Eliana was on her fifth day of punishment and she was incredibly bored. One can only go through their own memories so many times before having nothing left to do. Not to mention Sabrina was making sure that the younger girl was doing absolutely no exploring. Her mind was locked in a small, padded cell.
She was so bored she found herself trying to count dust motes, a futile exercise that only highlighted the oppressive sterility of the room. Each day was the same, Sabrina would meditate with her for an hour, then leave to attend to her duties. She'd leave the girl in complete silence. And at first Eliana thought she could take the chance to do something else but Sabrina quickly showed how far her each was. Even when the Gym Leader was all the way at Silph Co, which Eliana had figured out she was quite often, she still knew exactly what the teenager was doing. The only company was the slow crawl of sunlight across the floor and the faint, pulsating hum of the crystal pane. Then she'd return and spend the rest of the day either somewhere in the gym or in her room with Eliana.
The only saving graces were that her Pokémon were getting stronger and that she had learned a few things from when Sabrina was at her desk. For example, the C.E.O of Silph Co worked for Sabrina. Eliana didn't completet understand why but it made sense to keep tabs on one of the biggest business in the region. The most interesting was that the Gym Leader was in cahoots with Tean Rocket, furthering Eliana's theory that Kanto was pretty much under the gang's control.
…
The light in the room didn't change, but Eliana could feel the world outside shifting, the psychic ebb and flow of the gym's inhabitants as they went about their day. The city outside the windowless room lived and breathed, a distant hum. It was pretty late in the day but Eliana figured that she only had around five more hours of mediating for the day. Today was one of the days Sabrina sat looking over paperwork at her desk. Eliana suddenly felt Sabrina stiffen, a surge of anger coming from her. The teenager was honestly confused as she hadn't done anything recently to warrant the negative emotion.
Eliana's eyes snapped open. Sabrina was now standing by the door, her expression unreadable but the younger girl could feel how agitated she was.
A moment later, the door opened, and a man stepped inside. He was tall and impeccably dressed in a suit that probably cost more than most people's houses. His hair was styled with meticulous care, and he carried an aura of authority, a man who was used to being obeyed. He was a an employee from Silph Co., a high-ranking one if Eliana had to guess.
He smiled, a thin, nervous expression. "Miss Sabrina, a pleasure as always."
"Mr. Show," Sabrina replied, her voice flat. "A meeting wasn't scheduled."
"Ah, well," Show chuckled, eyes flicking to Eliana as he stepped further into the room, "And who might this be?"
Sabrina eyes narrowed at the man, "Don't worry about her, what are you doing here?"
The woman made sure to stay between the man and Eliana.
Mr. Show took a step closer to Sabrina, lowering his voice. "I'm here about the project." Eliana could feel a spike of fear from the man. "The board is getting... anxious. They feel your research has stalled."
"The research is progressing," Sabrina said, her tone dangerously calm. "Patience is a virtue your board would do well to cultivate."
Show smiled, a placating gesture. "Of course, my lady." His gaze slid towards Eliana again, a flicker of something else in his eyes, no longer just fear, but greed, a calculating assessment. "A new apprentice, I see."
Sabrina gave the man a blank look but Eliana could feel the older woman's annoyance growing. Eliana seeing that Sabrina's attention was elsewhere decided to skim the newcomer's mind. This Mr. Show wasn't just a high-ranking employee he was the C.E.O. The teenager wanted to know more but she could already feel her teacher's attention turning back towards her, better to give up now.
At first Eliana thought that the man would be a welcome distraction, but the only thing he had accomplished so far was worsening Sabrina's agitation. Eliana glared at the man, If this man causes my punishment to go on longer I'll kill him, I don't care what his position in tha company is. She didn't bother to hide her contempt, and she felt a flicker of alarm from Sabrina. Eliana huffed, she had forgotten where she was but the sharp correction she received from her teacher was enough of a reminder.
"I already told you to ignore her," Sabrina's voice was laced with a threat. "And you know I won't repeat myself a third time."
"Yes, I remember," Mr. Show shifted, a bead of sweat tracing a path down his temple. Eliana could feel the fear radiating from the man even though she hadn't been looking for it. She briefly wondered what Sabrina had done to the man.
"The board believes... They feel... That perhaps a more collaborative approach is warranted. They've been developing some... interesting technologies of their own." He paused, seemingly trying to gather his courage. Eliana rolled her eyes, even if he works for Sabrina, how did such a fearful man get such a powerful position in Silph Co? "Technologies that could... enhance your project."
They think their little machines can replicate what I do, Sabrina's mental voice was a cold whisper to herself, a private aside in the middle of a tense standoff.
Sabrina ignored her. "Mr. Show, this work will be done under my conditions." Her voice was as flat and still as a frozen lake. "There will be no collaboration. The board will receive my report when I am ready to provide it, not before."
"Ah, but the board feels that ah... should be more involved," he said, his words coming out in a rush. "Considering a a decent percentage of the company's resources are going towards it when we have other projects."
Sabrina turned her head slightly, her eyes narrowing. "Resources? The resources I am providing to this company? Don't forget your place Show."
The air in the room grew cold, heavy with a palpable psychic pressure. Eliana could feel the floorboards vibrate. She looked at Sabrina, who had gone unnaturally still, her face a mask of cold fury.
Eliana noted how terrified the man looked, I never managed to make someone have that expression on their face. Maybe I kill them to soon, her mental tone a detached observation.