"Oh, look, if it isn't my favorite Pokemon."
He flinched as he walked in the door, nearly dropping the package in his hands. He hadn't heard that tone in years.
He looked up to the voice's source, sitting at the table, cane clasped in his good hand. "There's no one for you to talk to here, freak."
"Actually, father," he chided, "I'm not here to speak." He walked over and held out the checked package, tea-green bow up.
The old man propped his cane against the table and snatched the present out of his son's hands, raising that withered arm just a little… an old reflex. With great effort he managed to flop it over to the table. Setting it down, he started plucking at the ribbon with nails that had grown too long.
"Who did you wrap this for? A Scizor? Human beings can't just cut things open with their hands, you know." Ghetsis picked at the ribbon.
"I could help you."
"I don't need help from a freak like you."
Ghetsis turned his attentions to the box, which box kept sliding away from him. Finally, in frustration, he grabbed it by the ribbon and flung it across the room. N cried out, but it was too late. It crashed against the door with a bang and clattered to the floor, deformed. Ghetsis rose with surprising speed, grabbing his cane, and hobbled over, whacking it. The paper cracked under the force of the blows, and then he used the cane to peel it away, revealing a book. A white book, thick, cloth-bound with black trim.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" He snapped. "Pick it up. Some present."
N knelt down to grab it, trembling a little, eyes never leaving the end of the cane.
Ghetsis was still until the younger man placed it back on the table, at which point he hobbled back over, looking at the cover. N was about to sigh with relief when his father spun with surprising speed, catching him across the cheek with the cane.
"You traitor! Of all people, her?"
N brought one hand to his face, the other going to a Pokeball on his belt. "I thought you would be happy for me?"
"How can I be happy for a fool? The two of you ruined it all; at least you had stupidity as an excuse!"
Ghetsis raised his weapon again, but N was prepared. He met it with his hand, yanking it away and throwing it across the room. He turned to leave.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"Why don't you take a look in that book and find out, father?"
Stuck in place, Ghetsis sat at the table and flipped the book open, gagging.
"You had another… inhuman… little… freak?"
"We were going to invite you to her ball game in Nimbasa. Pity. I'll say I fell down the stairs. This sure takes me back…"
N closed the door behind him.