This is a story based on the Diamond girl and Diamond rival, whom I named Seele and Marx in my game. To write this I put myself in the girl's point of view, and thought how lonely she must be, since her friend is always in a rush to the point where he leaves her behind. Enjoy, and remember that there are some spoilers to events that happen in the game, although I have changed them to fit to my scenario.

Samantha (Abloom)


"That's really stupid Marx."

"But yours has to be better than mine!"

Two kids sat arguing on the banks of Lake Verity while their mothers helped pack up from the festival that had taked place on the lakefront the night before.

"Fine, Marx, how about we trade if you think mine is 'sooo much better!"

"Seele, belive me, my festival present is worse than yours…"

"No, it's not. I already explained that! Let's just trade already…"

They passed the boxes over to each other.

"I warned you…"

"I warned you…"

But as they opened the boxes, there was laughter.

"Are our mothers really that close!?"

"We both got scarves!"

The children put on the scarves anyway, red for Seele, green for Marx, as a sign of their everbinding friendsh-

---

It's so cold…

---

"Seele?"

"Yeah Marx?"

"Don't you feel trapped in this small town? Like you can't breathe?"

Once again, they sat on the bank of Verity in the middle of the night, talking under the moon.

"We've had this conversation so many times Marx. You know why neither of us have left to go on a journey. It would break-"

"Our mother's hearts, you've said that before. But I'm tired of waiting for them to get over their phobias!"

"Marx..."

She put a hand on his shoulder and started talking once more.

"Marx. They're just afraid because we're all they have left…"

He put a hand on her shoulder in turn.

"Just because my mother needs me, doesn't mean I need her. It's her fault if she doesn't accept that."

Seele laughed.

"Marx, you couldn't mean that."

He chuckled along with her.

"I just don't know anymore, do I? But once I have a chance to go, I will! With no one to hold me back."

---

The snow drifts across my face, burying me.

---

'He left me…'

Seele stood there at Marx's house with a tiny piplup chirping in her arms.

"Yes dear, he didn't even say goodbye to me before he zoomed out the door!"

His mother chuckled as Seele started to reply in a shaky voice.

"O-okay, so how do I get to Sandgem?"

"Just go northeast along the road, dear. It's a short walk, so you should be able to make it."

Marx's mother grinned.

"After all, you're both almost fifteen now, right?"

Seele replied with a monotone 'yeah' before walking out the door and setting out on the road.

She sighed.

"He'll probably wait for me in Sandgem. Then we'll start our adventures together!"

The piplup became elated as his trainer smiled.

---

I'm such a moron, so dependant…

---

Seele hugged her piplup tight and began to cry, little by little…

But she quickly wiped her tears away as she came across Jubilife. Seele hated what she was thinking.

'Maybe he waited for me here…'

How could she think that! She wasn't about to let her happiness become strong and then ebb just because of a friend who had left her behind!

"Seele?"

'That's it!,' she thought while smiling. 'He didn't think that I was actually coming! Now everything will be all right…'

But no. All Marx wanted was a battle.

---

My friends, they're dead aren't they?

---

'While Marx is prancing around challenging gyms, I'm the one actually doing real work…'

Seele had been on the trail of Team Galactic ever since Floaroma Town. She got badges along the way too, but that quickly was becoming less of her life.

'I'm becoming tangled in their plans. It's getting harder to prevent them from doing whatever they're planning…'

Had it really been a year since she had last seen Marx? It seemed so much longer, with the puzzles and battles that 'graced' her life because of those retched criminals…

Nevermind that, actually, she had seen Marx, but it was always for a battle. In his eyes, it didn't matter if Seele always won with the constant duo of her Empoleon and Luxray. He was always better than she.

---

They lay on top of me trying to warm me in their last moments. They wanted me to be happy…

---

"Go away Marx, I'm busy."

The grunt slunk away through the building.

'Damn it, I don't have time for this, I have to follow that grunt.'

"But I want to see how you've progressed."

He cut Seele off from the foute building leading to Lake Valor and she gave in for the thousandth time. She turned around quickly.

"Go! Daze!"

"Go! Shoot!

A Staravia and a Luxray came out in a shower of red sparks.

But in the end, Seele won again. She walked away in a brisk march, the way she was accustomed to leaving with him.

"Wait, Seele!"

She didn't turn around, but stopped while Marx spoke.

"You still have some work to do, you didn't even notice that grunt that went by u-"

"I was following 'that grunt' until you interruped me you pompous asshole!"

Hurt silence. There was swishing as Seele ran through the door after the Galactic grunt.

And Marx walked off in the oppisate direction.

Like always.

---

I'm dying myself, aren't I?

---

"Ah, Seele, there you are!"

"Professor Rowan?'

"How's your pokedex comi-Bah! Nevermind about that, come inside, come inside…"

She was quickly ushered inside the library in Canalave, where two people already sat on the top floor. Rowan quickly took the chair next to Lucas, leaving Seele to sit next to Marx.

'His eyes are still so warm while mine have grown cold…how? Why? When he's cost me so much pain from our 'everylasting friendship?''

The professor gazed at his students before talking again.

"My, my. Seele, Marx, Lucas. It's been more than a year since we've all been together, and behind my back you've grown into fine young adults, haven't you?

Seele interrupted Rowan's speech, feeling awkward and wanting to make this meeting as short as possible.

"Excuse me professor, but is there anything else you want to say?"

Rowan looked at her in a worried way before continuing, irritated.

"Well, while sifting through various mythology books here, I came across many articles that mention the 'three lake protectors.' Seeing as there are three of you, each of you will investigate one lake."

He paused to while shuffling through papers.

"Marx. You are assigned to Lake Acuity by Snowpoint City. Lucas, you'll be at Lake Verity next to Twinleaf. Seele? Please pay attention!"

She was now becoming very uncomfortable sitting next to Marx, but Seele looked up.

"That leaves you to Lake Valor. You all may go now."

Marx rushed out the door to pack while Lucus walked calmly down the stairs to prepare his wingull to fly. Seele still sat at the table.

"Seele?"

She quickly stood up.

"Yes Professor?"

"Is everything alright between you and Marx?"

She spoke quickly.

"It's the same as it's always been."

---

I'll never be able to help even one of the three.

---

A bang, screams.

Seele flew over to the resort and ran towards the lake.

Destruction.

Galactic agents stood everywhere as a wounded blue body was carried through the mess. Even theough the protector was close to death, her eyes stayed wide open.

Seele heard a voice in her head as she hid amongst the trees.

"Go, go to either of the other lakes. You can only help one, and I am past help."

She held her ground, ready to help the pokemon escape.

"Now, fool! Or else you won't be able to help either!"

As Seele took off on her bird pokemon, her only thoughts were to go help Lucas and Professor Rowan, but she found herself flying north towards Snowpoint.

---

I couldn't hate Marx, even after what he's done to me. I still wanted to help, and all I can do now is hope he's alive.

---

Marx ran through the blizzard at a brisk pace until he tripped over a lump in the snow. He stopped, noticing a few red threads peaking out from the pile.

Seeing the string, he touched his neck where his scarf should have been, but nothing was there.

Marx started running again.

"I'll have to run faster since that silly thing tripped me."