**Soul of White**

[The Jolly Victini]

Teddy looked at Ella excitedly.
"Oh, yes! Please!" he said.
The two walked in and it didn't take long before a kid was called away from a game by his mother. He ran by and said quickly to Teddy,
"There's still some credits in that Galaga game. You can go play it."
Teddy curiously walked over to the game in question and looked at the screen that said, "Continue?" with a number counting down from 10. Teddy simply stared at it, not knowing what he should do.  

[WritingWithLove]

Shady characters surrounded the area, all of them talking and making-out and getting high. Ella found a suspicious bit of paper resting on top of the arcade machine. It was small and rolled up, and it had some kind of spice inside it. She chuckled as she took it and flipped open her lighter. She lit the end and took a long drag from it, already feeling the effects of the wonderful drug.
She noticed Teddy's confused look, and she pointed to the two buttons and the control stick and said, "Use the buttons to shoot, and use the joystick to move."
She paused and took a drag.
She remembered why it was called a "joystick."

"Actually," Ella said as she took Teddy's hand, "maybe you should try a different game. One without, uh, hand-held controls"  

[Serenla the Cat]

Scatty growled at him, and began berating him for interfering when he did little to nothing. He could do what he wanted, but she sure as hell could give him a hard time for it. She hardly noticed the two leaving, and when she did, she decided to carefully, quietly follow them. She'd done this so many times before, she managed to think about other things as she perfectly followed them.

An arcade? Really? Some strange kid, and she decides to take him to an arcade? Sometimes Scathach just didn't understand kids. She saw the girl smoking, and shook her head. She far from approved of this girl, she had that look about her; girls like her could never stop acting the way they did when looking for... customers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rain sighed, finally somewhat awake enough to take care of what she needed to. The kids had decided not to be content with cereal, and made a mess trying to make pancakes that she now had to clean up, and make new ones to replace the burnt crisps they hadn't even tried to take a bite out of.  

[WritingWithLove]

It didn't take much to make Ella disoriented. She smoked only to look natural, but in reality, she only mildly enjoyed it. The taste was bitter, and she hated the feeling of not being able to control herself. Still, if she didn't finish off, she would be looked down on. Everyone specialized in something illegal- robbery, stalking, selling themself- and, being so, they only had two means of real relaxation: drugs and alcohol.
Ella leaned against the wall and held her head. At the risk of getting caught, she casually tossed the blunt behind the machine. The smell was getting to her, and she felt like she needed a really long nap.  

[Serenla the Cat]

Scatty was about to walk in to confront her, seeing as the drug was gone; she looked disoriented and therefore would talk. Also, if she'd walked in while she had it, she'd have to punish her for that to. Just before pushing the door open, she got a call. A suicide attempt was definitely more urgent than this, and she took off to where the jumper was seen.  

[WritingWithLove]

Ella slid down the wall and ended up sitting on the floor. She noticed someone leave, but thought nothing of it; she was too focused on herself right now. Drugs often made her do that.
Why aren't I pretty?
Why am I so fat?
I still need to deal with breakfast.
Why doesn't anyone love me?
What are Briar and Sawyer doing right now?
I'm such a filthy w****.
No wonder no one likes me.
I need to change.

She sighed and pulled her legs up to her chest. It would take a miracle to turn her life around.  

[The Jolly Victini]

"Ella? Are you okay?"
Teddy knelt down and held her bangs out of her face so he could see into her eyes.
"Do you want to go back home? I can carry you if you don't feel too good..."  

[WritingWithLove]

She smiled at the thought of him trying to carry her. "Nah," she replied, "I'm, like, waaay too fat." The drugs were getting to her faster than usual. Was it because of nerves?
She smiled at Teddy and asked, "What in Heaven's name would possess you to say, like, you loved me? Me, a vindictive, kinky, rotten excuse for a girl?"  

[The Jolly Victini]

Heaven... why did that word feel so... homely?
Teddy shook the thought from his head.
"I don't think everyone is the same at heart than they act normally. That's how I feel about you... I think... I'm not sure. I just, feel so nice when I'm around you."
Teddy didn't know it, but a strange, soft white aura had appeared on both sides of his back, coming out like... wings.  

[WritingWithLove]

Ella sighed and rubbed her eyes. She knew she was high; there's no way Teddy had wings. She shakily stood up and leaned on him as she said, "C'mon, let's get outta here. I wanna show you more than just an old arcade."  

[The Jolly Victini]

Teddy helped Ella walk. He continually wondered why she was so cynical about the idea of love. With a heavy sigh, Teddy's face now bore a look of hopelessness.  

[WritingWithLove]

With a hand on his shoulder, she forced herself to walk straight, thinking of moving the left foot, then the right foot, then left, then right, then left...
They passed a couple, holding hands and kissing passionately, whispering between kisses, "I love you."
Tears rose to Ella's eyes as the Three Magic Words smashed into her heart. She chuckled and tried to shrug it off, rolling her eyes and saying to Teddy, "I'm so glad I'm single. I don't have to worry about anyone besides myself..."  

[The Jolly Victini]

Teddy only glanced at her. His excitement seemingly gone. He looked like he was about ready to crawl back into his crater.  

[WritingWithLove]

She looked him over and wondered what he was upset about. Was it something she'd said? Of course it was; she was a mistake within itself.
"H-hey, thanks for helping me. And..." she paused, "thanks for sleeping with me last night. I... I've never been held like that before. Most guys would push me away."
She kissed his cheek in hopes of cheering him up.  

[The Jolly Victini]

Teddy's ears raised slightly. A blush was visible on his muzzle now. He perked up, but looked a bit more nervous in asking,
"Ella... Do you not believe in love?"