A/N: Hey guys! So just wanted to clear something up... it seems I have unintentionally misled you all into thinking this would be a long fic. It actually only has one more chapter after this, Valentine's Day (and maybe a joke one for April Fool's if I feel like it). This was not my intention, and I apologize. That aside, this chapter was a little tricky in the respect that last chapter was quite a bit heavier and this one consists primarily of the plot being wrapped neatly in a pretty bow and extra stuff. Hopefully you guys are too disappointed. May you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own nor have any affiliation with Nintendo, Game Freak, or Pokemon Inc. This is simply fan-written document, and I receive no benefit from it outside of practicing writing.

"Years ago, back when two brothers first realized they could be torn apart by a disagreement of ideology there once was a single dragon. This one Pokémon who was able to create a region for two brothers, a creature that embodied a nirvana on this plain of existence. One day, one brother said the region must be led by truths – the second brother said the region must be led by ideals. The Brother of Truths said ideals would follow honesty, and the Brother of Ideals said honesty would follow ideals. Neither side believed the other could be right.

The dragon, whose thoughts and dreams were equally embedded in the two brothers, was split into two creatures – Reshiram and Zekrom. The fighting carried the four far away from the empty shell that remained, a skeletal reminder of unity abandoned in the deep snow. But the concept of compromise still lived, and so too did the skeleton – waiting for the day that light and dark would blend into the gray being that nature had always intended them to be. There was life, there was death, and there was the world in-between. That was the monster of Lacunosa. The original abandoned Pokémon, left behind by its friends and itself.

For years, it consumed and devoured without stopping. It wasn't… trying to eat people, exactly. It was trying to become whole again, and humans were the ones that put the thoughts that once filled it inside. So on the most basic of instinct, it did what anything with no mind could think to do to become one with another – it ate things. Perhaps it never occurred to Kyurem that this killed the people. It simply knew they were inside of it, so now they were one.

The two brothers heard of the rampaging skeleton, and decided that the war waged against each other had to wait. So they took Reshiram and Zekrom to stop it, and they did… but in the process, Kyurem tried to bring the two legendary dragons back into itself. This attempt failed, and Kyurem was forced to become one with the ice – frozen and forsaken a second time.

The creature knew nothing but the will of others, and a desire to put two halves back together. When those men and women awoke it, it simply knew their desires – that they still wanted to liberate Pokémon from humanity, but the only real way to do it was to eradicate all humans. For humans were selfish and destined to fail in all ventures to do the right thing – that was why all good deeds never went unpunished. And they, those who called themselves members of Team Plasma, wrote their own death sentences under the pretense of it being, 'the right thing.' They desired death, Kyurem desired to be one with them, and so the dragon granted their wishes." N finished, his words practiced and strangely articulate for a man who rushed through his words faster than most ears could keep up.

All four of us were outside of the Pokémon Center, the gray monster in front of us letting its head hang low to the ground and the cold surround it. The monster had a name – Kyurem. And as with everything, it had a story. I kept the blanket wrapped tightly around me, shivering slightly from the cold and the general chill the creature still gave me. Even after learning and understanding it better, there was no ridding my memory of our first meeting. Standing next to me was Touko, tight-lipped as she listened to the more detailed explanation of why we were all outside. Bianca was on the other side of me, green eyes wide in wonder.

"It's like a Blitzle or Zebstrika when it has no will anymore… just hangs its head, no pride…" The blonde murmured softly. Not knowing what to say, I just nodded my head. Since I obtained consciousness weeks ago, Kyurem was an eerie constant. I saw it in my nightmares. I saw it when I woke, and those yellow eyes were watching me. A stare devoid of meaning or emotion, and one that I never understood. One I didn't necessarily want to understand, simply because I couldn't imagine the nothing that made Kyurem what it was.

"Is that what you were talking to Zekrom about?" Touko asked, watching the gray creature. N merely nodded to her words.

"While I was learning what I could, I was able to talk to Reshiram a bit more deeply about what had terrified it so much. Neither wished to become a single entity again, and were afraid of Kyurem…" He paused, fumbling around with his words and I could see he was desperate to talk at a normal, calm pace rather than a rushed one.

"Reshiram refused to rejoin Kyurem because it hated the concept of being the same as Zekrom once more – to be part of something that was, in its opinion, wrong. Zekrom was afraid because it loved Reshiram too much to be forced to confront the other's hate – and rather than ever see it, it was just easier to fight it. It's… I don't think I'm explaining it quite as well as either of them. It's difficult to translate their words into ours.

But, because they both came from Kyurem, not all of Reshiram was hate – there was still affection for its other piece, and the small piece of loathing Zekrom had for Reshiram was enough to remove much of the fear… and since we are no longer fighting, and there is no longer a reason for ideals or truths to be different – there is no reason for there to be two dragons and an in-between. They are both ready to resume being what they are, rather than parts of who they were."

My sister looked down at her PokeBall – the one with Zekrom, specifically – and then over to the creature again. She was frowning, and I knew it was because she was weighing what was right against what she wanted. The right thing was to let Zekrom choose its own path, but like any friend she didn't want to have to say good-bye. Part of it would still be alive, but at the same time… Zekrom was Zekrom for a reason.

As those two discussed how or if fusing the two back into Kyurem was even possible, Bianca and I stood behind as the only witnesses. Centuries worth of disagreements and fighting were coming to an end, because both sides finally acknowledged they both could be right. And us two… I looked at Bianca, wondering how she felt about all of this. Since we were kids, she had always been sincere and earnest in her thoughts. There was never a doubt in anyone's mind how she was feeling. The way she watched my sister and N, the way she stood and held her breath… I knew she was hoping the right decision would be made. Knowing her, she was probably standing there thinking she wouldn't know what was right or wrong in this case, but she trusted Touko to make the right one.

My being here felt entirely like some accident or coincidence. Despite everything that happened, I was simply the piece needed to make Touko fight N once more. I was that extra piece they had almost used as a sacrifice because an old tomb was not very specific in how exactly one could awaken Kyurem. As for why Kyurem followed me, watched over me, and even now continued to stare at me… I don't think any of us would ever really understand why. Bianca's gloved hand slid over to mine, and curiously I turned to her. She was smiling broadly.

"You have that insignificant look, again." She stated bluntly. Blinking at her, I looked down and then up trying to shake off the effect of her honesty. "I think… Kyurem knows you're why this all happened. And I think it's grateful. Maybe. If it can feel gratitude." Bianca's smile broadened, her eyes crinkling in a simple pleasure. "So don't feel insignificant. You aren't. Okay?"

"Bianca, I don't-"

"Okay?" She pressed. Sighing, I gave her a half-hearted grin and nodded. There was no talking to her unless I pacified her opinions first.

Zekrom and Reshiram were released from their PokeBalls, and each side flinched first at one another's presence, and then at Kyurem's. The creature raised its head, lower jaw widening as its focus on me dissipated immediately in order to concentrate on the other two legendaries. Spreading their wings, the white and black dragons took to the sky – leaving the gray one to crane its neck towards the sky after them. It did not leave the ground, feet planted firmly in the snow that it had known longer than anything else.

Frozen wings creaked, shards of ice snapping and crumbling off. It was incapable of flight, and yet was still trying to take into the air after them. Or maybe a part of it remembered flying after seeing those two, and wanted to again.

Maybe it could fly, but forgot how. There was a low sound, high-pitched and short-lived. This entire time since awakening, Kyurem had been silent – not even breaths leaving its lungs. But now, there was that brief cry. A call. A summon. High above us, Zekrom and Reshiram were lazily circling the gray dragon. Gently nudging us back were N and Touko, wanting to give the three room to attempt assembling their selves once more. The slow glides began turn into fast and quick dives, white and black alternating between up and down until there was a rhythm, a motion. Flames and sparks trailed after both, and snow kicked up as if trying to reach up to join the dance. At all of these blurs, all of the movements… my mind wandered back.

"I've been… well… first. Touya… I'm glad to see you're all right." N greeted me with last night, after he came in through the window – due to Kyurem's presence the past few weeks, the Pokémon Center's front door became snowed in.

"Same."I whispered, bewildered but relieved past expression. I had thought he was dead, as that was the first time I had seen him since… "What happened?"

"It's… shameful to admit. I threw snowballs at it." N shifted between his feet, his hands trying to find a place to go before finally settling to be link across his chest.

"...what?"

"When Touko was leaving with you on Braviary… I didn't want Kyurem to chase after you, to stop her from getting you help. So I threw snowballs at it. It kind of stared at me, and then I thought it was going to… but it didn't. It paused midway, and then just swung its head to knock me into a tree. Zoroark found me, and she took me somewhere safe. When I came to I wanted to know what it was and I felt it was safe to do so because you were with your sister and I doubted there was anyone safer to be with and I also wanted to ensure that my… my old comrades knew that they couldn't keep doing this so I set out to learn what I could as best as I could…"
To learn what he could as best as he could. Watching the dance of the dragons, I wondered what that statement said about N. Since the revelation about the ex-grunts, I wondered if he was like them in that respect – that there was some sort of self loathing simply because he was human, and nothing more. To be aware and acknowledge he was flawed, that in the equations of his own personality were inexplicable variables that had no business being there yet were.

And then it was over, with suddenly there being only one dragon taking off into the sky by itself but no longer alone. No longer empty or incomplete. We all stood there watching the creature take off, knowing that it truly would become legendary – the Pokémon that knew all faces of humanity, and simultaneously rejected while accepting them all.

"…I guess we should get ready for the New Year, then." Bianca chirped up, her other hand taking hold of my sister's and squeezing it tightly. Touko gave a stiff nod, and I realized there were only a few more hours of this year left. I let go of Bianca's hand, and took my sister's other one. N stood there by himself, still watching where the creature once was.

…

…

…

I rolled over on the bed to stare at the digital clock – the new year was still about ten minutes away. My eyes felt droopy, and my limbs heavy even though I did so little today. Sitting at the foot of the bed, back leaning against the wall was N scribbling on a sheet of paper. Every now and then he would smile or frown, the latter leading to an eraser obliterating whatever had been the cause of the expression. All I could make of it were numbers and words, but I was not sure if it was simply some foreign formula or him trying to explain one in words.

Down the hall were Touko and Bianca celebrating New Year's in their own way. My sister, when she wasn't being abrasive, was normally a silent girl who said more with her expressions. When she didn't want to be read, she wanted to be alone and only Bianca had ever been the one that could be with her during those times. So I didn't press, even though New Years felt far lonelier this year than any other. From Touko I learned our parents were all right. But they weren't here. I had my team lazing around the room, and for that I was grateful… I was also happy that N was staying in the room with me, though I was a bit unclear as to why.

Especially because he hadn't seemed very keen on talking this entire time. If I tried to start a conversation, he would make sounds of acknowledgment but there was no interest in any of the topics. Maractus was more than happy to play a few games of Tic-Tac-Toe, and Liepard would occasionally vocalize her opinion to me… but it wasn't the same as talking. A part of me started to actually feel envious of N, knowing that he could talk to any one of my team… and I could barely communicate to them.
"…what are you doing?" I asked, letting my head hang off the side of the bed and propping my feet and legs against the wall. Since there was another person on a single bed, it seemed rude to take too much room.

"Geometric proof." N replied simply, furiously erasing away several sentences.

"What's it do?" Well, if he wasn't interested in anything I had to say might as well see what was on his mind. I may not have been able to spend time celebrating the new year with my family, but I was still going to celebrate it. There was plenty to look forward to… right? I closed my eyes, trying to concentrate on the good things. Such as, now there wasn't a monster of Lacunosa. Now there wasn't any looming threat of an ancient feud coming back.

…none of that changed the fact there were people dead, though.

"To prove a rule is true, regardless of the instance." He summarized. I frowned, disliking how short and abrupt his answers were. Almost automated, really.

"Is that what people do to prove a theory is a law?" I asked while struggling with my face muscles, trying to make my expression more curious and less confused. He made a sound, but I wasn't sure if he was confirming or refuting my question. Giving up, I let the frown slide back into place as I lifted my torso up and swung my legs back onto the bed. Crawling over to him, I looked down at the paper.

I looked at him instead, because the writing on the sheet gave me a headache. "N. I'm talking more than you. What's wrong?" In times like these, I was going to take a note from Bianca – get right to it, no beating around the bush. For once, he looked up from his paper and blinked once, twice, realizing that I was right there in front of him instead of on the other side of the bed.

"…do you really need to ask?" N wondered, furrowing his brows curiously at me. I paused, considering, and then nodded.

"You don't… respond typically. Like, back…" I didn't want to say it, to talk about it. "When we were getting Zoroark. Normally a person doesn't just-"

"What people say about me is irrelevant when it comes to the safety of a Pokémon or a friend regardless of how hurtful or positive the remarks may be and I was not going to be distracted from saving Zoroark." Hearing us talk about her, the Pokémon glanced our way from the couch in the room along with my Eelectrik. The way he said that with so much conviction…

"Y-yeah… you're right." I forced a grin. "I suppose that's typical for you… but… after everything, how are you…" What was a good word? I didn't want to say feeling, because I had a few guesses about that but getting him to talk about what was on his mind felt like I was pulling teeth…

"I think the better question is how you are, Touya." He interjected instead, and gently folded the paper to tuck it away into one of his pockets. Hah, victory. And then I realized what he said.

"I'm alive." A little lonely. Confused. Worried. Possibly going to look over my shoulder every few seconds for the rest of my life. But I was alive.

"…and so am I." N decided.

"Are you glad to be?" I pressed. There was hesitation, his mouth opening to give an immediate response but then he stopped himself. Green irises slid to the corner of his eyes, before moving down and lashes covering them.

"I'm not sure yet. But I'll figure it out… eventually." That was a nice sort of typical. Initially, it annoyed me… how honest he was, and how offended he got if anyone else wasn't the same honest to a fault as he was. But now, it was nice to know he was telling the truth and that he wouldn't lie. It let me be there for him, when I couldn't be there for my sister or anyone else. Maybe it was selfish… and maybe I just wanted to do something for a change, instead of always being dragged around.

Maybe he knew that. Maybe he didn't.

"I think I will be, once I figure out a way for us all to coexist… kind of like how Reshiram and Zekrom now live. If they can, why not us?" N's asked, and I nodded my head – not wanting to verbally agree in case that had been a rhetorical question. With him, it was hard to tell. "…Touya, are you?"
"Kyurem didn't eat me, did it?" I retorted. There was a flicker of a smile.

"I'm glad… it didn't." N whispered. Once again he started to say something, before shaking his head.

"Glad it didn't eat you, too." Not knowing what else to say after that, I racked my mind trying to come up with something – anything to keep this going lest our discussion died before it began.

"Touya… do you remember what I originally came to your house for?"

"Of course. Touko and redemption. You wanted to make things right." I remembered. His lips quirked up in a brief smile.

"Yes, well… that too. But actually, I had been looking for a place to stay while I tried. You said I could if it was all right with your sister and mother, recall? If you don't though, that's all right as the more I think about it the more I have to admit that our discussion is probably quite overshadowed by what followed as what we talked about was rather insignificant when compared to the events and I guess I am being vague about it but you probably don't want to be specific with it – "

"N. I remember that just fine, thank you." I couldn't stop myself from chuckling a little. Once upon a time, I thought I was going to kill this guy for talking like that so often. Now it was comforting. My eyes flicked to the clock. Two minutes. "It's fine with me, even if it isn't fine with them. But I don't recommend moving in if they don't want you in there. And since we're talking about changes… what do you say we come up with New Year's Resolutions?"

"Ah. Another strange and peculiar human tradition of which many make and very few bother to take seriously and for some reason seems to consist primarily of losing weight or gaining muscle mass with no real idea as to how they will accomplish this feat." He straightened his back, moving out of the slouching position he had previously been in. "I suppose… my first resolution would be to try and understand other humans better, to generalize them less."

"Mine… is to stand on my own two feet better. These past few months… it's all felt like everyone's been giving me a piggyback ride all over Unova, and some of the times it was to places and with people I didn't want to be in or see." Sometimes quite literally. I tried to not think about those occasions.

"…that's a good ambition to have. Although, I think most of that 'piggyback' ride was done on Reshiram's back, and you never seemed to complain about that…" Was he teasing me? Just in case, I playfully nudged him for that remark. If he wasn't, then he would be confused but unharmed. "I thought another silly tradition of this holiday was to have fireworks going off."

"Lacunosa had a voluntary mass evacuation when they saw Kyurem approaching. Touko had one hell of a time convincing one of the doctors to stay and treat me." I explained. Glancing at the clock again, I held my breath – less than a minute until. Glancing down at Liepard on the bed next to me, I reached over to pull her into my lap. The creature made a small sound, and then hopped off of the bed with her tail in the air.

I felt strangely rejected.

"Does this mean we merely go to bed after mid-" Eleven fifty-nine changed to a twelve and two zeroes right then, and having no one close-by I just chanced it. I didn't even really cut him off; it was just a quick peck to the cheek – no different from any past new year's kisses. Apparently he had never experienced one before because N's eyes widened and he forgot what he had been saying before it even happened.

"It means you kiss the person closest to you at midnight, and then go to bed. Or party. At home, we always just… waited up until sunrise to greet the first sunrise of the year. But that's a family tradition, not a cultural one." I explained, suddenly feeling jittery and nervous – and regretting doing that on impulse. N sat there for another minute, recovering from the surprise peck, and then finally went back into motion.

"Oh… so, does that mean I'm supposed to… kiss you back?" He sounded bewildered, and now that his brain was functioning again there was some hint of amusement. I relaxed, muscles unclenching now that I knew he wasn't disturbed by the action.

"Uh… well… sure, I guess…" We were already a minute into the new year, so I wasn't sure if any return pecks were acceptable at this point. Was there a stop time? In past years with friends and family, this hadn't happened so the rules were a bit blurry in this case. Well, since it was his first time celebrating the new year with human traditions, he was exempt right? …right? Mulling over the idea, the gears turned in N's head whether or not he should.

He leaned in, and I jumped slightly when he got that close to my face. His eyes flicked around my visage, probably trying to decide on the best place. It was… uncomfortable. My face felt hot, and I was probably turning red all the way to my ears.

Dry and cracked lips pressed against my own, and suddenly I knew what it meant to be still as a statue. I couldn't move, couldn't react. Couldn't figure out if he was doing this with reason, or simply thought that's where his mouth was supposed to go. I wouldn't really call it a kiss, and a piece of me was happy he wasn't almost eating my eyeball again. Our lips touched, but there was nothing more. Neither of us really knew what came after. I certainly didn't know what it meant.

"…this isn't right, is it?" N finally asked softly, and I felt each movement and breath of his that sent a little shiver up my spine. Strange how talking felt far more intimate than the action, and I was positive if I was somehow not blushing before, I was now.

"N-no… I don't… th-think so…" Forming words was difficult, and he jolted back from me when I replied. It was good to see both of us were embarrassed, judging by the red tinge developing on his face as well.

"Sorry about that, then." He apologized hurriedly. My immediate response was to tell him it was fine, it was okay… but I wasn't sure what the implications that response carried with it, and I didn't want to complicate something so simple any further than it had already gotten.

"What was that… for?" I finally settled on.

"New Year's?" That reply was inquiring, as if I could somehow explain his actions to him.

"I-I guess." Definitely felt jumpy. In a weird way, at least I knew I could probably stay awake until sunrise with the sheer amount of thoughts and conflictions arising after that kiss.

"…I'm sorry, Touya."

"You already apologized, there's no reason to keep doing so… it's redundant, right?" I had no idea why I was asking a mathematician to verify a question about proper word usage, but I was and there was nothing anyone could do to stop me.

"No, it's not… that I'm apologizing for." N grabbed my hand, and I almost jumped off the bed. His grip was loose, the fingers imitating more of a hold than actually having one. "…I care about you. A lot. But I'm not sure… what to do with it." He explained.

"A lot… as in like a brother, or like a… a friend… or a, uhm…" Using a word, a term seemed impossible. I couldn't bring myself to say any of the synonyms for "significant other," because every time I tried there were Beautiflies in my stomach and throat. Or maybe I was catching a cold.

"A… boyfriend?" Thinking about the word, he shook his head. "Someone I am attracted to…?" At least one of us could get those big words out without coughing up random bug and flying type Pokémon. "Touya, are you all right…?"

"I'm f-fine…" Maybe I was catching a cold. My face felt like it was on fire. He pulled his hand away, and N proceeded to sit there a bit uncomfortably.

"You don't seem fine… do you want me to get you some ice? We'll just… drop the topic; I won't bother you about it further." Standing up, he seemed eager to get out of the room.

"Wait, N…" Being the good listener he was, N paused. Now that I had his attention, I had no idea what to say or do. "Just… just wait a minute." I had practically traveled all over Unova with this guy. Through all of it, I never really fully comprehended or understood him. Even now, I was more confused by him than anything else. I didn't even think he was capable of being attracted to someone. But he was, and it was me, and… "Why? When…?"

"When I thought you were dead." There was that straightforward honesty, but this time there was no hesitation getting there. At my expression he went on, "Kind of. I realized that I didn't… I couldn't comprehend the world anymore without you in it. And if… I felt that way about you, it occurred to me later, that no matter how deeply I want to protect and save Pokémon… I cannot comprehend a world without them either. And you… you've been doing things like that to me since we've met. Your ideas, a lot of them are foreign to me and your Pokémon they don't respect you but they care about you…" I flinched at that comment – mostly because it was true, "But because of all that, you change me. I always thought if anyone could make me a better person, it was your sister… but all this time, you've been doing what she's never tried without even meaning to.

And I don't… want to be without your company, regardless of the form it takes." He became uncomfortable, flustered as he attempted to express himself and his meaning while also trying to not make me uncomfortable. This was not a successful attempt. "So, I don't know what to… to do with how I feel for you, but I do know I want to remain with you… as your friend, or even a brother… however strange that would be for me… and I am sorry I misunderstood. I thought the way you acted at midnight…" Trailing, his shoulders slumped and he gave up there.

All of the Pokémon in the room were watching us now, none of them making remarks or comments for a rare change. Just silent observers, listening and waiting. How did I want to respond? Was there a way for me to know, instantly and right this second? Everything we went through together… from when he first broke down my door, to when he pulled me into his coat to help me keep warm, to a few minutes ago when he was close enough for me to not just hear his words, but feel them as well. There were a lot of unpleasant memories in-between, weaved throughout our time spent together. But through all of them, no matter how much he annoyed me at times with his rants, I had never regretted trusting him.

So… maybe I wasn't sick. Sliding off the bed, I took a few quick strides to the middle of the room where he was. Leaning forward on toes to get an extra inch or two of height, I pressed my nose against his and smiled. "Then maybe you should stay with me?" And I kissed him, and though he laughed and we were still clueless what to do after our lips touched…

…there was no question about where to put our arms when we embraced.