Violet took a deep breath, her feet balanced perfectly along the narrow beam. When ready, she started with a cartwheel followed by a backflip. She landed gracefully along the other end of the beam. The sound of applause made her head turn to see a crowd of students along with a couple of teachers. Salazzle and Zoroark were both out of their poke balls and watching her as well. Smiling, she gave a bow before glancing toward Atticus's accessory booth. Even with his headwear on, she could see his lone blue eye on her.

She still couldn't believe the lengths he went to for her. It had only been a week since he'd learned of her predicament, yet in that short time, he'd gathered all of Team Star and gotten approval from the director to hold a fundraiser. Violet was an entertainment act, doing gymnastic feats for a small fee. Atticus had set up a booth to sell accessories - all lovely little items he'd made. Mela was happily painting portraits, and although they weren't the best, the customers liked the silly art nonetheless. Eri had set up a wrestling ring for people and pokemon to try their hands at taking her down. Giacomo was DJing and taking music requests while people and their pokemon had fun dancing. There were mini robotic pokemon toys being sold at Ortega's booth, which quite a few people adored. Even Penny had joined in with a comic book stand. And, surprisingly, even the student council president got in on the fun and organized a little battle tournament. All in all, it was turning out to be a big success.

"I hope you all don't mind but I need a small break." Violet climbed off the beam, smiling at the students she passed. "Salazzle, Zoroark, take over for me please."

It was still so strange. She used to be totally invisible. Now, so many were watching her perform with enthusiasm. She definitely preferred the attention, and who knows, maybe getting back into gymnastics classes could actually work this time. Going over to the snack and drink stalls, the girl bought two Lemon Sodas, then went to the accessory booth.

"Hey, Atticus. Brought you a drink. I haven't seen you leave your post all day."

The ninja pulled down his headwear to reveal his smiling face. "You have my thanks." He accepted a soda and took a few greedy gulps of the refreshment. "It's true, I've been quite busy. The ladies in particular are taken with my wares. I'm nearly out of stock."

"I can see why." Her purple eyes skimmed the numerous cute items. There were bracelets and necklaces, and lots of hair clips and ties. "Everything you make is pretty." She glanced toward the dance floor where Giacomo's music was blaring. "Do you think we could…" She shook her head before finishing the thought. "No, nevermind."

A chuckle escaped the boy. "You wish to dance, is that it?"

"No, no, I don't dance. But I kinda wanted to enjoy a little time with you."

"As you said, I haven't left my stall once. I could use the break." He waved over a nearby boy munching on a churro. "Youssef, my compadre, would you mind keeping an eye on my wares for a short time?"

The younger boy eagerly nodded, finishing the last bite of his treat. "Leave it to me, don Atticus!"

Atticus politely held a hand out to Violet, which she didn't hesitate to take. Hand in hand they went over to where Giacomo was DJing. They nimbly moved between the dancing students to get up close to the stage. The dark type user's gaze fell upon them, and his big grin seemed to widen. His music started to die down, which earned everyone's attention.

"This next one goes out to a great friend of mine! Let this melody soothe your very souls!"

Compared to the music he'd been playing, the new one was a slow song. A lot of the dancers paired up, which only helped to set the mood. Atticus nearly facepalmed. It was obvious Giacomo had set that up on purpose specifically for him. The ninja's feelings for Violet was no mystery among the rest of Team Star.

"Well, I suppose we have no choice now." Atticus turned toward the girl. "Neither of us are accustomed to it, but just this once, would thou care to dance with me, fair maiden?"

Violet scanned the other dancing couples before nodding. "Alright. Just this once."

She copied what others were doing and simply moved closer to drape her arms over his shoulders. Atticus placed his hands on her waist and began to sway with her. Several long moments passed with the pair simply locking eyes and moving from side to side. Violet couldn't help taking in his handsome face. She so badly wanted to kiss him in that moment just because of the romantic mood that was set. But she reminded herself of the rules he'd enforced on himself. He wouldn't give her anything more than a kiss on her hand until he had properly courted her. But come on. He'd left her a gift at her doorstep every day for the past week. It was mostly flowers and little candies, but still, she considered that enough. She actually started leaning closer to him but was stopped by his finger coming up to press against her lips.

"Not here, my lady," he told her. "Not now."

She gave a slightly exasperated sigh. "You're taking this whole thing way too seriously."

"I don't think so. After all, the longer the wait, the sweeter the reward."

As much as it annoyed her, she couldn't help but love that about him. "That reward better be the best thing in the world," she half joked.

When the song came to an end, so too did the slow dance. Violet and Atticus left the dance floor and separated to return to their respective attractions, their break over a bit too soon. It was getting dark by the time they wrapped up the fundraiser. Most of the wares had been bought up, and quite a sum of money had been raised. Director Clavell had brought Violet up to the stage where Giacomo had been entertaining earlier.

"I hope all the students and staff have had a wonderful day," the director announced, earning everyone's attention. "We have the students known as Team Star to thank for putting together this event. As many of you may know, the proceeds will go to the necessary care of Miss Violet's ill grandmother." The girl timidly rubbed her arm at having something so personal being spoken about. Even though she didn't want everyone knowing about her situation, Atticus had persuaded her to let his friends in on it so they could help. Word spread throughout the school after that. In the end, she was glad to have everything out in the open, except her thieving, of course. That secret remained with Team Star's bosses, no one else. Clavell smiled at the goth. "Would you like to say something to the attendees?"

With a nod, Violet stepped forward. It still felt unreal to have so many eyes on her. It was like a dream come true to finally be noticed. More proof that the newer Director and staff made the academy a better place.

"I just want to say thank you to everyone who participated in this event. It means a lot. With my grandmother's medical expenses…I guess I felt trapped. I didn't know what to do for the longest time, and I stupidly chose to go it alone. But because of my friend Atticus, I didn't have to solve this problem on my own. And now, I don't have to be afraid of losing what I treasure most."

The audience was full of smiles, and Clavell placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Never be afraid to come to me or any of our teachers if you need help, Miss Violet. The academy will do its best to support each and every student in their time of need."

Violet couldn't help smiling at that. A lot of people cheered in agreement, showing support to their fellow student. The school truly had changed for the better. After changing out of her suit, helping to clean up, and collecting the money earned, Violet stood in front of the academy where she was just about to call a Flying Taxi to head home when Atticus hurried out to catch up with her.

"Lady Violet, a moment please!" The girl turned toward him with a smile. "If you have the time, would you like to dine with me?"

Violet nodded. "I'd love to. I was going to go home and fix something for my grandma and me, but I can bring her back something instead." She tilted her head slightly with curiosity. "You haven't asked me out like this before. Is this still part of the courting?"

Atticus chuckled. "You could say that, yes. I think my efforts have been sufficient thus far, but what better way to impress than to treat a lady to dinner?"

The boy took her by the hand and led the way. Violet enjoyed the little contact, as he'd remained very modest throughout the courtship. Other than a few hugs and hand kisses here and there, she didn't receive anything remotely close to a real kiss or cuddles. Granted, she wasn't super into affection, but with Atticus, she had a slight change of heart. He had that much of an effect on her. She tugged his hand to make him stop before they entered the restaurant he'd chosen.

"Atticus, this place can be pricey. I can't go spending a bunch of the money we just raised."

"Not to worry, my lady. I'll cover the fee. I've been saving up in hopes of treating you to an evening out."

"If you're sure…"

The pair went into Jade Palace Garden and took an empty table. Both ordered Ramen with one to-go so Violet could bring something back for her grandmother to enjoy. Apparently, Atticus went there fairly often because the waiter recognized him by name. It made sense considering his tastes. The piping hot meal was delicious, and Violet may have dug in a little too eagerly. She hadn't realized how hungry she was.

"You worked up quite the appetite, I see."

The girl froze, realizing that Atticus was chuckling at her. "W-well yeah. You saw all the gymnastics stuff I had to do today."

"Indeed. I very much enjoyed thy show. You were as nimble as, well, a Nymble."

She smiled. "And the best part is that Director Clavell told me I had a shot at stardom with my talents. Isn't that great? I could finally earn all the money I'll ever need to support my grandma."

"That's splendid news indeed! I will gladly cheer you on with every performance! You've earned it, Lady Violet!" He slurped up some noodles with a joyful smile on his face. "Actually, I'd like to ask how Madam Ruth is doing."

"She's doing…better. A little. I mean, she's never going to be able to move around on her own. But she's been happier, I guess?"

"That's probably because you've been happier. When we first met, you rarely ever smiled, and you were cold and distant. Lately, however, you've been more cheerful. I'm sure your grandmother has noticed. I noticed."

"You made that possible." Violet immediately blushed after blurting that out. "You and Youssef and the rest of Team Star. You've all had a hand in making my life better - more meaningful. And it's thanks to your brilliant idea that I don't have to worry about money troubles for quite a while."

"I'm merely glad to have made a difference."

Atticus looked as if he wanted to say more, but he returned to his meal instead. It piqued the girl's curiosity, that was for sure. When they finished eating, Violet grabbed the Ramen to go that was sealed in a plastic bowl with a lid. Upon leaving the restaurant, they called a Flying Taxi to get them to Zapapico. The ride was fairly quiet with a weary Violet resting her head on the boy's shoulder, almost dozing. Finally, they arrived at her house, stopping at the door.

"May I come in for a moment?" the ninja politely asked.

Even though she was tired and ready to rest, Violet nodded. "Yeah, that's fine." Opening the door, she allowed him inside. "Just let me take my grandma her Ramen. She's gotta be famished by now."

She left him there in the living room momentarily. It gave him the chance to close his eyes and think over his next move. He even gave his pocket a search to be sure he had the gift. When Violet came back, he met her gaze and cleared his throat.

"Lady Violet, I hope you enjoyed the evening despite thy fatigue. The day was a bit hectic, I'll admit."

"I did. Don't worry. I always like spending time with you, you know that."

"Excellent! I was afraid I'd only exhausted you further, but now my mind is at ease." There was a brief pause before he spoke again. "My lady, as you know, I've been courting you for the past week now. In truth, the small gifts I left you were merely a precursor to what I had up my sleeve. The real present I have for you…"

He fished a small box from his pocket, opening it for her to see. There was a beautiful black ribbon inside. One half of it was printed with Salazzle's colors, and the other half with Zoroark's. Violet stared in awe before carefully taking it from the box.

"You made a ribbon for me?"

"I couldn't help but notice the ribbon decorating your ponytail has never changed in the time I've known you. Its color has faded and the edges are ragged. I stitched together a custom design for your new one. It took several tries to get the patterns accurate."

The goth nearly burst into tears at how sweet he was. "Thank you…" Grasping it in one hand, she was quick to hug him tight. "I love it."

Atticus's smile widened as he held her. "That makes mine heart giddy with glee to hear."

"You seriously didn't have to do any of this," she murmured into his shoulder. "This whole courting thing was just…too much."

"But alas, it's what I wanted to do. I needed to do things properly and woo you first, as any respectable ninja would."

Violet slowly moved back enough to lock eyes with him. "Well, consider me wooed. So can we finally go out more and call ourselves a couple?"

"I'd be delighted to, my fair Violet." Atticus slid his hand gently up from her waist, along her upper arm, and up her neck until he gently took her chin between his fingers. "If I am to call you mine, then I should seal it with a kiss, should I not?" He leaned so dangerously close that she could feel his breath on her lips.

"You should."

That was the only answer he needed. Atticus closed the gap between them to capture her lips. It was simple and sweet, and yet, it could've swept her right off her feet. Violet broke the kiss to speak, but before she could utter a single word, the boy dove in for another kiss, a more passionate one. She was taken by surprise but melted in his arms. It was as if the wait throughout the courtship had made Atticus desperately yearn for this moment when he could better show her his feelings. The goth finally pulled back to get a proper breath in, and just when she thought it was over, he began to pepper her neck with kisses.

"A-Atticus, slow down."

"Terribly sorry, my lady," he murmured, finally lifting his head to look at her. "I merely wished to be certain this was real and that you are truly mine." With that gentle smile of his, he tucked some stray hairs behind her ear. "Was it wrong of me to shower you with such affection so soon?"

Violet couldn't help smiling. "No, not at all. I liked it. But you don't have to rush. We only just made things official."

"I suppose you're correct. Still, allow me to savor your warmth before we part ways for the evening."

His gentle embrace was like a warm blanket for Violet to get wrapped up in. Everything would be okay now. She had support from so many people, Atticus most of all, and she no longer had to live alone in the shadows. For the first time in over a year, she was no longer afraid of what tomorrow may bring.