The lodge was nearly as extravagant as the Berlitz mansion and a butler met them at the door, promptly assisting Miss Berlitz and ready to wait on her every whim. The interior was lavish, Diamond and Pearl exchanging uncomfortable glances feeling completely out of place. The ceiling was impossibly high and could easily accommodate a milotic as long as it was wary of the chandelier in the center. A chestnut fireplace had a fire blazing and its heat comfortably heated the entire room and crackled across from the couch and fur rug. The hardwood floors were polished to a glossy shine as though they were new. The only rustic aspect of the house was the homely wooden walls which in light of their surrounding looked surprisingly classy. Two stairwells, one to the immediate left of the front door, led upstairs to the bedrooms with the wall between them adorned with a mammoth painting of Mt. Coronet.

The butler took the skies from Pearl along with their bags and disappeared while the boys removed their shoes. Diamond looked around in awe at the art and various décor and felt dangerously out of place and emasculated. He tried not to entertain the thought, but he had been in love with Platinum from the moment he first saw her. She had made reference to him and Pearl being of low class and treated them with little respect initially but it was moments like this when he truly could put into perspective just how untouchable she truly was.

In Diamond's naïve eyes she ruled the world; she willed the stars to move and dared the planets to spin as they revolved around her. She was like the sun at the zenith of a fantasy world, a goddess he had no business chasing. But wasn't that the beauty of something so pristine? The chase, the overwhelming but never overfilling desire to be beside them; the desire to be on their level so that they might for even a moment acknowledge that you merely exist.

He laced his fingers with Pearl's who seemed surprised by the gesture somehow and watched him with rapt attention as he led him to sit on the couch adjacent to the lounger Platinum had seated herself at. He was hard to read but he seemed more tense than usual. They were all good friends before, why did it suddenly seem to change? He just didn't understand, but he couldn't address it now in front of Missy, Pearl wouldn't dare show weakness to anyone, rarely even to him.

After several minutes of uncomfortable silence while Missy contented herself to sip tea she glanced over at them indifferently.

"So, what is of interest in the realm of commoners?"

Pearl considered it carefully though annoyed by her berating manner of asking before shrugging. Diamond couldn't think of anything interesting to comment on either and wished he had something cool to say but sighed in his defeat.

"Nothing quite honestly."

"What a bore."

She sighed into her cup as she took another sip before looking over at Diamond who was cuddled up to Pearl who had his arm resting on the spine of the couch and decidedly around the boy's shoulders. She felt something once more she couldn't seem to name as she took in the image silently. Could it be that maybe, perhaps she wanted to be there instead? In the blonde's arms? No, perhaps the raven haired boy's? She wasn't certain but pursed her lips in deep contemplation.

Books had taught her so many things but they could never teach her how to feel or even act like a normal person. She had never displayed her affections in such a manner though they seemed contented enough just to be near one another. Could something so simple truly be so fulfilling? She wanted to know for herself but Pearl was making that task a chore as she felt herself grow impatient and, dare she say, jealous of him.

The way Diamond looked at Pearl, she recognized that look in his eyes. She didn't always realize that he used to look at her the same way but something was different now. It was so much more intense, so loving and so exceedingly happy. Was it even possible for someone to look at and treasure another person so much? It seemed completely absurd. Pearl in that respect was completely absurd to her as well. Willing to sacrifice his own happiness for this boy, but why?

She could not understand it when he had asked her to take care of Diamond, to make him happy. She didn't think much of him at all. But the way he had begged her and told her likely all the things he had desired to confess to the beret clad boy. Yes, something about Diamond was truly special, something worth being jealous about. Something worth stealing if she had to.

"Done anything interesting in our time apart?" The blue eyed boy asked hopefully.

She smiled for a brief moment as she looked at the wide eyed boy. "Everything I do seems to impress you greatly, however, I digress; This late spring ski trip is the most I have done of interest in quite some time aside from a cruise around the region." She yawned boredly.

"Wow…"

"Well, Dia has been quite busy since we all split up," Pearl diverted. Let's not let her get too cocky…

"I-I suppose you could say that."

"Nonsense," the blonde responded proudly, smirking over to the girl who didn't even attempt to appear interested as she looked in their general direction. Bitch, let's see if you care after I say…

"Did you know that Dia beat Cynthia? He's the new Champion of Sinnoh," he stated matter-of-factly. "Quite impressive for a boy of his age. Sixteen and Champion? Well, seventeen now actually."

"Truly?" She perked up, suddenly roused by the prospect. The Champion? How admirable, how… powerful he must be. Fascinating…

"It was nothing," he said sheepishly, a dumb smile befalling his lips at how fondly Pearl spoke of him. But that was a completely understatement, it was quite difficult for the boy; a learning experience at best but certainly not easy or nothing at that.

"So modest. Pearl could stand to learn a thing or two from you, my dear," she mused with a fleeting smirk. "Are you taking notes, mon cancre?"

"Likewise… mon traîtresse."

"Hold fast your tongue, boy," she said dryly, pursing her lips and her nose slightly scrunching in anger. "Wielding weapons in which you do not possess shan't kill the serpent."

She had wanted to behave herself but Pearl made that difficult with his quicksilver tongue. She was not going to let herself be berated by an urchin like him.

"What weapon might that be?"

"Class…" She scoffed haughtily taking another sip of her tea, smacking her lips with a dreamy sigh. "You would not know a thing about that would you…?"

"I could ask the same of you."

"I…" Diamond began, adamantly debating whether or not to voice his concerns or not. "I wish you two would just… stop."

"Pardon?" She yawned, responding as though she had only just arrived. Really she was trying to distract herself from reacting further to Pearl.

"No, seriously. You're treating him like he's nothing. He used to be something to you. We were all friends, Platinum, remember? Why can't we all just talk?"

"It's fine, Dia, really," the blonde rolled his eyes tensely, not wanting to bring him into the ordeal.

"Friends…? Friends know their place and know not to step on toes of those who wear steel-toed shoes, boots respectively. You know that is the issue with most men; they have a superiority complex about them. Did you know that some pokemon display aggression in the presence of more powerful predators? It is a means of masking that in which they lack; the means to be victorious."

"How can you be so oblivious…?" He trailed off tensely under his breath, rolling his eyes at her analogy. "You have no idea what kind of trouble you're steering us toward."

"Tell me again, Pearl, why I am supposed to entertain any notion you pose? And believe me I am quite aware of what is going on here. You are trying and simply insufferable!"

"I didn't ask you for anything unreasonable! If you opened your eyes or had a heart then you would realize that-"

"I beg your pardon, sir. You commoners trouble yourselves with petty divergences and then think you can impose your wills upon those who have the means to accomplish your goals."

"Missy! Did you not hear a word I said that night?"

"I heard enough," she scoffed indignantly. "Perhaps I could not fulfill your request before, but I am a different woman now. If you knew better, you would start running now…"

"Arceus' sake… You had a door wide open to you and now that it's closed you want to force your way through! But you're stupid to think I'm not going to fight for him. If you want him you can pry him from my corpse!"

"Sounds lovely, perhaps I shall." She smiled sweetly at Pearl who shook his head in disdain.

A tense pause ensued while Diamond, still hung up on her first remark seemed to be oblivious to their exchanges. He had zoned them out; he didn't care why they were fighting only that they were. Diamond sighed miserably.

"… Knowing your place? That's not what friendship is about. I thought you understood that, Missy…"

The more she spoke the more her brilliance seemed to be diluted in Diamond's eyes. Pearl was naturally aggressive and easily angered and her antagonizing wasn't helping though they were both taking jabs at one another regardless of who was instigating who. He didn't think Missy was a bad person and he didn't want to believe that Pearl had a reason to think that either. Whatever they were referring to he couldn't quite follow but he thought it would be best not to pry for an explanation and simply drop the whole ordeal.

She looked at him curiously, seemingly having forgotten he was there before considering his words.

"Perhaps I did but- how did you say? Things change. You know not of what you are interjecting upon, my dear. That I promise you," she practically hissed, starring cold steel daggers at the blonde as she sternly sipped her tea once more.

The once steaming cup, presumably empty was placed on the coffee table beside her chair and a tense silence ensued for what could have been as long as half an hour or as short as ten minutes.

Come now, you mustn't repulse the poor boy. You are his princess; you cannot let him see you as untrustworthy. She cautioned herself as she once again fought back the urge to have Pearl escorted out so she could have Diamond all to herself.

Diamond watched the two stare at each other; Pearl's vacant eyes unwavering while hers seemed to flitter between unconsciousness and the realization that he had yet to cease watching her. So much he wanted to say, so much he was feeling but he didn't let his eyes betray him. The helplessness and unfathomable longing he had remembered feeling so long ago resurfaced but she would never know. That feeling of swallowing glass as he let himself truly believe that her love was the only thing that could ever make Diamond happy made him inwardly gag.

It was killing him inside, she revived the battle within him between what he wanted and what he supposed would be best for Diamond. He watched him like he was looking into the past, transcending time and looking at the fourteen year old boy he had parted with so long ago. Watching him watching her the way Pearl had always gazed so longingly at him. Like nothing had changed at all except that he knew she had an ace up her sleeve this time. He couldn't swallow enough glass this time to guarantee their happiness. His greatest fear was losing Diamond and she forced him to entertain the thought that that could actually manifest if she willed it to happen. As much as things worked out for him and his impulsive ways, they always seemed to go her way more easily.

She treats him like a possession! How can he look at her like that with me right here? I love him, I would die for him. I sacrificed my happiness so that he could be happy. Happy with her of all people! Listen to how she talks to me, Diamond. And I take it because it doesn't hurt, not as much as knowing she could never love or treasure you like I do. I need you… You're everything to me…

He pulled his lips to a tense line as he blinked in rapid succession and glowered at the chandelier while trying not to cry. Diamond could leave him for anyone in the world but her. He could rip his heart out and let him bleed and not care as long as she wasn't there to look malevolently down on his huddled corpse.

Platinum meanwhile watched the two on the couch once more, her hands folded in her lap. She saw Pearl distressed and clinging to Diamond as Diamond soothingly rubbed his knee while watching him. Her eyes met the blonde's and she smiled cruelly at him. He was a smart boy; she knew that he must have at least the faintest idea of what she was planning on doing. He may not know how she would do it but he could sit in his apprehension and wonder, she didn't care. The anticipation would only be a bonus in delivering the final blow. As long as Diamond wasn't aware of her motives her plan would go smoothly. There was no room for error. You want a fight for your precious lover? So be it. You know what they say,

Anything worth fighting for is worth fighting dirty for.

Those are some fighting words, mmhmm.

Allora, sorry this is a bit late but I graduated recently and went to a concert on the opposite side of the state and just got home yesterday. Talk about the best weekend ever but I digress. I'm going to space out the updates until further notice. I need time to sit and actually write the rest of the fic and I need a buffer zone between the chapter you guys are on and the one I'm actually working on. Moreover, I've seen a huge jump in readers the past two weeks (like alot alot of new ones). I'm so happy, grazie e benvenuti a tutti! But that's also why I prolonged this chapter's posting; there's been lots of readers but not people reading the last 3 chapters really but rather reading the fic from the beginning. So I gave you guys some time to catch up if you were behind as well.

Anyway, writing for Platina is fun. It took some getting used to at first though. I spent so long writing for the guys that when it was time to write her in it felt like culture shock. And as a side note, she called Pearl a dunce in French (to which he called her a traitor/snake) in case you were wondering. But let's see, I think it's funny how you guys have responded to Miss Berlitz's appearance and I didn't think that she was that disliked but apparently I'm one of the few who doesn't mind her. But that makes for a better antagonist.

As a side note, I would implore you all to check out my deviantart (MistressBambola) to see artwork, follow this story there as well, or to read my journal where I always have some updates/comments/etc on the story that I don't post here.

Thank you for your continued support and feedback, it always makes my day. Expect the next update later next week!

Baci XXX