Hey everyone, thanks so much for waiting and sorry for keeping you on the edge about the next chapter but I won't hold you away from it any longer, enjoy!
"Right over here"! he pushed the doors wide open, leading Ari and Leonardo inside where they both placed Anastasia and Eira down on the beds.
"What now"? Asked Ari, staring up at Rika who began undressing Eira first, all of the males quickly turned around, blushing madly as they got a quick look within Eira's shirt.
"What can we do to help?" asked Levy.
He pointed over to Anastasia who began groaning in pain, twisting and turning on the bed when the effects of her wounds began taking a toll, "A-agh…..my insides…..they feel like they're burning!"
"Undress her, I need to have a clear view of all their wounds".
She nodded, complying with Rika's request as both her and Rosebella hurried to the brunette's side, restraining her down as the other began undressing her.
*Gasp* Rosebella dropped Anastasia's shirt, appalled at the black mark visible on the spot where Anastasia was shocked earlier, "W-what's happening to her?!"
He turned back, inspecting the black mark before grazing his fingers softly over it, sparking Anastasia's body to twitch.
"It's the effect of the shock she received, her organs are beginning to shut down, the blackness is due to her burnt flesh, If I'm going to save both of them, I need the ingredients for their cure's right away".
Leonardo nodded, still facing the wall with the other males, "Whatever it is, we'll get it".
"I need one revival herb, two miracle berries, and Salveyo weed, these items aren't easy to track down, but it's the only thing that will help them right now".
Levy jolted at one of the familiar items, "My grandfather once told me where miracle berries can typically be found". She quickly ran over to Leonard who was still facing the wall, scooping her hand with his and taking off.
"Wait! Why do I have to go!" they were already out the door.
Leonardo was also already making his way out, "I'll go in search for the Salveyo weed".
Karen stepped forward, "Wait, I'll go with you".
Tyler's head whipped back, both his and Leonardo's voice's synchronizing, "What"?
She lowered her head in shame, "Everything that has happened…..it's because of me, it's the least I could do to help".
Tyler frowned angrily, "Don't say that, you were also a victim, none of this is your fault".
Leonardo nodded, "He's right, you were tricked into joining them, none of this is your fault, so please don't feel that way".
"Then let me come along, I can help you search for the Salveyo weed, it really would help me feel just a bit better".
A sigh came out, "Ok, let's go".
She felt some sense of relief, smiling faintly as she joined Leonardo's side, walking out with him only to be followed by Tyler, "I'm coming too!"
"No you're not". He was pulled back in by Rika.
"You're going to stay here and help me in case something goes wrong with the girls".
He looked back at the door, glowering when he continued thinking about how Karen and Leonardo took off together, "Fine".
"You two". Both Rosebella and Blake pointed at themselves, Rika nodded.
"You're in charge of searching for the revival herb, got it?"
"Got it!" the duo quickly separated from them, also disappearing out the door as it only left Ari.
He stretched his arms out, "Well….I think I'm going to go and check in with Mark, maybe try to see if he needs my assistance".
"Good thinking". Complied Rika, focusing his attention back to the two girls, he quickly stopped, being noticed by Tyler.
"What's wrong?"
"I forgot to warn the others before leaving".
"W-warn? A-about what?!" exclaimed Tyler, immediately having Karen on his mind.
"Warn them about wandering into certain danger zones outside of the school, most importantly the shadow depths of the forest, it's been known as the shadow trail".
"Shadow trail?"
He nodded, "Yeah, from what I remember, people have been known to go missing when entering the shadow trail, others suspect that there is something in there that feeds off negative emotions and steals souls".
"Karen…" whispered Tyler, emotions running high as he became worried.
(Karen/Leonardo)
He was growing uncomfortable by the silence, stealing small glances of the raven haired girl who was staring down at the ground solemnly, seeming to be in her own thoughts, he took in a deep breath, putting both of his arms behind his head as cushion, "Sooooo…." he started, grabbing Karen's attention.
"...you're Tyler's twin?"
"Yes, I'm the younger one". She finished her answer with that, getting Leonardo pumped to keep a convo going.
"You know, when I first saw you, I knew immediately you were a strong trainer, but I mean, it's obvious since you were recruited to join those group of crazies-I mean bad people…...sorry". He sighed, quickly regretting how he worded his sentence out.
She seemed indifferent to it, "It's ok…..my family has always praised me for being a gifted battler, so much that battling became just another task for me to do to please them".
"What about your brother?"
She tried to smile, but it became difficult to the point where she just stopped trying, "Tyler suffered a lot when we were little…...he was the oldest so our parents expected a lot from him…...but when he couldn't deliver…...they brushed him to the side and focused only on me….no matter how much I try to deny it, I know he holds some type of resentment towards me….I would too…..I'm a terrible person and I deserve it…..because of me he was invisible to the world, to my parents….it should have been me, not him".
*Something about this girl…...I just can't figure out…..but that look in her eyes tells another story…...what could it be?*
"Do you really feel that way?" he asked, looking down at Karen who was kicking a small pebble.
"I do…...but at the same time….I feel I have just the same right to be angry…" he saw how she kicked the pebble far far away, the force behind it being anger.
"Why is that?"
They stopped, he waited patiently, seeing her take in a deep breath as she closed her eyes, attempting to keep her composure, "Because nobody ever thought about my feelings, they always thought I was the perfect child, the one who would do as they wish, they expected perfection from me and nothing less, the stress, the fear, the feeling of loneliness…...I was all alone…...Tyler hated me, my parents expected me to be happy, but not once did any of them stop to think that I was unhappy…..".
"From what Tyler told me earlier, you seemed like you had it all".
She shook her head, " I wanted to be a normal girl, I wanted a normal family, a brother I could talk to and play with….but I was placed on standards above others, my parents made me out to be as if I was untouchable….kids at school hated me for it, people looked down at me for thinking I saw them as mere weaklings…..I was never that person…I never wanted any of this….."
"If you didn't want any of this…...why didn't you just say anything?"
"Because my parents were already disappointed with Tyler…...I was afraid they would throw me away too…..he already hated me…..I didn't want them hating me as well…..in my family….if you're not good enough, you're dead to everyone…...and that's exactly what they did with my brother…." he saw the anger and pain protruding in her eyes, her trembling fists now turning white.
"Hey…." he placed his hands over her shoulders, causing her fists to loosen as they met gazes.
He leaned further down, being just inches away as there eye contact intensified, she was still as a statue, "It's all in the past…..your life wasn't exactly happy, but you're in the present, now's your time to take control and do what you want to do, nobody can tell you anything now, not Tyler, not your parents, this is just you now…...got it?"
"I-i can't…...after what I did with Dawn's Templar, I don't have a right to-". She was stopped mid sentence by Leonardo who clicked his tongue.
"Stop blaming yourself, none of this was your fault so stop beating yourself down, if you really want to make amends with your mistakes, then help yourself, take control of your life now and until the end".
A small notion of silence as she had nothing to say, there eyes were still on one another, causing a slight thumping feeling within Leonardo who quickly pulled back.
"Your words….." he had most of his face covered, turning slightly back to see Karen's blank expression.
"...they were really deep, I never expected someone as dimwitted looking as you to say such things".
"Dimwitted?!" he quirked an eyebrow, not knowing whether to be offended or not.
"Thank you…...uhh….." she tried saying his name but quickly realized they were never really introduced to one another.
"Leonardo". He answered back.
"Thank you Leonardo".
"No problem…...I went through some pretty tough matters in my life that I'm not happy about, but I chose not to live in the past but instead live forward with positive thoughts".
They continued walking, but he took notice quickly of how she seemed hesitant about something, "Do you…...do you mind me asking how your childhood was like?"
"Me?" he pointed at himself.
"No I was talking to the tree beside you". She rolled her eyes, irritating the brunette with her sarcasm.
"I got it….well, my childhood wasn't anything special…..I never knew who my parents were….."
"You were an orphan?"
He shrugged, "Possibly….my memories remain blank to this day…...I only remember waking up in a large warehouse with a bunch of other kids, we had been abducted by a mysterious group of people who wanted us to train so we could become future recruits to their gang".
He pulled his sleeve up, showing off the inked marking of a black honchkrow silhouette tattooed onto his right bicep, "They called themselves the Nightkrows".
"Nightkrows?" she grazed the tip of her fingers over the inked marking, feeling Leonardo's arm flinch as a tiny shock appeared between their contact.
"Unlike you….I fell victim to brainwash…..the men who brought me in told me I was chosen to become a part of a special team who believed there should be equality amongst everyone, the rich and poor should not be on opposite ends, but rather everyone live comfortably together…..He made me see this vision for a beautiful world and I was determined to do what I could to make it happen".
"What…..what did you do?" she asked, being scared of what his answer would be.
"I stole from the rich, I raided mansions with my team and stole everything in sight that was valuable, eventually however….I came to realize that the boss of the gang never cared about equality…..he only used us to steal from innocent families so he could get richer…...we left fear and terror spreading all across cities….."
"What happened?"
He stayed silent for a minute, walking over to a nearby tree which he rested his arm and head on, "It was too late….the damage had already been done….so I did the only thing I could do…."
"What was that…" she mumbled.
He punched his other fist against the side of the tree, leaving a gaping hole in its place, "I took him out".
A tiny barely audible gasp escaped her lips, "Not too long after that…...I was captured by officials and one of the men who had been investigating me offered me a deal, to come here and rise to elite status…...or spend the rest of my life behind bars, of course, I went for the better deal".
"And that's how you ended up here….." she looked down at her feet, tracing along the ground with them.
"Do you….." she started but then stopped, leaving Leonardo to anxiously await for her next words.
"Do I what". He asked.
"Do you ever think about your parents? You know…..who they might be….If they're out there looking for you….don't you want to see or even know who they are"?
He stayed silent, releasing a tiny sigh right after, "I never thought about that….but honestly…...I don't care….I don't know who my parents are, I can't remember anything of my time with them, and If they are out there, why haven't they tried looking for me…..maybe things now are just best to stick with".
A barely noticeable frown formed on her lips, "But…...what If they are out there, what If all these years they have been looking for you, and still are….what If-".
He held his hand out, gesturing her to stop while he shook his head, "Stop…...Please, I've been through a lot already, my only goals now are to become the best there Is, family Is not an option for me, It's only been me, and that's how it will always be".
He took the lead, walking a bit ahead of Karen who decided to remain behind, now pondering in her own thoughts as she continued looking down.
"Only you…...does that mean you'll never be able to love someone?"
He seemed pretty calm to her question, resting his head back towards his arms which he put up, "There's no denying that I'm attracted to girls and think they are all cute, but I don't think love is in my right, but if there ever happens to be someone who ties my heart down, I'll be sure to put up a fight for them".
They had both stopped, coming to an end where a large lake was now present, the water was clear enough that it nearly resembled a mirror, reflecting the sky to make it look as if you were diving into the clouds.
"Wow…...I've never seen anything like this…...I heard Salveyo weed grows beneath lakes, why don't we take a look?". He got closer, stopping when he noticed Karen's presence fading, he turned back, seeing that she hadn't moved at all.
"What's wrong?"
She shook her head, stumbling backwards in a frightened manner, "I…..I can't swim….."
His silence had worried her, but not as much as the frightened expression he had towards her direction, "L-leonardo?"
"Don't move at all".
Her head whipped back to see a vicious Zangoose standing not too far from her, It's bare teeth showing while a scowling purr seethed through Its crevices.
"I said don't move". He scoffed in a whisper.
"Zangoose!" It held out both of It's arms out, revealing the sharpened claws on hand.
"No!" It charged right for her, sparking Leonardo to run and pull her along, hoping to get away from the dangerous pokemon who easily caught up.
"Zang-!" it swung its claw towards them, forcing both Karen and Leonardo to arch backwards to dodge the close hit.
There hearts were beating heavily in panic, fear showing through there eyes as It kept swinging claw after claw at them.
"Agggghh!" he was slashed at, receiving a deep gash on his arm from the pokemon's razor claws.
"Leonardo!" she grew nauseous at the sight of blood running down his side, yet he continued to pull forward and help her get ahead.
"Gah!" he tripped and fell forward, releasing hands with Karen who stopped.
He waved his hand towards her, "Go! I'll be fine!"
"No! I can't!"
"Just go!" he shouted.
She looked at him and then looked the other side, taking a moment to think before running off, leaving Leonardo on the ground, helpless against Zangoose who was now standing over him.
He hissed at the stinging pain now surging through his wounded arm, "Looks like it's just you and me".
"Zangoose!" it held its claws up, ready to strike down on the young boy.
"Dragon pulse!"
A green shot of energy blasted the vicious pokemon away, leaving Leonardo to watch as it crashed and pummeled straight into a row of trees.
His eyes settled up over to Karen who was riding on her Flygon, they swooped in, grabbing Leonardo who was helped on.
"K-karen…...F-flygon…". He flinched, now putting pressure on his cut.
"We're a team right now, I wasn't going to leave you behind, luckily Flygon's vibrations allow it to hear my screams from miles away".
A weary smile rested over his lips, "You crazy girl".
"Zangoose!" It sprung out from under the tree rubble, angrier than before, revenge lurking through It's eyes as a red beam of light shot out from It's mouth, heading right for Flygon and the two teens.
"Look out!" It had hit the dragon type, forcing It to fly backwards where Karen lost her grip, slipping off and pummeling straight down.
(Karen's POV)
"Ahhhhh!"
My heart was racing, When I had hit the water I felt like a million needles stabbed me all around, the shock was too much, I couldn't swim, I was never taught, all I could do was try to move up, but how? No matter what I did, I kept sinking, the feeling was endless, the sunlight surfacing through into the water was fading quickly…..I was going deeper and deeper into the depths of this lake.
"Karen!" His voice, Leonardo's, was it him? That shadow hovering above me, it was like an angel descending from heaven, reaching it's hand out to take me away.
No…..I wasn't deserving of an angel…...this was death coming for me.
The water…...It's so cold…..so freezing…..but It doesn't bother me…..It's as If I'm feeling my own heart, the heart that came to form within me from all the pain and hate I've had, Mom…...Dad…...Tyler…...you all just left me…..you abandoned me….you threw me in with a bunch of tyrant's, you left without me…..I've tried so hard to forgive and forget…...but I just can't, the suffering….the torture…..they're all memories that will be with me forever.
"Krraaaaa-"
I deserve this…...I helped those monsters destroy such a beautiful school…...I helped them capture so many innocent lives…..I had a choice….but I didn't pick the right one, I was too scared, I chose to stay and now this is my punishment, everything's…... one huge blur, this Is It….my end.
(Leonardo's POV in 3rd person)
He quickly dove In, Ignoring his injury while using every bit of his energy to reach Karen, she was grasping and flailing in the water, eventually letting go of the rest of her oxygen.
She watched the small bubbles that carried her final breath float upwards, losing consciousness just moments after.
"Kkkkrraaaa-" he closed his mouth when he realized he was only letting water in, swimming faster and faster down towards her.
*C'mon! Hurry up Leonardo! You can't lose her!*
The faster he swam the more it only felt like she was sinking deeper in, frustration came into play, but also fear and horror, *Tyler will never forgive me, I have to pull through! Argh!*
He didn't give up, but instead continued swimming deeper in, feeling the intense pressure of the water now taking a toll on him.
*I won't give up, I'm a fighter, I always have been and always will be! Something inside tells me this isn't the end, not for me, and not for her, so let me take her hand and save her from the depths of this darkness*
A tiny speck of light had appeared down in the deep trenches, alarming Leonardo who was quickly blinded by it. The water from the lake had all shot up at the same time, blowing Leonardo and Karen out back into the open, both of them landing on Flygon's back who had swept by, catching them in time.
He began to cough out water, stopping shortly when he heard a familiar calm echo, "Tempo road has awaken, the Speed king has been chosen".
"Tempo road…..did I hear that correctly?" He mumbled to himself, looking back down to see a strange mythical creature standing over the lake, staring back up at him where it was joined by three more creatures.
His eyes widened as he figured out who they were, "The Swords of Justice".
*COUGH*
He turned his attention over to Karen who was gaining conscious back into her mind, spitting out water and gasping deeply for that first breath of air.
"You're ok now". He muttered, moving the wet locks that were shielding her face away.
"Y-you saved me".
He shook his head, "No, I didn't".
His eyes focused on her hands which weakly moved over to his arm, there was a slimy plant attached to it which she had removed, revealing the wound he received earlier to be gone.
"We found it, the Salveyo Weed". She breathed out in relief.
"Yeah". He touched his arm, now looking back down in hopes of seeing the four figures which were no longer there.
"What's the matter". She asked.
"Nothing, let's get out of here".
(Levy/Leonard)
They ended up on a man made dirt trail, now outside of the school's restriction border, she clung tightly to Leonard, being easily startled by the cawing and roaring echoing deep within the forest.
He sighed, being pretty bored as none of the noises were a bother to him, "I hope we find these miracle berries soon".
"Yeah…...poor Eira, that other girl was in bad condition as well, hopefully Rika's taking good care of them".
He looked to his side, quirking an eyebrow, "You said you knew where to find Miracle berries, how's that possible?"
"My grandfather taught me, Miracle berries help in reversing the effects of burns, paralysis, intoxication, and frostbite, he wanted me to know where to find them in case I ever came across a serious situation".
"That's really crafty of him, so exactly how does this work?"
She placed a finger over her lips, "Well, first off, Miracle berries are prone to growing in places with a purer soil, meaning minimum sunlight but plenty of water supply, so beneath caverns or canyons would be a good place".
He threw his arms up, "Well great, where are we supposed to find a canyon around here?"
He was glomped even more by Levy who was now holding onto him even tighter, resting her head on his shoulder, "It's ok, with both of our minds I'm sure we'll be able to find a canyon around here".
A growl escaped his lips, "Enough with the mushiness, it's getting annoying".
A giggled countered his growl, she snuggled her head more against his arm, "I'm your Fiance, I have every right to act this way with you, besides, I like showing my love for you".
He rolled his eyes as she continued talking, "So I've been thinking long and hard, and I want our color scheme to be rose gold, it's beautiful and elegant, and I already know who the bridesmaids and groomsmen will be so don't worry, ah, I can't wait!" she squealed to herself, eventually being thrown off when Leonard yanked his arm away from her.
"Argh! Enough Levy!"
She was quickly silenced, being frightened by his sudden outburst, "I don't love you! I'm not going to marry you! Get it through your thick head and understand that!" he gave her no time to respond back and turned his back towards her, walking off only to stop.
He was alarmed by the silence, stopping his tracks as he slowly looked back, she was a short distance away from him, eyes watering and now releasing a stream of tears, her mouth began pouting out, trembling furiously, "IDIOT!"
She took off, running east into the forest and away from the dirt trail, "Levy!"
Her feet wouldn't stop, she didn't want them to stop, she only wanted to get away, far far away as possible, humiliation, anger, pain, there were so many emotions circling in her heart, it was all too much.
The light from above struck her harsh, she was away from the forest, now making her way to what seemed like the edge of a cliff, a giant gap in between from the other side, nothing but pitch darkness below.
She ran up to the peak, catching her breath as she clenched her chest, she took in a deep breath, shouting with all her might, "It's not my fault if my heart chose you you moron! I love you! But if it hurts this much to love somebody then I don't want to love at all!"
*Krrrk!*
A crack had appeared under her feet, the cliff began shaking, crumbling apart where the white haired girl now struggled to keep her balance, "Ahh!"
"Levy!" she looked back seeing Leonard running towards her, reaching his hand out as she did the same.
"Leonard!"
"Grab my hand!"
She tried pulling herself forward as the cliff was falling backwards, exasperating in relief as she almost had a hold on his hand,
*KRRRRK!*
The last bit of support holding her had given in, causing Levy to fall backwards, "No!" he stopped, looking down with a horrified expression, his face a ghostly pale, he felt his heart almost jump out.
"Leonard!" she was holding onto a branched out tree below, terror written all over her face while she continued shrieking his name, "Help me!"
"Levy!" Relief appeared, but not for long when he saw the branch slowly breaking apart, "Hang on"!
He looked around. Stopping when he saw a broken bridge now hanging down by his side, it wasn't far from where she was, an idea popped into his head, he quickly rushed over, grabbing tightly onto the wooden planks as he began climbing down the torn bridge.
"What are you doing?!" she cried, still hanging on.
"I'm going to swing the bridge over to your direction, on my count, grab my hand so I can pull you on it and have you climb it"!
"One"! He swung the bridge sideways.
"I can't do it!" she shook her head furiously.
"Yes you can! Two"! He swung towards her again, this time coming closer.
"What if you let go!" tears were coming out, she could hear her own heartbeat moving rapidly, her adrenaline was building, now rushing through out her veins.
"Levy! I swear I won't let you go, I never will"!
She looked at him, stunned by what he said, "Three"! He swung one last time, stretching his arm out as much as he could, this time reaching Levy who had done the same, tangling her hand with his and letting herself be pulled in.
"Gotcha!" he had her by one arm, holding onto the bridge with the other as he helped her climb upwards.
Something had caught her attention, she looked over, seeing a tree with something familiar to her knowledge, "There!" she stopped to point at it.
"W-what is it!" he looked up, quickly regretting so as he realized Levy was wearing a skirt.
"Don't look!" she squealed in embarrassment, quickly pulling her skirt down under to hide the view.
"W-why did you stop!" he shouted, making sure to look away as he tried ridding the redness on his cheeks.
"That tree! It has miracle berries!" she shouted, pointing once more to the tree where he looked over.
"We have to move on Levy! The bridge won't hold much longer"!
"No! If we swing good enough, maybe I can reach out and grab two from the tree, come on!"
He was hesitant, but knew she wouldn't take no for answer, "Fine, but we have to hurry!"
"Alright, swing!"
They both began synchronizing their movements, swinging from left to right in smaller to bigger motions, she had one arm out, "Almost…..there…" they were getting closer to it.
"Got it!"
*Krrk*!
"Huh"?!
The wooden plank she had her foot on had broken in half, causing her to slip and fall over, "Agghhhh!"
"Levy!" she stopped at the very end of the bridge, having her feet tangled to the loose extra rope where she was now hanging upside down.
"I'm ok! Pull us up"! she screamed.
He didn't bother to look, knowing very well that her skirt was flipped down, showing a clear wide view of her underwear, "On it!"
Very carefully he climbed to the top, reaching safety as he then began pulling in the rope, looking away for her concern, "Almost have it". He groaned, sweating from the intense workout of dragging in the heavy bridge.
"Le….vy!" he breathed out tiredly, reaching the white haired girls feet which he grabbed a hold of, pulling her up and onto the ground where he flopped down beside her, both there gasps coming out in heavy pants.
"We…..we did it". She closed her eyes, calming her heart down.
"Yeah….." he mumbled staring up at the sky restlessly.
"Leonard…...W-why…...why did you save me?" she turned her head, now looking over at him.
She couldn't stop the massive beating in her chest when she saw the tiny smile on his lips, "You were my best friend from childhood, and still are, I'd do anything for you".
"Really?"
"Really".
A tiresome sigh escaped his lips, "It's a shame though, we didn't get those berries, looks like we'll need to keep searching".
"I wouldn't be so sure". She threw her arms up, revealing the two berries in her hands.
"Miracle berries". He breathed out, surprised by Levy's sudden capture, "But how?"
She winked, shooting him a playful grin, "I was able to grab them right before the plank gave in, now let's get these back to Rika and save our friends".
He picked her up, allowing the white haired girl to piggyback on him when they realized she had sprained her ankle from the tangling of the bridge, they headed back into the forest, "Hey Leonard…"
"Yeah?"
"Earlier you said you would never let go of me, what did you mean by that?"
He began to blush, something she wasn't able to see as he kept his head down, "I said that to make you trust me so I can get you on the bridge, don't interpret it into something else".
"I won't". She giggled, resting her head on his shoulder, oblivious to his now reddened face.
(Rosebella's POV/Blake)
*They're going to wipe out the current Kings and replace them with there own recruits…*
I couldn't describe this feeling, relief, happiness, or was it anger…...I didn't know how to feel, Mercy would no longer be the Rose queen, yet that meant someone else would take over, someone who wasn't me, I was somewhat happy to find out that someone would overturn the current roads, but how would that affect everyone?
I got chills, endless spine turning cringes that wouldn't leave, what was this hollow feeling in my chest, it kept growing, feeling more and more voidless, I placed my hand over my heart, not a beat to be found.
"Rose?"
I shook my head, pulling myself out of my thoughts as I turned to Blake, I sighed, Blake has been the only one who really has stuck to my side….he may be my rival, but he's willing to help me fight and truly wants to look out for me…..was I suddenly regretting my decision of manipulating him?
"Are you ok?"
I nodded, "Yeah….With you by my side I feel a bit more relieved".
The heat of his body was becoming greatly noticeable as it began transferring over to me through my embrace on him, he's really easy to fluster.
"I-it's like I said….I'm here with you, and I'll help you all the way".
Why did he have to have such a good heart, I really like him, but I love the Rose regalia more, If I had to give up everything for that title, I would do it. Mom and Dad might never understand, but when the world treats you like a fragile bud, you want to do whatever it takes to show them that you are not the weak little girl they thought you were, you want to sprout your petals and unleash your thorns.
"Blake…..What did you think of me when we first met?"
I couldn't help it, I wanted to know, did he see me the same way as the rest of the world, or did he see something else in me, why was it hard for everyone to see the power and strength in me, beauty is what they think of, but I'm much more, I want them to see me as more than just a princess or "spoiled" brat".
His eyes were hard to read, but the smile that he gave me was enough to make my heart skip, why?
"Hm…...Well, when I first saw you, I thought you were a spoiled, narcissistic, bratty princess…" that totally wasn't what I expected.
He chuckled, why was he chuckling?
"...But I was wrong, I judged you mainly on your looks, and I was quick to make accusations…..but as I got closer, I also managed to discover the real you, a narcissistic princess with a good soul, she knew what was right in her heart and had this fire in her eyes like no other, I knew immediately you weren't like other girls, there was something special about you".
"R-really?" My face felt on fire, I couldn't see it, but I knew right away that my cheeks were flaring in pink, how was he able to get me like this with just that calming tone of voice and words, did he mean it, or was this just a lie to comfort me.
"I mean it, you're special Rosebella, nobody can deny that".
(Cont/ Third Person POV)
There was a small moment of silence right after, their eyes gazing and meeting each other before quickly looking away, she timidly fiddled with her fingers as he whistled and rubbed his neck anxiously.
"Oh!" he quickly took notice that they had ended up in a dark path through the forest, a somewhat cloudy mist overshadowing between and around the trees, nearly shortening their visibility.
"W-where are we?" muttered the blonde, gazing around and then jumping as a Noctowl flew by.
"Ugh!" she stumbled back onto Blake who caught her, now holding firmly onto Rose.
"I don't know…...It could be the inner depths of the forest, maybe a forbidden area?"
"F-forbidden?" her head whipped over to the cawing of a flock of Murkrows.
"This could be a good thing, Revival Herbs are very rare, so we might have a good chance at finding one in a secluded area like this".
She made sure to hold onto him, following the boy every step of the way, "I-I guess you're right".
"Now If I were a rare herb…..where would I be….hmm…."
*Rose Queen*
"Huh?" she blinked twice, then rubbed her eyes and ears to make sure she imagined that voice.
*Rosebella, the Rose Queen, the guardian to all grass pokemon*
"Did you hear that?" she asked, clinging tighter onto Blake whose arm was now suffocating.
"Hear what". He questioned with a quirked brow.
She waved it off, "It's nothing".
"Let's keep looking". They continued further into the trail, Blake however was the only one focused.
*You put a mask for the world, but I know the real you, Rosebella*
"You do?" she whispered.
Everything around her had disappeared, she was surrounded purely by darkness, "Blake?!" he was gone as well, all that stood was her, nothing else in sight.
A pair of red eyes appeared in front of her, while a black shadowed hand reached out towards her, A small white mist rose out from it's palm, swirling rapidly in the air in front of her, producing a clear image of her own mother and father.
"Yes, the daughter of the very first Flame king and Rose queen, you were destined to follow in your mother's footsteps, but they refused to allow it and kept you away from your destiny, and because of that, your course of life was forever changed".
Her eyes widened in glee when she saw herself with a crown, having the rose regalia on her arm, but the image quickly dispersed, showing Mercy in the same scenario, "The title that was born for your very existence now belongs to the one called Mercy".
"My cousin…" she whispered, a dark and hateful look protruding from her eyes.
"Come with me Rosebella….….I can give you what you've always wanted, the title of Rose queen, I will restore your true destiny".
"Can….can you really do that?"
"Of course, I can help you take back what rightfully belongs to you, the grass roads needs it's true queen Rosebella, how much longer will you keep it waiting?"
It held it's hand towards her, she was still hesitant, but with many dark emotions running high in her mind, the choice was made instantly, she gave her hand forward, "I'm ready to claim my rightful place as the Rose queen".
"Don't do it Rosebella! It's a trap!" she stopped, snapping her head back and forth and all around, alarmed by Blake's voice, but he was nowhere to be found.
"Blake?! Where are you?!"
"Don't do it Rosebella! It's a trap! All of it!"
"I'm sorry Blake, but this Is everything I've ever wanted, and nobody is going to stop me from getting it, not even you". She took one step.
His fists had balled up, "No…..I'm sorry Rosebella". She felt a tight firm grip on her hand and was pulled back, feeling something soft on her lips.
"Mn". There eyes were both closed, but hers quickly shot open with a velvety kiss being shared between the two, It felt electrifying, uncontrollable sparks surged all throughout their bodies.
"Hmm…." the figure slowly faded away, revealing itself to be a trevenant in disguise, deciding to leave just the two of them alone, slowly parting from their kiss.
She gasped out, "Auuugh!"
Everything was right back in place, she wasn't surrounded by darkness, there were trees, that same mysterious fog, and the same creepy flying types from before.
A sigh escaped his lips, "I'm so glad you're ok". He brought her tightly into his arms.
"B-blake? What's going on?"
She was still In his arms, staying In place as he sighed again, "I thought you were a goner, one minute you're by my side and then the next you're walking away, being lured In by a Trevenant who placed you under hypnosis, I almost lost you".
"A Trevenant?"
He nodded, "You were only seconds away from falling into comatose state, If you would've given in to your darkest desires then Trevenant would have taken your soul".
"My…...my darkest desires…...It can't be…"
"We have to get out of here". He took her hand, dragging Rosebella only to stop when she refused to move.
"We can't, we still haven't found the Revival Herb".
"You mean this?" he held his palm out, revealing the plant in his possession.
"H-how did yo-".
"When I found you being controlled by that Trevenant, I saw that it had Revival Herbs growing on it and snatched one while it was focused on you, lucky us, huh". He smirked, dragging the blonde off who let herself this time, taking a final glance at the forest, a pair of red eyes staring back at her.
(Ari/Mark)
He leaned back against the desk, watching silently at how Mark kept his focus on the work he was doing to their pokeballs.
"So you're a genius?" asked Ari, stunned at how quickly Mark was using each tool.
"That's what the world seems to see me as, I however, just see myself as a boy with a much more knowledgeable mind set".
Something popped into his head, yet he hesitated whether he should ask it or not, "Do you…..do you believe in other dimensions?"
His eyes quickly noted how Mark had stopped, now placing his tools down as he turned his head towards Ari, "What do you know?"
He shook his head, "Nothing, I just wanted to know if you did or didn't".
A sketched out expression appeared on Mark, yet he brushed it off with his answer, "I do actually, I believe there are other worlds out there, they may not be like ours that's for sure, but they're out there".
"Do you think there's a way to travel into these other worlds?"
He was becoming more and more suspicious of Ari who didn't seem the least worried, "I know for a fact that there are ways to cross into other worlds".
"What ways would those be?"
A sigh came out, he turned his chair over to Ari, giving him a firm stare, "Look, I don't know what you're planning, but I'm letting you know now, messing with the boundaries between worlds can get ugly, this is our home, you, I, or anybody has no business to be crossing worlds".
"But there Is a way…." he muttered, straining away from his conversation with Mark.
"Why are you so interested?" he asked, sharpening his eyes onto Ari who stared back down at him, not intimidated by the glare.
"Because my best friend is lost In the distortion world, It's been over a year now…...and I promised I would never give up, I swore to him, and to myself, that I would find a way to get to him".
"The distortion world…..incredible, how could such a thing happen?"
"Long story short, I had a bit of a run in with the dark ruler himself, Giratina, things quickly turned ugly and I was on my way to being trapped in the distortion world forever, but he pushed me aside….."
He reached into his pocket, pulling out that same feather from which he had on his first day, "...and with that, he was taken, that was the last I saw of him".
Mark frowned, "I hate to be a downer…..but don't you think after a year, maybe he might be-".
"Don't, I know he's alive, I could feel it, he's out there, waiting for me to find him".
He felt pity towards Ari, seeing the sorrow in the older boy's eyes as he stared down at the feather, "Well…..It's not in my place to say this…...but there actually Is a way to reach Giratina's world".
"Really?" he lifted his head, giving Mark his full attention.
His nod confirmed it, "All you need are three kings".
"Three Kings? What does that mean?"
"Three kings will help you in your quest, the first will be the Sky King, they will be able to help you find your friend, for they have a connection to every flying type, the second will be the Fang King, with them, you can have control of Giratina's beastly side, and lastly would be the Shadow King, who will be the key to summoning Giratina himself by force, allowing you access to the distortion world".
"And with that, I'll be able to save him?"
"It's your best shot yet, what better way to rescue someone than by being assisted by three powerful beings".
(Meanwhile)
Luis kept staring at the clouds, enjoying the swift ride as he was lying down on his Flygon's back, embracing the fast winds, he turned his head over to the left where Valentine was riding with Michael on his Dragonite, "Hey Pinky! How much longer!"
She rolled her eyes at his name, "Stop calling me that! And you just asked that ten minutes ago, we're still not there so shut up!"
Celestial was silent, sitting sideways on her Salamence while facing down at the ocean in solitude only for Mercy to take notice, she had her Noivern move closer nearby where she jumped over onto her friend's pokemon, leaving behind Russell who was resting on her pokemon's back, she took a seat beside the dual haired girl, nudging her slightly by the shoulder, "Hey…..you ok?"
She shrugged, "I don't know….I'm angry…..but I'm also sad…..I want to punch something, but I also want to hug somebody, is that strange?"
"Sort of". She chuckled at Celestial's frown.
"Kidding….actually, It's normal what you're feeling, you're confused, you don't know what to feel after seeing Luciana being taken away, and for someone who never likes to show emotion such as yourself, it's perfectly fine to be like this".
She sighed softly, "I want to believe that she'll be ok…...but we're dealing with a much bigger enemy this time…..they're not like the past groups we took down….I hate to say it…..but I'm scared Mercy…...I'm scared to death that something might happen to my sister".
Her smile was used to comfort Celeste, bringing her In for a warm embrace, "It's ok….we're going to find Luciana and teach those Templar moron's a lesson, I promise".
"Thank you Mercy….really…..If It wasn't for you, I'd be lost by now".
"Whoa! Hey! Stop!" everybody looked over to both Troy and Michael's Dragonites who began exchanging tension filled glares, a rivalry seemingly being born.
"Stop Dragonite!" He managed to get his pokemon to calm down, being confused by Celebrant's stifled laugh.
"That's a rough dragonite you have, has It always been like this?"
Troy rubbed his head sheepishly, "Yeah, he's always been a hothead, even before my brother caught him".
"Your brother?" asked Celebrant in question.
"Yeah….this Dragonite…...It belonged to my brother who passed away two years ago, he left him in my care, It's the only thing that really makes me believe my brother Is close by, watching over me".
Celestial's eyes widened, "He couldn't….could he?"
Dragonite's eyes shifted over, catching a glimpse of Celestial who was looking at It's direction, he immediately recognized her, yet she quickly avoided his stare and turned back.
"Celeste? What's wrong?" Asked Mercy, snapping the dual haired girl out of her thought's.
She shook her head, "N-nothing".
He was pulled away from his depressed manner, looking back at Celebrant who had a smile, "I'd be honored If after all this, you and I could have a battle".
"Seriously?" his eyes shot open in surprise.
Celebrant chuckled, "Yeah".
Both girls were approached by Yun who had been sitting at the very end of Salamence's back, "Hey, mind If I talk with Celeste, alone?"
The bluenette had no intention of moving, but was nudged by Celestial to do so, "Fine".
She invaded his private space, getting close to his face with a slight hiss, "Don't try anything or I'll be coming for you, got that?"
"Couldn't be clearer". He deadpanned.
They both waited until Mercy got back on her Noivern, resuming her caretaking of Russell as Yun sat next to Celestial.
There was a moment of silence which was quickly broken by the Frontier leader, "I know what happened between you and the professor…..Is It true, you fell in love with him?"
She faced up at the sky, "I did…..but the feelings I once had have faded over time".
He looked up with her as well, "What about the feelings you had for me? Are they still there?"
A chuckle had stiffened from her mouth, "I stopped feeling love a long time ago, my heart doesn't deserve so much pain".
"Is that really what you believe?"
"It is, you of all people should know, you turned me like this, It's because of you that I chose to be loveless, I just hope the people around you realize soon what type of person you are, before it's too late".
He grabbed the tip of her fingers, stopping her quickly on track, "Celestial…."
"...My feelings are still here…...they always have been".
She pulled her hand back, glaring down at him before leaving to join Mercy, "Nice try".
He clicked his tongue, facing his reflection down on the water with a smirk, "You'll break her soon".
"Victoria….." she had her full attention up front, focusing on how she would take down the enemies to save Luciana and Charlotte.
"Victoria!" she blinked, turning slowly over to Michael who caught up with her, matching her Skarmory's speed.
"What do you want Michael". She sighed.
"Are you ok? You've been out of It since we left".
She shook her head, "They took Eric, statufied Charlotte, and took the school's champion, most of all, they wrecked our school, I'm past ok, I want justice".
"And you'll get it, but don't let this get to your head, when you lose yourself in revenge you become a monster, remember that".
"I know I'm a monster, and I'm going to make sure these bastards fear me, I'll leave them so broken they won't be able to escape me, even through there dreams".
"She scares me". Muttered Valentine, hoping Victoria didn't hear her.
A tiny grin formed on him when he saw the terror on the pink haired girl's eyes, finding it amusing and somewhat cute, "Don't be, sure, Victoria can be scary and have murderous eyes, but she knows what's right and wrong, she's a good kid".
(Mika/Albert)
There was silence, all he could hear was the sound of the ocean waves, So…...what's the story with you and the Shield Frontier?" he asked, knowing truly what happened but hoping Mika would include more information.
She didn't bother to face him, but rather instead kept looking up ahead, a glare still settled on her face as she kept remembering all of the events that happened with her and Eric, "It's a long story".
He crossed his arms, "Judging by our trip to Sinnoh, I think we have time".
A sigh was heard, "Eric and I were childhood friends, we didn't exactly meet on normal terms…...but nevertheless, It was fate….and we became the best of friends".
"But….." he started, knowing it wasn't going to end there.
"Some things just can't be easily forgotten…"
"What do you mean?"
"Eric and I planned to run away together…...but my father bought him into captivity, using him as a live subject to his cruel underground experiments….I did everything I could to get him freed…..but doing so costed me our friendship…..I know words would never fix and bring back all that time he lost while being kept away…...but If I could, I would rewrite time just to save him from all the torture he endured…..he says he has forgiven me…..but deep down…...I know he resents me…...and I don't blame him".
"But you never did anything, It was all your dad".
"It's because of me that he was brought into this….If it wasn't for me then none of this would have happened, I would have never met him, and my father would have never purposely bought him out…..everything was a trick from my dad…...from the very beginning".
"Maybe he really has forgiven you, and you're the one who refuses to believe it".
"What". She gave him that look, the look as if he was crazy.
"What If Eric really has forgiven you, what If he's ready to move on and start something new, but you're the one holding onto the past, your emotions are letting you believe that no one could show forgiveness because of where you come from, a father who tricks and manipulates…...you're not letting yourself believe in the good within humans, trust, forgiveness, love".
She scoffed at his answer, "What do you know about me, what do you know about Eric, you weren't there to see everything with your own eyes, so don't just assume things on your own".
Irritation came into play, but at the same time he knew he was right and she was in denial, "It's true…..I wasn't there to see it…..but I know the emotions running through a person's eyes when I see them, and when Eric looks at you, It's something far from hate, In fact, It's the opposite".
She didn't seem to catch on, now staring at Albert in confusion, he turned away, holding in his chuckle as he became instantly amused at Mika's sudden oblivity.
"You know…..I thought I recognized you, and now I know from where".
He immediately tensed up, not knowing whether she meant of his act of crime towards her, or from something else, "Is that so". He tried his best to remain calm.
"Yeah". She grabbed his shoulder, forcing Albert to face her directly, her eyes sharpening up quickly.
"You're that suspicious guy I met a couple years back, the one who tried battling Luciana but got shot down, I always knew there was something odd about you".
"Oh….yeah…...that's me". He couldn't sigh, not wanting to bring more suspicion into play, but rather instead just nodded with a smirk.
She leaned further in, closing the space between them as she continued furthering her glare, "Now that I think about It…...why are you helping me? No one in there right mind would take on a difficult task such as this, let alone If they knew nothing of what they were getting into…..unless….."
A sigh came out, "Ok….you caught me".
She grabbed his collar, pinching It tight In her palms, a hiss slowly coming out, "You better start talking before I throw you off into the ocean and leave you to swim back to Champion's".
"I guess I can't hide it anymore". He looked away, quickly turning back where he snaked his arm around her neck, pulling the dark haired girl into a kiss.
"..."
Awkwardness, she didn't know what to do, her eyes were wide awake, but her body felt numb all over, the shock and surprise had hit her like a blizzard, "Heh". he laughed in between the kiss, slowly parting himself away, sultrily staring at Mika while wiping his lip with his thumb.
"It's because I like you".
She was red all over, trembling uncontrollably as she scooted away from him, a hand over her mouth which she quickly removed, "You bastaaaaaarrddd!"
(Sinnoh)
*Gasp*
He could hear the sound of his own teeth gritting, not caring whether they would break from the strong pressure he was inflicting on himself, "Charlotte…"
Her solid figure was set up against the opposite side of the room, alongside similar others who fell into the same trap.
"Quiet!" a group of men in white coats had huddled around each other, discussing quietly amongst themselves while they ignored the pleading cries of their prisoners.
"Psst…" he looked around, seeing the other captives in tears, he heard the sound once more, looking over to see Harvey bound to the wall not too far from him.
"How's your head?"
"What?"
He rolled his eyes, "Your head, you got kicked pretty hard earlier, how are you feeling?"
His finger struggled to adjust towards pointing to his head, showing the blue and black mark now darkening on the spot where he was hit, "It's still throbbing, but I have my mind focused on other things right now, like how the hell to get out of here and save everyone".
"By the looks of It, these guys have something big In store for us".
"Bring her In!"
The doors had slammed open, grabbing everyone's attention over to the steel platform being wheeled in, a figure peacefully resting over it.
Eric's eyes widened, "Lucianaaaa!"
"Quiet!"
One of the men had pointed to a large machine rising up from the ground, centering itself in the middle of the room, a steel throne was positioned in it with dozens of cables hanging over it.
"Hook her".
She was lifted off the platform and seated onto the throne where she was imprisoned within a large metal sphere, having each and every cable strapped to her back as a metal face piece was enclosed on her, covering everything from the nose down.
"Luciana! Wake up! Please!"
"I said shut up!"
"No! Not until you tell me what you're doing to her!"
"That's for you to find out!" there laughs made him cringe, unable to watch how Luciana wasn't reacting to the cables piercing her.
Harvey remained silently disturbed, horrified by the mysterious markings lighting up beneath Luciana's skin, reminding him of a computer encryption you would see on screen, except this time, they were on her.
They could hear her whispers roaming around the room, haunting them endlessly, *Kings and queens, kings and queens, kings and queens*
*Awaken the tower, awaken the tower, awaken the tower*
The men were fascinated by the sight, her entire body was covered with encryptions, the way her eyes lit up with a white glow, and how she quickly took control of her position, "It's beautiful".
"And the Storm King Isssss…..Me"! they were interrupted by Ryder who had stormed in carelessly, having his metagross carry both Dakota and Iria on it's back.
He snapped his fingers over to them, "Two kings, at your disposal".
"Excellent work my king".
A smirk formed on his lips when the two girls were taken away, now being cuffed against the walls, "I know, It's a shame to see them go, especially my baby sis, but you only get to be king once, no way am I missing on that".
"Magnificent, we have four kings in our position now".
"Six". Intervened Ramona, strolling in with her Venusaur who was carrying both Zero and Keilani up with It's vines.
"You've done excellent Ramona, you were able to bring us Luciana, but most of all two other kings, truly impressive ". She smirked over to Ryder, enjoying seeing the victorious look on his face wash away.
They were both strapped to the wall, regaining there conscious back slowly, "Mn…..W-what…..W-where am I…"
Eric tried breaking free from his chains, struggling back and forth as he screamed for the white haired male to wake up, "Zero! Wake up! Luciana's In trouble!"
"Now…." one of the men in white coats turned over to Eric, zapping him in the abdomen with an electric shocker baton.
"...We can do this the hard way….or the easy way, either you join us and help revive the tower, or be replaced with another King who will".
Harvey sighed, "I'd like the one that doesn't involve me doing evil activities and being killed".
*GASP*
Their heads turned over to Iria who had regained all consciousness back, immediately being frightened of her whereabouts as well as her position, "W-what is this! Ryder! Somebody! Help!"
Ryder chuckled, "Sorry Iria, but you should know better than to trust somebody who you haven't seen in years, let alone your older brother".
Tears welled up, his words had hit her like a spear, piercing right through her heart in uncontrollable agony, "Ry-ryder…."
"This guy Is your older brother?!" gaped Eric.
His smirk turned more malicious, "Can't you tell by how handsome and cute we are? Of course we're related".
"I-iria?" Dakota softly moved her head towards the distraught female, seeing the tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Dakota! A-are you ok?!
"Yeah…...I think so…." she flinched, feeling a deep aching pain within her head.
"Enough! Everyone quiet!" things got silent, the group of men huddled once more, turning back around to face every direction of the room.
"Now….I've given you all your choices…..what will it be?"
They were startled by Luciana's scream, "Gyahhhh!"
"Neither!" a deadly blast of fire shot through the metal walls, leaving a gaping hole in place with current melted steel dripping all around.
"Hector!" shouted Eric, relieved when he saw the Elite storming in with his Charizard.
"W-what the! Who are you?!"
"The guy who's going to leave you all in ashes!" he struck his arm forward, ordering Charizard to fire another flamethrower, this time being different however, both of them were outlined in a red aura, increasingly flaming out to heat the atmosphere.
His Charizard could hear his voice in his head, *We're in synch Charizard! My energy and strength belongs to you, now show them what you're made of!*
"CHARRRR!" it's roar had caused the entire area to erupt and shake out of balance.
"Argh! My ears!" they all went in for cover, flinching at the destructive ear damaging cry.
"Incredible! So this is the power of the Flame King!" Mira exclaimed, holding both hands over her ears as she stood protectively behind the Elite.
"Hector!" Iria cried, relieved and happy to see him.
"Iria!" he took off towards her direction only to be thrown back by a stone pillar that shot up from below.
"It's you again". Smirked Ryder, unaffected by the damage visibly displayed in front of him.
His fists had tightened, glowing a bright red, "How could you! Iria trusted you! And this is what you do?! I should burn you where you stand!"
"See if you can". He chuckled.
"Go!" he shouted, commanding his pokemon to fire another deadly flamethrower attack towards Ryder.
"Hmph". He swiped his arm aside, not changing a single expression as two large boulders rose up from a mysterious portal that had formed beneath.
"Golem!" they spun around, revealing themselves to be the summoned figures, they took on Charizard's attack, immediately shooting through it as they curled up in formation, striking forth into the fire type who was viciously trampled and dragged across the floor.
"You and I are on completely different levels, didn't they ever teach you that the flame road is completely weak to the Gem and Rumble guardians? I can destroy you, and claim this road as my own".
"I'd die before that ever happens".
"Very well".
The snap of his fingers echoed hollowly through the air, another figure rose up from the portal, this time being a figure which easily came to intimidate Hector, "Gigalith"!
She watched the two, feeling the spark of a deadly rivalry emerge, one calm, one angry, "Hector! Noooo!"
"There!" pointed Mercy, directing everyone's eyes to a large spherical shaped building standing on a small island away from land.
"Yeah, because a round shaped building like that isn't evil at all". Michael rolled his eyes.
"It's time". Celestial pulled her blazer off, rolling her sleeve up as she shot her arm up towards the sky, revealing a shiny silver regalia strapped to her arm.
Yun seemed surprised, "She wouldn't".
Mercy nodded, "She would…."
*King and Queens awaken, King and Queens awaken…..Tempest Road activate, Neo King awaken*
Alright so there you guys have it, sorry for the long wait but I've been pretty busy and I had to take some time to myself because my mom got into a car accident a few days ago and I've been with her through her recovery, but yeah, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I look forward to posting the next one very soon, don't forget to review and let me know what you thought about the chapter, until then!