Note: Huff... This chappie was inexplicably tough to write... But I still got it done... So... I don't have much to say other than the fact that I'm planning to work on a Medea drawing... I hope this chappie was worth my efforts...
Blade's POV:
"Why the heck am I even doing this for you?" Ace snorted, complaining to Ruse.
"Because I'm tired of walking, now buckle up!" Ruse carelessly replied.
"I say I don't wanna," Ace grumbled as he sat down, forcing Ruse to slide down his feathery back, "Besides, our weight is pushing down on my back... I swear, have you heard of taking a diet?"
"Why... you..." Ruse suddenly snapped, her face shaded a bright red, "I swear I'll make you eat those words!"
"I guess some things just never change," Violet sighed as she floated beside me.
"Don't you find that kind of life irritating?" I cracked a smile at her.
"Yeah, but..." Violet smiled as she edged closer, "I vowed to serve Ruse... She may not look like it, but she's a really good and caring friend."
"Caring, huh?" I smiled, "So... She does have a soft side?"
"Hmm... I guess so, but I doubt that she acknowledges it... All her life she was called a nobody, so I guess that must've stung," Violet explained, "By the way, do you think Rose reciprocates those feelings of yours?"
"What the... Feelings?" I glowed red, scratching the back of my head, "O-of course, she thinks that I'm a good friend just like the way I think she is..."
"Oh... But aren't you aiming for something other than friendship?" Violet smiled, "I mean, are you contented at just getting friendship? Don't you want... something more?"
"S-something more?" I stammered, uncomfortably fidgeting.
"Oh c'mon! You know it yourself, you seek something to complete you... Your heart yearns for her, doesn't it?" Violet asked in a concerned manner.
"Urck..." I coughed, "Maybe... Maybe not... I'm just... scared... Because... well, she's pretty hard to read... What if she... doesn't think the same?"
"Then, look on the bright side! Don't focus on those who seem out of your reach... Focus on those who'd gladly allow themselves to be grabbed by you," Violet winked, "I do know somebody here who adores you..."
"Huh?" I perked up, "S-someone... adores me?"
"Well, yeah..." Violet slowly blushed, "I hear she's actually honored to have the privilege of meeting you..."
I began to scratch my chin. Someone adores me? Someone here? Who could it be? Ruse wouldn't be honored of meeting me, yes... Medea... well... Let's just say I'm not her type... Violet... Nah, she wouldn't be stupid to make it sound so obvious...
"Hmm... Who could it be?" I returned.
"Err... You don't know?" Violet returned with a somewhat disappointed and frustrated look, "Well, you should find out for yourself."
With a shrug, I continued the hike as Ace and Ruse continued to battle each other with each step we took.
"All right! This... is the supposed site of Spacial Rift!" Medea humbly bowed, one of her legs bent to make it seem more courteous, "Allow me to explain the geography of this area. This is a barren mountainous region home to few... Spacial Rift is said to exist somewhere in the middle between here and a higher plane... It is, according to legends, a special place holding together both worlds in a state of equilibrium... Unfortunately, I do not know anything about entering Spacial Rift as we are in a really low plane... Unless you know the answer, I don't think your journey will continue."
"Did you get that, Blaze?" I started as I nudged at our supposed travel guide... Blaze, however, seemed to be busy staring at Medea in a paralyzed state.
I nudged his stomach.
"Yeow," he yelped, "What was that for... Oh... uh... right... What was Medea saying?"
I couldn't help but let out a faint chuckle as Blaze scratched his forehead in embarrassment.
"Y-yeah? Something about entering Spacial Rift?" Blaze continued, seemingly in a more aloof state.
We waited for him to suggest something, but no answer came... Until he broke the awkwardness by shuffling towards me.
"Uh... Blade?" he whispered, "I don't know anything about how to enter this Rift thing... But... Say, Medea's cute, don't you think? Do you think I can score?"
I slapped my palm to my forehead. Note to self, Blaze doesn't know where we're going... but I'll bet his brain is full of Medea now. I let out a sigh and told the others to scout the area for a sign or anything that might help us get in Spacial Rift.
"Wow... Your friend... He's just so persistent, is he?" Medea sighed, giving off a tired expression as she walked by me.
"Yeah, I guess so..." I gave her a small wink as I searched under a nearby rock, "I'll bet you clouded his mind or something..."
"Still," Medea continued as she began digging into the sand, "I actually find him better compared to Sirus..."
"He isn't really smart or anything... But I'm pretty sure his intentions are good..." I continued.
"I actually find that childishness of his quite cute," she giggled, "But has he always been like this?"
"Yeah... Hey," I stopped moving, "Guys... I think I found something... Blaze! Get Ruse and her two teammates..."
"Got it, Medea... Oh... Err... Blade," he returned, still in a dazed state.
I slowly uncovered what the rock was hiding... It seemed to be a half-buried platform with a sigil on it... Medea helped uncover it as she du through the sides.
"What did you..." Ruse snapped as she arrived, "Oh..."
I immediately walked up to the center of the sigil and knelt down. Brushing away the sand, a small groove was revealed. I began to explore the contents of my bag to see if I still had the Unown Key. Solemnly, I fished it out and placed it on the groove. All of a sudden, the whole sigil began to light up in a flashing green and pink light.
The air around us began to feel heavy, as if something was being torn around us. I opened my eyes to see the very area around me being torn until a small rotating portal was left in front of us, suspended in air.
"Could this be... Spacial Rift?" Medea shuddered, her voice shaking.
"I guess we must proceed then..." I raised my arm, "You're coming, aren't you... Medea?"
"Um... Well, I'll do whatever I can to help you then," Medea nodded, somehow bringing a silly grin to Blaze's face.
Nodding to each other, we all jumped inside the portal. Oddly, I began to feel lighter once I was inside. Spacial Rift was dark and cold. We appeared to be standing on several floating platforms. We were floating in the middle of nowhere though... It seemed like a long and endless drop when we looked down though.
"Well, let's get going then," I announced as I walked into one of the few sets of stairs leading down.
I soon found out, though... That these weren't ordinary stairs... As soon as I had stepped onto them, they disappeared, making me fall into the endless pit. Desperate, I grabbed hold of the edge of the platform. I looked up and saw one thing, though... The land was slowly eroding away... It was slowly fading into pink dust. It would only be a matter of seconds until-
"Quit moping and get back up!" Ruse snarled Ashe grabbed my hand and lifted me up.
I accidentally flew above her due to the somewhat distorted gravity and landed on top of her. Our lips accidentally met as I slammed down into her.
"Oops... Sorry," I muttered as I got back.
"Meh!" Ruse gave a smirk, "I don't mind... Besides, would Rose actually risk herself to save you?"
I opened my mouth to answer, "I-"
"Quit talking," Ruse snapped back, "Besides, we have to clear this floor before it erodes away... And by clearing it, I mean getting to the stairs before it disappears completely!"
The whole group quickly scrambled towards the stairs just before the whole platform was no more. Carefully, we descended down the limestone-like stairs and set foot on the hard floor of the next floor.
"Hmm... This one's pretty solid," Ace started, "The edges don't seem to be eroding."
"Keep your eyes open," I warned, "This place isn't exactly the safest, you know..."
"Well, I wouldn't mind..." Medea panted, "Besides, I don't sense anything living here... Maybe Violet can confirm this as she is a true Ghost-type?"
"Nope, I can't... Everything in this place is just odd... From sudden gravitational shifts to just... I dunno... this place is different," Violet shook her head.
We continued walking through the maze. I took the role of the leader and began to walk ahead of them all to lead them in my direction.
"So... Blade..." Ruse began, catching up to me and leaving behind the others, "Just a small question... Don't you think Rose... is too much for you?"
"What do you mean?" I returned, feeling the gravitational pull get stronger.
"Well, it's evident enough that you find her... someone special... But that also concerns me..." Ruse continued, "Don't you think that she's... well... out of your grasp?"
"What do you mean?" I continued.
"Well, think about it... Has there been a moment when she toyed with your emotions?" Ruse suggested.
I froze.
"I love you!" she told me.
"Wai- What?" I stopped my attack, dumbfounded, "R-really?"
"Nope," she smirked, throwing my Night Slash down with her Thief.
Secretly... I had wished that she could've said the truth... Just a bit, maybe... just a small bit... I wish she would tell me that... For real.
"... Yes..." I confirmed, "This is what I believed... She told me that she like me..."
"Really?" Ruse gasped, "But then... Why aren't you two together?"
"We were locked into battle... She told me that to throw me off... In the end, she dismissed it as a lie and proceeded to attack me," I explained, walking down into another set of stairs.
"Hmm... I knew it," Ruse put her hand on her chin, "She's toying with you... She's fully aware of your feelings, which is why she's using it to her full advantage..."
I opened my mouth,"Rose would never-"
"Would she?" Ruse returned, her eyes staring back into mine. For once, I could tell there was not a single ounce of malice in them, I was finding something else... could it be... concern?
"Would she? Are you a hundred percent sure?" Ruse continued, "Are you sure... that you aren't under the spell of Attract? Even those who are afflicted by Attract may have no knowledge of their own feelings..."
I remained silent. Rose... she was my friend, right?
"Rose... You've changed haven't you? You've changed!"
"Ehehe... Nope, you pathetic fool..."
The voices flashed through my mind. I knew she was better than that... But really, why would she join me in the first place to save the world? Wouldn't she be better off in a dying world? I know I persuaded her... but what if I haven't?
If I haven't... She would have left everything to die? Was she really this heartless? The possibilities are too much for me!
"Enough... I know what you're going through..." Ruse returned, looking around, "Take some time to think, I'm pretty sure that the true answer would show itself to you soon enough... I'm not even sure of myself... If trying to surpass someone like Rose is correct..."
"I don't think you need to surpass her," I smiled, "You are you! Don't be like her! Besides, she's not a thief anymore... Shouldn't you go choose your own path?"
"She's not a thief? I wish," Ruse continued, "Have you ever thought of what Rose would do once she's done with this save the world business?"
"Umm... No?" I honestly replied.
"I see..." Ruse then returned, "Besides... I've been talking with Rose... And that is what I want to talk to you about... Rose... Well, she plans... to get back to before... Slowly, subtly, she plans to use you... She plans to convert you to join her... She would start it off subtly, until you join her..."
"Wait... She said that?" I spun around to face Ruse.
"Yes... I didn't want you to know, for I thought it would be better that way," she slowly held my arm, "I thought that it would crush your heart..."
Rose... Do I really think you've changed?
Ruse slowly smiled as she held my arm firmly. I could faintly see a small pink ray enveloping me, and I immediately became suspicious... I turned to see Ruse, but I found her face... innocent? My mind began to feel sleepy... as if I had been hit with a tranquilizer or something.
"No!" I returned to her, planting a smile back on my face, "I don't have any feelings for Rose anyway... Besides, this is just a duty... Once I'm done, I'm done with her!"
Ruse smiled...
"Excellent," she snarled.
Somehow, I began to feel doubt in Ruse.
"What did you say?" I returned, feeling my sleepy mind waking.
"Erm... I meant," Ruse continued, her soft voice filling my ears with pleasure, "I just hope that you aren't hurt about finding out about Rose."
Somehow, everything began to make sense in my mind. Rose and I... we were never meant to be... It was silly of me to even think that... Me? With a thief? She simply stole my heart... Nothing has been affected, I'll have to rightfully take it back.
"Don't worry," I returned to Ruse,my mind somehow being dragged down, could it be that pink ray? Na...
"Don't worry," I smiled back at her, "She wasn't of any real importance to me anyway. Besides, you're actually a really nice Gardevoir... I mean, for all that concern."
"Score," she silently muttered, before cutting back to her usual seductive words, "Aww... How sweet of you..."
The rest of the trek through Spacial Rift was a blur to me, but I did remember one thing... Ruse talked with me all the way... I figured out from the talk that she was a pretty likable Gardevoir too... I mean, yeah... She was actually quite concerned for someone like me, who knew? I would normally be suspicious, but the sleepy state of my mind prevented me from thinking anything other than the fact that she looked... pretty... Attractive.
"Oi! Blade!" Blaze called out.
I shrugged back an annoyed glare, disturbed from my talk with Ruse.
"What?" I irritably spat.
"Whoah! Since when have you been like that... You've been leading us in circles..." he gravely explained, he suddenly turned to Ruse, who was embracing my arm, "You... You didn't do anything, did you?"
Ruse... Do anything? It's not possible... I've just never seen this side of her! I couldn't have Blaze accusing her of such stuff... Besides, she might revert back to her old ways if she was treated this harshly...
"No! She didn't do anything... Let's move on... It's my mistake..." I coughed.
"Blade? Are you alright?" Blaze asked me.
"I'm fine... Let's move!" I impatiently coughed back.
We continued to walk through Spacial Rift. There was something odd about Ruse, about how her words seemed to be filling me with bliss. Maybe... maybe she was an angel sent to cleanse me of Rose?
"That was very... kind of you, Blade..." she suddenly smiled, her eyes seemingly wet, "Nobody... has ever defended me like this... I-I"
"Aww... C'mon... I've never seen you like this..." the words randomly came out of me, "I never knew you could be so nice... and attractive..."
"Oh..." she smiled a seemingly innocent smile, "Blade... I know this is stupid... But... I needed to tell you this... I've lied to Rose and exposed her to you... for one reason... I... I care about you!I don't want to see someone like you... who would get destroyed by someone like her! Don't take your chances on her if you don't trust her, because... There's somebody close that you can make smile if you returned her feelings."
"Huh? Who?" I dazedly asked, my mind still in its sleepy state.
Ruse suddenly did something unexpected, she grabbed me and slipped both of us into a crevice in the maze that would render us unseen. Then, she quickly planted a soft kiss on me.
"Does that answer your question?" she smiled.
My mind was clearly melting, giving in to instinct... What could go wrong? She isn't really what she seems... She's actually better than Rose.
My will slowly being swept away, I smiled.
"I wish... That you would choose me over Rose... Because... This is how I feel about you," Ruse whispered into my ear, words full of bliss...
It felt hard for me to say no... Because she was standing in front of me... For some reason, I was simply stunned by her sudden change in attitude... I would normally be suspicious, but my mind seemed to be slower than usual... It made me feel that it's okay to trust her... It made me feel... comfortable...
"Don't worry, I never even considered Rose in the first place... Ruse..." I smiled, feeling my mind whispering positive comments, "I suppose if it's okay with you... I would return your feelings..."
For a split second, I swore that her smile turned into a malicious grin, but my mind seemed to be whispering stuff to me that made it hard to think anything wrong about her.
I was about to close my eyes, feeling my energy sapped away, until I heard a roar.
"Blade! I think I've found our destination!" Blaze urgently called.
I scampered hurriedly to Blaze. We were standing before a long set of stairs that floated to a higher platform.
"Could this be... Palkia?" Medea muttered.
Palkia? The thought snapped my mind open... Of course! That was my main purpose of coming here in the first place!
"I guess this is it," Blaze seriously stated as he faced towards the stairs.
Violet and Ace stared back at Ruse, who gave them a wink.
"Go then, Blade!" Ruse seductively whispered, "Go for it! Fight for your destiny."
Lifting my heavy mind, I carefully began to climb the steps.
Little did I know, that my battle with Palkia would prove to be harder, with Palkia not being my true opponent in battle.
Only too late did I discover, that my true opponent was someone else.
Note: Ruse is back in the game... Except that she plans to win against Rose by... playing foul? Blade's in deep trouble... Either way, how was the chappie? I hope I did well, for it was hard to think things through and envision what Blade would normally think in a logical way after being affected by Attract... Well, opinions people! Please leave a review! Every opinion counts... Seeya then~