The rest of the night went very much as the beginning had, periods of civility tainted by something ominous that was stirring in the shadows and yet to be fully realized. Pearl didn't have any doubt in his mind what she wanted to do, though he questioned her true motives, and he frankly felt viciously sick to his stomach from anxiety. Diamond didn't seem to really have a true grasp of just how dangerous it would be for him to be alone with her. Arceus only knows what she'd do if he weren't around. But that was beside the point at the moment. All he could wonder now was how and better yet why she would want to steal Diamond from him.

It can't be as simple as spite, maybe that's just a bonus for her. Maybe, just maybe she actually does like him now. That's understandable, it's not like he's a cynical asshole who treats his friends like dirt and blatantly tells them they want to steal your boyfriend and is too stupid to…! His breathing escalated as he clenched his fist, he could practically feel the anger radiating off himself. Alright, alright. I guess the only true solution to this is to keep him away from her at all costs.

Pearl stared silently at Diamond as he settled himself in the guest bedroom sorting through his clothes near the dresser on the opposite wall. He was wearing one of Pearl's t-shirts and a plainly patterned pair of boxers with socks decidedly lost within the confines of his bag. He let out a sigh, he was still oblivious to the fact that the tension between Platinum and Pearl rooted from a rivalry over him. He could empathize with why she irked Pearl so much. It bothered him, too, that she was so needlessly rude to him. He wondered how long things would have went on had he not scolded Missy when he did, excusing them to their room for the night. She had had an incredulous face, completely shocked that he would not only interrupt her to call her out, but use her full name as well. He could see it in her eyes, she felt bad, albeit for a brief moment, but it was genuine remorse. He had frowned, wanting to apologize but turned his head the other way as he followed his boyfriend up the stairs.

Unable to locate any socks he rose and leaned back against the dresser as he began watching Pearl vacantly stare at him, or rather in his general direction as he stared through him. His arms were folded across his midsection and his legs crossed before him from where he was sitting on the bed in his flannel pajama pants frowning.

"You ok, Pearl?" He asked softly, smiling weakly as at last he broke the tense silence.

"Dia," he pressed his lips together tensely, correcting himself "Diamond…"

His words were flat and as their eyes met he choked back what could have been a sob or the nauseating feeling of jealousy ready to spill from his mouth like acid. He tried to plan out what he had wanted to say to him but thinking had once again proven to be a bad idea as his conscious screamed the truth that the welded up tears were ready to splay across his cheeks.

Don't leave me… over and over like a mantra.

He cursed himself for not just forcing himself to speak, say anything at all to follow that up but he found himself losing his mind to the depths of Diamond's oceanic iris as he walked over and sat on the edge of the bed next to him. Diamond didn't know anything in the grand scale of things, what could the repercussions be of having him know the whole story? If he knew that Platinum perchance did like him would he leave him without acknowledging the sacrifices made? What if he was happier with her? In the end that is all Pearl had wanted for Diamond, for him to be happy. But now he wanted to indulge himself in Diamond, suffocate and be suffocated by the affections he sought from no other. Was it so wrong to want to be loved and not want to share the very driving force behind your entire existence? His period of dissociated insanity that he was barely aware had ensued was cut short by a feeble voice and sad blue eyes staring at him like a guilty child.

"I'm sorry… I-I… I didn't mean to…"

"Wh-?"

"I didn't think it would be like this, I'm sorry."

You didn't but I did... He shook his head but said nothing.

"You can't even look at me," his shoulders drooped, hugging his arms to his midsection he frowned miserably. "I-I… Pearl, what did I do, is it me? Is it really me?"

"..."

"Pearl?"

His voice trembled, the weight of the rift that had settle between them today made him anxious. They weren't in sync quite like before, he just couldn't quite understand why. He wished he was as swift as Pearl, that he could see a situation and analyze in record time. But he could only pick up on other's feelings, truly understanding why they felt that way took a bit of extra work. Pearl was radiating the essence of every negative emotion and he couldn't help but want to cry. It was like a toxin, killing him inside to match the way Pearl was being eaten from within as well, like he wanted you feel just as badly as he did. Anxiety, anger, desperation, uncertainty, jealousy... They mulled over in his head for several minutes.

He looked at Pearl with a pained expression, eyes faltering to the floor.

"...Was I looking at her?"

Pearl held his eyes shut. He could hardly keep his voice from wavering or himself from crying anymore though he managed to abstain.

"...That's not it. I mean, I noticed but…"

I noticed… I notice everything about you… He looked at Diamond sitting beside him, a vacant and guilty expression paining his face. Looking down, he reached out his hand sullenly to which Diamond took and squeezed firmly. No, it was much more than the looks, more than him initially unclasping their hands as though self-conscious, and more than their bickering that had his mind splitting.

"It's her… not you," he said at last, sniffling a bit with a sigh.

"Wh-What happened, Pearl? Did she do something to you? What's going on?" He clutched Pearl's hand, holding against his chest. He could feel his heart pounding under his palm.

"It's…" He hesitated. He wasn't sure how much was too much information or how to even say how he felt. "That night I left… I, um, we talked and that started what was behind what happened earlier in a way but… It's complicated."

He patted his lap and Diamond straddled him, Pearl taking his hands in his own trying to comfort him halfheartedly. Diamond considered his words carefully and became skeptical. That night was clearly a touchy subject for them both and he became increasingly concerned the more he thought about it. Something happened to make Pearl go away, and she was partially responsible clearly. But what did she do? And that was only a small factor in the big picture he could tell.

"If I didn't do anything then what is it about me that's bothering you? What's going on, you have to tell me, Pearl." He moistened his lips as he watched Pearl stare at their hands.

Silence.

Pearl took one of his hands back, rubbing his lips while his thoughts chipped away at his composure and sanity. Diamond waited patiently, toying with the corner of Pearl's shirt entranced by the fact that he was wearing it. It smelled like Pearl, it was comforting in a way. Pearl was always comforting to him though. He hoped Pearl felt the same about him and so he sat there, staring at Pearl who only accidentally made eye contact with him when his eyes weren't determinedly shut. While waited as he pondered everything. How well did he know Pearl? He should be able to figure it out he was certain he could but...

Look at me... Please, just... for... a... second. Look. at. me.

... he needed Pearl to trust him enough to let his guard drop again.

His watery eyes burned into the blonde's closed eyes, watching with a profound sadness as his face struggled against the emotions with a vengeance. Noticing how he was slowly losing to them as a few tears streaked across his cheeks. He watched in disbelief, each one seemingly tracing its way down in slow motion. Diamond could probably count on a single hand all the times he had seen Pearl truly cry. Pearl hated crying and he hated looking weak, he wanted to be the protective one not the one that needed saving. And yet there he was, Diamond so close he was on him but he couldn't just let him help. He let Diamond sit there and watch though it crushed him to crumble like that in front of him. The circulation in the hand Pearl was still holding was non existent as he squeezed it but Diamond squeezed back just as tight as he watched him helplessly.

His eyes traced each one's path down his face, how they interlaced and would rush off his jaw, some continuing down his hand to his wrist or being lost between his fingers. A streak for every grievance down his increasingly flushed cheeks. One for every fear and instigator. One for every thing she said and he didn't say. Do they taste as sweet as they did on his birthday, he wondered.

Or do they taste like misery?

Their eyes finally met, and for a split second through the tears like the most bizarre liquid or crystalline flames Diamond managed to see through and in that instant he knew. Yes, all of them were for him.

He held Pearl's hand up to his chest again and stroked it fondly as he spoke with a depressive sigh.

"I'm not dumb enough to throw this away for something doomed to fail."

Pearl looked up at him inquiringly, a miserable scowl on his face. A challenging, stubborn, miserable look like hearing what he needed to hear wouldn't possibly be enough. No, it was a look that dared you to prove his insecurities wrong, but begged you pitifully all the same.

"You know, sometimes I think that I'm lucky that you ever came back for me once you left. You could've left me while you went off and found yourself, I'm sure that you could've easily found yourself anywhere but with me, Pearl…"

Pearl's face softened some as he tried to control his spastic breathing. He cautiously stroked his cheek with the back of his fingers soothingly. He hated listening to Diamond saying such ridiculous things. There's nowhere in the world he would ever want to be than with him, he couldn't believe that Diamond could really believe otherwise.

"O-Of course-se I came back f-for you. I-I... I couldn't go," he cleared his throat "on without my better half. I... I was miserable without you."

His better half or mine?

He needed Pearl, too. But he still couldn't wrap his head around why he would leave if he wanted to be with him all along. If they had the luxury of entertaining what ifs then would Diamond have found that he, too, had unspoken desires? Where would they be now had they had a chance to pursue things sooner? Pearl had likely gotten ahead of himself, as always, anticipating a failure perhaps that he had foreseen even as early as then; a failure he had feared at their reconciliation when he refused to act on an impulse with his feelings.

But that still didn't answer a more pressing question he had lingering in his heart.

"Pearl, why… why did you leave that night?"

"I-I… I had to-"

"Please tell me, Pearl. Why did you leave?" He gripped Pearl's wrists with trembling hands. "I don't think I ever understood why."

He averted his gaze, shifting uncomfortably beneath the boy's gaze with a frown at the question. Pearl's breaths were uneven as he managed to regain some composure despite the tears that continued managing to escape. He took Diamond's face in his hands and pressed their foreheads together forcing him to look him in the eyes which only made Diamond more uneasy as he put shaky hands over his boyfriend's.

"I…" He trailed off, afraid to confess the night's happenings or his feelings. It was something too intimate, too raw like inviting him to touch an open gash gushing with emotions he couldn't understand how to deal with.

"It's okay," he whispered. "You can tell me anything."

"I-I... I..." His lips trembled, the words swimming through his conscious as he stared into Diamond's eyes. His heart was pounding so hard and he barely realized he was holding his breath, the air becoming a lid on the sobs he felt in his tightening chest.

"I thought you'd be happier with her!" He blurted out, heaving spastic breaths.

"What?"

"I only left because I truly believed that that's what you wanted. I just, I couldn't be around and have you be happy- happy with her, because I was in love with you! I didn't want to share you with anybody! You were supposed to be with me, you were my friend first!"

He started sobbing, letting go of Diamond to hide his face in his hands. He wanted to run a thousand miles away, find somewhere he could curl up and just die. His shoulders heaved his sobs and Diamond could feel his legs buck for a moment beneath him as though he would've brought his knees up to his chest could he have managed to move them.

The clock instructed countless minutes that felt like hours away before he managed to calm down enough to keep talking.

"I-I-If, If I stayed, you would've worried about me. I would've made you feel uncomfortable and it never would've worked for you."

"..."

"But you know," he took a deep breath and shook his head determinedly "it wasn't about me. I... Even if it wasn't with me, I realized I just wanted you to be happy. You promised me you would be, remember?"

Diamond's face was completely blank, eyes wide in shock as he continued speaking. His eyes looked a translucent blue like the deep azure was leaking out of his irises and streaking across his cheeks. Everything hit him like a brick all at once over and over. Every word said that night, every detail from how close they sat to how he had smiled so awkwardly in the woods to keep from crying, every little thing he should have picked up but didn't. He could hear Pearl's younger voice in his head like a ghost still after all these years.

"I... Oh Dialga, I'm so... so sorry, Pearl. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he started to cry harder, he felt so stupid and so angry with himself. He must have choked out an apology every few seconds, as many times as he could breathe.

How could I have let myself hurt him so deeply? He left... because of me. He didn't think he made me happy, he knew how bad I wanted her so he just left. He left because of me, it was my fault I ended up alone...

He put his shaky arms loosely outstretched around his neck. "I-I, I... I'm so s-sorry. I'm sorry. B-But I didn't wa-nt you t-to leave me… I wanted to be happy with you! Y-You're my best f-friend, Pearl, I-I... I need you with me!" He hiccuped as he fully wrapped his arms around his neck and buried his face in his shoulder, his tears mingling with the smooth skin beneath.

He was silent. The words made part of him regret having ever left although he knew he had made the right choice deep down. In the end though it was never the intention, they needed to know they could stand alone and know who they were before they went trying to have something as close as they were sharing now. A couple of kids could never have had this type of raw intimacy if they tried a hundred times over. He ran his fingers through Diamond's hair and rubbed his back as he held him as close as possible, feeling how his thick lashes flicked against his skin. He started sobbing again, too, letting it all out and holding him so tightly he could feel Diamond's ribs struggling to breathe against his hold. Diamond whispered comforting words between his own sobs, holding him just as tight.

When their breaths started to even out he contented himself to stay nestled in Pearl's arms listening to his heart beating sporadically.

"D... Diamond…" He managed to choke out, squeezing Diamond like a doll in the clutches of a frightened child, their only lifeline in worn threads. "I... I've told you this before but you've always made me feel like this. I just, I… I need you. You're… like my weakness you could say."

His voice faltered to a whisper, a pained expression befalling his features.

"But I'm so afraid you'll leave me…"

Diamond clutched him tighter at the words.

"You're not a possession, you're not my property. I know you can leave me at any time for any reason. Hell, if you wanted you wouldn't even have to give me a reason."

"But I wouldn't do that to you…" He mumbled as the blonde continued.

"That's what you say, and I would believe you but with her here I feel like I'm walking around with a gun to my head. I'm just waiting for her to tell you to shoot because I know you would do anything for her. Even if you say you wouldn't she would trick you into it because she's just that debonair, that charismatic."

He practically spat in his disgust, the very thought of her twisting his stomach into impossible knots as the nausea resurfaced. He took a break to try to calm the edge in his voice.

"But you're my best friend, too. You always have been. I'm sorry I hurt you when I left. But you weren't ever truly alone, I promise I was hurting, too. We shared the same pain I know it." He rubbed his back soothingly, stroking his hair and he started to relax a bit himself. "And I love you. You're handsome and patient and compassionate. Missy is an idiot for not seeing you the way I do. She doesn't deserve your kindness."

Diamond smiled to himself, allowing himself to accept the compliments as he listened intently. His heart sinking as he continued because deep down he knew he was right, as always.

"And please… just trust me; you can't hang around her, especially if I'm not there. You couldn't begin to understand the kind of trouble she'd get you into."

"I love you, too. And…"

He hesitated. Something bothered him about it, he didn't want to not be able to see Missy though he knew he probably shouldn't be hanging around her. But the look in her tarnished gold eyes, something about it just called to him. She wasn't as awful as she acted, there was a woman behind the goddess he had chased so long. He saw it with his own eyes, and Pearl was the only one he truly loved anyway. They were just friends, right? Nothing wrong with being friends…

"I need you to promise me that you won't, Diamond. This is important."

"Ok… I promise."

"Good."

He let out a sigh of relief, contenting himself to hold Diamond for a while longer. Today felt like the longest day of his life, painfully slow. But he felt better after talking to Diamond and trusted him not leave him though the fear would always be there subconsciously.

Diamond sighed through his nose as he sat up, sniffling as he smiled at Pearl with bright and watery eyes. He just wanted to be with Pearl, wanted him to hold him and kiss him and just make him feel safe. He wanted to forget his insecurities and about anyone leaving. The blonde watched the raven longingly, lovingly; the same look he had always had when he looked at Diamond but this time he noticed and returned the doting gaze.

Pearl wrapped his arms around him more loosely as he leaned in, the taste of saline ever present as he pressed his lips against Diamond's. Their mouths moved against each other rhythmically as Diamond let his hands feel the distance between Pearl's chest and shoulders experimentally slow as he extended his caresses to the rest of his exposed torso.

"No more crying, Diamond," he said softly against his lips. "Please just don't leave me…"

"I'm right here," he kissed him more deeply, pulling him closer and letting his hands trace their way up and down his body soothingly. "I'm yours."

The blonde smiled into the onslaught of kisses, a few tears escaping, as he ushered the boy's shirt up to plant a few pecks across his chest above his racing heart before returning to the beseeching mouth. Their tongues meshed, lips were sucked and nibbled as gasps and soft murmurs filled the spaces between.

"I love you. I'm yours," he repeated again, sounding more wonderful the more he said it.

"I love you, too, Diamond." Before they could fully grasp what was happening, Pearl had Diamond pinned on his back after several minutes, shuddering from the way the blue eyed boy incessantly squirmed beneath him and his needy mews. "Can I… Can I show you how much?"

He arched his figure into the one above him as the blonde began breathing hotly into his neck between kisses, his hands wandering beneath the fabrics that concealed the form beneath him. A panting, desperate enmeshment of lips and chafing bodies as they rocked their hips against each other caused Diamond's thoughts to swim through sudden lust and desperate desire. Searching for some confirmation or solid ground to stand on, Pearl's affections were drowning out the small voice that told him how wrong it was to indulge himself in such shameless engagements in someone's guest room. Pearl's precisely executed movements quickly silenced these morals, however. It was about them in that moment, no one else.

As things escalated, that drowned out voice became shared by another seemingly forgotten in the next room. Platinum gripped her rather large psychology book with a vengeance as the muffled sounds faintly pierced the serenity of her room and virgin ears with the sound of sex and lust. She huffed, eyes closed as she tried to maintain her composure despite the envy and seething rage that she felt boiling in the pit of her stomach.

"Insufferable, simply insufferable insolence! I invite them into my lodge and so the blonde has the flagrant audacity to spite me despite my hospitality? Go ahead and rock that bed to the Distortion World, see if I care!"

She frowned and continued to read although she had reverted to letting her eyes absentmindedly pass over the words in her aggravation. With a defeated sigh she sat back against the head board straining to listen, a faint blush creeping across her cheeks. Her eyes widened and she clasped her hands over her mouth as she brought her knees up to her chest.

It could not possibly be as enticing as he is making it sound. It is simply a rush of neuropeptides through various sensory and reward pathways, nothing so exceedingly pleasurable about a little oxytocin or acytelcholine, right? So many parts of the brain involved and so many body systems, it is such a carefully orchestrated process, fascinating really. But it sounds so… repulsive. Why would I be jealous? I have no reason to be. No, I am not envious in the least not even if he… is moaning like an over indulgent… Arceus, must he sound so convincing?

She returned her attention to her book and sternly continued her research. If she wanted to have a perfectly executed plan then she needed to better understand how to sever the emotional attachment between the two boys. She would need to exploit the blonde's weakness in order to drive him away so she could swoop in and take what was so rightfully hers. Initially she was quite aggravated by not being able to have something she so desperately seemed to want, however, the intricacy of what was necessary in order to obtain what she so desired was also very appealing.

As she progressed through the pages at an almost record pace she stumbled upon the word 'psychopath' several times under the passages of interest. Those being manipulation of course. She pursed her lips in thought before walking over to the opposite wall which housed a minute section of her incredible library. She pulled out a few books relating to psychopathy and psychological warfare. Between the three books she was able to make the connections between their concepts and began to have a better grasp of the human psyche and how to influence it. What she found most intriguing was the art of manipulation typically used by said psychopaths. They seemed to have it down to a science, a careful formula one could say.

But what, pray tell, characterizes one as cunning as one of these people? Let us see, let us see…

What she found, however, was slightly off putting in how she could perhaps with a stretch of the imagination identify with a few of their personality flaws. Narcissistic personality disorder... Though she shrugged it off apathetically. Mostly criminals, these psychologically unsound individuals were truly brilliant in her eyes, experts of their craft and eloquent in their execution. If she could wrap her head around what it took to be such an intriguing mastermind then perhaps she wouldn't have to do anything to get what she wanted. Yes, what if they did all the work for her? How much effoty could it possibly take? Minimal if she played her cards right and it appeared Diamond was truly her ace.

Hm, 'a manipulator works by exploiting their victims by means not limited to lying sometimes to a pathological extent, diversion, guilt, seduction, feigning innocence, or through intense trauma…'

Fascinating.

'The keys to being a successful manipulator are concealing one's intentions, knowing the psychological vulnerabilities of the chosen target as well as ruthlessness so that no remorse can hinder the execution of obtaining what one so desires to accomplish from the manipulation.'

I do believe I can pull this off quite nicely. However, I do not like what this book is saying about narcissism. I most certainly am not a cynical person. Moreover, I do not use 'splitting' as a means of a defense mechanism, it is simply the reality of things. I am perfect and everyone aspires to be like me because they are nothing. Yes, I own this entire region, they're jealous. The blonde, even the raven haired boy; jealous. Jealous of me! I am good and everyone else simply wishes they were!

She huffed, anxiety prickling on her skin as she continued to read. Everything to her had always been black and white but surely these truly black and white inscriptions were unreliable. She knew could be just as cunning, as thorough, as perfect as these master manipulators were without the psychological unsoundness. She slammed the book and shoved it aside, clenching her fists as the sound of her labored breaths filled the air.

Surveying the room her empoleon was roused from its sleep in the lounger opposite the desk. Its expression concerned and rather confused, and justly so. She stroked her hair, flustered and tried to rationalize her rash behavior with the creature but it was mostly to rationalize it with herself.

"I do so apologize, dear. I should not act so brash, especially at this hour… this book is simply full of… lies. Yes, it was likely written with the intention of being a gag, yes? Surely it is not a credible source, you know."

The pokemon let out a concerned cry followed by a yawn and it blinked at her drowsily as it looked between the books and her disgruntled form sitting on the floor surrounded by books.

"I… I'll just leave you to sleep. Carry on," she waved him away as she continued her reading.

Her eyebrows knit together in a concerned expression. Social interactions were such a chore, so awkward even amongst her own pokemon companions whom most people trusted wholeheartedly. She'd rather not dally in any interactions needlessly if there was nothing to gain or nothing to entertain her in the end.

But Diamond… Yes, he was worth the efforts. Just look at how the blonde treasures him, he loves him. But Diamond loves me; he knows how perfect I am! That blonde is just a nuisance. He must be rid of for his insolence…

She shook her head and continued reading,' Assessment, Manipulation and Abandonment phases are all involved in the typical approach taken by psychopaths.'

So I am in phase one… arguably have half started phase two… What do you know? I am already a brilliant psychopathic manipulator in the making, minus the psychopathy of course. It is a shame nothing appropriate rhymes with 'psychopathic.' Poetic linguists have all the luck in their trite rhyming phrases. Po-et and did not know-it. Inadvert-ent psycho-path.

She frowned, shaking her head slightly at the failed mental annunciation. No, that simply will not due, what a bother. But it is no matter! This plan cannot fail! So, Platinum, what have we learned? I must exploit the weaknesses of my victims… Hm, but what are their weaknesses?

She sat pensively several moments before smirking cattily.

Diamond.

He is the blonde's weakness and Diamond's weakness, or rather weaknesses, are not so difficult to manipulate if we can overwhelm him with the petty emotions that these commoners preoccupy themselves with. He is insecure, trusting to a fault and overly dependent on the blonde. I must separate them traumatically so they shan't seek one another out later.

She snickered to herself ominously as she rose, shutting her current book and placing it on her desk. As she walked over to her now sleeping empoleon she placed her hands on his shoulders waking the great steel bird. She smiled cruelly at the bird nearly on the verge of tears in her twisted elation. The bird made an inquiring sound to which she replied whimsically.

"Can't you see how wonderful this shall be, dear? I am a genius! If Diamond is guilty then he will feel responsible for the whole ordeal which will deter him from chasing the blonde. I must set him up for his own demise and my triumph! I am not such a bad person, it will be his own fault or at least that is what he shall tell himself."

She placed a hand on her chest innocently before tapping the bird on the beak, laughing maliciously to herself as she went on.

"He can't leave me if he has no choice! But why would he leave me? It would be a dream come true for him, why he would be honored for me to even spit in his direction! Besides, if I don't love him then who will? Not his precious blonde angel. He won't know what to do with himself with all his trust issues. If he cannot foresee a favorable conclusion then he runs. So let him run and leave his precious gem behind. A diamond would look lovely around my finger, wouldn't you say?" She adjusted her ring, transferring it over to her ring finger and admiring it.

"But how to rid ourselves of Pearl you ask? It is quite simple really. What is his worst fear, dear?" She grew increasingly manic as she continued, the bird flinching away from her as she continued though it said nothing.

"That's right; losing Diamond, infidelity and abandonment! It is all so perfect, can you see it? And then I can have him all to myself. I won't have a reason to be jealous, I won't feel lonely ever again because you know he loves me… Everyone loves me. I shan't ever have a reason to be envious of another being on Earth! I am perfection! Everyone knows this to be true, dear. Don't you know?"

She released the steel bird that let out a cry from his place in the lounger as she walked away, a spring in her delicate steps. She fell backward onto the bed with a dreamy sigh as she hugged her arms to her chest, a twisted but genuinely elated smile on her face.

"Yes, they will all be jealous of me…"

Is anyone else as emotionally exhausted as I am after reading that?

Anyway, hello my dolls I hope your summer is going well! It's been a bit slow working on the fic but it's coming along. After tossing the question out to the readers on deviantart I managed to get a good idea of what I'm going to do which leads me to my next point: Everyone please check my deviantart journal so you can stay in the loop about updates, progress, post dates, and other things for this story! I am MistressBambola there so you could google my username and it's on the first page. It's honestly the easiest way to get info to you guys in one place because alot of time I will post a journal there but you guys here miss the info or chance to voice your thoughts on things like the cover to me because of it. Even if you don't have a DA I can be reached here and I respond to any and all messages and feedback I receive so don't be shy!

In any case, so I hear Platinum is everyone's new favorite character, eh? eh? Ahaha, I jest. No, I didn't think when I was developing the storyline that she would be so well received by antagonist standards. I'm sure after this chapter you hate her more.

But again, the number of readers seems to be consistently growing which is lovely but I would love some more feedback from people to either see what chapter you're on or simply so I know what you guys are thinking. Also, because the later chapters don't have as many reads and other reasons, I will likely be prolonging the next chapter's post for two weeks as opposed to posting next week.

Feedback is always appreciated and I thank you all most humbly for your continued support.

Baci XXX