After what it seems to be a really short battle between rivals Cheren and Joaquin, me, Bianca, and Iris eyed Cheren a couple of feet from us. His face showed horror after he had just received his first loss to his rival who stopped their battle midway. Cheren kept eyeing the Worden beams lying horizontally and adjacent to each other. I slowly raised my hand to place it on Cheren's shoulder, only to be swatted away by Cheren himself. "Ch-Cheren..."

"Don't...touch me!" Cheren growled at me. He eyed the ocean with fury. "I'll show him...I'll make my Pokemon more stronger so they won't receive the same punishment they just had." He clenched his fists tightyly, making them shake.

Bianca tried the same method I did. "But, Cheren, all Crymson wanted to do is calm you down. Can you at least give her a chance to do that?" She successfully placed her hand on Cheren's shoulder.

"I said, don't touch me!" Cheren shoved Bianca's hand with his shoulder. "I don't need anybody near me, not even you Bianca!" Cheren glared at her, making Bianca shrink back behind me. "I'll be leaving now, it's getting late already..." Cheren placed his last PokeBall back in his pocket, turning to spend the night at the Pokemon Center.

Iris eyed Cheren with her hands on her hips. "Man, that speech hadn't got to him, just like Joaquin said. Soon, maybe, he will learn." She turned back to the ocean where there colorful view of the sunset is show on the horizon. "Cheren I right, it is getting late. I can find some place for us to crash in, Bianca." She grabbed her friend's arm, tugging and pulling her with all her might. "Bodyguard Iris, onward!"

"I-Iris!" Bianca tried reasoning with Iris, but instead got pulled by her. "WAAAAAAIIIIIIT!" Smoke clouds trailed off the heels of her shoes as she was being dragged off the dock by Iris. She didn't have a chance to say goodbye to me.

I made an apologetic glare, seeing Iris and Bianca vanishing out of sight, staying still on the dock while I hold my egg. "I should find N right away, I hope he manage to calm down after what he saw." I began walking my way off of the center dock until I quickened my pace once I stepped onto the pavement to the middle alley. A bunch of parents with kids, businessmen and women are walking to and fro through the area. Even some are walking with their Xtranscievers on, making one bump into me. "Oof!"

"Hey, watch where you're damn going!" A businessman scold at me. "Nothing, sir, just some delinquent being oblivious and blind..." His voice trailed as he walked off.

Maybe I should say the same about you, idiot! I thought, continue walking and Trying to find N in this area. "Man, where in the hell are you N!?" I said to myself, scanning the area carefully until I noticed some businesswoman chatting with N, while he is leaning against the brick wall behind him, holding some kind of treat.

The woman giggled in a flirty kind of way, brushing her hair behind her right ear. "So, I hope are free this evening. I can take you back to my place and show you a good time." She said, which made the expression in N's face harden a bit.

"N!?" I said to myself, feeling my heart starting to sink in my chest. I saw N moving his blue eyes in my direction, but I shift my head to the side, letting the bill of my hat hide my eyes. Holding on tight to my egg, I ran past him and dodge through the busy people. I slowed down to eye a huge water fountain in the middle of a huge, quiet area. "Why did I have to see that..." I said, trying to hold back the escaping tears.

"Crymson?" N's soft voice made it feel like my heart popping out of my chest. I turned my head to see him staring at me while holding some frozen treat in his left hand. "Why did you ran off like that when I happened to see you back in the street? Did I do something wrong?""

I turned my head back to face the fountain display in front of me, keeping silent while trying to contain my tears. "Who..." My voice was a little shaken up when I spoke. "Who was that person you were talking to..." I hugged my encased egg tightly.

"Oh..." N's voice doesn't sound too happy. "She was only asking for directions to go to the cafe. But her flirtatious gesture and ways of trying to woo me didn't seem to phase me one bit." I felt a hand of his placed on my right shoulder. "The only reason why I am there is that I was waiting for you to come find me, so we can at least spend some time before it gets late."

As much as N's words made me calm down a bit, but it still didn't wash away the frustration. I turned to face N as the tears somehow escaped my eyes. "Then why talk to her!? You saw her body language, all she was trying to do is have a little fun out of your-" I stopped, my face flushing with embarrassment. "Never mind, let's just drop it..."

N chuckled under his crooked smile. "I would never run off with some person whom I just talked to for a short amount of time. That's just inhumane." He held the frozen treat near me. "I think you might've been a little misunderstood for a second there." He cast a heartwarming smile at me.

I eyed the frozen product inches away from me. I kindly took it, locking my eyes with N's. "Thank you, but don't you think you should get two instead of one? I don't think this little treat can fill up the both of us."

"I tried, but the one behind the stand said that there is no more Castelia Cones. I happened to take the last one in stock." N chuckled more loudly. "So, I figure I might give it to you as an apology for my little predicament back at the docks. Just..." His smile faded as he looked to the side. "he has been pushing his Pokemon too far, his mind focused on victory and victory alone. And that kind of poor sport personality really drove me to the point where I feel like I should shove him into the water."

I let out a chuckle. "Joaquin already did that, except he didn't push Cheren into the water. But, at least you took the time to recollect yourself." I back up and sat on the edge of the big fountain behind me, placing my encased egg to my left. I took a lick off of the Castelia Cone, taking a little taste. My eyes popped open in awe. "Wow! This Castelia Cone is amazing! The flavors really balanced each other out, and the texture of the treat is so soft!"

N sat right next to me. "Oh really?" He said, placing his right hand on mine and took a small scoop from his tounge into his mouth. "Mm...it's so heavenly!" His soft, blue eyes glared down at me as he took another lick from the dessert. "Oh, your face is red again." He started laughing.

"N!" I said, a wave of heat covering my face. "Why are you always teasing me like that!? You know it's really annoying!" Thought I love the quiet scenery me and N are in, but at the same time N's little teasing antics tends to be a little overreacting. "Not to mention highly embarrassing..." I said, glaring back at N.

He stopped laughing, but kept a smile up. "You just look cute when you make different faces to me. But, overall, I am having a splendid time spending some time with you without any of your friends disturbing us." He looked at the nighttime sky, the full moon making his blue irises glow. "I wish this kind of experience last forever, even with you, Crymson." He lowered his head back to me.

I'll admit, I have to agree with himhim. I do wish it could last. I thought, gazing back at N with the same warm and peaceful feeling forming back within me. "I do too, N. But experiences like this come and go so quickly. That's why all we can do is cherish every moment of it, and hope it will come back in a different time period." I look up to the sky, seeing a bunch of stars twinkling through the dark blue sky.

"Zo?" A pair of red eyes appeared above my head.

"WAH!" I yelled as I jump, but after losing balance I fell into fountain behind me. I got up, spraying out some water out of my mouth and glare at a little black fox kind of Pokemon on N's lap. "Hey, why did you decide to do that!" I yelled, hopping over the fountain's edge.

N kept stroking the black fox's back. "Oh, my friend didn't mean to do that. He was just trying to say hello to you." He eyed the Pokemon on his lap. "But, I have to apologize for his little trick he did to scare you. He's usually not like this when it comes to meeting strangers."

I twist my long red hair to squeeze out the water inside it. "Hmm, odd." I said, now waving my hat around to dry it off. I took out my PokeDex to identify the Pokemon, and see if it still works.

Zorua, the Tricky Fox Pokemon. To protect themselves from danger, they hide their true identities by transforming into people and Pokemon.

I sigh in relief. "Well, it's a good thing that they now make waterproof PokeDexes. I remember back in the Kanto Region, I fell into a pool of water which caused my PokeDex to malfunction. I had to return it to Professor Oak so one of his scientists can fix it, but luckily the information remains intact." I chuckled a bit, placing my hat back on my head.

N's smile faded. "PokeDexes...why would anyone in the right mind would decide to use those devices to obtain these creature's information for their so called research!?" He clenched his teeth. "As much as I have seen your love for Pokemon you have throughout their time I have been traveling with you, but I hate the fact that some people will use Pokemon as lab rats for their constant experiments. I still believe Pokemon deserve to be free and happy in the wild." His cold glare pierced right at me. "That is my ideal dream, to make a perfect future for these Pokemon."

Even though I am soaking wet, I walked up to N and bent my upper body forward to meet is eyes. "I'm sorry if I ever made you really upset about what I just talked about." A tender smile appeared on my face. "I know your views are completely different from mine and everybody else's, but I have to say I feel happy that you are willing to do everything in your power to help these Pokemon out, even wanting to make them happy!" I wrapped my arms around his neck slowly, touching my right side of my face against his.

I felt N standing up to return the hug under my arms. "Thank you, I am thankful you are understanding my dreams and ideals. Even if your dreams and your side of the truth doesn't match mine, I feel like I am beginning to understand you a lot more than when we first met in Accumula Town." He pulled away to eye me, still having his arms wrapped around me. "At first, I thought you would be like those other Trainers who would use Pokemon to better themselves for their own benefits. But after learning more about you, I realized I was wrong and so misunderstood."

"You were...wrong!?" My voice squeaked. "How can you be so wrong about me!? What made you think that?" Honestly, I am more confused than Muji being hit by Confuse Ray in a battle that he ends up inflicting pain on himself.

"By seeing your and your Pokemon, and how you've been treating them." He answered. "I hear your Pokemon's voices, saying that even win or lose they always look up to your kindness and would cheer you up if you ever feel down after a loss." He took off my hat has he plant his lips against my forehead for one quick second before pulling back, placing my hat back on my head. "Plus, when I look at you, it feels like I am alive inside. I don't know why, but I like it."

I looked away, feeling so flattered yet very embarrassed. I never knew N has that feeling inside of him when it comes to me. I glance back up at N. "Thanks, N! I'm very glad the both of us get to understand each other a little bit more. I guess my mom's advice really did work after all." I eyed my Xtransciever for a short moment. "We should get to sleep, N. I need to head over to the Gym to face Burgh first thing in the morning. That badge isn't going to win itself you know!" I made a determined smile.

N nodded, giving me his smile. "And I'll root for you when that time comes." He unlocked his hold on me, turning to get my encased egg. "I'll hold onto this egg for you, if I can hold onto your hand in exchange." He extended his right hand out to me, his Zorua hopped onto his left shoulder.

I giggled, feeling a blush crept into my face again. "Oh, N. You had to do that to me!" I kindly placed my left hand in his as the both of us began laughing, and walking, our way to rest for the night. Maybe...just maybe, I am beginning to fall in love with him...

((Well, any thoughts on this chapter? Crymson's journey to get her next Gym Badge continues on the next chapter. See you there! -CS))