Title: Starry Tears

Pairing: Touya/Hilbert & Mei/Rosa (ElectricBlackShipping)

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon.

Things have changed.

Touya stared up at the towering ferris wheel above him. There were usually more people around, eagerly awaiting their chance to get a ride, but tonight it was nearly empty. He tilted his head back as his eyes traveled higher and met the night sky. He remembered his first time coming to Nimbasa City. A wave of nostalgia surged through him causing him to let out a depressed sigh.

He missed his friends. He missed the old days.

"Are you okay?"

The male turned around to see a young girl with an odd hairstyle. She was looking at him intently, her hands clasped around the straps of her bag. She was a fellow trainer, he assumed by her attire.

"Yeah," he answered.

The girl didn't appear to believe him.

"What makes you think I'm not?" he added.

She giggled. "Well, you seem a little down."

"Yeah… I guess."

She gave him a bubbly smile and took a few steps closer. "Hey, let's ride the ferris wheel together! Maybe it'll cheer you up!"

Touya raised an eyebrow at the stranger. "Are you asking me out?"

"W–What? No, I didn't mean it like that! I was just…" She became flustered.

"I'm kidding." He smirked. She was a cute girl. A little strange, but cute. "I don't really have anything better to do, so yeah. Why not?"

Her face lit up with excitement. "My name's Mei!" She held out her hand suddenly.

"Nice to meet you, Mei. I'm Touya." He shook her hand, a bit amused.

Mei looked over his shoulder as if she were searching for others. "Isn't Nimbasa's ferris wheel a big attraction?"

"Not tonight, apparently. Let's take advantage of it."

x

The two were seated across from one another. The ferris wheel was slowly carrying their pokéball-shaped gondala upward. Touya's arms were folded against his chest. This was nothing new for him so he wasn't too thrilled. He glanced at Mei. She, on the other hand, seemed absolutely overjoyed. Her hands were firmly pressed against the window and her blue eyes were wide with awe.

"I've never been so high before! This is beautiful! Look at the stars!" she exclaimed.

"Is this your first time on a ferris wheel?" he asked her. He didn't want to admit it, but her enthusiasm was slightly contagious.

"Yes," she said softly. "To tell you the truth, I was kind of nervous about riding one. But now I see it's not scary at all!"

Touya leaned forward and rested his head in his hands. He let out a chuckle. "That's why you asked me to ride with you? So you wouldn't be all alone?"

"N–No! I wanted to cheer you up!"

He would be lying if he said he wasn't feeling any better at all.

"I guess it's working then. I'm feeling a bit better already." He smiled. It was a simple, honest smile. The male was actually surprised he was still capable of it.

Mei quickly turned her head away from him. He could've sworn he caught her blushing.

"Have you been here before, Touya?"

"I have once." He recalled getting shoved onto the ferris wheel by a certain green-haired trainer. Touya looked down at his shoes. His search for N was going no where. He couldn't believe how much things had changed in two years. It was as if all of his friends had moved on with their lives and forgotten about him. Change is constant, he would tell himself, but maybe he just wasn't a flexible guy. How could someone expect him to let go of those closest to him?

"With an old friend," he continued with a sigh. So much for feeling better.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

Touya raised his head up so their eyes could meet.

"I'm sorry for asking. I can tell it's making you sad…" The girl fumbled with the strap of her bag.

"It's not your fault, Mei." He tried to shrug off his angst. For the first time in a long while, he truly felt alone. Even with his pokémon by his side, he felt like a wandering, lost soul.

The trainers gazed out the window. There was no denying that it was a beautiful night. The sky was a mysterious violet color and the stars were twinkling in a divine manner. Just as Touya began to hear clunking sounds, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

He turned and and saw that Mei had moved over to sit right next to him. "It's making weird noises," she said. "I'm scared…"

"Mei," he stated. "Ferris wheels always make some noise. It's not gonna break down or anything. We're probably near the end of the ride, that's all."

She clung to his arm, trembling.

"Relax, will you?" He patted her head.

"I'm a coward…"

"What? No, don't say that. It's okay if you're scared. It's just… there's really nothing to be afraid of right now."

"I wish I was stronger," she muttered.

Touya eyed her. It was obvious she was talking about something completely different.

"What do you mean?"

She was silent for a minute before pulling away and gazing at him. "I can't beat her… The gym leader here is too strong for me."

"Oh, you're talking about Elesa?"

She nodded. "My friend, Hugh, had no problem defeating her. But me? I keep getting humiliated on stage in front of so many people…" Mei appeared to be on the verge of tears. "I wish I was a strong trainer like Hugh."

"Aww, hey. Come on. I'm sure you're plenty strong enough." He struggled to remember his own battle with Elesa two years ago.

"I don't want to let my pokémon down." A teardrop streamed down her face.

"Confidence and some training is all you need." He attempted to console her.

A second tear ran across her cheek. Then a third.

Touya didn't get this girl. She seemed so cheerful a few moments ago, and now she was crying. He studied her face. He couldn't help but compare her glistening tears to the stars glowing outside. Her sobs were quiet, but they made his heart feel heavy. Heavier than usual. He wanted her to stop; she had no reason to cry.

Without thinking, he wrapped his arms around Mei's petite frame, pulling her into an embrace. Her weeping ceased immediately and her eyes widened in surprise. Touya placed his chin atop her head. His warmth mixed and melted together with hers. Slowly, she eased into the hug, closing her eyes. The female rested her hands on his back carefully. As awkward as their position was, he felt comfortable with her. He realized he wasn't alone tonight.

The gondola reached the bottom of the ferris wheel with a loud thud, signaling the end of the ride.

x

"Sorry, Touya." Mei spoke as the two stepped out.

She trailed behind the older trainer, wearing a gloomy expression. The glimmering city lights caught her attention.

"Sorry about what?" he asked after he adjusted his cap.

"I was supposed to help cheer you up, but I ended up being a crybaby," she said, staring at the lights.

"Nah, don't sweat it," Touya reassured her. He was merely glad someone was kind enough to go out of their way just to talk to him. Lately, he felt as though he had been devoid of emotion, but it was nice to be proven wrong. He was happy he got to hang out with her. He was happy he made a new friend.

"It's pretty late. Why don't we crash at the Pokémon Center tonight?" he questioned.

She peeked at him with a grin. "Okay!"

"Also," Touya tugged on one of her long ponytails. "First thing tomorrow morning, we're training!"

"H–Huh?!"

"I've decided, from now on, I'll be your personal mentor! I'll teach you the perfect strategy so you can take down Elesa."

"Really? You'd do that for me?" Mei was ecstatic.

"Yeah, sure!"

"Yay!" The girl was now skipping ahead of him.

Touya listened to her ramble about how she would beat her rival and become the champion, which in turn caused him to laugh.

"Thanks, Mei." He interrupted her.

She stopped mid-sentence and looked at him, clearly puzzled.

"You saved me from being all alone tonight."

Mei blushed a tiny bit as a another smile curled onto her lips.