Song Inspiration: "Monster" by Skillet

"I'm not going to fight you, Satoshi!" The blond picked himself up again, wiping a small amount of blood from his split lip. In his suit, against his chest, he could feel the last piece to 'The Ultimate Weapon' dangling by a thin chain.

While Satoshi and the others fought off Calamanero, he had been entrusted to dismantle the machine. He had managed to retrieve the most important piece, a peculiar pink crystal bound in steel rings, but had been yanked away when the girls were attacked before he could get rid of it.

Now the dark Pokemon had Satoshi completely in it's control, manipulating it's way into his mind and using his body as a fleshy puppet.

"Mane-mane-ma" From across the abandoned building, a Calamanero chuckled deeply, enjoying seeing the boy in pain.

In the corner, both the girls had been secured in a storage closet. He could hear them and their Pokemon (including Pikachu) furiously pounding on and attacking the steel door. Surely Serena was trying to think of a way to escape while he held him off.. right?

Mindlessly, Satoshi stepped closer, his glassy eyes still somehow threatening. In his hand, he held a broken end to one of Citron's inventions, the Pikachu robot that broke Calamanero's control the first time they had met (apparently it could really hold a grudge). The metal was decorated in dents, occasionally showing scratched off paint or small slivers of Citron's blood.

"You are a pest.. trying to be the hero. You boys don't know when to stop, do you?" Satoshi's monotoned voice spoke the words the malicious Pokemon had ordered him to. His arm swung high, bringing it down with all his strength.

"Satoshi!" Quickly the inventor dodged, the metal just barely missing this time.

Shit! I need help! I can't stop him on my own..

Finding a stack of crates, he slipped between the wood, trying to buy himself some time. Okay, think.. think... think...

Mind control was something they had encountered several times before with Lucario, Pikachu and Rentorar. They had both managed to snap them out of it with a bond that only they shared with their trainers.

A bond?

Did he and Satoshi have the same connection? Of course, the blond knew that he harboured unspoken feelings for him. That had became obvious to him fairly quickly in their time together. But out of fear of loosing his best friend, he had decided to keep his emotions to himself. Although, it was becoming more clear that if there was any hope of getting though to the brain washed boy, a confession just might be enough.

However, what matters here, is if Satoshi feels the same way..

True. He had to be the one to hear him from however deep inside he was.

The sound of wood splitting brought the inventor from his thoughts. With hardly a moment to process this, the next thing he knew, he was being drug out of his hiding space by the collar out into the open.

"Satoshi! It's me!" The inventor caught a foot to the face, his glasses skidding across the concrete floor. A sickening crack followed by a throbbing pain and hot blood rolled down from his now broken nose.

Not wasting a second, a heavy weight piled on his torso, pinning him to the floor. Panic started to fill his chest. Satoshi was stronger than him, there was little hope of trying to pry him off now. The trainer's fingers curled around his arms, digging into the torn dirty fabric.

I can't let him get it, I have to snap him out of this somehow!

"You can't save him." Satoshi's voice rang coldly, Calamanero's words stinging. "You call this pathetic attempt of your's a bond?" His tone dropped into a growl, sounding deadly as he leaned in closer. His once alert amber eyes glazed and completely lost. "I know what's in your head, boy. I've been inside it-"

Calamanero's words sent a chill down his spine. He had nightmares for weeks after the pokemon had invaded his mind. Now, similarly, Satoshi was being manipulated just like his had been.

It knows..how I feel about him..is that why it's so aggresive?..

"You'll never be enough." He mocked, tapping into his worst fears. "You're just another traveling partner. Within a few months you'll just be another story, no more than that."

Satoshi will leave. When he's done with the league.. he'll be gone..

The inventor felt himself withdrawing, emotional pain overriding his physical aches.

"Why fight for someone who doesn't give a shit about you? Why let them abuse you if they'll never return your love? Save yourself the trouble, kid. Give up and hand me the stone."

Satoshi.. felt nothing for him. He didn't care. He didn't-

"You're wrong!" Citron's voice cracked, pushing back the tears starting to form in his pale eyes. He couldn't give up. This is what the Pokemon wanted, to get his gaurd down so he could retrieve the last piece to the machine. Citron couldn't give in to it. Satoshi wouldn't want him to. Somewhere deep inside the body above him, he was still in there. Perhaps fighting just as hard as he was. "He do-"

"SHUT UP!" A fist collided again with his jaw, sending more blood across the ground. The inventor whimpered, curling into himself. He had to protect the crystal, atleast long enough until Satoshi came through.

I have to tell him.. I really don't have a choice..

"Satoshi! I know you can hear me!" A tanned hand forced him onto his back, facing the trainer. Aggressively, he made for Citron's neck, yanking on his collar and the thin chain. The jagged stone dug into his skin, thankfully still concealed in his clothes. "I know you're in there, Satoshi! You wouldn't do this! You wouldn't let anyone hurt your friends!"

There was a brief pause..

A flicker of conciousness passed through his amber eyes.

It's working!

THUD. His back of his head collided with the concrete, earning a sharp cry of pain from the inventor.

That moment, however brief it was, told him something: Calamanero knew it was loosing control. The trainer had managed to return for only a few seconds, and sensing that, the Pokemon was determined to silence him.

"Y-you're my best friend, Satoshi!" He called out again, desperate to be heard. He could feel his body trembling in fear and anticipation, warm blood colouring his hair a muddy burgundy.

"..You've given me courage." A blow to the stomach.

"I-I've been learning from you since the day we met, every single day.. You're brave and strong." Another swift kick to the ribs. From outside the building, he could hear the faint trace of sirens getting closer.

"You're so selfless, that you'll throw yourself into danger for those you care about.

"I thought at first that I was just a fanboy. That my admiration for you would eventually wane as I got used to being around you. But the more I watched you, th-the closer we got.. I realised that I was wrong!

"I've worked so hard to be worthy of your affection. I-I love you, Satoshi!" he panted, trying to stay concious. The throbbing in his head hurt so badly, surely he had a new bruise, if not a concussion. But that didn't matter right now..

..

"Love.." The trainer sat completely still, his eyes slipping in and out of focus. It was clear that internally, Satoshi was fighting.

"I love you." Citron repeated, feeling slightly more confident. "I want to be the one you come to when you're in trouble or when you're in pain. I want to be the one who's by yourside for every moment of our lives, no matter how happy or sad. Please, let me love you.." Using all the energy he had left, he pulled his arm out of Satoshi's grasp, bringing the trainer down into a desperate kiss.

The stiff body that had just been beating him slowly grew limp, falling out of his hypnosis. Across the room, he could hear Calamenero's enraged voice and the breaking of latches as the girls finally managed to escape. He could hear a small gasp of surprise at the scene (from what he could tell, it was Serena), along with more sirens howling from outside the building as Junsa-san arrived.

"Tairenar, Fire Blast!" The performer ordered, sounding slightly pissed. Junsa-san entered, fighting at her side against Calamanero. A few other officers followed with their Pokemon.

Compared to the chaos (various attacks, people yelling, chunks of building falling), the scene of the two boys kissing peacefully made quite the contrast.

Weakly, the inventor smiled.

He had finally gotten through to him. Did this mean that Satoshi felt similarlly? It was obvious that their bond was strong enough to break Calamenaro's control over him. So was the possibility of a mutual love there? Satoshi wasn't resisting, instead, he gently leaned into him, seemingly perfectly fine with the intimate contact.

"Onii-chan!" Eureka came running towards him and Satoshi, looking rather confused. Quickly she stooped down, picking up her brother's glasses. Pikachu tailed closely behind her.

"Pika-pi!"

The two broke apart, keeping their eyes locked on one another. One look told Citron everything:

..he understands..

"Onii-chan?"

"We're okay." He reassured his sister, recieving his cracked lenses. His head was still in a sickening spin. But, wheather it was from his first kiss or the multiple blows to the skull, he was unsure. In his lap, Satoshi sat up, now fully aware.

"Shit, I'm so sorry.." The trainer appologised sadly, wiping some of Citron's blood off his face. "I..I di-"

"You kids need to get out of here!" A man with auburn hair ran by, his Growlithe ready to attack the dark Pokemon ahead. Across the room, they could see Serena already leaving the collapsing building, her Terainer close behind her. "There's a medical truck outside, go!"

With Eureka's help, they too left, their group fleeing before anyone else could get hurt. Citron hobbled, his body getting even more sore as the moments passed.

"Here, let me help you." Satoshi took his arm, placed it around his shoulders and brought his own around the inventor's waist, just as he had done for him before. The four of them met outside, now out of Calamenero's attack range.

After returning the gemstone to the professor and getting immediete medical attention, the group returned to Miare City. The two hour long trip seemed to last days, the silence only broken by the rythmic beating of helicopter wings and a small radio broadcasting soft music.

-(back at Miare City Pokemon Centre)-

Back at the Miare City Hospital, their silence continued. After recieving further treatment (the inventor now had a broken nose and a couple fractured ribs), things had started to settle down.

"If you expierence anymore pain, you will be able to take more medication in about two hours. Please remember the hourly breathing exercises for your ribcage." Nurse Joy smiled gently, holding a clip board close to her chest. Politely, she turned to Serena and Eureka. "Visiting hours end in about 45 minutes. They'll begin again tomorrow at 8 am."

"Thank you." The honey haired girl replied, her eyes not lifing from her hands.

"Well then, good evening." The nurse closed the door carefully as to not aggrivate either of the boys' violent headaches.

The room remained silent for a moment. The four of them sitting akwardly in the cozy hospital room. Briefly, Citron peered over, watching Satoshi as he sketched something into a familiar blue notepad.

Guilt had completely overtaken his face. He sat quietly, using his knees as an easel with Pikachu nuzzled at his side. He hadn't been too seriously hurt, mostly just minor injuries. Still, the nurse had insisted that he too spend the night in the hospital, in order to make sure Calamenero hadn't done any internal (or psychological) damage.

On the wall closest to the door, the girls sat. Eureka fast asleep against Serena's shoulder, and the honey haired girl now twiddling her thumbs nervously.

She must still be upset.. about me kissing Satoshi.

That much was obvious. She had hardly said more than a few words to either of them since they left the abandoned building. And although she said she was just tired and shaken up, he could tell that wasn't entirely true.

She glanced down at Eureka.

"I think it's time she and I went back to the PokeCentre. It's pretty late.." Carefully, she nudged the little girl awake. "Come on, let's go."

"Mmm..." She whined, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

"Let us know when you guys are awake, I'll have my holocaster on." The performer stood, grabbing her backpack and pulling out a thin sweater.

"Goodnight, Onii-chan." Eureka put on the garnment, then went to her brother's bedside, giving him a hug. For a moment, she paused, looking at his bandaged face and split lip.

"Goodnight, Eureka." He smiled softly at her.

"I'll call Papa and ask him to send you a new pair of glasses." She glanced over at his nightstand, seeing his left lense split completely down the centre and the gold coloured metal bent akwardly. Beside it, his clothing from earlier sat covered in blood inside a plastic bag. "And maybe a new suit too."

"That'd be nice."

"..I hope you feel better, Onii-chan." Eureka paused again, looking across the room at the unusually silent trainer. "You too, Satoshi." She trotted over to his side, hugging him and petting Pikachu. She stood on her toes, cupping a hand around his ear and her mouth. Quietly, she whispered. "Please take care of my Onii-chan. He's really hurt.."

"I promise." Satoshi quietly replied, trying to put on a smile for her. With that, the little girl ran out of their room after Serena, waving goodbye as she closed the door.

..

"Look, Sa-"

"Wait." Carefully, the trainer got up from his bed, wavering slightly as he regained his balance. In his hand, he carried his notepad, clutching it like a security blanket. Carefully, he took a seat by his friend's side. After a moment's consideration, he handed over the booklet. "..here.."

Citron blinked, unsure if he was really able to take a look into something so private.

"Come on, it's not gonna bite." The trainer joked lightly, nudging his hand with the corner. "Wish I could say the same 'bout myself.. but I shouldn't deserve that kinda trust.. not after today."

"Satoshi, don't be ridic-"

"Just take it."

".." Hesitating, the inventor obeyed, bringing the blue notebook into his lap and his eyes flicking from the cover to it's owner. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." Deciding it'd be best to just look, the blond turned to the first page.

This particular entry had a half dozen different doodles, each maked with the date and occasional text written in Japanese.

"I got this notebook when I first got ta Kalos." Satoshi brought an arm around the inventor, fingertips lazily brushing over his hospital gown. "Ya know, kinda to celebrate comin' to a new region."

"Do you have one for every region?"

"Nah, only this one." The trainer smiled a small toothy grin. "I bought it while you were helping Eureka pick out a tent."

"So that's where you went.." The blond thought back, remembering how they had lost Satoshi for nearly an hour and how he told them he was just trying to find a bathroom. Why would he try to hide buying something so simple and innocent as a notebook?

Interested, the inventor skimmed through the various pages, marveling at the art his friend had done. Action filled pictures of Mega Evolutions and gym battles, comical frames of mundane group activities the four of them had partipated in and (of course) plenty of pictures of Pikachu.

"Why did you want one specifically for Kalos?"

".." At first Satoshi didn't respond, instead keeping his firey amber eyes on the drawings he had created over a year ago. After a moment, he spoke up again. "Somethin' about this place felt special."

Citron tipped his head curiously, but quickly returned his attention to the notepad.

Things seemed to carry on steadily through nearly a dozen pages. But the further along he got, he slowly was starting to see a trend. What had once been mainly pictures of Pokemon and occasional sketches of their friends was becoming more and more focused on a particular subject. Dated from around two weeks before their gym battle, Citron noticed himself becoming more prevelent in the notebooks pages, along with increasing amounts of eraser smudges and Japanese text, frustration seemingly deep in the sharply sketched lines.

"You must have been upset." He remarked, clearly seeing the point of which he had departed from their group. The events from the Power Plant took up the majority of two pages, punctuated by one particular scene of him and Rentorar leaving in a helicopter.

"and lonely.."

"You missed me?" The boy turned to his friend, a slight blush tinting his cheeks.

"Well, yeah." Satoshi replied, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "We've been together everyday for months. Then ya left and.." he paused, his face turning red. "and I just missed ya.."

From that point in the notebook on, the pages became more messy, the pictures becoming less and less defined and even some were left half completed. Curiously, he continued to thumb through, flipping through the next few pages until a massive picture caught his eye..

A detailed replica of the voltage badge sat in the middle, surrounded by his and Citron's pokemon.

"Satoshi, this is amazing." The blond marveled at his friend's artwork.

"Turn the page." He instructed with a little hestitation. Obediently, Citron flipped it again, his pale eyes widening slightly.

Satoshi had drawn (what the Kalosian assumed) was a manga style comic, depicting a scene of the two of them. The page was split into three sections.

The first seemed to be them talking (although Citron couldn't read it). The second seemed to be Satoshi.. inching a little closer to him. The third brought a soft blush to his pale cheeks. The final picture showed the two of them, so close to (but unfortunetely not) kissing.

From that point, the sketches became more cute and happier again. If he didn't know better, he would have assumed they had come from a love sick girl's diary. The dates steadily crept closer and closer to the current day. He was just about to turn to the most recent one, when a tanned hand stopped him.

"I wanna ask you somethin'.. before ya get to the last one." The trainer's face was a deep rosey pink. His hand hovering above the page shook lightly, quite clearly nervous.

"Anything." Gently, he leaned in, happy to notice that Satoshi didn't pull away from him. Whatever he wanted, he'd be more than willing to give it to him. Whatever he wanted to say, he would take it in stride. After a moment, he spoke again.

"..Did ya really mean what you said back there?.. Y-you know.." Satoshi mumbled, embarassment painting his face. The hand around the inventor's shoulder gently gripped him, as though afraid that he'd leave again.

After all that they had been through earlier, even though it ment a broken nose and a few fractured ribs, in the inventor's mind, it had been worth it. If he had never been forced to admit his feelings for Satoshi, then he probably never would have..

"Yes. Every word of it." Citron smiled softly. "I really do love you."

This seemed to send a jolt into the trainer, his face lighting up like he had just recieved a battle challange. He grinned broadly, before leaning his forehead against his.

"I-I think I love you too.."

-(5 weeks later)-

The blond stood in front of the mirror, gently peeling off the last of his nose's bandages.

"O-ow!" he winced slightly, feeling slightly uncomfortable yet happy that he hadn't sustained any permanant disfiguration. Timidly, he placed his glasses back on his face with a small pleased sigh. "That's better."

"Nice ta see everything goin' back to normal." a voice rang from behind him. Satoshi was leaning in the bathroom doorway, smiling with Pikachu riding on his shoulder. "You're cuter with your glasses on."

"I thought you said I was cuter without them." the inventor chuckled, fixing his shirt's misaligned buttons. "Why didn't you tell me this was so messed up? It's our first date, I don't want to look like I can't dress myself."

"I think you're perfectly fine." The trainer looked into the mirror, trying futily to control his unruly mass of dark spiky hair. Citron looked down at Satoshi's shirt, noticing a similar dilema."Besides, I thought we could match."

"Pi-Pika." Pikachu chirped in agreement from the counter top.

"I guess so." The blond smiled, having just finished fixing his shirt.

"Come on," Satoshi turned on a heel, sauntering to the door. "Let's get going before Eureka starts trying to show us wedding plans again."

"I keep telling her it's too early for that." Citron sighed, following his boyfriend out.

"Aw, but you'd look good in a dress." The trainer joked.

"Well, you've actually worn dresses before. So if either of us is to wear one, it'd be you."

Things had worked out better than he had hoped. Thinking back to nearly two months ago, he would never had thought to actually be Satoshi's boyfriend. He had just accepted that he'd have to repress his emotions in order to keep him as a friend. But the whole experience with Calamenero had actually turned out to be a strike of luck. He was now able to call him, the boy he had been loving for so long, his own.

And nothing could make him happier.

Shyly, the blond reached out, taking Satoshi's hand and bringing into his own.

"I love you."