Day: Wednesday.

( Misty's POV )

I locked myself up in my room, books everywhere. I jumped onto my bed and took the letter from under my pillow, and read it through once more. I didn't know how I could do this, but I would. For Leaf. Telling someone, anyone, it might cost Leaf her life. I couldn't risk any more lives. It couldn't be my fault for their deaths. I still thought about Ash a lot, but there were more things I was concerned about. Like the threat the killer gave me. Only Arceus knew how.

I hid the letter again, and picked up my laptop. The rest would probably leave me alone, since I should be depressed at the moment. Depressed was the wrong word. I felt exhausted. I hadn't slept ever since Ash broke up with me. And that letter... it just made things even more difficult.

A small thing appeared on the right corner of my laptop. I clicked on it, and with that answered the call. A beautiful blond girl came on camera. On the background was the gym, in an almost perfect condition. Two other girls, younger than the blond one appeared too. They waved happily, hurling up at the sound of some stuff falling.

"Misty!"Daisy quickly shouted a little too loud. "How are you? I told you I was gonna call you! But things have been so hectic since our last conversation. I totally forgot to call. And your mobile doesn't seem to work either, and it's so annoying. We had to go through all this trouble to get the lights right." I chuckled. Typically my sisters. If they were to appear on camera, they were gonna do it right. I hadn't brought up the murders, and they didn't seem to be aware of it either. So I just said that I was doing fine. I told them about Ash, but that was before the breakup. I wasn't in the mood to tell them that now. Like they said, it was chaos everywhere.

"No, it's okay."I said hoarsely. I didn't know why I sounded like that, but I did. I quickly coughed hoping my voice would return to normal. "I'm doing great. I have visited Serena, a friend of mine, a lot lately. And my grades are also great. I start to feel more and more at home here. If it were for me, I'd never leave! Doesn't mean I forgot about Kanto though." Daisy smiled.

"So, what about Psyduck?"Violet asked. I had once made her babysit Psyduck, and miraculously Violet had gotten a great interest in Psyduck. Almost like she liked the yellow thing. "Is he doing well?" I chuckled a bit.

"Psyduck is doing very well."I said in a way that made me think of talking to a small child. "He has been causing me a lot of trouble lately, but I can count on him." The killer had told me not to tell anyone about her threat. Would that also mean I had to keep it quiet to my pokémon? "Same goes for pretty much everyone of us."

"That's good!"Violet replied. "Will you come visit us next holiday? We could do all kinds of stuff, like teach Psyduck how to swim!"

"You just want to spend time with Psyduck."I said, pouting teasingly.

"No, I don't!"Violet quickly yelled. "I'm just really passionate about making him swim. I mean, like, he should be good at something, right?! I think Psyduck is the most powerful pokémon you have, if you could just train it! It could protect you from dangers, like Team Rocket."

"Don't worry."I said convincingly. "I haven't heard of Team Rocket ever since I got here. I guess I have no need to worry about people like that."

"Don't treat us like babies, Misty!"Lily yelled. The only one not looking happy. Or did they all just pretend to be happy? I couldn't exactly tell. Maybe they were just faking those smiles. I didn't have to, but I should be able to recognize fake smiles. Maybe that would give me a lead on the killer too. Even though I would meet her tomorrow anyway. If I wanted to, or not. "We know about the murders, disappearances and illegal stuff! We do watch the news! Violet and Daisy have kept quiet about it, but we're worried! And why do you keep lying right in our faces?!" My smile faded.

"Don't worry about me, okay?"I said casually. "Everything I've told you is true, except that I kept some things from you. You guys have your own problems, let me deal with mine." Violet looked away, Daisy's eyes were looking anywhere but at me. Only Lily looked me straight in the eyes. There was a confidence in her eyes, something I hadn't seen before. It didn't matter anyway.

"We'll always worry about you, Misty."Lily said. "No matter if you're here, or on a vacation, or at school, we'll worry. And now that we've heard, seen, about Almia's problems... we need to protect our baby sister. They"-Lily pointed at Daisy and Violet-"do not wish to bring you back to us. They say you seem happy, even with the situation. But I can see right through your fake smile, Misty. You don't have to risk your life for something this ridiculous!"

"It doesn't matter if I'm here, or with you, I'll be in danger anyway."I admitted. Lily's eyes changed. There was a frightened look in her eyes. It darkened. "They're after me, Lily. I have friends who look out for me, but I have to make decisions on my own too. Leaving would just mean I also will be risking other lives, and these people are already caught up in this. I'm not leaving this town under any circumstances. Sorry, Lily. This is just the way things are."

"Misty..."Lily started, but Daisy interrupted her with a cough.

"We understand, Misty."Daisy said quietly. "Be careful, and call us sometime." I nodded. So they knew? Oh well. It wasn't like that changed anything. Lily always was the least wise, always the most impulsive one. Violet and Daisy knew I wouldn't leave, even if they asked me politely. But Lily's concern also made me feel a bit better. I had been angry at Serena for causing so much trouble, and for what? Attention? Pain? I wouldn't do anything too hastily, that was for sure. I wouldn't die.

I walked outside my room. Dawn was on the couch watching Pinocchio. I sat down next to her. Pinnochio was about lying your way through everything. As a little kid I always hated Pinnochio for his recklessness. Was I any better? "Dawn?"I asked. She paused the movie and looked at me. "I'll probably regret telling you this, but I got threatened. And I need your help. It might cost Leaf her life, or yours. I don't want you to just blindly do whatever I tell you. Do what you think needs to be done, okay?" Dawn's face saddened a bit, but she nodded. I stood up and got the letter to give it to Dawn. She read it quietly.

"We'll have to show this to the rest."Dawn said. I opened my mouth to say something, but Dawn quickly added, "It's good that you told me." I looked at the paused movie. "Don't worry,"Dawn convinced me. "Pinocchio can wait." I smiled faintly.

"Thanks."

"Of course."Dawn said, smiling. She walked away, followed by me. It was hard for me to go tell the thing I had been hiding from. Maybe I had made a too quick decision, but it might as well be worth it. As long as I never had to see that scared glimmer in anyone's eyes. Not Lily, not anyone. I wouldn't die. It was a promise. And I would keep it.

( Leaf's POV )

It had been a few days since Brendan had last shown up, and our history teacher, aka Derek, hadn't told me anything about him anymore. He was actually very quiet lately. A very smart move. If he said any more, I would've probably ripped him apart. That is if I could. I never thought I would thank him for giving me homework, let stand it being the best part of the day. I didn't know why I was being held captive, but I didn't ask it either. My memories were probably inconvenient to them. Writing other things down than homework had become a casualty. I wrote down letters to Gary, every single day. Once, I had overheard Derek on the phone with the young girl. I hadn't seen her face, but I could recognize her mechanical voice through the phone. It sounded almost similar through the walkie talkie. But I couldn't figure out who that voice belonged to. I wrote about it to Gary. Not that Derek would give those letters, so I kept them secret. If they decided to mess with my memories again, I could read about them. All of them.

Right now Derek was busy refreshing my bandages. He didn't say anything, like usual. But ever since the phone call, he didn't seem to be interested in my bandages. I could just feel something coming. Maybe they were gonna do something to me. Or worse. Derek had sounded very serious when talking to the girl, almost as if she was about to do something stupid. And it could involve me. Or Misty.

"Are you an assassin?"I asked. I didn't know why I started a conversation. There was just something telling me this silence was just gonna make me feel even more anxious.

"No."Derek replied. Well, he used to give me more annoying answers. Like, "I can't tell you that" or, "Keep it down".

"And that girl from the walkie talkie?"I asked. "Was she an assassin?"

"She likes to call herself that, yes."Derek answered me. "Though she's not even close to having the skills of a professional assassin." That must've been the longest sentence I had ever heard him say. I wondered how messed up his past was, making him end up like this. It probably wasn't pretty, but I wouldn't have pity with him. He was my kidnapper, and he kidnapped me twice. I couldn't pity someone like that.

"So, you're paying her?"I questioned again. I needed all the information I could get. Maybe I could give it to Gary, before all hell would break lose. "To kill Misty?"

"Yes, it comes down to that." I bit my lip. I needed more information.

"What about Brendan?" I didn't want any information on Brendan. I was happy he hadn't shown up. I could still see his damned eyes in my nightmares. And I seemed to have a lot of nightmares lately. "Are you paying him?" A silence, but I wouldn't break it, so that Derek would have to.

"No, I'm not." Good to know. "He was broken already, and she just needed the satisfaction of another kill. I didn't want her to keep off track. It was a list of names, a perfect plan, but she did whatever she wanted. But she told me she saw something destructive in that guy. I only saw broken-hearted trash, but she believed in him. And I know I shouldn't have agreed, but I still did. I don't even know why I did. She started training him, as the psychopath I had made her become. Leaf, have you ever felt like you made a mistake?"

"Everyone has." I started feeling a bit uncomfortable, but he finally started talking about something useful. "Making mistakes is human. I made lots of mistakes in my life, so did Misty."

"I know, but I've turned an innocent girl in something abominable."Derek admitted. He seemed to regret it. And at the same time this conversation felt odd. "I somehow don't fully regret making her that way. I started letting her in. I like her like this. But she seems... broken. And I just wished it wasn't my fault."

"I don't believe it was." Where was this conversation going? "She came to you, right? Then she must've been broken even before you came in her life. What do you have against Misty, anyway?" I know it was a sudden change, but I needed that information most of all.

"I can't tell you that."Derek replied, and the frustration boiled up inside me again. Oh, how I hated that answer. Derek stood up. "Your bandages are done. And if you want, I can get you some movies. Though I only have some old ones here. Mostly Disney." I smiled the first smile in days.

"That's alright."I said happily. "Oh, and can I have a shower after that?"

"No."he replied. I pouted, but there was some happy feeling too. I could finally do something. Actually do something. Even if it was watching a Disney movie. It was the best I could do in days. But then a door opened, and I heard a very familiar voice. My eyes widened. What was she doing here?

"You won't go through."Derek said. Was it someone against him, or...

"I told you, I would do it on my own."she said. "On the average, I don't follow your orders all that much." A door opened and for the first time, I saw her face. Her real face. "Hello, sweetheart. Do you mind coming with me? I'm sure Derek can miss you for two days." My mouth opened on its own, and I couldn't bring out anything. "Oh, so it was still a shock to you?"

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Well, what can I say? So close to revealing the killer! I love writing this! Okay, now the killer won't be revealed, yet. So, I thought I'd reveal something else. The cover for Fighting Arrows! Which I'm gonna make no matter how many people don't really care. I was happy on how the cover became, so I hope you like it too!

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                 -LapisLazulli2-