Chapter 1

For as long as anyone could remember, Touya had been an enigma. His seemingly reserved nature contrasted starkly with his twin sister Touko's loud and outgoing personality. Although they were twins, his slightly older sister seemed years older. Touko's long, curly hair and striking blue eyes held little similarity to Touya's short, spiky hair and rich brown eyes.

Their contrasting natures only helped to widen the almost nonexistent age gap that everyone seemed to think was there. Touya was naturally serious and somewhat quiet around strangers, but when thrown into a social situation involving Touko, the boy seemed downright shy. Touko was always apart of the center of attention, and Touya had long since resigned to a solitary existence. Despite all their differences, Touya and Touko shared a normal sibling bond full of constant squabbling yet affectionate support. They were as close as twins could be, even traveling together occasionally on their pokemon journey.

But Touya always felt… Left behind and forgotten whenever Touko was around. It hadn't come as a surprise when she was chosen to be Unova's Hero of Truth. He supposed it would mean that he wouldn't be forgotten after all, but he knew that he would eventually become the vague shadow of the words written in his sister's legends. People would talk. He could almost here him. "Oh, yes, that brave girl Touko that became the Hero of Unova. Didn't she have a brother? The legend doesn't say his name." It would be worse than a slap to the face. Even if he had resigned to being solitary, he still desperately craved people's attentions.

It didn't hurt that Touko had been chosen as the Hero of Truth. He was happy for his sibling, and he doubted he could ever be a Hero like Touko. What hurt was who chose her. Oh, he would never have the courage to even touch Reshiram or fight at its side. Touko could keep the fire dragon for all he cared. But she had been chosen first by N.

The mysterious young man was more enigmatic than Touya thought possible. His long green mess of hair hung well below his shoulder blades, and his moss-colored eyes were enchanting to stare into, though Touya would never allow himself to stare directly at N. But he couldn't help but feel… Drawn to the strange young man at least four years his senior. It pleased the teenager beyond words whenever he caught N glancing at him. N was the first person to recognize his existence. That is why Touya was running to meet him in Nimbasa City. He couldn't refuse the young man's invitation to join him at the amusement park.

As Touya passed beneath the archway that led to the amusement park, he bent over and clasped his knees in his hands, panting heavily. He'd had to run on short notice from Nacrene City to Nimbasa. His faithful Unfezant, one he'd raised from a tiny Pidove that fell from its nest into his mother's garden, had a bruised wing. In Touya's opinion, it was in no condition to fly, although other trainers would force their bird pokemon to fly for hours on the verge of unconsciousness.

"You finally arrived," came the silky purring voice of N, "I was beginning to worry that you were not coming."

"You try running from Nacrene to Nimbasa in three hours," Touya retorted, his eyes still fixed on his shoes, "You're lucky I got here before sunrise."

"You should walk more often," N commented with an edge to each word, "It's healthier. And it'll give your Unfezant some time to rest."

"I give Unfezant a break all the time!" Touya muttered defensively, "I only ask him to fly me to cities or towns that are too far away to walk to in a hurry. Most of the time, I walk to each town."

N didn't respond. Instead, Touya could feel his burning gaze scorching over his hunched body. Taking a long breath, the teenager stood up straight and met N's stare full on with his own challenging glare. Few could withstand the power of his brown-eyed glare, one of which was Touko through sheer ignorance. Sometimes his sister could be so naive, and he worried that someday it would get her in trouble.

But Touko wasn't on his mind at the moment. Locked in a staring challenge with N, Touya began to feel uncomfortable. He resisted the urge to fidget where he stood in N's cool, appraising gaze. He swallowed a sigh of relief when N broke the stare first by jerking his head upwards in a triumphant manner. Touya didn't care.

When he was with N, the familiar laws of the universe fell away. It should have scared him beyond anything else. He was a person of reason and logic. He liked the feeling of his mind planted firmly on the ground, working his way towards the immediate future. But N was an idealist. His mind was always on his vague dream of the future.

Deep down, it horrified Touya to think about his pokemon friends being taken away for N's dreams. But then again, couldn't he be friends with them without pokeballs and the constant struggle to become a better trainer? He liked the idea of relaxing and playing with his friends. Wouldn't N allow them to be together if pokemon were allowed freedom?

"Will you ride the Ferris Wheel with me?" N's request cut through Touya's thoughts, "I love Ferris Wheels."

"Um, sure?" Touya answered uncertainly, unable to think of a reasonable excuse fast enough to refuse the invitation.

N gave him one of his rare pleased smiles. It filled Touya up like rays from the sun, warming him until a contented smile spread over his own face. The young man reached out and grabbed the teenager by the wrist, all but dragging him under the flickering orange streetlights until they stood outside the Ferris Wheel. The giant wheel was lit up by neon lights that shimmered and glowed against the background of light-streaked night sky.

Only one couple stood in front of N and Touya. On the cold late autumn night, no one was willing to venture into the streets or hang around the amusement park. Anyone that was out wore thick coats or warm jackets. Touya cast a sidelong glance at N. The young man wore his usual outfit; a black shirt under a white jacket that looked thin and didn't have a hood. The boy shivered just thinking about how little resistance the jacket gave against the chill of the night, shrugging deeper into his fleece-lined jacket. Even with his thick jacket, the cold still got to him.

The operator of the Ferris Wheel was a short old man bundled in a heavy coat and scarf. He smiled at the two pairs of people waiting to ride.

"Will it be one go around for you folks or two?" he asked gruffly, offering them a warm smile.

The couple in front of them said one. Touya opened his mouth to agree with them, but N hastily cut him off and replied two. The conductor shrugged to both and ushered the first couple up to the waiting car, making sure they were both seated before latching the door shut. N dragged Touya forward to await the next car, but the old man shook his head.

"Let's let them get some good altitude before we get you two loaded onto a car," he chuckled.

When the first couple's car had reached the top, the operator pressed a button to stop the Ferris Wheel. He opened the waiting car at the bottom and stepped aside to allow N and Touya to get in. The young man all but hauled the teenager into the car, sitting him down on the opposite seat before taking his seat. The old man smiled in amusement before closing the car door and returning to the control panel. With a press of a button, the Ferris Wheel started back up again.

Touya sat uncomfortably on the seat of the Ferris Wheel, twiddling his thumbs and trying to look anywhere but at N. Being in close confinement with the strange young man made him feel nervous. He felt like a hundred of Pidoves were fluttering in his stomach. The feeling both excited him and terrified him, flushing his system with adrenaline. It didn't help that he could feel N's eyes fixed on him.

"So," Touya mumbled nervously, "Why aren't you training to face Touko?"

"I don't need to," N replied casually, "Zekrom is strong. I'm sure our dreams will prevail. Tell me, you were there when Reshiram emerged from the Light Stone, yes?"

Touya mumbled a, "yes", slowly bringing his eyes to meet N's. His moss green eyes locked with Touya's rich brown eyes, an intensity glowing in their depths that willed the teenager to relate the experience. Touya let out a sigh before he began.

"My sister's always been hasty and naive," Touya mumbled, "She and Drayden took the Light Stone to Dragonspiral Tower. I came along with them to make sure Touko didn't hurt herself. They looked around and found the spot where you resurrected Zekrom from the Dark Stone. There were two semi-columns sticking out of the ground, a black one with blue bands of lightning carved into it and a white one with streaks of amber fire carved into it.

"Drayden inspected Zekrom's semi-column and found the Legend Badge you fitted into an indentation in the column. He told Touko to place the Light Stone on top of Reshiram's semi-column and fit her Legend Badge into the indentation of the column. Then, everything started to glow. The Light Stone started to levitate towards the center of the tower. I yelled at Touko to get back. It almost floated into her face.

"When it hovered at the center of the room, the Light Stone gave off rings of fire. I was almost burned, but I ducked behind a pillar. The light grew until it became blinding, and then, Reshiram was there instead of the Light Stone! It was beautiful, white with icy blue eyes. It looked graceful and fragile, not like Zekrom. Zekrom is strong like black steel. Reshiram is like the thin sheet of ice that forms over streams in the first frost of winter.

"And then, Reshiram started talking to us. Drayden said he only heard low growls, but Touko and I heard it speak. It said, 'Which of you is the Hero I seek? There can only be one Hero of Truth.' But I think it knew that Touko was its Hero. But as soon as she stepped forward, the dragon ignored me. Acted like I didn't exist! And Touko ignored me too. Whenever she caught a new pokemon, she always used to introduce me to them. But she didn't so much as look my way before taking off with Reshiram.

"She called me that night to tell me about how wonderful Reshiram was. She said they were going to train, and she'd see me again when she became the champion and defeated you. She acted like I'm not supposed to be there while she's off being the Hero of Unova! I think she wants me out of her way, so whatever legend becomes of this is all about her and not her little brother. And I'll be left to be forgotten forever."

Touya ended his story with a dismal sigh. He stared at his folded hands in his lap. The Ferris Wheel car lurched suddenly as it came to a stop at the very top. He glanced out the window to see the conductor letting out the couple at the bottom. The car rocked with an uncertain shuffling, and N sat down next to Touya. The boy tried to hide his miserable expression from the young man by looking away, but two fingers locked around his chin, drawing his face back to N.

N wore the most quizzical expression on his face as he studied Touya. The younger teenager gave him a curious blank look, and N gave him a reassuring smile.

"You won't be forgotten," N assured him in a soothing voice, "I promise you won't be forgotten."

"How can you promise- mmph"

Touya's words were cut off as N ever so gently pressed their lips together. The teenager's eyes widened as he stared into N's cool eyes, a deep blush assailing his cheeks. He'd never been kissed before, and certainly not by a guy! He wasn't gay, or at least he thought he wasn't. Now that he considered it, he wasn't sure which gender he was attracted to. He'd never been attracted to anyone before.

But his feelings for N… Was he attracted to N? Touya knew he certainly had feelings for N, but he'd never decided what feelings they were. Interest, certainly, but attraction? Until that moment, he would have denied such thoughts and shoved them aside. But at the moment, he knew denial was impossible. So he wasn't straight, but he wasn't gay either. He was only attracted to N, and it just so happened N was a guy.

The pair startled as the Ferris Wheel started up again, but they remained fixed in their positions. Touya let out a soft sigh when N pulled away, caught between disappointment and relief. A cold wind rustled the car, slipping through the grating at the top of the car. Touya shivered, and N gave a small chuckle.

"Cold?" he asked casually.

Touya nodded, blushing slightly. N just chuckled again and draped his arm around Touya's shoulders. Sighing contentedly, the teenager snuggled up against N's side. N smiled in a dreamy, pleasant smile, relaxing against the back of the seat. They stayed like that as the Ferris Wheel descended. As their car began to climb into the sky again, N and Touya shared another tender kiss.

When the conductor opened their car, N stood and helped Touya to his feet. The two thanked the conductor for the ride and sprinted off, N's hand still gripping Touya's as he guided the teenager into the nearby woods. Touya followed, his mind too blank to offer him any reason to protest. The lights of the city faded behind them, and a few stars began to tentatively take their place in the night sky above them.

As N and Touya came to an open clearing lit by feeble moonlight, a low rumble greeted them. Touya wasn't surprised to find Zekrom resting in the clearing. N was opposed to pokeballs, so it was understandable that he wouldn't want to keep the large electric dragon in a pokeball. He doubted that N even had a pokeball for Zekrom.

As N strode up to the great black dragon and greeted it with an affectionate stroking on the muzzle, Touya hung back in nervousness. If he was impressed by Reshiram's beauty, he was left in awe by Zekrom's power. He leaned nervously against a tree, watching N. When the young man realized that Touya was no longer by his side, he turned and walked towards the boy.

"Come meet Zekrom," N invited, taking Touya by the hand.

Touya stumbled as N dragged him forward, presenting him to the dragon. Zekrom looked him over with red, disinterested eyes. Touya fought back his terror as N gripped his wrist and guided his hand towards the dragon's muzzle. At first, the dragon turned away, ignoring the hand. Touya felt crestfallen that the dragon had chosen to ignore him. Despite his fears, he had secretly hoped that Zekrom would be more welcoming than his fiery counterpart.

'It's true,' he thought, 'I really will be forgotten. But N will remember me. Shouldn't I be happy? Even still, it hurts that both dragons don't care about me.' The sting of the rejection burned sharply at his heart, and he almost felt tears springing to the corners of his eyes. The dragon slowly turned its head back to him.

'I care,' Zekrom spoke through thought, 'But are you worthy of my attention?'

Touya's eyes widened as the dragon pressed its muzzle under his palm. In amazement, the boy stroked his hand up the horn that protruded on its muzzle. The dragon closed its eyes and gave a low rumble of acceptance. Touya directed his thoughts towards the dragon. 'I want to be friends. Will you accept that much from me?'

'We'll see,' the dragon replied with a rumble.

"See? Zekrom likes you," N exclaimed happily.

'Not likes, I only agree to acknowledge him for now,' Zekrom corrected him.

"Close enough," N mumbled, "You see, Touya? You won't be forgotten."

"I guess," Touya murmured, still entranced by the dragon's ruby eyes and surprisingly smooth skin.
Touya drew away from Zekrom. The dragon stood and turned his back on the young man and the teenager. 'I'll leave you two to talk alone,' the dragon announced before making its way further into the forest. The two were left alone in the silent clearing.

"Maybe I should go," Touya mumbled at last.

N didn't respond. The silence continued as if he hadn't spoken. Touya shuffled his feet hesitantly before starting to turn to leave. He gave a startled gasp when he turned to find N standing directly behind him. He'd forgotten how close the young man was standing. N reached out and wrapped Touya in his arms, pulling him against his chest.

"You don't have to go," he murmured in Touya's ear.

"W-What?" Touya squeaked in surprise.

"Come back to my castle with me," N murmured, "Stay with me, Touya. I promised you wouldn't be forgotten. I want you standing beside Zekrom and I. Please?"

"I… I don't know what to say?" Touya squeaked uncertainly.

"Do you want to?" N asked.

"Yes, but–"

"But what?"

"Touko," Touya murmured, turning his face away.

For a moment, Touya felt N's grip freeze around his shoulders. N drew his face back to look Touya straight in the eyes. The boy shuddered as sparks flew between their locked gazes.

"You deserve to be with someone that cares about you," N murmured insistently, "If Touko really cared, she wouldn't have pushed you aside in pursuit of honor and fame. Touya, I can't let you follow her if she treats you like that! I'll never forgive you if you do, and I swear I won't even think about you for the rest of my life if you choose someone that uncaring over me!"

Touya let out a gash of shock. He stared at N, dumbfounded by what he had said. Would N really threaten to forget him if he chose his sister over him? Whether he would keep that promise or not, the boy couldn't bear to chance it. Choosing N over Touko… It was what he wanted, after all. He longed to be with N, and it would break his fragile heart to pieces if he couldn't be.

"Yes," Touya murmured at last, burying his face in N's shirt, "I want to be with you forever."

N grinned down at Touya, affectionately ruffling the boy's stray hair with one hand. With a flick of his wrist, he plucked Touya's hat from his head. His spiky brown hair was free to fall into a wild mess of spikes that stuck out in all directions. Chuckling, the young man lifted Touya's chin between his fingers and gave the teenager a soft, loving kiss. Touya sighed contentedly, letting his body melt against N. When they broke the kiss, N smiled at him before giving a low whistle.

The air was torn in a rush of wind as Zekrom appeared overhead. The dragon lowered itself until it hovered only a few feet above the ground. N turned and took a running leap that brought him to the dragon's shoulder. He climbed into a better position on the dragon's back and leaned forward to whisper in its ear. The dragon came down lower until the tips of its claws reached the grass.

Zekrom's powerful wing beats flattened the grass and shook the trees. Touya stared in awe at the powerful dragon before hesitantly walking forward. N leaned down towards him, stretching out his arm to the teenager. Touya reached out unhesitatingly to grab N's hand, scrambling as he was hoisted onto the dragon's back. With a mighty growl, Zekrom beat his wings and took off into the black sky.