Chapter 35- A Snowy Home

POV: Persephone

Location: Selene City

Time: 14:00

Well it's been a few hours since Zenith made that message. I'm currently in my sister's gym, hidden by Zoroarks illusions. If you think I'm here to protect her your dead wrong. I'm here to see if I can find why Darkrai likes Diana. Though if those Brainwashed minions of Zenith get involved. I might just have to kill them.

"…" It's been silent for a while. I would have thought by now one of Zenith's minions would be here to fight her.

"It's been a slow day today…" Diana sighs out. Does she even know the danger she's in?

Click. I hear the door open. A man with blue hair is the one opening it.

"Calreath? What? Shouldn't you be at work?" She didn't know did she. Of course this klutz would.

"I'd like to be, but the people of Amphitrite sort of have a different plan for my life nowadays. There's no time to explain. I've already seen the people of Selene city eyeing me, too. They must have seen the broadcast Zenith put out." Oh, it's the poor soul, that is the true target of Zenith… oh, he's also dating my sister. When I get my revenge on her, he'll be the first to die.

"Zenith what?!" I hear my sister's surprise.

The man, Calreath, grabs Diana by her wrist. "It's time to go. I'll explain everything on the way."

"I, uh, okay… Let's get going, then." She had an oddly worried look on her face. It pisses me off.

"…" Out of No where Darkrai appears hidden from view… I didn't even sense its presence. It chases after Diana.

I get excited and start talking out loud "I knew it. I KNEW it. I KNEW Darkrai was following my awful sister around. I Knew she was luring it in somehow."

I get annoyed now. "But why? Whyyyy? Why won't Darkrai choose me? There's got to be something else going on. What does Diana have that I don't that Darkrai is after."

I step forward. Crunch. It was a Feather from Diana's Cresselia. We couldn't be more different just like… Light and Dark… "So, that's why. Oh, this is going to be fun."

I guess it's like Luisa said, be patient and the answer will come.

POV: Joseph

Location: Mount Rose Base

Time: 16:00

Well, our timing couldn't be better. Me, Lexie, and Nora just landed near the base of the mountain, and Calreath and Diana were planning on getting through the checkpoint. We stopped them, and explain what the current plan is. Now, we are just waiting for Damian, and Malde to show up… I'm nervous to see how this turns out…

"… They're not here yet." Nora seems to be just anxious as me. "We've been waiting for ages."

"It's been a half hour." Lexie looked at her watch.

I understand what Nora is saying. "It feels longer when your anxious about it."
"Yeah… When I was going for Diana. Each second lasted for about an hour." Calreath understands.

"What if… What id they don't show?" Nora seemed worried… I was worried too, I mean out chances to win also ride on them showing. "What if Reukra l-."

"There ̢they are͘." hearing that distorted voice, sent shivers down my spine… Both Malde and Damian appeared. They have the red and blue of Deoxys on their arms.

"…Damian…" Nora tries not be too surprised. Hearing about it, and seeing it are two different things.

"…" Damian remains silent.

Malde starts this conversation. "Let's get̢ dowń to ̧businesś. ̛ You̡ ̵need ̨us̶ to get up ̛the mountain͠. ̀And͡ ̡we͟ ̧need the shards ͠of̧ the ͢Augur's crystal. ̨ So̡, ̷ if ̧we-."

That's too much. "You already have a shard. Why do you need another?"

Calreath also agrees. "What, no! Absolutely not! We can't do that."

"...̢. What͜ do͞ ͠you͢ know̵ about the̶ crystal? ̷" Malde questions us.

I have the most responsibility here. "Depends what do you know about it? I've face people who've used it battle before. I know how strong it really is, and that's more than enough for me to get it for you."

"Joseph, we need their help." Lexie pulls on my shoulder.

"I'm͞ not̸ asking̴ you͘ ́to͠ get͏ it̵ for ̸us̷." That's a slight worry off my chest… but still that leaves me uneasy.

"Then what are you asking?" Calreath was as untrusting of Malde as me.

"We just̶ ̸don't̶ want ̨it in͞ ͡Zenith or Persephone'ş ͡hands̀. ͏" Malde's words left me unnerved.

"Not Jaern or Reukra?" I ask.

"They've ͠already lost̴ the ̨crystal ͠once. ͠.. ́Once ͢it's in ҉your ͢hands- ͟or ͟anyone̡ ̴e̶l̴s̡ę's- ͡we͏ ̡can͡ acquire it ́easily. ̛" So, he plans to take all of them for himself.

"I… okay. We're not Pushovers, you know." Nora seemed to reluctantly agree. Diana nodded along.

"I'll get it from Zenith. But you're not getting it." Calreath didn't want him to have it.

"If your going to fight me for it, then be prepared to lose." Lex sounded confident in her strength.

"It would ̕be͠ ̧easier if̨ ̴yoú joined̸ us͟. ͞" Malde looks directly into my eyes, he also looking at him. "If̨ you do̢, ͟that́ ̨black ̴spot ͟can d͝is̴a͏pp͏e̶a͏r."

What are you going to get rid of me that way?

I ignore him, "I'll deal with him my own way."

"Mh͏m͢m͡." he seems to be thinking. "Go, ̵ ̵Damián͟. ͏Ḑi̕sg̛u̕i̶s͝e yourself. Go̶ ̧through thè ͡checkpoint ̶and͘ get this over ͟with͟. ̵"

"…" On command Damian instantly transformed. He looked Normal, as if he was never infected. Damian goes and walks into the checkpoint.

A few minutes pass and a latter come down from cliff part of the mountain. Damian is seen climbing down that ladder.

"Perfect͟. That̷ ͏ladder̨ should̨ get̸ ͘yoù past ̵the checkpoints҉ ̵without ̴issue." Malde turns to leave.

Thud. I look to see that Damian tripped. I walk over to help him up. He's still Damian. I extend out my hand to him.

"…" He knocks it away and picks himself up. Then follows along with Malde.

Malde stops all of a sudden. Damian gave worried glance. "...̴ ́He's ̷your͢ friend̶, ̧ right͘? ̨ ͏He̛ ͜doesn't ̛talk̸ ̡much̀ ҉anymore̷. I'm͜ ̨sorry͞ ͡if͜ ̸we̷'̧vet ̴caused ̧you͠ ́pain͏. ͜But he's̨ ̧happier̨ ͢now. ͟"

"Are… you controlling him? Did he… choose to leave us?" Nora anxiously asked this question.

"I̵ ͟didn't say͠ he̶ ̷chose. But he̸ is happier." Malde responded. Because of you he doesn't really have choice. I'll believe that Damian is happy when he says that himself. Malde and Damian continue to walk off on their own.

Nora talks first. "If he's really happier like that, I'll leave him."

"Don't trust what Malde says." Lex says. "Believe that Damian is happy, if he says it himself."

Calreath, and Diana start their way up the ladder. Then Lex and Nora. I'm left down by the base as look out.

Wonder what we'll do to that traitor.

He didn't betray us.

Whatever you say.

I place my hands in my pocket, and I find something that wasn't their before. I take it out and I find a note

-Joseph,

Please, don't do anything to make an enemy out of Malde. I don't want to be forced to fight you, Nora or any of my friends. I'm sorry for what happened in the Abyssal base. I didn't want to do that, especially to my mother. I'm not worthy to be called a hero…

Well seemed the traitor gave us a warning.

I take the other new object out of my pocket, and I look at it… "You still have the gall to call him a traitor, even after getting something like this."

…

That's what I thought. I will help you Damian, I promise.

POV: Lexie

Location: Deyraan Town

Time: 22:00

The hike up the mountain wasn't hard, but we had to take a few detours to avoid people. for some reason I was able to led most of our way up the mountain. On the way I've heard comments like.

"Wow, you very skillful in navigating mountains." Diana complimented me. But I've ever been good with mountains… It's just that this path seems familiar. Since, learning that I'm from Torren I have no idea where I'm truly from. But I led us straight to Deyraan Town without issue…

Well other than the fact it's night. "We need to camp somewhere."

I heard some disagreements. Calreath voiced his first. "What? No, right now we are pretty much wanted criminals. We stay in one place, we will get captured."

"Calreath's right you don't know how smart Zenith is." Diana sided with him.

Joseph was my side. "What good will it do, if we are exhausted."

"Joseph and Lexie are right. Us and our Pokémon are tired. If we try to fight him now, we'll just lose." Nora also supported my decision.

"Then where will we rest. With how cold it is here. I doubt we could survive out here for a night." Calreath's opinion was correct. If were going to sleep, we'll need a house to hide in for the night

… I try to think back. I must have lived here before… "Hmm… I know a place… follow me."

With in fifteen minutes I led us to an abandoned house far from the town… It had a lab function part, as well as a few bedrooms upstairs.

Diana seemed surprised. "Wow! Is this an International Police secret base?"

"Sure." I give quick response… I wonder if there's any pictures here still

"…" I feel a hand pressed on to my shoulder. Joseph gives me a worried look

"It's fine," He can already tell. Can't he?

"Hm…" Calreath tries the light switch… Powerless like I thought. "Is this base abandoned?"

"Yes, it was abandoned several years ago." Touching the railings and remnants of lab equipment… feels so nostalgic. "We have a few electric types. So, if we need to power something, we can have them help."

"Now to make sleeping shifts." Joseph suggested, doesn't sound like a bad plan.

"What, why?" Nora asked.

I try to explain it. "this isn't a secret base, so its still possible for Zenith to find this place. If we take turn sleeping and looking out, we should be able to sleep with little issue."

"Okay. I'll take first shift." Calreath suggested first. "you guys get some sleep."

About six hours later, it has turned into my shift. It feels too quiet here. About halfway through my watch Joseph, come over to me. "Can't sleep?"

"Have things on my mind…" Joseph seems to trail off, a bit.

"DJ? Giving you nightmares again?" he couldn't be planning… he'd fulfill the prophecy if he did.

Joseph shrugged. "it's been the usual process. Wondering about how to deal with him, Beat Jaern, Help Damian and Persephone."

Wait that last name. "You want to help her? Didn't she kill your mother?"

"The way she is now, she can't or won't feel regret for her actions. Besides, I have a feeling my mother wouldn't want her like this." Joseph gives his reasons.

"I doubt Zenith has regrets for the people he's killed." Just like my father…

"Your right, there are people like that. I'm pretty sure Malde, Taen, and Reukra also follow that category." Joseph sighs. "But Persephone has been in darkness for a long time. She originally cared for Diana. Now, she just sees her as an enemy. Bringing her to the light, might not show any results… but, I know my parents would prefer if she weren't controlled by darkness. Problem is that he doesn't care."

"Well, you should help yourself, before trying to help her." I tell Joseph.

"I know… but this wasn't what I came to talk about." Joseph's tone changes.

"…What is it?" I play off innocently.

He looks at me. "You already know. You just don't want to say it."

He's here for that… "*Sigh*. I'm not sitting out of this fight. Not while you have him going on in your head. You know what Zenith is capable of."

"I'm not saying for you to sit out, I'm saying your not fighting him." Joseph responds. "there are three other strong Trainers here. I know for a fact, that if either of us fight him. We hold the most risk of things going south."

Before I could try to respond to that. Crunch, crunch.

It was foot steps in the snow. When I looked out, it was to dark for me to see, but Joseph seemed see what it was. "What? How? Why is she here?!"

As Joseph recognizes the figure, I try to focus and see who it was, to no avail. "Joseph, who is it?"

"I-its Persephone…" Joseph sounded worried. "Come one we should wake the others."

We quickly, and quietly wake everyone up, saying we have to move. Even though we moved pretty fast, Persephone managed to reach the house fast as well.

"Don't move." Her voice sounded from the entrance.

"Persephone… Not now…" Diana sounded worried like Joseph.

"You know I'll believe that you never saw Darkrai. But wherever you go… Darkrai is always there. Following you, admiring you. How, Dia? How do you not notice?" from the way she talked I think, she realized about Cresselia. "… And now you're headed back to the Infernal Cult?"

"Listen, what ever your going to-." Calreath tried to intervene, but was interrupted.

"You abandoned me here, Dia! You left me!" Persephone was now yelling. "Cresselia was sent to rescue both of us. But no, you were too scared!"

"Perse, is that really what you believe…" Diana's voice sounded shaky

"I am DONE with that crap! I know what I saw. I spent three years under that bastard's control, because you were too scared to help. We were cultists!" You still are one! "Don't you remember how awful it was? You left me in that hell, and you expect Forgiveness?"

"…" Diana was silent. I saw tears coming down the side of her face.

"Do you know what I had to do to escape? How I-." Persephone was interrupted in her last statement.

"You know, I'd like to know how you escaped." We all turned and by the window we saw Zenith. "I don't appreciate the Name-calling, either."

"H-how'd you find this place…" Persephone was the most scared out of all of us.

"I knew that Calreath would be with Joseph and friends… I almost didn't think to check this place. I mean last time I did… well the family of the person I killed, already escaped." Zenith looked directly at me. "I know we're enemies, but let's try and be polite to one another, hmm?"

"…" Everyone was silent. I slowly started to reach for one of my Pokémon.

Zenith kept with a confident smile. "You'll love it at the Infernal Cult. We have complimentary Butlers and a nice heated pool. I'm afraid the lighting is a little bit different than the rooms under your base, Persephone. Hopefully Joseph will have a better time in mine."

"You think we'd allow you to capture us?" I throw out my Pokémon but… I'm feeling Dizzy… I look around everyone else has collapsed… I feel faint…

Thud.