Chapter 4: Home

"People of Unova, today is great day. A day of change and wonder, for you see, I am now king of Unova."

N nearly jumped out of his chair but Touko managed to hold him down. All eyes were on the TV as Ghetsis spoke, his stage presences was able to keep everyone's attention with no trouble.

"Last night a change accord. Your regional champion, Alder fell. Shortly there after the 'Hero' of Unova fell, leaving behind her friends and allies as my prisoners."

Touko gasped, as the camera shifted focus to Alder and Cheren, shackled, Cheren's glasses gone, both of them bloody. How could she have just left behind like that? N placed a hand on Touko's shoulder, it was the best he could do. It was not her fault after all.

"As this 'Hero' has run, she has left behind these two to take her place for her punishment. Though I hardly would believe that she would see this as she was helped in her own escape."

N hand gripped a little too tightly on Touko's shoulder.

"Though these two run-a-ways need not worry. In my world I will be sure to judge people fairly. These two here," Ghetsis waved towards Cheren and Alder, "will not need sacrifice their lives for another. No. But that will be for a later date. Now as for you citizens of Unova are warned. Keeping pokemon at all will soon be against the law. I hope you ready for this change, because you only have a week left, otherwise, I hope you ready to die." Ghetsis finished with a cold laugh and the broadcast ended.

Touko stood quickly; most of the people there were just talking amongst themselves in disbelief of what they had just seen. "We need to leave."

N couldn't have agreed more. The French toast now seemed completely unappetizing.

It was good that they left when they did because as soon as they were outside they say a group of Plazma grunts make there way from the train. Touko and N held hands as they ran back towards the forest, each one praying that no one would notice them.

Once out of site N called of Reshiram and soon they were zooming away, just as they heard the first cries of humans and Pokemon being torn away from each other. Touko hugged far too tightly, making it a little hard for him to breath but her could feel Touko shaking so he remained silent.

They were flying southeast now, towards Nuvema Town and Touko's home. "I should have tried to save them." Touko whispered.

N shook his head. "There was nothing you could, Ghetsis was going to kill you."

"Yeah…" Touko muttered. But I did not make her feel any less guilty. After the sleep she had had the night before she had almost felt better.

As they landed in front of Touko's house Touko's mother came running out, Bianca at her side. The watched in shock as Touko slid off of Reshiram, N shortly after her.

Touko's mother ran forward and hugged her daughter, "Oh sweetie are you alright, come."

Touko's mother led Touko inside, leaving Bianca outside with N as he returned Reshiram to its pokeball.

"What happened?" Bianca demanded, her normally chipper bubbly self seemed almost could. N was not sure why.

N was not sure where to start so he explained the battle that he and Touko then the battle Touko had against Ghetsis and how he had almost killed her. He then explained that Alder and Cheren had followed her in and when he had taken Touko out he had not been to get them too. Bianca looked stunned, she seemed to be tearing up. N didn't know what to do or say. Then suddenly Bianca slapped N, hard, across the face.

"How could you?" She cried and then ran off towards another house.

N was still rubbing his when he walked into Touko's house. Touko's mother was in the kitchen while Touko sat at the counter nursing a cup of tea. "…Sweetie you can't blame yourself. Cheren has always been reckless. I am sure everything will be fine. Just you wait and see."

"Yeah mom…" Touko muttered.

Touko's mother finally turned when she heard the front door close. "Your not Bianca." She said, rubbing her hands on a dishtowel.

"Well, no, I guess I am not. I'm N…"

"Oh your N. You're the boy Touko is always talking to me about."

"MOM!" Touko cried almost spilling her tea.

Touko's mother smiled and looked over at her daughter, "Well it's true. By the way where is Bianca?"

N shrugged, "I guess she went to her home." He said carefully, unsure of whether Bianca lived near by or not.

Touko's mother sighed, "Well that can't be helped either. Please N, why don't you have a seat. Touko was telling me about happened. Really your father is quite the monster." N winced; his father had often compared him to monster, something not quite human. It felt wrong to here someone call Ghetsis one. "I am sorry about happened. I guess you will need a place to stay. You can stay in our guest room. It's upstairs. Let me show you."

The rest of the afternoon was spent with Touko and her mother getting N settled, Touko's mother running over to see on Cheren's family, inviting Bianca over to the house for dinner with Professor Juniper. The meal was for the most part pleasant but Bianca kept giving N dirty looks.

After the day finally ended and only N, Touko and her mother were left Touko's mother yawned. "Well we have had a long day. I am going to go to head to bed. You two should probably get some sleep too." And with the older woman went into her bedroom elsewhere on the first floor.

Touko yawned as well. She had not realized that it had gotten so late but when she looked over at the clock she could see that it getting close to midnight. "I think I am going to follow my mother's example. N what about you?"

N looked a bit nervous. He had acted oddly when Touko had showed him the guest room. He had the same sort of expression on his face, like he didn't want to be there. "Uh… if it is all the same to you, I think I will just sleep on the coach."

Touko couldn't understand this. Why was N acting so scared? It made no sense. Placing her hands on hips, she was not going to have any of that. "N don't be absurd. Mom made the bed just for you. Besides the coach is all lumpy, there is no way you will be able to sleep on it."

N still looked uncomfortable but finally agreed. He followed Touko upstairs almost acting like it was his walking towards his doom. Touko did not know why, and she did not feel like asking.

"Good night." She said as she closed her bedroom door. N was looking at her with pleading eyes. She ignored them and got ready for bed.

Sometime after she had fallen asleep Touko woke up to a bloodcurdling scream. She had no idea what happening. She was panicked, had the Shadow Triad come to capture her and N. She was sure that it was N who was screaming. Touko jumped out of her bed and ran out of her room, wearing only a babydoll style top and matching shorts. She burst into N's to see him wound up in his blankets like they were a straight jacket. "No please, stop, it hurts. Please… stop." He was whimpering, tears were streaming down his cheeks as he thrashed in the bed.

Touko was stunned, horror filled eyes. What had she done? After regaining herself she ran over to N's side and tried hard to wake him. It was not easy, she had to dodge feet and arms that were kicking and punching every which way. But somehow it was all starting to make sense in her mind. There had been some traumatic experience that N now associated with beds. It would explain why he wanted to sleep on the coach and the looks he had given Touko when she insisted on him sleeping upstairs. She was no mentally kicking herself. She should have been paying more attention.

"N, wake up. It's all right. No one is hurting you now. Your safe. N." She was gently shaking his shoulder trying to get N to wake. After about a minute of shaking N finally woke. He nearly hit Touko before he remembered where he was.

"Touko, I… what happened? Wait. I'm so sorry. I… Did I hit you?" N asked, his long messy green hair now looking even more like some sort of nest. He seemed beyond shaken.

Touko shook her head, "No you missed. But you seemed to be having a nightmare. N what was that all about?"

N looked away. He was clearly ashamed of what had just happened. "I don't want to talk about."

"N…"

N looked back over at Touko. It almost seemed like he wanted to say more. After a long silence Touko finally stood. Whatever it was N didn't want to talk about. As she made to leave N grabbed her arm. He looked terrified. "No don't leave!" He sounded nearly hysterical.

"N? What's the matter?" Touko asked turning about and facing N again.

N looked away, like he trying to hide something. "Touko it's just that… if I told I don't think you would look at me the same again."

"Why would I look at any differently than I do? You saved my life." N must have had something really terrible happen to him. Touko had no idea what was going on in N's head.

Finally N said, "It's just that… I was never supposed to talk about. I get nightmare every time I have to sleep in a bed. Ghetsis told me that I could never tell anyone because they would not understand that I going through training."

"Training?"

N nodded, "It was part of me becoming King. I guess I should explain."

End of chapter four

I honestly thought that this chapter was going to end somewhere else but it was getting long. I think this is the longest chapter I have written for this story yet. I will try to make the next one shorter. No promises though, after all next chapter promises to be a doozy.