"Okay start the timer, 30 minutes starting now, shut the camera feed off, for now, the rest of the recruits are making their way in now, start focusing in on them instead" Lance ordered the room as Leeroy sneaked back into the room, Cath tapped him on the shoulder.

"I get the feeling the Quagsire will be challenging you to a brawl later, better start getting ready."

"Yes, marm."

"You know they haven't passed yet right Cath" Lance cautioned, Cath just shrugged.

"Yeah yeah, but as you said, Sparky likes them."

"Hmm" Lance just turned back to the screens observing the new pokemon that were entering the building. Evil eye spoke up from the console.

"2 pairs have failed the test on the way here, one of the groups was openly racist regarding types while on the other group, they failed due to worries over that one partner might be pressuring the other sexually."

"Arceus damn it… things are getting worse and worse every year" Lance pulled a hand down his face after hearing the report.

"Okay separate the second pair, fail the first group, and how many more pairs do we have to test?"

"Sir, we still have seven pairs still in the running."

"We only had nine seedlings?" Cath broke in, eyes wide.

"Yes marm, the other precincts only got between 5 and 6 pairs. However, we got the majority of them this year due to the rapid levels of development in this sector."

"Okay, that's not too bad. Still, we have already lost two pair. How did those two pairs make it past the academy?" Cath wondered out loud, the academy usually weeded out the worst of the applicants, being racist about types and pressuring your partner in sexual manners are big no-nos for the LFP, hence the harsh requirements.

"Leeroy, look up their details" Lance ordered the electric type.

"On it sir." Fun would come later, this was serious. He pulled out a chair as he sat at a large computer terminal, the blank screen flickering into life, showing the LFP logo spinning around slowly as Leeroy input his work password to sign in. Having signed in successfully, he swivelled around to evil eye.

"Names?"

"First group, James Silvermane and Jessie Smoulder, second group Klint Flintstone and Sarah Sunlight" Leeroy pulled up their files from the academy and started to look them over.

"Might take a while to go through everything sir" Lance just nodded, his focus was elsewhere, he was looking over towards the camera feed showing the front desk, there was movement as another pair of pokemon walked up towards the door.

"Okay, here we go."

15 minutes later

"So what do you think?"

"Hmm?"

"The receptionist your type?"

Ciel choked on his water, and he started spluttering as Vaal just laughed at his partner's situation. Vaal was still angry at Leeroy that was certain but right now he needed to take his mind off it, messing with Ciel was the best way of doing that. Ciel was always flustered when it came to dating, though he frequented a specific place, he was still easy to tease when it came to romance. In his words, sex is one thing: love is quite another.

"I don't know, maybe. She is pretty cute, and I don't think she would ever take me seriously after what happened at the front door though" Ciel was a little red in the face, Vaal couldn't be sure if it was from the water or embarrassment though.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"Hahaha you never know, maybe she will find the charming side of you," Ciel smirked.

"That why you never let me meet Alyana without you being there?" he spoke in a honeyed tone.

"Ha, sorry but you really aren't her type mate, in both senses of the word" Vaal slowly spoke while maintaining eye contact with his partner. Ciel just laughed brushing it off with a wave of his hand as he leaned back on his chair.

"Yeah that doesn't surprise me, I don't think I am really ready for a relationship anyway" Vaal huffed loudly.

"I don't think I've ever heard you date anyone before, well not that I can say much" Vaal crossed his arms as he too leaned back on his chair.

"Now THAT doesn't surprise me" Ciel leaned further back in his chair, one leg anchoring himself to the table leg as his chair tilted back on the rear two chair legs, his head went back as he looked up at the ceiling, he sighed lightly before asking

"What happened to you Vaal you were always super serious back in the academy, 'I can't come out with you, I have extra training to do', 'No I have to study for the next lesson', 'Not worth my time'" Ciel spoke in a mock version of Vaal. That made the quagsire laugh as his eye narrowed in on his partner.

"And you were always laid back rarely taking anything seriously 'come on let's go get some action', 'Imma sleep till the morning', 'shit can you help me with this? It's due today'" Vaal returned the banter in a mock version of Ciel. The Persian just blushed red as he used his other leg to kick out at Vaal. Vaal dodged easily, giggling as he did.

"We both had to change a lot didn't we, though I think that experience made you a bit too high strung when you get nervous now" Vaal cautioned lightly, Ciel just sighed.

"Yeah I know, hell it did a bigger number on you though man, everyone was pretty anxious when you asked to come out with us. Hell, all we knew is that you got called out for special training, two days later you turn up and actually try to socialise, it was a bizarre experience man." Vaal just rubbed his head, looking away from Ciel.

"Yeah I know I know, how much longer we got?" Vaal tried to change the subject, Ciel looked disgruntled and frowned at Vaal, he still hadn't told him what happened during the specialised training and he wasn't going to say to him what he went through till he opened up his experience. Relenting, however, Ciel glanced at the watch on his bracelet that showed the time and his current HP value.

"We still have about 10 minutes before the test continues. Reckon anyone we know will be coming here?" Vaal closed his eyes and furrowed his brow, and he spoke a low voice.

"Hmmm, I know Matto won't be here, so Silvia is out too, they are partners after all. Maybe Flint and Sarah thought?" nodding Ciel replied.

"Flint is likely; I'm going to say Callum and Lee will almost certainly come here, which should mean Zed and Ise will also come here, I don't know about anyone else, so we will have to wait and see."

"Michael is definitely not coming here. I would happily bet on that" Ciel gave a brief burst of laughter.

"I can certainly imagine you would as well, wanna bet on who does make it here?" Vaal paused considering the offer before shaking his head, Ciel shrugged before taking another sip of water. He was rather thirsty for some reason.

"It's pretty hot in here isn't it" Vaal grabbed his bottle of water from the table taking a large gulp of water, he had to stay more hydrated than other pokemon after all.

"Yeah, doesn't help there is no ventilation in the room, walls are probably well insulated" Ciel tried to explain it away.

"Hmm that's true, but still..." Vaal looked around the room. The walls were a pale cream colour, no windows other than a large mirror on the opposite side of the door, no vents, no visible cameras and now that he thought about it, only one way in and out.

"Hey Ciel"

"Hmmm? What is it" the pokemon was lazing back on his chair, he had checked the clock, and they still had 5 minutes before the test restarted.

"I think we are in an interrogation room" that brought the Persian back to focus. He observed his surroundings in greater detail and came to the same conclusion.

"Okay yeah, it is, which should mean that mirror there is a one-way mirror." He gestured to the large piece of glass covering the entire wall in front of them.

"Yep," the Persian relaxed again, pointing out to Vaal.

"We still have 5 minutes, though." Ciel winked at Vaal who just crossed his arms in response.

"Yeah but still, get ready, we still don't know how they are going to test us, just when they are."

"Okay yeah, that's a fair point" Ciel stood up and started to straighten out his uniform, putting away the bottle of water and snacks off from the table and back into his belt. Vaal did the same, and half a minute later, the tabletop was clear, and they sat upright, backs straight and waiting patiently for whatever was coming for them.

10 minutes later

Vaal was starting to feel uncomfortable; he couldn't put his finger on it though, glancing over to his partner, he saw that Ciel was tugging at his collar, fanning it up and down like he was trying to fan himself. Vaal decided to ignore it.

5 minutes later

"Any idea what they might test us on Marsh?" Ciel broke the silence, glancing over to Vaal, he just shrugged, wondering if he should grab a drink or leave it.

"No idea, maybe how we act when no one else is in the room?" Ciel just furrowed his brows as he stared ahead at his reflection in the mirrored glass.

"You mean like our behaviour when we think no one is watching?" Vaal's lips twisted, but they twinged in small amounts of pain, as if his skin was dry, that shouldn't be possible. 

"Maybe… it's starting to be sweltering in here isn't it" Ciel lifted his arms with some effort, they were starting to shake, they had gone darker in colour as sweat droplets were forming on his forehead.

"Very very hot, my clothes are getting drenched here, the fur isn't helping matters either" Vaal frowned before he grabbed a white cloth out of his belt with the bottle of water from earlier. Opening the twist cap, he poured some water onto the fabric before drinking the rest of the bottle, it helped the thirst, but it was still there. He placed the cloth onto the table before pulling his phone out and started a timer. He then sat back and observed the fabric. Ciel tilted his head as he studied the situation that was occurring in front of him.

"Okay..." he shrugged before pulling out his bottle of water, taking a good couple of gulps before offering it to Vaal.

"Finish it. You look like you need it" Vaal grabbed the bottle, murmuring thanks he greedily downed the rest of the container. He passed the empty bottle back, as he went back to staring at the cloth of the table, prodding it occasionally with his hand as if checking it.

A minute later he picked the cloth back up and stopped the timer, looking at the phone screen his face morphed into a grimace.

"ah shit, this cannot be good…"