Note: Hey guys! I'm back with another chapter! Sorry if I'm late, I was just REALLY busy if you'll excuse me. Either way, I don't wanna spoil what'll happen in this chapter but everything will be made clear to you if you take one good look at the title of this chappie. Either way, enjoy!

Rose's POV:

"So... That's her while story?" Sandra asked as she spoke with Claire. Celsus actively listening as he floated behind them.

I pretended not to hear their conversation as they followed me from behind.

"Yeah..." Claire responded.

"Wow," Celsus muttered, "that's tough..."

"If you guys are done talking, remember that we're supposed to be moving!" I growled, bursting their conversation.

They all continued to follow me in our hike, we had just left the sandy terrain of the desert and we were back to the more familiar terrain of lush grass from the forest. Seeing that it was getting dark, I permitted everyone to stop for a rest.

"Yeah..." I started my speech, "I guess this clearing is safe enough for us to settle down on for now..."

"Really?" Claire gently asked, "Great, I'm really tired now..."

"Who cares about safe, Rose... If anyone just dares to barge in here and attack Sandra, I'll send them running!" Celsus proudly scoffed, giving a flirtatious wink towards Sandra.

Sandra just blushed.

"Oh... you..." she giggled.

I rolled my eyes.

"I suggest you all stop wasting time now and go to sleep, we're going to leave early tomorrow, and I'm tempted to leave anyone sleeping behind!" I commanded, adding an annoyed tone in my voice.

I looked down and saw that no one was listening to me. Claire was busy giggling at Celsus and Sandra as they constantly flirted with each other.

"Er-hem!" I coughed up, rather loudly.

Only Claire seemed to have heard so... And I don't think she even received the message I had intended to send.

"Oh, Rose," she kindly spoke, "Do you need water? That cough didn't sound very healthy."

I slapped my palm towards my face. As my group of clowns grew, so do my problems.

"ATTENTION!" I yelled with the loudest voice I could muster, no longer bothering about the fact that we could be heard from afar, therefore throwing away the stealth we were practically trying so hard to keep up.

Everyone stopped what he or she was doing. Claire just stood there, Sandra stopped nudging playfully at Celsus, while Celsus was frozen atop Sandra.

"If you would all please go to sleep now because tomorrow we are leaving early again!" I angrily breathed out.

There was murmuring among them before they all bowed in apology.

"Good night then, Rose," Claire rang out as she dropped down to a pile of leaves to sleep.

In a few minutes, everything else was silent. Claire had fallen asleep on a pile of leaves while Celsus gently snored on top of Sandra. Sandra blanketed him with her wings as she slept. I found myself silently grinning at the cute sight of them sleeping silently together. I quickly brushed it off though.

Blech! I scolded myself, What am I thinking? I'm supposed to be the brains behind this group. I'm supposed to be serious to the bone!

Seeing that everyone else was asleep, I couldn't help but show a small smile.

"Good night," I whispered to them as I fell asleep.

"Huh... I guess I did find the incident yesterday entertaining," the masculine voice echoed.

"Really? I thought you were more of the serious type rather than the romantic type," the feminine voice teased.

"Err... N-not really," her companion stuttered.

"Whatever, anyway... Back to our topic... I never really foresaw or noticed this before, but the addition of the Masquerain and Flygon was by no mere coincidence," the feminine voice seriously declared.

"Really? More heroes?" her companion asked.

"No, I highly doubt it. The energy they give off are more fainter than the energy Rose and... he give off..." the feminine voice declaratively stated.

"Hmm... They do seem to be a nice addition to our little hero's team, considering that they're a cute couple and all... Particularly that Flygon... She seems to remind me of you," her companion mused.

"W-what did you say?" the feminine voice seemed to nervously say so.

"Err... nothing... I don't mean it in a romantic... sort of way," her companion stuttered, embarrassed.

"If you say so then," the feminine voice, still shaken up, replied before fading away.

There was a short silence. I thought that they had finally both left.

"Why are you making it so hard for me to tell you," the masculine voice sighed before fading.

I opened my eyes after having my sleep invaded by those dreams again. I was beginning to get ticked off already. Must be a freaking Psychic-type out there to get me.

"Rose? You're awake?" a voice called out.

I turned around. It was still dark and everyone was sleeping. Once my eyesight had adjusted to the darkness, I was able to see Sandra's lone figure standing in the midst of the darkness.

"Oh, Sandra... Yeah... Some dreams were disturbing me," I casually replied.

"Oh, I see... At least they're just dreams... Right?" Sandra softly returned in her meek and shy voice.

"I doubt it. It has been hunting me for days now. It also seems to have some sort of mystical feel to it, yet I also feel disturbed by it at the same time..." I explained.

"Care to tell me about it?" she shyly asked, bowing her head.

"Hmm... Sorry, I can't... It's kinda personal," I replied after realizing that one would think that I'm crazy if they knew about my dream.

"Okay then," she answered, before suddenly giggling, "Or... is it about Blade?"

"Why would I think about him?" I casually asked back, not really aware of what she was implying.

"Oh, you know... I thought that after hearing about your previous battle with him, you ended up kissing him and all... Teehee, maybe you could have some feelings for him," Sandra smiled femininely.

My face reddened at the thought. Like him? Bah! He played with my feelings! That was my job! I am so gonna pay him back through vengeance! I felt nothing for that creep... maybe...

"Heck no!" I corrected, aware of my involuntary blushing, "I may have kissed him, but... I don't feel anything for him. In fact, I h-hate him!"

"Well, they say the more you hate the more you love!" Sandra giggled in glee.

"How so?" I spat.

"Well, I do remember hating Celsus," she blushed as she began, "I mean, c'mon... He's a jerk! But well, I guess that's kinda what makes him Celsus... He's probably acting like a jerk because he likes me, which I happen to find sweet of him. So I guess he's my jerk now..."

I pondered about what Sandra had said. Blade did seem to do some favors for me, despite me being his common enemy. Maybe part of him actually... No! I refuse to believe such nonsense!

"Well, I'm just not someone who would be the apple of anyone's eyes, see," I explained, "That's probably why I'm not a romantically interested kind of girl..."

Sandra just smiled, "Don't worry, love will find its way to you soon, as I can see you really need it in your life, I'm gonna go back to sleep then."

I looked around and noticed that it was still dawn, no wonder Sandra was the only one awake when I had awoken from my dream. I guess I could still sneak in a few extra z's, too.

"Okay then, I also feel like sleeping too," I softly replied, catching her wink before she went back to sleeping, cuddling Celsus beside her as she lay down.

Hmm... They both looked so happy... Why can't I ever get happy... Was love what I needed? Hmm... Maybe I'll think about it... After this short nap.

I yawned, and pretty much drifted back to a comfortable sleep.

The rest of my sleep remained free from the two voices. Everything was just peaceful. Slowly, I allowed my private fantasy of the silhouette to re-enter my mind.

I remembered what Jirachi had said, the silhouette was my hidden desire. It made me feel less alone. I remembered when it had hugged me back when I was dreaming during I was in Blade's captivity, I felt warmth there. I wasn't alone!

He appeared in my dreams again, and I can't help but smile. I allowed him to hug me once more. I embraced him, crying again for some reason. He had such an appeasing aura around him that told me to let go of all my emotions. Tears dropped down, draining away the pent up negative emotions in my heart. It felt good to be in his arms.

I looked up to his face and gasped. Part of the shadowy figure had brightened. The silhouette... was a Gallade?

I opened my eyes in shock and began to breathe heavily. What was that?

"You okay, Rose?" Claire gently soothed me, "You look like you've seen a ghost..."

"Err... Yes, I'm perfectly fine!" I lied.

Everyone else was up and about already. Sandra looked in my direction and winked as she continued giggling at Celsus, who was probably flirting with her. Claire was busy packing her stuff.

"All right, let's move!" I ordered, making them all nod in agreement.

We all readily marched down the forest path, not aware of the fate that I would face there. Everyone else allowed me to lead as I was the group leader. Of course, with great power comes a more perishable downfall.

I was about to tell them to stop gossiping about me when I felt something coil around my right leg and lift me up, holding me upside down from a tree. It turned out to be a trap constructed purely from ropes.

"Agh!" I screamed, everyone else began to stare at me hanging from the tree.

"Don't just stare at me! Get me down!" I angrily yelled as they continued to stare.

Claire opened her mouth to speak, but closed it before saying a word. She began to look down blushing and continued to shyly play with her fingers.

"Err... Rose?" Celsus spoke up, albeit blushing while he did so, "Your gown is... well, err-"

"Oh shut up!" I angrily snapped at him, blushing red after being aware of what he was talking about.

"Halt!" a familiar voice rang out from the bushes, "Do not try to aid the outlaw!"

Claire froze in her attempt to get me down... No, not the ice kind of freeze, I mean, she IS an Ice-type... I meant that she stopped moving upon hearing the voice,

"So, we meet again, eh?" he smiled, but frowned upon seeing what kind of a position I was in from hanging upside down from a tree, "Hmm... I guess that you lost some of your gracefulness compared to the last time we met."

I ignored his comment about the fact that my gown was hanging upwards due to me being upside down. Instead, I put away my embarrassment and allowed anger to come out to full extent.

"Blade," I cursed.

Everyone else was now looking at the both of us. They didn't say anything but they just stared at Blade.

Blade suddenly turned towards them.

"For aiding an outlaw, you are all going to be arrested!" Blade strictly said.

"What? No way!" Celsus shot back.

Blade cut the rope down with his arm, causing me to fall to the ground face first. I glared at Blade, I finally met him again. I didn't know why, but as much as I wanted to avoid him, I wanted to meet him that day. Must be my craving for vengeance!

"Please, you gotta make an exception! I mean, Sandra didn't do anything, at least free her," Celsus reasoned out.

Blade didn't say anything, instead, he got into a battle stance, ready to take us all on.

"Blade," I called.

"Yes?" he replied, still holding his arms up as if they were swords.

"Leave my companions alone, they have done nothing wrong! I'll give myself up to you," I answered firmly.

"WHAT?" Claire suddenly busted upon hearing me say so, "Rose! No, please don't! You're my only friend and I-"

"Blade, I promise I'll come quietly... My only request is that you leave my friends alone and... I want a rematch! You and me, one on one. I promise I'll come quietly regardless of victory or defeat!" I defiantly stood up, putting on my game face.

Blade's face changed to a smile, not a taunting one but rather one that seemed to congratulate me.

"You've changed, Rose..." Blade smiled, "But I must do my job. I'll win this one last fight with you! Hit me with everything you've learned! I want to see just how much you've changed!"

He immediately charged forward with a Night Slash, however, I dodged it, expecting him to attack immediately after speaking.

I struck back with Thunderbolt after sidestepping from his attack. My friends began to cheer! I just couldn't lose.

"Hmm," he smiled, "you've really gotten better now! But that is not enough."

He then proceeded to Psycho Cut the ground, causing rocks and soil to erupt forward, pelting at me. I closed my eyes to shield from the rock and dust. When I opened them, Blade was gone.

I suddenly felt a Night Slash hit me from my back!

"Agh!" I screamed in pain.

"As you have improved, so have I! I have reforged the blade that was dulled in our previous fight," he mouthed as he landed in front of me after dashing upwards to attack me.

I gritted my teeth... All or nothing, I'm risking it all!

"Eat this!" I growled as I launched Attract.

"Ahh... You disappoint me... I thought you've learned," Blade proudly replied as he used Protect to break through Attract.

I glared back at him. No way am I gonna let him gloat.

I immediately prepared Attract again, moving forward to press him backwards.

"Try as you might, it won't work!" he replied as he used Protect once more.

I smiled, I knew it wouldn't work, but that was what I was after.

I began to use Attract a third time. Blade simply tried to use Protect but the move had failed. The protective orb around him just flickered and died.

"Protect loses its rate of succession if you excessively use it!" I grinned as I did a last minute switch from Attract to Thunderbolt.

He fell to the ground. I smiled. I knew I had won! I walked forward to his fainted body.

"Looks like I win!" I gloated.

He didn't move. His arm just shot up at me with a Night Slash attack.

"Wrong. I win, never underestimate your opponent," Blade mumbled as he was still face down.

Things all began to fade to black.

I had lost...

Again...

Note: Poor Rose, held captive again... Oh well, thanks for reading guys. I have two announcements to make though. First, is that I am planning my next fic... Although I'm not sure which one I should do so as I have two choices. If any of you are interested, please do head over to my profile page to vote on a poll there. Second, is that Darkrai and Cresselia will be very important for the next chappie, homage for two certain cards I have finally attained. Now, that is all. I hope to update earlier next time! As always, leave a review! It helps so much! Seeya guys then~