Chapter 7:
Touko stood in front of her door staring at her left hand. For some odd reason there was five symbols imbedded on her palm. There was four triangles all encircled around a circle. At first they were really light and they almost seemed like bruises, but after Touko came out of the shower they were a weird metallic purple.
Staring at them, the door suddenly opened. Slamming Touko square in the face it knocked the wind right out of her.
It was the first day of fall and the leaves just began to change. Touko stood next to her mom only knee height, because she was so young. Looking up at her mom, it was hard to see past the bulging stomach in her way. Clasping on to her mom's hand they stepped out of the house into the sweet fall air. The world seemed so small because that very day she was measured and Mommy said that she grew three whole inches from four months ago. Skipping ahead of her mom the soft wind began to turn shy and cold. Not really paying attention Touko just went in ahead.
Though something caught her eye; a flower! Running over to it she grabbed it up ripping the stem in half. Whirling around the wind suddenly began to pick up and Mommy was nowhere to be found.
Clutching the flower the tiny girl ran from bush to tree to even looking under leaves. Mommy was gone and Touko was lost. Plopping down, huge tears suddenly streamed down her face. Hugging the flower it was being crushed under her hold. Standing up again She set off if she ever wanted to be like Daddy than she needed to be strong. Stepping past a few bushes, Touko suddenly lost her footing. Sliding down a dirt and rock slope, her little pink shirt was caught in a dead branch. Grabbing on to the branch a huge gash was caused by one of the twigs stuck to it. Letting go she tumbled down the hill getting cuts and scratches all over.
Lying at the bottom of the hill, the salt water splashed against her feet. Letting out sobs, Touko stood up still clutching the tethered flower and walked along the beach.
Spotting a near by brush, Touko sat next to the prickle bush and cried. Though after the rain began to settle down a bit some tall person picked her up. Staring them in the face, the soft grey haze made it hard to see them. Looking over at the woman standing next to him, her face was also missing. But for some reason she grabbed on to the man's shirt and sobbed out tears saying "Mommy, Daddy." Over and over again.
. . . . . . . . . . . .
"Touko? Is that you? Gosh your still the same clueless Touko." Bending down next to Touko on the floor, she lay unconscious right behind the door. Taking a lock of her hair, N smiled at her sleeping face. Staring into her face his eyes scanned over her lips, they were not their usual shade of pink they were a metallic purple color. Immediately reacting, N lifted up her sleeping body. Searching for a rise and fall in her chest there was none. Lifting her chest to his ear, there was no beating. Standing straight up, N slammed the door out of his way to find Shima standing at the door surprised to see him.
"Lord N! What are you doing here at this hour in the night?" Lifting his gaze from N to Touko, Shima suddenly stood tall and alert, " My lord do I have permission to wake Sage Ghetsis and prepare the doctors?"
"Permission granted." Shima disappearing into the barely lit hallway, N ran down a long distance behind the grunt. Gripping on to Touko's lifeless body, N stared forward taking deep steps as he ran.
Stopping at another red x, N shoved his left palm on to it, flinging open the doors. Staring at the six people in the room he ran over to the bed in the middle of the room. Placing Touko carefully on it he turned to one of the doctors. Nodding he excited through a small nondescript door in the corner of the room. Ducking his head, N stepped into a long hallway. Jogging down the corridor, N ducked his head once again to enter a cement-covered room with a tall window on the right side.
Stepping over to the window, Touko lay unconscious on the bed with tons of needles imbedded in her skin. Two of the man doctors stood over her, one holding onto a scalpel and the other holding a tray of needles and other stuff. Taking the scalpel, the doctor slit a tiny incision in her left palm. Taking a tiny vile the second doctor opened the lid from the top of it. Picking up the twisters, the first doctor inserted a pill colored the same metallic purple that was now fading from her lips and brightening the four triangles and circle imprinted on her hand.
Staring out at the six doctors working furiously, N stood watching motionless only staring at Touko's face. Not noticing the figure coming in from the small doorway. Stepping over to N, the figure stood next to him about a few inches taller than him. Turning towards the figure N began to speak, "Hello father. What business do you have here?"
"Well, this is the Flower project right? So, the Sage overseeing his own project gets to watch it in progress."
"Yeah, but why Touko? Couldn't you just use one of the grunts? They would have been willing to do this."
"Touko is… perfect. Son, you'll realize this sooner or later."
"Fine. Did Dr. Ivan or Dr. Delicious tell you what happened? She could have died."
"Someone had been slipping an over dosage into her meals. Causing her to even to notice her growth rate increase. The guard who monitors her began to report it to the doctors, though they said to not look into it; that it was probably just her actual growing mixing with her other growth. Well, the dosage caused her heart to stop for a very short amount of time allowing her to lose all breath and stop her whole body to shut down till doctors put in a new pill."
"I see. What if this happens during a mission?"
"We have Kitty and Cat watching her. Anyway all three of them will have about ten pills implanted in their suits just for this reason. So, if they are captured they'll survive for about a month."
"Father…"
"I'm leaving, please stay until she awakens. Don't tell her anything. If she asks about where she is make something up."
"Fa-"
"Good Night N."
"Good Night Father." Stepping around N, the older man disappeared into the darkness of the hallway.
Looking back at the window, Touko lay still though her chest was rising and falling once again. She lay clothed now in a medical gown instead of her usual jumpsuit. Her soft mousy brown hair lay spread out sprawled out around the bed pillow. Stepping into the corridor N, walked into the lab room. Glancing around the room, he stepped over and pulled up a stool that was near a dresser that held what looked like a lifetime's supple of pills in tiny vials.
Pulling it over to the bed, N sat down compressing the cushion under him. Taking Touko's hand he lifted it up so the palm faced him. Staring down at the tiny triangles and small circle imbedded in her hand. Lifting his index finger to her palm he traced the mark on her skin. Her soft skin that had used to be once tan had begun to soften to a light creamy color. Her old skin, what had happened to Cheren and Adler? Or what about her mother or father? What had become of them? If Touko ever returned… no, Touko would never return and would never remember. Or that's what the doctors who worked on her told him.
Oh Touko, what would happen to you in the middle of a battle? Do you even remember what Pokémon are? What is Ghetsis planning for you? Can your friends even save you from the fate Ghetsis has planned for you?
"Oh Touko, I love you." Whispering N's face suddenly flushed to a bright red. Touko's eyelids had began to twitch after N spoke. Her creamy eyelids slowly began open reviling her bright blue eyes.
Even in the soft light of the single light bulb her sweet blazing blue eyes seemed to sparkle in the light. Turning her head to N's face her gaze met his cool grey eyes. Diverting his eyes from her's, he suddenly turned his head away from Touko.
Lifting up her hands Touko gingerly placed them on his face. Turning his head to face her she smiled a sweet smile. Placing his hand on top of hers, Touko's soft creamy cheeks flushed to a light pink. Now taking both of her hands off his cheeks, N clasped them together inbetween his own. Lifting them up to his lips he kissed the top of her knuckles. Smiling once again Touko spoke to N.
"N, um why am I here? Was the fall really that bad?"
"Ahh, well. Just for precautions. Really it's just standard."
"Alright. Though I really glad your visiting me. It had been seven days since you last visit, counting meeting in the shower."
Blushing bright red, N whispered, "Um Touko had you told anyone about that?"
"No. Why?"
"Well, I'm not really supposed to see you freely. I have to do tons of work so it's hard to pull away to see you. Though today was an exception."
"Oh! Ok. Thanks for tell me. But I am really happy you came. It's getting boring just seeing Shima only."
"Alright, alright. If I get some free time I'll come to visit."
"Promise?"
"Mhmm."
"Ok! Lets go to my room now!" Sitting up, N suddenly shoved her back down on the bed.
"No! I mean please get some sleep. Ok?"
Blushing Touko looked away from his gaze. Taking her face in his hands, N kissed the top of her head. Blushing brighter now, she nodded. Turning on her side, N stroked her hair brushing it away from her face.
