The ride to the station was not a smooth one by any means, Erika noted irritably. Even if she took it upon herself to ignore the horrible bumpiness of the asphalt, the gristly leather of the seat made her itch to no end. Her hands were bound by handcuffs so she couldn't even scratch herself, which annoyed her a lot. Erika fidgeted a little before sighing and giving up, opting instead to pass the time by staring at Lloyd.

Lloyd sat just across from her with a glum look, his smooth skin wrinkled in a grimace. When he finally noticed her gaze, he scowled, and Erika fought off the urge to burst into hysterics.

His attempt to glare at her was disrupted by a large bump beneath the car, which violently shook the vehicle and knocked the two of them into each other. Of course, there was a mesh of steel between them so no contact was actually made, but it got them close enough for Erika to make a face at him. "Loser," she mouthed silently.

Lloyd bristled at that, but he held in his anger. Erika too had been angry initially, but as time passed, her anger gradually changed into a sort of twisted amusement, and she began to poke fun at Lloyd in ways that the officer couldn't notice, such as sticking her tongue out or mouthing insults.

She could see him slowly beginning to crack, with the way he clenched his fists, and how the veins on his forehead trembled, but before Lloyd could explode at her, the transport car came to a screeching halt and the sliding doors were thrown open.

A different officer carefully helped Erika step out of the car, and she winced, blinking her eyes to clear away the glare of the sun. I can't believe it's eight in the morning. Fulton is gonna be so pissed, she realized suddenly.

The two of them were brought to a small waiting room inside the station filled with chairs. Erika took a seat on one of them casually, observing how the windows were unbarred and the door was made of flimsy wood. Lloyd only followed her, searching for a seat opposite and leaning back to stare at the ceiling. This is a low security waiting room, if I had to guess, Erika thought. I name dropped an ace trainer, meaning I definitely won't try to escape. Lloyd probably has something up his sleeve too, with how unbothered he looks.

"Give it half an hour," said a voice from the door, jarring Erika out of her reverie. "We've contacted Ace Fulton, and he'll arrive soon. He's busy dealing with some league business right now, so just be patient, young lady." The voice came from an officer dressed smartly in navy blue. His hair was done up in a crew cut, and a curved sword hung attached to his waist. The sword was unusual for a police officer, but Erika supposed officers were given a few liberties with their choice of dress.

"What about my mother?" Lloyd spoke up suddenly. "When is she going to get here?"

As if already expecting that question, the officer sighed and took off his jacket, hanging it up on the wall, and then did the same for his sword, stashing it in the corner of the room. He dragged a swivel chair into the room with a sharp flick of his wrist, and sunk into the plush facing her and Lloyd. They're familiar with each other. That was the conclusion Erika came to after watching them. This could either be really bad, or really really good.

"Look, Lloyd, I'm sorry, but I didn't call her over this time," the officer told him. Lloyd looked outraged, but held it in upon seeing the officer raise his hand. "I just can't do it. I'm sorry. She doesn't deserve to go through this process again."

"I wasn't doing anything wrong! You've gotta believe me this time Uncle Cato!" Lloyd burst out furiously, pointing at Erika, who only shrugged. "She was bullying the trainers around 42nd! This girl was flaring her aura everywhere and smothering all the people around, and when I asked her to stop, she refused! I was fully justified in stopping her."

Cato's face was pained. "See, that's sort of the problem Lloyd. You didn't 'stop' her. You started a brawl in the middle of the street by throwing out a pokemon and endangered nearby civilians, and then you proceeded to smash up a road that people use to commute to work. You kinda did the opposite."

Erika began smiling when she heard that, although she quickly flattened her face back into a more neutral position. Cato didn't see her grin, although Lloyd clearly did. Like a cat which had its tail stepped on, Lloyd nearly leapt out of his chair at her. Only Cato's warning glare stopped him from doing so.

"Didn't you hear what I said about her?" Lloyd asked stubbornly. "She deliberately flared her aura to smother people, and then refused to shut it off when I told her to do so."

With a long, dragged out groan, Cato reached for a book on a wall shelf and threw it at Lloyd, who caught it in surprise. "Read the cover."

Lloyd began flipping through the pages on instinct, before realizing it was the cover he had been asked to focus on. He turned the book over and read it aloud. "Fundamentals of Aura. So? Everyone's read this book. The league hands it out to every new trainer."

"That's where you would be wrong," Cato said with finality. "Erika here clearly hasn't. In fact, she isn't even properly registered as a trainer yet! I checked the usage date of her pokeballs, and it shows that they were activated for the first time yesterday. Do you know what this means Lloyd?"

Now looking far more nervous, Lloyd gulped and answered Cato's question. "That she was negligent and forgot to read the introductory guide to aura?"

"No! You dumbass, it means you attacked a new trainer who hasn't even had her pokemon for a full day!" Cato said furiously. "She probably didn't even know how to control her own aura!"

That realization dawned upon Lloyd just as swiftly as it did Erika, who now understood that Lloyd was probably a serial offender. He's probably been in here multiple times for attacking people on the street, Erika thought vindictively. Cato has just given me the perfect excuse too. No one would expect a fresh trainer to know how to control their aura, especially not if their aura was as large as my own.

"What about the battle?" Lloyd was desperate now, frantically searching for anything he could use to justify what he did. "That girl - Erika, she used mass area poison attacks! She poisoned me too! She was putting everyone nearby in danger!"

"I think that's more because she had no other options, if I'm being honest," Cato observed mildly. "Do you, a trained martial artist with a Mankey experienced in Crane Kick, seriously have the gall to say that you were justified in attacking a girl younger than you? She has an Oddish, for Pete's sake! They're literally cabbages! It probably just released its poison powder on reflex when your mankey tried to maul it."

Cato's face was growing dark now. "Security cameras from across the street captured the last part of your fight. Do you wanna know what me and the guys at the station saw?"

Lloyd shook his head dumbly. Cato swiveled his chair to a computer on the desk and started tapping, pulling up a grainy video file. He clicked it open and turned the computer towards Erika and Lloyd.

Much to Erika's delight, and to Lloyd's growing apprehension, they watched a blurry video recording of their fight on the street. Erika watched with immense glee as Lloyd's mankey tried to splatter her head, only for Gwen to intervene and barely save her from what surely would've been a fatal blow.

The worst part was the angle at which the camera had taken the video from. You could clearly see Lloyd pinning Erika's leg as his mankey leapt to smash her head in, and the panic on her face as it approached. To anyone watching the video, it looked as if Lloyd had deliberately held Erika down for his mankey to strike.

"Lloyd, look at me," Cato commanded. Lloyd obeyed with teary eyes, having just realized how much trouble he was in. "This nice young lady approached you to give you an antidote for the poison her oddish released in self defense, and you responded by pinning her so your mankey could attack. Can you really honestly tell me that you didn't plan this?"

"Of course not!"

Cato reached for a sheet of paper in a drawer beneath the desk, and slammed down in front of Lloyd. "If that's the case, I'm afraid I'm going to have to temporarily suspend your trainer's license, Lloyd. You've just admitted to losing control over your mankey, a dangerous Class III pokemon with violent and aggressive tendencies, which you were only allowed to train due to your father's specialty as a martial arts instructor. I've tried my best over the last year to keep you out of trouble out of respect to your late father, but this is the final straw. I can't do it anymore."

Lloyd was dumbfounded. "Huh? But-"

"Shut up!" Cato thundered. "Don't say anything more. If you claim to have control over your mankey, that's even worse! In that case, you'd be admitting to knowingly ordering your mankey to attempt a fatal attack on an eleven year old girl! It wouldn't even be suspension anymore, that's juvenile detention at the very least, if not outright prison!"

Poor guy. Even Erika was feeling bad for him now. Lloyd was getting grilled by the officer, and it looked like he wouldn't be able to wriggle his way out of it. It fits, though. He's probably been attacking trainers left and right in cases where he shouldn't have intervened. Too bad for him. This time, his motivations were actually justified, but no one believes him anymore.

"I need you to apologize to Erika right now, Lloyd," Cato urged him. "Even if she doesn't press charges, your license would still be revoked for at least a month or two. If you can honestly tell me it was an accident, then I want you to sincerely apologize. I know Ace Fulton, he's a good man, and he wouldn't ruin your career as a trainer over something like this. As long as Erika accepts your apology, I can convince him to help you get a lighter sentence."

"No way!" Lloyd shouted. "I know what I saw. She was bullying those trainers!"

A loud crunch sounded as Cato's hands slammed down onto the table, startling both Erika and Lloyd. Part of the wood splintered, but the frame held. Cato's face was twisted. "Lloyd, listen to me! All the evidence is against you! And it has been, for the last seven times you tried this! I'm asking - no, I'm telling you, as your Uncle Cato, that you are wrong! If you don't apologize to Erika and end up arrested, what am I going to tell your mother?"

Cato buried his face in his hands. "How am I going to face your father when I die, if I let his only son get arrested and ruin his career? Answer me!"

Lloyd was silent.

Erika kept her face stony, but she was nearly in hysterics inside. Oh this is just too good. The Hero of Justice gets a dose of reality.

"Suppose I do apologize to her," Lloyd asked carefully, "what's going to happen from here on out?"

Cato looked immensely relieved at his willingness to give in. "Well, we're going to have to wait for Erika's uncle to arrive. Fulton is busy right now busting a Claw hideout downtown. I really admire how dedicated he is, but the Claws are just too slippery. Despite his best efforts, he only ever catches a few before they escape. In fact-"

A sudden cough interrupted Cato's talking, and he turned to see Erika covering her mouth, as if she choked on her own spit. "Are you okay Erika? Is something wrong? I can get you water if you want," Cato offered her. Erika cleared her throat and gave him a big grin and thumbs up.

"Oh, it's quite alright sir," Erika said smoothly. "The air here isn't too good, and I'm not used to it. I think it should pass soon."

"Don't hesitate to ask if you need anything," Cato told her seriously. "Fulton saved my life once during a raid on a Claw hideout. It would be remiss of me to neglect his only niece."

Cato turned back to Lloyd. "I think you should apologize to Erika now. Just get it over with, before Fulton arrives."

Lloyd's face was so horribly scrunched up that it nearly set Erika off again. It looked like he was squeezing every single facial muscle all at once, as if he were in great pain at just the thought of apologizing. If Erika were a cruder person, she may have likened his face to that of a person suffering from great constipation and terrible bowel movements.

Let me hear it, Erika thought gleefully. Apologize.

"I apo-," Lloyd's voice caught in his throat as he spoke. He swallowed nervously, gritting his teeth.

"Yes?" Erika leaned in toward him. "I didn't catch that. Can you speak up a bit more?"

"I'm sorry, okay!" He burst out, sounding like he had just sold his soul. "I misunderstood the situation, and escalated it to a fight. I was in the wrong. I apologize! Will you accept my apology?"

Erika took her time. She reached out and grabbed Lloyd's hands, and sincerely looked into his eyes, ignoring how he flinched at the contact.

"Of course I accept your apology!" Erika exclaimed with fake cheer.

"I know you didn't mean it. Trainers like us should get along, and I definitely won't press charges. I wouldn't want to ruin the future of a 'promising' trainer like you," Erika said, leaning on the word. "I'm just glad this misunderstanding was resolved peacefully."

Lloyd clenched his teeth even more. If he clenches any harder his teeth will probably shatter, Erika noted amusedly.

"Let go of my hand," he forced out. "I don't like being touched."

With a look of mock surprise, Erika released her grip and bowed at him. "I'm really sorry, Lloyd. I'll make sure to respect your boundaries next time. I was just really happy that we were able to clear up the misunderstanding. You'll forgive me, won't you?"

Cato looked expectantly at Lloyd, missing the subtext behind Erika's words.

"Of course…" Lloyd forced out. "I forgive you."

"Well," Cato said, beaming, "this matter has come to a close. I'll escort you back to your home, Lloyd, and you can reflect there for a month while your license is reinstated. I trust that Erika and her uncle won't push for anything harder, so just make sure to stay out of trouble."

A steel key was drawn from under the table, and Cato helped Erika unlock her handcuffs, and then proceeded to do the same for Lloyd. Erika waited to see if he would attempt to punch her, but he held himself in. Smart boy.

"This is the last time I can help you out Lloyd," Cato warned seriously. "Everything I do is out of respect for your father. I'm already getting complaints that I've been abusing my power to keep you out of the system, but the other force members have tolerated it for now because they all remember your father's heroism. If you keep committing crimes like this - and yes, they are crimes, then eventually you're going to have to do the time."

Cato stood up, patting down his pants, and motioned for Lloyd to follow him. "Erika, you don't mind waiting alone for Fulton right? I think he's bound to arrive soon anyways."

"I don't think that'll be necessary," Fulton's voice interrupted them. "I'm already here."

Erika spun around in shock, but not fast enough, because she felt two hands grab and hoist her up into the air. She wriggled futilely, glaring down at Fulton who was now laughing uproariously. "Put me down!" Erika shouted at him.

"Of course, of course," Fulton said, still laughing at her predicament. He dropped her abruptly, causing Erika to wobble and have to steady herself. Fulton started tousling her hair, ignoring the burning glare Erika was giving him.

Erika felt her face heating up in embarrassment as even Cato started laughing, clearly taken in by the picturesque scene of family taking place before him. Lloyd had a vicious smile on his face, and she knew he was enjoying her humiliation. You better watch your back Lloyd.

"Fulton!" Cato exclaimed warmly, reaching out to hug him. "How have you been? It's been so long since we last caught up. Lloyd, I'd like you to meet my friend. This is the man who dragged me out of a burning warehouse while fighting off multiple Claw aces. He saved my life."

To his credit, Fulton at least looked a little embarrassed at the praise. He waved it off and shrugged like it wasn't a big deal. "I was just doing my job, Cato. I'm glad to be of service. How have you been by the way? Is the wife well?"

"Mariko is doing great!" Cato said, smiling. "She's actually expecting now! I'm going to have a son next year!"

Even Fulton seemed caught off guard by the news. He smiled genuinely and grabbed Cato by the shoulders, shaking him. "That's great to hear! I knew you could do it, you old dog!"

Erika watched the two men reminisce with great interest. Fulton seems to know Cato and his wife pretty well, actually. Maybe it wasn't a coincidence that he chose to save Cato during the Claw raid.

While Fulton might have saved Cato to get an in with the local police, Erika was confident that there was more to it than just that. She got the sense that Fulton wasn't the type of person to do things without a reason. It kind of fit the stereotype too, about ice specialists being cold and calculating, even if it didn't have any basis in reality.

"Well, it's been great catching up with you Cato, but I've got urgent business to do," Fulton said. "Erika needs to get registered in the system, and I have to get her a trainer card. She only got her pokemon yesterday, can you believe it?"

"Now that you mention it, I did find it hard to believe at first," Cato admitted, "but the pokeball registration dates don't lie. Give me a second."

Cato briefly left the holding room, and returned with two pokeballs - a blue great ball, and red standard pokeball. He handed both over to Erika who eagerly clipped them back to her waist, delighting in the proximity to her pokemon once more. While being separated from her pokemon wasn't a big deal, it still felt uncomfortable to Erika who had bonds so strong she could quite literally sense the movements of Snivy's pokeball even from another room.

"Your grass affinity is ridiculous," Cato told Erika seriously. "Bonding two pokemon within the same day, and a snivy at that, means your affinity has to be in the top percentile of all trainers. Have you ever considered signing up for the Rising Stars Gauntlet?"

"Rising Stars?"

"Yep," Cato said. "It's a government sponsored initiative to draw in fresh talent each league season. The format is 2v2 singles, and entry is restricted to badgeless trainers under sixteen. You fit the requirements perfectly. Look, there's a poster on the wall right there!"

Erika turned toward the direction of Cato's finger, now noticing a vibrant poster stuck loosely to the wall. She didn't see it previously because it was hidden behind Lloyd's chair.

Erika swiped the paper off the wall and held it closer to see the contents. It read 'RISING STARS', and listed a series of requirements beneath the title. However, what truly drew her attention was the promised reward.

"The winner will be interviewed live on the Morning Sun, and will be given admission to the Corner Charity Gala," Erika read aloud. "Each of the top three will be awarded high-grade technical machines produced by Silph. The two runner ups will receive random machines, while the winner will be given a selection from a catalog. "

Wow. That's pretty generous of the hosts. High-grade technical machines aren't cheap by any means. This is good stuff, Erika thought.

"It's on May 20th as well, so you've got about a week to prepare," Fulton interjected. "That should be ample time for you to get ready, given your talents."

Erika beamed and stuffed the poster into her pocket, saving it for later.

"Thank you Cato," Erika told him. "I think I'll definitely be attending this." She risked a glance at Lloyd, and couldn't resist adding a little jab towards him. "It is a shame though. I was hoping to be able to rematch Lloyd some time later, and the Rising Stars Gauntlet would've been perfect, if not for his suspension from training."

Erika was content to leave it there, but Fulton interrupted her again. "You know, maybe we could lower Lloyd's suspension time to a week."

Fulton looked at Lloyd with an appraising eye, watching the looping fight scene of his fight with Erika. "I'm sure his intentions were good, and I wouldn't want him to miss such a big event. It would be good for Erika to have someone she knows there alongside her."

What? Fulton, you bitch! Erika glared at him, but Fulton only shrugged. Thankfully, Cato remained adamant about punishing Lloyd.

"While I appreciate your attempt to be lenient with Lloyd, I still think he should spend this month off," Cato said. "Regardless of his intentions, he still nearly killed your niece. I know that you're more desensitized to this sort of stuff, but we shouldn't excuse his behavior. Thank you for the offer though."

"Oh well," Fulton shrugged. "Either way, Erika and I should really get going now. Catch you later Cato!"

Fulton released his jynx onto the floor of the holding room with a hiss of icy air, instantly lowering the temperature of the room and making frost crawl up the window. "Take us home," he told the jynx.

What happened next was quite indescribable. There was a brief but horrible twisting sensation, and then Erika witnessed the world snap back into place. The holding room she stood in just a moment ago was replaced by plush leather, and the hard concrete she stood on became soft carpet.

The transition was so sudden and jarring that Erika felt the urge to vomit. However, she held it in, unwilling to sully herself like that.

Erika was just about to plop herself down onto one of the reclining chairs when her instincts started screaming, warning her to get out of the way of something. She leapt to the side immediately, trusting her gut, and watched as an icicle flew towards the chair she was about to sit down on, splintering and collapsing the wood.

Erika reached for her pokeballs, but an overbearing aura pressed down onto her, stopping her from doing so. She felt breathless from the pressure of the aura, and drew struggling, rasping breaths. Then the cold hit, and Erika started shivering.

That's Fulton's aura. Erika turned around to see him leaning against the wall, wine glass in hand, and she glared at him. It feels like my blood is turning to ice. Even those nights huddling beneath the bridge last winter didn't feel this bad.

"Doesn't feel good, does it?" Fulton asked, sipping his drink. "That's what those trainers experienced when you flared your aura next to them."

That's what it feels like? It felt like I was being squeezed into paste.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

"So what?" Erika said in challenge. "Why do you care? What's your problem anyways?"

Unsatisfied with her answer, Fulton flicked his finger at her, sending a spray of snow chips into her face. "My problem, girl, is that you're fucking up your reputation!"

At these words, Fulton angrily smashed his wineglass onto the floor. The intensity of his aura began ramping up even further, and more and more frost crept up the windows of the room. The carpet glaciated, the pristine fabric wrinkling up into icy clumps, and the wooden furniture started groaning due to the sudden change in temperature gradient.

Erika fell to her knees with a gasp. Still, she didn't panic. It's way too cold. The cold might be worse than the lack of air actually.

She became steadily colder and more breathless with each passing second, and her lips began to turn blue as the oxygen left her body. Erika felt herself growing faint even as the cold tried to keep her mind active, but she pushed through the pain, gritting her teeth and maintaining her presence of mind until at last Fulton retracted his aura, allowing her to cough and start taking deep gulps of air.

Fuck. I hate this feeling. I know he's doing it to punish me, but would it kill Fulton to come up with something new?

"I'm not punishing you by the way," Fulton said casually. "This is chastisement. I am reprimanding you for your completely stupid actions today."

"Fuck you Fulton," Erika snarled. "Stop reading my mind." There was a little noise above, and Erika jerked her head upwards, only now realizing that Fulton's jynx was standing upside down on the ceiling. It waved hello to her, before returning to its task.

Fulton only sneered at her words. "Maybe you should start learning how to hide your surface thoughts with aura. Ever considered that?"

Erika was horribly offended. "It's been one day since I awakened my aura. Cut me some slack, will you?"

"One day," Fulton agreed, echoing her words. "You've had an aura for one day, and you went on a rampage straight away. Legendaries know what you'll be doing in a week's time."

"Winning the Rising Stars Gauntlet?" Erika said sarcastically.

She was about to continue aggrandizing herself when Fulton put his palm to his face and shushed her, clearly unwilling to hear anymore. He threw out a crumpled paper ball at Erika, who let the mass hit her and fall to the ground. Erika picked it up and unraveled it, smoothing out the creases. It was a picture of her face, along with a list of information like her name, associated pokemon, and relatives.

"It's been one day," Fulton said, repeating her earlier words, "and you already have a police record. What the hell? Care to explain how this is part of your grand plan?"

"It's a victim's record," Erika said, waving it off. "They make one for anyone even tangentially involved in a crime, whether that's as a participant or as a victim. How do you expect me to become a gym leader if I'm not battling trainers? Why are you so concerned anyways?"

"I'm concerned," Fulton snarled, "because the conservatives do NOT like people with questionable backgrounds! You were lucky today that Lloyd was a serial offender. No one took him seriously, and the camera angle was in your favor too. What do you think would have happened if it was a random trainer who you instigated, and not Lloyd?"

Erika was about to answer when Fulton sealed her mouth with ice. "Shut up! I don't want to hear you speak right now! Stop and think for once about the consequences of what you're doing! Our entire partnership revolves around your future potential as a member of the Celadon Conservatives, and your becoming a gym leader. Do you think the conservatives will look well upon a delinquent with a criminal record? Answer me!"

Oh shit. Erika finally realized that she had fucked up. Fulton's right. I really did screw the poochyena there.

"It's a little too late to realize!" Fulton shouted at her. "Think before you act, girl! Actions have consequences, and your image is paramount! You might as well throw your lot in with the progressives at this point!"

Erika ripped the ice binding from her mouth and winced, before shouting right back at Fulton. "Look, I'm sorry, alright! I was having a moment. That was my first day as a trainer! I was just commemorating it by shocking the people around me and announcing myself!"

"Yeah, you shocked them alright," Fulton sneered. "With how utterly stupid you were! If this is how things are going to be, I might as well call off our partnership now!"

"Too bad," Erika smugly told him. "We both need each other, me perhaps more than you, but that doesn't change the fact that you need me! So stop trying to intimidate me! I promise I won't do it again, okay, so back off!"

Fulton's face grew dark, but Erika knew she was correct. "I bet you've already started the process of making my documents," Erika asserted confidently. "It's too late to stop it now! The fact that I'm your niece is already probably registered in some parts of the league system, and undoing all of that will raise red flags."

Erika's mind was running at full speed once more. Previously, Fulton's icy aura sapped and slowed her down, but now that he had retracted it, there was nothing holding her back any longer. Erika made deductions and quick guesses, eliminating wrong answers and joining dots at incredible speed to suss out what had happened in the intervening day after she proposed her partnership with Fulton.

"Since you're a ranger, your background must have been checked thoroughly!" Erika continued speaking, ignoring Fulton's twisted expression. "You only had one sibling, and he died years ago, which means that you must have informed the league that your brother had a child out of wedlock before his death! There's no way to forge an identity on short notice that will stand up to league scrutiny, especially an identity that belongs to the niece of a powerful ace and government ranger!"

She slammed her hand down to emphasize her next words. "In conclusion, you must have gone through official channels! You didn't go to some syndicate forger to get my documents done. You went straight to the League's Department of State! There's no undoing that!"

Erika waited for Fulton's reaction, panting slightly due to how fast she had spoken. Take that, Fulton!

There was a long pause, and then Fulton threw his hands up into the air. "Sure, why not. You got me. Your reasoning skills are as impressive as always," Fulton complemented her.

"Since it's come to this, I'll just admit it," he said casually. "Yes, it is impossible for me to revoke your identity as my niece. However, that doesn't mean I can't call off our partnership. You do recall what I said at the beginning right? If I'm not satisfied with you, then I'll bring you to heel and turn you into a subordinate. Are you sure you want that?"

Erika snorted. "I doubt you can. But for the sake of argument, what would I need to do to get back into your good graces? I've already promised to behave properly in public moving forwards. What else do you want me to do?"

"Be self aware," Fulton told her. "Image is your most crucial asset. When it comes to integrating with the conservatives, they care most about image. You have the talent to be a rising star and a peak ace, that's for certain, but the conservatives won't care about that if you don't fit their ideal. I want you to think before you act next time in public."

Couldn't you have just spared me from all the drama? You could have just told me what you wanted from the start. I already apologized anyway.

"I could have," Fulton admitted, reading her mind once more via jynx, who was likely hiding somewhere in the room. Erika scowled. "But I need you to understand the consequences of your actions. What you felt just now was just a taste of what you did to those trainers. I find that it's easier to think about the consequences once you experience them yourself."

"Just cut the shit next time," Erika grumbled. "I get it okay. I won't do it again."

Fulton gestured for her to sit down, but Erika remained standing. Do you think I'm dumb? The entire fucking room is iced over. I'm not going to freeze my bum by sitting down. Fulton shrugged and took a seat on the recliner, unbothered by the cold thanks to his Ice aura. Bitch.

"We're partners," Fulton said seriously. "I'm not going to restrict you from doing what you want, or stop you from moving around freely. However, you have to understand that this is a relationship based on mutual benefit. I am throwing my support and money behind you to raise you into an asset which will help me politically. You are receiving my support and money and can more easily climb the rungs of society."

Fulton leaned forward, clasping his hands together and placing his elbows on his knees. "However, right now, you are damaging your image, your most valuable political asset, and you are therefore lowering your worth in my eyes. It is my duty as your partner to tell you that you are being stupid."

I know what I did was stupid. Ugh.

"Let us make something clear," Fulton declared. "I am not ordering you to behave. I am advising you to behave. Your prosperity is my own, and you nearly ruined your future just now, and by extension, my own. If you had died to that mankey, what do you think would have happened to me? I have taken a risk in bringing you on. Do you understand?"

Erika nodded.

"Then I won't speak on this any further," Fulton told her. "Let's move onto something else - your documents. I've taken care of the legitimacy of your identity, but we still need to get you an official passport and trainer license. By the way, I wasn't kidding about needing three days to get your passport and license."

Fulton threw out two metal discs onto the table before him, beckoning at Erika to pick them up. She complied, holding the discs up to her face. They were flat, with irregular black grooves on the side. Are these discs some form of advanced communication system? Perhaps its secret technology only league rangers get access to.

"What is this?" Erika asked him curiously.

"It's an appointment token," Fulton replied. "They buzz when it's your turn to enter the passport office."

Erika looked at him incredulously. "Are you kidding me? Aren't these just the same tokens that the food courts use? Like the food court in the Plaza Market? The bloody league uses food court tokens for official appointments?"

"No, yes, yes, and yes," Fulton said cheekily. "You are also responsible for not losing the token. You'll be fined a thousand pokedollars if you fail to return them. I advise you to take care of it."

Erika only hesitated briefly before she grabbed the tokens and shoved them unceremoniously into her pocket, letting the tokens join the Rising Stars poster that was already there. My pocket is getting kind of full actually. Maybe I should invest in deeper pockets.

"You've got one week before the Rising Stars Gauntlet," Fulton told her pointedly. "I suggest you make these next seven days count. If you don't have anything else to say, then we're done here. Don't forget to meet me for the passport and license creation."

"Why three days?" Erika wondered. "Aren't you a ranger? I thought you guys were given priority in government matters, no?"

Fulton only sighed. "It's true, we do get priority. Sadly, three business days is already the fastest the league's Department of State can do. They have to file everything in triplicate, and then pass it to multiple different offices, before it finally goes to the Passport Office. The league likes to keep records of everything, and they even make records of the records they make." He scowled, clearly unhappy with the bureaucracy.

Erika just thought that it was wild that it took three days even in the supposed 'fast track'. How long does it take for regular trainers then? A month?

"It's instantaneous," Fulton told her, leaning back in his recliner and staring at the ceiling. "Yes, I am still reading your mind. That's not going to stop, by the way, until you learn how to shield your mind. Think of it as a little bit of extra incentive."

Erika scrunched her face up in discomfort, but she held her tongue. "How come it's instantaneous for regular people? Wait - never mind, don't answer that. They had their passports done since they were young. The Passport Office doesn't need to wait for their file to go through the bureaucratic process and they can just get a trainer license on the spot."

"If you're done here, you can see yourself out," Fulton said, spreading his arms. "Carzi will teleport you to wherever you want, provided it's within Celadon. Just tell me where you want to be dropped off."

It took her only a few seconds to figure out where she wanted to go. "The Plaza Market," Erika told Fulton. "Drop me off inside the market if you can. I don't want to try to beat the morning traffic."

No sooner than she had spoken, Fulton burst out into uproarious laughter, nearly falling from his chair. "Are you kidding me? You want to go shopping dressed like that?"

Erika felt her face burning. "Of course! What else am I going to wear?"

"Nope," Fulton said, wiggling his finger at her in a metronome. "The Plaza Guards are going to start asking questions if you go shopping in one of the nicer parts of the Plaza, especially if you're underdressed like that. You need to dress the part too if you want to convince people you come from money. See that door there?"

Erika looked to her right, finding a glass sliding door. The glass was frosted so she couldn't see inside, but she could tell that the floor in the room behind it was made from marble.

"That's a bathroom," Fulton told her. "Go shower. I've prepared a decent garb for you to wear temporarily, and it should roughly match your size. It's on the sink. You won't be questioned if you wear that into the Plaza."

"What sort of clothing is this?" Erika asked warily. Fulton didn't deign to answer her. Guess I just have to find out for myself.

She pulled the sliding door open and stepped into the room, feeling a blast of warm air invigorate her. Erika made for the sink and noticed a pile of neatly folded golden fabric to the side, picking it up and unraveling to reveal… What is this? It's just one big piece of fabric. Is that a sash?

"It's a kimono," Fulton said from behind her. Erika flinched a little, still not used to being snuck up on so easily. "The conservatives love this dress. Many of their men wear it too out of tradition, but it is especially popular among the women. I'll leave the room for now. Try it on and see how you like it."

He shut the sliding door behind him with a bang, and Erika moved to lock the door, before slipping out of her dirty clothes. It took some effort because of how coarse her clothes were, not to mention covered in mud, but she was finally able to remove it all. When she stepped in and turned the handle of the shower, Erika was blasted by freezing water.

"What the fuck?" Erika shouted. "Why is it so cold? I turned the handle to hot!"

From outside the bathroom, Fulton shouted back at her. "My bad! I'm used to showering cold! I don't feel the temperature at all, so I save on money by only having cold water!"

"You're a fucking league ranger and a three star ace!" Erika bellowed back. "Are you seriously telling me that you're a scrooge and a penny pincher? What about all the furniture in your room then?"

"Personal choice!" Erika heard being shouted back. "I don't care if you spend a lot, but to me it's important that I maintain my state of mind! The furniture is also a personal choice! I can't stand having an empty room! Just shut up and shower!"

Erika just closed her eyes and tried to get used to the icy water. Ugh. It's freezing. I hate the cold. She pressed the soap dispenser multiple times and lathered her entire body in it, scrubbing away relentlessly to get the mud and grit off. Shampoo was next. Erika took her time working the shampoo into her long hair, untangling the strands and thoroughly washing the entire mass. She applied a liberal amount of conditioner too, softening her hair so it wouldn't clump together like it had done previously.

The cold was getting better over time Erika realized, but she also knew that it would be far worse when she stepped out. She had tried swimming in Lake Shogi once, and while the cold faded after a few minutes, getting out returned the sensation to her threefold.

When Erika was finally done, she cranked the handle and stepped out, reaching for a towel as fast as she could, wrapping herself in the soft fabric to try ward off the cold, shivering as she did so. This might be worse than how Fulton's aura felt.

Erika grabbed the waiting hairdryer and started blow drying her hair, using her fingers to comb it straight as she did so. It took her a few seconds to work out how the kimono was meant to be worn. Are you kidding me? Is this a bathrobe?

Erika put the kimono on, and used the sash to tie it together, and she turned to admire herself in the mirror. In doing so, Erika felt something in her kimono rustle and fall to the floor, and she instinctively reached to pick it up.

It was an instruction booklet. Erika turned it over and read the description. Kimono and Obi set. Steps listed on the back. I didn't put it on wrong, did I?

As it turned out, Erika did indeed put it on wrong. The sash - the obi, was meant to be folded first, and then wrapped around backwards, before looping to the front and then tied at the back. It took a few more minutes to wrangle the obi, before Erika finally got it perfectly into place and admired herself again.

Much better this time. Erika turned around, noticing how the bow stuck out from behind. It's quite elegant, in a strange sort of way. I can understand how the conservatives might like this.

She slid on a pair of prepared wooden sandals next to the exit, and stepped out of the bathroom with a flourish, only to find Fulton watching the news on a recliner in the opposite direction. "Am I fit to go shopping now?"

Fulton leaned around to look at Erika, unwilling to get off his recliner, and gave her a nod of approval. "Much better. You actually look like a wealthy young miss now, and not some random street rat. The Plaza Guards won't bother you at all."

"Oh right, here, catch!" Fulton threw her a wad of bills and a thin card. Erika snatched them both out of the air and started flipping through the notes. Are these notes all hundreds? And the card - heavens above, is that Indigo Platinum?

He waved towards his jynx. "If you're ready to go-"

"Wait!" Erika cried. "I don't have any pockets. How am I supposed to carry my stuff?"

Fulton thought about it for a moment before replying. "Check your sleeves. There should be a gap where you can put personal belongings. To Erika's surprise, he was indeed correct. It was cleverly hidden, and she was able to fit her card and a few notes into the gap. She then folded her poster and slid it into the sleeve as well.

"I'll send you off now," Fulton said, returning back to his television. "Ciao!"

Erika felt the world contort and twist once more, and she found herself snapped back into place at a totally different location. I think I'm going to be sick.

Erika pressed her hands to her stomach gently, crouching down and trying to dispel the bout of queasiness that had overtaken her, before exhaling and getting up again. She took a moment to clear her throat before finally taking a look around.

The inside of the building she was in was immaculate. The onyx floor was so spotless that it shone brilliantly, and Erika could see various chic looking shops scattered across the floor. She espied a ritzy tea shop advertising tea blends she couldn't even begin to name, a camping equipment store selling collapsible tents, and - was that the Argrave Emporium?

That's a trainer store! They sell pedigree pokemon and specialist grooming equipment. Wait a second. That means-

Erika quickly peered out one of the nearby windows and gasped when she realized that she was nearly seven stories above the ground. Fulton's jynx had dropped her right in the Glass Helix, one of the trainer exclusive areas in the Plaza where you couldn't get in without a trainer license. From the fifth floor upwards, the entire building was made entirely out of expensive types of glass.

She checked the floor below her again instinctively, and marveled at the translucency. Erika leaned down to feel the floor with her finger, dragging a line across the onyx and observing the luster. No way! Is this actually obsidian glass? And it's tempered too!

"Young lady, is this your first time in the Helix?"

Erika snapped her head at the voice, before realizing it was one of the gentleman caretakers. "It is!"

"Don't worry, miss," the man said, reaching out to shake her hand vigorously. "My name is Drexel. I'm the butler in charge of the third trainer floor - that's the seventh floor of the building. It's a little weird, yes. The Glass Helix part of the building starts at the fifth floor," Drexel said, noticing her confusion. "I can see that you need help, so I'm happy to offer my services."

Drexel helped Erika to her feet and handed her a brochure. "First things first, make sure to stick to floors five through seven," he advised. "The upper floors are restricted to six badge trainers and above, and you won't be allowed upstairs even if you tried to sneak up."

"Do you have any questions for me? I'm happy to answer anything or help you find whatever you need." Drexel tugged a little on his lapel, adjusting his suit until it was crisp once more. "It appears to be your first time in the Helix, so don't be afraid! I'm here to help."

"Well," Erika said, considering, "can you give me a rundown of the recommended items a new trainer should buy? I'm already planning to buy a collapsible tent and camping supplies, but if you know anything else, that would be nice too."

"Certainly!" Drexel answered, beaming. "First off, I need to know your budget. What is your price range? How much are you willing to splurge?"

Erika thought about hiding the amount of money she had briefly, before realizing that she was in one of the most exclusive and ritzy buildings in Celadon. Erika already looked and dressed the part, so there wasn't much point in pretending otherwise. She had the money to back it up, after all. Time to splurge, Erika thought with a grin. Fulton gave me this card for a reason. I'll make sure to use his gift wisely - by spending as much as I can.

"No budget," Erika told Drexel honestly. "Just find me the best quality stuff possible."

Drexel's eyebrows rose, before he nodded with a grin. "Excellent! I love customers with money. Right this way please, young miss."

He led Erika away, and she followed, trailing after him. Erika took her time walking, even asking Drexel to slow down several times so she could admire all the shops they passed by. There were shops that sold stimulants, technical machines, vitamins and superfoods, multiple restaurants, the list went on and on. Some of the prices listed on the menus of the restaurants made Erika's heart wrench, before she realized that she had an unlimited Indigo Platinum credit card now. Definitely coming back here to eat later.

The entire seventh floor was beautifully decorated with potted tulips and marigolds, harkening back to the older days of grass rule. There was even a miniature park in the middle of the floor covered in flower beds and a marble golduck fountain, which spat out sparkling clear water. Erika ran up to it to get a closer look, running her hand through the water and gasping at its clarity. I don't think I've ever seen water this clear before. This is amazing!

Erika stared at the flower beds a little longer, before realizing that they spelt out a single word.

Roko.

A crest of green and white tulips were artfully arranged to form the letters in the word 'Roko', which Erika thought was quite odd. That name sounds a little familiar, she thought.

"Hey, Drexel, do you know why this mini park has this here?" Erika asked, pointing out the flower bed.

Drexel had to peer a little closer to clearly see what Erika was pointing at, before he let out an "aha", of surprise.

"Of course I know!" Drexel exclaimed. "Let me walk you through the history of this park actually. Have you heard of the Roko Family by any chance?"

Erika thought about it for a moment. Roko, roko, roko. Where have I heard that before? Well, there is Roko Square.

"Roko Square?" Erika ventured.

"That's the one," Drexel confirmed. "The Roko Family are staunch conservatives, and they built Roko Square for veterans and retired rangers to enjoy. Homeless veterans without a place to stay are also allowed to camp at the square, provided they act in a becoming manner and stay cleanly, and do not cause disruptions."

He spread his arms wide, gesturing to the entire floor. "The entirety of the seventh floor of the Glass Helix was sponsored by the Rokos. That's why you still see these flower beds and older architectural styles. See that archway there?"

Erika tracked his hand and focused on what Drexel pointed at, noticing a marble archway with inlaid grooves and interlocking ridges. "That one?"

"Yes, young miss." Drexel confirmed. "See how the patterns on the curvature of the archway connect? They form a cherubi. This entire floor is actually modeled after a traditional basilica."

Erika gasped. Now that Drexel had pointed it out, she could indeed make out the image of a cherubi, painstakingly carved into the archway by hand. There were four cherubi locked together in a cluster, but their faces… it just looked wrong. There's something off about this. It doesn't look right. The cherubi aren't smiling for one. Are those wings?

It was indeed a wing. Or rather, four wings. From the backs of the cherubi cluster, four brilliant wings sprouted. The tips of the wings were curved, and wavy lines trailed upwards from each section. Flaming wings. That's beautiful, Erika thought, transfixed by the mural.

"Is this some sort of reimagining of the Cherubi line?" Erika asked curiously. "This doesn't look like a Cherubi at all, mutated or not."

"Well, being perfectly honest, I don't know too much about it," Drexel admitted. The archives we maintain say that the mural was inspired by a poem written over a thousand years ago, but the source for this was lost a long time ago. I can tell you about the artist of this work though. He's a famed sculptor named Lachica who lived about five hundred years ago. We actually hold a few of his other works here as well, but this archway is one of his best pieces. Sadly, time has worn away at the material, and a lot of the original carvings have been chipped away and grinded down."

Drexel checked his watch. "Oh dear. We've spent nearly half an hour touring the floor. I think we should get back to finding the items you need, young miss."

Erika nodded her assent, and tore her eyes away from the mesmerizing mural carved onto the archway. I didn't think I would ever appreciate art, but there's a first for everything I guess. This Lachica guy really is something.

"Thank you so much for indulging my curiosity," Erika said, cupping her hands towards Drexel in respect, and bowing slightly. "I'm extremely grateful that you took the time out of your day to show me around."

"Of course!" Drexel exclaimed. "I'm always happy to help people out, and especially trainers like you with an interest in art and history. Let's go grab those camping supplies now, shall we?"

This time, the two of them wasted no time at all and headed straight for the camping store. Erika picked up a self filtering water canteen, water purifying tablets, a flint stick, all purpose seasoning, and a few other camping essentials that the store claimed would be helpful for a beginning trainer.

She took her time studying the backpack selection, before Drexel advised her to grab a forest green compression pack designed to minimize bouncing while on the run. Erika agreed with his selection. This will definitely come in useful if I need to run away from any strong pokemon. The backpack won't bounce up and down and impede my movement.

Tent shopping was a little harder due to the extreme variety on display, but Erika eventually settled on the Model RX-78-2, a super collapsible tent that could be folded down to the size of her arm. There was a latch that could be pulled to trigger the folding mechanism, and the tent would automatically unravel and fold as needed. Erika's jaw dropped initially when she watched the shopkeeper fold down a tent the size of a truck into a tiny roll. It would easily fit into her backpack, and could be carried around with ease.

Grabbing vitamins was less fun, but equally as important. Erika picked up multiple casings of nitrate, phosphorus, and potassium tablets for Oddish, and some more specialized vitamins for Snivy. Each tablet in the bottles was compressed heavily, and the dosages were massive. The tablets were slow release, so she could feed Gwen and Snivy one each week instead of having to do it daily, meaning a single bottle of vitamins could last up to a year.

Expensive as shit though. That cost me nearly ten thousand pokedollars a bottle.

Swiping her flashy new Indigo Platinum card gave Erika an indescribable sense of happiness. The respectful look on the face of the cashier also inflated her ego further, and Erika strolled out feeling like a princess.

After Erika parted ways with Drexel, she ended her shopping session at one of the fancy restaurants she saw previously, named The Glass Rapidash. Erika gorged herself on dozens of bitesize meals worth hundreds of pokedollars, eating without care.

Twice, the head chef came out to personally thank her for her generous patronage, and even conducted the display of the food personally. Erika tipped the man a few thousand for his efforts. As she munched on yet another seaking cream filet topped with asparagus and saffron, Erika leaned back contentedly and smiled. Truly, this was life.