a/n: I wanted to ask if anyone found it difficult to follow the shifts in "scenes". If so I will add dividers between them in upcoming chapters and update the older ones. I tend to not use dividers because the ones in Word don't appear on the site once I upload.

- END -

Silver was lying on his bed when he heard a knock on his bedroom door. "What?"

"The correct thing to say would be 'who is it,'" said Gold from behind the door.

"Why would you knock on your own door, idiot?"

"I was trying to be polite. I wanted to tell you something."

"Fine, just make it quick," said Silver.

"Okay so I was talking to Green and he told me to find the root of the problem so-"

"I told you to keep it short," interrupted Silver.

"I was, just stop interrupting me. Anyway, so I figured since we were fine up until a couple of months ago the one thing that just changed must be the cause of all this," explained Gold.

"Huh?" Silver was confused.

"So I took Green's advice about resolving the cause of the problem and I told Soul that we shouldn't hang out anymore," said Gold.

Silver hastily got out of his bed and opened the door. "You did what? Are you really that stupid?" he yelled.

"No I-"

"Who goes and does that? Seriously! And Green told you to do it; what was that guy thinking? She must be cryi-" Silver stopped himself. He took a moment to contemplate and then ran out of the room.

"Soul? Are you okay?" asked Chris as she gently put a hand on the weeping girl's shoulder. "What happened?"

"Gold basically just ended our friendship," she answered.

"What? That can't be right, there must be a logical explanation for this, well logical enough for him at least," said Chris.

"Oh, there is. He told me exactly why he was doing it," Soul said angrily as she turned to face Chris. "Apparently his troubles with Silver and consequently you only began after I came to this school, ergo I was the problem and had to be gotten rid of."

"No, he can't be that senseless," said Chris.

"Well he is, and guess who pushed him to be like that." Soul crossed her arms.

"Wait, are you blaming me?" Chris asked, taken aback.

"You just had to go and ice them out. Well guess what, boys fight, it happens, and when you meddle other people become collateral. Why did you have to go and add fuel to the fire?"

"Okay, I'm not going to take it personally, you are just upset. No one is at fault here, even Gold. I'm sure we can all just talk it out," Chris assured her.

"Oh I see, now that he isn't talking to me it's okay to go talk to him. You know what, maybe Gold had a point, maybe it was all my fault you guys had a fallout. Silly me for thinking you guys were close enough friends to get over it on your own without blaming others," Soul said angrily as she stormed out of their common room.

Chris sighed loudly and sunk into the couch.

Silver had left the dorms and had been going straight ahead since his first right turn. He was about to pass the library when his eyes caught something move outside the building. He left the main building and entered the library following the silhouette.

"Hello? Who's there?" asked Soul as she heard the door open behind her.

"It's just me," answered Silver.

"Oh great, are you here to break up with me too?" she said.

"No," he managed to answer that with a straight face. "I wanted to see if you were okay." He paused. She turned to face him. "So, are you?"

"Yes." He stared at her cynically. "No. What do you think? How could I be okay?"

"Ugh. Look, Gold is an idiot. Just forget what he said."

"Why does everyone think telling me that will make it any better? I know Gold is an idiot, that doesn't make me feel better," Soul yelled.

"Then what is it that's upsetting you?"

"I don't know. The fact that our friendship means so little to him that he is willing to throw it away just like that. I'm angry with him for choosing you and Chris over me. I'm angry with Chris for pushing him this far. I'm angry with you for being so stubborn and unsociable, but more so I'm angry with myself because I'm afraid what Gold said is true and my presence is the cause of all this," she screamed at him.

"You don't really believe that do you?" asked Silver. Soul didn't answer. "Because it's not true. You don't have anything to do with any of that. All of what you said about us is true, but you, you are ama- you are great."

"Are you trying to make me feel better?" Soul attempted a light joke under her sobs.

"Yes, but that doesn't make it less true." He put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't be stupid."

Soul looked up and suddenly burst out laughing. "You are terrible at this. Did you think saying that would make anyone feel better?"

"You're laughing aren't you," he smirked and crossed his arms.

"Don't get smart with me," she said and playfully pushed him from his shoulder. She wiped a tear from her eye. "Ah, I laughed myself to tears. Thanks for that."

"Tears of joy. So that's the story you're going with."

"What did I just say about being smart? You're being unusually social with me. Where did your stoic twin go?"

"I just figured you needed someone to talk to with Gold doing, you know, and you not talking to Chris and all," he shrugged.

"That's very perceptive of you, a bit stalker-like though," she smirked and he glared at her. "But really, thanks." She smiled under his gaze.

He scratched his head and looked away. "Yeah, don't mention it."

"And to think all it took for you to be nice to me was me to lose all my friends," she said as she slowly started to walk towards the exit.

"I'm nice," he muttered and followed her.

"More than a Gyarados, yes," she giggled and slowed to walk next to Silver. "I mean nice as in the way you talk."

"What's wrong with the way I talk?"

"Other than always insulting the person you're talking to?" she smirked.

"Tch."

"Don't click your tongue at me mister."

"You've recovered fast and reverted back to your meddlesome self," Silver noted. Soul shrugged. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I think I just needed to get it all out."

"You were saying some pretty dark stuff."

"That's why people have mouths, Silver. If we were to blurt out everything we think no one ever would make sense. Half of the things that exist in my head are ludicrous."

"If you say so, but I'm here if you need to blurt out other things." Silver scratched the back of his head and slightly looked away.

Soul smiled. "Thanks." She wrapped her arms around one of his and looked up at him. "Really."

Silver turned to face her and his face immediately started to turn red when he realized how close she was. "Yeah." He looked away. "Don't mention it."

He hadn't pulled away.

"Open this door right this second or I'll sic Sapphire on it," yelled Chris in front of the boys' dorm room.

"She ain't kiddin'. She dragged meh straight outta mah bed, and I ain't too happy about it."

Ruby opened the door still in his pajamas and with bed head. "What happened?"

"Get out of the way," said Chris as she pushed Ruby out of the way and went in.

Ruby wiped away the last bit of sleep he had in his eyes and saw Sapphire was right in front of him. He hastily began to straighten himself up. "Uh, Sapphy why are you here?"

"I'm Chris' hellhound," she said softly. She was fixated on Ruby's forehead. "It hasn't gotten any better."

Ruby stopped fussing over his clothes and hair. His hand immediately went to his scar. "Yeah."

"I guess a scar never heals. Stupid of me to think it would get smaller and disappear." She crossed her arms and looked away.

Ruby put a hand on her shoulder. "Sapphire, it's okay. I don't want it to disappear."

Sapphy looked at him confused. "What? Why?"

Ruby sighed. "It's, you know, kind of like a battle scar. As a man I should carry it with pride." She looked even more confused now. "It also is a memento of the first time we've met and, you know," his voice got softer, "how I was able to protect you from that Salamence."

Sapphy was baffled, but then a smiled formed on her face. "Ruby, ya idiot." She playfully pushed him away.

"If you two could take a break from your flirting and tell me where the hell that idiot went that would be great," said Chris impatiently.

"I don't know. He left earlier," answered Ruby.

"Ugh, when I get my hands on him," Chris began muttering as she stormed down the hallway. Ruby looked at Sapphy with questioning eyes, but she just shrugged.

- END OF CHAPTER –

About Sapphire's speech patterns, I try to make her sound as wild as she is in the manga, but I use regular speech for certain situations like when she's being serious or shy. Hope that clears things up if you were confused by the inconsistency.

I think I'm almost done with the juniors' chapter. Hopefully the next chapter will be their epilogue, not that they will disappear from the story, but the focus will shift on a different group. Care to guess?

Hope you've enjoyed this chapter. Feel free to review, those are always appreciated and look forward to the next chapter.