Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon.

And I apologize in advance for any spelling and grammar errors.

Chapter 4

Blue.

That was the first color her mind registered as she slowly opened her eyes. She blinked several times to adjust her blurry vision before sitting up, moaning softly as she brought a paw to head.

"Strange," she whispered to herself, shaking her head.

The sight of the bluish hue of her paw shook her senses awake. Baffled, she looked closely to confirm what she had just seen, shaking her paw in front of her face. Then the memories came rushing back to the Glaceon Princess and she sighed, closing her eyes momentarily before opening them again.

She remembered it all now. She had evolved into a Glaceon, the ice-type evolution of her species. The image of the malicious Glalie flashed in her mind, his teeth set in a devilish grin and brows in a permanent frown. She cringed at the sudden memory, feeling frightened and disgusted at the same time. A part of her felt guilty for having judged the pokemon on his appearance. Though his actions had spoken louder in terms of his true character, Sapphire could help but wonder what had become of the ice brute.

Brother.

His soothing voice rang in her ears and she instantly felt relieved. While her fight with the Glalie remained the most vivid part of her memory, she vaguely remembered her brother jumping in to protect her. She had no memory whatsoever of seeing him fight or whether or not had he been assisted by someone from the arena. Her only memory of Volt was seeing him for the few brief seconds she was conscious, his tail to her and golden fur flashing brilliantly with rage. The next thing she had remembered was him gently nudging her awake, his voice soft and full of concern. He had personally escorted her back to her room, refusing to let anyone near her. He had even snapped at the Heliolisk who offered to escort her for him, an unneeded precautionary gesture but justified all the same.

Sighing, Princess Sapphire pushed back her covers and jumped off her bed. She then began her short journey to her dressing table. Strangely, her body began to weigh down on her with each step, making it painful for the Glaceon Princess to walk. I have to see for myself. She thought, dismissing this as lack of sleep. She pushed herself to walk all the way up the dressing table where she stood before the mirror and saw a hideous figure stare right back at her. Her eyes widened at the sight of her disheveled fur, a shade of brilliant blue and teal but not at all fit to be seen.

The fur appeared to be frozen stiff, its pointy edges gleaming from the moonlight pouring in through her window. It made her look twice her usual size and came across as fierce rather than the graceful and elegant look she had originally imagined. Her creamy brown tail had also thinned out and now appeared more slender with a tip sharp enough to slit a throat.

Oh this simply won't do! She thought, panicking as she immediately reached out for the brush. She ran it through her fur and came to realize how stiff her fur had become. The brush just simply won't pass through. Dropping the hair tool, she reached out with her paw over her back and felt the sharp prickle of the frozen bits she would now have to pass for her own fur.

Oh my! I simply cannot present myself to Father like this! She thought, alarmed. How do I groom this? There must be something!

Her Father. Yes. King Ampahros. Her evolution was not something to be kept from the king. Sapphire remembered that clearly. After Volt had escorted her to her room, he had called on to the healers to tend to her wounds and to ensure she would get enough rest before her next meeting with their father. Volt had appeared to be particularly anxious about that and Sapphire could not comprehend why. Her Father would surely be delighted with this news. If anything, this was supposed to be a cause for celebration. Sapphire knew the news about her evolution must have reached the King's ears by now so her presenting herself would come as no surprise to him. Still, she was obligated to do so. She did not remember much after that other than passing out from pain and the soft voice of her brother coaxing her into sleep. Now, here she was, trying to make sense of these new powers and how to deal with the changes that had come with it.

She could not tear her eyes away from the mirror. She was disgusted at the sight of herself. The evolutionary form was not turning out to be what she had always imagined and did not even remotely resemble the picture of the graceful arctic beast she had seen in the books in the library. The picture had said 'An Artist's Impression of a Glaceon' and perhaps that's all it was, an impression. The artist must have envisioned her as his muse, finding beauty is something absolutely horrific. She thought, infuriated.

Just then, she saw her quills begin to stretch out, their edges sharpening. Confused, she looked more closely, trying to see if they had indeed grown or was she hallucinating. Tilting her head sideways, she studied the structure closely and confirmed these changes to be true. It all began to fall into place. Her inner emotions triggered her powers to freeze her fur into sharp quills. It was a built-in defense mechanism that responded directly to what she was feeling. It was a trait she shared with her brother. While their elements were different, the ability to sharpen one's fur into quills was a trait common to both.

Realizing what needed to be done; Sapphire closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to free her mind from the thoughts whirling inside her mind. She had to calm down. She had to relax in order for her fur to soften from its present state and settle down. Taking a few more deep breaths, she dared to look into the mirror. To her delight, the sharp quills were gone and only her silky soft pelt remained. Overjoyed, she reached for her brush on the ground and quickly began to groom herself right down to her legs.

Once finished, she admired her new evolution in the mirror, a genuine smile forming on her muzzle. She was quite satisfied with the outcome. Once she had adjusted her looks, she realized she did look like the sketch after all. It was all a matter of channeling one's energy to achieve the desired goal. She wondered if Volt had faced similar difficulties in adjusting to his own evolutionary form, the Jolteon. She had been very young then and was not allowed in the company of her brother because her father had thought such trivial activities would hinder his progress. If he had, she had no knowledge of this. A sad smile replaced her earlier one as she recalled all these bitter memories. Perhaps, now that she had evolved, she could train under the watchful eye of her own brother and attempt to bridge the gap between them.

Her ear twitched at the sound of the door being opened behind her. She turned around instantly to see who it was and saw her brother cautiously walk in, his eyes on her bed. When he didn't find her sleeping form on her bed, Volt looked around and their eyes met. She saw his expressions soften as he hastily walked up to her and immediately began to nuzzle her affectionately.

"Oh Sapphire," He sighed. "I've been so worried about you."

Pulling away, he began to look down at her injuries, his eyes scanning over every scratch on her body.

"Does it hurt?" he said, looking into her eyes. "Do you feel strange?"

"I feel fine," she assured him, smiling at him. "You need not worry."

"How do I not?" Volt protested. "That fool had nearly done you in, Sapphire. Had I not arrived in time, I would have lost you."

He sighed, looking away, as if the very thought of watching her lying unconscious on the ground pained him.

"You were barely conscious, Sapphire," he informed her. "Your wounds were bleeding profusely and scared me half to death."

He stopped speaking and silence took over. Studying his face carefully, Sapphire could tell he had more to say but chose not to. With her brows frowning in worry, she cleared her throat in an attempt to get him to look back up at her.

"What became of the Glalie?" She questioned, trying to divert the topic away from herself.

"He got what he deserved!" Volt said, his tone harsher and more aggressive. "He was sent to the dungeon immediately and awaited trail. Only, I made sure he never got one. The verdict was given without any word of self-defense and he has been exiled from Blitz."

Sapphire gasped.

"I do not want a word of sympathy out of you, dear sister," Volt said warningly. "I know the more generous side of you well but no amount of begging can save one from treason."

She nodded obediently, her muzzle set in a tight line. It was no use speaking against something that had already been done without consulting her. Nothing could undo what the Glalie did, both in terms of her evolution and his punishment.

"Did you have any trouble adjusting to your evolution?" Volt asked her, his tone switching back to that of concern.

"I suppose a bit," she admitted. "But it is alright. I shall be able to get use to this new form and these new powers soon. I am rather confident of that."

He smiled at her again and patted her head.

"You look beautiful," he complimented her. "My sister shall be the prettiest lass this kingdom has ever seen."

Sapphire smiled briefly at the false words of praise. The Glaceon princess was still oblivious to her brother's scheme. She did not have the faintest of idea that her brother was the mastermind behind her evolution. How could she? Volt had planned out every last detail and had executed his plan most brilliantly.

"What of Father?" Sapphire brought up the subject. "Has he heard of it?"

"Sapphire," Volt answered. "You know nothing escapes our father's ear. Yes, he has been informed. I did so personally to make no provisions for rumor. I would prefer to keep your evolution from becoming the talk of the kingdom."

"Has Father asked of me?" Sapphire asked, looking up hopefully at her Jolteon brother.

"Indeed he has," Volt replied earnestly. "But you must understand that your recovery is the most important thing as of now. I would suggest you rest."

"I feel fine, brother," Sapphire insisted. "Father must be worried too. I need to see him. He needs to see me."

"The king is no rush," Volt told her. "You mustn't push yourself Sapphire. Your wounds have not sufficiently healed."

"I demand to be escorted to the King," Sapphire said stubbornly. "There is no reason for us to delay this any further."

Sighing in defeat, Volt looked down and shook his head.

"Very well then," he agreed. "I shall take you to him myself."

A broad smile formed on her muzzle as Sapphire nuzzled her brother and buried her nose into his golden fur. She hasn't changed in the slightest. Volt thought. Still as carefree as the Eevee she was and still quite the gullible one.

"Shall we go?" Sapphire said, bringing him out of her thoughts.

"Yes, we shall."

Volt led the way to the throne room where their father would still be, attending to royal business. Sapphire fell in feet beside him and walked gingerly, feeling rather safe under the protection of her own brother. Volt was walking slowly, not to keep her from straining herself in order to keep up with his pace, but because his body was burning with anticipation of what would come next. His plan had been going smoothly and was now approaching its final stage. Whilst the other stages had been fairly easy and the outcomes had been concrete, this part was the rather unpredictable one and would determine whether he would succeed or fail. It all depended on their father's decision, the word of the King.

"Brother?" Sapphire whispered, trying to get his attention.

Prince Volt was too preoccupied with his own thoughts to pay attention to the Glaceon Princess. Her brows furrowed in worry as she tried to study his face, wondering what could be bothering her brother. Perhaps he blames himself for what happened. She thought, continuing to follow him.

"You have no reason to blame yourself," she said, trying to reassure him. "I know you would never willingly abandon me."

Volt walked down the giant staircase with his sister following, his face still impassive. His ignorance and silence began to worry her even more. Suddenly, Sapphire did not feel so confident about her situation. The air began to feel heavy and her instincts began to scream 'danger'. She began to regret not listening to Volt when he had advised her to rest. A princess does not neglect her duties. She scolded herself, trying to repress her feelings.

"We are here," Volt informed her as he stopped.

Sapphire stopped right beside him and looked up at the familiar door. She had walked through this door countless times and had spent much of her childhood in her father's company inside the very same room. Then why now of all days was her heart beating so fast at the sight of this door? It was still the same, pearly white with patterns engraved in gold (their national color) and the same Galvantula guarding it. Nothing had changed. Then why did it fill her with dread? It was because she had changed. The last time she had walked in, she had been an Eevee. Now she was a Glaceon.

The door was pushed open and the two walked in, their steps matching perfectly as they walked side by side. Her eyes shifted from left to right and she saw the familiar courtiers, all staring at her but none smiling. This further reinforced her earlier anxiety and she gulped in fear. The faint sound of whispering did nothing to help her situation and the glares were unwelcoming.

Volt and Sapphire stopped before the throne and bowed before their father, King Ampharos.

"Rise, my children," he said, his voice loud and clear.

The two stood up straight and looked at their father. He was blinking slowly and his face looked unamused. If Sapphire was astonished, she was doing a splendid job at concealing it. His eyes were cold and Sapphire found herself struggling to keep her posture. She smiled softly at her father, inwardly hoping her fur had not gotten out of sorts and she still looked presentable.

Prince Volt, understanding the meaning behind this impassive glare, excused himself and walked up the small flight of stairs to stand beside his father's throne. King Ampharos wanted to interrogate Sapphire and Sapphire alone and he had to comply.

"Sapphire," King Ampharos spoke, finally addressing her directly. "My dearest daughter, what has become of you?"

Sapphire's body tensed. This was not what she had been expecting. The voice that was once music to her ears now frightened her. She could feel neither compassion nor pity in his voice. It was loud and clear, but not half so pleasant to listen to.

"I-I have evolved, father," she stuttered. She had never stuttered before when conversing with her father.

"I see that," King Ampharos replied. "But tis a pity. You have evolved but not into what you should have."

Sapphire's legs began to shake. This combined with the light throbbing in her head and her heart beating painfully against her rib cage made her feel even more terrorized than before. She felt insignificant, unneeded, as if her very presence was repulsive and an insult to Zekrom's nation. Her father's words had cut deep and she could make no sense of it.

"I do not understand, Father," Sapphire asked, finding her courage. "It is not as if I chose this."

"I am aware," He growled, making her flinch. "But this is not what can be placed on the throne."

Rage. She could feel it. Her instincts had been right. Her presence disgusted him. The mere sight of the ice –type evolution was boiling his blood. Sapphire had never remembered her father being infuriated or if so, she was never the cause. She loved her father dearly and had been sure she was loved back the same if not more. The whole situation felt unnatural to the pampered Glaceon Princess. It was as if the whole world had turned against her.

"I do not understand, Your Majesty," Sapphire replied, speaking respectfully. "I have never desired to be on the throne."

Her words went unacknowledged by the King who appeared to be deep in thought. His eyes were fixed on her, blinking slowly as if he was looking through her soul.

"Is this what Zekrom meant?" Ampharos said, questioning himself. "Is this what he meant when he said you would be the cause of our destruction?"

"Destruction?" Sapphire murmured, shaking her head. "Whatever do you mean?"

A faint smile crept up on Volt's lips. The Jolteon Prince stood motionless, waiting for his father to pass the order. He could barely contain the electricity surging through his body, waiting to be unleashed on the victim.

"I simply cannot allow this!" Ampharos growled, slamming his fist on the arm of the throne.

Sapphire took a step back. Her lungs suddenly began to ache for more air. She was frightened to her core and her fur began to show it, much to Volt's delight. He was relishing every moment of her suffering.

"Sapphire," Ampharos said, finally addressed her again. "As a member of the Blitz royal family, it is taboo for you to have evolved into anything but a Jolteon. I simply cannot allow your kind to lead the nation of the electric pokemon."

"I fail to comprehend," Sapphire spoke in her defense. "I though-"

"SILENCE!" Ampharos roared. "I need not hear your excuse. The tragedy has passed. But this is most unacceptable. I hereby denounce you as my daughter!"

Color drained from her cheeks and she crumbled to the floor in disbelief. Her father, her loving father, who had raised her up from an egg and showered her with nothing but affection and care had now abandoned her. Her eyes widened in fear and she gasped for more air, her whole body shaking with fear.

"Father," Sapphire managed to utter, tears rolling down her cheek. "Come to your senses, Father! What are you saying? You cannot do this!"

"You are now exiled!" Ampharos said, tearing his eyes away from her pledging ones. "You are never to return to Blitz again."

This has to be dream! Sapphire thought, refusing to accept the reality before her.

"Volt, brother," Sapphire mumbled desperately, turning to the Jolteon Prince. "Brother, please! Say something."

Volt stepped down the small flight of stairs and walked up to the Glaceon Princess. Sapphire's heart dared to hope that she could be saved. Volt saw the spark of hope in her beady eyes and smirked. He stopped close to her, his body inches away and muzzle close to her ears.

"You truly are a pathetic one," he whispered in a sinister voice. "You trust in the wrong one, dear sister."

Sapphire took a step back and looked up at him, eyes wide in disbelief. Seeing the spark of hope die in her eyes was the most satisfying of all.

"Brother," Sapphire mumbled, her voice shaking. "How could you?"

He did not feel the need to answer her silly question. She had lost her crown and had no need to put her nose in royal affairs anymore. As such, she was inferior to him now and deserved no explanations.

"Dispose of her, Volt," Ampharos ordered his son.

Volt licked his lips. Sapphire heard a crackle of electricity. Then she saw electricity dancing dangerously on her brother's golden fur. When she looked into his eyes, she saw something familiar. She had no trouble placing it. It was the same look Glalie had given her.

She desperately began to look around for help but soon discovered that no one in this court would dare to assist her for the fear of being charged for treason and helping a fugitive.

Having no choice, she turned and made a run for the door.

So next chapter is going to introduce a new character. For all those who are waiting for Skull to make his entrance, just hold on a little longer. it's way better than before.

I'd love to hear from you guys. see ya soon!