Author Note

Welcome to chapter four. This chapter would consist of a bunch of flashbacks.

Likes: Dark holt, Yami Furea Aisu, puljko24 (Tell me if I missed forgot you and I ad you in the next chapter.)

Important to read: In this chapter some darker stuff will be mentioned, this is a m-rated after all.

Chapter 4

Old friends

Both Zane and Glory made their way into Flaria's room. Flaria just sat down on her bed before looking at them with a serious face.

"You wanted to talk?" she said a bit unsure on what they wanted her to say.

"Yes, we want you to tell us what happened beteween you and Lavender," Glory said crossing her arms over her chest. Still not wanting to talk about what happened Flaria looked down in her lap before she spoke.

"Tomorrow," Flaria said simply, trying to postpone talking about it for as long as possible.

"You said the same thing to me yesterday," Zane said, giving her a penetrating gaze.

"Tell us, please," Glory said and sat down next to Flaria. She put an arm around Flaria and looked at Zane as he sat at down on the other side of her.

"Ok, I'll tell you," Flaria said, finally giving up her fight.

(Flashback from chapter 2)

Flaria was in Lavenders room talking with the leafeon. She was sitting on Lavender's bed, talking with her sister who was randomly pacing across the room until the subject of Zane came up.

"Why does he need to be here?" Lavender said and sat down in a chair in front of her flower bench.

"If you just could put that grudge behind you for a while and treat him like you are treating us, I'm sure you would accept him after a while," Flaria said, a bit of hope filling her voice.

"Why do I even care about this. I hate him and that's how it's gonna stay," Lavender said, being bitterly stubborn.

"If you told him about your past, I'm sure he would understand you," Flaria said in a convincing voice.

"I would never tell it to him or let anyone do it for me," Lavender almost roared, showing her hate for the idea. Flaria felt a sting deep in her heart, when she heard Lavender say that knowing she was treading dangerous waters. Well, half ventured and half gained Flaria thought. She took a deep breath and tried to speak but the words were stuck in her throat that felt dry like sandpaper. After the third try, she was able to force herself to start speaking.

"Lavender for your own good, I told your history to him," Flaria admitted and gave Lavender a placatory gaze. Lavender was straight out stunned. She stared at Flaria for a few seconds before she mentally broke down.

"Why, why would you take his side," she said and threw herself on the bed. She didn't raised her voice or showed any signs of emotion.

"You must understand that you need to solve this problem," Flaria said, trying to put as much authority in her voice as possible. Lavender didn't respond, instead she just stared at Flaria with a cold look.

"Please don't be angry at me," Flaria pushed out. Flaria had dealt with Lavender many times and was prepared for an angry outburst

"Bitch," Lavender said without raising her voice. This scared Flaria more than she would ever admit to herself. The fact that Lavender called her bitch didn't bother but more it being her cold attitude.

"Lavender… I do really wa…," Flaria tried to say but was interrupted mid sentence.

"Bitch" Lavender said and rose her voice while she tasted the word before she jumped up from the bed and stalked towards Flaria. Flaria took a step backward feeling like a deer caught in the headlights. Of all things Flaria was prepared for, what happened was never even a thought of it occurring. Lavender took a step closer to Flaria, making her back up some more. Flaria was about to speak when her head was thrown to the right by a sudden force. She felt an increasing pain on her left cheek. The next slap hit her in the temple, it being way more powerful than the first one. In an attempt to defend herself Flaria caught Lavender's arms in a steady grip. Lavender tried to wriggle out of Flaria's grip but failed miserably.

"What exactly do you think you're doing?" Flaria questioned and for the second time this day she lost her always-calm-and-happy mood.

"You don't understand what this means to me," Lavender screamed and managed to get away from Flaria's grip by kicking her in the stomach. She used the opportunity to push Flaria into the bench with pots. This caused several broken pots and ceramic shards to fall down on Flaria from the shelves at the sudden impact. A few of them dug themselves in Flaria's back causing her to scream.

The door wax then burst open, both Glory and Zane entering. In an instant Glory took Lavender by the shoulders and dragged her away from Flaria. Flaria quickly stood up from the floor and put a hand on her back when she felt drops of blood running down her back.

"I'm done with this," Flaria said before she left, ignoring all the others. She then slammed the door after her and everything went into an eerie silence.

(Flashback end)

"That's it," Flaria said with a sigh and rested her head in her hands. She closed her eyes and began sobbed.

"She actually hit you," Zane said in astonishment by the surprising fact that Lavender had actually hit Flaria. Flaria took a shaky breath, whipped her tears and buried her face in Glory's shoulder. Glory stroked her a few times until Flaria said: "I think I need some time for myself,"

As soon as they left Flaria's room they split and walked to their own rooms without a word.

As Zane got to his room, he plopped himself down on his bed with a sigh.

I can't say that I'm not amazed by Lavender.

Then he pulled his phone from a pocket and looked at the screen seeming three missed calls all from the same person. He quickly checked the number and his whole body went cold. A flood of memories welled up inside him. Zane sighed and thought back at that eventful day.

(Flashback, the hours before Zane went home and his parents told him about the Journey.)

Zane and his friend, an aerodactyle named Antonio, sat in there classroom. They were in the middle of a math lesson when the principal, a ryhperior opened the door and called out their names. They exchanged a worried glance before following him.

He led them to his office where he sat down and did gesture towards two chairs on the other side of his desk. They sat down and the principal began speaking.

"It is known that you two was hanging out with Andromeda,"

Andromeda was an Arcanine in the same class and age as Zane. She had thick orange-red fur with yellow strips here and there. Around the neck, she had a big mane. Her eyes was blue. Andromeda was a loner so the only friends she had in the class was Zane and Antonio.

The thing that made different from the crowd was that she was depressed. Last year she had even occasionally hurt herself on purpose and Zane had, quite a many times, ended up with the job to comfort her in the hard situations. The three friends had during the years grown very close.

When the principal spoke her name, Zane froze. He had been up here many times about her and the last time was nothing he would forget in the first stage. That time she had hurt herself in the degree that her parents drove her to the hospital.

"W-what's wrong?" Antonio spoke with a staggering voice feeling chills down his spine.

"She tried to jump from a bridge," the principal said.

Zane began to breath faster and faster. He felt his face grew pale white and how his hands shaken.

"Luckily, someone managed to stop her before she jumped but since you are the only friends she has, it's your responsibility to support her," the principal said and nodded to himself.

"She is at the hospital, the psychological section," the principal said.

"We're going immediately," Zane said and rose from his chair.

When they were halfway there someone called Antonio. After a short call, he looked at Zane with sadness in his eyes.

"My parents know what she has did already," he said and looked away from Zane.

"And they won't let me see her since they think she is dangerous. I can't come …sorry," he continued.

"you can't leave her like that!"

"My parents literally forbid me to see her,"

"I will tell her why you aren't there," Zane said in a abandoning voice as they split and walked in two different directions.

Zane thought: Great my little gang of friend is falling apart. One is trying to kill herself and the other one has parents that think we are crazy.

Zane sat on a chair next to a hospital bed. He was in a clean white hospital room that made his eyes hurt from how perfect it was. In the bed next to him was Andromeda. She was laid face down hidden under the covers. Zane heard her sobs and decided to remove the covers carefully.

When she felt it being removed as the he cold air hit her, she turned her head to look at Zane. Without a word she lifted her head and put it in his lap. She the dug her nose into the fur on his stomach with Zane stroking her head as she began crying again.

The time went on and after a half an hour Andromeda removed her head from Zane and put it back on the pillow.

"Where is Antonio?" she wondered before she took Zane's hand in hers.

"His parents didn't allow him to come see you because they think you're crazy," Zane said without reflection on what he said.

"I-I really am, I am worthless. Why don't I kill myself," she cried out and began crying again.

Whoops, that wasn't the best thing to say to her.

Maybe, but do something instead of letting her cry there.

Zane stroked her over the back and said: "You aren't worthless, you are good person that has so much to live for,"

"I'm not, the only reason that I'm alive is because of you and Antonio or actually only you now since Antonio can't see me anymore,"

Zane understood what she was saying and immediately felt a huge amount of pressure on himself.

If you make one wrong move, she could possibly kill herself.

(Flashback end)

Zane looked at the screen again.

What am I stuck in?

Zane sighed as another memory pushed its way to the front of his mind.

(Flashback, when Zane is waiting for the time until he has to go on the train.)

Zane put his packed bag down in the hall and went outside. He was going to go to the store to get some candies and talk to a special Arcanine.

When he approached the store he saw nobody so he entered it and bought some candies help with my the time rush.

When he walked out of of the store with his bag in hand, he saw Andromeda sitting on a park bench with her head rested in her hands. She wore a thick orange jacket over her normal clothes. He sat down next to her and greeted her.

"Hiii," she said back and lifted her head from her hands.

"What did you want to tell me?" Zane asked while he looked at her with curiosity. Andromeda's face darkened and she looked down in her lap.

"You know what I did to myself," she said and tried to stop herself from crying, all the happiness gone in the wind.

"Yes," Zane said and put an arm around her to comfort her. Andromeda thankfully leaned her head against his shoulder.

"M-my psychologist, parents and I had a meeting yesterday,"

"What did they tell you?"

"They are going to move me," she said and her sobs finally broke into crying as she buried her head in Zane's mane. Zane rubbed her back.

"You don't need to talk about it if you don't want to," Zane said and looked around him for people.

I'm at least a bit lucky, nobody is around here, he thought.

"They decided to give me two options," she said with her voice a bit muffled by his mane.

"Am I involved in them?" Zane asked and thought about the move to Unova.

"Yes,"

What shall I do now? I'm basically the only friend she has and now she wants me to help her in some way. I can't desert her but neither my parents either.

An evil voice entered his mind: If she kills herself it's your fault since you are her only friend.

He was dragged back to reality by Andromeda.

"I…," Her voice trailed off.

"Can you tell me the options?" Zane said feeling a bit guilty for pressing her.

"I shall but give me some time," she said and lifted her head from his mane.

"We could take a walk," Zane said and rose from the bench.

In agreement they walked in silence away from the market. Andromeda led the way to a path into the woods. After a quarter of walking, they stood on an old wooden bridge out in the forest. From it, they had a great view over a lake surrounded by a forest. They stopped at the bridge and Andromeda leaned against the railing.

They stood there in silence. A burst of wind broke it for a few seconds until Andromeda spoke.

"The first option was to stay here with my normal life but always have someone close to me if I get any dumb ideas,"

"Me?"

"Yes, you are my best friend and you live one street away from me so I managed to convince them that If something happens I call you," Andromeda said and looked out over the lake.

"The other?"

Andromeda hiccuped and looked down at her feets.

"They are going to send me to some place for other persons with heavy mental disorders but that is unnecessary to think on since I managed to convince them about the first option," Andromeda said and smiled, happy with what she thought she would escape.

Zane was in a mind-war since he understood what a deep swamp he was walking in.

What shall I do? I can't desert her nor my parents.

She is more important than your parents, without you, she is going to kill herself.

No, she won't they will take care of her at that place.

Do you want to be responsible for her death?

No, but lying for her won't work, I will tell her the truth and try to help her by some other way.

Finally, Zane answered with a heavy sigh.

"Andromeda, I can't lie to you,"

When he said this Andromeda's small smile died and was replaced with confusion.

"My parents are going to a science job far away,"

Her face grew paler and paler as he talked. Even though Zane wasn't even finished with his sentence she had already guessed what the consequences would be.

"They sent me to a new home in Unova," Zane said and tried to hold his voice steady. Andromeda was astonished for a few seconds when his words hit her, just standing there as the words sunk in. Two major feelings occupied her body, fear for what she would meet at the new place and rage over the fact that Zane would be leaving her.

Shall I hate or forgive? She thought before choosing the later. The color began to return to her face.

With her mind made up she rushed forward to meet him in a long hug. Andromeda ended up breaking out crying in his mane for the second time. Zane felt some of his own tears drip down in her pelt as the sadness overwhelmed both of them.

I suppose this is the last time I'll see her.

The time went on and when they finally released each other both had their eyes dried of tears without an trace that they had been crying seconds before. Andromeda took a step away from Zane and looked him straight in the eyes.

"What am I gonna do with you? Rage on? Or weep with?" Andromeda said and focused her attention on his eyes.

"You have already done the first," Zane said and put his hand on her shoulder.

"And I will probably do the second sooner or later with my unstable mood."

"Rather sooner," Zane said as he took his hand off her shoulder.

Andromeda giggled a bit and went over to another topic that was gnawing at the back of her mind.

"If we need to part from each other, can you promise to call or answer me whenever I need it?"

"Of course," Zane said as they began walking from out of the woods.

Both walked in silence pondering the past events until they reached Zane's house.

They quickly made there way to Zane's front door while Zane checked his clock seeing that he had only an hour left before his train would be leaving.

"Zane," Andromeda said and faced him.

"Yes?" Zane wondered what was going on in her mind.

"Thanks for everything you've done for me during all those years. Ever since my brother died in that car crash a few years ago, I've been a crazy wreck. I've done everything wrong and caused more and more problems for myself."

She took a deep breath.

"During all that time you have supported me and never doubted me. I want to thank you by trying to keep me from killing myself," Andromeda said and looked down at the ground, utterly disappointed with herself thinking on her suicide attempt.

"It's isn't a problem as long as you don't try it again," Zane said while thinking about all the hours he had used to comfort her in hard situations.

She nodded and began fumbling in her pockets for something. Zane was suspicious about what it was and thought: Don't say it is what I think it is…

Zane's suspicion was confirmed as she pulled out an open pack of cigarettes.

"Stop it," Zane said and took the pack from her. She immediately growled and knuckled her fists.

"I swear, if you were anyone else, anyone, I would have punched there lights out by now," Andromeda said as she saw Zane throwing the cigarettes down a street-well.

"But not me and after all, they won't have cigarettes in that special place you are about to go to."

"True," she answered before saying a quick goodbye.

(Flashback end)

Zane decided to call the number.

"Hiii" Andromeda answered on the other side of the line.

"Hi, how is your new home?" Zane asked curious about how she was doing at the new place.

"Much better than expected. It's like a normal home. We all have out own rooms, there's a huge dining hall, along with school and activities. The only difference is that everyone has some kind of harder mental disorder," she said, her voice filled with happiness.

"So how are they working with your depression?" Zane asked after a few seconds of hesitation.

Her voice lost every drop of happiness as he mentioned her problem.

"I'm talking to people with similar problems and a psychologist, so, I guess I feel better but I still have my bad moments when everything feels like shit," she admitted with a sigh.

"Remember if anything ever feels wrong, call me."

"I promise."

They said their goodbyes to each other before Zane ended the call.

That is at least one thing out of my mind. She isn't angry with me and she isn't about to commit suicide.

The only thing left is the Lavender problem and then your friendly Nintailes.

Friendly?

Well, even if she is blackmailing you, she isn't bitchy against you differing to the other people.

True but still, blackmailing and that reminds me. I need to fix that history thing.

Zane was interrupted in his thought by someone knocking on his door.

"Zane, it's food time," Valerie yelled from the outside of his door and knocked again.

"I'm coming,"

Zane put down his phone and walked out of his room. Valerie's face lit up when she saw him. They began walking and Valerie took him under the arm. He jerked it free and earned a disappointed look from Valerie before they continued walking.

"So how did the first day in your new school go?" Valerie said without feeling any shame over her clingy attempt.

"Without any problems," Zane lied as they walked down the stairs.

"See any cute girls?"

What is wrong with her? She doesn't have any limits when it comes to private space or private life.

Zane sighed and said "Nooo," with his voice full of annoyance.

As they entered the dining room everyone began to sit down in their chairs. Zane decided to sit down between Umbria and Flaria or to be more exact, as far away from Lavender as possible.

This time Flaria and Eriel made the food.

After a few minutes, Eriel entered the room with a big pot filled with a mouthwatering chicken stew.

"Today's meal is chicken stew," she said and put it down on the table.

Everyone immediately served themself, starting eating the meal. The meal continued and to Zane's relief, Lavender used the ignoring method on him instead of any of the other things Glory had worried over.

After the meal, Zane thought he was out of danger and walked upstairs towards his room.

When he was halfway through the corridor he felt someone coming out of a door behind him.

Zane turned around only to get slammed against the wall by Lavender. She used her surprise advantage to push her right arm vertically against his chest and put her bodyweight on it to hold him still. Next, she took her free hand and pushed his head against the wall while covering his mouth.

Zane tried to wriggle himself away from her and was quite sure that he should break her grip at any moment.

Lavender leaned against him and began whispering in his ear.

"I don't know who the fuck you think you are but I shall make myself damn clear for you. If you don't leave this house willingly, I'll make you do it by myself. I managed to hurt my sister. My sister! Do you know how easy it is to hurting someone I hate like you? Too easy, easy like hell," she said in a threatening voice before she released him and ran upstairs.

The thumps from her feet slowly echoed away and left Zane in a shock.

What is she capable of doing? Hitting me? Torturing me? Killing me?

You're letting your mind run away. She won't kill you or hurt you.

Maybe kill is an overstatement but still, after what she did to Flaria combined with her hatred against me, it could end up with a serious mess for me.

I can't deny that, especially since she basically swore to make trouble for you.

Zane sighed and walked slowly upstairs. With a heavy mind, he found the way to his room. He slumped down on his bed and tried to get an idea of what to do.

She is a real psycho. I can't think of any way to stop her.

Zane lied down on the bed for some minutes until Glory knocked on the door asking: "May I enter?"

"Sure."

Glory opened the door and sat down next to him in his bed.

"Did she do something to you?"

"Yea," Zane said and rose from his bed. His body was filled with angriness over what he was forced to endure, just because Lavender couldn't put her past behind her. He began walking in circles around in his room.

Why do I need to take loads of problems for things I haven't done?

"Yes, she did. She said that she was about to get me kicked from this family, that she would hurt me, " Zane said increasing his speed and breathing.

"Why do I have to suffer just because she can't handle her past. Why does she necessarily need to destroy for me, why does she assume that I'm going to hurt or abuse her just because other did," Zane yelled and stopped abruptly in his circling.

Glory looked at him a bit scared by his angry outbursts however she wasn't surprised.

"Zane, please calm yourself," she said while making more room for him on the bed.

Zane hadn't even realized that he was so angry. At the first attempt he managed to calm himself and went over to the bed. As he sat down Glory gave him a single stroke over the back before speaking.

"I don't think you really understand how hard it hit Lavender when she was nearly raped."

"You're accusing me now?"

"Zane, I'm trying to help you," Glory said a little bit offended by his fast conclusion.

Zane apologized and Glory continued.

"Set it in your situation, you have nearly been raped so you decide to avoid males. You do that for a few years until your family suddenly decides to let one live in your home. She hasn't been this close to a male for years."

Zane's mind slowly began to get it.

When she puts it in that viewpoint it makes more sense.

"Thanks," Zane said and gave Glory a smile.

She then silently left the room, giving Zane time to prepare himself for sleeping. When he finally was in his bed after brushing his teeth, he thought about what Glory had said.

It makes sense that she is angry at me, at least a bit. The thing is that she isn't just a bit angry. She's furious and when she talked to me there in the corridor, it felt like she was capable of killing me.

You're right, she is over reacting for some reason. Even with the incident at the train and the one in school. It isn't enough to threaten you like that.

Someone is hiding something, whether it is the family or herself. I'm going to find it out.

Tomorrow. Now sleep and may Cresselia watch over your dreams…

As Zane slowly drifted to sleep he didn't even realize how right he was about thinking that someone was hiding things…

Author note

So the plots moves and someone hides things...

Send me a pm if you got questions or want say something.

Reviews and likes are appreciated.

Over and out from DragonMasterPaarthurnax!