Chapter Nine: N's Ideals
Route 3 proved to be longer than expected, even more so with having to stop Team Plasma. Not to mention she had ran into some new Pokemon and trained Snivy and kept play-by-playing to her Pokemon Egg. By the time Touko could see the gate to Nacrene City, her watch was telling her it was almost noon. As she entered the City, she saw Cheren waiting there.
"Come with me a sec." He waved her over and she nodded, following him. "If you go straight from here, there's a Pokemon Center." He told her pointing down the road.
"Do you think I'm going to get lost or something?" Touko laughed, grinning widely at Cheren who frowned.
"Well, I'm just saying. And, use these if you want." Cheren handed her some Chesto Berries and she put them in her bag. "If you give your Pokemon this and it falls asleep, they can eat it and wake up." Cheren grinned. "I love items." Touko laughed and nodded, remembering how they helped against Chili - somewhat. "Oh, and another piece of advice - Nacrene City's Gym Leader uses Normal types. I bet a Fighting-type will give you an advantage, although you still only have Snivy?" He frowned and Touko shrugged.
"She can handle it." Cheren dismissed her with a wave of his hand.
"Whatever you say, I'm heading out." He waved to her and walked away, leaving Touko rolling her eyes and heading to the Pokemon Center.
...
Once she had Snivy feeling good and the two had eaten a light snack, Touko was out exploring the City. She heard that the place was the place for artists to be and it was true. Grafitti covered some of the walls but it was beautiful and you couldn't help but to admire it. Looking down at the map of the City, she could see she was nearing the Gym. Continuing to look at her map and turning to proceed into a stone building, she bumped into someone. "Oh! I'm sorry!" She looked up from her map, her eyes meeting with emerald ones. She took a step back, but the person took a step with her. "N." She breathed out, tucking her map inside her bag and holding onto her Egg Container.
"I... want to see things no one can see." He told her, looking down at the ground and scuffling his shoe on the gravel. "The ideals of Pokemon inside Pokeballs. The truths of how Trainers should be." He paused, looking up to Touko who stood there frozen in his eyes. "And a future where Pokemon have become perfect... Do you feel the same?"
"I-I, I think they're perfect. Yes." Touko muttered out words, feeling tongue-tied. N just smiled.
"Is that so? I think my friends and I should test you to see if you can see this future, too." He smiled, taking a few steps backwards and calling out his Pidove.
"Sn-Snivy! Front and center!"
...
"Tackle!" Snivy used the attack, hitting Pidove hard after using Growth. The bird Pokemon stumbled back but growled at Snivy, who shuddered.
"Gust, my friend!" The Pidove flapped its wings, the force of the wind hitting Snivy and throwing her backwards and rolling on the ground.
"Snivy! Hang in there and use your vines to propel yourself forward! Tackle!" Snivy listened, gaining some ground to push herself off of her vines. She slammed into Pidove, knocking it over and down.
"My friend! Return!" N called back Pidove, kissing the Pokeball. "I'm so sorry." He narrowed his eyes and then used his next Pokemon. "Tympole, show them your ideals!" Snivy snorted at the Water Type, wiggling her vines around.
"Snivy, Vine Whip!" The vines shot towards Tympole but N was quick to react.
"Supersonic Tympole!" The little Tadpole Pokemon let out a screech from his mouth that caused Snivy to hold her head in pain, her vines retracting. As she released her head, Snivy began to stumble around in confusion.
"Snivy!" Touko called to her Pokemon who continued to stumble. N just laughed and smiled.
"Sorry Touko. Tympole, Tackle and keep it up." The Tympole jumped forwards, hitting Snivy over and over.
"Snivy, you've got to snap out of it!" Her Pokemon did nothing, continuing to stumble around. "Snivy, Leaf Tornado!" Suddenly, the Grass Snake Pokemon listened, her Leaf Tornado going in the exact opposite way Tympole was. Tympole laughed and bounced up and down, though it appeared to be too soon. The Leaf Tornado continued to move, going behind Tympole and hit him dead on.
"Tympole!" N shouted to his Pokemon that was immediately knocked out from the attack. "My poor friend!" He called back his Tympole and threw out his next one. "We won't lose!" At this moment, Snivy snapped out of her confusion, shaking her head and blinking. Touko laughed at Snivy's confused expression and grinned.
"Growth!" Snivy nodded, empowering herself as the green light enveloped her. "Excellent, now Vine Whip!" Her vines shot out towards his Pokemon, but N was ready.
"Block it Timburr!" His Timburr responded, using his log to block the vines and throw them off. "Now, Low Kick." Timburr rushed Snivy and slide, knocking her off her feet and kicking her back. Snivy flew backwards, hitting the ground and sliding.
"Snivy, use your vines to knock Timburr off his feet!" Snivy listened, her vines shooting from her collar and knocking Timburr off his feet. "Leaf Tornado, quick!" Snivy jumped to her feet, summoning up the leaves which hit Timburr square.
"Timburr!" N called out to his Pokemon which slid back on his feet and knelt down in pain.
"Wrap!" Snivy shot her vines forward once more, grabbing Timburr and bringing him up in the air before slamming him down, knocking him out. N was silent, calling back Timburr and walking closer to Touko who was cradling her Egg in one arm and hugging Snivy with the other.
"Right now my friends aren't strong enough to save all Pokemon. Maybe I can't solve the equation that will change the world." He paced a bit in front of Touko, who was watching him carefully. "So, I need power... power enough to make anyone agree with me." He began to walk away and Touko took a step towards him, but as N stopped so she did. "Now I know what power I need!" N spoke softly but loud enough only for Touko to hear. "Zekrom!"
"Zekrom?" Touko approached N but stayed a bit behind him. He ignored her though, talking aloud to himself. "The legendary Pokemon that, along with the hero, created the Unova region. It's my turn to become that hero - and you and I will be friends!" Touko only watched as N walked away. What could he possibly mean by that? Why was he talking about the legendary Pokemon? Touko had so many questions for N but she sighed, she never had time to really talk to him.