Chapter 13 – Misty's POV

My eyes slowly cracked open as the dim light of the lamps filled the room.

I looked around to see I was still on the ship, now below deck.

I heard a groan come from next to me and my head snapped towards it, I was in full alert mode "Chase!" I yelled, shocked that I so easily found him "Misty?" he groaned as he sat up rubbing his head "Are you okay?" I asked as I helped him lean against the wall.

He was covered in bruises; they obviously beat him.

Suddenly he grabbed my collar "What are you doing here?" he asked, for the first time since I met him, his voice was somewhat dark "I came to help you" I answered as I almost shrank from fear.

He let me go and slumped against the wall "Delia was supposed to stop you guys from coming" he sighed as I looked at him, baffled at his statement "Delia what?" I almost screamed before he covered my mouth "Quiet, they'll hear you" he hissed before taking his hand away.

I stared at him "Delia put you here… what don't we know?" I questioned as this time it was my turn to be threatening.

He avoided my eyes, meaning it was something big "Tell me" I threatened as I showed my teeth, which by the way can tear through iron and steel… so bones and flesh are nothing, and he knew I would do it if I had to.

It took me lunging on him for him to finally start talking "Alright! I'll tell you!" he yelled as he tried to push me off.

We both sat, facing each other and keeping eye contact "Delia is actually helping" he said blankly "WHAT?!" I screamed "Quiet Desolate scum!" a man yelled. I looked at the man and yelled "Go suck a-!" "Misty there are kids here" chase cut me off before I looked back at him "Tell me EVERYTHING" I hissed.

"Delia actually takes in strong Desolate for liberations, when she sends them off to slave traders she knows that their strong enough to escape and get others out, she just puts on the whole 'Desolate are nothing but scum' attitude so none of the slave traders suspect her" he said as I just stared "It was all an act?" I asked as he just nodded.

"What about Aaron?" I asked as Chase tilted his head "Ash's older brother" I said blankly as he made an 'o' face "She said that was something she and Ash had to discuss" he said as I turned and leaned against the wall "So she's actually helping?" I asked "Yea, she was supposed to keep you guys at the house until this morning, I was supposed to be the 'inside man' while you guys were supposed to attack from the outside as a distraction… Leaf was an unexpected bump in the plan" he said with a sigh.

I just sat there with my head in my hands "I'll tell you this, she's a good actor" I mumbled as he sat next to me and we looked around the area below deck.

Most of the Desolate here looked like they were dogs, cats (including the larger cats like lions), rodents and a few birds.

Off in the corner there were three kids, two girls and a boy, one of the girls looked very similar to the boy and seemed to both be canary Desolates while the other girl was a fox Desolate.

"They're too young to go through this" Chase mumbled as I hummed in agreement.

For a few hours the only sounds were the crew's footsteps until the door opened "Alright scum, against the wall" a man said as he walked downstairs with three armed men.

I held back a chuckle when I saw him.

He was completely bald except for two spiky bits of hair that resembled cat ears. He also had a gold coin sticking out of his head.

One of the men off in the corner of the room didn't stifle his laugh though "Are you kidding me? We were kidnapped by this freak?" he laughed as the strange looking man glared at him "I don't think you're in any position to make such remarks you trash" he threatened as the man didn't seem to be fazed "Oh yea and who are you to say that?" he questioned before one of the guards began to beat him "I am Meouth Feline, your master and if you think you can get away from me that I hope you're willing to die" he said, humoured by the man being beaten.

The guard stopped beating him and another came up with a clipboard "Name and type of Desolate" he said as the beaten man glared up at him "Tell him!" Meouth yelled "Lui Surge… gorilla" he hissed as he spat out a bit of blood.

Lui was taken upstairs and they moved onto the other Desolate, eventually reaching Chase and myself "Name and type" one of them said to Chase "Pierce Lowan, and I'm an Eagle" he said with a glare before he was forced to his feet and forced upstairs "State your name girl" Meouth hissed at me "What? Don't want to ask what I am?" I asked smugly "I already saw plenty last night" he said as hatred dripped from every word. I smirked and looked up "Daisy Wallace" I said, giving him a fake name of my own before he had me taken upstairs.

We were forced into a cage and were carted through the night towards a coliseum "What's that for?" Chase asked as a chuckle came from next to us "So that's why this place is so popular" a man mumbled.

He was an older man with while hair and a beard that covered his mouth "What do you mean?" Chase asked as the man chuckled "Isn't it obvious boy? This is a fighting arena… they want us to fight each other" he said with a slightly amused tone "What's got you so chipper old man?" Chase asked, obviously offended "First, the names Drayden and second, I don't get chipper… I'm just surprised that this is even allowed" he said as he leant on the bars.

We were about to enter the building when I saw someone out of the corner of my eye.

It was only a glimpse but I knew "Hey Chase, looks like there's someone here to help" I said smugly.

May's POV

Alright, I'm in.

Now I just have to wait.

I was thrown into a cell with a few dozen other Desolate "Geese" I mumbled as I rubbed my head that had hit the ground "May!" two voices yelled.

I looked up to see Misty and Chase standing above me. I quickly stood up and hugged both of them "You're okay" I breathed out before looking at them both "Boy do I have a lot to tell you" I said before Misty smiled at Chase and back at me "We have a lot to tell you as well" she said as I gave her a confused look.

"WHAT?!" I yelled "I know, I reacted the same way when Chase told me" Misty said with a slight chuckle.

To think that everything she said and did was all an act… Ash was even fooled into thinking that his mother was a horrible person "Why would she go so far into the act though? Why not just tell us she needed our help?" I asked as Misty sighed "It's to keep other nobles from realising, if they found out she was willingly helping to free Desolates then her title would be stripped away, and this way she can get intel on other nobles" she said before Chase decided to add something in "I also think something happened between her and her husband, something she doesn't want Ash knowing about" before a large man next to us mumbled "Could you shut it? We're trying to sleep" it was Lui.

"Lui?" I asked as I crawled over to him "Is that you Maybelle?" he asked, shocked that I was still alive "Long time no see buddy" I said with a slight grin "If only it was a better situation" Lui sighed before wincing slightly "They beat you didn't they?" I asked as he eyed the visible scars on my midriff, since the shirt I was wearing only really covered my chest and part of my back "What are those from?" he asked worried. I looked away "This isn't my first encounter with Desolate traders" I said before looking back at him and his injuries "Don't worry about me little bell, I'll be fine" he said as he used my childhood nickname.

"OI! Go to sleep you maggots!" one of the guards yelled "We're trying!" a large man with a thick white beard yelled angrily before rolling over and going back to sleep.

"Come on" Lui said as he made room next to him so I could sleep there. I smiled at him and laid down, using his chest as a pillow before Misty and Chase joined us.

We were all awoken to water being splashed on us "Wake up!" a guard yelled as two men next to him held now empty buckets.

Everyone glared at him but he just ignored us "Now, to start the day off we have previous winners duelling with each other, after that you will be paired off and will battle, if you don't want to become a slave then I suggest you win, because those who win get food and a bed" he said before a loud roar came from outside as a crowd cheered "Looks like the first battle has started" he said before he and his men walked off.

There was a small window that opened to the battle ground, the bottom of the window on the battle grounds floor of dirt.

I decided to check who was battling and saw that it was a lion and a hyena.

I gasped every time blood was shed, it was obvious these guys had been in numerous battles, no longer caring if they hurt one of their own as long as they didn't become a slave.

"This is all disgusting" the man from last night commented from next to me "Yea" I said before I sat against the wall "So what are you kid?" he asked as he obviously noticed I didn't have much muscle on me. I was a little hesitant "I'm a bat" I said before several people looked at me with either fear or amazement "You're the bat?" one young boy asked.

He had blonde hair, glasses and was wearing a blue jumpsuit "Umm yea" I said a little nervous, I wasn't use to other Desolate knowing who I was "Wow it's her" a young girl who was clinging to the boy said with bright eyes.

Another young girl walked up to me and held her hand out "Nice to meet ya, the names Iris and I must say that I'm a fan" she said happily as I shoot her hand "Excuse me if I sound rude but you aren't acting like you've been kidnaped, you do know that if you don't win todays fight then you'll become a slave" I said as I felt like these three weren't understanding how dire the situation was.

The girl sighed "I know… but before mum left she said to always smile even when nobody else will" she said as it was similar to the line my mum would give me as a child.

A loud cheer came from outside as the match was over. I looked out the window and gasped.

The lion was on the ground, blood pouring from several lethal wounds and coughing up blood.

While the hyena was in a similar state but instead of coughing he was simply panting.

This sort of thing continued for hours until the final match for previous winners was called "After this we'll have to fight each other" the man with a with a white beard said "No kidding sunshine" I spat, the matches getting on every nerve I had.

He sent me a glare before Misty walked up to me "His name is Drayden, I'd start using it before he attacks you" she said as the man rolled his eyes.

Suddenly a loud voice came from outside "Now ladies and gentleman! The fight you've all been waiting for!" the announcer yelled.

I looked outside to see the doors on the left open "On the left we have the bulky buffalo Chuck!" he yelled then pointed to the right "And the venomous snake Levy!" he yelled as my eyes widened "What did he just say?" Chase asked as he rushed over to the bars.

Both of us watched with wide eyes as our thought to be dead friend emerged from the right side of the stage.