Title: Following the Signs
Summary: There, on the bulletin board, was a message. Touya, it read. Meet me in front of the Ferris Wheel, N.
Pairing: N/Touya
Disclaimer: I don't own anything associated with this series. Gamefreak does, not me.
Warnings: None
AN: Yay, I've finally done it! I've written a oneshot for Pokemon! Hopefully, I'll be able to write more in the future. Anyway, this is indeed my first attempt at this fandom and pairing, so go easy on me, kay? :3
"I'm walking as fast as I can, Victini," Touya laughed as the little fire/psychic pokemon tugged him along by his hand, chittering happily. They were on their way to Nimbasa City, travelling along Route 11. It had been a while since he had visited Nimbasa City. Not since…
Not since N left to learn more about the world and Pokemon.
Don't get him wrong, Nimbasa City was very beautiful and full of family fun. It was just…whenever he saw the Ferris Wheel, he was reminded of the moment his life as a Pokemon Trainer changed forever. No longer was it about travelling around Unova region to become a trainer. It was about saving their very way of life…and saving N as well.
With the help of his Pokemon and his friends (new and old), he managed to do that. But N left him in the end. Touya didn't want N to go. He really, really didn't. He wanted him to stay so that they could see the world together. They both had so much to learn and see.
But, still, Touya couldn't fault N in wanting to be alone. Well, he wasn't alone, was he? In this world, no one was ever truly alone. Touya had learnt that. And he hoped that N did as well.
Touya had wanted to go in search of N, but hesitated each time. He wasn't sure if N would want to see him again, after all, he was partly responsible for his entire world, everything he knew, to crumble.
Could N be slightly resentful after taking time to think? Touya hoped not. He really, really did. Touya reached into his bag, his fingers gently touching the Master Pokeball that held Reshiram. He smiled softly when he felt a gentle, warm pulse of reassurance.
A strong tug on his wrist and a chitter in a slightly scolding tone pulled Touya out of his thoughts and he smiled gently at Victini. "Sorry, Victini, I was lost in my own thoughts."
Victini was very insistent in visiting Nimbasa City – right now.
And Touya was willing to do whatever it takes to keep the little pokemon happy.
Looking forward, Touya could see the building of the terminal up ahead, signalling that they were very, very close to Nimbasa City. No wonder Victini was getting excited.
Stepping into the terminal, Touya was, however, surprised when Victini suddenly dropped the hold on his hand and stopped moving, instead opted to hover in front of him as bright and cheerful as always. The little victory Pokemon was so eager to get him to Nimbasa City only moments earlier. But now, Victini seemed to be waiting for something. What that was, Touya didn't know. He got the feeling that there was something going on that he didn't know about.
He wasn't upset by that, though. It made him curious.
Looking around the terminal, Touya noticed that it was rather empty. Only two others, the lady attendant and a young woman with long brown hair pulled into two pigtails with buns. She was speaking with the attendant, seemingly quite antsy with anticipation. Touya was about to turn his attention back to Victini when the girl suddenly turned around and looked at him.
Their eyes locked and Touya wondered if, perhaps, she wanted to battle with him as his eyes lit up unexpectedly. Instead, she smiled brightly and turned back to the attendant, excitedly speaking with her.
Raising an eyebrow, Touya was slightly curious. She almost appeared as if she knew him somehow. As if she was waiting for him. Slightly odd. But then again, Touya was known as a hero of Unova, something that still embarrassed him to no end.
"Hey, look!" The girl suddenly yelled as she pointed at the bulletin board excitedly. "There's a message on the bulletin board!"
Upon reflex, Touya turned his head to read the scrolling words. He figured that it was a message about a possible Pokemon Outbreak, or even announcing that a trainer had defeated Eleisa, the gym leader.
However, he furrowed his brows when he saw a name – his name.
Touya, it read, meet me in front of the Ferris Wheel - N
Touya sucked in a sharp breath and forgot to exhale. The words seemed to move slowly across the board, the message being repeated over and over again. Each time, the words were the same, but all he could truly see were 'Ferris Wheel' and the single letter 'N'.
N?
Touya could do nothing but stare at the bulletin board, his eyes wide and his heart racing. His heart was beating so fast that his body was trembling ever so slightly. Was that real? It couldn't be some cruel prank, could it? Was N really waiting for him in Nimbasa City? Could they ride the Ferris Wheel together again?
A small but sharp tug on his hair pulled Touya from his thoughts. He turned to Victini, who was holding a strand of his hair. Victini gave another slight tug, wordlessly indicating that Touya needed to move.
His movements jerky and uncoordinated, Touya turned to the other to the occupants of the terminal. The two women, one young and bubbly, the other older and motherly, were looking at him in return. Almost simultaneously, they made shooing motions.
Go on, they urge. He's waiting.
Stumbling over his own feet in his haste, Touya ran out of the terminal.
The scenery was nothing but a blur. All that mattered to Touya was the Ferris Wheel in the distance – coming closer and closer with each step he took. He couldn't take his eyes off the turning wheel and only one thing ran through his head.
N.
Skidding around the corner to enter the theme park, Touya slipped on a loose stone and stumbled, about to fall. However, before he hit the ground a hand snared him by his arm and hauled him back to his feet, steadying him. Touya barely had time to turn to his helper, a slightly younger male with spiky brown hair, to utter a small thanks before he was pushed forward.
"You better hurry!" the other boy told him.
Touya didn't question him. He simply continued to move forward, the Ferris Wheel so close now. It was truly the only thing that mattered.
The crowds of people seemed to part before him as he ran, the Ferris Wheel lighting up in festive lights as the sun started to set. Then, a figure came into focus; long green hair, white shirt, beige pants.
Touya came to a sudden stop, his mind not truly registering what he was seeing. He wanted to believe that the person before him was N, his N. But, for two years, he had been seeing people similar to N, his heart breaking each time he was mistaken. He couldn't –wouldn't- handle it again.
"N…?"
Slowly, the man with green slowly turned to face him, and when he did, a lump of pure emotion lodged in Touya's throat, pent-up tears threatening to spill.
"…Touya."
That voice. Those eyes. It was him. It really was him.
"Let's ride the Ferris Wheel again."
Taking a step forward, N held out his hand for Touya to take. But Touya bypassed it. Instead, he practically threw himself toward N, his arms wrapping around him as he buried his face in N's shoulder. Tears were flowing so freely now and he didn't care. N was here, in his arms. He was real.
"You're here," Touya whispered as he pressed himself closer to N. "You're really here."
Slowly, he felt N's arms wrap around him, a little hesitant at first, probably unsure of what to do. "Touya," he whispered. Then, his arms tightened around Touya, holding him closer, never wanting to let go. He buried his face into Touya's hair and breathed in deeply. "I'm back, Touya."
A half-sob, half-laugh escaped Touya's lips as he nodded against N's shoulder, his hands grasping onto the back of N's shirt. The uncertainty and fear of the past two years being washed away the longer Touya stayed in N's arms. Soon, nothing else mattered. Nothing was more important than the fact that N was back in his life.
Finally pulling himself together, Touya pulled away slightly, but stayed in N's arms, arms that were warm and strong around him. He didn't want to leave. He looked up into N's eyes and he could see within the shimmering depths that N had struggled with their separation as well.
N leaned forward and pressed his lips against Touya's forehead. "I've missed you," he whispered.
Touya sighed and closed his eyes. "I'm missed you, too." That was quite an understatement.
Victini petted him on his head, chittering happily as Touya pressed his cheek against N's chest, listening to his heartbeat. Touya mildly wondered if Victini was somehow behind this…this miracle. Touya soon realised that they weren't alone. There were two others, two younger trainers with brown hair looking at them. The boy looked happy and satisfied while the girl seemed to be cooing over them.
A little embarrassed, but not enough to push himself away from N, Touya lifted his head from N's chest to take a closer look at the two. They were familiar.
Wait…Those two?
"Touya," N started, realising that Touya had noticed the two younger trainers. "I'd like you to meet Kyouhei and Mei. They…they've helped me with this…"
These two…they had helped him earlier. The terminal and when he tripped. And they were N's friends. They cared enough about him to reunite them.
Good. N hadn't been alone. He met new people, made new friends.
It was ok. It was all ok now.
Touya smiled a smile that was warm, gentle and oh-so appreciative. There was nothing he could really say or do to show how utterly thankful he was for their generosity. Nothing other than;
"Thank you," Touya whispered. "Thank you so much."
AN: Please let me know what you think! :3