The bright sun streamed in through the window.
Touko frowned, leaning her forehead against the window pane.
Flowers of every colour were perched outside her window, to liven the place up.
Sighing, Touko slumped down on the cushions adorning the window sill. She closed her chocolate coloured eyes to the outside world, drawing her legs up closer to her. Placing her chin on her knee caps, she let out a sigh.
"It's been three years . . ."
Since the fiasco at the Pokémon League, she had gone on to track down six of the Seven Sage's, although Ghetsis had managed to escape her every time. Upon leveling up her team again, Touko returned to the Pokémon League, her battle with Alder looming.
Returning to Numeva Town afterwards, Touko found herself staring up at the sky, her hands turning the pokeballs over subconsciously. In the back of her mind, she knew she should be out there, traveling to the other regions . . .
"Touko," Bianca's voice sounded in the silence of the small town, the blonde haired trainer a few steps away. "What are you doing way over here, are you alright? You've been so distant since you came back from Hoenn. Are you thinking of leaving in the middle of the night again? This reminds me of the last time you disappeared," Bianca rambled, now leaning against the railing, looking out at the ocean. "You've been sitting out here all week, staring at the horizon. Cheren thinks that you're –"
"Bianca, what are you doing now?"
Touko smiled at the sound of Cheren's voice, while Bianca jumped, whirling around on her heel. "Hey Cheren," Touko called, leaning back on her palms. "Welcome back, how was Undella Town?" she added, nodding to the Unfezant behind him.
"I was just asking Touko what she was thinking about," Bianca said at the same time, rolling her eyes.
Touko sighed, turning her attention back to the horizon as Bianca moved closer to Cheren. "I'm not sure what I want to do next," Touko said quietly, answering Bianca's question. "I don't really have a destination."
Cheren sighed, pushing his glasses up again. His footsteps sounded against the mixture of gravel and grass, stopping behind Touko. "Touko, you've been like this for a while, we're all worried for you – your mom, Professor Juniper and us –"
"Oh! Especially me, I'm your best friend!" Bianca added, not wanting to be forgotten.
"Yes, especially Bianca," Cheren added dryly.
Bianca sighed, moving to sit down beside Touko, tucking her legs underneath her. "We could go to Nimbasa City, the Musical Theatre is starting up their next play – maybe we'd be able to enter our Pokémon as well? Oh! Or we could go to Opelucid City, Iris has been asking about you."
Cheren shot Bianca a look – although the blonde remained oblivious – it was well known that Iris wanted to see Zekrom, a Pokémon Touko had refused to use since her battle with Ghetsis. "Well, Cynthia's back in Undella Town. You could go and challenge her, or maybe head to Sinnoh yourself . . . you said you liked it there." he finished uncertainly.
After hearing from Gorm that N had been spotted in a Region far away, it hadn't taken long for Touko to head to Castelia City's Port for Sinnoh. She had never told Cheren and Bianca a lot about her journey, only mentioning the different places and people she had come across. However, Touko had briefly mentioned once that she had enjoyed Sinnoh.
Cheren shook his head, a frown marring his features as he watched the two girls talk, Bianca oblivious to Touko's transparent thoughts. Sometimes he wondered what it was about the blonde that had captured his attention.
"Hmm, Bianca might actually be on to something," – here, Bianca raised an eyebrow – "I think Nimbasa City might be exactly what we all need. I doubt we'll be missed for a couple hours."
"Today?" Bianca said, scrunching her eyebrows together. "But Professor Juniper –"
"Will be fine without you," Cheren interrupted. "Come on Touko, it's going to be like old times. I saw that Waitress friend of yours not that long ago either, I think she'd like to see you as well."
Touko nodded, picking herself up off the grass. "Yeah, let's go, nothing's going on here."
"Awe, this is going to be like old times!" Bianca grinned, grabbing both Touko and Cheren's hands.
"Except that you're a Professor's Aide and Touko's a Master," Cheren added, pushing his glasses up with his free hand.
Touko let out a laugh, glancing around Bianca. "And what about you, huh?"
"Someone has to keep you two in line."
"We haven't been like this in a long time," Bianca giggled, Route 1 before them. "Sometimes I feel like starting all over again!"
Touko laughed, smiling at her two closest friends. "Come on, let's go you two. It'll be the start of a new chapter, right?"
"I suppose so," Cheren shrugged, the grassy route to Accumula Town stretching out before them.
It was all going just as they had planned – although Touko was unaware.
0-0-0-0
Two hours later, the bright lights of Nimbasa City greeted them, the concrete reaching out to them as they left the Desert Resort behind. The Battle Station loomed overhead on their left, while the flashing lights and music of the amusement park was to their right.
"Oh! I can see the theatre's open," Bianca called, slowly edging away from her friends as she spoke. "I . . . I think I'm going to go and see what they have playing tonight. I forgot to check before I left," she added, feeling Cheren's stare.
Grinning as she stretched her hands out before her, Bianca started down the brightly lit street, a skip to her step. Cheren shook his head. "I better go after her, we all know what Bianca's like." Cheren mumbled starting after her, but paused after a couple steps. "Why don't you hit the Battle Station Touko? I bet the Subway Master's are still looking for a rematch," he added, before starting after Bianca.
Touko laughed, a smile placing across her lips. Of course Cheren would go after Bianca; the two had spent a majority of their journey together. Sure, she had travelled with the two here and there, but she had spent the majority of it either chasing or running into N and Team Plasma.
She shook her head, dispelling the thought. Her chocolate coloured eyes glanced over at the Battle Station, her gaze lingering on the stone archway. Shifting her pink messenger bag, she heard Serperior, Stoutland and Chandelure's pokeballs slightly knocking one another. However, Touko simply pushed her bangs back, turning her back to the Station.
She didn't know why, but the loudness of the amusement park was catching her attention. Shrugging, Touko stretched her arms out before her, starting towards the multi-coloured archway leading to the Capital's Park. "At least this'll give me something to do till Cheren and Bianca get back," she mumbled, her Xtransciever in her pocket.
What she didn't notice though, was a pair of eyes following her every move.
Wandering around the park's area, Touko paused outside the Pokémon Gym. Out of all the Gym Leaders, the Bolt Badge Elesa had given her had been the toughest. She cringed at the thought of Volt Tackle – that attack had defeated her too many times to count.
The Ferris Wheel was to the right of the Gym, casting a shadow over her as she approached it. Before she knew what she was doing, she found herself looking around her surroundings; at the people on the benches or those milling around the grassy area, overlooking the fountain area separating them from the rest of the bustling city.
"Cheren said that Aurora was supposed to be, but where could she be . . .?" Touko mumbled, crossing her arms in front of her chest, her eyes scanning for the yellow Waitress outfit. "She's usually here in the mornings."
Touko frowned, after all those conversations on the Ferris Wheel, she'd never stopped to ask the talkative girl what restaurant she actually worked for.
"Just my luck," Touko muttered, kicking the grass underfoot. "My friends run off . . . Aurora isn't here . . . and they won't let you ride solo," Touko tugged at her hat, glaring up at the revolving Ferris Wheel. "Stupid ride, stupid rules, I should've just stayed home."
"I think you might have woken up on the wrong side of the bed," a voice said from behind her, shaking their head. "If you were in a better mood, I would have offered to go on there with you."
Touko's eyes narrowed at the voice, their tone condescending in her opinion. "It's rude to eavesdrop," she commented dryly, her hands balling into fists. "I don't need your attitude, pal." Rolling her eyes, Touko glanced over her shoulder, but her comment died on her tongue.
"Hmm, change your mind yet?"
Touko shook her head, blinking a couple times. "H – how?" Standing behind her, a little taller then she remembered was N. His green hair was still hastily put together in a ponytail, his black and white hat now missing.
"Doesn't really matter," he said, waving her comment aside. "Did you wantto go on that Ferris Wheel or not? I'm pretty sure that was when you found out that –"
"That you were a King and wanted to separate people and Pokémon? Yeah, I remember." Touko said, her mind whirling as he stood before her. She wasn't quiet sure why she felt . . . was it resent towards the green haired teen?
"Er, yeah," N said awkwardly, the Ferris Wheel turning slowly behind them. "Well, when all you know growing up is Ghetsis," he shook his head. "Come on, let's just go on the Ferris Wheel – unless you want to battle me beforehand?" he added, a slight smile on his lips.
Touko rolled her eyes, shoving him lightly. "Hmm, let's just go, we can battle later. You have a couple things to explain," she said, stretching her arms above her head, smiling over at him. "I'm sure I'll want to battle you afterwards."
"Great . . ." N said, well versed with Touko's battle style and attack patterns. "I'm not sure if I want to get into that bucket with you. You might just push me over the edge."
"Hmm, all depends on what you say, unless you plan on hiding something?"
N laughed awkwardly at Touko's question, joining the brunette, the Ferris Wheel looming overhead. "I'm sure you'll figure it all out," he commented, the ride coming to a stop, a couple people exiting the bucket. "You always did seem to see through my facades."
A/N –
I got inspired to start writing after finishing Pokémon Black. When I was playing the ending of the game in N's castle, Avril Lavigne's song "Nobody's Home" came on my IPod during the final battle with Ghetsis/Ending. For some reason, it made me wonder what Touko would think after saving Unova now that Team Plasma/Seven Sages and N were gone. In my opinion, Touko seemed to spend more time fighting and or locating Team Plasma and N, then she did with Cheren and Bianca, which made me wonder what would happen if that was suddenly yanked away from her?
Then, this was created.