Super fast upate again. I decided to keep my focus onto this story until it is done. It is almost close to the ending anyways. So lucky for the PMD4 lovers! :P Anyway, enjoy the chaper! But as a heads up, this is definitely a ZoraorkXCrystal moment, but the ending is kinda sad. Sorry Zoroark fans. The title basically gives it away. But enjoy the chapter!

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 4: Explorers of Space II

Chapter 10: Broken Friendship

True to their word, Zoroark and Crystal never mention about Piplup's nightmare.

But as the next three days go by, it has been hard getting the situation quiet. Piplup would talk aloud in his sleep and Zoroark and Crystal would have to get him out of the area before the other Pokémon wake up. They would sit at any place with water and they would watch random blood appearing on Piplup's body. They would try to keep Piplup quiet by covering his beak as he screams desperately. Then the penguin would always wake up and explain his nightmares to the couple. Some of the nightmares seem to be about the murder of innocent Pokémon and some of them even leave Piplup crying himself to sleep. But Zoroark and Crystal always comfort him with words and clean the blood off as they try to lull him back to sleep. They are not sure why their combined psychic forces don't protect Piplup from his horrible Dimensional Screams. But at least they are lucky that the other Pokémon are heavy sleepers; they don't even stir when Piplup makes noises.

The situation has been very distressing for Crystal's part. She has never had this kind of situation before and she doesn't like it. Yes, she has Dimensional Screams about deaths based on the past. But they aren't this serious; they don't actually create random blood appearing on her body in the real world. Even though they are just nightmares, Crystal feels as if there is another detail that might be missing.

"Does this usually happen whenever you have a Dimensional Scream?" Zoroark asks one day as he places Piplup beside him. He lies down on his nest as Crystal makes herself comfortable on his fur. Piplup has had another nightmare and they had to calm him down again.

"No. They usually trigger whenever a Shadow Soul is in the area." Crystal says as she shakes her head. Then she shudders. "And blood never appears on my body when I wake up."

Zoroark doesn't say anything after this and they fall back asleep.

The situation seems to be getting worse. Zoroark and Crystal vaguely wonder if the other Pokémon suspect something, but no one has said anything during the journey. At least Zoroark and Crystal are careful about how to handle the situation; they don't want anyone else worrying about what's going on. They need to worry about the fact that the world is at stake again if they fail to fulfill their mission.

Crystal and Zoroark notice that during the mission, Magius seems less verbal and violent with Drake. They wonder what is going on, but the ghost strangely keeps her mind guarded very well. She seems to be getting closer to the phantom. They even have casual conversations without yelling at each other. Zoroark and Crystal even question the ghosts privately about what is going on, but the ghosts stubbornly refuse to say anything. They just say that they are friends and leave it at that. Zoroark and Crystal quietly figure out that the ghosts must be in a secret relationship but they never say anything about it.

But Lance and Midnight openly admit that they are in a relationship. This at first surprises Crystal and several of the Pokémon, but they immediately accept the relationship. Crystal smiles when she sees how good Lance is for Midnight. They look so cute together. Lance makes Midnight really happy and Midnight is more sociable whenever he is around. Crystal has to remember to thank Lance later.

Zorua, Celebi, Piplup, Chimchar, Pikachu, and Riolu seem to get along spectacularly. The small creatures always know how to entertain themselves to pass by the time. They get stronger by practicing battles and learn how to work together to fight against other Pokémon. Piplup and Chimchar adore Zorua as a third sibling. Pikachu would always try to make himself seem like the better person, but he always ends up tripping or messing up battles. Riolu is strangely the only person that can handle Pikachu's hasty nature.

But strangely Grovyle and Dusknoir are the only Pokémon that are quiet. Dusknoir seems very distant and he would only speak whenever he is spoken to. He seems to be tense whenever he sees Magius and Drake together. He even goes out on patrol with Grovyle to avoid answering a question. And Grovyle hardly speaks to Crystal anymore unless it is during night patrols. Even then, he always gives short answers to her topics. Crystal vaguely wonders if she has done something to offend him. But what could she have done to hurt Grovyle? If it is about the blood drinking incident, Grovyle has said that he has forgiven Crystal and Zoroark. But why is he being extremely hesitant to talk to his girlfriend about his own problems? It is now usually Piplup or Zoroark that tries to assure Grovyle that everything is fine. Ever since Crystal has first drunk blood from Zoroark, she feels as if Grovyle is being distant from her because of it. But why should he feel strange about that? He knows that Crystal still has bloodlust; it shouldn't bother him at all. But the look that Grovyle has isn't only jealously; it's disgust. Crystal's heart sinks even when the look disappears as Grovyle smiles lovingly at her. It's as if Grovyle is afraid of her and he is purposely hiding it; it's almost like he secretly sees her as a…

…As a… Monster.

"We'll take refuge here for tonight," Zoroark stops on a large cliff that hovers over a large landmass of deserts. The heroes pause as they look around their surroundings. "Our destination is just about five miles away. We'll reach there by tomorrow night."

"Really?" Piplup asks hopefully. "Wow, that's not far at all."

"No, it isn't…" Zoroark smiles as he pets Piplup's head.

Then the Pokémon set up their tents around the empty cliff before sunset. They make a campfire and eat different Berries quietly as the fire crackles. As soon as Zoroark and Crystal are finished eating, the fox stands up.

"Crystal and I will go out on patrol," Zoroark says calmly. "We'll be back hopefully very soon."

The Pokémon nod quietly and resume eating. Zoroark helps Crystal up to her feet and leads her towards the foliage. Then Zoroark grabs Crystal and places her onto his back before he runs on all four of his legs. Crystal smiles when she feels the breeze blowing through her face; Zoroark obviously knows that this makes her feel relaxed and free. Crystal holds onto Zoroark tightly as he passes through various trees and bushes before he comes upon a lake.

Crystal blinks when Zoroark stops. "Zoroark, why…?"

Zoroark smiles as he helps Crystal off his back. "Don't worry. If there are any signs of danger, then I'll sense Pokémon approaching. I actually want to talk to you about something."

Crystal raises a brow as she looks at Zoroark and then at her surroundings. From one perspective, it is a very nice meadow filled with lilies and other beautiful flowers. The lake has a small waterfall and tiny creeks flow from the lake towards the trees. The foliage covers up most of the sky, but Crystal and Zoroark are standing on the only spot where moonlight is shown. In another perspective, this place seems almost romantic.

"In here?" Crystal spreads her arms apart as she looks at Zoroark suspiciously. What does he have in mind? Why does he want to talk to her privately?

"Yes. It's very important." Zoroark holds a serious look on his face.

Crystal could sense that it must be serious, so she drops her arms and huffs as she smiles. "OK then. What is so important that you want to talk to me about?"

Zoroark doesn't say anything. Instead, his sapphire blue eyes glow as he looks at Crystal up and down. Crystal feels uncomfortable by Zoroark's heated look. "Um, Z? What's going on?" Crystal isn't sure if she sounded more concerned or weirded out. But she definitely feels worried and confused about Zoroark's unusual behavior.

"Crystalline," Zoroark speaks so softly it sends chills down Crystal's spine. He slowly walks up to Crystal and hovers over her. Zoroark never averts his eyes from Crystal's face. "Will you promise me that this conversation will never leave between the two of us?"

"Um, sure." Crystal says uneasily as she looks up at Zoroark. "But why?"

"Because I'm afraid that Grovyle will have my head if he ever finds out."

"Why would Grovyle-" Crystal stops speaking when realization hits her. She may be clueless, but she is not stupid. She has a brief idea of what Zoroark is going to say, but she hopes that he means something else. But what Zoroark says leaves Crystal speechless.

"Crystalline, I want you to know that I am hopelessly and irrevocably in love with you. I want you to choose me over Grovyle and Darkflame. I will not stop fighting for you, but I need to know if you feel the same way for me."

All Crystal could do is stare up at Zoroark blankly. "…What?"

Zoroark sighs as he places a paw on Crystal's cheek. "It's true, Crystal. I have fallen in love with you after you first drank from me. I know that it sounds crazy, but I think that you and I really are a lot alike. We both have the same ideas and-"

"Wait, wait, wait," Crystal gestures a time out signal with her hands as she interrupts Zoroark. She holds a look of disbelief on her face as she stares hard at the fox. "Are you sure that the blood adrenaline hasn't gotten you high?"

Zoroark holds an unamused look on his face. "Crystal, please be serious about this." He grabs her arms and holds her close desperately. "I really do feel for you more than a guardian should. And I know that you feel something else for me as well."

Crystal begins to deny this as she shakes her head. "Zoroark, no-"

"Why are you lying to me?" Zoroark pleads to Crystal. "Why do you deny this fact? Crystal, I don't need to read your mind to know this. Whenever you are near me, your aura acts up. You sometimes even stammer comments out without meaning to. We have promised to never keep secrets from each other, remember?"

"I know," Crystal sighs as she tries to pry herself from Zoroark's tight grip. But the fox is surprisingly strong. "But this is different. It's… Personal."

"But if we feel the same way for each other, then it isn't so personal." Zoroark insists.

Crystal looks up at Zoroark with sad eyes. "That's just the thing, Zoroark. I don't feel the same way for you."

Crystal's words are like a knife to Zoroark's heart. His body freezes as his grip slackens. "What…?" he whispers hoarsely.

"Zoroark, I do love you," Crystal says as she places a hand on Zoroark's cheek. "I love you as a very close friend. But even if I feel something else for you, I'm with Grovyle. I won't cheat on him for someone else. I love him."

Zoroark stares at Crystal and his body starts to shake. She doesn't love him? That is such a lie! Her aura and thoughts say so otherwise. So Zoroark decides to test Crystal. "And Grovyle loves you back?" He asks as he steps back and crosses his arms. His sapphire eyes turn cold as he looks down at Crystal.

"Of course he does." Crystal says confidentially.

"Oh, really?" Zoroark asks. "And when is the last time that he said that he loves you? When is the last time that he even kisses you?"

Crystal pauses when she thinks about it. Damn, it's been several days since Grovyle has even spoken to her.

"W-Well…" Crystal stammers.

"Crystal, it is not a healthy relationship if a guy ignores his girlfriend," Zoroark says sternly as he steps forward. He holds a sympathetic look on his face as he grabs Crystal's arms again. "I know that it's not good. And you have done nothing wrong. Grovyle is just facing doubts right now. But Grovyle not talking to you about your relationship is out of hand."

"We talk to each other all the time!" Crystal defends hastily. "We just haven't… Talked much lately, that's all. Grovyle has a lot on his mind at the moment…"

"But not enough time to be with you?" Zoroark points out.

Crystal says nothing about this.

"Crystal, please be reasonable." Zoroark envelops Crystal into his arms as he hugs her. Crystal tries to move away from his furry chest, but Zoroark's grip is tight around her. Crystal relaxes when warmth surrounds her. Then Zoroark removes one arm and tilts Crystal's head to make her look up at him. "Grovyle is not exactly the best guy for you. If he is having doubts about your relationship, then you're simply not meant to be together."

Tears begin to develop in Crystal's eyes. Her heart tears at the thought of Grovyle not loving her anymore. "B-But… He says that he loves me… I… I thought that…"

"Crystal, please give me a chance to prove myself to you," Zoroark pleads. His heart breaks when he sees Crystal's eyes tearing. "It hurts me to see you upset over something that someone else has done. I would never ever hurt you. You know that. I love you so much."

Crystal stares up at Zoroark for a moment before she turns away and shakes her head. Zoroark feels his heart break even more by her rejection. Before he could stop himself, Zoroark forcefully turns Crystal's head and kisses her passionately.

Crystal protests and struggles against Zoroark's arms, but the fox holds her firmly as he gently bites her lower lip. After a while, Crystal melts into the kiss and places her hands on Zoroark's shoulders. Their eyes close as their hearts begin to pound frantically and sheer bliss overwhelms their senses.

Both creatures express pain, love, and pure passion through the kiss. As Zoroark begins to slide his tongue into Crystal's mouth, Crystal begins to wonder about how much she really feels for Zoroark. Could it be true? Could Grovyle just be losing interest in her? Does Zoroark love her as much as he claims he does? Crystal needs to know the truth so badly. She tries to pry into the fox's mind as the kiss deepens. Fortunately, Zoroark's mind is entirely distracted by the kiss and his guard is down. Crystal reads his thoughts and her heart stops when she discovers something.

Grovyle has been having a strange mind activity going on. When Crystal tries to read Grovyle's mind, it is unusually blocked. But Grovyle isn't a telepath, so who would try to guard his thoughts? The only people powerful enough to use protective spells are her and Zoroark-

Then Crystal sees something in the fox's mind that completely destroys her. The memory of Zoroark seething in jealousy whenever Grovyle is too close to Crystal. The memory of Zoroark having a casual conversation with Grovyle as he reads the lizard's mind. The memory of Zoroark having control over Grovyle's mind as he makes the lizard silent during conversations.

Zoroark has been using mind control on Grovyle. He has cheated. He has manipulated Crystal into thinking that Grovyle doesn't want her anymore. He has planned to separate the lizards so he could have Crystal all to himself.

Furious, Crystal narrows her eyes and bites down hard on Zoroark's tongue. The fox screams as he steps back. He tastes his blood while he stares at Crystal in shock and disbelief. Crystal gives him an ugly glare as she spits out the blood. Her fists quiver from anger as she glares at Zoroark. Zoroark seems to realize that he has let his mental shield down. His outraged look turns into one of horror and fear.

"C-Crys… I…" Zoroark reaches out to Crystal, but she slaps his paw away. Instinct tells Crystal that she should at least slap this guy on the face, but she decides that his bleeding tongue will settle as punishment for now. Tears leak from Crystal's eyes as she growls, "You're right. This conversation will never leave from here. It has never happened and it will be the last talk that we ever have."

Crystal then turns on her heel and stomps through the foliage. Zoroark protests loudly and grabs Crystal's arm to stop her. But Crystal turns around and punches the fox crudely on the face. The force sends Zoroark flying into a tree a few feet away from Crystal. The fox yelps in pain as he holds his bleeding snout. He looks up at Crystal in agony and fear.

"As my guardian, do me a favor," Crystal snarls as she glares at Zoroark over her shoulder. "Stay away from me and Grovyle and don't even think about trying to invade either of our minds. If I ever find out that you do, then you're going to wish that my mother has never created you."

With that said, Crystal looks ahead and disappears into the foliage. She never looks back as Zoroark shakily stands up and places a trembling paw over his chest. Heartbroken tears fall down from Zoroark's eyes as he looks at Crystal's disappearing silhouette.

"Oh, Crystalline… What have I done to you?"

Such intense suspense! So whaddya think? Review or comment please! And btw, as of yesterday, I am now legally an adult! I still feel fifteen, but still! Happy b-day to me!