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Opal groaned. Christmas time was always a hectic time for shopping, but this was getting ridiculous. Nearly all of the stores were packed to the brim and the decently filled stores were all sold out. And she still had presents to get. And to top it all off, it was freezing. The young woman wasn't in a very jolly mood. To make matters worse, Nerezza and Itzal, Opal's two Pokemon, were bickering more than ever. Finally, as they exited a very crowded store, Opal turned to face both of them. "Okay, you two, I've had enough of this constant arguing. Now, either you both shut your traps or you're going in the Pokeballs, all right?" The Gastly and the Gengar looked at each other, glared, and then nodded compliantly. Opal nodded approvingly and walked along the snowy street, her Pokemon not far behind.

The woman's arms were filled with packages and supplies and she was getting exhausted. She was breathing heavily by the time that she got to a slightly snow-covered bench. Putting down the load gratefully, she turned to her Pokemon, who had stopped bickering but were still glaring at each other. "So guys, I've been thinking of maybe going back to my mom's place for Christmas." Nerezza interrupted her. "Gast-gast?! Gastly gast gast gastly gast?" "Are you crazy?! Why would you want to go back to that place?" Opal sighed tiredly. "I know we've had some... complications back at my house, but I think it's been long enough that we can leave it all behind." This time Itzal spoke up. "Gen... Gengar gen gen gengar gengar? Gen gengar gengar gen gengar?" "Yeah... But didn't you say that your mom sent a whole investigation after you? Would it be wise to bring up those deep wounds once more?" Nerezza rolled her eyes, but then out of the corner of her vision, she could see a familiar face... One she hated beyond belief.

She floated to her human's side and growled, baring her teeth. Opal looked at her partner curiously until she followed her gaze and saw the policewoman. She could recognize the face, but she couldn't place the name. What was it...? Rosie? Rose? Something close to that, she knew that for certain. Then she struck home. "Roise." Itzal looked at Opal, confused. Then Opal realized that she had the policewoman's name out loud. She groaned and silently prayed to Arceus that the woman didn't hear, for in secret, she disliked the woman almost as much as her Gastly partner.

Opal sighed in her mind. She was surely not in the mood at all to talk to this woman. But she quickly regained her composure and smiled politely at the woman. "Hello, Roise. I am well. Been kind of busy with Christmas coming up and dealing with these two monsters." She pointed back to her Pokemon, who looked at each other, hate in their eyes. "How have you been? Doing well for yourself, I hope?" But in her mind, hearing about how the policewoman was doing was one of the last things on her agenda. There were still presents to get, supplies to buy, and most importantly, she just wanted to get away from her. She was never really comfortable around the woman.

As Opal talked to Roise, Itzal looked curiously at her, then Nerezza, who was still glaring at the stranger. Trying to be as discreet as possible, he shuffled over to his cousin. "Who is that lady? I've certainly never seen her before." Nerezza turned to the Gengar. "She's a policewoman who once tried to arrest two shopkeepers for hiding a Mewtwo from the Rockets. And she's rude." Opal shot her Gastly and Gengar a warning glace and then turned back to face Roise, a smile on her face. Looks like Mom's lessons of hiding my emotions actually paid off.

Opal nodded. "Yes, well at least they have to best people on the job, no?" She smiled, but it was a fake smile, one that was mastered many years ago. Opal had been taught long ago that emotions can hurt others, but this time it was preventing her from ordering Nerezza to hurt the woman on the spot. She hated Roise with a passion: the policewoman almost arrested an ex-Rocket and her sister for hiding a runaway Mewtwo from that damned organization. Still, Opal kept a level head and unconsciously straightened her hairband.

"Unfortunately, no. I have spoken with Meeka a month or two ago and she seems well. I think for now Catherine is fine. We'll just have to trust that Meeka and Medley can take care of her." At this last statement, Opal sent a glimmer of hatred and taunting at the policewoman. But the trainer was grateful as well that Catherine was a fairly common name: no one would suspect that the two women were talking about a poor human-made monster that has an instinct for hurting and killing.

"Wait, wait, wait... She's the policewoman you said was with you when you met the Mewtwo?!" Itzal's eyes were wide open in surprise. Nerezza glared at her cousin, but it paled in comparison to the deathly stare she gave Roise. And she was thankful that her human did not stop her. The Gastly knew that her human hated Roise as much as she. Finally, she spoke to her teammate. "Yes, that's her. Gah, she's such an annoyance."

"Yes... I suppose we all would." For once, Opal agreed with Roise. The Rockets were lower than the scum of the earth, always stealing and robbing and hurting. They deserved no less than the worst of punishments. ... Opal couldn't think of any at the moment, but she knew that whatever the punishment was would be horrendous. "But I do think that they are happy where they are. Meeka and Medley are doing well for themselves, and Catherine is safe. As long as those things aren't in jeopardy, they'll be fine."

Opal had experienced firsthand the cruelty and malice of Team Rocket: when she was at Meeka's store with Nerezza and Roise, Catherine had shown her darker side, a side that, if left unchecked, could kill. This was the side that was created by the Rockets: a destroying and killing machine. No Pokemon deserved that fate.

"Hmm... She doesn't seem too unpleasant. I mean..." Itzal faltered under Nerezza's deathly glare, more hateful than the ones she gives him. "Well, she certainly seems to do well on her job, I guess..." Nerezza snorted and laughed coldly. "Yeah, TOO well. That be-otch was gonna arrest those women for protecting that poor Mewtwo from the Rockets! She's so ignorant! And... just... " The Gastly growled menacingly at the policewoman, and Itzal watched all three with silent curiosity.

Opal followed the policewoman's gaze to her two Pokemon behind her, who were talking up a storm. She sighed lightly and turned to face them. "Hey. Guys." But the two didn't answer. She tried it louder. "Guys!" By the second time, she had grabbed her friends' attention. "Gast?" "Gen?" The cousins answered at the same time, which brought a glare from both. Opal rolled her eyes. "Cool it, okay? You're as chatty as Chatots." She turned back to face Roise, and Nerezza made a small face at her once her back was turned.

What Roise said next both surprised and angered Opal. But of course, she did not show it. In the back of her mind, Opal made a note to herself to thank her mother for all of those lessons. "I... suppose I could see them a bit more. B-But you have to understand..." The trainer's voice got quieter. "I can't exactly loom over them like a dark cloud. I haven't seen any of them in a while, true, but I don't want to wear out my welcome. Plus, I have my own life to live. Sometimes it's just not convenient for me!" In her heart, Opal was seething. Was this policewoman suggesting that she spy on the trio?! These were her friends! She couldn't do anything to misplace their trust!

Opal put on her most convincing smile for the policewoman. "Sure. Believe me, if I or Nezz caught even the slightest trace of suspicious types at the shop, the police would be the first people I would go to." This was a lie. As much faith as the young woman had in the judiciary system, if she ever came across any Rockets, she and her Gastly and Gengar would pummel them to the ground. Rockets were the scum of the earth, and they would receive no mercy from the runaway, the banished Ghost, and the cousin who abandoned the Gastly.

Although she was rather enjoying lying to the policewoman, Opal was itching to leave. She still had things to shop for, and plus it was getting cold. The trainer's meager scarf and jacket didn't exactly fit the bill of appropriate winter wear. She could tell that Nerezza wanted to get away from the woman, too. Even if she wasn't looking in her friend's direction, she could tell the sheer amount of self control it took the Gastly to keep from tearing Roise apart. As far as Itzal was concerned, Opal wasn't sure. He seemed to just want to get out of the cold. All three of them wanted to leave. And fast.

Opal watched the policewoman's motions. A small dip of the head. The young woman determined that she agreed or approved with what Opal said, but was in a hurry to leave. About time. Opal never liked lying... She spent over half over life being taught to do it in one way or another. But Roise... This woman did not deserve the young trainer's trust or the truth of her words. But Opal's rage slowly began to ebb as she saw Roise beginning to leave. She smiled politely.

"Farewell yourself, Roise. And keep yourself safe." The last part of the statement didn't really make sense in Opal's ears: after all, Roise was a policewoman. But it seemed safer to be polite. Once the woman left, Opal breathed a sigh of relief. She cast a glance towards her Ghost Pokemon. "Thank Arceus she's gone, eh?" Nerezza gave a cheerful sharp-toothed grin and nodded to her human and Itzal looked at Opal curiously. Nerezza spoke quietly to Opal. "Gast gastly gast gast gastly? Gastly gastly gast gastly." "So what're you gonna do about the shop? You can't exactly lie to a police officer." Opal grinned mischievously at the Gastly. "Since when have you ever been opposed to lying?" But she quickly turned somber.

"I will check up on Meeka and Medley once in a while, but I won't say anything to Roise or to anyone else if I find evidence of Rockets. It's their problem and ours as well. The enforcement of the law would just get in the way." Nerezza nodded understandingly and Itzal's eyes glittered slightly. Around the trio, the air seemed a bit colder. Opal looked to her Ghosts and smiled. "Well," she started, "We have a lot of presents still to pick up. Shall we?" The Ghosts smiled back at their human, then glared at each other, and the three went through the streets, each a lot happier than they were a few minutes ago.