Hair uncombed, up too early, and unshowered for days, Touko wandered into Nimbasa. At any other time, the sparkling lights and huge crouds even in the early morning would have dazzled the girl, but not today. After speaking breifly with Bianca, her tired body grew even more disfunctional. Pouring a slushly on her friend, and denying that she liked a boy that apperently she "obviously did like", was not a good way for her to act with Bianca. Which just meant she would be really getting it later.

Not something that was wanted.

Feet shuffling lazily against concrete, and head hung low was how things started. People watched Touko as if the girl was drunk; not a good thought to have on you when your a teenager. Heading over to the amusement park, she tried her best to avoid bumping into people, but to no avail. Touko plopped herself down on an empty bench and tried to look at least slightly alive just laying there. What a waste of a morning.

Maybe there was a small chance she'd run into Touya there. Unlikely.

Even with eyes closed, shadows of tree branches above were sensed dancing along her. Voices; so many bits of conversations coming and going. Touko's only hope now was that she wouldn't have to deal with some creep bothering the "tired and unhappy teenage girl."

Too late.

A new shadow came across her, and stayed perfectly still. Touko almost feared looking up into the eyes of a stranger. But, when she did turn her head to the side, Elesa was the one standing by her side.

Even worse.

Oh please, oh please, not now. No more girl stuff. Not n-

"Heeey, how's my favourite girl?" Elesa placed her hands on her hips.

Please tell me she's not talking to me.

"So, what? You become the champion, and we just don't speak anymore?"

Has she seen me yet? Maybe I can still slip away...

"Hello!" Elesa waved her hand infront the half-dead teen. "Can you hear me?"

Touko somehow managed to get out a mumbled, "Yeees..."

"Oh, geez! Someone doesn't sound too good." The gym leader smiled. "Let's get us some breakfast, okay?"

It wasn't so much that Touko wanted to go with the other girl, but more-so being pulled along against her will. Not to mention that she didn't usually eat breakfast, and the slushy had been enough the make her full enough to puke. A headache crawled up into the teen's skull, inviting an unwelcomed feeling.

Truely wasted time.

Touko just plopped herself on a cafe chair the same way as had been done with the bench. The leader went on to talk about everything that could come to her mind; everything she'd had to tell the teen since they'd last seen eachother. All words spoken, even her own, were slurred together somewhere in the young teen's brain.

"HEY!" Elesa shouted at her friend when she noticed the eyes of her companion starting to droop.

That shook Touko awake to a full startled alert-mode. Eyes wide now, and sitting straight up as if a gun was the her head, the champion blinked wildly at the girl in yellow.

"Were you even listening to me?" The gym leader cross her arms over her chest and sat back.

"Sorry...," The trainer murmured. "I'm just really tired this morning."

"Weeeeeell, I think I've got some news that might keep you up." Touko was all ears when the leader winked at her. "It's about a little crush."

Touko layed back like the other girl. "What? You like me?," She joked.

Elesa smirked at her friend, "No, silly. Your crush."

"So, I'll take it that Bianca told you about Touya. And for future references, I don't like him."

"Then I guess you won't care that I saw him around here just yesturday."

The small trainer jerked up. "That's not what I-"

"I know, I know." Elesa waved her hand, brushing the girl's comment away. "You consider him a friend, got it. But I did get to talk to him. He says he was here all day for several days hoping you'd show. What's the deal, honey? Something wrong with this boy?"

Touko shook her head, "Of course not! But I was here looking for him for the longest time, and I never saw him once!"

"Listen, if you think he's annoying or something, you can tell me. That's why I'm here, right?"

When the trainer sighed and shook her again, Elesa took the hint that her friend didn't need this right now. So she left the subject alone, only to tell her that Touya had been around the tennis courts last time he was seen. The two casualy went on to chat up a storm, once Touko became more awake.

The day wasn't a complete waste. Elesa took the time to rebattle the champion, and had a good laugh when defeated. Taking her friend around the city was a great joy. Any excuse to get out of the gym, was what she had said. Getting reunited almost made Touko happy, liking the company of a forgotten friend. Not that she would ever tell Elesa that she acualy forgot her for a while.

Taking a lick of her icecream, her thoughts wandered away from Elesa's words again, but this time over to Touya. She felt happy to think about her short-time friend, but it hurt the teen to think that Touya may have avoided her. But she just held onto the hope that there was some other reason she couldn't find him.

Sunset went quicker than it came, and night fell peacefuly over the horizon, streaking the sky a dark, tinted bluey-black. No stars really showed all that well in the city, but twinkling, florencent lights seemed almost as pretty. Of course, not quite.

"Guess you should be heading home...?" Elesa stopped at the edge of town, leading off towards Black City.

"Probably be best." Touko stretched out her arms and extended on her toes. "I'm getting pretty tired...But thanks, for today. It's been so long since I've seen any old friends."

"I thought you saw Bianca earlier today?"

Touko shrugged, "Ya, but only for a brief time. Cheren's gone back to school, and Bianca's always with Proffessor Juniper in the lab. I just feel like I've lost them. I just feel like..."

Elesa raised an eyebrow. "Like...?"

"Like I need something more in my life. Being the champion's great and all, but it's not like it keeps me all that busy. I feel kinda washed out these days. I'd visit another region, but the thought of leaving my home makes me feel kinda woozy...I don't want to loose that too." Touko trailed off, her pretty little smile no where to be seen.

Elesa wrapped her arms around the young teen, and pat her head. She was unsure what to say to her friend. The leader had just got back to knowing the girl, never really knowing how she functioned.

"...You don't have to say anything." Touko backed up.

"Ever thought about a boyfriend?" Elesa crossed her arms.

"I'm not interested in Tou-"

"I'm not talking about him. Anyone at all, just to get you back on your feet. I know you've never acualy had a boyfriend before, but the beginings are always fun. And if you don't like him all that much, well hey, that's life."

Touko looked down at her feet. "I just can't stand the thought of a heartbreak..."

"Just give it a thought." Elesa patted her friend's shoulder, before leaving her be, only with her thoughts.