Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

Author's Notes: This is just a prequel to "Bright Eyes". S'all it is. But I've really come to love N and the pairing of White/N. Don't get me wrong, I still totally love Black, and I'll do a fic about White and Black eventually, but for right now, I'm in total N fangirl mode. :3

Author's Notes 2: Also, this is just how I depict the infamous coronation scene that happens in the games. I just really wanna know what really happens during that scene - actually, I want to know the entire story behind and during the gameplay! C'mon, translators, translate faster! I want Black and White version now, not next Spring! (I would totally get the Japanese version, but I like actually being able to follow the overall story and plot of the game when I do in fact play it :P)

Judgement Day

N's POV

"Are you ready, young N?" asked an older man in front of me. I smirked – of course I was ready. Hell, I'd been ready for this since the day I was born; it was just a matter of waiting.

"Of course," I told him. I was about to receive the ultimate power and it was going to be all mine to control: Reshiram and Zekrom would be mine to command. My dream would finally come true, physical.

"Then bring the crown forward!" the old man, my father, yelled at some of his henchmen – Team Plasma – to fetch the crown for me. I, personally, was not proud to be connected to Team Plasma in anyway, but this was the only way I could accumulate the power that I needed. My father smiled maniacally as two lackeys brought forth the crown on a satin red pillow fringed with gold. He then turned to me with the smile, and I half-heartedly returned it. In a few minutes, I'd be all-powerful. I'd be like a freaking god! Everything would be mine to control, I could decide what – who – would stay and go.

"Commence the ceremony!" my father yelled, and everyone started shuffling about to get everything in its rightful place. He then turned to me with that same evil smile. "Son, you were born for this. You are royalty. You are the next King." I nodded at him – I knew perfectly well what I was.

In no time at all, the usually incompetent Team Plasma henchmen had everything set up and ready to go. Before I knew it, I was clothed in the cape of a king – the King – and was walking down a narrow isle to a pedestal where my father stood with the ancient crown. "N, my son," he announced, throwing his hands high in the air. "It is time that you take the position amongst those before you as King of the Kings!"

I finally reached the end of the platform, and the Plasmas stepped back and I kneeled before my father. I couldn't remember ever being this nervous! Except for one other time – one other time I felt like this. And I was convinced everything was going to go okay that time, too, and if it had gone according to plan, I probably wouldn't be standing before my conniving father. "N!" he shouted, before grabbing the crown in his large hands and placing it above my head. "Join us! Join me!" He was just about to place the crown on my head, and I was just about to gain godlike gifts when—

"N!" All heads turned at the sound of her voice, but only my heart skipped a beat. White. The girl who had driven me back into the word-bending, mind-screwing arms of my son-of-a-bitch father. And all because she said 'no'. I blinked at the staircase where she stood, Black slightly behind her. My eyes glazed over in jealousy at the sight of her best friend. My father followed my eyes before bellowing into my ear, "N, N, N, tsk, tsk, tsk. Falling in love? What did your dear old father tell you about falling in love now? That it doesn't get you anything but hurt and deceit, and in my case, you. That was all your mother was ever good for, giving me you. Now you just have to live up to your worth, or you'll be dead to me," he grabbed me shoulders and twisted them painfully, "now look at your at the woman who jilted you over, my son. Look at her. Now use that pain against her. Don't let it get to you, use it in your favour." I looked away when Black stepped closer to White, placing a hand on her shoulder to restrain her. My father grabbed my face violently and spat, "See that, boy? No? You shouldn't look away when told not to! But here's a recap - she. Doesn't. Love. You. She loves him! Learn that now, or forever be weak in the eyes and minds of your grandfathers, N!"

"N!" she cried to me. "Don't do it! You don't know how many people you're hurting; how many Pokemon!"

"Shut up," I growled at her. "Just shut the hell up and leave. You don't even care about me."

"N..." she reached out to me even though she was a couple of metres away.

I could hear my father buzzing in my ear from behind me, "...Harness it, N. Harness that glorious jealousy of yours." I stood up from my kneeling position at that, throwing the cape I had been wearing previously to the ground carelessly.

My father, noticing that I was beginning to get distracted, started shouting orders to the Plasma henchmen who hadn't run away. "Get them! Get those two!" he pointed to White and Black. They began running towards the pair with their Pokeballs in hand, ready to fight with the interfering bystanders.

"Leave them alone!" I commanded them, and they stopped. They looked in between my father and I, confused.

"Listen to me, you morons!" my father insulted them. "He's not in control yet!"

I grabbed a Pokeball off of my belt, and threw it at them. Out jumped my Arcanine at them, easily blocking their path from White and Black. "Keep them back!" I told Arcanine, and he acknowledged my order, blowing fire at anyone who dare tried to pass.

I walked across the long expanse, my shoes clacking on the shining marble tile as I made my way towards them – to White in specific. "I will ask you this once," I told them, dead serious. "Why are you here?"

"You're making a mistake, N!" tears streaked White's face. "Please—"

"You didn't answer my question. Last time. Why are you here?" I held my stance a metre away from them.

"N—" Black cut White off.

"To try to talk you out of what you are doing," he answered simply.

"It's useless to try. I've made my decision already," I spoke gravely. "Now leave while you still have something to go home to."

"Let's be fair. Let's battle it out," Black grabbed a Pokeball from his pocket and tossed in the air, his face showing no sign of joking.

I was about to open my mouth to accept when my father jumped in front of me. "I feel obliged to honour such a simpleton the chance to battle the current King's last battle," my father told Black arrogantly, grabbing his Pokeball that contained Ninetales. "To the royal battlefield, then." He led Black over to a battleground not too far from where I was standing. My father definitely milked being the unofficial King, making full use of any service he had at his disposal, and I knew he would do so until his last seconds of being so.

White and I stared off in the direction for a short time, but as the first attack was thrown, I turned to her, my eyes burning with unexpressed emotion. "You," I pointed at her, my narrowed eyes menacing. "You have no right to be here with your little boyfriend."

"I came here because I knew tonight was the night," she spoke softly, "and I wanted to stop you from making a mistake."

I laughed at her cynically. "Oh, please, inform me, White, how any of this could possibly be a mistake? I am getting everything I'll ever need out of this."

Her eyes sparkling with unshed tears, she stepped forward and placed a hand on my chest. "Everything?" I almost fell for those eyes again, but shook my head to break our gaze. I tuned out everything but her and I as I felt my temper rise and flashbacks of us fill my spinning mind.

Flashbacks

I was walking along with my Tsutaja dawdling beside me, him squeaking nonsense to me while waving his green arms about. I smiled down at him in acknowledgement every once and a while – I was actually listening, to the best of my attention span and ability when it came to listening to such an opinionated Pokemon, that is. We weren't too far from the only civilization for a few miles – a small, quiet town, Kanoko Town, where most new trainers started out their journeys. I gave a look in the direction towards said town, where I could just see the beginning works of the town gate ahead. I wondered slightly if anyone was going to begin a new adventure today, as it was prime season being Spring time.

"Taaj-taaj," Tsutaja drawled on in my ear. I figured he wanted to leave. I didn't know why I'd been hanging around here... maybe for the briefest feeling of bitter nostalgia, by being near my hometown. Maybe in hopes of getting a battle out of a beginner, perhaps? I didn't know, and so shrugged at him. It was time to leave; I was just as done being here as Tsutaja was. Sticking my hand in my worn-out jean pocket, I pulled out his Pokeball, and was just about to open my mouth to call him back when I was cut off by a loud hooting sound from behind me.

"C'mon, Black!" a feminine voice shouted from the town's front gates, "we can't waste any more time than we already have!" I checked my watch: it was 9:30 in the morning! What was she talking about 'wasting time'?

"All right, all right," I heard a boy's soft voice follow hers. Turning from my spot not too far from there, I noticed both the girl and the boy had Pokeballs in their hands, and I was conflicted. Ah, the chance to battle a newbie – to display the power I had, that I had earned! But at the same time, I wanted to leave. I didn't like being here, anywhere near this town. It brought back bad memories, and I honestly didn't know why I had brought myself here to be subjected to it all once again. But the bored part of my mind won for lack of better things to do, and I began to walk closer towards the pair, Tsutaja protesting from behind me.

The girl, with her big brown hair and bright eager eyes, was the first of them to spot me. Truthfully, I thought she was pretty cute. "Hey!" she pointed at me. "Are you a new trainer, too?"

I shook my head. I wasn't necessarily new, but I wasn't the best either. But I had trained Tsutaja a little since I had first gotten him, so beating a newcomer wouldn't be too tough. "Nope."

"Well, then," she turned to me with a mischievous smile on her face, clutching her Pokeball in her right hand. "You wanna battle anyway?"

"Why the hell not," I smiled back with a fiery confidence of my own. There was no way she was going to win against me! "Tsutaja, show them how a real trainer fights!" I called the grass snake forward, and he leapt up with a cocky grin, ready to go at a moment's notice.

"Go, Pokabu!" she threw her Pokeball, and out came the small fire pig, snorting at Tsutaja and I. I had to hold back a snort of my own, for the girl's sake. It didn't matter that I was at a type disadvantage, my Tsutaja would still win with flying colors because of the training we had over her and her Pokabu. But I didn't want to shatter her confidence on the first day, now did I?

With both of our Pokemon out and ready to obey our commands, the battle commenced. "Pokabu, use Tackle!" she shouted at her Pokemon, and it leapt at Tsutaja, who, without hesitation or a command from me, dodged it effortlessly.

I smirked, causing her to frown at me before yelling another command at her pig. "Use Tackle again!" Of course, another careless dodge followed.

I took my chance to make a move. "Tsutaja, use Razor Leaf!" Tsutaja nodded before throwing his small hands out, leaves flying out at Pokabu.

"Dodge, Pokabu!" she commanded, and the fire type did as it was told and, amazingly enough, managed to avoid every single leaf that was thrown at it. I blinked in astonishment. How could this be? I noticed, though, that all of the dodging Pokabu had done had exhausted the little thing, and I knew that this was the perfect chance to make the winning shot.

"Tsutaja, finish Pokabu off with one more Razor Leaf!" I threw forth my finger, and Tsutaja's face matched mine with a cocky smile as he shot more leaves out of his hands. Pokabu stood far back from my Pokemon, trembling slightly.

The girl clenched her fists together in determination, and despite knowing how tired her Pokabu was, commanded one last attack out of it. "Use Ember, with all of the power you have, Pokabu!"

I froze at that. I was not expecting that at all. Pokabu staggered up, but stood up nonetheless, and with one loud, long call of its name, it mustered up all of its energy, and just before Tsutaja's leaves hit, fire was sent spiralling towards him.

I had shield my eyes from the heat, but when I opened them, I could not believe the outcome in front of me. There was my Tsutaja, lying there in the middle of the makeshift battlefield, fainted. Fainted! My Pokemon had fainted! This wasn't happening; it couldn't be! But, lo and behold, as the dust cleared and settled, the girl was standing on the other side of the expanse, hugging her Pokabu with a huge smile on her face as she did. Tch, what a sore winner.

After she was done praising her exhausted Pokabu and had returned it to its Pokeball, she turned back to me with a smirk that rivalled even one of my own. "I do believe I won."

I motioned unhappily to the trashed battlegrounds. "You didn't need to specify, you know. It's kind of obvious." I then returned Tsutaja to his Pokeball with a scowl on my face. I never lost.

"Aw, c'mon. No need to be so down about it. It was only one time," she gave me a sympathetic smile, which just made me feel even more sick. The last thing I needed was anyone's pity, or even worse, sympathy.

"Right," I shoved my hands in my pocket and began to trudge away from them in the direction of the next town over.

"Hey, wait!" she called at me. I didn't bother to turn around, but I stopped. Running up and in front of me, she stuck her hand out. I gave it a strange look. When she huffed at me after a second passed, I figured that she wanted me to take it and shake it or something like that. When I didn't, she took hold of my hand for me, and shook it slightly. "My name's White, by the way."

"N," I told her. I grudgingly acknowledged her battling technique as a means of showing her I wasn't such a sore loser, which I knew I was being outwardly and inwardly. "You're not too bad, you know that?"

"Thanks," she let go of my hand. "I'd tell you the same, but you were my first battle ever, so I have nothing to go by."

I smirked a bit at her remark, and looked back at her friend – Black, apparently – who had been waiting patiently for about fifteen minutes, when he made a noise of protest and started tapping his foot and crossing his arms. He was clearly done waiting, and wanted to get on with their first day of travelling. "Well, see ya," I gave her a dismissive wave and continued walking away.

After we were a ways away from each other, I heard her yell back at me, "I'll be waiting for another battle, and soon, N!"

Turning around and walking backwards, I waved, suddenly happier. "Definitely!" At that, I swung myself around and headed off in the direction of the nearest town with a Pokemon Center. I then realized something: did I just go and get myself a rival?

It had been about four months since I had seen that girl – no, since I'd seen White. Sipping up the last of my cola, I placed a twenty on the table where I'd been eating lunch, and left. I was in the second biggest city in Isshu, and had to admit that I had spent way too much time there. I'd usually only spend one or two days in a town, and I'd spent four here and was behind schedule – I was supposed to be in the next city already!

The only reason I had stayed had been two reasons: one, it'd been so nice and sunny, that I couldn't help but enjoy it, and two, even though I wouldn't admit it, I wanted to see White again so we could battle. I had become significantly better since the last time (Tsutaja was close to evolving, and I'd caught three new Pokemon to battle with).

Making my way to the entrance of Route 38 and the exit of the city, I heard a frightened scream coming from a path not too far off from the beginning of the route. At first, I didn't know if I should go and check it out, but when whoever screamed did so again, I recognized the voice as White's, and so began bolting down the rough trail in search of her.

And it didn't take too long, either. At the end of the trail (or as far as the thorns growing ahead would allow you to go) was White and Black with four strange-looking goons surrounding them. "Just give us your damn Chiramii and Pokabu and we'll be on our way," said one of them to her.

"Hey!" I shouted at them, pulling Tsutaja's Pokeball out of my pocket. They turned to me in surprise, and I noticed the Team Plasma insignia on their goofy costumes. "Leave them alone!" I sent the grass type out in offense.

"Well, well, well," one of them smiled evilly at me, crossing his arms. "Looks like we have a hero here, boys!" The four of them then all began to laugh at me and Tsutaja. Big mistake – no one laughs at Tsutaja and gets away with it.

I smirked before commanding Tsutaja to use Solar Beam. Within seconds, they were sent running with singed uniforms, cursing at me that they would get their revenge. Yes, I'm sure that they would.

After making sure that they were gone, I turned to White and Black. Black was unconscious, I noticed, and White told me simply, "They beat him up." I could only offer an arm for the beaten girl to cry on, and that was pretty awkward for me: I wasn't exactly the greatest when it came to dealing with such raw emotions like straight-out crying.

By the time she worked up the energy to go back to the city, it evening. I had to drag Black on my shoulder while constantly checking up to see if White hadn't fallen too far behind. Finally, we did make it, but it was nightfall by the time we did. I left them at the Pokemon Center with Nurse Joy, but found I was too tired myself to go anywhere, much less travel fifteen or so miles to the next city. But I also found that I was not annoyed with the fact that this girl had sucked me into one of her own problems that had, ultimately, cost me an entire day's worth of travelling. Normally, I'd be angry and may have even picked a fight with someone. But for some reason, I wasn't, and I didn't know why for the life of me.

"So where are you from, N?" White asked me while sipping at her iced tea. The three of us were at a cafe in Hiun City, eating a light midday snack before continuing on our own separate travelling routes.

"Same town as you," I answered back.

"Really?" she seemed intrigued now, and I could see Black giving her a disapproving look from out of the corner of his eye. "Did you get your Tsutaja from Professor Araragi?"

I shook my head. "I never saw you around when we were younger," Black commented.

"I moved when I four," I explained. And then everything went downhill from there...I thought to myself bitterly.

"Oh, okay, then," White's facial expression calmed, and she ceased asking any further questions that she knew I didn't have any answers to.

My turn for questions. "How long have you two known each other?" I wanted to start with something easy.

"Since we were born, I guess," White threw an arm around Black's shoulders, smiling brightly. "He's my best friend."

I felt a spark of jealousy in the pit of my stomach. How could you even be friends since you were born? It's just not possible. I was about to ask the next question that popped into my head, "So do you two have something going—" when White looked out the window and her eyes glowed even more, if that was even possible.

"Black!" she cried excitedly. "Look! It's Bel and Cheren!" Black turned and a smile appeared on his face, whereas I was left in the dust with no clue as to what she was talking about. I followed both of their eyes out the window to see a blonde girl and a dark-haired boy standing there, reading a map of the city. "I'm going to go see them!" White announced before hopping out of her chair and rushing out of the doors towards her other friends.

Black sighed, before digging into his pocket. He removed his hand a second later and placed some money on the table, and I realized that he was preparing to leave. Panicked, I rushed out my question in a jumble, and it didn't come out as subtle as I wanted it to. "Are you and White dating?" I almost clamped a hand around my mouth, but instead just gave a nervous smile.

He gave me a strange look before shaking his head. "No, I wish." He then gave a longing look out the window at the girl in question. He sighed, and then turned back to me. "Why?"

"No reason," I lied. I didn't pride myself in lying, but I had to in this situation. I decided not to press on the subject any further so I didn't have to lie anymore, and so paid for my half of the food and left the cafe without another word to Black.

White noticed me leaving and waved me down. I cringed. Agh, great. I reluctantly joined her with her two friends. "Guys, this N," she introduced me with a thousand-watt smile, and I wondered if I had ever seen her not smiling besides the time with Team Plasma. Even when she was battling, it was one with hardcore determination. She turned to me next, and introduced them to me, "N, these are my other friends, Bel and Cheren."

I gave them a quick wave. "You're hot!" Bel said loudly after a moment of studying me, clapping her hands together. An embarrassed blush broke out on my face (she wasn't the girl I really wanted to hear that from), and Cheren began to splutter, despite looking so cool, calm, and collected just a second beforehand.

"Bel!" White exclaimed at her. She looked annoyed, and grabbed onto my arm, sending me into another round of blushing (I couldn't even remember the last time I did, in fact, blush). "You can't just say that!"

"Why not?" Bel asked innocently.

"Be-because!" White countered pathetically, tightening her grip around my arm as if I were some sort of possession of hers. "It's rude; you don't even know him!"

"Maybe I could, though..." Bel leered at me and wiggled her eyebrows playfully, all the while giggling to herself. I had never been that uninterested in a girl before – she just seemed too childish for me.

"Oh, you," White gave her friend a disapproving look before ushering them off. "Black and I'll meet up with you guys in just a few minutes; I'm going to go say bye to N. See ya!" She waved them off and walked off with me, still attached to my arm, though I tried not to make too big a deal about it.

"Uh, White?" I tried to get her attention after a second.

"Hm?" she looked up at me with her big blue eyes.

"My arm," I told her, my face flushing. I must have looked terrible blushing because I was so pale.

"Oh, uh, right," she released my arm and we came to a halt. "So, see you later, N."

"Yeah, I'll see you around," I rubbed the back of my head and removed my hat.

"Sorry about Bel," she said after a second. "She been boy-crazy ever since we were little. And I don't think she realizes that Cheren really likes her."

Just like you don't realize how much Black likes you? My mind told me bitterly. I just shrugged, "S'fine. I get that a lot."

"Girls crawling on you?" she raised an eyebrow at me and scowled. I smiled broadly at her, putting my best charm into the smile. I didn't like to yank my own chain, but I was pretty attractive, I thought. And I had been asked out my fair share of times by girls while travelling, though I always rejected them because I wasn't really looking for a relationship at the moment and because travelling, all on its own, defeated the purpose of having a serious relationship.

Her eyes flashed uncharacteristically, and I stopped. "But I always say 'no', of course. Not really serious about dating right now."

This didn't seem to change her expression much. I face-palmed mentally at that: I had just told her that I wasn't serious about having a relationship – yeah, I'm sure that really make her want me, telling her that I didn't have any commitment! Arceus, I was smooth wasn't I?

"W-well, I gotta get going. I'll see you soon, okay?" When she didn't say anything to me, I took this as my cue to leave and turned around and began to walk away. Sighing, I realized that I had probably just ruined all chance I had of asking her out or even impressing her in the slightest. A hand on my shoulder brought me back from my brooding, and I turned my head to see White holding out a little piece of paper to me with a smile.

"Call me sometime, 'kay? Maybe we can get together again," White handed the piece of paper to me, flashing me one of her smiles before walking away. I opened it curiously to find her C-Gear number scrawled out on it messily. Looking around first for reassurance, I then proceeded to fist-pump the air in self victory.

A few months later, I was back in Hiun City after White had phoned me (I gave her my number one day when I phoned her first), and asked me to a special party that only Isshu's best trainers were invited to. Her invitation said to bring a date, and because Black had already been invited, she couldn't ask him, and so she asked me to be hers instead. I wondered vaguely why I hadn't been invited just as myself, but knew there were several reasons that contributed to that (I didn't have a fixed address, would be one of them), but being asked by White to go was enough for me to forget all about that.

So now here I was, standing beside said girl wearing a, according to her, very flattering 'outfit'. Somehow I had allowed her to talk me into wearing a deep purple, silver pinstripe, loose-fitting dress top with a white vest over it, and I had to admit, even though I thought I would look stupid as an end result (as far as I was concerned, purple was not any man's color), I actually didn't look half-bad. And in the directly paraphrased words of White, I looked "kind of cute." I lost the hat and got some black slacks and black dress shoes, and I was all set to go. (A/N: the visual in my head is hotter than the way I described it :P)

For most of the night, I spoke with White, but other than that, was left in the dust as she mingled with Bel, Cheren, and Black and Black's "date", a girl named Annie from their hometown. I wondered to myself, as she laughed and joked with Black, if she liked him back. That factor had never slipped into my mind when asking if they were dating, just if he liked her. It seemed more plausible, now that I thought about it, that she liked him more than she liked me. She smiled back at me from her spot a few feet ahead of me with Black, and I smiled back weakly. The thought made me sick, especially after how much time we had spent together and how many hints (I thought) she kept throwing my way – or maybe she had already put me in the friend zone permanently. Honestly, though, these were thoughts I'd rather not dwell on – and normally, I wasn't the kind of person to dwell on anything, I just lived life, but something about White made me want to know as soon as possible. And so I would.

Collecting up all my courage (which I usually had in bundles, but not right then), I walked over to White and Black. "Uh, hey, guys," I cut in awkwardly.

Black gave me a look, but White's eyes sparkled gorgeously. I didn't even really know what I felt for her – my feelings were as jumbled as could be: I was attracted and infatuated with her, but I also felt like maybe if we ever did go anywhere, then maybe I could learn to really love her. And I'd never loved anyone, so that was a scary thought for me. "Hi, N," she giggled at me and blushed slightly, looking at the ground in the process.

I couldn't just straight out say it there, and so I said the next thing that came to mind, "Do you wanna dance with me?" I held my hand out to her.

She nodded, and excused herself from Black before placing her hand in mine and allowing me to lead her out to the massive dance floor. I placed my hands on her hips and pulled her close, and she placed her own hands on my shoulders. I regained a significant amount of confidence back because of this, and so the dancing went relatively well (if you count only stepping on her foot twice and dancing the wrong dance to the slow song 'going relatively well').

"I wanna talk to you privately, White," I told her after the third song finished. I was being straight to the point instead of beating around the bush like I normally would have done around her.

"Sure," she agreed and I pulled her into a hallway, shutting the door behind me. We stood close, and I felt my composure fly out the window when our eyes met. I had never been this nervous about anything in my entire life!

"W-White, I... wow, this is difficult," I slid down the wall in frustration, letting go of her hand and bringing mine to my face as I did so.

"What is it you want to say, N? Because whatever it is, you know you can say it to me of all people," she kneeled down beside me. Yeah, well, she was kind of the only one I wanted to say it to of all people, anyway.

I breathed in to try to regain some of my regular confidence, but it just wasn't there anymore. My brain wasn't working so I couldn't process any words to say either; I was involuntarily screwing myself over here!

She sat beside me and took my hand, and I turned my face to look at her while she placed a hand on my cheek, caressing my pale skin. Her lips were breathlessly close to mine as she whispered, "Thank-you."

"For what?" I breathed out shakily.

"Well, I never had a chance to say it when you saved Black and me from Team Plasma. You were gone before I could find you," she explained while trailing a finger down my arm. I swallowed with difficulty – okay, I had definitely read her wrong. We were in no way whatsoever in friend territory with each other.

"Anytime," I smiled at her, placing a hand on her side.

She returned the smile, and before I knew it, her eyes were floating shut and she was leaning forward to meet my lips. I didn't hesitate any, and we were just about to kiss when—

"Hey, White, Black's looking for y—" Cheren pushed the door open in front of us, and stared down at us, glasses almost falling off of his nose as he did. Nothing was said between us, we just blinked, before Bel's somewhat familiar voice sounded from behind Cheren.

"What are you doing, Cheren?" she peeked her head from behind the door, her eyes adding to the three pairs that were already blinking at each other. She registered movement before any of us, and grabbed Cheren by the collar of his tuxedo, pulling him back into the main hall, all the while chiding him as if he were a small child. "You idiot!" I could hear her yell at him before slamming the door shut behind them. White cringed at the sound of the usually bubbly Bel's harsh voice and I pulled her a little closer to me.

"What did I do?" Cheren hissed back sharply at the girl, White and I both straining our ears to listen.

"You walked in on White and N!" she screamed at him.

"Doing what exactly?" I wanted to face-palm right there, but just prevented myself from doing it for the sake of White. Was he really that oblivious as to what had been going on?

"They were going to kiss, you numskull!" We both visibly winced at the sound of a slap resonating. "That's what!"

"Oh my Arceus," White suddenly pulled away from me at that.

"What? What is it?" I glanced around worriedly.

"Bel's right," she gasped to herself, burying her face in her hands.

"What are you talking about, White?" I wrapped an arm around her, but she pushed it away and stood up sharply.

"We were going to kiss each other, weren't we?" she looked down at me with a horrified expression on her face.

Her tone of voice took a painful jab at my heart, and I forced myself to say, "I believe so. You kind of initiated it, b-but I was going to even if you weren't. Is there a problem with that?"

She began to shake her head and chanted, "No, no, no, no, no..."

"What's the problem with us kissing?" I was now standing up myself.

"We-we shouldn't of. That's it, N. Just that. We just should not of," she cried to me. I felt my insides begin lurch violently at her denial of what had happened between us.

"We didn't," I told her stiffly.

"But we were going to," she turned away and wrapped her arms around herself. "If Cheren hadn't interrupted us, then we would of. And who knows where it would have gone from there? What was I thinking?"

"You actually think I would have taken it that far?" I threw my hands out in my defense. "I wouldn't have! What did you think I am, some sex-hungry fiend?"

"No," her shoulders began to shake. "Not at all. But, N..." she turned back to me, tears falling down her face, and placed her hands on my arms. "...you're just a friend. I'm sorry, I l-like someone else."

I ripped her grip away from me and grabbed the door handle, grumbling to myself. "Yeah, well, you're not just a friend to me," I clarified before walking through the large oak door and slamming it shut. I heard her break down from behind it, but made no move to go and comfort her. My head was reeling and my chest ached – I didn't need this, but couldn't prevent any of it from happening, it was just my reaction to the rejection.

Trying to the best of my ability to put everything that had just happened at the back of my mind (with much failure), I stomped out of the party with everyone staring at me, especially Bel and Cheren, who looked extremely sorry that he had interrupted anything. But that didn't matter. Either way, kiss or no kiss, her feelings for me would've stayed the same. I'd still just be her friend, N. And apparently there was another guy (most likely Black) in the picture. She could have at least specified all of this before she start dropping hints like hot potatoes!

"Dammit," I cursed myself as I ran outside in the direction of my hotel. How could I have been so stupid as to have fallen for a girl? As I remember saying to myself once when I'd been an arrogant jerk, as my father had taught me, the girl would always fall for unobtainable me. But this girl, the only girl, had beaten me at my own game, and she didn't even know she was playing, either. But the question was, could I stop playing now that she had?

End of Flashbacks

The last memory let loose the stream of anger that had been building up during all of the remembrances. "You have no right to come here and play this game with me again! You rejected me! You can't just come to me now, at the last minute, and tell me all of these lies! You can't, White, you just can't!" I dropped to my knees in angry frustration, my hands smothering my face.

"I'm not lying, N," she fell beside me and was now crying again. "I know I did the first time, and I shouldn't of. But I came here to tell you that what I did was wrong and that now – I'm not lying. Not to you or myself." She took my hands in hers and squeezed them.

My mind was clouded, and so my better judgement was working against me (or so I thought), but before I knew it, my arms were wrapped around her and I was kissing her with all of my might. I couldn't hear my father yelling at me about betrayal (though I knew he was) and my ears weren't ringing the incessant words of the night she had rejected me anymore. It was just us. I, despite myself, was trying to be as gentle as I could with her, but everything I felt for her was behind me, fuelling the kiss, and so try as I might, the lip-lock was anything but tamed. By the time we separated, Black was standing in front of us with straight face.

"Are you two done yet? Because we need to go," he motioned to the slowly, but surely, deteriorating tower. What had been of the most intricate and delicate structuring before was now crumbling. I glanced quickly at my father, who was sprawled out on the floor, sobbing nonsense uncontrollably. This was probably the doing of an angered Reshiram and Zekrom, and their forces colliding so unstably. I nodded at Black before grabbing White in my arms and running down the staircase with the trainer who had beaten my detestable father to bits. We made it out in the nick of time – the tower fell to the ground within seconds of our narrow escape. But I spoke too soon – we didn't even have a chance to move out before the crumbled tower's rocks were being thrown, flying every which way, hitting me square on the head and knocking me unconscious.

When I woke up, my head was pounding and I was lying on a bed in a Pokemon Center. "Hm? Where the hell am I?"

"Where do you think?" I turned my head to see Black absent-mindedly sipping a juice box beside me, with White staring off into the distance on the other side of him.

I shut my mouth at that comment, before lying down again and rubbing my head. It was pulsing and it hurt. But then my attention turned back to White who wouldn't look in my direction.

"Hey, White," I tried to get her attention, but she only looked away. After a few minutes, Black sighed and stood up, walking out of the room and leaving us alone. "White, look at me, please."

"What you did back there..." she touched her lips in reminiscence.

"I know, but... you kissed me back, White. I'm not taking all the blame for this; I'm sorry," I looked away as she turned her head to look at me.

"You're not taking any of the blame for this because there is no blame to be placed," she scooted over closer to me and clasped a hand around mine. The next thing she said, she whispered, "I really like you, N."

"W-what about Black?" I was asking questions just so my head had time enough to comprehend that she liked me back.

"I lied," she closed her eyes.

"What?" I sat up straighter.

"When we were in Hiun City, at the party, I lied. I was just so scared of the idea of falling... in love with someone, with you, and so I lied to you and said that I liked someone else instead. I was trying to push you away back then... but I don't want to anymore," she told me, and by the look of her tired eyes, she meant it.

But wait. Falling in love? She just told me that she liked me, not loved me! "Which is it, White? Do you like me or... love me? Because I know how I feel about you, and I'm pretty sure you do, too."

The room was quiet for a painfully long moment before she leaned over and kissed me. "I'm in love with you, N," she mumbled against my lips.

I smiled at that and put a hand behind her head, pulling her closer. When we parted for air, she noticed my goofy smile and her face flushed. "Will you go out with me?" I inquired after regaining my composure.

"Yes," she giggled at me, before intertwining our fingers together. I realized how much had happened that day as we leaned in to kiss once again – this morning, I was going to be crowned Kings of the Kings, I was going to control the entire world, but within only an hour, that had all been stripped away from me and I'd been left with the girl that I was in love with instead... and, personally, at the end of the day, I think I got the better half of the deal out of the two choices.

And so everything is all "happily ever after"... until "Bright Eyes", that is! D:

Author's Notes: Next project, to do a Black/White fic that actually ends happily!

'Til next time!

Fooboo24