Alright, so I wrote this with the intention of it having one Chapter only, but R&R and tell me if you want me to continue, because I'd be glad to do that as well. Tell me what you think :)

"Oh, yeah, it's amazing over here," I said, looking around.

The summer sun was blazing down on White Forest, driving everyone that was outside into the shade of the towering trees. The sky was clear and blue; an occasional Braviary or a Mandibuzz would fly by over head. Some Deerling and Sawsbuck were grazing a little ways away, and various bug Pokémon were scuttling about in the underbrush. Birds of all kinds nested in the trees. It was beautiful, of that there was no doubt. But…

"Touko?" That was Touya over the Xtransceiver. "What's wrong?" Always observant.

I smiled and shook my head. "It's nothing. It's just a little lonely down here." It was. Most people that came were only passing through.

"You could always meet us at Nimbasa to see the Musical," Touya coaxed. "Or you could come back home. I'm sure Juniper and your mom would love to see you again."

"Nah, I like it up here. It's relaxing; peaceful."

He smirked, but it looked…a little half-hearted.

"I'll bet it is, Touko, but…don't isolate yourself like this. You have to get out sometimes. I miss you. We all do. Cheren isn't the same without his favorite rival."

I smiled sadly, blinking back tears.

"Yeah, I miss you guys, too." God, did I ever, but I just couldn't be around them yet. Not yet. "I'll be around soon. I promise."

"Yeah." He nodded, but I could tell from the look on his face that he didn't believe me. "Well, I have to go now. Take care, Touko."

"You too, Touya," I murmured. He waved, the screen blinked out, and I set it to the side, looking up to the sky as though it held all my answers.

I missed all of them, I really did. It just wasn't the same without Cheren running around insisting on training; without ditzy Bianca giggling and playing with her Pokémon ; without Touya's steady calming presence. Part of me wished that I could just stop there, but I couldn't; they weren't the only ones I missed.

Laying back against the cool green grass, I closed my eyes, and tried hard not to cry. Still, the tears came. They trickled from beneath my closed eyelids as I thought about another of my friends. We hadn't started off like that. In fact, we'd been more like hostile rivals. But as we battled, we somehow grew closer. It seemed inevitable. We grew closer until finally I could call him my friend. And he called me his. And then…he left.

"N…" I sighed. "Where did you go?"

Against the inside of my eyelids, images flashed by. The first time I had ever seen him; arrogant, stubborn, in Accumula Town, where he'd told me that he could talk to Pokémon . When we rode the Ferris wheel in Nimbasa City at night; that was when he'd told me who he was, that he was the King of Team Plasma. The time when his Shadow Triad bozos all but dragged me through Chargestone Cave to battle him again. at the Dragonspiral Tower, when he woke Zekrom from the Dark Stone. And at the Pokémon League, first when he challenged me with Reshiram at my side, and later, after I'd defeated his father, and he flew off on Zekrom. Right before he disappeared for days that turned first to months, then to years.

I could still remember exactly what he looked like. That he was almost a foot and a half taller than me. That his skin was several shades lighter than mine because I'd always played outside when I was little, and he'd been cooped up in something like a palace. That he had soft, bright green hair that fell down to his hips, and was always kept in a pony tail at the nape of his neck. The weird planet necklace that he always wore around his neck. That strange cube he kept on a chain attached to one of his belt loops. The tan pants he always wore, and the white jacket over a black undershirt. He nearly always wore a cocky little smile. His eyes were bright, electric blue.

Seeing him so clearly in my mind, I felt as though I could reach out and touch him. But I knew that was childish. He was hundreds of miles away, exploring the world. Still, I could almost pretend that I felt him next to me. The warmth I'd felt from his hand the one time he'd taken it. I could even imagine that I heard him breathing right beside me. But of course he wasn't. If I opened my eyes, he would be gone, and I would be alone again. My Pokémon were all at the center, for a chance to relax, and to give me some "me-time" as Bianca called it. I needed it. I couldn't let my Pokémon see me cry.

"Why are you crying?" asked a voice above me. It was strangely familiar. Male. Deep, but not freakishly baritone like some people's. Soft, also.

I cracked open an eye; someone was leaning over me, blocking the sun.

"I'm not," I said stupidly, then rubbed a hand over my eyes.

I heard a strained chuckle, and opened my eyes all the way, since the guy was keeping the sun from getting in my eyes. What I saw made me sit bolt upright, nearly colliding with the person's forehead.

"Holy Honchkrow, what are you doing here?" I exclaimed, but I didn't give him time to answer, instead throwing my arms around his neck. Because this was no stranger. He wasn't just some random guy. This was one of my best friends, one I hadn't seen since Team Plasma vanished.

N. He was here!

N laughed as I basically tackled him to the ground, and wrapped an arm around me, returning my hug. I'd never hugged him before; he'd never hugged anyone before, so I was impressed that he took it without any questions. I was also kind of glad. He was warm, his chest all hard muscle. For a pretty boy who never had to lift a finger a day in his life, he was kind of cut.

"How did you get here?" I demanded when I pulled back.

Stupid question, I know. He left on Zekrom's back, didn't he? Of course that giant dragon could have brought him back. But one look around told me that Zekrom was nowhere in the vicinity. N hated keeping the Pokémon in his poke ball, and certainly wouldn't try to do that in a place like White Forest.

"Long story," N said, shrugging.

"I've got time," I smiled, pulling my knees to my chest and resting my chin on them. He raised an eyebrow, then chuckled again. "You're laughing a lot." I noted.

"Habit I picked up in Oblivia. They have some odd people there," said N, sitting up and crossing his legs. "Did you know there are two flying rangers that patrol down there along with the area rangers, and one of them has a partner Pokémon with a Ukulele? Crazy."

I laughed, but sobered up enough to ask "Where's Zekrom?"

N looked up at the sky and sighed.

"I let him go."

"You what?" I gasped.

"I let him go. We'd flown to a lot of different regions. We got really close. But, in Kanto, I stopped and really paid attention. I saw the way his eyes followed the wild flocks of Pidgeots and Fearows. He missed being free, flying through the sky on his own. I didn't really want to keep him from that. Besides, I could catch other flying type Pokémon to fly to other places, and I could catch ships. So, I let him go. He flew straight for Unova."

"What'd you do after that?" I asked eagerly, more than a little excited to hear where all he'd gone.

"I went to every region, searching for my answers. But soon, I found that I wasn't happy. Something was pulling me back here. I was in Fiore, and I caught the first bird I came across and tried to fly home. But she couldn't get all the way. We got as far as Hoenn, and she had to stop. I tried to distract myself, searching the entire region for anything that might answer some of my questions."

"And did you find these answers?"

He looked at me.

"I found some. But you were right about what you said before. For every answer I find, I have two more questions. And no other region held the important answers."

"Important answers?" I wondered.

He nodded, and hesitantly he reached out a hand, and took mine. I blinked, and felt a warm flush spread across my cheeks as he laced our fingers together. His hands were twice as big as mine, slender, but rough and calloused.

"I was never going to find those answers, because I realized that, honestly, all my answers lie with you."

And he leaned forward, and pressed his lips softly against mine. I gave a startled squeak, but tightened my hold on his hand, and kissed him back. When he pulled away, I was glad to see that I wasn't the only one blushing.

"I can't tell you how many times I wished I'd done that before I left," N said softly.

I brushed my fingers across my lips, noting that blood still boiled beneath the thin layer of skin.

"You still haven't told me how you got back," I noted, a little breathless. "Or how you found me."

N smiled and squeezed my hand. "Get over here, and I'll tell you."

I rolled my eyes, but scooted over until I was pressed to his side. He slung an arm around my shoulders, and I couldn't help but think that this N was far different than the one I'd met all those years ago in Accumula.

"I met a different type of Pokémon . Small, shy, a psychic type. I caught it, and he promptly evolved. The evolved form was Kadabra, and he knew a move called teleport. I talked to a local Pokémon professor about it, and he said that it would be able to transport me anywhere, to anyone that I'd already met. So, that's exactly what I did. I told Kadabra about you, and asked him to find you and take me there. And he transported me to a huge, sunny forest in Unova, with a Pokémon center a little ways away and a lonely looking trainer laying beneath a tree, weeping. That reminds me; you never told me why you were crying."

I felt myself blush again.

"I was thinking about how much I missed you."

He chuckled and leaned his head against mine. Yes, he wasn't the same guy as he was before, but…I still kind of liked him.

"I would not think that that would be enough to make you cry. You, of all people. But, I'll admit that I thought of you often. When I was alone, or when I battled a particularly strong trainer. None could measure up to you, of course, but they made me miss our battles."

I smiled and leaned into him, grateful for his warmth. I'd missed him so much, for so long, and suddenly he was here. It was like…

Like a dream.

I shot to my feet, and the world around me dissolved. It was dark now, with stars glittering brightly up in the black velvet sky. I looked around, to find myself quite alone.

"Damnit," I cursed under my breath, feeling the sting of tears building in my eyes. "Damn it all."

I curled my fingers into a fist, and hit the trunk of the tree hard enough that the branches trembled. A flock of Pidove took off. I pulled my hand back to inspect the damage; bloodied knuckles. I'd done that plenty of times before, and I just wiped them off on my shorts. Glancing around, I saw a little pink-and-purple form hovering in a tall patch of grass.

"Get over here, Munna," I sighed.

Obediently the Pokémon floated over to me, and I knelt down to look at it. It looked at me with big, sad eyes.

"You thought you were doing something nice, didn't you?" I asked softly.

"Munn!" it said. I took that as a yes.

"Well, I guess I should say…thank…Hey…You look familiar."

The Munna hopped away nervously.

"You aren't a wild Pokémon ." Another, close inspection led me to believe something else. The carefully groomed fur, the unmistakable happiness and friendliness. The apparent connection with me. "You belong to N!"

The Munna bobbed slowly. I took that as another yes.

"What on earth are you doing here?" I wondered. "Where is he?"

"Munn!" the Pokémon said, and floated away into the forest.

"Hey! Come back!" I called, moving to run after it. But I knew it would be pointless. I'd get lost faster than a Shellos in a volcano.

I collapsed back to the ground, tears streaming once more down my face.

"Damn you N. Damn you, and your stupid games."

In Nimbasa City, a tall trainer with fair skin and green eyes sat on a bench in the Amusement Park, waiting for someone to return. Soon a little Munna appeared, floating straight for him and nuzzling his hand affectionately. The trainer smiled and lifted the Pokémon in his hands.

"Did you find her?"

"Munn!"

The trainer nodded.

"White Forest. Well then, let's go."