And so they walked, and walked and walked. The afternoon sun overhead and the scent of pine on the breeze, it was a scenic route though they knew the torrential blizzard was vastly approaching. Hand in hand they walked and walked and walked for what felt like a very casual eternity as they pressed their steps into the sifting snow.

Diamond held out a hand as the snow fell silently, closing his hand and opening it as the flakes disappeared nearly instantaneously. Everything seemed to be like that these days; here one minute, gone the next. Unique occurrences frozen in time that never lasted long enough to be savored properly for their delicately articulated precision.

What felt like days had really been months of traveling; sleepless nights and daytime excursions bleeding through the spaces between the unimportant details that had seemed to blur together. And here they were for the umpteenth time walking and walking and walking.

He let out a contented yawn and adjusted his beret absentmindedly, looking over at Pearl who seemed more relaxed than he had been recently much to his liking. He curled his fingers tighter around his boyfriend's chilled hand as they strolled along. So surreal was his touch like a dream in the night that had manifested as real as the snow that crunched beneath their shoes. The blonde looked over with an inquiring smirk causing Diamond to smile wider.

"Why so smiley?" Pearl mused with a grin befalling his own lips.

"I'm just happy I suppose," he shrugged, still smiling.

"Good. You have snowflakes all over your eyelashes."

The blonde chuckled, reaching over to flick them off.

"Hey, careful! You almost poked me in the eye!"

"Almost," he stressed, bringing their entwined hands up to plant a kiss on the back of his palm. Diamond rolled his eyes still grinning wide as he looked over at Pearl who leaned over and meshed their lips. "I would never do anything to hurt you, babe."

"I know," he sighed dreamily, the lingering sensation of his soft lips ever present. "You're a… princess…?"

He trailed off as he turned his attention back to the path, his feet stopping as though of their own accord. The emotion drained from his face as the faintest hint of rose tinted his cheeks.

Pearl furrowed his brows quizzically as he turned to look at Diamond whose soft eyes gazed longingly ahead. As he turned to see what was currently captivating the boy his heart sank into the murky depths as the clear image of his greatest fear manifested before him.

The figure emerged almost in slow motion, like an angel from a whirlwind of crystalline flakes that glistened like glittering stars in the night. Each movement was fluid and calculated as she rose from where she had fallen. Her figure was that of a blossoming woman, exuding the careful combination of sex without losing her profound prestige. A rose skirt hugged her hips and flared in pleats from underneath a crimson overcoat like the petals of a cherrim. Her ivory scarf draped from her neck casually and upon her slender fingers were a pearl and diamond ring on opposite hands.

As she turned around, her hair that cascaded down her back like silken raven ribbons followed her movements in an almost mesmerizing manner. Her serious eyes caught the light from the snow in such a way that made them as dazzling as white gold, as brilliant as a diamond and as lustrous as a pearl. Her posh lips pursed apathetically, formed a small O as a flash of emotion befell her features upon recognizing the boys.

Missy…

Platinum, Miss Berlitz herself… There was no mistaking her elegance and subtle haughtiness as she primped herself quickly and leisurely approached them because nothing in the world was above her that would give her reason to rush. No star out of reach, no dream out of grasp, and no object she couldn't have if she willed it to be hers. She commanded respect; she didn't have to try because it was hard not to be entranced by her and who wouldn't want to wait on such a precious creature? So charismatic, so poised, so untouchable; the only one unfazed by her glamour was Pearl who combated her restrained arrogance with his own strong personality.

But all Diamond managed to do was wave sheepishly as the figure propelled herself closer on her skies. His heart thudded hard against his sternum before racing at a record pace. The only one who ever made him feel like this was...

Pearl! He suddenly became self conscious of the whole situation as his distressed gaze met Pearl's guarded eyes. He was clearly discontented by her presence but also sullen and distressed. What's wrong?

But his thoughts were cut short by the mere sound of the girl's voice.

"Boys," she said curtly, bowing her head respectfully in greeting.

Her voice resonated like a bell in Diamond's ears though it was soft and hardly expressive in any sense of the word. She stuck her rods in the ground and held her hands daintily out to each boy, like bell flowers the gentle curvature of her slacked wrists. Diamond took it gingerly pressing his lips to her chilled fingers, savoring the moment secretly, a heavier blush settling in as his eyes met her tarnished gold orbs. Her eyes almost flirtatiously flashed with a hint of mischievous contentment at his response before darting over to the blonde who graciously took her hand and pressed his lips to her fingers as well.

"Miss Berlitz…" Pearl murmured, putting his hands on his hips as he met her haughty smirk with his own half aggravated, half amused smirk.

"H-Hi, Missy."

"Hello, Diamond." She nodded to him with a soft smile. "What brings you two so far from home?"

"N-Nothing." Diamond said guiltily.

"We're traveling together," the blonde corrected, still aware of the way he had unlaced their fingers upon her approaching leaving him slightly hurt.

"Lovely. Uh, Diamond, dear?"

She blushed slightly, batting her thick lashes and raising her brows quizzically as she let her thumb cautiously stroke the back of his fingers. Her thick lashes framed her eyes femininely. The irises of her eyes were an alluring gold with traces of silver laced eloquently throughout. Everything about her exuded sophistication and unfathomable luxury.

"S-Sorry, little miss!"

"Not at all…"

She averted her gaze coyly and joined her hands on her chest feeling something she couldn't quite remember feeling for quite some time, if ever.

A precursor to a heart attack? No, she was in fair health. Perhaps a cliché of sorts that the commoners would refer to as 'beautiflies'?

She looked at Diamond again, the way he looked at her, he understood her value and she rather enjoyed the attention.

You know, the rarest of gems are never the easiest to obtain but always the most coveted of them all. Even more so when they are desired by another…

With that in mind, her demeanor shifted as she faced Pearl. She was aware of his feelings though she doubted that after all this time he had pursued them considering the way he had left the boy last time. She watched him indifferently through half lidded eyes as he narrowed his eyes at her. He had aged in their time apart; he was, dare she say, attractive although their personalities would always conflict with one another. Diamond had also grown quite handsome and she took his image in fondly much to the blonde's dismay. His irritation did not go unnoticed though she paid it no mind; it wasn't her problem.

"How are you doing, Pearl?"

"Taking things with a grain of salt…" He said tensely noting how she was discreetly stealing glances at the boy beside him.

"How befitting. You know pearls are very beautiful, would you agree? However, you also know that they come from undesired irritations- sand, dirt even. Deep down you could say that that is what they all are; dirt that happened to become something more or rather appear to be something more…"

"Beautiful things emerge from struggle," he said dryly. Her reference was obvious; he knew she thought he was nothing.

"Touché," she said with a fleeting smile. "But you know, I never pictured you as a one to fancy travel in their leisure… or quite as one to entwine fingers with another man, though I am only slightly surprised," a twisted smile quickly twitching her lips.

So she noticed? "Things change… when some people stop getting in the way of things…"

He maintained his composure though his anger flashed in his eyes like flames being spoon-fed gallons of gasoline at a time. He looked down at her; though she had grown he was thankful that she was below his shoulders and above him only in egocentrism.

"Oh, so you mean to imply that something has happened? Fascinating… Likewise, some people lose their way from what they truly desire sometimes," she looked expectantly at Diamond who swayed uneasily. "Sometimes some people get confused. You know pokemon get confused as well. In their infatuation it is at times difficult to attack an obvious enemy even when in present danger."

"The irony, is killing me."

She scoffed, adjusting her poketch as she turned her attention to Diamond once more. He would never talk down to her; he was a commoner who knew his place. She approved of this and let the irritation die behind her apathetic façade as she looked at the blue eyed boy. She found that she rather liked the boy in an odd way she couldn't quite understand. The blonde, however, would pose a problem she could already foresee. He would not so easily hand him over as he had in the past when she was too uninterested to oblige. But she wanted Diamond now and that was all that mattered to her.

"Diamond," she said plainly, attempting to sound engaged though it had been a considerably long time since she had been in the presence of anyone worth her efforts.

"Yes, Missy?"

She smiled cruelly for a brief moment, Too easy… she mused. Like a puppy, so eager to please, so obedient.

"Tell me, where are you residing during your time here?"

"Well, we were going to try to get to Snowpoint City by tonight and see if we could stay there somewhere."

"Nonsense, you shall be staying with me in my lodge tonight."

"Actually I think Pearl had-"

"I insist," she said looking at Pearl. "How could you pass up the opportunity to catch up with your close…" She hesitated as though the next word was a betrayal of her principles and her voice faltered as she winced slightly. "…friends?"

"Bravo, considering you can't buy friendship I'm surprised you knew what it was."

"Don't be a pest," she hissed.

"There's our princess!"

"Alright guys, that's enough. You guys were never like this before, let's just relax. We would love to stay with you if it's not too much trouble, Missy," he squeezed Pearl's hand in restraint.

"No trouble at all, dear. The pleasure is all mine."

"I'm sure it is."

Her face succumbed to an almost eerily agitated expression as she looked pointedly at the blonde before reaching into her pocket and tossing up a pokeball. The red flash realized the familiar form of her rapidash who stood regally beside her. He nodded at the boys, low vocalizations escaping his lips as he shook his head, flames skittering about the crisp air. It towered over the trio and the heat radiating from its mane was intense but it had gentle eyes and a relaxed demeanor.

She stroked it tenderly and it sank to allow her better access as she seated herself on the stead as she sorted her thoughts. Pearl had offended her in his supposed impudence which only served to motivate her into tearing down the tower of a boy he was. Usually they could be civil but her presence was clearly unwanted by him and his lack of respect for her was dreadfully apparent. Normally she wouldn't care and would simply leave or dismiss him but in this case if he were to leave then Diamond would follow him and she didn't want that at all.

Morally speaking, she couldn't simply snap her fingers and make Diamond her own, a truth that irked her greatly. In their time apart she had reverted back to many of her former mannerisms. The girl they had traveled with and who had grown on them was behind a wall of arrogance and social incompetence.

The support of the blonde is important to him. However, I have him in the palm of my hand, both of them in my hands. With some figurative acrobatics I can have anything I desire. And there is no other gem I would rather ravish than one that would show that impudent blonde his place. How to approach this manner though…?

While her wheels turned she looked at Pearl who was tightly squeezing Diamond's hand as though he could channel endless volts of electricity and charged emotion through his grip. She couldn't quite explain it but she could feel it as she watched them. She hadn't felt this way before, but she knew she had to get in there.

The thread that binds them must first be severed. She stared at their hands, then amongst them as they exchanged telling glances as though they could speak without words, a testament to their bond. But, it must be done in such a way that Diamond is not tempted to chase after him. You know, it is not unusual for a released pokemon, especially the trainer's starter pokemon, to return or chase after the trainer upon release.

She nodded to herself thoughtfully with a slight frown. It wasn't impossible but at the moment it seemed improbable that she could do it quickly. She watched Diamond as he exchanged a helpless side glance at the blonde, he himself feeling uncomfortable and conflicted.

I wonder… Would the same compassion drive them if they felt they had done something wrong to deserve it? What if they had no choice but to accept their fate?

"Pearl," she stated dryly, he gave no response only a questioning look of utter annoyance. "If you would be so kind," she gestured toward her skies indicating that they needed to be removed.

He sighed heavily through his nose before unclasping Diamond's hand and removing them promptly.

Yes… perfect, she smiled as she watched him sling them over his shoulder and pick up the rods without being asked. She nodded to him her thanks and tried to suppress the devious grin that threatened to curve her perfectly posh lips. She didn't have a plan, but she knew that one was forming and she wouldn't allow it to fail. You should not burn bridges that you do not have the means to fix, my dear, especially when you do not have any water to soothe the flames.

"Lead the way," he stated simply, rolling his eyes. This can only end well, he thought sarcastically. But he knew better than to think for a minute that things would work out if she had her way and that was the thing about Platinum;

She always got her way.

Ok, don't shoot don't shoot.

Yes, we at last have encountered a new character; quite obviously our main antagonist, Miss Berlitz. As the next few chapters progress, I will make note now that yes I am about to take some liberties with her character specifically so don't flip like I'm a Platina hater or something bizarre like that. As the writer though it's my prerogative and I promise that I'll do it in a believable way given her circumstances.

Now then,

What do you guys think, what's your reaction to her thus far? I'm dying to know!

Anche, grazie dal profondo del mio cuore per scrivermi! I love getting feedback from you guys and you always send me the sweetest messages. It literally makes my day. I'm glad to hear you've all been enjoying the story and thank you again to my dedicated readers and new comers alike for reading, it's a pleasure to share it with you all.

See you next week, dolls!

Baci XXX