Hulbury woke beneath a sky streaked in peach and coral, the waves glimmering gold as the morning sun rolled lazily across the horizon. The port city's charm was undeniable fishing boats bobbed near the docks, gulls circled lazily overhead. And the scent of salt, citrus, and baked bread drifted through the cobbled streets. Vendors shouted morning greetings as nets were hauled in and buckets of glittering Magikarp, Remoraid, and Chinchou lined the piers.
It was peaceful.
Which meant, of course, that Niyah and her team were about to ruin that.
The twelve-year-old trainer stood behind a stack of crates near the fish market, peering around the corner with a grin that was both mischievous and alarmingly focused. Beside her hovered Litwick, his tiny flame flickering brighter with anticipation; Mimikyu swayed slightly, her ragged disguise tilting like a conspirator's hood; and Togetic floated above, trying, and failing, to suppress a giggle.
"All right, team," Niyah whispered, holding up a small pouch of glittering powder.
"Operation: Splash and Sparkle begins now."
Roty buzzed from her bag, voice hushed but amused. "Btzzz, Reminder: last prank caused six minutes of dock-wide confusion. Probability of success: seventy-three percent. Probability of chaos: one hundred."
"That's the spirit," Niyah said cheerfully.
She leaned over to scatter the glittering powder, homemade from a mix of PokéPuff dust and fairy energy, into the nearby fountain. Within seconds, the water shimmered an iridescent pink. Fishermen glanced over in confusion as the first bubbles began to form. Then more. And more. Until suddenly-
FWOOOOSH!
A geyser of glittering bubbles erupted skyward, showering everyone within range in a soft, sugary rain. One unfortunate Wingull landed on a soap-slicked lamppost and slid down with a squawk. A few children squealed in delight and chased the bubbles, while older fishermen sputtered about those blasted kids and their fancy foam festivals.
Niyah ducked behind the crates, shaking with laughter. "Oh my Arceus, their faces! Did you see that?"
Mimikyu did a little victory spin, her costume's head wobbling dangerously. Togetic's wings fluttered with delight, sprinkling sparkles in the air. Litwick, perched on Niyah's shoulder, looked smugly at the chaos.
"Okay, okay," Niyah said between giggles, trying to catch her breath. "We're done here. Phase two, let's move before someone sees us."
They darted through the winding market alleys, their laughter trailing faintly behind.
—
The next "target" was a group of burly dockworkers trying to pull in a heavy fishing net. They grunted and strained, the ropes creaking as the catch refused to budge.That's when a faint, ghostly cry echoed from beneath the pier.
"Did you hear that?" one man muttered, glancing nervously toward the water.
"Sounded like a drowning Marill!"
The other dockhands looked around uncertainly. The sound came again, more pitiful this time, followed by the faint shimmer of ghostly light.
"Sweet Kyogre, someone check that!"
The men scrambled toward the pier's edge, just as Mimikyu flickered out of sight using Double Team. Five Mimikyus appeared, fake shadows darting between the planks, whispering eerie tones that made the dockhands pale.
From her hiding spot behind a stack of buoys, Niyah snorted into her hand. "Okay, that's so wrong," she whispered, "but oh so good."
"Btzz, ghost-type interference at optimal levels," Roty reported, clearly delighted.
Meanwhile, Litwick's flame flared softly, sending tiny heat waves across the surface of the water. The reflection shimmered like something ethereal moving just below the surface.
The bravest of the dockhands leaned over the edge and the moment he did, Togetic used a light Fairy Wind to create a sudden gust.
Splash!
The man tumbled into the harbor with a yell, and his friends burst out laughing in disbelief.
When the soaked worker surfaced, sputtering, the faint giggling of a young girl echoed from somewhere nearby. But by the time they looked around, Niyah and her trio had already vanished.
—
By midday, Hulbury's calm had cracked.
Whispers spread of "phantom pranksters" haunting the port: fountains bubbling pink, nets untying themselves, and boats mysteriously drifting off from their moorings (courtesy of Niyah's telekinesis).
Niyah lounged beneath a palm-like street tree near the boardwalk, sipping a lemonade she'd not bought but had in her words "borrowed" from an unattended table. The look of satisfaction on her face was pure mischief and sunshine.
"Not bad for a morning's work," she said, raising her cup in triumph. "What do you think, team?"
Mimikyu raised her ragged arms in victory. Litwick nodded solemnly, his little flame flickering with pride. Togetic simply twirled through the air, humming a few soft notes that sparkled faintly around them.
Roty buzzed in her bag. "Btzz, Note: multiple citizens have reported strange phenomena to local authorities. Gym Leader Nessa has been alerted."
Niyah nearly choked on her drink. "Wha—wait, what do you mean alerted?"
"Btzz—Data suggests Gym Leader Nessa is en route to investigate. Estimated time of arrival: twelve minutes."
The girl's grin faltered, then curved into a smirk. "Well… I guess our afternoon just got way more interesting."
Mimikyu tilted her head curiously.
"Oh, come on," Niyah said, eyes gleaming with playful challenge. "You didn't think we'd prank all of Hulbury and not get caught, did you? Time for the real game, let's see if we can outsmart a Gym Leader."
Togetic chirped mischievously. Litwick's flame flared brighter, almost like a battle cry.
The young trainer stood, brushing off her skirt, and looked toward the sparkling sea where Nessa would soon appear. "All right, Hulbury," she murmured with a grin. "The next round begins now."
—
The sun sat high over Hulbury now, the sea sparkling like a thousand diamonds. The breeze carried the sounds of the market merchants calling out, children laughing, and fishermen complaining about their "mysteriously untied nets."
But beneath the cheerful hum of the city, something new stirred, the sound of confident footsteps and the low hum of a Rotom-powered communicator.
Gym Leader Nessa had arrived.
Her tall frame cut a striking silhouette against the port's shimmer. Long hair tied back, her orange and blue uniform as crisp as ever. Her sharp eyes scanned the docks with practiced calm, though a faint twitch of amusement tugged at her lips.
Reports from earlier that morning floated across her communicator.
"Multiple prank incidents near the market fountain."
"Unidentified fairy-type energy in the central plaza."
"Dockhands swear they saw ghost Pokémon mimicking voices again."
Nessa sighed softly, pressing the earpiece. "Thanks, Officer. I'll handle it from here."
"Are you sure, ma'am?" the voice on the other end asked. "The culprit's apparently a child."
Her smile widened just slightly. "That's exactly why I'll handle it."
—
Meanwhile, on the far side of town, Niyah and her team were ducked behind a souvenir stand near the waterway bridge. Mimikyu peered around the corner, her disguise bobbing slightly, while Litwick balanced precariously on the railing, flame flickering against the sea breeze. Togetic floated above, suppressing a giggle that could have given them away.
"She's here," Roty reported in a dramatic whisper. "Btzz, Nessa has entered the port area. Detection radius shrinking. She is currently questioning witnesses."
Niyah crouched lower, whispering back, "Then it's time for Plan E."
"Btzz, Plan E stands for 'Escalate?'"
"Exactly."
Within minutes, Hulbury's boardwalk became the stage for a full-on prank war.
—
Niyah started small, a trail of glittering fairy dust leading from the docks to the fountain, where she had rigged up another bubble trap. A few seconds after Nessa's sleek boots stepped within range-
FWOOOSH!
A column of foamy, rainbow bubbles burst skyward, raining down on the Gym Leader.
The crowd gasped, then laughed.
Nessa stood still, water dripping from her hair, expression unreadable. For a long moment, she simply blinked, then turned slowly to glance in the direction the laughter had come from.
On a nearby roof, Niyah barely kept from cackling. "Oh my Arceus, did you see her face? She didn't even flinch!"
Mimikyu tilted her head. Togetic giggled behind her tiny hands. Litwick's flame pulsed brighter in pure joy.
Nessa exhaled through her nose, a faint smirk breaking through her calm. "So that's how you want to play it, little trickster?"
She tapped her earpiece. "Drednaw, let's have some fun."
From the sea below, the deep rumble of a Pokémon's roar echoed.
—
Within minutes, the hunt was on.
Every time Niyah and her Pokémon moved to set another prank, soap bubbles in the tidepools, fairy dust over the fish market, a sudden gush of water would ruin it. Drednaw's hydro jets blasted away their setups one by one.
Niyah darted down an alley, laughing breathlessly as Roty buzzed overhead. "She's good, way too good!"
"Btzz, her tracking accuracy exceeds ninety percent. Recommend evasive maneuvers."
"No kidding!"
They turned a corner only to find a wall of seawater rising before them, curling into a wave.
"Hydro Pump!" Nessa's voice called from somewhere unseen.
The wave crashed forward leaving Niyah to barely manage to duck behind a stack of barrels, coughing and soaked. Mimikyu's disguise dripped pitifully, and Litwick hissed, his flame sputtering indignantly. Togetic fluttered down, puffing her cheeks in annoyance.
"Okay, okay," Niyah said, shaking her head and grinning. "She's got power and precision… but we've got tricks."
Her eyes gleamed. "All right team, Operation Reverse Tide!"
—
What followed was chaos worthy of legend.
Mimikyu darted through the streets using Double Team, creating six identical illusions that scattered in all directions. Nessa's eyes flicked between them, calculating, while Drednaw gave chase only to find that each figure burst into harmless ghostly mist upon contact.
From above, Togetic sprinkled fairy dust along the rooftops, making Nessa's tracking drone sensors flash and scramble. Litwick added his own contribution, harmless but dramatic bursts of firelight that lured the Gym Leader toward false leads.
But Nessa was nothing if not adaptable.
As the young trainer's laughter echoed from a side alley, Nessa motioned to Drednaw. "Trap them."
The massive turtle stomped forward, biting into a metal pipe that jutted into the canal. A loud hiss followed as pressurized water erupted, flooding the narrow alleyway just as Niyah and her Pokémon dashed through.
They froze mid-step, staring at the rising tide.
"…She set a trap for us?" Niyah breathed, impressed despite herself.
"Btzz, analysis: we got outplayed."
"No kidding, Roty!"
With a quick motion, Niyah leapt onto a nearby crate, hauling Mimikyu up and motioning for Togetic to lift Litwick. They scrambled to higher ground as Nessa approached from the other side of the alley, arms folded, Drednaw at her side.
The sunlight framed her tall figure, her eyes half-lidded in calm amusement. "Having fun?"
For a moment, Niyah's instinct screamed to run. But instead, she grinned, water dripping from her hair. "Maybe a little."
"Do you usually prank the entire city?"
"Only on good days."
Nessa arched an eyebrow. "You're lucky Hulbury's not built on chaos, little one. Otherwise, I'd say you were its gym leader instead of me."
Niyah blinked, then laughed. "You think so?"
"Mm," Nessa replied coolly, but there was warmth beneath it. "You've got the spirit, I'll give you that."
Then she gestured toward the drenched street. "Come on. You're cleaning up this mess and apologizing to the people you've tormented today"
Niyah groaned dramatically. "You're worse than Nurse Joy."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
Mimikyu slumped with a sigh, while Togetic pouted faintly. Litwick's flame flickered weakly in defeat.
But as Nessa turned to lead them back toward the docks, a faint smile tugged at Niyah's lips. For all her scolding, the Gym Leader's tone wasn't cruel, it was patient, steady… almost protective.
Which, of course, made her the perfect target for one last trick.
Niyah's grin sharpened. "Hey, Miss Nessa," she called sweetly.
Nessa glanced back, one brow raised. "Yes?"
"Catch me if you can."
"Wha-", Before the Gym Leader could even blink, the air shimmered. A faint ripple of psychic energy danced across the wet cobblestones then Niyah and her Pokémon vanished.
Pop!
Only the faint sound of laughter echoed through the empty alley.
Nessa blinked once, twice. "...She can teleport."
Drednaw grumbled beside her, unimpressed.
"Mm-hmm." Nessa sighed, brushing a strand of wet hair behind her ear. "Figures."
She placed her hands on her hips, scanning the rooftops. The city's laughter-filled hum had returned though now with a few suspicious bursts of startled shouts in the distance.
"She's not done." Nessa's lips curved into the faintest smirk. "Fine then. Let's see how long she lasts."
She tapped her communicator. "All right, team update local patrols. If you spot a little trainer with ghost and fairy types causing chaos, just… let them be. I'll handle it tonight."
—
The rest of the afternoon turned Hulbury into a playground of mild chaos.
By the time the sun began its descent, shimmering orange light off the waves, the town had been left in a state of baffled amusement. The fountain bubbled pink from hidden fairy dust. The nets at the pier were mysteriously tied in perfect knots. The bakery's window displayed a floating line of pastries dancing to invisible music, courtesy of Mimikyu's shadow play and Togetic's carefully timed Fairy Wind.
From rooftop to tidepool, laughter followed wherever Niyah and her Pokémon went.
Roty buzzed happily beside her. "Btzz, recording data: prank efficiency, eighty-eight percent! Mischief synergy achieved!"
Niyah stretched out her arms, soaking in the salty breeze. "Told you, Roty. No one can catch us."
Her Pokémon chimed with equal pride. Mimikyu bobbing smugly, Togetic spinning midair, and Litwick puffing a tiny plume of satisfied flame.
As twilight painted the sea deep violet, the group made their way toward the Pokémon Center. The glow of street lamps reflected off the rippling water, and for once, the city seemed at peace again.
"See?" Niyah said, walking backwards toward the doors. "Told you we'd win. Nessa probably gave up hours ago."
Roty let out a staticy chuckle. "Btzz, overconfidence detected."
Niyah rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, even you don't think she's still looking-"
"Actually," came a calm voice from directly behind her, "I never stopped."
Niyah froze mid-step.
The doors to the Pokémon Center slid open, revealing Nessa leaning casually against the reception counter, arms crossed, expression unreadable. Her uniform was freshly changed, her long hair slightly damp from an evening shower but the sharp, knowing gleam in her eyes was all business.
Mimikyu let out a startled squeak. Togetic darted behind Niyah's shoulder. Litwick's flame flickered nervously.
Niyah, very slowly, turned around. "…Hi."
"Hi," Nessa replied evenly. "Long day?"
"Uh… you could say that."
"Mm." Nessa pushed off the counter and walked forward, towering above the younger girl. "Funny thing about Hulbury, word travels fast. Especially when the Gym Leader personally gets reports of dancing pastries, pink fountains, and fishermen claiming they heard a ghost whisper 'boo' in perfect harmony."
"I can explain-" Niyah began.
"Don't bother."
In one smooth motion, Nessa reached down, scooped the smaller girl up by the waist, and slung her effortlessly over one shoulder.
"Hey! Wha- hey! Put me down!" Niyah protested, kicking her legs as her Pokémon gasped in alarm.
"Nope," Nessa said simply, starting toward the exit. "You've had your fun. Now you're coming with me."
"Roty!" Niyah cried.
"Btzz, analyzing escape routes, error: none available. Nessa has the type advantage."
"You traitor!"
Even the Nurse Joy at the counter couldn't help a soft laugh, though she hid it quickly behind her clipboard.
Nessa, calm as ever, pushed through the Center's sliding doors. The night air shimmered with the scent of salt and sea breeze as she strode down the lantern lit streets, carrying her indignant captive and trailed by three flustered Pokémon and a Rotom Dex.
"Where are we going?!" Niyah demanded, squirming.
"To my place," Nessa replied. "You're writing lines."
"Lines?! What am I, a preschooler?"
"Considering your behavior today," Nessa said dryly, "yes."
Mimikyu and Togetic exchanged looks, half-guilty, half-amused. Litwick floated beside them, muttering something ghostly that sounded suspiciously like laughter.
By the time they reached Nessa's home, a sleek, ocean-view apartment that smelled faintly of sea salt and jasmine, Niyah had given up struggling.
Inside, Nessa set her down gently in front of a low table, placing a notepad and pen in front of her. "Start writing. 'I will not pull pranks in Hulbury.' One hundred times."
Niyah groaned. "You can't be serious."
"I'm very serious."
"You sound like Nurse Joy!"
"Then I must be doing something right."
Even Roty seemed to hum in amusement as Niyah grudgingly picked up the pen, Mimikyu and the others joining her to scribble their own little "signatures."
Nessa, arms crossed, watched from her chair with that same calm, weary fondness, the look of someone who wasn't angry, just… done.
But as Niyah's handwriting grew sloppier with sleepiness and her head began to droop, Nessa softened.
Within an hour, all four of them were fast asleep at the table. Niyah slumped forward, Mimikyu curled around her arm, Togetic nestled in her hair, and Litwick flickering dimly by her elbow.
Nessa sighed and smiled faintly, gathering them up with surprising gentleness. She carried Niyah to the guest bed, tucked the little group in, and dimmed the lights.
Then she stepped into the living room, pulled out her communicator, and sent a message to Leon to let her know when he was free.
—
The ocean murmured softly beyond the wide glass balcony, moonlight tracing silver ribbons over Hulbury's dark waves. The rhythmic crash of the tide was the only sound in Nessa's apartment until the faint buzz of her Rotom communicator broke the quiet.
She sat curled on the couch, one knee drawn up, a cup of warm tea cooling in her hand. Her sleek hair was unbound, damp from her shower, and her expression hovered somewhere between weary amusement and quiet disbelief.
In the guest room down the hall, Niyah and her Pokémon were fast asleep, finally. Mimikyu's shadow occasionally flickered under the door, and the soft hum of Litwick's flame leaked faint orange light into the hallway. It was oddly comforting. Like the glow of a hearth after a long, unpredictable day.
Nessa exhaled, shook her head, and tapped the communicator. "Call Leon."
It rang once before his familiar voice, warm and teasing, filled the room.
"Evening, Nessa. You sound like someone who's survived a hurricane."
Nessa pinched the bridge of her nose. "Close enough. Her name's Niyah."
A deep chuckle came through the line. "Oh? Don't tell me the little ghost specialist's made it to your city already."
"She has, and is now a ghost-fairy specialist apparently," Nessa said dryly, setting her tea aside. "And she's been… busy."
Leon laughed, that low, carefree sound that Nessa had heard echo through countless interviews and tournaments. "You mean she tried to prank you, didn't she?"
"She didn't just try," Nessa replied. "She succeeded. Repeatedly."
"Oh no."
"Oh yes." She leaned back against the couch, half-smiling despite herself. "Let's see… soap bubbles in the central fountain, pink foam on the docks, half the fishermen convinced they'd hooked a ghost-type. The entire bakery started dancing, literally. I finally caught her and then she teleported away."
There was a brief pause on Leon's end. "Wait, wait… teleported?"
"Mmhmm." Nessa's eyes glinted faintly in the moonlight. "She has a short-range psychic displacement ability. I saw it myself. No Pokémon assisted her."
"Arceus…" Leon muttered. "She's manifesting Trainer-linked psychic resonance this early? That's not something you usually see outside of… well, legends."
"I thought the same," Nessa admitted, rubbing her temple. "But right now she's asleep. On my guest bed. With the three exhausted Pokémon who helped her terrorize my entire city."
Leon's laughter came so hard he had to catch his breath. "Oh, this is beautiful. I always said you needed more sibling practice."
"Don't start."
"Come on just picture it! Nessa the Gym Leader, master of water, raising a little ball of chaos."
She gave him a flat stare he couldn't see but could definitely feel through the call. "If this is what being an older sister feels like, I'm requesting hazard pay."
Leon snorted. "Welcome to my life when Hop first started training."
That earned a quiet chuckle from her. "Touché."
Nessa reached over to her nearby terminal and pulled up Niyah's updated trainer profile. A faint holographic glow lit the room, painting soft blue light over her face.
"She's advancing quickly," Nessa murmured. "After our last encounter, she's already evolved her Togepi into a Togetic. All three of her Pokémon, Mimikyu, Litwick, and Togetic, are around level thirty. That's higher than my gym battle team! She's also demonstrated high emotional synchronization and what looks like tactical creativity. Her Rotom Dex confirmed it."
Leon's tone softened, professional curiosity creeping in. "And how's her demeanor? You've seen the reports, she's been labeled a 'prankster,' sometimes a 'menace.' But I've wondered if that's just people misunderstanding her."
Nessa's eyes drifted toward the guest room door. The sound of gentle breathing, of sleeping Pokémon, reached her ears.
"She's… not what I expected," Nessa said slowly. "Yes, she's mischievous. Unrestrained. But it's not cruel. She's testing boundaries, trying to understand what she can do, where she fits. It's like watching a wave crash into the shore for the first time: all motion, no control."
Leon hummed thoughtfully. "So, potential. Dangerous potential."
"And heart," Nessa added. "That's the strange thing. For all her chaos, she doesn't mean harm. She's respectful, when she remembers to be. And when I caught her… she didn't cry, didn't pout. She just looked… curious. Like she wanted to understand why I wasn't angry."
There was a pause, then Leon's voice came softer. "You see it too, then."
"The same spark you saw?"
"Yeah," he admitted. "It's the kind that only shows up once in a generation. The kind that either saves the world or turns it upside down first."
That drew a quiet laugh from Nessa. "You sound like Professor Magnolia."
"She'd agree with me," Leon said. "I've read all your Gym reports, by the way. Trainers talk about you like you're untouchable. Calm. Composed. The perfect professional. And then there's this twelve-year-old with a teleporting habit who's making you chase her through the streets."
"Don't remind me," Nessa muttered, pinching her nose again.
Leon's chuckle softened into something warmer. "You handled her perfectly, Ness. You didn't just catch her, you gave her structure. That's what she needs. Boundaries with compassion."
Nessa blinked, quiet for a moment. "…You think so?"
"Definitely. And I think she looks up to you more than you realize."
Nessa's gaze flicked toward the darkened hallway again. "She did seem… almost relieved when I scolded her. Like someone finally noticed she'd gone too far."
"That's exactly it," Leon said. "She's been moving so fast, I don't think anyone's stopped to tell her she doesn't have to prove herself all the time. She respects you. Probably because you don't treat her like a child or a celebrity in the making."
Nessa exhaled slowly. "Respect, huh? That's a new one. Usually, I just get the chaos part."
Leon chuckled. "Give her a few more days. She'll surprise you."
"I'm sure she will." Nessa smiled faintly, then turned back to the glowing trainer profile. "Updating her records now: Togepi evolved, team levels confirmed, psychic displacement noted."
"Good," Leon said. "I'll make sure the League database syncs it. Any injuries or incidents?"
"Nothing serious. Just a bruised ego or two, mine included." She typed in the final details and sent the file through. "You know, I used to think handling challengers was the hardest part of this job. But this kid? She's an entirely different league."
Leon's grin was audible. "Then she's doing her job right."
Nessa tilted her head. "Her job?"
"Yeah. Reminding people like us that even the strongest trainers started small and reckless."
That silenced her for a moment. The quiet hum of the sea filled the space between them, carrying the faint crash of waves against the cliffs. She could almost hear him smiling on the other end.
Finally, Nessa said softly, "You really care about her, don't you?"
Leon hesitated just a breath. "I keep an eye on all the promising ones. But Niyah's… different. There's something in her aura. Something connected to… well, you know."
Nessa frowned slightly. "You mean the legends?"
"Maybe," Leon said carefully. "Just… trust your instincts with her, okay? If she ever seems drawn to something you can't explain… let me know."
She nodded slowly, her eyes drifting toward the ocean beyond the window. "Understood."
—
They talked a little longer, about League schedules, about Hop's most recent "culinary disaster," and about how Leon still hadn't learned to navigate without getting lost. By the time they said their goodbyes, the moon had climbed high above the waves, and Hulbury slept under its gentle light.
Nessa set the communicator down and stood, stretching. The apartment was silent except for the steady rhythm of the tide.
She walked quietly toward the guest room. Inside, the sight that greeted her made her heart soften.
Niyah was curled up beneath the sea blue blanket, one arm slung protectively around Mimikyu. Togetic rested against her pillow, tiny feathers rising and falling with each breath. Litwick flickered gently at the bedside table, casting a faint glow over their faces.
They looked so peaceful now, so harmless. It was hard to believe these same creatures had turned her entire city upside down just hours earlier.
Nessa leaned against the doorframe, arms folded loosely, her expression somewhere between exasperation and quiet fondness.
"She's something else," she murmured under her breath. "And I've got a feeling this is only the beginning."
Drednaw's heavy shell scraped faintly as it shifted from its spot near the balcony, rumbling softly in agreement.
"Yeah," Nessa said with a sigh. "Guess I'll have to keep an eye on her."
Her gaze flicked briefly to the small bag by the bedside, the edge of Niyah's backpack slightly unzipped, a faint glimmer of metal visible inside.
Nessa frowned slightly. Something about that light shimmered wrong. Ancient, almost.
But she shook her head, dismissing the thought. "One mystery at a time."
Turning away, Nessa dimmed the hallway lights and walked back toward the balcony. The night air met her with a soft, salty kiss, carrying the faint cry of Wingull across the dark. She closed her eyes for a moment, breathing deeply.
Tomorrow, Niyah would wake up. Tomorrow, she'd start trouble again. Tomorrow, the real test, the one neither of them realized they were walking toward, would inch one step closer.
Nessa smiled faintly, her voice almost a whisper carried by the wind. "Sleep well, little troublemaker."
And in the quiet room down the hall, the faintest shimmer of psychic light pulsed once, like a heartbeat answering her.