Hi everyone! I am so sorry for not uploading for a while! I am so surprised that so many people liked this! I have been busy with school work and applying to college, but i will be posting more frequently from now on. Well, maybe in a couple weeks. I have my mid year tests next weel so I will be studying hard! This chapter is pretty short compared to the first one, but it is important! It is setting up setting and characters and the plot so don't over look it! I hope you enjoy it and tell me your honest opinions! I love feedback and I will try to respond to your reviews! Thank you for the support!

~Chapter 2: Packing~

"OOOOHHH! THIS IS SOOO ROMANTIC!" Bianca squealed loudly, jumping on my bed. "Going on a vacation with your boyfriend…he is your boyfriend, right?"

I sighed and smiled at my petit blond friend. "Yes, Bianca. He's my boyfriend." I had said it at least a dozen times that day, but it seemed like she couldn't understand that. Granted, I still found it hard to believe sometimes.

About a month ago, N had returned and he had admitted that he had feelings for me. Since then we have been a couple. It seems a little too good to be true, and a little cliché, but I'm not going to complain. For the past year, I learned, N has been traveling all over the world to learn more about how other trainers interact with their Pokémon. Now we were planning to travel together, and I couldn't be happier. I never really realized how much I could miss a person that I had known for only a few months.

"I still feel like this is rash," a voice said from my desk.

I turned and looked at Cheren, who had a slightly sour look on his face. "I know, but this is what I want."

"You're putting your career on hiatus, for a guy? That doesn't seem like the Touko I know." Cheren said staring at me intently.

"It is a little odd…" Bianca said hesitantly.

I got up from my place next to Bianca, and rummaged in my desk drawers until I found a small book. "Here," I said handing it to Cheren. "Read it, it's my diary." Cheren opened it up to the page I had bookmarked and began to read. I turned to Bianca and began to address her. "I love being a trainer, I always have, and being the champion is such a great honor…but I feel unsatisfied. For a while now, I've wanted to go on another journey of my own, to a different region. But I've been afraid to go by myself. Sure, I traveled alone last time, but I knew that I could always meet up with you, or Cheren, or Touya. So when someone I know, and care deeply about, offers me a chance to go on another journey, I'm going to take it. I didn't want to leave, I felt responsible for my job, but everyone here is behind me 100%. I'm only 17, l want to live out my life while I can!"

"Well it's about damn time," Bianca said standing up, straightening her skirt. "We were wondering when you would notice that you weren't happy."

Cheren stood up and smiled, handing me back my diary. "We just want what's best for you, Touko. You need adventure in your life; always have since we were kids. When are you leaving?"

Relief rushed through my body. "Next week, I still have to get some things in order with the League and N still needs to be passed by Agent Looker as 'safe'." Agent Looker, a detective from Shinno, was assigned to help us look for the 7 sages and Ghetsis after we disbanded Team Plasma. The only person who had eluded our search was Ghetsis himself. "Skyla has agreed to fly us to Kanto, where we will begin our journey. Once we land safely in Kanto the name of the temporary champion will be released to the public. They will be told that I am taking a working vacation to improve my skills as a Pokémon trainer." I took my diary and returned it to its resting place.

"Soooo…..who's the new champion?" Bianca looked at me with wide, expecting eyes.

"I'm not telling, it's a surprise!" I said laughing slightly. Bianca pouted and tried to persuade me but I ignored her. "Help me pick out some clothes to pack; I'm going to need some new ones too." She perked up at the idea of possibly shopping with me, an activity she knew I disliked.

"Okay! But why do you need new clothes?"

"Well, I'm going to be on vacation so I don't want anyone to recognize me." I opened my closet and became very interested in a pair of shoes.

"Hey Bianca," Cheren said. "Why don't you go see if Elsa's here yet. Isn't she supposed to come today to make her monthly report? I bet she could get you two into some high end stores."

Bianca's eyes lit up with excitement. "That's a great idea!" She began to run out of the room, but turned around in the doorway. "Don't let her leave this room, kay?" She added when she notice me stiffen at the idea of being dragged around town by possibly the most dangerous duo I girl could face.

"Don't worry; just go before you miss her." Cheren said pushing her gently out of the room, and closing my door.

I picked up a pair of jeans and regarded them, but felt his eyes on the back of my head. "What is it Cheren. Staring at me won't increase your chances of reading my mind."

"You hate shopping," he stated.

"Yeah, always have."

"So why go? You never cared about how you looked or if anyone recognized you as the champion before. Just last week you were walking around Castelia City, bot caring who saw you. Why do you feel like you need to hide yourself?"

I sighed and smiled sadly at my childhood friend. "Nothing gets past you, huh? It's not like I want to hide myself it's just-"

"It is because of my father." We both turned around as N walked into my room, his head bent down in shame. "My father is still out there somewhere. I do not know where, but I do know that he still has people loyal to him and that he blames Touko for disbanding Team Plasma."

"Well, she kinda is," a new voice said from behind N. Agent Looker walked in and smiled at me. "Hello Ms. White! If it wasn't for your bravery and stupendous skills, Team Plasma would have taken control of all of Unova!" Cheren cleared his throat and Agent Looker turned to look at him, noticing him for the first time. "Oh! Hello there! I didn't see you!"

"So why must Touko dress up unlike she normally would?"

"Well, you see," Agent Looker got uncomfortable and began to fidget slightly. "We think, that there is the possibility that is, that there is a chance that Ghetsis might be, possibly, after Ms. White. So as a safety precaution, we just want her to be unrecognizable. But I'm sure that it won't be necessary, but I rather be safe than sorry. Anyway," Looker turned his attention back to me. "This guy here," he said patting N on the back "is all clear! Have a safe trip and don't be afraid to call me if you need anything! And now I'm off!" With a mighty burst of speed Agent Looker left my room at a break neck pace.

"Does he always leave like that?" Cheren asked, taken aback at his abruptness.

"Yes," N and I answered in unison. I walked over to N and placed my hands on his face forcing him to look at me. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," he answered kissing one of my palms. "I am just a bit tired. Agent Looker is a very…energetic man. I think I will go lay down for a while." N kissed the top of my head and nodded to Cheren before leaving my room and heading to his, down the hall.

"So," Cheren said, looking a little uneasy. "You're all set to go then?"

"Well besides some shopping and finishing my duties up for the rest of the week yeah. I want to spend some time with my mom and you and Bianca before I go, though. You should come shopping with us!" I joked as I began to look for a suitcase.

"…What about Touya?" Cheren asked quietly. I stopped what I was doing and refused to look Cheren in the eyes. "I know you two got into a fight, but have you told him yet?"

I was quiet for a long time, just looking out of my window. Down below in the pavilion my Pokémon were playing together, enjoying the warm spring day. "No, I haven't, and I am not planning to."

"Why!" Cheren demanded. "He's your best friend! You two were always the closest out of all of us! Is some petty argument really a reason to withhold information from him?"

"He hit me," I said quietly, almost a whisper. Cheren froze eyes wide. "I had a pretty bad bruise on my face for a while. But he's always been like that. He's always been jealous and always wanted total control, especially over me. I can't stay here anymore, Cheren. In order to move on and become stronger I need to leave. If I stay, then he's won. I'll just go back to him and end up getting hurt again. I know he regrets it, he's called me every day since he hit me, but I never answer his calls. Even came to see me once, but I sent him away. I care about him too much to let him feel this bad again, and I respect myself too much to put myself in that position." I walked over to Cheren and looked him squarely in the eyes. His hair had grown longer and he had begun to wear contacts. I could see the gym leader he would become one day in the near future. "When I leave, he is going to need another girl's attention. He'll make do with some random girls he can get off the street, but sooner or later he's going to go after Bianca, and knowing Bianca she'll give him the attention he wants. You can't let that happen, you need to protect her. You need to do everything in your power to keep him away from her. I know you will because I know how you feel for her." At this, Cheren's face turned bright red and he opened his mouth to say something, but I continued on. "I don't know when I'll be back. I told the league that I'll only be gone for a year, but that's a lie. I need to go somewhere where I am not the 'chosen hero', where I can escape the disapproving eyes of people who judge me for loving N. I don't have a goal for this journey, except to escape. But I can't go until you promise to protect Bianca, okay?"

Cheren looked at me for a while. "I can't believe he hit you, but at the same time I can. You know I will do everything in my power to protect Bianca. But I'll also do all I can to keep him off your trail. Once he finds out that you're gone, and that he can't get her attention, he'd going to go looking for you. I know you can take care of yourself, but I'm still going to do what I can to help you."

"Thank you Cheren!" I said hugging him tightly. Cheren, unused to me giving hugs, patted the top of my head awkwardly.

"Okay! Elsa's on board! Sorry I took so long! I got lost!" Bianca said coming into my room. She noticed me hugging Cheren. "Why are you hugging, you hate hugging Touko."

"I'm just going to miss you guys so much!" I said starting to cry and ran over and hugged Bianca.

Bianca started to cry and Cheren stood there, unsure of how to comfort to upset teenage girls. "I'm…uh…don't…crap…" Cheren stood with his arms open wide. "Fine. Group hug." Bianca and I ran towards him and easily knocked him onto my bed. "Can't…breathe!...Help!"

"Why is there so much wailing and crying? N asked walking into my room. He saw a crushed, suffocating Cheren, and two crying girls and just shook his head. "I think it is best to just let them get it out of their system. I am going back to bed. Good luck."