Chapter 4: Two Betrayals

It's been quite some time since my last upload and I apologise. I went off writing for a while but now I'm back and brimming with ideas. Expect this story and my other main one (A Light In The Darkness) to be updated every month or two from now on. This chapter's an interesting one though, as I'm using a new style of writing that involves telling two stories at the same time, with different PoVs. So sit back, grab your buttered popcorn and favourite pillow, and enjoy the new chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon, just my OCs.

? PoV

I yawned and turned over in my bed, content to just doze for a while. After all, it wasn't until- wait! My eyes shot open instantly and I sat up with a start as I realised something. "It is today!" I exclaimed excitedly to myself, a grin almost immediately forming on my face. I had been waiting for today- his birthday- though I'd bought the gift weeks ago. Luckily I was patient and knew there was a time and place for what I had planned, and that was today! I couldn't help giggling to myself as I jumped out of bed and skipped over to the mirror by my window.

A white-skinned figure stared back at me, looking just as excited as I did. Unlike others of its species though, it had dark green hair and a pair of deep hazel eyes brimming with emotion at the day ahead. It wore a ruffled and simple white gown and had two disc shaped horns poking through its hair. I was slightly different to other Kirlia, as most had bright red eyes and a lighter shade of green hair, but I didn't let that bother me at all- I embraced the uniqueness and secretly enjoyed that nobody else was quite like me. I smiled again, sweeping the hair out of my face as I did so; today was a very special day and I absolutely wanted to look my best for later!

Humming cheerfully, I decided to just put something casual on for now, although that didn't mean I wasn't going to make an effort of course! Prancing over to my wardrobe I opened it and gazed at the contents. It was fair to say I very much enjoyed dressing up, and I always made sure to look nice whenever I went out anywhere. After a moment of consideration, I settled for a simple red skirt and matching top, and after another moment of thought I threw my hair into a long ponytail at the back, smiling in confirmation before I rushed out of the room.

I shared a small home with my best friend, Lunaria, and the Emolga waved happily at me as I entered the kitchen. Lunaria was possibly the most cheerful pokemon I had ever met- she was virtually always smiling and always made an effort to be positive and uplifting about everything. We shared a lot of common interests but even where we didn't there was no fuss. Sure, we argued just like best friends always do but it was good-natured and neither of us ever held anything against the other.

"Good morning Laurel!" she cheered as I approached with a smile, "Sleep well?"

"Not really- I was too excited thinking about today to get much sleep!" I laughed, getting a few things out of the cupboards to make some pancakes. Lunaria, or Luna as she actually preferred to be called, perked up at seeing what I was doing; it always amused me that she would rarely make breakfast herself, even when she was up way earlier than me- it had been established long ago that she was not a pokemon destined to cook! "Yes Luna, I will make you some too," I said to her, not even looking back to see the hopeful expression I knew was there. She giggled at my standard response but acted like she hadn't been practically begging me. "Oh! I wasn't even going to ask but since I've not had breakfast yet that's very kind of you!" she said in false surprise. I looked over and rolled my eyes; "Yes you just felt like sitting at the table and eating nothing before I came in!" Silly Emolga I thought to myself as I turned back to the counter and started to make some batter.

Voridus' PoV

I was herded forwards by two nasty looking Pinsir guards, down a long and narrow corridor. I knew where I was being taken already- it had been two days since the incident involving Captain Vogues and now it was time for the 'surprise' he'd planned for me and Shade. I didn't even bother saying anything to the guards as I knew they would be less than helpful, but this corridor only led to one place… It shortly came into view as they marched me to our destination: The Crucible. A grand and sprawling indoor arena, this one was very impressive by any standards as it featured a huge pit for normal ring-based combat but also had a secret labyrinth of tunnels below the surface; the floor could be opened up at the press of a switch, allowing for a more interesting and different style of fight. Above the arena itself were tiers of jet black seats made from the finest materials one could buy, with gold-coated chandeliers and fancy fixtures at regular intervals. The organisation had spared no expenses when they built this magnificent-looking piece.

The guards herded me through the entry gate and then it slammed shut behind me, the clang reverberating through the whole arena chamber. I looked around and was surprised to find such a huge turnout- Vogues must have gathered almost the whole compound together to watch this. Very well, I will give him a show if that is what he desires I thought as I looked across the rows of seats to see two pokemon. The first one I spotted was Shade, flanked by another two Pinsirs, likely to make sure he didn't try anything stupid, and he looked worried at what fate awaited me here tonight. The second pokemon I spotted almost immediately afterwards, sporting a swathe of bandages across one shoulder and an evil grin.

Laurel's PoV

The day had certainly been an interesting one- after breakfast Luna and I had gone shopping in the bazaar, and I'd bought a pretty looking blue flower to put in my hair for tonight. We'd gotten lunch at a food tent that sold the best pastries in Armonia and was definitely a favourite for the both of us, and then just sat outside chatting for hours. I'd told her I was going to check the guild again soon and she had scoffed and tried to talk me out of it like usual. The famous Kubfu Guild was the base of operations for pokemon from across the land that came to become explorers and rescuers, heading into unknown, exciting and often dangerous lands to find treasures or help out pokemon who were stranded. It had always interested me, but Luna was firmly against it and was still adamant she would not join. Unfortunately this meant I had to find a teammate to sign up with, so for the last few weeks I'd been regularly going there to see if I could find anyone; I'd had no such luck yet but I wasn't one for giving up.

I snapped myself out of my thoughts- there was no time to dwell on that now. I had to get myself ready for tonight, and I wanted to look my absolute best for the occasion. If all went well, I would feel like a new pokemon by the time I came home… I gazed out of my bedroom window at the slowly setting sun for a moment, letting its warm rays hit my face as I thought about how h- No! Stop getting distracted! I mentally scolded myself, forcing my attention back to the matter at hand.

I opened my wardrobe and selected the dress I'd already decided on some time ago- an elegant and flowing red, with purple stripes of colour at regular intervals and a dark blue flower on one side that was not dissimilar to the one I'd bought today. I swapped my simple clothes for the dress, marvelling at how well it fit and how comfortable it actually felt. I turned my attention to my hair now; I wasn't changing a lot, just making sure it looked neat and didn't fall over my face like it had a habit of doing.

Voridus' PoV

My first foe collapsed to the ground, unable to continue as he signalled his surrender. The guards entered and took the Mightyena away- he would live to fight another day but not by much. I glanced up and stared right into the eyes of the pokemon who hated me the most; Vogues was certainly not happy, and he gazed back at me with a look of pure hatred at my first triumph here tonight. "Release the second and third- he will fight both together!" he spat, motioning to the gate once more. It clanged open and a Riolu and Pidgeotto both came charging out into the ring. I hefted my blades and settled into a defensive position as they approached.

The Riolu reached me first and threw out a series of rapid punches that I ducked and weaved around, unable to block the blows with my weapons. As I did so I sensed the Pidgeotto coming in from behind and dropped to the floor immediately, resulting in the two clashing and knocking each other to the ground. I rose to my feet and crossed my arms for a second, before opening them to release a black pulsing wave of energy that struck both and pushed the Pidgeotto back. Wasting no time I quickly approached the Riolu and raised my blades to strike, but before I could react a fist smashed into me with incredible force and sent me flying into the wall with a grunt of pain- I hadn't expected that attack at all!

I took a moment to clear my head and pushed myself off the wall just in time to block a series of bullet punches, no time to retaliate or move away. The Riolu suddenly jumped away and I was struck by a sharp blade of air, earning a gasp of pain as it drew blood across my shoulder. I threw my right blade out in a hurry and a squawk told me my attack had landed. I lashed out with my foot at the Pidgeotto, sending it staggering back and earning me a moment of respite to plan my next move. If these two were working together I would simply have to use their power to my advantage…

Laurel's PoV

I arrived at our arranged meeting spot- a quiet and fairly secluded area at the back of the Gaia Gardens, the sprawling and beautiful nature reserve and park in the city. This area had always been our special place to hang out, as we were almost never disturbed when we came here, and the pretty flowers and soft grass made it a comfortable and relaxing place to be. But tonight I felt anything but relaxed; Butterfree were flitting around in my chest and I felt a little light-headed at the anticipation of what I desperately hoped would go as well as it did when I dreamed of it.

Footsteps behind me caught my attention and I turned to see a very familiar Sneasel approach. "Hey Laurel, it's great to see you!" he said cheerfully. I grinned, always happy to see him. "Max! Happy birthday to you!" I pulled him into a hug; even though he was an ice-type he always made me feel warm and happy inside, and that just made me like him even more! He chuckled and put his arms around me eagerly for a few seconds before he gently released me and stepped back. "How has your day been then?" I asked with a smile, curious about what he'd done already. He returned the smile with a bright one of his own; "Really good! Jace and Maddie took me to see some guild presentation today so I can sign up when I'm ready, and we went exploring in the forest this afternoon," he told me.

"Guild presentation? There was one today? I didn't even know!" I groaned at having missed it- somehow I never seemed to find out about these things until it was far too late.

Max chuckled and patted my shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll tell you everything you need to know tomorrow. But tonight we're here to have fun aren't we?"

I nodded eagerly and gestured around; "Would you like to take a walk through the gardens? I think they're prettiest as the sun sets," I offered, his touch doing nothing to quell the fluttering I kept feeling inside me. He nodded and said "That sounds like a great idea Laurel!" Without giving me a moment to consider he took my hand, making my heart skip a couple of beats from a mixture of surprise and delight. I forced myself not to freeze in place and we set off to walk around as we often did- we both very much enjoyed the peace and beauty of this place after all.

Voridus' PoV

I cried out in pain as the Riolu slammed me into the floor and started to choke me- I'd been foolish and had let my guard down so that I could defeat the Pidgeotto, and in doing so I'd allowed the other combatant to get the jump on me. I grunted and tried to push him away with my blades, causing him to release me for a second. I brought my blades around to attack and he executed his trap. Slamming his weight down onto me again, my arms were now pinned beneath him with absolutely no way to retaliate. I desperately struggled against his grip as his arm was crushing my throat, knowing I only had a few seconds before I blacked out. If I fail now Vogues will not show mercy… I have to do this for Shade! At the thought of the furry ball of nervousness watching in the crowd my resolve grew firm and I felt time seem to slow down around me, just like it did when I faced Vogues in the snow. I brought my legs up and placed them against the Riolu's chest, then in one fluid motion I threw them forwards and drove my newly-freed blades into his shoulders. Time returned to normal and he screamed in pain. I kicked him off me and he collapsed to the floor, clutching his open wounds.

I had won my fight and now there was just one obstacle in my path- the final opponent. I cast my eyes up to the gallery once again, locking eyes with Vogues who seemed to be trying very hard to contain his fury at my second victory. I did not allow myself any satisfaction though- I was not certain to make it through the last fight, particularly with my injured ribs hindering me further the longer I fought. The doors rumbled open behind me for the final time and I turned to face my last opponent. What I saw froze me completely as a familiar face stared back at me…

Laurel's PoV

It had been an amazing evening! Max and I had walked around the gardens, talking and pointing out pretty flowers and spots to each other, and we'd ended up chasing each other around the pond at the centre, not caring that we were acting childish and drawing some funny glances from other pokemon. Having worn ourselves out though, we now sat by the pond together, watching the last beams of sunlight slip behind the trees. It was almost perfect, save for the item in my pocket and the tight feeling in my chest. I knew time was running out to do what I wanted- no, needed- to do, but I just kept putting it off from one moment to the next. Max turned his head and gave me a smile that melted my heart. I knew I was blushing but there was no chance of being able to control that tonight. "Thank you for this Laurel. I'm so glad I got to spend time with you on my birthday!" he told me softly, making my heart skip a beat. I realised if I was going to do it, now was the time!

I gulped and gave a nervous smile. "Umm… M-Max? There's something that I… that I want to do," I stuttered, unable to keep my voice steady now. Max tilted his head adorably and replied softly with "What is it?"

I took a deep breath; "Well…"

Voridus' PoV

A Zorua stood before me, and one I immediately recognised, someone I never expected to meet in battle! "Shade?!" I choked, locked in a state of pure shock. "What…" I swallowed and tried again. "What's going on? Why are you here?"

Shade took a few steps forward, a grin on his face that looked decidedly unfriendly. "Really Voridus? You haven't seen it yet? All these years by your side…" he chuckled lightly as he approached, and something instinctive made me tense up.

"Realised what? Shade, what's happening? What's wrong?" None of this made sense, he would never attack me, we were the best of friends! Shade stared at me with an odd gleam in his eyes for a moment, and then before I could even react a paw shot towards me and he sucker punched me away. I staggered backwards, raising a hand to my face; I was wrong, and now the fight was on!

We'd both trained together since the very beginning and this meant we each knew the other's fighting style almost as well as our own. I tended to favour defence interspersed with aggressive rushes, whilst Shade favoured ranged combat and more deceptive moves. As surprised and confused as I was by him suddenly attacking me I quickly recovered and settled into a guard, blades deliberately remaining sheathed- I didn't want to do any more than was absolutely necessary.

Shade began to form a ball of energy in his maw, confirming to me that there really was no way out other than to fight my best friend.

Laurel's PoV

I pulled out the small box I'd been keeping for months as I waited for this moment to come. "T-this is your h-happy birthday g-gift from me," I stammered, holding the box out for Max. His face lit up and right then the way the light seemed to reflect in his eyes was beautiful! He took the box and, pulling away the ribbon that sealed it shut, opened it carefully. He pulled a small item out and gasped in surprise. "Laurel… I… I don't know what to say…" he said slowly, gazing at the pendant in awe. It was a circular golden disc-shape, with a silver-outlined emblem depicting a Sneasel and a Kirlia. Both appeared to have backpacks and badges of some kind and were smiling. Attached to the pendant was a golden chain that would fit easily around a Sneasel's neck. I gave a warm smile, glad he appeared to like it, while I did my best to ignore the Butterfree inside me that were worse than ever.

"This is incredible," he finally said to me. "But you didn't have to go to such effort to get me something." If ever there was a time to tell him, it was now. I swallowed and took a step forward. "Max… I umm… t-there's a reason I g-got you that, n-not just for your birthday. I… there's something I've been wanting to… to say for a while now." I took a deep breath and forced myself not to clam up now; "I… I… I love you! You're kind and funny and so sweet and I love you!"

Max's eyes widened and his face went a shade of red that could rival my own blush. "You… you really mean that?" he asked, almost whispering to me. The expression on his face was unreadable, and I hardly dared to even breathe as I nodded meekly. And then I heard the words I'd been imagining for months, the one thing I'd wanted to hear more than anything else: "I love you too Laurel!"

I felt my heart skip a beat and then suddenly I felt calmer, glad that I'd done it. He loves me back! He really does! Is this even real? I've dreamed of this for- "But…" His next word cut through my thoughts like a knife and I snapped my gaze back to Max instantly. "What?" was all I could manage with all of the feelings swirling around inside me. Max suddenly looked very uncomfortable, and he gulped before continuing, refusing to look directly at me now. "Not like this… you… you're my best friend Laurel… but... " He sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, I can't… we can't" I froze completely for several seconds as his words bounced around in my head, for I knew what he was trying to say. "You… don't?" I said in a small voice, and I must have sounded so weak then but I didn't care. "I'm sorry Laurel," he said again. "It's just-" he began, but I cut him off. "No, it's okay…" I told him, even though it was very clear that it wasn't okay to me. Max stepped forwards and put a paw to my shoulder but I flinched backwards at his touch. "I have to go… I… need to do something…" His eyes widened and he started forwards again; "Wait, Laurel. It's… it's not for the reason you think-" But before I could even hear the rest of his sentence I had teleported away.

Voridus' PoV

I spun around to block a swipe from Shade's tail and used its momentum to grab on and throw him across the arena. He hit the wall and struggled to his feet, though I noticed his recovery wasn't quite as quick as before. I approached quickly, wanting to finish the fight before one of us was seriously injured, but Shade was a sneaky one. Too late I saw the darkness between his paws; he swept them out in front of him and a wave of darkness shot out, hitting me head on and throwing me to the floor. I struggled up onto my knees just in time for another sucker punch to throw me onto my back. He jumped onto my chest, pinning my arms and legs beneath his weight and leaving me with almost no options. His front paws raised above my head and I saw razor-sharp claws extended to strike me. I knew there would be no mercy and in that moment I decided on my course of action.

I'm sorry Shade… I thought to myself, and then extended my left blade, piercing the Zorua's back paw. He flinched back with a pained cry and I threw my legs out, launching him forwards to land a few feet away. I leapt up, summoning my remaining strength and rushing him once more. I hardened my arm as if to throw up a shield but as Shade began to rise once more I slammed it onto his head, knocking him out immediately from the force of the blow. No sooner had I won I sunk to my knees, exhausted from my battles and anguished that I'd had to fight my best friend.

Laurel's PoV

I sat on the shores of the Trop Beach, unable to hold the tears back and thankful nobody else was around to see me right now. He'd refused. I'd poured my heart out to Max and he'd rejected me, just as I'd feared might happen. I didn't know what to do now- I couldn't go back to Max now and I didn't want Luna to see me upset like this. I stared out at the vast ocean through my tears and muttered to myself. "Why me?" A thought appeared in my head as I wondered if anyone would ever find me if I just threw myself into the ocean, but one thought overrode everything else: I have never felt so betrayed…

Voridus' PoV

I sat in my room, unable to keep from crying at what had happened tonight. I'd thought I could handle whatever I had to fight, thought that I could simply do what I needed to and be reunited with Shade at the end of the night. But that hope had been viciously struck down when he had come out to fight me. Shade had been my best friend for as long as I could remember and we'd done everything together. Nobody else in my life had ever been so close and now that I'd lost him I didn't know what to do. A thought appeared in my head as I wondered what would happen if I simply refused to do whatever I was told to do next, but one thought overrode everything else: I have never felt so betrayed…