~Ruby~

Wally had so simple put it to term that, he wanted me to go, but he didn't want to go. And I hated the fact that his rationality had made the decision for me. Wally was wholesome and good, there wasn't a single bad cell in his body, and I couldn't bring myself to dent that. He was right when he told me that I should make up with the people I left before, and I couldn't help but wonder if he was thinking about their feelings as much as his own. After all, he had felt the pain.

It still killed me though… to know that we had taken such a far step back in our friendship that he didn't want to come with me and be that silent force driving me forward to do what I knew I had to do. I felt like I was missing my right arm without him, and it pained me to know I had gotten that reliant in the first place.

Even so, I couldn't question him at all. It was his choice to stay in the hotel room while I put myself out into the camera filled paparazzi world that would engulf and consume me. He had every right to want nothing to do with those people. I didn't blame him, but I knew he was lying when he said it was because of his breathing.

If there was one thing in this world that Wally refused to let get in his way, it was his breathing. There was another reason. Fear, hurt, fatigue, whatever it was something made him not want to come with me. And I have to admit it hurt my feelings more than it should have. I left without a word, blaming it on not wanting Midnight to wake up from my voice. When in reality I was just butthurt.

Almost immediately as I faced the outside world, wearing my show attire complete with my hat—which was my image around here—I let Biz out of her pokeball. She herself was no preppy show pokemon, but she made one hell of a guard. Fans kept their distance when she barred her sharp teeth, and that was all I could ask for.

"Good girl." I let my gloved hand ruffle the tuffs of fur behind her ears. She snorted and narrowed her eyes deviously at me. Most faithful pokemon I knew, and yet she was an absolute menace to anyone else. She let out a low rumble in the back of her throat, accepting my praise with dignity.

"I think I might have to keep you out in the studio too." I said to her, which made her ears turn up in surprise. "The people in there might not be too happy…"

She lashed her tail as if to say "they wouldn't dare". I smirked in response, ignoring the distant calls of my name and trying not to flinch.

When I had originally left this town I couldn't stand the sound of my own name, I had cringed every time it was said. But after a week or so on my own, and after only being with Wally for some time I had gotten used to the way it sounded normally. There was no harm in the way he said it, so it never fazed me, but the antagonizing sounds of the crowds reminded me just how much I hated it again.

We approached the back entrance of the studio slowly, unlike yesterday when I had hauled ass past the guards before they even knew what was going on. It was a long walk across the cement courtyard this time, with the sun pouring down on me and making me shudder with unwelcomed warmth.

"Good to see you boy." The guard shot me a beaming look. I knew just about everyone around here and it was him that I was most happy to see guarding the door. He had it out for me from day one, claiming that I was the most aggressive and therefore most impressive performer we had ever had. I just assumed it was because he was never needed to protect me like other famous kids in the past.

Biz snarled at him and flattened her ears against her head menacingly.

I put my hand on her hand and pushed her a step back. "Same to you." I said politely as he unlocked the back door and gripped the smoldering silver doorknob. "I—Is it safe for me in there?" I asked cautiously.

"Safe?" He chortled. "Boy a couple weeks wouldn't change the fact that you have them all wrapped around your finger. Not to mention they are all dying to know just what happened yesterday with the paramedics. Your mother is frantic of course, that can't be helped. And your managers are livid—but that's no different than before you left—and well… your fans will be thrilled. You don't have much to worry about."

"Thanks… what about Sapphire?" I had to ask. "Is she here?"

"She better be here!" he rolled his dark brown eyes. "Did you forget they do shows on Fridays?"

"Oh… Arceus. No." I shook my head, rubbing my eye with my palm harshly as if to rub a headache away. "I didn't forget… I just wasn't sure."

"Sapphire will be happy to have you back Ruby." He added as I pushed my way into the doorway. I looked back at him. What did he know? He was crazy to think that Sapphire could possibly be happy to see me, let alone be with me. I shook my head sadly.

"Oh yeah." The guard nodded in his middle age, as if wisdom was enough to convince me. I didn't want to sound like a cocky teenager, but what did he know about our relationship?

"That new boy they have around here." He went on. "They turned him and Sapphire into a pair—for the show of course—and she may act like she likes him and everything… but I'll tell you boy, all she really wants is you."

I swallowed hard and nodded, trying not to let my fear show as weakness to Biz. She would jump at the guard if she thought it was his fault. I leaned down and gripped her by the collar tightly, mumbling a heartfelt thank you as I turned and fled into the black corridor that lead upwards into a studio. This was the hallway that Wally had passed out in. The memory made my insides stir uncomfortably.

"I hope this goes well…" I murmured half to myself, half to Biz, who had her side pressed up against my leg. She was sniffing the air cautiously for approaching people. I could hear feet at the end of the hall, which meant people were busy on the stairs that lead up to the studio. I could see a nostalgic light coming from there. My heart fluttered, but not in a good way.

My breath seemed to be short as I pushed forward, closing my eyes and forcing myself not to look at the side door that would lead to the basement where me and Sapphire used to hang out. My heart ached as I came close to it, and swelled when I met it.

"Brendan?"

I had only just passed the door when I heard that voice. With a jolt I gripped Biz's muzzle between my hands and insisted she be quite. She growled softly at me.

"Brendan is that you?" Sapphire called again from down in the basement. My heart was racing in my chest.

Sh—she took someone else down there with her? Something crackled and popped inside me like a firecracker. I was hurt; extremely hurt that should would put something of ours out for someone else to see. That leaky, cold, damp basement was where we grew together. And it wasn't even the fact that she was bringing—I assumed—another boyfriend down there, it was the fact that she was bringing another friend down there at all. As her best friend I thought she would have at least enough respect for me…

I pulled out Biz's pokeball and called her back quickly. The white flash made the stairs visible for a second and I knew Sapphire saw it.

"Brendan?" she called again, this time sounding a little fearful. Since when was she fearful?

I took a deep breath and approached the skinny doorway with my hand on the cool railing. My footsteps echoed too loudly.

"Brendan knock it off!" Sapphire demanded, thinking that this was some cheap trick to scare her in the low light.

"Sapphire." I forced her name out of my mouth and took the last few steps as slowly as possible. There was no answer, so I knew she new.

Bring on the fighting; bring on the water works… I knew it was coming anyways. I stared at the cement floor before I stepped down onto it. There were no windows to let in real light, so all I could see was the items illuminated around a single light bulb hanging from the ceiling. I blinked, shoulder down in defeat.

"Ru—Ruby?" she whispered. "Oh Ruby…"

At that I had to look up, to see her expression just as defeated as my own. Her ocean eyes were dull and she was wearing her usual lazy clothes. That included her favorite pair of gray shorts and a big tshirt. I stared at the awkward lettering up the side of the shirt and on the sleeve. My eyes narrowed.

"I like your shirt." I commented, somehow finding that old devious voice. It was blatant though, and caught in my throat. I wondered if Wally ever felt that way about his words. Surely with the problems he had they would be tight as well?

"It's your shirt, stupid." She bit her lower lip and crossed her arms.

"Sapphire listen—I

"No. Ruby its just—

"I couldn't—

"I didn't get the chance—

"Ruby—

"Sapph—

"I'm sorry…" we both begged to each other at the same time. A terrible dead silence broke between us, and even the dripping pipes in the corner seemed to stop. I looked away, she looked away, none of us dared question each other. We both had apologies to say, and in any other situation it wouldn't have resulted like this. Normally once the words "I'm sorry" came out of our mouths we would move on with our lives and be happy again.

But things were different now. She had someone knew—Brendan apparently—and I had my sights set on a different path.

"Ruby… I—I don't want to talk about it." She insisted, as if I was the one that had tried to speak.

"We have to." I declared. I had spent too much time telling myself that we had to talk to get over this, that now I knew no other option. Sapphire couldn't live her life closed up and angry at people trying to soften her. And I couldn't live my life with this guilt on my shoulders.

"No." She shook her head. "I'm sorry isn't that enough?"

I shook my head. "No… Ok. I'll go first. How about that?" I suggested as carefully as I could, moving from my place in front of the basement opening. I hoped she wouldn't try to escape because of that, but I also found it hard to see her face, and seeing her face was a crucial part in getting her to open up.

She watched me like a cautious pokemon would its predator, waiting until I had strode over to the twisting web of pipes against the far wall. There was an old television on a rolling stand shoved into the corner from when we were younger and used to play gamecube together. I smiled sadly up at it.

"Come sit down over here." I took a deep breath and settled myself on a large electrical box. It wasn't dangerous for us of course; everything in here was sue-proof because the business was so cheap that they refused to pay for people potentially getting hurt.

"Ruby." She gave me a look of distaste.

"Come on." I putted the sot next to me. "I want to tell you everything."

She rolled her eyes, muttering "Fine."

I waited until she had settled herself next to me, stiff as a board but closer than we had been in a very long time. I wanted to reach out and take her hand in mine, but I knew she would slap me silly if I dared.

"Well… you know… why I left right?" I began. "And you know I'm sorry I didn't tell you about it, or where I was going. That's done and over with right?"

"No." she glared. "I said I was sorry, not that I forgive you."

"Don't be like that." I shook my head at her. "You know you forgive me, you just don't want to admit it."

"No!" she insisted in a grave tone. "Do you realize how we all fell apart when you left? We had to shut the contests down for a week. We had to find a replacement and the fans hate him. The managers are losing money and your own mother quit!"

I couldn't believe me ears. MY mother? NO way she just quit her job because of me. She wasn't just my manager she was Sapphires too. She had done just as much for the both of us for as long as I could remember. Sapphire had been like the daughter my mom always wanted, how could she just let her down like that?

"She quit?" I asked in disbelief. "How? Why? This is everything she ever wanted and she just… let that go?"

"Because of you!" Sapphire shook her head. "All this time Ruby… All this time I was thinking that your mom was the glue that held us all together, but she wasn't. It was you."

"I'm sorry!" I insisted, fighting the urge to tell her just how long I suffered for the good of everyone else. My mother had denied my desperate pleas for help when I wanted to quit contests. She had told me over and over again for nearly three months that I wasn't her son if I was going to quit, and then she went ahead and did just that.

"Sorry isn't good enough!" Sapphire kicked her heels against the electrical box and stood up shaking madly. I could barely see her face in the dark basement, but I knew exactly where she was.

"Sapphire!" I jumped down and pushed myself in front of her. I could easily block to entrance leading up into the corridor, and knowing that it angered her. She balled up her hands into fists and gnashed her teeth together.

"No one else around here knows what they are doing Ruby!" She shoved me slightly. "I hate you for what you did! Did you ever once think about what it was like for me to have to work with someone else? Do you know how many people think it's my fault you left? The fans love YOU! I've always just been second best and now they are taking your side because you're gone and Brendan's here!" I saw her eyes flash in hatred. "Do you think I like having to work with someone so hated? It makes everyone hate me too!"

"Oh I know exactly how much you like working with him!" I gripped her by the wrist and whirled her around so that she was facing me and not the stairs. "I know how much you like working with his tongue! And what else is there huh? Do you like working with his dick too?!"

"Don't touch me!" She snarled and ripped herself away from me. She acted as if it was abuse. Had she forgotten how many time I used to whirl her around when she went the wrong way. It used to be a playful jab at our friendship, now she acted as if I had just hit her.

She that's what she did in return. She yanked her hand up and laid a hard slap against the side of my face. I groaned and drew back, remembering the first, the second, and the third time she had slapped me out of anger. This wasn't exactly an odd thing for her, though this time it was much harder.

"I saw you with him Sapphire!" I laid a hand on my stinging cheek. "I know you went to OUR restaurant, I know you were kissing him! I saw you! And you're going to stand here and tell me that you don't like him?! You're full of shit!"

"I HATE HIM!" she shoved me again, this time weaker, leaning into me as if she was going to fall over. Her voice echoed up through the staircase and out into the corridor with a bang. I held her steady as she began to cry, thinking that this was much worse than I had thought it could be.

"I hate him because of you." She whimpered, pulling her hands up and wiping her face. "Because he is just like you… but he's not you! Ruby…"

Hesitantly I wrapped my arms around her back and hugged her. It was the first time we had hugged since that night out by the abandoned truck where Wally passed out. I shivered as she melted into me, clutching at my shirt.

"Ruby I want you…" she admitted in a whisper. "It's bad enough that I have to be second best… I don't want to date second best too."

"Then break up with him." I said, as if the answer was so obvious it was brilliant.

"I—I can't." She pulled her face up to meet my gaze. I felt strangely taller than I had been last time with her, and it made me wonder if I had grown in the last two weeks. Maybe I wasn't physically taller at all… but I felt taller, stronger. I may have grown mentally and emotionally. I felt like I knew who I was, while Sapphire was still stuck in her shrinking character developed only by everyone else.

"Why?" I asked almost rudely.

"Because I signed a contract." She shook her head at herself. "I was so stupid… I—I let them make a couple out of me and Brendan… and I can't back out."

My heart sank. Thankfully in the time span of my whole life I managed to avoid signing contracts like that. Never would I let anyone have control over me as a character. They could tell me what to do, but the moment they took away who I was… that was when it stopped. Part of me felt bad for Sapphire for having gone through with that, but another side of me knew it was her stupid mistake. She should have known better.

"Well… y—you don't have to be with him… outside of the shows… do you?"

She shook her head. "No."

"Then don't." I pulled my hand up and touched under her chin, lifting it so that she was looking into my eyes.

Her eyes were not the pale, soft blue that Wally's were. They were ferocious and needy, and she had high arched eyebrows with high cheekbones. Her jaw was acute but sharp for a girl, and everything about her screamed for a double take. Sapphire was beautiful. So beautiful that she didn't need fame to make people notice her. She could walk down the street regardless of her performing and people would watch her go. They would notice the way her hips swung, or the way her shoulders fell and curved. She wasn't a forgettable face, and this was one of those ridiculous moments where I felt rendered helpless by her.

And yet, as she stood there, leaning upwards to me, all I could picture were soft pale eyes. For a second I thought for sure Wally would come tumbling down the stairs in need of CPR again. I hesitated—but so did she so it was ok—and took long sweeping breaths.

This girl had gone from me to Brendan in a matter of a week and I wasn't sure yet if I forgave her for that, but knowing she didn't exactly have a choice after she signed the contract—though it was her fault—made things seem slightly better. She obviously was regretting her decision, so who was to say I shouldn't be regretting mine?

I had blocked all those strange, sizzling emotions from my mind until now. And while she smashed her impatient lips into mine and tore at the opening that was my mouth, I was struck with the hunger and memory of such delicate lips before hers. She was gnawing on my lower lip, trying to ravish me in every way she possibly could, and all I could think about was the electric currents zipping through my memory.

Sapphire did not cause me to shake with innocent ecstasy, even with her breasts pressed against mine and her hands gripping under my shirt, clawing like an animal at the muscles of my stomach. I gasped and shivered, drew my mouth in tightly to hers and injected a defense. My tongue collided so harshly with hers, that I knew this couldn't be passion. For a second between my frantic brain I let rationality seep in.

Sapphire was desperate, hungry, looking for a kind of high that I just couldn't give her. I wasn't even a good kisser remember? My tongue was hot with hers and between her breath blowing past my teeth I could feel a wave of built up saliva. It coated our lips while she played at the start of my chest, reaching upwards, trying to get what little bit she could without breaking the kiss.

I couldn't help but wonder if this was what a first kiss was supposed to be like, since I had convinced myself that mine and Wally's kiss wasn't right at all. I figured that if someone had to ask you to kiss them—let alone to make up for something you did—it wasn't even considered a kiss. That sounded more like business to me than anything.

And this kiss was so painfully lustrous that I actually felt nauseated. Anyone else in the world would have jumped on the chance Sapphire was giving me, and yet I felt absolutely miserable. My stomach churned with angry butterfree—nothing like the soft fluttering that Wally had given me, and suddenly, despite the pain I would cause, I knew I just had to break away. I started fighting against her, quickening the pace and hoping that she would break away herself.

Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, she took my hastiness as welcoming, and her tongue slid further past my lower lip. I quivered and gripped her shoulders tightly. Im sorry Sapphire—I—I just—

"HEY!"

Sapphire shoved against me with all her might, dislodging our faces from the saliva covered connection. She wiped her face, breathing heavily and clutching at her chest. I watched her step away from me, acting as if she was going to leave the room, but finding herself face to face with her coworker Brendan.

I blinked in shock as his rage filled attention was turned to her, and despite my inner protection rising, I knew that this was not going to end well.

"Sapphire! What the fuck?!" He snarled in a voice much heftier than my own. I wondered briefly how he could compare himself to me. Sure we wore the same clothes and had the same hairstyle and features, but he was nothing but a copy. My eyes narrowed and I pushed away, walking in the shadows of the basement walls while he had his attention drawn to her.

I shouldn't have been so insensitive, I really shouldn't have, but the taste of Sapphire was still in my mouth and I couldn't understand what I didn't like about it. So I turned and fled with the very chance I got, taking the stairs two at a time with Brendan whirled around in shock.

"HEY!" he screamed up at me while I made my escape.

"Ruby!" Sapphire snarled, knowing that this was yet again one of my flighty attempts at preservation. But hey, this time I was justified. Sapphire just attempted rape.

The sound of my feet mimicked me as Brendan flew up the stairs after me, howling in rage about "his girl". It was all actually pretty funny, in a morbid kind of way. I just ditched Sapphire for the second time because of a kiss.

"Ruby!" I heard her voice once again as I reached the top step and appeared at the top of the staircase. I glanced back, unable to see in the dark but knowing that Brendan was only a few paces behind me. His snarling came loud and hard. I took the corner sharply to the left, turning to go back out into the broad daylight that would blind me. Escape now; see my mother later, figure out what to tell Sapphire in the very far future. That was my plan.

All until I was colliding with a lean figure, and head butting them on accident with the impact of my run. They gasped and drew back, like I did, but only the sound of their gasp was much more familiar than I expected.

"Ruby?" his voice came in fright as he turned and stumbled back the way I was headed.

"Go!" I yelled, fighting an ache in my head and the look-alike on my heels. Of all times, not now Wally! He started running ahead of me.

"Why are we running?!" Wally wailed back at me.

"It doesn't matter! Just go!" I was fighting a sudden deviance, the desire to show second best just who he was trying to be. Brendan could never master such skill. He may be a pretty boy like me, but he was no fighter.

"Salamence!" I yelled to Wally as we bust through the back entrance and into the quad area. Cattivo was too lean to carry us both, and flying through the city with two giant dragons would be a bad idea."Salamence now!" I repeated harshly.

"Altaria!" Brendan's husky voice bellowed after us as we darted through the quad ignoring the sudden yelling from the guards. Film crew were starting to appear for the usual Friday broadcasting, so the cameras all instantly turned on us.

Not a moment too soon a burst of roaring white light exploded in front of us. Salamence bayed into the sky and stomped his feet in excitement. I reached him first, having picked up speed now that we were outside, and I climbed up onto the back of his neck before turning and reached out for Wally's hand. He was panting heavily already.

"Hold on!" I hauled him up behind me on his dragon and then kicked my feet hard into its shoulders. "Let's go!" I yelled to the pokemon.

But this was only the beginning of what would become one high-speed hell of a chase.