Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or any of the characters
Yellow's head throbbed and she wanted to rub her temple but her body felt so weak. Was someone crying? It sounded so far away and when Yellow tried to call out, it came out in a heavy whisper of nothings. The voice came again but the sobs stopped her from determining what the voice said. She felt a wet cloth against her temple and tried to pull away from its coldness.
"She's in pain!" A new voice came and echoed in her throbbing head. The voice from earlier became clear as her tears turned to anger and she threaten with such things Yellow would not dear repeat. Another voice came, a poised voice that was on the edge of breaking as she told the two to calm. Yellow tried to concentrate on the voices to pull herself out from the darkness she woke in.
Her throat was dry but she tried once again to speak. She forced herself to open her eyes and flinched at how bright it was. Her eyes adjusted to the lights and it dimmed so she could see her sisters gathered around them, staring down at her concerned. She reached out to reassure her sisters but she found herself already in their embrace.
"Yellow!" Lyra sobbed as she hugged her sister and the rest joined in quickly enough. Yellow tried to hug them back but her arms were so weak and she felt more frustrated with herself. They started to ask her more question before Platina quickly hushed them saying that they needed to give Yellow a moment to collect herself from the shock she must've been feeling.
Yellow closed her eyes and remembered that she had been with Red. They stopped to watch a magician when the arrow came towards them. The shock had sent her heart into her threat and she suddenly found it difficult to breath. She tried to reach out to Red but by then her vision had already begin to fade. "Where-"
"Don't stress yourself," Crystal told her as Lyra quickly scurried to pour a glass of water for her. Blue helped Yellow sit and she noticed the tears in her eyes. Guilt fell heavy on her chest and wanted to reassure her sister but couldn't find her voice. Lyra raised the cup to Yellow's lips and tried to smile reassuringly at her older sister who now looked so small and weak
"I'm sorry," Yellow said after a moment and Platina hugged her sister tighter. She had never seen her sister so pale and that scared her, but she knew that it scared Blue most when Red had burst into the theater carrying the unconscious Yellow. Platina partly blamed herself for the fact that her sister was in such a state.
Blue, who had been oddly quiet since Yellow had woke, brought the blanket closer around her and all but burst into tears as she spoke. "This is why I'm so afraid to let you out of my sight! I'm sorry if you feel so smothered, as Platina tells me you feel but what am I supposed to do? Leave your life to chance? You're my sister and I don't want to ever see you like this again!"
"Please Blue," Yellow tried to calm her sister and grabbed her hand so Blue couldn't turn away from her. "I saw an Opera with Red! It was so wonderful and the only thing that saddened me was that it wasn't with my family. Do you know how lonely I felt? You all left to do what you wish but I was stuck here in bed until you come to check on me! I wanted to laugh with you."
"I was always there for you," Blue asked shocked at how Yellow could feel lonely when she had always sat by her bed and brought her paint whenever she asked. "What does it matter if we go out there or stay in here? We're together and it's safer here for you. You should know that I only want to protect you."
"Yellow," Lyra looked from the two sisters to Platina who seemed to understand the most from her sad eyes. "Why didn't you tell us you feel this? If you wanted to go out, you only have to ask."
Blue sent Lyra a glare and Yellow looked down at her hands. Blue reaction was answer enough to Lyra as she all but screamed. "Look where we are now? I don't want any of my sisters to be hurt! Do you know what it was like to have no one to depend on? I don't want any of you to ever feel like that, especially now that we are all sisters. I had no one until we became sister and I won't lose this!"
"You are just as afraid as we are," Crystal sighed. Blue had tried to convince her that it would be better for her to teach Gold at the estate instead of at Jhoto but she didn't have the power over Crystal as she did Yellow and had to try to trust in the fact that she had taught Crystal how to fight. She didn't have the time to build that trust with Yellow because of her sickness.
"Yes, I was afraid!" Blue yelled as she dropped her hands into her hands. "Is that what you want to hear? That I am afraid and selfish? I'm sorry if I smother you, as I said before, but can you blame me?"
"We don't want to see you sad as much as you do us," Crystal told her sister, quickly wanting to upset her. "I fully agree that you should want to protect Yellow and we do too. But I've seen you work yourself to death trying to take care of us. Yellow understands that, she just wish that it was not to the extent that you are doing."
Blue bit her lips as Lyra went to hug her sister, seeing how upset her two sisters were becoming. Lyra looked at Yellow from over Blue's shoulder and saw her guilty frown. She knew that her sister would more likely keep her feelings to herself if it meant that it wouldn't upset her sisters. "We're all sisters, let's not fight as such. Once you are feeling better, we shall do an activity of Blue's choosing."
Platina looked at Blue expectedly and though the power was given to her with the choice of the activity they are to partake in but she knew from Yellow's pleading eyes that she could not refuse her. "Platina tells me that you wished to go on a picnic. Once Ruby returns, we shall go on one but no sooner."
Yellow looked up at the sound of a knock. Platina raised a brow and went to open the door. It had only been a couple minutes since Platina had sent Blue and the others away so they wouldn't overwhelm Yellow so she wondered why her sister would return so quickly. Maybe one was only bringing Yellow's sketchbook.
Platina opened the door and had to look up at Dia who frowned before moving aside to reveal Red. Platina's face mirrored Dia's at the sight of Red. She couldn't help but blame him for what happened to Yellow and in result blame herself for letting Yellow go with him. She heard Yellow ask who was at the door behind her and Red walked past her to Yellow.
"May I have a moment with Yellow?" He asked a little hesitantly, not looking back to see if Platina or Dia gave him that moment alone but was glad to hear the door close. Red went to stand by Yellow's bed and his heart sank at how pale she looked. Did she allows looked so? He didn't know if he expected to see her frown at him or give him a reassuring smile. She seemed to be confused as well and kept her gaze down to her lap and tightened her hand on her blanket.
"Why did you not tell me?" He asked in a rough voice, wanting to yell the question but not wanting to cause her any more discomfort. He was the reason she was in her bed at that moment. Hell, even she wasn't sickly he never should've taken her into his world of revenge.
"Would you have offered to pay for Ruby's debt if you knew?" She asked him, angry that the one person who would never treat her as an invalid now knew the truth and would treat her as everyone else did. "Would you have brought me to London without fretting over my every action?"
"I wouldn't have brought you on my thefts if I knew that I was putting your health in danger!" Red countered. "I would've left you outside the building! I wouldn't have stolen you out that damn window or chased you through that damn maze."
"But you did and I'm still here," Yellow countered. "It was unfortunate what happened but that was neither of our faults. You always took care of my safety during your thefts and I always kept my health in mind. I can still help you, and you need my help. Please don't see as fragile, I am so tired of hearing that! I don't want to be trapped in this bed anymore."
"What is this really about?" Red sighed and sat on the bed beside her.
"I don't want to be a burden anymore," Yellow said much softer. Red saw her shoulders shaking, trying to keep her tears silent and pulled her into his chest. He was getting much too close to this little woman that he unknowingly put in danger and would continue to do so. The dam broke and Yellow sobbed, "I just want her to see that I'm her equal. I don't want her to continue worrying about me and eventually hate me for keeping her from her talent."
"She would never hate you, Yellow." He said into her hair even though he knew that Blue could never feel such a way towards her sister. He knew that determination in her amber eyes and feared that if he wasn't the one to watch over her, then she would rebel on her own. "If you still want to help me, you can but I refuse to take you into the houses, you will wait outside for me."
"Do you think that it was right for me to allow Red to speak with Yellow alone?" Platina asked Dia as they sat together, Platina handing him a plate of cookies. "I know that there are things that Yellow would want to speak with him alone but I'm just worried that in his anger, he might say something that would hurt her."
"Words are powerful thing," Dia nodded and silently added: they can turn a knight into a prince. "I do not think that Red is a person of anger. You don't have to worry about your sister and if you do, I'll help you plot against him."
Platina actually giggled at his remark and he smiled in return. There was a knock at the kitchen door and turned to see Lyra at the door holding a stack of letters. Dia felt his heart drop at her words when she handed one to Platina. "There's a letter from Pearl for you Platina."
How could Platina be receiving a letter from him? He hadn't written an answer to her yet since he was still waiting for Pearl's answer to his own letter to him… Dia had to stop himself from jumping across the table to grab the letter from her. How could he take the letter from her before she found the truth?
Platina set the letter aside though and sighed. Lyra noticed this, and sat by her sister. "What's wrong?"
"I ask Pearl if I could visit his estate and I know that he will welcome me but I don't know if this is the right time for me to leave. Yellow might need me," Platina almost laughed at the irony that when she was able to leave to a place of love, she hesitated to do so. Haven't she told Yellow repeatedly that she looked forward to the day that she was able to meet Pearl for the first time?
"You love him?" Lyra asked and Platina nodded. "At least we have the reassurance that you are with someone that you love and would love you back. Yellow would want you to be happy but you should speak to her before you decide to see him… I have a better idea! Why must you see him? If he loves you as well, he wouldn't mind to take the long journey to visit you. This way you can meet him for the first time and be here for Yellow as well."
"That is brilliant!" Platina hugged her sister. She had always hesitated to ask him to visit since she knew that he was busy with his own estate but Lyra was right to say that Pearl would easily sacrifice some of his time since he loved her. "I shall write him immediately after I read the note he sent me."
"I have been known for my ideas," Lyra teased her sister with a gentle nudge. "Silver has gone to speak with Blue and I thought that I should use this time to speak with you. I want to tell Silver that I was the one that… made him blind. I think that he has adjusted his blindness well enough and the time might be right for me to tell him."
"If you already decided to tell him, why are you speaking with me about this issue?" Platina asked, reading between Lyra's words. "You are still hesitant. Don't be a lie and simply tell him since the longer you wait, the longer it would be for him to forgive you. No one wants to be lied to."
"I need to go," Dia stood suddenly. "I have to speak with Red about something."
"I shall go with you to check on Yellow as well," She said but Dia immediately said that she should stay with Lyra. Platina watched him even as she was concerned about the more solemn lines on his face. She felt something move in her heart move at the sight of him leaving without a smile. She turned back to the letter but found that it was missing from its place on the table.
"Oh God, White! Are you okay? Black sent us a message that you were hurt." Blue ran to her friend's side who was sitting on a bench, with her bound head on Black shoulder. He almost pushed them away with his instinct to protect her. She made a little sound, mumbling that she wanted to throw up and he rubbed her back. "What happened?"
"I don't know," Black snarled, angry at himself. He was at the theater last night! Why hadn't he heard someone attack White? He had woken some time later, and began to worry when she didn't answer his call. He found that his worry was well placed, to his remorse, when he found her lying unconscious in the attic. He had called all of the actors and they had only just begun to gather.
"I was in the basement," she mumbled again. "Door."
"Save your strength," Black urged her but she shook her head. "The other workers already went there and they said they didn't find any trapdoor, even when we pull back the carpet."
"I'm not mad!" White yelled a little louder because of the throbbing against her skull. Black frowned at the pain that created lines on her face and kissed her temple to try to ease the pan even if he knew that such things were irrational. He just needed to feel her close to him.
"Of course you aren't, Green and I will go down and look for that door for you." Blue assured her though she didn't know why White was so intent on finding that trapdoor. But there was obviously something important if White was attacked for merely discovering it. "Come Green."
Green wasn't given time to argue before Blue led him away, taking his hand brazenly. He knew that she was only playing the mistress but he couldn't find himself to think of her as one of those characters. He couldn't think of her as one of those actresses of loose morals either. He couldn't find a character that defined her fully.
He followed her down to the basement, taking a lantern with him to light their way. He was sure to stay close to her as they walked down the stairs in case she lost her footing and fell. Blue raised a brow at him when she realized how close he was to her and made a show of her skipping some steps and bowed at the bottom. "I may not be the dancer my sister is but I will not kill myself by simply walking down steps."
"I know that," Green blushed but turned his head away, glad the dim light his blush. Why was he worrying about her safety? "I cannot have you hurting yourself before a play. But beyond that, how are you and Silver, I notice that he and Lyra drove you to the theater."
Blue smiled as if a great weight had been lifted from her. "He doesn't seem to be angry with me as much though he does try to avoid the topic of his blindness or my sisters. At least he's speaking with me again and I'm glad to see that he still enjoys himself at times. He takes care of Sneasel though Lyra is a little disheartened that the cat enjoys spending time with Silver more than her."
Green found himself enjoying the sound of her laugh too much and hung the lantern so they could get to work. He walked to the trunk that was turned over and began to gather the costumes to put them away. White must've been standing somewhere there when the trunk fell and knocked her unconscious.
"White would be much more than unconscious if it was to fall on her," Blue said and Green realized that he had been speaking out loud. She leaned over his shoulder, standing much too close to him and he wondered if anything made her uncomfortable, most women wouldn't stand so close a bastard son. "And that wouldn't explain why she came to be in the attic. Someone attacked her."
Her hand tightened on his shoulder but it didn't hurt. She worried her lower lip and brows began to furrow. Green wanted to smooth out those lines but stopped himself and stood to roll back the carpet that White told him the trap was hidden underneath. Blue went to his side to help since the carpet was both large and heavy.
"Do you know what someone might hide in this theater?" Blue asked Green. "I assume you've done your research on this theater, as you do all your investment, so you must have some clue on why White was attacked."
"I thought this would be a safe investment since there was nothing to point to any past drama in this theater." Green grumbled. "Things had been troubling since that man came to you with the proposition."
"You cannot be suggestion that I had something to do with this?" Blue asked him in a rough voice but she was used to people assuming that she would do anything for money due to her choice of being an actress. It just hurt her more that Green thought of her as so since she thought he had begun to know her more.
"I didn't say anything of the sort," Green frowned. "I was merely thinking of what that man would want from you."
Blue sighed and continue to roll the carpet to find a letter with her name addressed on it. What made her heart froze was that it wasn't for Aqua, but herself. How would one know where to place the letter and her really identity? She took it with shaky hands and turned to Green. "We should go back to the estate."
Green noticed that shaking of her hands and placed his large ones around them to keep them from shaking. "We'll go to my townhouse, it's much closer."
"Five and four," Emerald muttered to the dice he rolled onto the drawing room table and began to count the dices. Gold had wanted to play with the little boy and teach him his mathematics to me as well. He wanted to take the boy back to Jhoto since he thought the boy might be a better marquis than himself. He could go back to his old life and Emerald could have a better life for himself.
"Nine!" Emerald clapped and Gold gave him a fatherly pat on his head. Gold nodded and handed him the agreed upon coin. Emerald was only too happy to roll the dice again to see if he was able to roll another nine. "Three and six… I win again!"
"You'll ruin my estate," Gold laughed and placed more coin in the boy's hand. "After this I shall teach you to play cards. If your luck holds up, you can take me for everything I own!"
"You are not going to teach him such vices!" The two looked up at Crystal's yells and Gold gave her his winning smile. He couldn't help but smile at the fire in her eyes that hinted at the passion he loved to see in her graceful movements. Crystal had been avoiding him since they had danced at the gypsy camp and he was glad to be merely in her presence.
"I am teaching him his arithmetic," Gold said easily and rolled the dice again. "What did I roll Emerald?"
Emerald began counting the dots as Crystal stared sternly down at Gold. Why did his tawny eyes have to twinkle with mischief in such a way that she only wanted to fall into them? Since he brought up the question of courtship, she had spoken to him less. He couldn't have been serious, could he? A rake like him wouldn't be right for her, someone who was comfortable with her carefully structured life.
"There are better way to teach one his addition than to have him develop such habits as gambling." Crystal told him even as Emerald began to count the coin he had allocated.
"Aye, boring ones." Math was always second nature to him but for the life of him, he couldn't remember where or how he acquired the skill. He tried to grab hold of any memory concerning the subject but he could only think of struggling to fill in a table of numbers. "This way is much more fun and will teach him how to handle his finances."
"Pardon me if I disagree," She turned her chin up stubbornly and Gold and Emerald began to laugh. Emerald rolled again, calling out the numbers much faster now and holding his hand out to Gold for the coin. Crystal smiled at the light in his eyes and sat next to the boy, patting his head. Winypon came to them and rested at her feet.
Gold smiled at the trio and stroked Winypon's head before standing. "I now remember that I left something in the carriage. Can you continue to play with Emerald while I go get the trunks?"
Crystal nodded and went to take the chalkboard from its shelf, not wanting Emerald to learn such at his age. Gold laughed at Emerald's crestfallen face and assured the boy that he will continue to pay with him when he returned.
As Gold walked down the hall, he thought to get a deck of cards before he went to the carriage since he didn't pack one. Surely, there was a deck in such a large estate. He opened the first door to his left and the room he found was a mess with maps littering the floor and desk. It was a male study so thought that there would be a deck so entered the small study, careful not to step on anything.
He moved aside a map and his eyes caught on the dull ring glinting on the table. Something sparked his interest and carefully lifted the simply ring to the light. He tilted the ring so he could see if there was an inscription inside. There was one, though it was faded and lightly dusted with dirt.
To my love, Beatrice. I shall wait for the day to be with you and our son, Gold.
I really need to advance the plot so flash mob of plot advancements XD