Erin

  —

  I was glad to say goodbye to the plains for now. I mean, I had enjoyed meeting the Kangaskhan, Maxx, and even the Rangers… It was no wonder they were mom's friends, honestly…

  Still, I had a lot of meat in Storage Balls, so we were on our way to Vermilion City now. We weren't on a time crunch, so mom wasn't sprint- wait, she was sprinting, she just wasn't using Rock Polish as well. It was soothing for me and Leaf, but poor Alex was still bouncing. I felt bad for her… but it was also so funny… Before I had my mind demolished, I would probably have felt bad about being amused by another's misery… Well, at least a little. I still felt like I should… I just didn't! Shit was hilarious!

  "Are we almost there, Ro- Dexter?" Alex sounded pleading, and I didn't blame her. Still amusing, though…

  "We're close, yeah. Looking forward to eating something?" He laughed a little as she went green. She had been smart enough to just keep her stomach empty before we started… That had been seven hours ago, though, when we said goodbye to Maxx, Rosie, and Rosie's adorable baby.

  Maxx had actually tried to give us a lot of photographs, but honestly, I didn't want them on me. Now, at home? Absolutely, and he would be shipping them to mom at some point… That baby Kangaskhan gathering picture, and the one of every herd talking to Leto, may actually win awards! He might have been a bit too brave for his own good before meeting mom, but Maxx was a damn good photographer.

  I smiled viciously at Alex. Honestly… I should probably just assume they're all vicious unless I make them not… I'm getting worse, honestly… I just didn't care. Which is probably due to me getting worse… Ehh? Fuck it!

  "Don't worry, Alex! You'll be fine tomorrow for our matches! Think of all the delicious food you'll be full of tomorr-" My mean fun was interrupted by an elbow, and I glared at Leaf. She just glared right back.

  "You're being mean, Erin!" I grinned at her.

  "I haven't really started, though?" She elbowed me again.

  —

  Vermilion was a beautiful city, but in a very different way than Cerulean had been. Cerulean played off its strengths, made itself a city of beauty and water mixed together seamlessly. Vermilion? It was all business. I mean, obviously not all, but the massive dockyard was a pretty good indication of what this city specialized in, and it was still beautiful compared to the ones I had seen back in my old world. It wasn't customized, and it was no work of art, but it wasn't soulless lines with no decoration, either.

  Then there were the defenses!

  This world had been at peace for decades, but I had noticed that there were huge bunkers around most cities, if not outright walls like there were here. In Vermilion, next to deep ocean water, and not an inlet, the bunkers were extensive, more a series of castles in the harbor… I could see those being useful, though.

  Pokemon Stampedes were a thing in this world, although they were usually contained easily. If they were a land-based species, at least. Flying Pokemon were big issues, and Water-based Pokemon were almost worse… I wouldn't enjoy a Stampede of a hundred Gyarados hitting the city… or Wailord…

  "So, shopping? I know Alex wanted a new outfit… I might get a hat, maybe?" Leaf wrinkled her nose at me as we relaxed in the powerful AC of a Pokemon Center. I had liked the hats Maxx and that Ranger lady had worn, but she thought they were dumb looking! My headband might be part of my iconic outfit, but it was the feathers and jacket that really made it. I could also use a little protection from the sun…

  "I don't know if Alex can move, Erin." I smiled at Leaf. Deviously.

  "Alex is fine. Watch this, Leaf." I turned to the other girl with a smile on my face as I watched her recline on Leto, pale, exhausted, and limp… Just so done with everything right now, not a bit of energy.

  None!

  "I'll buy you a full outfit if you can stand up in the next thirty seconds, Alex." She was up in two.

  —

  "You didn't say you would pick out the outfit!" She was furiously blushing from behind the cracked changing room door and I grinned at her.

  "No, but I never said I would let you pick it out, either! You don't have to come out here if you don't want to! I don't want to make you uncomfortable." I softened my grin, because I was serious. Not that I lied…

  Her face was red as she stepped out, but me and Leaf barely noticed. Alex had complained about her plain shirts and skirts, which, fair enough. They were plain and comfortable, easy to get used to. She wanted to branch out, though? And during summer?

  I'd picked out a nice pair of short pumps for her to wear in cities, and she still had her wide sun hat on. It was the short white skort that was different, not to mention the dark green tank top. Honestly, the skort was deceptive, considering it was basically just some short shorts with a skirt wrapped around it. She wanted to show more skin, and she really wanted to be less covered during summer, but was still worried… Especially for one prominent reason. Not that I hadn't known how to instruct the embarrassed, thankful girl… The tank top was just… a tank top.

  I honestly wasn't trying to dress her up, just to let her get more comfortable with herself so she could pick out more of what she wanted to wear.

  "You look good, Alex! Much lighter too, huh?" She nodded at me, face still a bit red. Leaf gave me a confused look.

  "Once again Erin, those colors aren't bad, but they only work because of the hair!" I smirked at her.

  "That's okay, Leaf! She looks good, anyways, and I also have something for you!" She almost got away from me, but I snagged her arm.

  "It's just some different colors, Leaf! You won't die!"

  She certainly acted like she would…

  She still bought one different colored shirt… In the exact same cut!

  —

  "Feeling confident, Alex?" I hoped she was, considering we were on our way to the Gym right now. She actually smiled, a nice, easy smile as she wore the new clothes from yesterday. I really had no fashion sense, honestly. Her light blue hair was carrying everything I put on her…

  "Yeah, I am actually! Hopefully Noibat won't be coming out, but I get the feeling Dratini is going to stomp Surge, anyway." I smiled at that.

  "Yeah, there's basically no way she won't. She's getting somewhat close to Evolution, too, and just perfected Slam… Yeah, she'll be fine. How about you, Leaf?" She actually laughed a little.

  "Hazard won't have to worry about jumping into a deep pool here, so he's going to have fun. He's looking forward to it, too!" His Luxury Ball on her belt rattled in agreement.

  Yes, Luxury Ball.

  I still had plenty of regular and Ultra Balls in my pack for wild encounters, if that ever happened with my aura, but I had not forgotten Looker's horrific revelations about my time in Galar. I wasn't about to have any of our Pokemon in anything but Luxury Balls, so long as they could be trusted. I wasn't going to have our teams locked away in stasis, hell no! Now everyone was in a Luxury Ball.

  Hazard had been in actual disbelief when we offered him a Luxury Ball. I mean, to be fair, a lot could stun or confuse Hazard, but it made sense. He had tried to murder Leaf! He also regretted it, truly. He might not be super affectionate with her, either, but he was devoted to her now, grateful to her. Why?

  He knew the only reason he had been able to finally achieve success in training, to grow into a dragon, and to finally feel accomplished, was because Leaf loved him, believed in him somehow! If she hadn't?

  Leto would have eaten him that first night after I killed him, and he knew it.

  Now, Hazard was trusted. I might not trust him around random people, but he knew he better have a damn good reason to pop out without instructions. Trust in him not to hurt us was one thing. He was still a murderous bastard, really, but…

  I actually liked Hazard, the goofy moron that he also was… I was a killer, Stabby was too, Leto… Yeah, he fit in, even if he was worse than us, because now he had happily accepted a leash… He even put up with some affection from her, which I had not required of him. I'd never try to command his affections, but… Leaf was like a fungus, I swear…

  "Yeah, Hazard will do fine. Artemis is going to have fun, like, a lot of fun. She's going to startle Surge, too! He's not going to expect a Tyrunt!" They both gave me odd looks, Alex speaking up.

  "Erin, you do know the Gym Leaders share information, right? It didn't do Misty much, considering… Hecate, but Surge will know most of your team, probably. Now, her size…?" I giggled at that. Yeah, I had known she would turn into an Alpha, somehow, and she was almost that size already…

  "That's fine! In fact… Let my eighth Badge stew in fear…" I was going to murder him! Painfully! Gleeful-

  ""Calm! Bad guy, yes! You calm!"" 'Fair enough, Hecate…'

  "Yeah, listen to Hecate, sis…" I sighed.

  "I am calm… I'm looking forward to this, though… Hopefully he's nice and angry by the time I get to him, I really want a hostile Gym battle…" They gave me odd looks, but I was serious!

  Brock was easy mode for a first badge battle, no surprise there, Misty… We had way over prepared for her, but it had been good for Alex and Dratini… Surge, though? Oh, I was going to challenge him!

  My chuckles were dark as we walked.

  —

  Alex was up first, so we got comfortable near the Challengers stairs and enjoyed the show.

  Not that there was much of one, though.

  Dratini may have perfected her Slam recently, but when the match started, she instead looked back at Alex, shimmied in place in happiness at her new outfit, then growled at the poor Pikachu that had been sent out. A Pikachu that I was genuinely distressed to see get blasted into the barrier… Fuck.

  The Voltorb that came out next was… harder to take down, mainly because it kept running! Which, fair enough, electric types were usually known for their speed.

  It still didn't save it from a downward Dragon Tail that Dratini continued into a full-bodied Slam, practically spinning in place. The Wrap was necessary, but it didn't take much longer. Dratini was actually a little banged up after the immense amount of electricity she had endured, but she still easily returned to her own side before she returned herself.

  We had overtrained that girl and her dragon…

  Leaf's match was much funner to watch, but that's because Hazard was hilarious to watch fight.

  Leaf didn't give any instructions when a Voltorb appeared on the opposite side of the bare metal floor, she just cheered him on!

  "You got this, Hazard! Live up to your name! Half power to start!"

  It was glorious the way Surge's face went red at that. Considering Hazard still knocked it out in one hit with a Breaking Swipe, it was fair enough. Hazard was dangerous.

  It went the same for the next two rounds. Surge liked to use the same Pokemon for most low-Badge matches, and had a huge amount of Voltorb, Pikachu, and Raichu, so it had kind of hurt me watching the Pikachu get badly cut, even at half power, and Surge's face had fallen further when Leaf instructed Hazard to use a quarter power for the Raichu.

  It had at least lasted a few hits that time… It even managed to nail Hazard with two strong Sparks that Paralyzed him. Then the Raichu got cocky and laughed at Hazard! Well, Hazard was a hazard to status effects, too. He had raged briefly and shook off the paralysis, Roared, and his follow-up Dragon Breath had been full power! Luckily the Raichu would be fine… Just disorientated for the rest of the day, after it got healed at the Center…

  Then it was finally my turn, and I couldn't stop the huge grin that came to my face. Surge had kind of trash talked the other two, but not really. Just the normal "Think you can beat me, kid? You're too weak, get out of here!' crap. He might be an asshole, or play one, but he wasn't going to go full asshole on nice kids, like a responsible adult.

  I was not a nice kid.

  At all!

  I had the largest, most mocking grin I could manage on my face the entire time I walked up to the podium, and I purposefully made my eyes look dismissive, even as I glared at him.

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  I kind of looked at him like I would look at Lance if I was being mean, even for me…

  "There a reason you're glaring at me, kid?" He was glaring back now, and I laughed, long and hard. Theatrically, of course. I held my 'painful' stomach as I scoffed at him.

  "Well, really, I was hoping for an intimidating challenge, a real fight, but after those last two matches? I think you might have lost your edge, old man!" Oh yes, I was laying it on thick.

  "Excus- Oh, is that so?" I could see him flip that asshole switch. I smiled at him. Viciously.

  "It very much is, mister 'over the hill'! In fact, I would guess that my weakest Pokemon will stomp you the same as they stomped you. Like an insect." I flared my aura a tiny bit, only in his direction, and watched his eyes widen.

  "Like someone who's retired from the 'game'!" His eyes narrowed in suspicion before I saw realization in them. He matched my vicious grin and I was truly happy! Fuck yes!

  Give me a real fight!

  "Okay then… kid! So be it!" We nodded up at the referee, and after his whole song and dance- seriously, three Pokemon for the Gym Leader and two switches for me, I didn't need to hear the referee drone on for a minute each time!- Surge released an Electrode! Hell yeah!

  My grin was feral as I stared at the Evolved Pokemon. That was probably fourth badge, but Surge didn't care… YES!

  "Thank you! Hey Artemis! It's hunting tiiiiime!" She released herself onto the field and I heard the gasps from the crowd. Artemis should be two feet tall… she was almost four. She was also snarling in a way I had never seen before, not even with the Sneasel.

  "Match Start!"

  "Electrode, speedy barrage!"

  "Have fun, sweetie! Remember, half power until you know you wont kill them!" She snarled at me and summoned a series of boulders in front of her with Ancient Power, catching most of the weak Electro Balls that had been sent her way. She looked at the Electrode as it sped through her Ancient Power and laughed.

  Then the Ancient Powers converged on that poor Electrode in a chain of thuds that ended with the unfortunate Pokemon… unconscious.

  I sagged a little as it was recalled.

  "Maybe quarter power, sweetheart? I'm so sorry your first real fight is a stompdown…" She snarled and shook her head. Nah, she didn't care. That just showed how superior she was, obviously.

  Surge's glare was actually intense now, almost like I was being shocked, and it made me so happy! I smiled right back at him, flaring my aura once. He didn't even flinch, and I gave him a nod of respect. He returned it, but kept glaring at me, though.

  Good!

  I felt bad for the Pikachu that came out, but not bad enough to stop!

  "Pikachu, speedster!" Hah!

  "Artemis, show them how mom got so powerful, sweetie. It won't be able to really damage you unless it gets close, and it wont dare!" I smiled at the Pikachu… I mean, I couldn't glare at a Pikachu!

  She snarled in happiness and began running in place, rubbing her thighs together, along with her little arms up and down her chest. She began to shine, even as she began to move faster.

  Leto was insanely powerful, sure, but what set her apart from other Tyrantrum, her Alpha status aside? Her speed! Rock Polish was a huge part of that, and she had spent a long time teaching Artemis.

  "Pikachu, full physical!" Good call before she gets too fast, but nah!

  "Artemis! Surge is too weak, let's just make this quick!" I could hear his growl of rage all the way over here.

  That poor Pikachu tried for an Iron Tail, confirming it was a fourth Badge level Pokemon, but Artemis took the strike to her face like a Champion. Of the Dragonite variety, not Lance.

  That Pikachu did not take her fast retaliatory Bite nearly as well, and in fact, it was returned after only a couple seconds. Artemis frowned, but she had blood on her jaws, so I wasn't complaining… That poor Pikachu… Still, bleeding was expected in Pokemon battles, she hadn't kept going, and no lasting damage was done, so no rule breaking… By us, Surge was bringing tougher Pokemon for this, and I grinned at his red face. Before he could release his last Pokemon I pushed him just one more time.

  "Might want to retire, Private Surge. You may have mistakenly used Pokemon that were lower in strength… If you wanted to rectify that now, we could?" Oh, he was furious! My shit-eating grin grew huge as he pulled a ball from the back of his belt.

  The Electabuzz that came out was unexpected, but it made me smile!

  "Artemis, full power, go insane!"

  "Electabuzz, full power, rage!" Oooh, rage! Nice! I like insane better, personally! If you're insane, you probably don't bother with defense, right? You just go for the kill!

  I knew this was going to be fun when Artemis's Ancient Power was blasted away by a spinning Low Kick! It made her pause for a second, and in that second, Electabuzz had moved, using what looked like Quick Attack to leap into a flying Thunder Punch to the face that sent her tumbling backwards uncontrollably.

  I grinned.

  "Baby girl, pitch a fit!" She laughed even as she stumbled to her feet.

  The Electabuzz was almost on her when she began to Stomp… kind of. Normally, Stomp was a Move that required you to put your full body weight down on one foot… Artemis and Leto? They were designed to tantrum, and no tantrum was ever complete without a stomp or ten. I hadn't even had to buy the TM, Leto taught her the Move all on her own. The Move was practically designed for their Evolutionary line, after all.

  Stomping Tantrum.

  A Ground Move that was twice as powerful if the last attack missed, enraging the user, which it had… Used right when the Electabuzz was reaching Artemis.

  She stomped once and the floor rang. The second time it bounced as the metal plates flexed. The third sent the Electabuzz tumbling to the side right as it pulled an arm back, just barely in range. Lightly, but it still tumbled to the ground… The next five stomps were directly to its chest and face, before it blasted Artemis off with a powerful Low Kick.

  Artemis slammed into the barrier, a barrier which cracked before reforming an instant later! My heart skipped a beat, but I just started laughing a moment later. Surge was giving me an uncertain look, but I could feel Artemis. Her rage!

  The next Stomping Tantrum wasn't as powerful, but the Ancient Power's she summoned and sent rocketing into its head at the same time more than made up the difference. It took three stomps, but with a final stomp that made me feel kind of bad, the Electabuzz stopped struggling. Artemis wavered unsteadily on her feet, nearly unconscious herself, but still hanging in there, and I returned her with a wide smile as the announcer confirmed my victory.

  Surge was running across the arena at me, and I grinned as I had a devious thought…

  I laughed really hard when I slammed his legs with aura and made him trip, the man coming to a rest at my feet. I looked down with a wide, innocent smile at the furious man next to my boots.

  "Careful, Mister Zaps, I can see a lot of tripping hazards here on this smooth metal floor!" He rose to his feet to loom over me, face red with fury. Also amusement there, I could feel it. Hell yeah! He likes mean humor, too!

  "I will say, kid… What the fuck?!" His voice was low, but his anger was still clear. Also his amusement, it was just lesser than his anger.

  "I'm kind of sorry, actually? I just wanted a fun fight for once, instead of stomping people, and you seemed like the easiest Gym Leader to provoke." He barked out a laugh.

  "You're probably not wrong… There a reason you smell like blood?" I smiled at him. A normal smile, or as close as I could get.

  "Probably the dozens of Team Rocket I've killed with my own hands." I was watching him and his aura closely, and I sighed in relief internally as he grinned. In the manga, Surge had been part of Team Rocket… I think? I never read a single page, that was just my wiki diving talking.

  "It might also be my jacket? Those corrupt bastards in Saffron held me for an hour, didn't even let me hose myself off, so it's kind of… in there. Probably forever?" He roared out a bellowing laugh.

  "Well, I didn't mean literally, but damn, okay! Listen kid, don't try that stunt with Sabrina. She will mess you up, not even in the battle." I smiled up at the man.

  "Trust me when I say that I wish she would try and walk into my mind, just to see her reaction. I've got a few tricks in there for Psychics. If not me, my Psychic would devastate her, and my fae would… need to be restrained, actually. That's his mind to invade, not hers." I enjoyed the look of horrified surprise on his face immensely. He shook his head briefly before pulling a Badge from his pocket.

  "Here, you insane kid. You certainly earned that… She was your weakest Pokemon?" I smiled at him and nodded as I took it from him.

  "You might want to rush to your next Gym, then. That was… a bit much, even with me, ah, 'accidentally' using higher Badge Pokemon… How is she an Alpha? I know who you are, Tiny Tyrant." My frown was as large as his shit-eating grin.

  "I mean… I have a theory, but neither me nor Professor Oak know for sure." His eyes widened at that. Yeah, I forget that Professor Oak is important sometimes… I can't get the image of him devouring ribs like a madman out of my mind… We were, too, to be fair, but it was still startling!

  "Huh… Okay then, I'm going to finish this day out and go get shitfaced… Be safe out there, kid, you must have a bounty on you!" I growled for a second, letting a vicious snarl come to my face.

  "Trust me… I don't care when they come after me. Mom eats a lot." He grinned viciously at that.

  "Well then, happy hunting." I laughed, also viciously, of course.

  —

  "I feel bad for Surge, Erin… You were so mean to him!" I smirked at my naive, innocent, nice sister.

  "Leaf, he had fun! I mean, I still provoked him on purpose, but he's a tough guy, and it amused him below the anger. I didn't want a stompdown, and I still almost got one!" Alex was shaking her head, though.

  "That was… it looked bad, Erin. People were muttering about you." I laughed, long and loud and so amused. They were giving me odd looks, but I just nudged Alex.

  "Alex, I take the saying 'I don't care what other people think about me' seriously. Besides, it worked! That Electabuzz was at least fifth Badge strength, and if Artemis, if all Tyrunt didn't have such sturdy heads, she would have gotten knocked out… It was so funny tripping him, though." I got an elbow for that one, and I glared at my sister.

  "Erin, that was too far, still! You know mom is going to be mad when she watches the videos." I paled a little. Shit, she would be… Still…

  "I do what I want, Leaf! I wanted a good fight, I got one! I succeeded in my goal! Plus I got the badge!" I was serious, too!

  Dexter took that chance to ruin my day. Gleefully, of course.

  "She already watched them, because, and I quote, 'They are going to hurt that poor man'. She's expecting a call tonight, Erin. She was happy for you other, good girls, but the 'Tiny Tyrant needs a long talking to.' Her words. Hilarious words!" He laughed as I felt the blood leave my face.

  She wouldn't… punish me? Fuck, she can… She can just tell me to punish myself! Fuck! He had fun! Some! Under the anger!

  I am innocent!

  —

  "I am innocent!" I was! Really! Of many things!

  "Erin, define what you are innocent of in relation to what you did to that poor man." Mom was in her room, or her office I guess, for once. Koffing floated behind her, but that was it. I could kind of hear sounds from outside, though… The others were waiting in the lobby, so I was alone in our Center room other than my team still in their Pokeballs.

  Desperately alone.

  "I am innocent of causing him no joy! He had fun! I did push him to that point, but he enjoyed it! Under the anger! You know I'm not lying about that, I could feel it!" Her glare didn't let up one bit.

  "Erin, how about what you looked like? You looked like a bully!" I scoffed at her, rolling my eyes.

  "I mean, yes, I am vicious these days, sure, I agree… If anyone was bullying someone, it was the grown man sending a Pokemon two Badges higher against a fourteen year old girl!" I would use my new age to my advantage, oh yes!

  "Erin, you called him 'Private Surge'! He was a military man!" I laughed. Again.

  "Yeah, and he could tell I was in the game, too! Did you not hear his orders to his fifth badge Pokemon? Full power, rage? I wanted a challenge to test myself, and Artemis, to grow! I mean… I'm absolutely re-doing every Gym at Eighth badge level… Probably after I take my eighth Badge from Giovanni's perfectly alive hands. He will live a looong time…" She frowned at me through the camera.

  "Erin, Lieutenant Surge may have done that… it still wasn't right. And as for… him…" I was shaking my head.

  "Remember what I said, mom? I swore, on my soul. If Looker and Lance can't do something before I get there? I will remove him from this life. Just like all good things, I can't rush that, either. I want to get it right!" Her frown was only growing, but I honestly didn't ca- Okay, I did care… Fuck!

  "Mom, listen… Even if my mind wasn't tinted by aura, I would absolutely be like this! There are very few things you do not mess with in a personal war like this, and one is family and friends. You don't hear me saying I'll go kill his son! You don't hear me say I'll burn his Gym to the ground! Nope! I don't involve innocents! He deliberately called for the deaths of my friends and family. Look into my eyes when I say this. I will not take a threat like that. Not laying down, or standing up! I will remove the threat! The only reason I haven't gone there already is because of Leaf and Alex!" Her eyes were slightly sad, but…

  "Mom, if someone had a knife to your throat, what would I do?" I stared through the camera, refusing to let this question go. She sighed heavily and looked back up at me.

  "You would kill them as quickly as possible, Erin. I know. I know you would make certain that I was unhurt, too… You would also throw yourself in front of the blade to do so, because you don't care about yourself!" I inhaled sharply, hissing through my teeth.

  "Not entirely accurate these days, mom. I just care about you all more! I'm not sure where we are in this argument, anymore. What is it you want to berate me for, huh? Stomping Surge? Provoking him? Sure, I am kind of sorry I did that, just not as much as I am happy I did! Giovanni? I made my position perfectly clear! Is it my reputation? I literally have Dexter block information on me out on him and my PokeNav! I truly do not care what people think of me! I spent a lifetime caring! It never mattered! I'm done!"

  Her face was sad, but she was still angry…

  "Erin, you don't care about what other people think? How about me?" I scowled at her, getting genuinely angry.

  "Don't you dare try and use my love for you as a lever! I don't care what the masses think about me! Go ahead. I know you wont say you would love me less, that's obvious, but you had to have some lever in mind when you said that!" Now her eyes were just sad, and I felt so guilty… I meant that, though! I will not be manipulated!

  "Erin… I'm not your enemy." I frowned at her.

  "No, you absolutely aren't. I love you, far more than my old family, even. I will not be manipulated through emotions, though." She was shaking her head in frustration.

  "Erin, I wasn't manipulating you with emotions! In fact, answer the question! Do you care what I think?" I growled now.

  "Yes! I do care what you think about me! So go ahead and tell me what to do so you don't think less of me!" She jerked back at that, mouth falling open slightly.

  "Erin, dear… I am not whoever did that to you." I shook my head sadly. I mean… Fuck, obviously she wasn't… I was… I was being immature…

  "No, you aren't… and I am sorry I'm… being defensive…"

  Her eyes were kind as she spoke. Kind and loving… Still judgemental, though…

  "Dear, I just don't want to see my daughter be a bully. You had your own issues with them, right? Surge may have been… somewhat okay with what happened, but to me? It hurt to see you do that to someone else, to laugh at their misfortune… Especially when it was you who caused him to trip like that, I know it had to be you." I couldn't help the snort at the memory, and she frowned harder.

  "Right there! You're acting like a dishonorable dragon, Erin." I glared at her, but… Arceus… Fuck, she wasn't fully correct, but she had a… a point. Mostly…

  "You're… Not entirely correct, but close enough… I…" I took a deep breath.

  "I am… sorry I went that far." Her frown wasn't as large now. "Sorry, but I don't regret getting a challenge for once… I… do regret how I went about it…" I did, actually. Obviously I wasn't lying… I just didn't regret it much, though… I wouldn't have done that to any other Gym Leader. Giovanni didn't count…

  "Erin, all that aside… I would never try to manipulate you like that." She smiled, and damn if it didn't look like one of mine.

  "I manipulate you openly, by getting Roto- Dexter and Leaf and Stabby to discipline you. I'm still working on Alex, but you are kind of intimidating." I burst into laughter for a moment.

  "Yeah, I guess I am... Thanks for turning my best friend against me, by the way!" My glare was theatrical, and she smiled widely.

  "Stabby is delightful, yes! He was quite enthusiastic to do it for free! Well, he pointed at his face while laughing, so I assume it was for your reactions!" I laughed at her. Her and Stabby… Who'd have thought…

  Fuck, I think that might have been our first real argument, even if a short one? The one over my weapons didn't count… And of course, it was caused by me. As always… Still, at least this argument didn't end in misery-

  "Now, send Leaf and Alex in and wait outside. I have to talk to them about your punishment before I tell you what it is."

  I looked at her thoughtful face in dread. She didn't punish just to punish, there was always a lesson in them… Still… What kind of horror was she about to unleash on me?