• ~Chapter 3~
    Blood Games

    “There are only a few little rules my sweethearts, would you like to know?” She questioned while her stance remained at perfect ease. Why should she have been nervous? All the pokemorphs had fled to the other side of the room, including myself. Kyoko was holding close my arm and she was shaking almost uncontrollably. My own fear was hidden but as the woman looked the whole group of us over her eyes rested upon my own and she smirked, she could see the ultimate terror within my gaze.

    “Don’t fret my little babies; this is going to be a fun game. The rules are simple, so let me tell you. Only two can survive. I don’t care who you partner with, if you partner with anyone at all. The Blood Games are a game of survival and cruelty, only the strongest two will make it through. Now go on to the game, but the killing can only begin once the gong is rung” Her voice was final and the door slammed shut, leaving only her smirk as our memory.

    The room shook and everyone including myself was taken by surprise when the back of the room opened up and dropped us into a hole.

    I landed with several others on top of me, the breath within my chest getting knocked out. As other pokemorphs scrambled to get up and flee into the surrounding forest I staid down on the floor staring up into the bowl shaped sky. The sky was lined by a huge wall, the metal steel reflecting off the setting sun. In this staggering beauty I had no one I loved to share it with…no on. So what was my purpose of getting up? Every time I caught a glimpse of Lilith she disappeared and never seemed to appear until I was gone.

    “Shizuki get up!” A voice hissed and I winced as Kyoko scraped her claws against my cheek, leaving a long but shallow cut across my cheek. I growled and stood, towering over the girl and baring my fangs. “Why shouldn’t I just kill you? Why do you think you’re special?” Kyoko looked shocked and taken aback as the words left my mouth and in all honesty so was I. The sudden flare of resentment had come from nowhere and I had to rein my emotions in. I was frustrated and I had accidentally taken it out on her.

    “I’m sorry, that was out of line.” I apologized softly but Kyoko’s gaze still held suspicion until they softened. “It must be a painful memory of why you’re here, it is for me, I understand how you feel right now but please… if I’m going to make it out of here I’d like to make it out of here with you”

    The shock on my face was evident as she spoke and she blushed while her eyes hardened defensively. “Not in a romantic sense you idiot” She growled, the blush on her cheeks charming. Maybe she could make me forget… she was here after all while Lilith remained M.I.A.

    I leaned in and with a small smirk my mouth was only centimeters from her own. “It’s not like romance is forbidden” I whispered and while she trembled there it was. The blue eyes hidden within the underbrush, watching my near kiss with the most betrayed look. I immediately withdrew and shoved Kyoko out of the way, not bothering with the usual cry as I dove into the forest, following only the sound of receding footsteps.

    Lilith why do you run? I thought hopelessly, stopping in a clearing and looking around. The grass was singed and in some places completely turned to ash.

    “Leave now or I’ll kill you” A deep voice said and I looked up to see a charizard pokemorph flying towards me with blood ready eyes, the fire of his tail blending in with the sunset of the sky. “Answer me one question and then I’ll leave” I responded defiantly and the charizard landed, arm crossed against his chest but obviously ready to answer. “Did a glaceon come through here?” I questioned and the charizard’s booming laughter told me the answer I needed.

    “No little umbreon, a glaceon did not pass through. Now leave” I turned and went into the forest, seeing Kyoko standing there, confusion within every look. I breathed in the fresh air of the deep green forest and looked around, smiling softly. The sun danced in several places once it had found its way through the thick canopy of emerald foliage. The ground was alive with the green blades of grass that had not been touched by the previous fire attack. Though the forest was a beauty that could not be compared with any it still held secrets that would gladly rip out your heart if you happened to get in the way.

    “Kyoko I’m-” She cut off my voice with a shocking speed and was in front of me in a moment, placing a sympathetic finger on my lips.

    “You’re right, romance isn’t forbidden, but it is when you’re still in love” She knew. I tried to speak and she just cut off my words with small kiss to my cheek. “If we don’t find a place to hide soon then we’re going to die” She led the way through the forest, sometimes stopping to admire the scenery and at others smelling for potential enemies.

    “Kyoko what happened to you?” I asked her and she turned, garnet eyes turning sad but before she could answer a thunderous bang echoed throughout the enormous stadium.

    “My children, you know the rules, kill or be killed. Let the Blood Games Begin!” My heart chilled at her voice, and that hatred began to grow. For the moment though she was only a disembodied voice, one that I couldn’t even harm with the universal sign for ‘I hate you’. My eyes narrowed as I heard growls, pokemon that had been previously hidden coming out to attack.

    “Let’s just hide Shizuki, you’ve just had the operation, there are things you need to know before you try attacking others” The power that was running chaotically through my veins alerted me to the fact that she was right, and as much as I hated to admit it, I knew I was in no condition to fight. My muscles were sore, my tendons strained at the slightest jolt, and my mind felt as heavy as a two ton brick. I needed rest. My ears twitched and my tails swished as Kyoko hid us in the thick underbrush where even the sharpest of smell couldn’t find us.

    The smallest flicker of blue caught my attention, but, unlike usual, I remained still with Kyoko. I had a very unnerving feeling that these sightings were just more indications that I was going insane.