I've neglected this fic far enough! I'm so sorry I've been too lazy to do this! To make it up to you, I bring you all a new chapter! Please, enjoy and forgive me!

Disclaimer: Pokémon belongs to whoever owns it. Not myself.

Chapter Two: I Want to Drive you Away. . . So Why Can't I?

"Slow down, dear, you'll get a stomach ache if you eat so quickly."

Apologetically, and with an embarrassed smile, Touya wiped his mouth with a napkin, hopefully getting rid of any pecha berries 'n cream off his lips. Well, it wasn't his entire fault anyway. The toppings on his pancakes were to die for, and they were only served best at the Café Warehouse.

Touya surveyed the small café that was rather lively this fine Wednesday. Patrons were taking part in their own breakfast, having conversations, calling home from their X-transceivers, or holding sleeping Pokémon that had yet to wake up. Touya himself was enjoying his breakfast, along with Squirt (Who was eating a PokéTart), Lillie (Who was drinking Moo-Moo milk from a bowl), and his newly obtained Pansear (Who was just taking whatever chance he could get at to swipe a pecha berry from his new owner's bowl.)

The two had met while Touya was visiting Dreamyard, a area located a little outside of Striaton City. While Touya was training Squirt and Lillie for their first match against the Striaton Gym leader when they had been attacked by the red and yellow monkey, in hopes of stealing food. Feeling pity, Touya had left the little guy some food and he was even more surprised that Pansear had trailed after him, determined to take part of his journey. Seeing the passion in the Pokémon's eyes moved Touya. And with that, red-brown-eyed boy let him in, naming the Pansear Blitz.

After Touya's win at the Striaton Gym, with the provided help of Blitz, the group had traveled to Nacrene City, where Touya would go against Lenora, the Nacrene Gym leader, and user of Normal-type Pokémon. Even during breakfast, the Nuvema trainer was planning on how he was going to win this round.

"OK, I'll first start off with Squirt, then follow up with Lillie since she's highest in defense, and then I'll bring out Blitz for strength. And if all else fails, I guess I can just do some training in Pinwheel Forest. . . Wow, I'm talking to myself and I'm planning out strategies," he looked at his Pokémon, "Am I turning into Cheren?" With a few barks, clicks, and coos, Touya assumed that he was, and he laughed at that.

Calling back all his Pokémon except Squirt and paying the bill, Touya walked out of the café, taking in a breath of the morning air and waving happily to the accordion player that was bringing music to the streets. With Squirt in his arms, Touya walked past the few brown and purple apartments, along with a few stores, before he stopped in front of a large, white building with a blue-green roof and statuettes of Normal-type Pokemon, like Watchog, Stoutland, and Audino.

"Well, lets get to it!" chirping happily, Touya made as step to the double doors, flying back with a yelp as the door suddenly opened in front of him. Almost falling on his backside, Touya looked up and gasped when he saw it was a familiar person.

If N was as surprised to see Touya as the latter was to see him, then he would have hold the same expression. He was surprised, but his face had learned to not show that much emotion over the years. But if one thing was for sure, the green-haired man felt his heart beat with a rapid pulse, and an unsettling feeling in his stomach.

'Why am I feeling this? It's only my second time meeting him, and yet. . . I feel so strange. Ghetsis, just what is? What is this feeling?'

"U-Um. . . N, right?" asked Touya, breaking the ice between them. With N's silent nod, Touya gave a kind smile, "Ah, glad I got it right! It's been a while since we've seen each other, huh? About, three weeks, maybe? Anyway," blushing a little, Touya felt his hands sweat for some reason, "What are you doing here in Nacrene? You like the museum in the gym?" he asked.

His voice was so soft, N was sure that the Razz berry chocolate he saved in his pocket would melt along with his heart. The sweet and adorable blush on the boy's cheeks complimented Touya's cherubic features, and N was sure that if he were to hold the boy, they would fit perfectly together.

'You must not become infatuated with this boy, my king,' From the deep recessives in his mind, N heard that cold and evil conscious that sounded like Ghetsis. The sneering voice was something he grew accustom to, 'He will be your downfall. If he becomes to involved, when the time comes to get rid of him, you will become weak and not be able to, and your dream will be destroyed. Get rid of him!'

'I can't kill him. . . Why can't I bring myself to do that?' N sighed, looking at the boy, who was still happily waiting for his answer with his Oshawott in his arms, 'Very well. If I can't get rid of Touya, I just have to scare him away.' With a sickening feeling in his gut, he made his black and desolate, his lips pressed into a thin frown.

As he made a step to Touya, the boy took a step back, clearly frighten when the mood suddenly changed.

"N-N? What's wrong?"

"I. . ." he took another step to the brown-haired boy, this time the tow of them were so close that N loomed over Touya with their noses so close that Touya could feel the older man's breath against his cheeks, "What to see things no one can see. The truths of Pokémon inside Pokémon-Balls," His hand drew and for a second, Touya thought the man was going to hit him. But he blinked as N gently stroked the top of Squirt's head, the Oshawott tilting it's head before mewling contently. N gave an affectionate smile, before it dropped and his cold gaze set into Touya's redwood-eyes, "The ideals of how Trainers should be. And a future where Pokémon have become perfect. Do you feel the same, Touya?"

Even if he was trying to scare the boy away, he was curious. Though he knew that Touya had considered Pokémon his family, he wanted to know more.

'Why is he looking at me like this? It feels like. . . Like I'm a Sewaddle under a microscope,' Touya felt an ice-like feeling crawl down his back, yet at the same time, even with N's eyes as blank and glass-looking as fallen snow, Touya's heart warmed up when he could see that within those fragile irises, there was the soul of a lonely man. Someone who needed to be led to the light, 'N. . . If that's the help you need. Then I'll help you. Even if this only our second time meeting.'

"Y. . . Yes," stuttered the brown-haired Trainer, startling the green-haired trainer, "I want to know more about Pokémon. As a kid, I only saw them as funny-looking creatures that looked fun to chase. But now, with the Pokémon I have," Touya cuddled Squirt in his arms, who nuzzled under his Trainer's hold, "I want to know more. I want to find myself, see what I am as a trainer, and be the best I can be," With a breath held behind his teeth, his red eyes almost looked defiantly into N's, "I may be younger than you, but that doesn't mean I can't see what you see." he said with a passion.

'Well, then. . .' N gave a small chuckle, the light and feathery sound too innocent for a man his age, "That so? I think my friends and I should test you to see if you do not only look, but truly see," With a smirk and slightly raised brows, N took a step out and he pulled out a Poké-Ball from his belt, "Lets begin, shall we?"

"Osha! Oshawott!" Hopping from Touya's arms, Squirt kicked his feet lightly and looked ready for a fight. Nodding, Touya looked at N and gave his trademark smile.

"Yeah! Lets do this!"

"Lillie, use Tackle!"

With a running start and cry, the brown and black pup knocked out N's final Pokémon, a Tympole. N sighed but smiled as he picked up the Water-type Pokémon, rubbing his nose cutely with the it.

"Thank you. You did your best." he praised, returning the weakened creature and watching Touya as the boy scratched Lillie's belly, the puppy snuffling and yipping happily at the treatment. As Touya laughed at the cute snuffs, his mouth forming an adorable smiled and his eyes shinning happily, N's heart skipped a beat with fluttering following after.

'So young. . . Yet so passionate. I. . . I cannot keep him out of my life. I. . .' N held in the sad sigh he kept in his mouth, 'I want him to be a part of my life. I want to see him, his smile, his lovely eyes, his amazing personality. I want him to look at me. . . And only me,' N looked at the ground, eyes hardening with a bittersweet twitch in his heart, 'Is it selfish to think that? And if not, then why do I feel this? Why for Touya? And should I be feeling these feelings for someone of the same sex?' He looked at Touya again, and his eyes soften to a clear blue as the boy laughed and hugged Lillie, Squirt clapping his flippers and Blitz on top of Touya's head to get some attention as well.

"I cannot see the future yet. . . The world is still yet to be determined. . ." With his hands stuffed into his pockets, N walked over to Touya and gave a mysterious smile, "Right now, my friends are not strong enough to save all Pokémon. Maybe I can't find the equation that will change the world," Touya could see N's eyes go blank, but the color of the eyes now held a sort of psychiatric daze that made N look like a puppet, "So I need power. . . Power that can make anyone agree with me." The smirk on his lips made Touya felt like the temperature had dropped. He didn't like it.

With another chuckle, N walked aside and pass the scared boy, his green hair swaying and his eyes looking to the clear skies. Stopping, the mysterious man inclined his head to Touya's direction, though not turning completely back.

"Now I know what power I need. . . Reshiram! The legendary Pokémon that, along with the Hero, created the Unova region!" calling this to reach the Heavens, N gave a enormous grin with his arms spread at a bird's wing span and his back slightly arched. Giving a laugh, N gave one spin on heel, lost in his own world. Touya could only stare as the young man laughed and acted like a child.

'N, what's wrong with you? Who. . . Did this to you?' If anything, 'Blackie' wanted to save N, to help him in whatever was causing him to act like this. But for now, all he could so was watch. Watch as if N were some sort of wild Pokémon in a circus. Glad that N had finally calm down. Touya stared at the back of the man's head, the latter's inclined head still going Touya's way.

"It's my turn to become the Hero-" 'And also. . .' "And you and I will be friends!" Yes, that was what he settled for. If anything, all of these unsettling feelings he had were as strong as his feelings he held towards to his Pokémon, then he must've wanted to be friends with Touya. This had to be the case. Not looking back at the boy, N took his leave, not saying a world.

"Rowa?" asked Lillie, looking up at her shell-shocked trainer. Shanmking his own head, Touya could only scratch the back of his head.

"I. . . guess we will be, N."

"Annnnddd. . . I'm lost." Huffing and swatting at some old Galvantula webs with a free hand, Touya stepped over a large tree root that tread along Pinwheel forest with a skull under his arm. Recapping, Touya remembered the reason why he was in this situation.

It all started after his win against Lenora. Though tough and almost impossible for his second Gym match, Touya had pulled through with Blitz, who had learned Flame Burst at the last second against Lenora's Watchog. And just after receiving the Basic Badge, Lenora's husband had came in and warned the two that strange people had came and destroyed nearly half of the museum. Running but coming in too late, Touya got the chance to see that the intruders looked the same people he saw at the Accumula Town Plaza and the ruins in Dreamyard had stolen the skull of a Dragonite exhibit in Nacrene Museum. After giving them a chase through Pinwheel forest (With the provided help of Castelia City Gym leader, Burgh) Touya had retrieved the skull from the lead grunt and he was now on his way to find Burgh and/or Lenora to return the piece of history.

Making a face as he stepped in an unfamiliar moss, Touya shook whatever grime was on his now-filthy boot and he steadily hopped over a log. Shaking his head in order to get rid of his obscuring bangs and rimming forehead sweat, Touya looked over and blinked when he saw an entrance with a blue arch. Intrigued, the young Trainer stepped through the entrance way, passing an Electronic Bulletin Board and a empty receptionist desk, he walked through another archway and his jaw dropped in awe.

From the small railed balcony he stood upon, he could see a towering and magnificent bridge stretch across a dark blue ocean that seemed to lead on for miles. Little shrubbery covered the small patch of dirt road that separated the bride from land, and a spiraling staircase looked to be the one way on the bridge. Bright-eyed and slacked jaw, Touya climbed the staircase and looked above him, staring at the multi-light-colors that now painted the twilight. Stars were beginning to peek in and the crescent moon was perched upon the clouds. After climbing to the top, Touya walked on slowly across the bridge, his head turned one way to watch the ocean glisten and ripple.

Standing at what seemed to be the middle of the bridge, the youngest of the Blairs stared at the ocean with a far off-look, cheeks turning a small pigment at the beauty and his eyes dancing along with the splashing water.

"~Blackie, when you find yourself staring at something beautiful, you'll feel many emotions,~" His father's echoing voice caressed in a low baritone, "You'll feel happy that you were blessed to see this. You'll be sad when you watch it leave. You'll feel nostalgia when you remember it another time. You'll feel envy that something this beautiful exist. But most of all. . .~"

A small step, and Touya turned his head at the sound, his eyes widening when he saw it was N, a Zorua with odd accents on it in his arms. The lovely colors that danced in the sky made the green-haired man look like a entity, too holy for Touya to touch.

"~You'll feel love when such a thing manages to steal your heart and promises to return your love. That is what I hope for you, my little Blackie.~"

"N. . ." Touya whispered his name, and the actual name left a sweet taste in his mouth. It warmed his heart, and made his blood drum in his ears.

Bewilder and oddly flattered, N stared back at the boy, and waited for his answer. He wanted to sigh, or at least gain mobility in his legs again. Why could he not turn away from that fluffy and feathery brown hair, those pair of thin yet supple lips, that lithe body that shivered upon their second meeting, or those big, pleading red and brown eyes?

'I want to drive you away. . . So why can't I?'

"It's a surprise to see you here," Touya gave a held in breath and smiled friendly, "Must be some weird coincidence, huh?"

"Indeed," N shifted on one foot, Yuu giving an odd look to the both of them with his strangely-colored eyes, "I came here to see Skyarrow Bridge, given that many Pokémon eggs are seen to be hatched here," N's eyes turned bright like a candle's glow, and the warm smile on his face made Touya melt, "To see a new friend, no. . . family being born into this world. It's so wonderful and breath-taking."

Touya gave a kind smile back, "I see. I just came here on accident, since I'm trying to return this to some friends. Some bad guys took it." he said, shifting the skull to both his arms since his other one was falling asleep. N tilted his head, looking at the skull with fascination and worry.

"What ever happened to it? The Dragonite who owned that skull?" he asked, feeling a sadness within him for the loss of a life.

"By anyone's guess, it must've gotten old and passed on," Seeing the worry in N's blue eyes, Touya added, "I-I'm sure it had a wonderful life though! Having the chance to fly in the sky whenever it wished! Going to places that only people could dream of going! Ha. . ." Touya almost looked fondly at the skull, sardonic-red-tined eyes looking dreamy, "I wish I could do that. Fly to new places. Dare against the eyes. To not be looked to the world for what I am called for. . ." he mumbled.

"Touya." N watched the boy who stared at the skull, his eyes now seeing a new sign of the young man. This rookie Trainer he had only met a few weeks prior was smarter and kinder than he looked. With how he acted to himself and others, N could see that the young water-type beginner had a big heart that could change anyone.

'Even. . . Myself, who has been through so much to get where I am now. . .' N didn't even realize it, but he now saw he was as close to Touya as he was in front of Nacrene Gym. The boy's chest was still, meaning he was holding his breath, and their eyes gazed into each others more spiritually than a Volbeat's and a Illumise's.

"Touya," N rolled the name off his tongue, Touya's cheeks rising with more color and causing his own shiver to run down his spine, "If. . . If there were a way. Say. . . A change in fate. . . My destiny driven in a new path. . . Do you possibly think we. . . Could be. . ." His eyelids slid half-way,". . . Fr-friends?"

Not even batting an eye (Fearing that he would never again see those eyes that rivaled the sky's), Touya nodded, "Yes," he whispered, "We could be. . . And we can be."

Air stilling a second, N's eyes drifted to his feet and he took a step back, one hand weaving his fingers in the tuff of Yuu's black and blue head. A small smile played on his lips, and his seemingly cold eyes twinkled.

"Yes. . . Maybe even now we can be friends."

"Touya! Touya! Over here!"

Both turning, they saw Lenora, Burgh, Cheren, and Bianca running up along the staircase, waving and almost near them. Touya watched as the four of them made it to him with panting breathing.

"Thank Arceus you're alright. And you got the skull, too! Good job, I knew you had a good heart." praised Lenora, patting the boy's back. Touya smiled and handed back the skull.

"No problem. I'm just glad I didn't get lost. I was even lucky enough to find a friend here. Hey, N-" Touya turned and blinked shockingly when he saw that the baseball cap-wearing man was gone, not a sign now sound of him anywhere. "B-But. . . He was just here. . . And we talked, a-and. . ."

"Er. . . Are you OK, Touya?" asked Cheren, glasses gleaming and mouth set with a curious line.

"Yeah, are you alright? Who do you mean 'he'? We only saw you when we came started on the staircase. You aren't sick, are you?" asked Bianca, his blonde friend looking worried. Touya shook his head.

"N-No! He was here, I swear! It's the same guy we met in Accumula Town, Cheren! N, remember? And he had a Zorua, too, and-"

"What, ha!" Burgh laughed and slapped his thighs as he crouched over with laughter, "Touya, I think you might have been in Pinwheel forest too long. First of all, Skyarrow bridge has had a lot of cases of people seeing other people that aren't there since the suicide depression of 2000. Those people who see those people labeled as 'ghosts' have been confirmed to be just seeing illusions because of how high the altitude is here. Second, Zorua are rare-type Pokémon that are told in stories or almost never-seen since they can shape-shift. I doubt that you actually saw someone." he said good-heartity.

Touya still shook his head, hands slightly clenching with his heart pounding fast, 'But I did see him! He was in right in front of me! I could feel his breathing, hear his voice. . . Look into his eyes and. . . Just stay frozen as he looked at me and only me. . .' Touya felt a wind ruffle his hair, a whisper stroking his ears, 'He saw only me. He didn't see me as White's brother, or a Ace Trainer's son, or even a little scared kid who knew nothing about the world. Just me. . . Touya Blair.'

"Eh, come off it. Come on, lets all get some rest, yeah? We've all had a long day." said Burgh, yawning as he stretched his arms over his head.

"I'd say Touya had a harder day than the rest of us. Honey," Lenora patted the kid's shoulder with a sympathetic look, "Why don't we all head back to Nacrene and get a good night's sleep? I'm sure that Burgh here can escort you to Castelia after breakfast."

"I sure can! Trust me, you'll love it! It's practically one of the hugest cities in Unova!" added the Bug-type Trainer with praise. Nodding numbly, Touya and his friends followed the two Gym Leaders back to the city, the whole lot of them tired after a long day.

"Are you well, my king?"

N nodded, resting his head on a soft pillow in the hotel room he was in. It was quaint, but also special and looking like it was in the ranks of five stars. By the door of this room was an oddly dressed man with a bald head, long and large ears, and a wispy mustache.

"I will see to it that preparations for your day in Castelia City will be made, my king. Please, rest easy and have a goodnight's rest. Till the marrow." With a close of the door and the padding sounds of the man's feet, N sat up on his bed when he was sure the man was gone. Sighing and removing his cap, N undid the tie in his hair and allowed his mass of green hair fall past his shoulders. Satisfied with his hair down, N strolled his way to the bathroom and prepared himself a bath. With the right temperature, he stripped of his sweaty clothing and he dipped into the water, diving his head in and coming back up with suds in his hair.

Lying back, the blue-eyed man played with bubbles that surrounded him and his eyes drifted around the black-and-white tiled room.

'Black and white. Two complete opposites that can not live without each othery. If there is no white, then everything is too dark and sad. And if there is not black, everything is too bright and not a thing can be seen. One cannot live without the other.' Sighing, N reached onto his discarded belt and he called out the Pokémon. Tympole eagerly splashed into the tub while Timburr and Purrlion sat by, not wanting to get wet. His Pidove roosted by the rim of the tub, ruffling her feathers, and Yuu dove into the water himself, doggy-paddling for a while before jumping out and hopping onto some folded white towels, curling up with matted and wet fur. N laughed at this scene.

'Yes. This is when I am most happy. When Pokémon are happy. And. . . Yet. . .' His thoughts returned to a certain brunette with kind and thoughtful red eyes, 'I. . . I wish for him to be happy as well. To see those eyes filled with tears. . . Would I cry, too, if that were to happen? Huh. . . Why am I over-thinking such things?' Shaking his head and thinking nothing more, N sunk into the suddy waters, and feel to silence.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

Thanks to all of you who have followed this story! Please tune in for more later and please make sure to review! Thanks so much, and I'll see you on the next chapter!

This is me saying, Peace!