I'm so thrilled with the strong response to the last chapter! You guys flatter me so.
This chapter might actually make you laugh. I know I've been cracking up at one line continuously and have dubbed it the best line I've ever written. It features several Kanto Gym Leaders. So expect spoilers for pretty much all game generations.
Also, warning for BROCK. It's nothing personal Brock, the anime just made you so damn creepy. And a thanks to my friend whispersilent cos a line of Brock's dialogue was actually intended for an IM conversation with her, then she challenged me to work it into the story. I think it's pretty blatant, but there you go.
If the Brock doesn't scare you, please, read on!
Vanishing
Quickly, Black checked out the laws for entry into Kanto. As was to be expected, his Trainer license was ID enough to allow him passage onto a plane from Mistralton City to Vermillion City. From there, it would be easy to check the rest of Kanto and move on to Johto and from there… well, Black wasn't a fan of the cold, so he'd head for Hoenn.
He didn't need to worry about packing his bag; he was a Trainer, it was never unpacked. What he did need to worry about were his Pokémon; he could have six on hand, and he wasn't sure whether or not the Kanto PCs would connect with the Unovan ones. He didn't want to have to replace a Pokémon he'd raised for months with Reshiram, but he knew he wouldn't be able to find Zekrom and therefore N without her. (Was Reshiram even a girl? It looked like one.) So he'd talked to his Pokémon and ended up putting Stoutland in the box with the promise of trying to take her out again when he arrived in Vermillion. After all, Alder got away with carrying nine Pokémon. So long as Black stuck to the maximum-of-six-different-Pokémon-used-in-battle law, who would even know?
To cover his tracks, Black set out with White, Cheren and Bianca, and they all went straight to Mistralton City under the guise of N's mathematical fixation meaning he probably really liked planes (He probably did, but not as much as he'd like flying on the back of a 'PokéFriend').
"Keep me updated, all right?" White demanded at the boarding gate.
"Yeah, yeah," Black sighed. "One of you'd better be Champion by the time I get back. Then we'll battle."
"I'll do it," Cheren replied. "It would be my pleasure to humiliatingly defeat Alder."
"Not if I get there first, which I will," White scoffed.
"Oh, please, you've been at a disadvantage since the moment I chose Snivy."
"And yet I still manage to kick your arse!"
"They never stop," Bianca sighed with an eye-roll. "Hey, let me know if you see a Squirtle?"
Black smiled. "I'll do one better and catch you one, if you promise to look after those two."
"Deal!" Bianca threw her arms around him. "You're the best, Black!"
Thirteen hours later, Black was having his Pokémon examined at immigration. It was the first time he'd sent out Reshiram since the battles with N and Ghetsis, and it looked far too regal, beautiful, and overall wonderful to be in any way related to Black — even when it had to curl itself up in an uncomfortable way to fit in the room.
"What do you call that?" the officer asked, keeping his eyes locked on Reshiram's head.
"Reshiram," Black quietly replied. "Can I call it back? It's pretty damn big."
The officer turned back to his computer. "Sure. How's that spelt?"
Black told him, replacing Reshiram's PokéBall at his belt. "Can I go?"
"I'll tell you when you can. Be patient."
He picked up the phone, dialled a number, and turned away to mutter no doubt about some strange Unovan Pokémon he'd never heard of that wasn't in his database.
Black had tried to do things the right way, but it was taking too long. So he glanced around and dashed. When the officer turned back, he dumbly said, "He vanished. What. He just — vanished."
It was impossible to escape the salty sea air, and Black liked it. Vermillion wasn't anywhere near as big as Castelia or Nimbasa, but it was nice and people on the way to the PokéCentre kept saying hello. He didn't have any trouble getting Stoutland back, so he slipped Reshiram's PokéBall into his bag before starting to ask if anyone had seen someone about this tall (he'd reach about a head taller than himself) with green hair about this long (and then down to his hip) and he may have been seen with a huge black dragon.
No one had, so Black went back to wandering around the city. When he spotted the Gym, he thought, 'Now there's a lead'. Or maybe it was just that he was a Trainer and gathering Gym Badges made sense. But N was a Trainer too, albeit a reluctant and extremely pretentious one, and he must have collected all the Unova Badges to defeat the Elite Four and Alder.
It was a lightning based gym, so Seismitoad made short work of it. After defeating the Gym Leader, who ranted about combining forces with his electric Pokémon to fly planes during the war. Black couldn't care less, but the Gym Leader rants were a traditional part of battle.
"That's great," Black said as he accepted his badge and TM without even looking at them. "Has someone else from Unova battled you here?"
Lt. Surge laughed. "Kid, you're not the first. Not even close."
"I meant recently," Black corrected with a sigh. "Green hair. Probably with a huge black dragon Pokémon. Anyone like that?"
Surge shook his head. "I'll keep my eyes open, kid."
Black headed to Saffron, but the Gym Leader there hadn't seen N either, or been particularly keen to talk. Misty in Cerulean was much more friendly and made quite a few flattering remarks about Black reminding her of Red, but at the same time Misty in Cerulean was far too friendly and Black quite literally ran away. In a state of panic, he called White.
"Misty just tried to sex me," Black spluttered the second she picked up the X-transceiver.
White groaned. "Blaaaack, it's three in the morning, can't your sexuality crisis wait?"
"But she's like — thirty!"
"Black. Please."
"But she's like thirty!"
Growling, White pushed back her hair and said, "You're gay for N."
"…what."
"I'm hanging up."
"I'm not gay!" Black shouted. "She's just thirty!"
White actually laughed at him. "You're gay for N. Cheren thinks so too, right Cheren?"
"Without a doubt," Cheren's voice came, as casually infuriating as it would be in the daytime. "There's probably an elegant series of equations for that."
"Shut the hell up!"
"I agree," Bianca piped up. "Now leave us alone. Please."
"Yeah. Hanging up. Bye. You're gay for N. Bye."
White must have turned her X-transceiver off, as Black couldn't call her back and, with a heavy stream of swears, made his way to Pewter City. It was a rock-type Gym, and well handled by Samurott.
"Green hair?" Brock repeated. "Yeah, 'S COOL BRAH."
"…huh?"
"I was beaten about a week ago by someone with green hair from Unova," Brock replied, eyes still closed. "Didn't say his name, but he liked my Onix a lot."
"…liked your what."
"My Onix, I breed Onix."
"Oh. Right. Yeah, that sounds like who I'm looking for."
"I'm not sure where he headed off to, he just vanished."
"Sounds like him," Black repeated.
Brock nodded. "Yep, I sure like breeding."
"…okay, I'm gonna go now."
"I'll keep an eye out for him," Brock promised.
"I'd rather you keep your eyes off him," Black bitterly muttered.
As Black walked away, he heard Brock mutter, "What a weird kid."
"I'M SIXTEEN!" Black shouted.
While Black wasn't so convinced that the world was terrible, pointless and cruel in every way imaginable any more, his feelings of bitterness hadn't just vanished. They'd only grown smaller relative to how many people in Kanto would call him over and give him free stuff, including food and shelter when Pokémon Centres were miles away.
Black wondered how it would be making N feel. Would he be threatened? Would he be pleased to realise Ghetsis was in no way a reflection of a humanity? From the sound of things, N had learned that PokéBalls weren't evil. Definitely progress.
To save time, Black dashed through a tunnel full of Digletts, then headed back up past the airport towards Lavender Town. He'd heard about a sinister graveyard once being there and had a funny feeling N may picket the tearing down of the building, though it had happened some ten years ago.
But all he got was a feeling of strong unease that quickened his pace. By nightfall, he was in Celadon. The whole city was so green that Black was sure even if N was there, he wouldn't have been able to spot him.
That made him far sadder than it should have, especially knowing Erica was the Leader of the Celadon Gym. He'd always had a thing for Erica, and okay, she was older than Misty now, but shouldn't he have cared to some extent?
Yet, Black didn't. He just went to the PokéCentre and fell asleep right away. When he woke up, he considered calling White (it would be the safe time, she'd be making Cheren pay for her and Bianca's lunches then deliberately ordering the most expensive things) but didn't want to give her the satisfaction of being right.
So Black took his frustration out by completely thrashing Erica's Gym with Simisear, because he should have been attracted to her and thus been unwilling to go all out and ended up almost losing due to chivalry, but all of his feelings like that had vanished. He hadn't thrashed N, but he'd come damn close to losing whilst trying his best, and that was far more impressive than a coy woman in a kimono who reeked of too many flowers.
Black didn't know what N smelt like. N would appear, rant as quickly as possible, and then vanish. Perhaps N didn't understand the social protocols of bullshitting, humouring, pretending to give a damn when you just want something out of it.
Erica said, "Green hair… that sounds lovely. I'm afraid I've not seen anyone like that, though."
And Black quickly left for Fuchsia by bike, surfed on Samurott to the rebuild Cinnabar, and across to Pallet Town before he heard anything of N. Red's mother (he knew it was her because of the eyes) took one look at him and said, "Come stay with me. Rest your Pokémon."
Black had a million questions. Had Red broken, too? Had he spent weeks hiding in his bedroom? Did Red ever leave Mt Silver? But she looked weary, and Black was too, so the urge to ask just vanished.
"Thanks," Black said, and that was it until the next morning, when he asked her over breakfast if she'd seen anybody with green hair lately.
"Green? Green's in Viridian, dear, though I can't say I know how he does his hair…"
"No, green as in the colour. The person I'm looking for is called N."
She sighed and shook her head. "Calling a child N, now really…"
Black found that pretty rich coming from someone who named her son after his eye colour, but that was probably his new found need to be protective of N.
"Yes, he was here," she finally said. "It was raining when he came, and he didn't want to put his Pokémon away for some reason, well, so we set him up in the Professor's lab. Slept curled up right beside that great dragon, believe it or not."
Black's heart was pounding. Green hair was one rarity, but a great dragon was another all together. "Did — did he say anything?"
"Nothing much," Red's mother replied. "Talked a lot to the Professor, very dry science stuff, not of very much interest to a spirited Trainer like you, dear."
Black managed to suppress the laugh. What, exactly, about him was spirited he didn't know, but he knew he wanted those pancakes so he tried to pull off a modest nod.
"He put his Pokémon into a Ball after that, then set off to take on the Kanto Gym Challenge," she continued. "That was, oh…"
"Three months ago?" Black guessed.
"About that, yes. I asked him when he'd be going to Johto, Red's always looking for good challengers, only the best of the best for him, you should consider going up Mt Silver to see him too, but N, bless him, he said he wanted to get all the Johto badges too. Didn't say a thing about facing the Elite Four, a shame really, I'm sure Gold would be so happy to see that rare dragon he wouldn't mind it if he lost."
There was just something about mothers and babbling.
"Okay," Black muttered. "So I might see him at the Viridian Gym…"
Black thanked her and dashed off. It wasn't until he was half-way to Viridian that he realised he had not only missed an opportunity to meet the Professor Oak, but that Red's mother had told him to go battle Red. As in, the ultimate and best Pokémon Trainer of all time ever.
He had to call White and squee in the most manly manner possible, then quickly hang up before she mentioned N.
Seeing Green's hair in person, Black could understand the confusion Red's mother had experienced. It was perfectly visible from the front of the Gym, appeared lethal, and was shockingly awesome, especially after having to spin around the Gym Maze to see it up close.
Or maybe that was the dizziness.
"Yo!" Green said. "Saw you battling my Trainers. Pretty stylish, kid."
"They just kept coming," Black replied. "I'm not after the Badge. I'm looking for someone. With hair that's green."
"Yeah, I saw him," Green said with a smirk.
Black's heart soared. "Did he say anything about where he was headed?"
Green shrugged, and Black found it quite mocking. "I dunno… say, why don't you battle me to find out?"
Inwardly, Black was overwhelmed with excitement. He was going to fight Green Oak. Outwardly, Black sighed like this was a bother. "Fine."
Green was incredible; his Pokémon would start his commands before he was done making them. Green fell Pokémon after Pokémon, until he had two left and Black only had one. Desperate not to lose, Black decided he needed to take a risk. So he sent out Reshiram.
"What's that?" Green immediately said. His eyes locked on Reshiram's tail. "Oh, a Fire/Dragon."
"Yeah, Reshiram," Black said, casually as he could.
"Like that other guy's Electric/Dragon," Green observed.
"…yeah?"
Green snorted. "Fags."
"Like you're one to talk!" Black shouted. "Reshiram, Dr—!"
To Black's surprise, Reshiram had already used Dragon Pulse on Green's Arcanine. He tried to cover up his awe, but he couldn't. Not even Samurott could do that, and they'd been together for almost a year now.
"Shit," Green said. He sent out Machamp, but with one Extrasensory was all it took to take it down. "Damn. Can't believe I lost to you. Looked so sure for a minute there."
"…yeah," Black agreed. Hesitantly, he reached out and scratched Reshiram's neck. The dragon cooed. "So, about —"
"Your boyfriend? He hung out with me and Gramps for a few days months ago," Green replied, dismissive. "Here's the Earth Badge."
"Not-my-boyfriend," Black hissed. He took the badge and shoved it into his pocket without looking at it. "And I guess you spent a while studying Zekrom?"
"That's right."
"…and N just let you do that…?"
Green snickered. "His name was N?"
Black rolled his eyes. "What did he say about his plans? Red's mother said he wasn't heading for the Pokémon League."
"That's right," Green replied. "He said he wanted to bond with his Pokémon, not become famous or whatever. Damn weirdo, I say."
Black couldn't help but smile. "Yeah. So he's just collecting the Badges, then?"
"Seems to be the case."
"And you haven't battled him yet?"
"Nope."
Black nodded slowly, then asked, "Why's Red up on Mt Silver?"
Green shrugged. "He likes snow."
"…that's it?"
"Pretty much."
"He wasn't… disillusioned by having to stop Team Rocket on his own?"
Green glared. "He wasn't alone. He just got all the credit. Typical Red… storming in after me, taking the credit for everything… and the fame."
"But you're the ultimate Trainer," Black pointed out. "And, he really just likes the snow? He's not angry at the world?"
Like the smug bitch he was, Green raised a single eyebrow. "That was ten years ago. Yeah, Red's not the most social thing. So what? He likes snow, so he's on Mt Silver. It's not like he never comes down."
"…oh."
"I heard about Team Plasma," Green matter-of-factly said. "We were all laughing about it here. You're the kid who stopped them?"
Black nodded.
"Don't get smug. There's no way you did it without help. Stop acting like a misguided martyr, you just dealt the final blows."
Stunned, Black nodded again.
"Get outta my sight."
"…thanks," Black said, and he meant it.
It was true, wasn't it? The Gym Leaders fought off the Seven Sages. Alder tried his best to beat N. Cheren and White fought grunts with him the whole way, and even N had helped him by constantly healing his Pokémon. Any disillusionment vanished, and instead, Black felt like a jerk.
Wandering around Kanto looking for N was too much trouble. Black decided he'd find the route connecting New Bark Town to Indigo Plateau, near Tohjo Falls. N would have a much harder time vanishing that way.
After setting up camp (or, taking off his bag and sitting against a tree), Black sent out Reshiram. It (She? He?) watched him with enormous blue eyes, before sitting back and starting to preen its feathers like a bird.
"Hi," Black lamely said.
Reshiram gave him a feather. It was the size of Black's forearm.
"Thanks," he said, holding it tightly. "Erm. Can you… hear Zekrom, or anything?"
Reshiram shook its head, gestured to its PokéBall with a wing, and went back to preening.
"Oh, not when it's in its Ball?"
For understanding, Black was rewarded with another feather.
"Guess we'll be here for a while, then."
Reshiram settled down on the ground and laid its head in Black's lap. Smiling, he scratched under its chin before starting to run his fingers through its long trail of white hair.
"Sorry I was scared of you," he murmured.
Reshiram nudged Black's other hand, so he started scratching the top of Reshiram's head with that one, too. Reshiram purred.
Instantly, all fear and hesitation vanished. Black hadn't known dragons could purr. It seemed ridiculous to be afraid or even hesitant of a purring dragon.
Black was starting to think that if his past self were to meet his present self, he wouldn't be able to recognise himself.
Now if only he could keep N from vanishing…
You didn't think it was going to be that easy, did you?
The next chapter will probably take longer; I've only written about three pages, and I'm also working on a kink meme fill that can pretty much be summed up as PokéTangled ("N, N, for liberation, let down your hair!") and developing an idea for the Pokémon Big Bang over on LiveJournal. So at least I'm busy with the fandom, right?
Please let me know what you thought!
