Author Notes;
I use the periods to indicate a shift in time lol. I'm not writing out the entire storyline because I wouldn't be able to do that, so I'm just focusing on the interactions between Black and N.
Also, I think I'm going to put a chapter focusing more on N next chapter. I'm more focused on Black at the moment because I'm writing it and basing it on the game, so you see everything from the protag's point of view so yeah lol. (Thanks to Baronfly yeeeeeah. YOU CAN BE MY FRIEND.)
I may actually just write two chapters devoting themselves to N and Black and their emotions/backstories kind of or something, I'm not sure. I don't think they're going to be like journal entries, but they're not going to be exactly in story format so to speak? I'm not sure yet. But the more I think about it, the more I want to weave them stories to put basis to their personalities in mine aha.
Cheren is the bitchy side of Black's mother that got free, had a sex change, and is Black's age yep.
I might have written N as being too bitchy at the end of this and Black as a total weenie, but that's how I imagine them reacting. Cuz Black's strength comes from his Pokemon and yeah. N's issue (lol his Isshu) will be elaborated on whenever I write his chapter so yee.
Yes, I did name my Litwick/Lampent/Chandelure Derpington.
Also, thank everyone for reviewinggg. Sorry I'm not replying to them, but I look at every single one. Promise!
Onwards~
..
"Okay Equation," Black held up the Joltik and looked into its wide blue eyes with determination, "Be careful okay? You're Electric yes, but also Bug." Equation chirruped with affirmation, jumping onto the red and black cap deftly. "I have plenty of healing items. I… please try not to faint. I'll be so worried for you. Just watch out, okay? Think on your toes."
An affectionate static cling was his reply, and Black laughed good-naturedly. "Pincers, yes of course. Now where did Hypotenuse go? She was right here. Is she hiding and playing?" He slowed when he neared the entrance to the Mistralton Gym, looking around for his starter Pokemon. "Hypotenuse?"
The doors to the gym opened just as the Serperior launched off the wing to the nearest cargo plane, tackling Black to the ground with a cacophony of utterly amused hissing and clicking.
"Ah-ahaha, Hypotenuse careful..!" Black wheezed, his hat rolling across the cement from the force of impact, "Y-you're crushing me."
Quickly, the snake unwound and was lifting her trainer up to inspect for damage with a bobbing head and flicking tongue.
"Haven't you gotten your badge yet?" All attention shifted to the new voice and Black smiled thinly when Cheren's gaze met his own. He guessed that his old friend must have been training on Route 7 since he came from the northern exit to the town instead of from Chargestone Cave.
"I er… was just heading inside the Gym actually." explained the brunette softly, wincing barely at the snort that issued from the black haired boy's mouth.
"If you're lagging so much then you won't ever catch up." Cheren rolled his eyes as if he was a condescending parent and proceeded to take up a scolding edge to his tone, complete with the pointed finger, "And your Joltik is so little. How will it be able to fight against flying types properly? It's bug, which is weak against flying in the first place."
"She's also electric too…"
"And your Serperior is a grass type too. Scolipede is bug as well – Black, what are you thinking, having a team of Pokemon that's so weak to just one type?" He rubbed his hand over his face, Cheren did, and watched Black with his hips jutted to one side and slid his glasses up his nose a little. "There are Blitzle on Route 3 that you can catch. If you train one, then you should have no problem getting your badge."
"But I – "
"I've studied a lot on this, don't worry. Just remember what I told you and you should do well." Cheren insisted and pulled his xTransceiver from his pocket when it shrilled insistently while turning away and heading towards the Pokemon Center without even bidding Black a goodbye. "Yes, I just passed the Mistralton City Gym…"
"Uhm.. bye." Black said lowly, resting his chin on Hypotenuse's body with a frown. "Hypotenuse, it isn't bad that I have you and Factorial and Equation and that you're all weak against flying type attacks right? Because you're my Pokemon and my friends and that's all that matters."
In response, Hypotenuse made a soft hissing noise that would be the equivalent to a purr and licked her trainer's cheek with a smile of her own.
"She really likes you." N's voice rang out, not loudly but enough to be heard clearly, and Black jumped at the sudden sound.
"N..!" He sat up rapidly and stared up at the green haired teen with wide eyes, "How long have you been standing there?"
"Long enough." N shrugged and walked over to gently pet Hypotenuse's forehead before kneeling down to make the distance between them not so large. "There should be more like you. Trainers I mean; the ones who treat their Pokemon as equals."
"Thank you…" mumbled Black while averting his eyes, fiddling with the laces on his shoes before blurting out loudly, "I don't care that all my Pokemon are weak against Skyla's preferred type of Pokemon. Is that bad..?"
Things were silent for a few moments as green eyes flickered between Black's wide brown ones, to his Pokemon, and back again.
"It's a good thing." N said gently, reaching up to run his fingers through soft chestnut hair before placing the black and red cap upon its owner's head. He stood and gave Black's head one last pat – there was a strangely reassuring feel to it – before turning to walk down the impossibly long runway and out of sight.
Black felt a smile grow upon his lips and he slowly hugged Hypotenuse's firm body. "Thank you, N." He said softly to the wind, a piece of him hoping that it would reach the intended recipient.
. . . . . . . . . . .
Two Gym Badges, two new Pokemon, and three evolutions later, Black trekked through the Dragonspiral Tower with a feeling of dread and fear in the pit of his stomach. This was bad and bad things were going to happen; he just knew it. Up, up, and up he went, over the ledges and up the twisting stairs that stole his breath after a few flights until the top was finally in just a few minimal paces.
Light nearly blinded him, for it was almost ridiculously bright at the top, and he was more grateful for his hat at that time than any other moment before. Hypotenuse made a low keening noise at the warmth and fanned her leaves happily to catch the rays for a second or three before they continued on.
The Plasma Grunts that blocked his way were easy enough to deal with; Black had grown alongside his Pokemon and worried less and less with the gain of levels. Equation had long evolved into a Galvantula, and he had caught a Litwick and Axew along his way – they had been nicknamed Derpington and Quadratic respectively – that had evolved recently to Lampent and Fraxure, and cared every bit as much for Black as Hypotenuse and Factorial did. They were powerful, especially as a unit fighting off Pokemon after Pokemon.
Watchog, Scraggy and Woobat fell to Leaf Blade, Electroweb, Poison Tail, Dragon Claw, Shadow Ball; they progressed easily and carefully, past the Sage and breaking to the highest point in the tower. Hypotenuse stood at his side alone now, the others safely tucked into Pokeballs just in case, and Black's eyes widened when he saw the dark form towering above what seemed like everything.
"N-N.." He cried, balking at the green haired boy at the beast's side, "Wh-what are you doing..?"
"What is right, of course." came the scoff, arms crossed as Black was scrutinized almost coldly. "I'm going to defeat the Champion of the Elite Four and I'm going to be the hero of Unova and I'm going to make people realize what they're doing to Pokemon." Lime eyes glinted with anger, and Black recoiled at the next words as if he had been slapped, "They're all going to release their Pokemon. Every single one of them."
"But…" began the smaller of the two feebly, clutching onto Hypotenuse's neck for what seemed like dear life, "Hypotenuse… They're all my friends. My family."
"You can attempt to stop me if you dare." N sneered, masking the way his heart pulsated at the tone of the brunette's voice that hit home a little too hard. "Try to prove yourself to be a hero." And he was gone; just like that it seemed, with Zekrom screeching out a cry and leaving a thunderbolt trailing behind them almost viciously.
Black's eyes were misty and his lip was clutched between his teeth until it was splitting slowly, his shoulders trembling and his grip beginning to slacken. His life had been centered around Pokemon from the time he was a baby; playing in the grasses of Nuvema and Route 1 with the baby Lillipup and Patrat were second nature. And his team now, they had grown to be part of him more so than even his childhood friends, Cheren and Bianca. They knew him, and he knew them – taking that away would be like ripping him into shreds.
Hypotenuse cooed beside him and curled her body slowly over itself to create what could be described as a column of security. Her head nestled on his shoulder and almost instantaneously, the brunette male had latched his arms around her powerful neck and broke down into shambles and cracked whispers about how he didn't want her to leave, how he couldn't take not having them as his partners anymore, to please please don't leave.
'Stupid N-child,' hissed the snake, uncurling as her trainer began to fall asleep out of sheer exhaustion, 'Emotionally stunted boy.' He didn't have to go and hurt Black with his speech just because he didn't know how to tolerate and understand another trainer wanting equality with his Pokemon. Her trainer was soft and gentle and still uncertain but growing stronger more and more each day, yet still could be brought down by words from those he looked up to.
"Sorry…" murmured the boy into the leaves on Hypotenuse's neck, rubbing at his eyes weakly, "I just.. I'm sleepy, Hypotenuse. I'm… afraid."
His voice dropped down even more just as he was succumbing to the throes of sleep. "I don't have what it takes to be a hero…"