Game of life

I've waited to write this quite long now, but I wanted to end my last story beforehand. A friend asked me to do this, and since the idea is pretty awesome, I'll give my best to convert it.

Consider this as a project that's supposed to go on for a little while. I'm going to bring in multiple shippings of the BW2 characters, you can make suggestions which ones come out on top in the end. Nate and Rosa may take more characteristics from their roles in the manga later, so everyone's favor is served. Prepare for a lot of drama, a lot of action and a lot of fillers.

If you could spare the time, I would be very delighted to read your reviews concerning my writing style, content or the topic of the story!

I don't own the characters, places or Pokemon itself, and I have no intentions to earn money with this story in any way!

Act 1: Hidden

Chapter 1: A new chapter

Haxorus was beaten. Iris was beaten. And she was the new champ of Unova. Nate cheered loudly in the background as Rosa stepped forwards to receive the typical honor. The boy wanted to follow the two champs, but Iris turned around and stopped him when she noticed it. „Sorry dear, but only the champions of the League are allowed to enter that room." And he stayed behind.

The Elite 4 asked him to leave the plateau to let them prepare the ceremony. Grimsley advised him to join the parade in Castelia City, so he called out his Braviary and flew towards the opposite side of Unova.

Rosa enjoyed the glorious day. She took her time to walk back on the exact route they took on their way to the Victory Road. Wherever she came, the people knew of her victory and rejoiced. But she noticed that something was missing. She looked everywhere, but her best friend was nowhere to be found. After the hope of him waiting in the capital for her perished, she couldn't enjoy the concert staged in Virbank for her.

He stood on the Lookout of Aspertia and watched her arriving in Floccessy Town. Just by looking at the crowd behind her, he knew things would never be the same. Nobody told the weather that it was a feast, and the rain matched his mood. It had rained when he first met her as well...

He had just searched for a place to be safe from the rain. He had had no idea the nearest building was the famous Battle Subway. That was until he came across Ingo and Emmet at the entrance. He had not been a great trainer, but as nobody had considered him capable of beating a master, he wanted to prove himself. And as everyone would do it, he asked for a battle.

„Of course, we're always in for a Multi Battle!", had they answered. „Who's your partner?"

„Partner? I don't have...", he had tried to apologize, but then she had burst in. This energized girl with the peculiar hair-buns.

At the first look, he had considered her to be kind of scary. This had not been the kind of people he used to hang out with. Rosa never cared about that at all. „Sorry, is here a Multi Battle about to start? Can I take part, too, please? I always wanted to fight the Subway Bosses.", she had said with immense speed.

He had not been to pleased with the idea. „I don't know, I actually wan-...", he had started, but in the end he couldn't resist that pleading look in her eyes. „Okay, but I want to win this then.", he had sighed.

„You bet, we're so going to win this!", the girl had stated overmotivated as she had called out her Servine. The opponents had sent Boldore and Gurdurr, so Nate had decided to fight with his Dewott.

To make it short: The battle had been a mess. Dewott had started with a Surf that had hit Servine as well. It had practically made no damage at all, and the trainers knew that, but the grass type was too conceited to ignore it. So instead of using the ordered Leaf Blade against Boldore, it had attacked Dewott, almost knocking it out by pushing it against the foe. Dewott was very temperate and had known better than seeking vengeance and had managed its anger by using it to power its Razor Shell against the stone type, finally defeating it. Servine had felt left out by it not reacting directly, and had been distracted enough so that Gurdurr could hit it with a Drain Punch. With another Surf, Dewott had avenged its partner, and bedewed Rosa's Pokemon in the process. It had risen again and then tried to attack the other starter, but the latter had evaded the assault, so it had hit Gurdurr instead, this time knocking it out.

Rosa had cheered loudly about what seemed to be a victory, while the Pokemon had kept on squabbling, the Subway Bosses had applauded and Nate had pondered how to feel about this. He had withdrawn his Dewott to stop Servine from attacking it further and took the congratulations from the opponents, who then had advised them to visit the Battle Subway soon and vanished as fast as they came, leaving him alone with the energized girl who suddenly asked these strange words: „So, what are we going to do next?"

„Well, I-I wanted to... watch the ba-basketball match today", had the boy stuttered, being to perplexed to say that he had no intentions to spend more time with her.

Rosa had smiled even more joyfully. „Perfect, show me the way.", she had demanded. And he had done so, even thought he didn't know why.

The day had not wanted to get better: The girl had rooted so noisily that everyone had looked at him incensed, their team had lost in the end and as they had left the hall, it was raining. He had simply been annoyed by her negative aura, but she hadn't noticed. „I had a lot of fun today. What are your plans for tomorrow?", she had asked preoccupied.

Nate had tripped and landed hard on the ground. „Tomorrow?", he repeated unbelieving. „Wherever you follow me, misfortune's waiting for us. Can't you just find somebody else to curse with your energy?", he had asked harshly. He had not meant to be rude, but he was at the edge with his nerves, loosing all his high-valued manners.

First she had looked surprised and then devastated. „I- I didn't know I..."

That was when the grunts of Team Plasma had appeared in their way. „Hey, give us your Pokemon, or we'll have to hurt you.", had one of them roared.

As the grunts had called out their Pokemon, Watchog and Trubbish, so the young Trainers had done the same thing, choosing Tranquill and Growlithe. At first, the two of them had each fought one opponent, but while the Trubbish had stopped the fire type from attacking by keeping it on distance, the Watchog had come to close for comfort to the flying type. They both had known they wouldn't win this way.
Nate was the one who had overcome himself. „Let's do this together.", he suggested.

Rosa had nodded relieved and immediately got an idea. „Tranquill, pick Growlithe up and bring it close to Trubbish.", she ordered her Pokemon. And it had done so.

Nate had understood what she intended. „Growlithe, warm up your body and prepare for a Flame Charge." The grunts on the other hand had had no idea. The poison type had started shooting more Sludge attacks at its foe, but Tranquill had been too fast, letting the fire type fall directly above the Trubbish. With immense speed, Growlithe had fallen down on it and knocked it out with the ordered move. With the won velocity, it had attacked Watchog with a Bite, stopping it from running towards the bird again. Afterwards Tranquill had managed to land a critical hit with Air Slash, and that had defeated the second adversary as well.

This time the two young trainers had cheered together while the thieves had run away. But as they had called their Pokemon back, the joy had evaporated by the thoughts of what had been said earlier.

Rosa had sighed. „Look, you haven't meant to be bothered by me, and I haven't meant to plague you. It's just... my friend Hugh always runs ahead without taking care of me, and I just hate traveling alone. I guess I'll just wait for him to come back and leave you alone.", she had stated sadly.

As she had turned around to leave, Nate felt bad for her as well. And without thinking about it, he had laid a hand on her shoulder. „Wait, I don't want you to leave. I... I want to travel with you.", he had announced.

„Really?", she had asked to be sure, while the massive smile had returned to her face. And he had nodded, now smiling as well. „Time to hug!", she had rejoiced, and hugged him tightly. And the rain had stopped as the sun reappeared.

„Aren't you cold?", a voice behind him startled the boy, stopping his trail of memories. Rosa walked up to him and handed an umbrella to her friend. He was surprised to see her alone, without any fans. „What are you doing here all alone?"

„Oh, I was just thinking of old times...", he said, not wanting to explain more than needed.

Of course she had to ask: „What old times exactly?"

He ignored her question and brought up another thought, one he had to mention. „You'll see many interesting places now, and you'll meet many nice people. I wish you all fun of the world for that way.", he slowly muttered.

She reacted surprised. „Why would you say that? Of course you'll come with me!", she demanded, with the same tone she used back in Nimbasa.

Nate thought he knew better. „Only champs and natives are allowed in these territories.", he pointed out.

„You think I care about that rule? I'll go nowhere when my partner isn't allowed there. We'll make them accept you.", she laughed with a wink.

He couldn't help but smile. „You mean it?", he wanted to know, aware of her friend always just saying what she's thinking.

„Of course I do! Besties for life, aren't we?", she acknowledged as joyful as always.

„Yes, we are.", he said happily, finally taking the umbrella and following her home. They knew their adventure had only begun.