Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or any of the characters
"He would've been fine if you left him at the estate," Gold looked back into the carriage to see Crystal petting Winypon who insisted to come along to protect its new master. The large dog turned and snarled at him, which only made Crystal laughed. "I didn't think there would be a time that my rival in love would be a dog. But if he makes you happy, I can't complain."
"You just did so, in a rather passive way I must add." She pointed out. "Are we almost home?"
Gold nodded and changed the subject, "I hope you do not mind me visiting my friend before we return to your home. Silver and I have been friends forever and I regret not being able to speak with him lately, especially now that he lost his sight. I should've been there for him…"
Crystal frowned and asked, "Your friend's name is Silver? He just became blind as well?"
"We've known each other for years now," He laughed at the memory. "I caught him stealing from my master actually and made it my life goal to capture him. I think it was after his sister was adopted and he was looking for a way to survive without her. I do not know why he simply did not follow her and he never explained the reason. I did read a letter from him recently though, written by his assistant, who I am eager to meet. She seems like a very sunny character."
Lyra, Crystal's head was racing. She was there that day that Lyra accidentally pushed Silver. Would he recognize her? She felt conflicted between being excited to meet her sister once again and the possibility that Silver will discover who Lyra was through her. She needed to find a way to speak with Lyra before Gold met her, who would most likely recognize Lyra.
"We are almost at his town house," He told her and when she didn't immediately respond, he looked back into the carriage. He frowned at her furrowed brows. It was obvious that she was deep in thought and most likely hadn't heard him say a word. He pulled the carriage to a stop and asked, "Is something troubling you? You have nothing to fear of Silver or myself."
"Pardon?" She looked up at him confused. When he repeated himself she reassured him. "It is nothing. I was just thinking of an errand I need to see to before we meet your friend. Please drop me off at the theater please and wait outside for me. I shall need you to take me somewhere else afterwards."
"Of course," Gold agreed easily. She didn't answer any more of his question which worried him. Even the dog seemed to sense her worry for it laid its head on Crystal's lap for comfort. She absentmindedly stroked him and Gold couldn't help but be a little envious of the creature.
She didn't look up again until they reached the theater. She didn't take a moment before jumping out of the carriage and racing into the theater. Gold wanted to go after her, worried about her sudden wariness but lost her in the crowd and knew he couldn't leave the carriage unattended. He promised himself that if she did not return in a couple minutes he would go after her, if not for his own peace of mind.
"Aqua!" Crystal called cautious of keeping her sister's identity safe made her way through the crowd to find her. She ignored the stares that followed her and went to where Blue spoke with several other actors. "I need you to help me distract someone while I run to find Lyra."
"Crystal?" Blue's heart almost stopped at the prospect of one of her sisters at the theater. They knew only to come when someone was in trouble. It shocked her even more that it was Crystal, who she thought would be hours away at Jhoto. Blue ran to her and pulled her away to the privacy of her dresser and she saw Green follow her from the corner of her eyes. Would that man give her a moment?
"What is it Crystal?" Blue closed the door on Green rather roughly and couldn't help but grin to herself as she heard him swear from the other side of the door. "Give us a moment Green! I shall be out in a moment and you have nothing to fear from this meeting, I just want privacy with my sister without you staring over our shoulders."
Blue had already told them about Green, mostly through a series of screams and complaints, but she didn't think that he could have such an effect on her sister who was a master of hiding what she truly felt which irked her sisters to no bound. "Now what happened to Lyra?"
"Nothing yet but… oh God I feel like a fool panicking and running to you but I'm worried about Silver discovering Lyra is the one that blinded him. You see Gold, who is a friend of Silver, already met Lyra and would recognize her and tell Silver about who she truly is, our sister."
Blue bit her lips but went to the basket she kept in the corner and started throwing several items into it. "Gold is most likely not going to remember your sister. That single minded man like him was more concentrated on you but it cannot hurt to be cautious. These shoes will give her more height and this wig should help as well.
"Dressing the part id one thing but if we are to convinced Gold that she is just a maid, we need to history for her. I'm sure Lyra can make one quickly enough but you need to write it and send it to Yellow and Platina so they don't contradict anything Lyra tells you. Also don't force her character, only answer question about herself when asked. People do not tell their life story when just meeting another. She already know the basic of acting and I hope that will be enough."
A thank was not needed between sister and Crystal hugged her. "Also Gold is outside waiting for me. I do not want him to worry and look for me while I'm speaking with Lyra. Can you distract him for a few moments while I run to her?"
"Of course," Blue went through a box of costumes until she drew out a gypsy veil. "That should be simple enough. Also Crystal, you are never a fool to worry about your family. And he is Gold now? My have you gotten so close to him to call him by his Christian name."
"I need to run to Lyra now," Crystal blushed harder when she heard Blue's laughter follow her. She stopped when she saw Green waiting impatiently outside and went to him. She looked back to see Blue walk outside before turning back to this man. She didn't give him a moment to speak before stabbing his finger into his chest.
"I hope you keep this in mind when forcing Blue to leave this theater," Crystal kept her voice low but the threat laced in her voice was enough. "Blue loves acting and her family love her as well. I will tell you this, if you make her give up what she loves, you will not need to worry about losing your investment because I vow that we will personally make sure that not one investment makes a return. Do not doubt that we cannot do so."
Green couldn't find any words to answer her when she turned on her heel and ran out the back door.
"I cannot do this," Lyra frowned as she tried to walk in the shoes Blue had provided them. She was not accustomed to wearing shoes with such high heels and knew that she would most likely stumble wearing them. "I cannot act as well as Blue either so how can I fool Gold?"
"You do not need to be as good as Blue." Crystal reassured her sister. They had decided to make the story as close to the truth as possible so that Lyra could remember it easier, only saying that Blue had taken her in as a maid instead of a daughter.
"But still I cannot possibly fool him. This dress is so large that I look foolish. Too foolish for him to think that this is my natural attire." Crystal saw Lyra stumble again and went to help her steady herself.
"Your center of balance is off." Crystal told her, knowing the importance of balance from her dancing. "It helps if you stand straighter. There we go and you mustn't hesitate in your steps as well, it will only throw you off balance more."
"This wig is so heavy, how can I stand straight?" Lyra sat on the bed, pulling Sneasel onto her lap for comfort. "I do not know how Blue can go through the entire day wearing that thing. I'm sure all this won't matter, I already told Silver my name was Lyra and surely Gold would recognize the name."
"Do not focus on the negative," Crystal sighed heavily. "Be more confident in your abilities. Now remember what Blue and I have told you and everything should be fine."
"I did not imagine your assistant to look as such," Gold commented to his best friend as they drove to the Berlitz estate. He and Silver sat on the bench of the carriage while Lyra and Crystal sat inside. Gold looked back to the woman who sat next to Crystal, talking excitedly about something. He smiled at the small flower he had placed in Crystal hair before turning back to his friend. "She is rather… tall."
Silver raised a brow at that. "I always imagine Lyra being rather short. Her head does not fall any higher than here on my chest. I could always be wrong though, I cannot tell you what she looks like. But it matters not how she looks, she is only my assistant and she works hard even if she does speak a lot. You two will get along famously I think."
"There is something rather familiar about her though. But I'm sure I would remember someone with so much hair." Gold rubbed his chin. "But she must mean a lot to you if she was able to convince you to adopt a cat. Have my old friend finally grown up and found love?"
"You are worse than my sister," Silver groan. "First she push an assistant on my and now you are making suggestion that would only encourage my sister even more. She's the one that sent her to me in the first place and I'm sure she would more than happy to hear that."
"What's wrong with that?" Gold asked, "You have a sister that loves you and want to see you happy. Take it from me. You're lucky to have a sister even if her methods are rather nonsensical. We only want to see you happy and for you to adjust to your-"
"I've read your letters but haven't had time to reply except for that first one. How is your new life as marquis?" Silver changed the subject, not comfortable speaking about his blindness just yet. "Knowing you, you are most likely driving everyone in that estate insane."
Gold snorted, "My aunt thinks of me as nothing more than a street rat in need to fixing. If I wasn't the only heir, she would've slit my throat long before now. They speak to me as if I am a child."
"And you are not one?" Silver laughed and Gold found himself laughing with his friend. He was glad that at least one of his friends still treated him the same.
"Platina?" Yellow opened the door to her study a little and peered inside to find Platina at her desk. She barely looked up from penning a letter but motion for her to come inside. Yellow felt awkward walking inside and Dia's wondering stare made it all the more awkward. She realized that she hadn't been to her study much but it barely changed except for the larger collection of tomes.
"I wanted to speak with you," Yellow started.
Platina sighed and pushed away from her desk so she could stand. "You do not need to feel responsible for my feelings, they could not be helped. I spoke out of tone with you and I am sorry for that. You do not need to feel that you have to help me. Contrast to what I said last night, I am rather content."
"If that were true, you would not have said what you did," Yellow spoke softly wishing that she knew the words to say to her sister. "I just wanted to speak with you as sisters should. I will not speak of last night's conversation if you wish. I shall start by asking you who you are writing to and you shall answer and I shall reply to that. Conversation is easy. So who are you writing to?"
Platina sighed knowing that Yellow was goodhearted and only wanted to help. "I am writing to my fiancé Pearl. I believe I have spoken with you about him already."
Yellow frowned at the rather short answer but went on with a smile. "That is a rather lengthy letter. What do you two write about? Blue had told me little about him and I would like to know more about the man that you are intended to marry."
"Pearl is kind and funny, though his letter can divert from focus at times." Platina smiled wistfully and sat back in her chair. "I write to him about anything that is on my mind at the time, the words come easier that way. He always takes care to comment on everything I've written. Though not the most knowledgeable in history, he never fails to know what to write to make me smile."
"You speak greatly of him," Yellow smiled. "I am glad that you have someone to speak to. "Do you ever think of visiting his estate? If he as kind as you say, I'm sure that he would not mind at all. It would give you a chance to speak with him in person. You are already arranged to marry him so there cannot be any harm in a little visit. What's the worst that could happen?"
Dia dropped the tomes he was holding and laughed shakily when the two women turned their gaze to him. His heart clenched at the mention of Pearl but his heart all but stopped when Yellow suggested that Platina visit Pearl. He knew that if she asked that of him, he couldn't say no to her even if he knew that it would seal his fate.
"But you cannot spend all of your time in this study alone." Yellow changed the subject, "I suggest we go for a walk, maybe in the garden and Blue should join us as well. She would like that and it would give you a chance to spend some time away from your study."
"I already plan to go to the mills so I cannot go out tonight." She reminded Yellow. "And I will not be alone, I shall have Dia for company. Maybe some other time though."
"Yes, some other time." Yellow beamed and skipped out of the room but stopped at the door. "I hope we can speak at dinner again. Blue always tells me of how smart you are and that she would love to speak with you if you only left your study. We all care very much for you Platina, I'm sorry if you ever thought otherwise."
Platina nodded and turned back to her letter, not looking back to Yellow. Dia smiled after her but frowned at how Platina's face became devoid of emotion as she put away the letter she was penning. She didn't say a word as she took out a map of the estate. Dia knew she wouldn't tell him what was on her mind freely so asked. "We can go to the mills tomorrow if you wish to go on a walk with your sisters."
"I do not want her pity," Platina kept her voice even as she familiarize herself with the layout of the estate. She didn't meet his eyes as she packed a satchel for their short trip. "She merely feels guilty. After she feels that she had done enough, we shall go on our own way. Now I suggest we should go speak with the tenants before we go to the mills."
"I sorry, I know it's not my place to comment but… wouldn't you want to spend more time with your sister. They care for you and maybe you're too hurt to see that as I can. Wouldn't you like to give them a chance? Wouldn't you like to believe that she truly does care for you?"
"I would but I just cannot."
Yellow looked over her shoulder as she walked Ratty into the field. Wally looked nervous as well. Yellow had convinced him to teach her how to ride even as he knew that Blue would disapprove. But she wanted so much to ride a horse. She felt so alive the first night Red took her to London even if her heart was always at the back of her mind. "We are going to start with getting you comfortable on a horse."
Wally looked around one last time before holding his hand out to Yellow. "Place your left feet on the stirrup and hold onto the horn when you pull yourself over his back. Remember everything I taught you about falling and keep a good grip on the reins. Ratty seems well trained enough so I should be able to walk him around the field without him running from us."
Yellow did as Wally instructed and after several tries she was able to seat herself on the horse. She was breathing heavily but her smile was broad. It was something so small but it was a start. Hopefully if Blue saw that she was safe on a horse, she would be more willing to let her continue. He gave Ratty another pat before leading the horse, walking him at a slow pace. "Now sit straight, don't tense up too much or he might take it as a command to go faster. Make sure your heels are down, that's the most important rule."
A low pitched whistle made the animal trot forward out of Wally's grasp before going into a full gallop. Wally's rules echoed in the back of her mind and tried to fight the urge to bury her face in the horse's neck. She did close her eyes in fear though and felt her heart tighten.
She didn't realize that the animal stopped until she felt someone shaking her arm gently. Her vision was blurry and couldn't see that it was Red until she was able to breathe again. She felt as if she was going to fall off the horse but kept herself righted. In the back of her mind she wondered why he was there but she couldn't hold on to a thought for more than a moment, her body more focused on healing itself.
"Yellow?" Red was surprised that Yellow was able to stay seated by the way her body was shaking so much. He knew that she wasn't accustomed to riding horses but he thought she would practise more since he gave her a horse. He didn't think that calling to the horse would scare her so much.
"I'm fine," She was breathless but nodded. Wally ran to her side and helped her down and Red was quick to move to her side. She placed a hand on her chest and steadied herself against Ratty. She was glad that Blue was out and wasn't able to watch the scene play out.
Questions raced through Red's mind but from the stubborn glint in her eye he knew that she wouldn't answer him. He came to visit her with the intent of speaking to her about acting as a client interested in buying a painting in hopes of luring his parent's killer and to speak to her about her missing painting. But those thoughts left his mind when he saw her riding with such a smile on her face and her now distressed one.
"Do you need something to drink? Go and get her some water." He didn't look to see is the man followed his instruction, his focus on Yellow. He hoped that the fright of the horse would diminish soon. He couldn't bear to see her in pain.
"It was just a fright," She lied not wanting him to know about her illness. She saw Wally come out with a glass of water from the corner of her eyes and thanked him as she took it. "You see, this is my first riding lesson and I was not ready for such a… speed. I'm sorry, you must be exhausted. Come inside and have tea with us. Blue should return home soon with other guest as well."
"I didn't realize that you have so many visitors," Red raised a brow.
"Not usually," She admitted. "If I did not have my sisters for company and my paints, I imagine I would've been very lonely. I have to admit even having on sister gone has been a change and this week both Lyra and Crystal had been gone. I am glad that they are to visit us today."
Red followed her as she led him into the house and he wondered how she could be so calm after such a fright, as if it occurred often but he knew it didn't since she did tell him that it was only her first lesson. The thought was lost when he saw how grand the inside of the house actually was. It was large in size and there was not a place that art did not fill.
She pulled him to the waiting room and he noted that the props fought with leftover paper and quills for space on the tables and paintings covered the walls. The only wall that was not graced with paintings was already blocked by bookcases filled with large tomes and he could only imagine the weight of them.
"I shall have Tansy bring us some tea and-" Something caught her eye in the window and sunlight burst from her smile. "They're home! I must go tell Platina, I'm sure she would want to greet them as well."
She was already out the door and Red had no time to follow her. It didn't take much time before she returned with a group though and he found her small frame easily among them. He noticed that she made an effort to sit next to Platina and offered her a cup of tea that Dia made them. He didn't recognize many of the people except Green who came with Blue.
"It seems like everyone here," Blue said cheerfully but her smile faltered at the thought of her brother. She wished there was more she could do for him but also knew that couldn't bring him up without tainting the mood. But she she knew that they were in the back of everyone's mind. Instead she gave a sly smile to Crystal. "That is a lovely flower in your hair Crystal."
Crystal blushed and it was Gold who answered. "A kind gypsy lady sold it to me and I couldn't think of anywhere more beautiful to place it. I need to thank you again for allowing Crystal to come with me to my estate, she has taught so much. I must also thank you for caring for my valet. Tell me Dia, have you won over the love of your princess… again."
"My lord!" The man in question chocked on his tea and Platina leaned over to dab at the corner of his mouth with her napkin. He blushed at the gesture and wished that he never told Gold about the letters even if it was Gold that taught him how to read and write. Platina's questioning eyes boor into him and he quickly changed the subject. "How long are you staying Gold?"
"We would only be staying for a night," Gold answered. "I would like to arrive at my old master's home as soon as possible and ask him some questions. Hopefully he would have the answers I want and we can return home."
"I wish you luck on your journey then," Blue smiled to herself. "But I do not see why Crystal is joining you. She should stay home with us."
"But I already promised to go with him and I want to help him," Crystal told her sister.
"That's very interesting," Blue smiled to herself as she drank her tea and had to stop herself from laughing when Crystal groaned. "It is great to have all of my sisters home again and you as well Silver. I would like to speak you in private it has been so long."
So he was to be the first, Silver thought to himself. He was hoping that she would focus more on Crystal but that dream went unfulfilled. He found himself muttering, "You spoke with me this morning."
And I shall stop there. And I have not forgotten about Sapphire and Ruby, they shall appear in the next chapter.