"Thank you, Maylene," Cecilia said, leaning forward. She crawled on all fours toward Maylene, who squealed and reddened when Cecilia snatched her by the wrist. "Now, your aura. Show it to me."

Maylene must have blinked twenty times within five seconds. "W—what?"

"I want to see color again, and this is the perfect opportunity. Show it to me," she deadpanned.

"You can't just ask that so openly—" Maylene cut herself off and looked up at her, breathless. She wasn't short by any means, but Cecilia might have made her feel cornered due to how irritated she was at their previous conversation. "F—fine. Just be quick about it."

"This is a favor you owe me; I'll be as quick as I want to be."

On Maylene's slender finger, a flame of aura flickered to life, dancing with ethereal hues of ever-changing light blues. It gently radiantly pulsed with a mesmerizing cadence, casting subtle shadows that played across the office. Even the light it emitted basked the room in color, akin to some kind of lightshow. Cecilia stayed fixated on the flame for Arceus knows how long, her hand clamped down on Maylene's wrist that was growing sweatier by the second. The flame was growing more agitated too. Wilder, fraying right beneath Cecilia's eyes like a living thing cowering from her gaze. She could barely remember when something had her undivided attention like this. The sight was just so tantalizing that she almost wanted to touch the flame despite knowing it would burn her like last time. It was as if she'd been entranced.

"Can you make it a different color?" Cecilia asked.

Maylene took a bit to answer. She was still blushing and breathing harshly, as if she put any significance in this other than Cecilia needing to remember what seeing a color looked like.

"I—I don't think so? I mean, if it is, I've never heard of it. It's always just been blue," she mumbled, occasionally mixing up her words.

"What's with you?" Cecilia asked. "I grab your hand a little and you're squirming and stumbling over words. Legendaries." She let go of the wrist, and you'd think Maylene had been drowning, with how greedily she sucked in air. If Grace ever did this to her, the girl might actually die. "What's next, blushing if we ever drink from the same cup?"

"Wh—what, you asked me to see my aura! That's a— that's a very private part of my being! It represents who I am! You don't just—"

"Who cares, I've seen it already anyway," she dryly said.

"That's different!" Maylene clamored. "You asked me— you asked directly! In a room while we were alone!"

Cecilia ignored Maylene's antics and spoke again, "thank you; we can get to work, now." The Gym Leader gripped her shirt where her heart should have been, causing Cecilia to roll her eyes as she loomed over Maylene, who was heaving with each breath. "Listen, it doesn't mean anything. You're making stories up in your head out of nothing. I just used you to see blue again; it's as simple as that. I am not interested in anything further in any way, shape or form. Got it?" She glared, slightly angered at the idea that she'd asked for something culturally significant without knowing. If Maylene was going to be weird about it and make her uncomfortable, she wouldn't do it again, lest the girl get any ideas. Ri would be out of the Pokemon Center sometime this week, after all.

Maylene gulped, finally having recovered from her little crisis. "Got it. It was just intense and so out of nowhere… I'm straight."

Intense? All she'd done was look at a finger.

"Whatever you say; I believe you." Cecilia sat back down on the mat opposite of Maylene a little further, now. "Now, you wanted to bounce ideas off of me for your Gym. Bounce. Them." She might have let her frustration into that, from the way Maylene winced.

"Sorry, um, yeah, let me just get my thoughts in order." Maylene straightened herself against the wall and adjusted her collar, calling Arceus' name more times than Cecilia could count. "Um, you know, we can do it again. I won't be weird if I'm prepared—"

"No."

"But I—"

"I said no." She finally found it within herself to be loud and forceful, this time. "Are we going to work, or are we going to linger on something that doesn't matter? Because if it's the latter, I'll see myself out." Cecilia would lament the fact that she wouldn't be able to use an empty arena (all the ones at the League were closed or not built up yet, even for her), but she'd make due without it. If Zolst had been open to letting her fly on him to some wild mountain this wouldn't have been an issue in the first place. They needed a place in private where they could talk.

"Sorry, I'll stop bringing it up."

"Good." A small silence settled in, as if Maylene didn't know how to begin, so Cecilia took the lead. "Let's start with your father. Beyond the leak and his desperate, yet futile attempt at relevance, has he done anything else?"

"He was still logged into the Gym's email and he was still answering stuff for me, so I had to change the password. I haven't told it to anyone else, so it should be safe," Maylene said with a hint of annoyance. "Aside from that, I'm pretty sure he's in contact with some of my Gym Trainers."

Cecilia scoffed. "Childish pranks beneath his standing, as expected of people like him when they lose all leverage— well, not all leverage."

"I was getting to that. Cecilia, I— I don't know how I should take back control of my own Gym," Maylene heartily confessed. "He's gone, but it's like his shadow just suffocates and looms over everything."

"One can't undo decades of building a cult of personality with one order," the Unovan said with a tilt of her head. "Tell me, when do you plan on reopening the Gym?"

"Two weeks, give or take. Once Snowpoint is at least back on its feet, we can start opening up for a few hours per day, then we can ramp up until we're back at full capacity."

"This leaves you with a prime opportunity for some spring cleaning."

Maylene's expression went from nervous to confused. "Spring cleaning?"

"A purge, if you will."

The girl instantly denied. "No, no, I can't fire people! They have jobs, and families to take care of, especially now! And, like, logistically it'd be a nightmare. I'd have to replace them little by little, but people would catch on pretty quick, and good luck motivating people who know they're going to get fired to work."

"How purehearted," she dryly said. "But fair, you know better than I do and what you've said makes sense. Continuing on this angle, though, how many new people have you hired since your father left to Alola?"

Maylene held out a hand and counted on her fingers. "Um, let's see. I guess three new people— eight if you include replacing the people that quit since then."

"And how many Gym Trainers do you have in total?"

"Eighty-two. We have other people on payroll like technicians, janitors, PR people— but they're nowhere as involved in Gym Life as the Trainers."

Cecilia tapped a finger on her arm. "So you're telling me that the vast, vast majority of these people are from your father's administration of the Gym?"

Maylene's head jerked back. "Well— I didn't want to upstage my dad because he—"

"I'm sorry, I phrased that wrong," Cece said, instantly stricken by guilt. Her brusque wording could use some work, especially with someone as emotionally tender as this. "It's not your fault."

The Gym Leader nodded with a pained smile stretched across her visage. "With the power of hindsight I would have hired more people and maybe weaned out some of my dad's most ardent supporters sooner. We have the least amount of employees in a Sinnohan Gym anyway because— well, dad used to handle most things himself and wanted me to do the same."

Maylene went on to talk about Gym hiring practices and how her father would have the most demanding requirements if you wanted to get hired, which was something she had since changed. As it turned out, Volkner also had the most Gym Trainers by far and Maylene didn't hesitate to complain about how Sunyshore was a money sink because he was too lazy to do the job himself. Cecilia was content to let her talk so she could cheer up after her blunder.

"Why don't you look to hire more people, then?" Cecilia asked.

"I considered it— but, like…" she groaned and threw her hands up. "I don't want the Gym to be a burden on Sinnoh's finances. In Sinnoh, we all run at a loss and our costs are covered by the government, but right now? The country doesn't need any more on its plate."

Cecilia peered at her, almost like she was dissecting Maylene. She was starting to understand who she was, and who she'd been. Of course, she'd known the big picture. Maylene had been raised and abused by her dad to fill in his shoes, and as a result she had burned out in a desperate act to please him et cetera, et cetera.

What was new was that she'd never really stopped to think how that had just killed her confidence in any decision-making. Cecilia could empathize given that she was plagued with doubt, even if today was one of her good days again due to the fact that she was helping a girl win against her abusive father. Motivation was something she was rarely short of, in cases such as these, but even before her death, back when all of this had started, she'd been content to just let her father rule her life until Grace and Denzel had stepped into the picture and changed her life for the better.

"I think we need to find another way. A way to manage with just the resources I have, at the moment." She rubbed her face with her hands and groaned. "Ugh, I just want to be the best Gym Leader I can be. I love this job. I want to make it work."

"Hesitation isn't always bad; it's a sign that you're giving something enough thought, and that's important. Especially for a Gym Leader," Cecilia said. "But you're beyond that. You're stuck in decisional paralysis and it's hampering your ability to run this Gym." She let the words sink in and kept going. "You don't want to fire anyone— even the people responsible for the leaks— you don't want to hire new people to shift the balance in your favor slightly, so what can you do? Find it. Consider this, Maylene. Your inaction now might cost more resources in the long term than incurring a short term loss right now. In an effort to please everyone, you might please no one at all."

Maylene wanted to fight her; Cecilia could tell from how her shoulders hunched up. "I think you might be right," she said. "I—I have an idea, then. A step one of some sorts. It'll need your help, still."

"Sure, what do I have to do?"

Maylene smirked. "Just stand behind me."

—

The third of who knew how many Gym Trainers hesitantly stepped inside of Maylene's office. This one was the youngest yet, which was still a man in his thirties; the most unique part about him was his droopy eyes. He sported the usual Gym Trainer uniform for Veilstone, a short-sleeved shirt with an orange and white motif with a Pokeball embroidered on his chest, and orange jogging pants that were so baggy Cecilia couldn't see the outline of his legs. The moment he stared at Cece, he tensed up and swallowed the words he'd been about to say. She was standing with her hands behind her back behind Maylene's desk, her body unmoving.

Cecilia was content to be a human Intimidate, if Maylene needed it to negotiate. Apparently word of her attempting to choke Oscar to death had gotten around the Gym and had given her quite the fearsome reputation, not because they thought she'd be able to actually kill him (though some people were saying that she might be an actual ghost, somehow), but that she had dared in the first place. It'd be annoying if it ever got out of the Gym's ecosystem. It looked like she was a few inches taller than this one; height worked well for fear-based tactics, she had found.

"Darius, welcome, welcome. Sit down," Maylene said, gesturing with her hand. She'd even put on her fingerless gloves for this to appear as official as possible. "Don't mind Cecilia, she's a friend. I bet you know her, though."

The so-called 'Darius' cleared his throat, dragged the chair they'd brought up here and plopped himself into it. He plucked at some dead skin on his thumb— a nervous tic, no doubt. Every so often, he would glance back at her and she would stand there, unblinking, unmoving, until he shrank into his chair like having her here was just uncomfortable.

Was she really that bad?

Regardless, Darius was one of the oldest and most long-worked Gym Trainers at the Veilstone Gym, given that Oscar had hired him at the ripe age of sixteen straight out of his first Circuit. Maylene already had his file open, which she was idly looking through as a pressure tactic.

"Darius, how have you liked working for me these past… coming up on two years, now? A year and a half."

"It's been fantastic. Really, Leader Maylene." He dipped his head in respect, something which was usually only done for Oscar. Cecilia caught Maylene's displeasure, but the Gym Leader couldn't cut him off now that she had the momentum. "You're so young, yet with your skill and upbringing, you've been able to steer Veilstone and its Gym through troubling times…"

Maylene closed his folder and threw it on her desk. "My upbringing. Let's talk about it, then," she said with a smile as fake as plastic. "Oscar handed me the reins when he decided that knocking someone up was more important than people like you. People who live here. In fact, he was so obsessed with his new wife that he let Team Galactic build a base under our feet. So let's talk about why you're making it so difficult to run this Gym without any interference from outsiders."

"A house divided against itself cannot stand," Cecilia added. She noticed that Darius relaxed slightly when she spoke and made a note of that; it was the second time it had happened. It appeared she was more effective when silent, as if speaking made them remember that she was still human.

"Leader Maylene—"

She clicked her tongue. "No, I'm not finished. Medicham overheard you talking about how you hope you get back to the 'good old days' with some of your colleagues the day after my father came back. Coincidentally, our cameras have shown that you've been texting a whole lot lately. You're usually so focused on your job that I had to wonder what was going on." She paused and drummed her fingers against her desk, as if she was in her element. She was gentle, yet stern. In charge, yet not overbearing. "My father's been trying to put down roots here. Let me ask you straight up, would you rather see him as a Gym Leader? You're free to speak your mind; I won't fire you no matter what you say despite what my friend here thinks." Maylene nudged her head toward Cecilia.

Honesty and mercy, Cecilia had learned these last interviews, went a long way to make people honest in turn. There were few things more loyal than a man who you'd spared despite having every right to kill him— though in this case, it was fire.

"It's complicated." He rubbed his chin in contemplation. "You have to understand that I— he's the one who taught me everything I know. I understand that you're the Gym Leader; I don't want you to step down, but I thought that he could help around the Gym. That he'd be what we needed to cheer up the place. I figured he'd be the— yes, glue's the word. The glue we needed."

"And now you are aware that he's trying to undermine me at every turn," she said, her tone somehow still warm. "My father's no man for compromise. With him, things always have to go his way. You know that."

Darius grimaced, but nodded.

"So you understand that your childish need for some sort of nostalgic, non-existent golden age has jeopardized my ability to run this Gym."

"That's… I guess so, Leader Maylene. I accept full responsibility for my actions."

"Good! Now, I am giving you one last chance," with each word, she tapped her desk with her knuckles. "Stop trying to get Oscar back in, and this'll all be swept under the rug. I will catch on eventually if you do. Just be what the Veilstone Gym needs right now: a good employee. Am I clear? Don't make me regret this."

"Yes, Leader Maylene—"

"And stop bowing down to me. This is your job, not some old Kalosian court," she groaned. "We're all people here."

Once they were done, Maylene told Darius to call in the next person on her list. Darius hastily left the office, thanking her five times for this chance. When you'd worked somewhere as long as him, Cecilia guessed, the prospect of quitting or being fired might as well have been a death sentence. As soon as they were alone again, all of the fake strength and poise Maylene had been projecting left her body, and she lay down on her desk with her head on her arms.

"Ugh, I hate ultimatums like this, but at least it went well." Her voice was muffled by her speaking face down against her desk. "How did I do?"

"Just like last time, I believe it went well. Better than how you fumbled with Joe, at least," Cecilia said. Maylene had let the first person she'd called in walk all over her until Cecilia had forced her to get her wits about her.

"Once the older Gym Trainers stop pushing to replace me with my dad or trying to get him involved in the Gym, it'll diffuse down the ranks. Or hopefully it will, they have a lot of influence," Maylene said.

Cecilia inclined her head in acquiescence. While Maylene hadn't taken much of her advice, she couldn't deny that she'd been of use here today. Hopefully Maylene would be able to do this without her from today forth. The goal was independence for her. The Unovan was learning here as well. Learning how to handle positions of leadership first-hand in a way that couldn't be imagined in her notes or daydreamed in her head.

Yes, Cecilia thought as she smiled, this would do just fine.

—

Afternoon waned when Cecilia made her way to the Gym's arena, two Pokeballs on her hip. It felt odd, being here without the crowd filling the elevated bleachers on each side of the field. Maylene's arena was a simple one: a relatively flat field of earth and rocks. Cecilia had heard that she was planning on renovating it next Circuit to better represent the fighting type, though Cece had no idea what that implied. Her mind wasn't built to be a Gym Leader, but Maylene could talk on and on about it.

The arena was silent; there wasn't even a Kadabra in sight. Instead of making her way up the stairs toward the metallic, raised platform trainers stood on, she kept walking into the arena. The earth felt hard underneath her feet as she traveled all the way to the center, basking in the sight her Pokemon had seen many times before. There was a small stirring within her; the embers of a passion for battle that still remained. Maybe once she figured out how to fix things with her team, she would start training again. The Conference would be good experience, if anything.

Talonflame's Pokeball filled her palm, but it did the same for her heart, only with waves of guilt so powerful they were nearly debilitating. It was different now that they were out of the Distortion World. Things were normal, now. She had no excuse not to confront her mistakes when she let her Pokemon out.

She sharply sucked in the warm air through her teeth.

"I better put my money where my mouth is," she said, almost so quiet she would have been inaudible to anyone next to her. She'd given Maylene advice about decisional paralysis, yet it was that same paralysis that haunted her. Not just for her team, but for her other issues as well. "Okay. Okay, let's do this."

Talonflame would be a little easier to handle, if anything. Red bled into the world; shaping itself into her until she was out of her Pokeball. The flying type blinked a few times, yet her gaze softened when she saw Cecilia alive and well. She tried to bring a hand closer to Talonflame to scratch the hot skin beneath her feathers, but her Pokemon flinched away and the moment was gone.

Much work had to be done. An apology, no matter how much she meant it, would not cut it.

"Remember this place?" Cecilia asked. "This is Veilstone's Gym. I figured it would be needed for the conversation I'm about to have with Zolst."

Talonflame nodded sagely, as if to commend her for the good idea. She chirped, something soft she rarely showed to people she wasn't close to. The worry in it was palpable.

"I'll be fine, he won't hurt me. He'll be careful," Cecilia said. "But I need to talk to you as well. I will ask you right away, do you no longer want to be with me?"

The fire type squawked indignantly, flapping her wings with enough strength to propel the small pebbles on the ground. The wind felt slightly sharp against her legs and arms— her stitches felt tight on her face as she grimaced. Cecilia could not help but think that she did not deserve her. Talonflame had always been level-headed to a fault— able to analyze the pros and the cons of a situation. Her responses were rarely so emotional, which meant that she truly wanted to stick around.

"Then how do I make it up to you?" Her voice was so small. So weak. Desperation gripped and shook her enough to bring her to her knees. "How do I fix things between us? I so desperately want to?"

She had asked them to work in tandem to get her killed.

She had asked Lehmhart to kill her, and made Slowking work to convince him.

She had thrown it all away without hesitation. Without a modicum of regret until the end came.

"Can I even fix things?" she asked. "Or will this shadow haunt us for decades to come? My entire life?"

Talonflame tilted her head and pecked at Cecilia's knee. A strict coo coaxed her ears, as if to tell Cecilia to not let defeatism grip her so, or something akin to that. Deep down, Cecilia knew Talonflame wouldn't have the answers she sought. There was no pros and cons list to be made, no apology powerful enough, no way to twirl a wand and make it all go away. The flying type extended her wings and took to the air; a bright ball of fire and feathers whose colors Cecilia could no longer appreciate, and Talonflame sang. The flames carried her voice, which was accentuated by their roar. Dust and rocks picked up in a flaming cyclone below the flying type. Cecilia felt the heat wash over her, yet it still did not warm her core.

"I think I understand," she said. "You are asking me to see you."

Her voice had been quiet through the fire, yet Talonflame's hearing was just as good as her eyesight.

"To make time for you. To live with you. To train with you. To travel with you," Cecilia said, finally understanding "You want me to be a trainer again, with all the banality that entails."

The flames cut off, winking out of existence like a candle between two fingers. With small embers still flickering on her wings, Talonflame rushed back down and wrapped her wings around Cecilia. The heat still emanated from her feathers, but not enough to burn.

Cece caressed the side of Talonflame's face with a smile. "I get it. I will be better from now on, and as soon as the rest of the team is out of the Pokemon Center I'll—"

Her throat tightened.

"I'll—"

It wouldn't come out. The promise to go out on her own with her team was stuck, unable to be vocalized.

"I'll see what I can do to get them to agree." A lie smothered in half-truths; she had learned well from Grace. "Allow me to speak with Zolst next."

While Talonflame wanted to stay out in case the dragon got too rowdy and she needed some wind to knock back debris, Cecilia was convinced a one-on-one conversation was what they needed for them to ever begin to see eye to eye. The respect lost if Cecilia had a protector with her would be massive.

"You mustn't forget that he's also mad at all of you for accepting the plan to kill me," Cecilia said. "While he would never hurt me, he might attack you if provoked."

Satisfied with that answer, Talonflame accepted her terms and melted back into her ball. With a deep breath and a countdown, Cecilia released Hydreigon far enough for her to be certain there would be no accidents, but not far enough as to be too distant. The dark type was a hulking mass of scale and muscle, a creature that embodied raw power barely contained that you could see pulse out of him in thin lines. Each of his six wings moved individually, sometimes bumping into each other. From Zolst's central head, a menacing growl rumbled while his two other heads roared with a barely contained rage that sent spittle and the smell of dragonfire wafting throughout the battlefield.

Cecilia's hair flew back, and she wiped saliva with her thumb. "It's me again, Zolst. The Nurse Joys said you gave them trouble—"

Instantly, light built up in the right head's mouth. Before Cecilia's brain even registered what was going on, a burst of energy hit to her left, digging and digging into the earth until all that was left was smoldering mud.

Cecilia did not flinch. Dying once came with losing that fear, for better or worse— not that she thought the dragon would ever hurt her. If she had, she wouldn't have been doing this.

"Which one was that? Ten percent? No, eight, maybe." She circled around Hydreigon as she questioned him. "Dragon Breath, surely. It's difficult to tell without color, but it was less orderly and wilder than a Dragon Pulse. It's been a while since you've had to use that, Zolst."

Another Dragon Breath hit where she would have walked in ten steps, this one slightly stronger. The left head snapped and tried to attack the right, as if to bite its neck and get its attacks to be stronger. They were conscious, but animalistic, Cecilia knew. Nothing like the central head which was the one in charge. They usually didn't fight this hard— Cecilia's death might have affected them all, not just Zolst. The bickering continued until Zolst blew another weak Dragon Breath on his left head, which grunted in pain and was left somewhat burned.

Slowly but surely, Cecilia was circling, yet approaching Zolst. "I won't tell you I'm sorry, even though I am. I spoke with Talonflame before this." Cecilia explained the flying type's plan as quickly as she could, not even getting interrupted by each strike growing closer and more intense. The remaining heat of a crater left next to her was a painful singe on her legs. He wasn't on board. "I'm not telling you to forgive me now. That would be foolish— I just want you to give me another chance. I know you're angry at the others, but you should focus on me. I gave the order. I let it get to that point. I promise I will never betray you again. So please."

She was close enough, now. Standing on her tiptoes, Cecilia outstretched a hand and slowly brought it over Zolst's head. She could see the doubt in his eyes— not that doubt at his anger, but the doubt at what he should do next. Hydreigon opened his mouth and a brighter, fiercer, unyielding force burst from his skin. The flames, she knew, would have been turquoise once.

This was a test. He was asking her if she was worthy of his respect, and therefore a second chance. The draconic energy was not painful, not beyond the feeling of touching hot pavement, but the true test was the insidious need to bow her head; the defeatism spreading through her; the feeling that she was about to be conquered.

Standing around him when she'd been an aspect of Willpower had been much easier. Cecilia's knees buckled, but she steeled herself. A sharp inhale, then—

She never got to touch him.

All of his head whirled to the side and the fire intensified until Cecilia fell to her knees, which scraped against the earth. Hydreigon lunged forward, and it took Cece a few seconds to gather the courage to turn her head, she saw the three-headed dark type halfway through the field, barrelling toward a Lucario. Her head, still foggy from Zolst, went to Ri first before she realized this was Maylene's and that she was standing right there. The possibility of a looming accident got her to think straight and she whipped out Zolst's Pokeball and recalled him before he could get to Lucario and his trainer. Aura had been surging around the steel type's skin, blue yet dimmer than what she'd come to expect.

Her throat was dry with the taste of defeat.

This had been her chance, and she'd blown it.

It was however many seconds later that Maylene ran up without Lucario with her. "Cecilia, are you okay?" She tried to give Cecilia a hand, but the Unovan knocked it away.

"What," she slowly said, her voice frigid, "are you doing here?"

It was only then that Maylene must have realized she'd done something wrong; her face fell into a million pieces. "Lu—Lucario was passing in one of the nearby hallways and sensed something wrong," she scrambled for an excuse, and Cece slowly stood up. Her body felt limp. "Then he told me that you were getting attacked—"

"You spied on me!" Cecilia lashed out.

"No! I wanted to make sure you were be okay!" Maylene yelled. A sorry excuse. "You can't just— it looked like you were in danger! I thought you were going to talk to your Pokemon and maybe train—"

"I. Was. Talking!" Cecilia took a step forward, her face twisting into a menacing scowl. Then another. Then another until Maylene's back was against the wall and Cecilia slammed her hand right next to her head. "Zolst is my Pokemon," she hissed. "What gives you the idea that you would know how we communicate? What gives you the right to assume that there is a correct way to do it or not?!"

"Lucario heard explosions and sensed aggressiveness that was way too real to be—"

"And now my attempt at rebuilding the bridge is ruined," Cecilia sighed, her domineering ways rapidly disappearing. Her hand slid off the wall and went limp against her side. "So utterly ruinous," she muttered to herself. "I don't know if I will get another chance like this any time soon."

"I'm sorry, Cece. I really thought you needed help—"

"Don't call me Cece," she snapped. "I'm leaving. I'll wait for Kadabra in front of the Gym." She hastily turned and began to stomp away. "Text me if there's anything else with your father. Have a great rest of your day and good luck with your employees," she tersely said.

More work was needed to mend what she'd broken.

Hard choices would have to be made, but for now, she wanted to see Grace.