I promised a week. I did. And I'm sorry for breaking it again. I have literally no excuse this time, I'm a horribly cruel person, I know D:

Actually, if you guys would take an excuse... I know I said I've planned this story out, but I was just aimlessly writing the last chapter and BelleShipping kinda just flew out of my fingers and onto the page. So I also was struggling with figuring how I'd explain that without complicating the spider web of drama already happening T.T

I'd lost my drive earlier. And yeah, I know I've said it several times before. But just life was in the way, and I'm still not 100% back yet… I'll get to it, I guess.

Alright, so I realized I killed a lot of you guys with BelleShipping. But if you know me, I really don't like Belleshipping... So just bear with me, you'll see how this goes! Also if you know me, you know how I really like twists xD

Need I repeat the summary and disclaimer? You should know by now, I hope :P

This chapter is dedicated to everyone who reviewed on the last chapter and for those who've stuck with me since the first draft of AG. And this is especially dedicated to LeafxGreenx3 because I broke her heart ON HER BIRTHDAY and I feel terrible. I will make this up to you, I promise!

Chapter Eight

Enigmatic Explanations

"N-no, please!" a man begged, eyes wide with fear as he stumbled back. A young woman, her height accented by stylish leather boots, smirked devilishly as she advanced, effectively cornering him against the wall. She leaned in close.

"Keep begging," she told him wickedly. "I like hearing you scream."

He clamped his mouth shut but whimpered as the young woman pulled out a pale pink blossom from beneath her jacket.

"But do you know what I don't like?" she asked him softly, glancing at the flower in her hand with an expression on her face akin to longing and loneliness. She took his left hand and turned it over, exposing his wrist.

"D-don't!" His cry was strangled in his throat as his chest heaved with terror.

"'Don't!'" she mimicked. "Arceus. I hate weaklings who can't even defend themselves from anything life throws at them." Without a warning, the young woman pressed the stem of the blossom against the artery in his wrist, and he threw his head back and howled.

"You feel the burn, don't you?" she laughed, releasing his hand. "Just because I'm feeling generous, I'll say this. Thank you for letting me try out my new poison on you. It sends a feeling like ice freezing over your blood and will take over your heart until it ultimately breaks and burns like fire. It's also untraceable! Who knew?"

With that said, she turned on her heel and shut the door behind her, the man dying on the floor.

Once upon a time, the Deadly Rose was just like any other little girl. Excited at the world, imagining Prince Charming on a sparkling white Rapidash, dressing up and pretending to be a princess ready to be rescued by the aforementioned prince.

But not too long after she turned ten, her parents were brutally murdered and she was stranded on the streets.

The man who had taken her in introduced himself as "Manny." He provided a home and education for her, and trained her in his own line of work, which she exceeded in well beyond his expectations.

She now knew him as "the Commander."

These days, the Deadly Rose was the Commander's call-upon Assassin. If the target wasn't a famous person, then the young woman was the one to eliminate him or her – which was often. She was the Assassin with the most blood on her hands, right below the Commander.

At the top of the Assassin chain was clearly the Commander. There were those with authority that held the Assassins together when otherwise they'd just kill each other, but the two Assassins whose word was held in high esteem (and sarcasm) were the Deadly Rose and Veil.

The former flipped her russet brown hair back, allowing the straight glossy waterfall to cascade down her shoulders. Her dark green eyes were swirling with intensity, as if something were weighing heavily on her mind. In other words? She was gorgeous.

Yet she still couldn't seem to advance in rank beyond Veil.

The door to Staryubuck* chimed as it swung open. Zoey, cleaning the last coffee machine, looked up in surprise – it was late, and there wasn't anyone else in the store besides her.

A couple stumbled through the doorway, landing in a wet pile on the just-cleaned floor. Zoey made an annoyed noise in her throat but scurried forward nevertheless to check if the two were alright.

"Hey," she said, poking the guy with her foot. He groaned, moving his soaked cinnamon hair out of his eyes. "Wake up. You're dirtying my floor."

He opened his eyes and glanced at her. While he was fairly attractive, Zoey didn't care for it. And she definitely didn't care for a wet, dirty guy who messed up the floor that had taken her two hours to clean. Taking in the fact that his other arm was nestled carefully around a tall, lean brunette who wasn't moving, she was pretty sure he was taken. Cool with her.

He seemed to realize that his looks and charm wouldn't work on Zoey. Maybe on days when it was actually daylight, he was looking a heck of a lot better, and wasn't staining her lovely once-shiny floors, she would. Who knew.

"A friend of mine said you'd keep us hidden for a while. He's calling in a favor." Pretty boy looked at her with a begging expression, dropping any pretense of charisma.

"And who might this 'friend' be?" Zoey demanded, hands on her hips. Her eyes matched her fiery red hair.

He pulled himself into a sitting position, carefully holding the girl against his body so she wouldn't get hurt. It was only then that Zoey saw that the girl was badly injured, crusted blood dotting her clothing and trailing down her arm.

"Don't play dumb, Zoey. You know me." His gaze was level. "You should stop pretending. We finally have a chance to get free of the Commander forever, and we could use your help."

Zoey flinched at the word commander but stayed firm. "Who's your 'friend?'" she repeated.

The guy pushed his hair out of his face with a tired sigh. "Paul. His name's Paul." At her confused glance, he sighed again. "I think you know him as Shadow."

Leaf head throbbed.

She was aware of only the continuous pounding as she slowly drifted towards consciousness. Gradually her senses sharpened, starting with the cool touch of a blanket pulled over her body and ending with a burning, stabbing pain in her stomach.

"She's alive!"

"No duh, I thought you were a guy. Don't overreact about something as simple as this." A female voice that Leaf didn't recognize responded to the first.

Leaf struggled to regain full consciousness, wanting to assure Gary that she was alright and she was most definitely not dead.

As she shifted, the pain intensified and her subconscious willed her body back to sleep.

Gary stared at Leaf, her expression twisted with suffering as she remained unconscious.

He had been worried. Genuinely worried. After Drew had called him, they had tried to return to the academy. Instead, they had been waylaid, and Leaf had gotten badly wounded.

Gritting his teeth, he lifted the blanket and inspected her injury. Blood seeped through the white bandages, despite Zoey's skill in binding it up. He was afraid that it would continue to keep bleeding and Leaf would remain in a comatose state forever.

It was a pure stroke of luck that they had stumbled across this particular Staryubuck. Gary had dimly remembered Paul mentioning a certain fiery young woman his age who owned a Staryubuck in Arceus-knows-where that owed him majorly for something the Assassin had done for her a while back. Gary recalled Drew joking that he couldn't believe Paul had done someone a favor, and the latter's words were curious – It wasn't for her.

He shrugged. It didn't matter what Paul did, all that mattered was that he was cashing in the favor and it had worked.

Gary hadn't been contacted by Drew since. Not that it was possible – his communicating device was left on the ground where they had been attacked, miles away. He didn't want to risk using Zoey's phone; if she had one, that is. The place looked old, although well-cared for and seemed popular. He hoped that hiding out in the apartment above the store was a good enough cover until Leaf healed and they could make their way back to the other Assassins.

But for what, he wondered. To finish up their assignment?

Ash tried calling Gary one more time.

Bzzz… Bzzz… No answer.

"Where is he?" the black-haired Assassin thought aloud, turning back to Paul and Drew. He was curious as to why the two weren't talking to each other like usual, but he was more worried about Gary and Leaf.

"Maybe the Commander got him," Paul replied emotionlessly.

"Why?" Ash demanded.

"Why do you think we're hiding?" Drew snapped. "Our assignment is finished. Or rather, it's been done for us. We've failed. If the Commander finds us, he'll kill us, and I don't want to die. I have answers to find."

Paul made a sound of agreement – the first time he'd acknowledged Drew's presence for a while. Ever since Dawn came… Huh.

"Where's Dawn?" Ash asked a little cheekily, looking at Paul. The purple-haired Assassin rolled his eyes.

"Sleeping. As usual."

Drew rubbed his cheek where the bruise Paul had given him was fading. "Hey, Paul. About Dawn and the other day…"

"What."

Ash took a seat, content with watching the two talk as if it was an intense ping pong match. Drew looked uneasy, sitting defensively, while Paul sat like a stone, rigid and emotionless.

"I think you've misunderstood," Drew continued, forgetting Ash was there. "There's nothing between Dawn and I."

"It sure didn't seem like it."

"Well… She and I have known each other for a while. That's all." Drew's expression was uncomfortable as he looked down.

"A kiss doesn't make it nothing," Ash piped in. Drew choked and a spark lit in Paul's obsidian eyes.

"You kissed her?" he demanded, rounding on the green-haired Assassin. Both looked murderous; Paul at Drew, Drew at Ash.

Ash wisely decided to back out of the room.

"I did—" Drew began, when Ash fell with a thud. The door had opened of its own accord behind him.

"It's been a while, hasn't it, Forest?" a female voice echoed into the room. "And I've finally found you!"

The three boys whirled around. Standing in the doorway was none other than a fellow Assassin, dressed stylishly with her russet hair piled neatly on her head.

"The Deadly Rose," Ash whispered in terrified awe.

Drew's emerald eyes were wider than anyone had ever seen. "Brianna?!"

Dawn pulled her knees closer to her body, unwilling to let the chill bother her. Her room was cold – as if it was winter. It might've been, for all she knew.

Drew kissed me. She couldn't help but give a girlish giggle at the memory. He actually kissed me!

It was no secret to her heart that she had a crush on Drew. A major crush on Drew. And she'd had it for a while.

But it was also no secret that May liked Drew. It was obvious from the start, even at Darkstone Academy where the girl pretended to hate him.

Dawn wanted to be the good friend and let May have Drew. They were so clearly meant to be together, and Dawn was definitely in the way. So she kept silent, smiling when Drew and May interacted, and hoped she could move on from the childish infatuation she had had.

Drew didn't like her back that way. It was painfully true that his eyes weren't on her; he had only kissed her to make her feel better and distract her from the bruise that Paul had given him so she wouldn't ask annoying questions.

Paul…

She wondered what she felt for him. It wasn't love, it wasn't infatuation, and it sure as heck wasn't admiration. But there was just something about the mysterious Shadow that held her attention and made her want to understand him.

Why had he hurt Drew? Could it have been that he was… Jealous?

She shook her head violently. No. No thinking about love. She had better things to worry about.

Dawn was Platinum, one of Veil's recruits. She was part of the group that worked with the Commander to secretly bring him down.

No one liked to kill for a living. Most of the Assassins had life stories that consisted of their loved ones being murdered, most likely by the Commander. No one knew either why the Assassins existed, or what the Commander's main objective was. Many of the victims were those either in high positions or those who wouldn't be missed by anyone but their family. There was no specific target.

It was for that reason that Veil wanted to bring down the Commander. She hated being under his thumb yet not knowing anything about how or why the Assassin organization operated.

Think about Mom… Her blue eyes filled with tears as she recalled the broken body of the only family member she had ever had. Then they hardened in determination. She would avenge her mother and the rest of the victims.

Her own feelings would have to wait.

So there you have it! Enigmatic Explanations.

Again, I'm really sorry it took so long… Took me a week to write this. I pushed writing this and now I'm stuck studying until really late for a test tomorrow! xD

Hm… Tell me what you think! Thanks! :D I will stay by this now, I've won against writer's block. I hope this makes up for my absence…

Just review with every thought you had about this chapter please! I don't care if it's long, the longer the better!

Sayonara til next chapter :)