The twin glass doors swished quietly closed behind her as Erika paused and took a deep breath of the fragrant, almost Spring-like air of her garden. 'She's changed so much, yet in all the right ways,' the woman mused, opening her eyes and glanced up at the wide, snow-covered dome of the circular botanical atrium, 'I suppose that I was all too successful in my endeavours with that girl..." Erika sighed heavily, stepping off the little path formed from gray flat stones and out onto the soft grassy lawn that separated an expansive series of flowerbeds that stretched out in an arching pattern around the small wooded area that took up a fair size portion of the volumous cylindrical room. Even with the huge, triple thick glass dome overhead being buried beneath Winter's vengeance, Erika's garden as she liked to call it, was as warm and inviting as any Summer's day in Celadon. By virtue of the array of special lamps that ringed the glass dome, and cleverly hidden ventilation and heating systems, the expansive room was maintained at constant temperatures throughout the day and night, providing Erika's plethora of plants growing and happy. Blinking away the glare from the lamps, three stories above her head, Erika set off across the expansive grassy field at the center of the garden. Upon the ground, sections of the grass had been specially hybridized by Erika's grandMother many years ago to produce a strangely pale colour. The nearly white lines of grass blades formed an expansive rectangular area in the center of the arboretum, with the intersecting lines and circle in the center necessary to have the field declared a sanctioned Gym field by the Indigo League. Though the League had eased up its rules a little, allowing for things like personal style, Erika had kept the strange grass growing in memory of her ancestor and founder of the Gym she now ran. 'But it's much more than that now, though, now isn't it?' the woman chuckled inwardly, her eyes casting over the group of girls who were tending several other areas of the garden. They were mainly garbed in old denim coveralls and short-sleeved shirts, most wearing gardening gloves as they backed up an array of gardening tools, pausing in the construction of pond that would, come Spring, be the ending point for a long flowing brook that would weave through various sections of the arboretum, adding the pleasant and serene sound of running water as well as giving Erika a place to add a few new aquatic plants she'd had her eye on. "It's almost time for lunch, ladies!" came the Orange Islander accented tone of a tall woman who had tied her long red hair back and as she directed the work on top of doing her own fair share of it, "Let's hurry it up, okay?" "How is the task progressing, Samantha?" Erika inquired, all but appearing silently behind the woman, startling her only slightly as her surprised expression slowly became a calm, pleased smile. "We're ahead of schedule, actually," she explained softly, turning to face Erika with dark green eyes that mirrored a sense of deep affection as her heart thudded a little harder in her chest, "We should be done by early March if all goes well." Erika nodded slowly, raising her delicately formed upturned hand in offering and causing Samantha to blush slightly as she took the woman's soft, warm hand after sliding off her dirt encrusted gloves. "She's here again," the Gym Leader said softly, leading Samantha away from the work crew with the usual gliding steps that her apprentice had yet to master. Samantha kept pace as she took a moment to think her words through, years of apprenticing under the often enigmatic beauty that was Erika giving her the wisdom to simply not blurt out the first thing that came to mind. "A courier has arrived with the next 'stone', I presume," she said slowly, thinking back and reasoning her deductions through before adding in her usual teasing tone, "And it's the same girl as before isn't it? Um... Melinda?" "Miranda," corrected Erika with a small, amused smile as she sat down upon a comfortable wooden bench that stood before a wide trench dug into the fertile soil, making the place where there would one day be a flowing brook filled with coy and water lilies as it flowed in a lazy half circle through the atrium. Samantha nodded as she sat down, feeling a little guilty for being in her work clothes as her mentor sat beside her in a handmade silken kimono. "I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't tease. But it is somewhat of a coincidence that the same courier that delivered that leaf-stone for Triffid is the same one delivering one for Audrey. Unless..." Erika smiled; giggling quietly as her emerald eyes contemplatively examined the neatly trimmed blades of grass at her feet for the subtle flaws she found so telling. "There are no coincidences in my Gym, oh dearest Samantha." Her apprentice smiled, chuckling as she shuffled a little closer, but refrained from putting an arm around Erika. "Anyway," the Gym Leader continued, sensing the woman's need and sliding her arm about Samantha's shoulders before leaning her head against the woman's shoulder, "it would seem that I've underestimated my own reaction to her renewed presence." Samantha's eyes widened, and her heart warmed with the sudden flare of jealously she quickly squelched with but one of the emotion calming techniques that Erika often taught to her students. "Could it be that there is more you wish to teach this one, my Lady?" she inquired, keeping her voice level and her tone light with a gentle amusement. Erika shook her head, her dark, shoulder-length silken locks swaying gently as she smiled and glanced up at her apprentice with a gentle, affectionate smile. "It does not matter what I want, dearest. It only matters what I can have. I'm not about to jeopardize her happiness to fulfill my own desires," she assured, her small hands moving to run her gentle fingers across Samantha's soft skin before holding her apprentice's face lovingly and adding with the barest hint of mischief to her tone, "Or Yours... Irregardless, Miranda has found another, and I shall not seek to undo all the good that we've both done her." "My Lady..." breathed Samantha, her body shaking quivering slightly as Erika moved her lips so close that the woman's breath was warm against her face as Erika spoke. "Shhh," her mentor whispered, giggling quietly to herself as she brushed a little earth off Samantha's cheek, unconcerned as it dirtied her fingertips, "You know better." "Erika then," said Samantha with a smile, her lip trembling as her mentor closed the gap and placed the lightest of kisses upon her lips, barely brushing them yet sending a wave of unstoppable warmth through Samantha's body. The woman smiled as their lips parted with a quiet sound that seemed to echo in their ears. "Don't worry, my dear. You shall always be my favorite. And you I shall always hold a special place in my heart for you." "My La-" Samantha smiled, blushing as she corrected herself, "Erika. Thank you." Erika smiled, her eyes casting to one side as the contingent of gardeners made their way past, their chorus of chattering voices a gentle cacophony to her ears as they all smiled and nodded politely to the woman they all owed so much to. "The Chef will have lunch ready by now," she said quietly, her voice sounding a little distant as Erika turned her attention back to Samantha, "You should go. Make sure that our guests have proper accommodations and arrange for another Challenge." Samantha stammered for a moment before regaining control and nodding. "Her significant other wishes to challenge you?" she inquired with a sudden grin, standing as Erika's hands slid down over her shoulders. The Gym Leader nodded with a secret smile. "She didn't say it, but I could see it in her eyes," explained Erika, making no move to stand. Samantha nodded. "As you wish," she replied politely before tilting her head curiously. "Aren't coming?" the woman inquired, suddenly concerned as Erika's eyes stared out at seeming nothingness. "I simply need a moment alone, dearest," came Erika's whispered reply, and Samantha knew better than to argue. Instead, she turned and headed for the closest exit with a worried glance over her shoulder at her mentor. Erika waited for the arboretum to become still and quiet but for the rustling of leaves and the occasionally murmured call of one of the many variety of "awakened" plants she had growing in her garden before sighing to herself and smiling contentedly. "What ever shall I do," she mused, her thoughts shifting to distant memories almost of their own accord..."
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