A/N: This thing works as both a prologue and an epilogue, at least in my mind it does. For right now though, I'm treating it as a pre-prologue to my new story, Footprints (I say pre- because I'm nowhere near close to being able to publish the story yet haha). It stars Touko - go figure - as she explores Unova with her friends Cheren and Bianca. She meets N, and from there, all the what-ifs start to spring about. There are other what-ifs regarding Touko's life, aaand they're a bit cliche, but I hope to do them well enough they don't seem like it.

Anyway, I really just wanted to post this to see if it sparks any interest from the Pokemon community. Does it entice you guys enough that you'd actually want the real story? I want to write it all first (got about 5 chapters done out of ~20 total, so it'd still take a while) so that I don't get too busy and forget about it.

This is about half prologue and half epilogue, as in at the end of the story this will definitely make more sense, but at the beginning of the story it introduces the main characters and hooopefully makes the readers want more :P

Any and all feedback is much appreciated! Thanks so much for taking the time to click on my story! :)

Footprints

"I remember each and every face that I encountered on my long, treacherous journey."

Touko stood at the podium, hands in front of her on top of it. Her hair was down, flowing down her back instead of being stuck up in a ponytail inside her hat. She'd long before ditched that hat, remembering it only as a hindrance; wearing it reminded her of all the horrible things she'd done only last month.

Her actions affected so many people, not to mention Pokémon. She'd been so selfish, only thinking about what made her happy that she didn't have time to worry about others – namely her friends – and how they were feeling. She was a horrible person. Deep down she knew that, and she'd likely never forgive herself for that.

But now she actually had the chance to make up for it. So she was definitely going to try her best.

Touko scowled as she realized she'd let her mind wander for too long. She took a deep breath and changed her expression into a believable one, determined.

"I came here today to encourage you all to take the same path I did." She looked around at all their faces and smiled. "I know you're all really confused, so I'll explain everything."

The brunette thought over her next words carefully, even though she'd had this speech planned out for a long time in advance. Would they all believe her, or would they just think she was a delusional girl because she was just upset over losing so much?

She shook her head. No, surely they would believe her. After all, once she told them all the real truth, they'd realize – just as she did – that she'd actually gained more than she lost.

"Sometime in your life, you'll meet someone special. At first, they may be someone you can't stand."

Images of her and N flashed through her mind and she remembered all of the emotions she experienced during their first encounter at the beach in Kanto. She felt confused, scared even, that there was somebody who could actually understand Pokémon. She was only six years old when she first met him, but during their second encounter she didn't remember or recognize him at all, and he annoyed her with all of his knowledge of Pokémon. She couldn't stand him.

"They'll walk all over you, and you'll swear you hate them. 'Why did I meet such a horrible, stupid person?'"

"You're really stupid for a smart guy, N," Touko said, her face between annoyance and confusion. A smart boy like N didn't know what it was like to receive a first Pokémon? He had Pokémon with him, didn't he? But none of those were his first, it seemed.

But that wasn't even why she was mad, or confused at his stupidity. He'd completely blown off her explanation of what it felt like and instead resorted to ranting about how bad it was to force Pokémon into captivity. He'd ignored her, basically! So the only logical choice Touko could make at the time was to insult him.

After that time, N shrugged off everything she said that he didn't agree with, and she realized he was just a jerk. He didn't care about her at all, and she'd had the mind to think they were friends! She'd have to change that. She wanted to learn to hate him. She already did hate him!

"…But you really don't."

"It's just a little funny. I've spent so many years teaching myself what it would be like to be an orphan." She paused, taking a shaky breath. N moved forward towards her. "But now I actually am an orphan, and I don't know what to do."

His arms were instantly around her neck, his head against the back of hers. His breathing was delayed and shaky, but she could also hear her heart beating more rapidly than it had in a very long time, since she was scared of her dad…

"…I'm the same," he told her quietly, his voice just above a whisper. He turned his body so he was directly behind her now, his face in her messy hair, his arms gripping her more tightly.

Touko returned the embrace, putting her hands on top of his arms, closing her eyes. She knew her face was red, but whether it was from embarrassment or the heat from her newly-shed tears, she wasn't sure. But she could faintly hear gasping and panting from behind her, and she didn't have to be all that smart to know that N was crying too.

She smiled slightly, remembering every detail of everything that happened to her that day. After thinking about it more, she resisted the urge to laugh; one of the most romantic and heartwarming moments she and N shared was a hug right next to her father's dead body.

The ex-trainer kept her smile but told herself she needed to continue talking.

"They'll end up helping you out in ways you never thought possible."

That was exactly what her and N's relationship was like. She hated him at first – mainly because she didn't realize who he was – but once she got to know and remember him, she developed a close bond with him. She ended up becoming his friend, and eventually, as both their pasts were revealed, she fell in love with him.

He helped her out in so many ways. He made her realize that everything she was doing was wrong, even harmful to those around her. He changed her way of thinking, and (she hoped) she changed his, if only by just a little bit. She was a better person because of him. She didn't know many of the rules of living in Unova, let alone all the cities' individual rules, so she had relied on him – and Bianca and Cheren – for that.

But the one thing she could never thank him enough for was making her realize that she was hurting Luna.

"Yes, they'll walk all over you time and time again, but throughout all that walking…"

She scanned the front row of the crowd for that one face she loved so much; she could never get tired of it. She'd already seen it countless times during her time at the podium, but still…

"…They'll leave footprints on your heart," she finished while staring directly at N. He waved at her with his left hand, showing off the ring on his fourth finger, uncaring as it shined in the sunlight. She blushed a bit and stared down at her own ring, tilting her head back up and grinning at N.

In the distance she swore she saw a small black figure with light blue patterns on its body, but she ignored it, preparing her next words.

~CGA