Previously…

She turned on her Xtranseiver. "Operation Death to the King is under way. On our signal" She whispered into the device. She shut it off, and with one single pokeball each, they marched toward an unsuspecting castle…

"Hey! Wait up!"

Touko was struggling to keep up with Anthea, who was briskly walking down the hall. She stopped and turned to face the frantic teen. "Hurry up" She said as Touko caught up to her side. Finally out of her revealing hospital gown, Touko was now wearing a bright yellow blouse, a pair of sky blue, knee high Capri's, and a pair of sneakers. Thankfully they had given back her cap, (apparently N had saved it for her, a sweet yet slightly creepy gesture).

"Hurry up; I don't have all day to be the escort of some flabby teen." Athena snapped.

"Flabby!" Touko cried aghast, but before she could say anything else, Athena had set off again at a brisk pace. Touko hurried after her, mumbling under her breath, pinching her skin for any extra fat as she went. As they walked down the hall, Touko could see that she was being studied, not only by Anthea, but by passing Team Galactic grunts as well. Some were merely staring at her curiously, but most of the looks were vicious. Touko knew that she probably wasn't very popular with these people, but she didn't let that bother her. Well, she didn't like them either, so they were even. The looks from Anthea however, weren't hostile, just observant. Touko felt she was being inspected for something, but for what she couldn't think of.

Anthea finally turned from her and said, "When you are with Master N, I expect you to be on your best behavior." The comment about N caused many eyes to face Touko, most of them women, and all of them murderous.

Not willing to give Anthea a verbal answer, Touko just turned toward her, smiled, and nodded. She didn't dislike Anthea; in fact she was grateful to both Anthea and Concordia. She thought back to what felt like ages ago, when she was rushing through the castle, and despite being their enemy, the duo had allowed Touko and her pokemon to rest in safety.

Exhasted, she struggled up the stairs to a room filled with beds. Standing in front of the beds was Anthea and Concordia. She tensed ready for a fight, but she and her pokemon were exhausted. Anthea held up her hands in a gesture of peace. Confused, she lowered the pokemball on her hand by an inch. Anthea pointed toward a sepreate room with a single bed. "First, it would be best to rest your Pokémon in that room.

Then continue into the deepest part of this castle. That is Lord N's desire for you..." she had said. She didn't understand why they were helping her. Her confused must have shown on her face, because then Anthea tod her, "I am Anthea, goddess of love. Rest now, Trainer arranged with N. Anthea said nothing else. She was exhausted, and her pokemon couldn't fight any longer. She had no choice but to trust them. She cautiously walked into the room and laid down on the bed. It was so soft… She slept peacefully. When she awoke Anthea and Concordia were waiting outside, in the other room. She walked up to them to thank them for giving her shelter. Anthea lifted her hand to silence her. "You are now healthy. You and your Pokémon both. Trainers never fight to wound Pokémon, N knows this deep in his heart, yet...admitting it would bring much sadness to this castle...

Concordia stepped forward.

I am Concordia, goddess of peace. You who will grant N peace...

...N has been apart from humans since a very young age, raised instead with Pokémon. Pokémon betrayed, oppressed, wounded by evil people...

Those are the only Pokémon Ghetsis would allow to approach N.

N saw those wounds and came to seek an ideal that considered only Pokémon.N's excessively pure and innocent heart...

It too beautifully pristine to be truly frightening, and yet...

They seemed to been expecting something from her. How could she bring N peace, when they very thought of him set her mind into panic mode? It was like they were expecting her to do something they just couldn't do, and she wasn't sure if she could do it either. Thinking back, they sounded like they really didn't agree with Ghetsis' black and white sepreation ideals between people and pokemon. They just seemed to be here for N's sake. Just like a mother…

Those two really did seem like mothers toward N. Maybe it was because of them that N wasn't a complete psycho like his father. Touko started to think about her own mother. She really missed her.

"Hey" Touko finally said, "may I ask you a question?"

Anthena didn't stop walking, but she turned to Touko, a strangely amused expression on her face, "you may."

"What happened to N's mother?"

Anthea's face automatically turned stony. "Why do you ask?" her voice low and dangerous.

Touko automatically sensed that she had stepped on some landmine. She cautiously replied, "I was just curious. I didn't mean anything by it, but it just seemed that you and Concordia seem more…maternal towards him."

Anthea's face softened. "It's true, Concordia and I have been a sort of …what did you call it" She grinned, "Maternal figures towards N. As for master N's mother, I am not at liberty to tell you about her. Perhaps, the master himself will tell you. He is unusually found of you." Touko blushed, and the two walked side by side, an awkward silence stretched between them.

Suddenly Touko tripped and fell to the floor. As Anthea helped her up, a couple of female grunts walked pass them snickering. One of them, an unusual grunt, with blonde hair instead of orange and green eyes instead of the standard blue, giggled and as she was walking away with her companion, called back mockingly, "Welcome to Team Galactic…hero."

Once on her feet, Touko started to brush herself off. "What was that?"

"Well what do you expect? You're not exactly Team Galactic's #1 supporter."

"Yeah I know, but who was that. I thought all grunts were your standard carrot-top, baby boy blue eyes types."

"They usually are. But that wasn't a grunt. That was Christella. And she's part of the new R.I.R.S." It was obviously by the way she said it, that Anthea did not like Christella at all.

"The what?"

Anthea sighed in distain, effectively annoying Touko. "It's the Resistance Investigation and Retaliation Squad. She and a whole bunch of other people are in charge of investigating the subduing those who aren't as…reasonable with King N's new policies about Pokemon."

You mean how you can't so much as look at a pokemon anymore? Touko felt her stomach twist into a knot. She was almost afraid to ask. "You said retaliation and subduing. What does that mean exactly?"

Anthea's face was serious and unreadable, "It means we do whatever needs to be done. Now come-on, we've been standing around for to long, Master N is waiting." Touko knew that was the end of that conversation. I don't like the sound of that she thought. They started walking again, the awkward silence as vast as a chasm. Touko was growing curious about N's 'surprise' and started to imagine what it could possibly be. She couldn't come up with a realistic guess for the life of her. She was so lost in her day dreams, she didn't see the flight of stairs in front of her. "Look out!" Anthea cried as she jerked Touko away from the stairs, just as she was about to trip and fall down.

Snapped out of her daydreams, she started to apologize, but immediately grew silent as she looked at the two flights of stairs in front of her. One was rising up to the castle's next floor and the other was leading down into a dark corridor. Her face paled as her dream came back to her. Musharna took her through the hall, making various twists and turns, until they arrived at two staircases. One was going higher into the castle, and the other was leading into its depths. From the lower staircase, a roar was heard. "Reshiram"… These were the exact same staircases as the one in her dream. She could almost hear the agonized roars of Reshiram, and the pitiful cries of Oshawott.

"Touko?" She snapped her head toward a worried looking Anthea. "Are you alright?"

Touko put a fake smile on her face, "oh, don't worry about me, I'm fine, just a little dizzy you know."

"Very well," Anthea replied uneasily, "well come on then." As Touko started to follow Anthea, she turned her head toward the upper stair case. She had to help them to escape at least. And Oshawott did not have much time left.

"Ms Touko" Anthea called.

"Coming" she answered, jogging to catch up, mentally memorizing the path to the staircases in her mind. I'll save you guys she promised, just wait and see.

OoOoOoO

They finally stopped in front of a huge duel doors, one black and one white, both with a carved dragon on it. "We're here." Anthea announced.

"Where"

"Give me a moment" Anthea turned to a remote in her hand a pressed a button. Both doors began to open, letting in a light so bright, Touko had to cover her eyes.

When she opened them, Touko gasped in surprise. She was standing in a huge garden, full of trees, berry bushes, and even…pokemon! There were pokemon everywhere! A minccino was nibbling on a pecha berry, an emolga was flying around the treetops, and there was even a tepig napping on a rock in the sun. She turned to Anthea, who was watching her with a smugly satisfied look on her face. "What is this place?"

"This is Master N's personal garden. I believe he calls it Pokemon Sanctuary. Very few people are allowed inside here. In fact, because the master prefers privacy in this place, there are no security cameras in here.

"Aren't you afraid of someone sneaking into the castle through here?"

"We are… but the master insists that the only ones who know the way inside here from the outside are him and the pokemon. We all have no choice but to take him at his word. I'm sure he'll tell you more about it himself. Oh look, there how is now."

N was jogging up to the two women, and when he saw Touko, he beamed. "You out did yourself Anthea. She looks gorgeous." Touko blushed a light pink, and Anthea replied, "It's just clothes your majesty."

"Now Anthea you know that only you could have chosen cloths to make her shine like that" Touko blushed even deeper, "And I've asked both you and Concordia to stop calling me your majesty. Why can't you call me N?"

Anthea bowed low, "I'm sorry you majesty, but it is not my place to call you that." She straightened up, and before N could protest she said, "Now if you please excuse me your majesty, I have some business to attend to. Particularly about the…" she glanced at Touko, "about the you know what."

N's face darkened. "Alright then. You are dismissed Anthea."

"Thank you your majesty" She bowed and left.

Touko turned toward N, a bemused expression on her face, she said, "Okay, what was that?"

"Nothing you need to worry yourself about" N replied, his face softening to one of childish amusement.

"But…"

"Nope. Now come on, I have something to show you." N grabbed Touko's hand and started to run, dragging her after him. Both their faces had a slight blush.

N finally stopped in front of a curtain of vines, surrounded by trees. Without letting go of Touko's hand, he used his other to part the vines. Smiling, he gently pulled her after him. The sight that met them was like one of the aftereffects of a village raid. There was a blanket on the floor, with food scattered both on and all around it. A picnic basket lay on its side, no whole piece of food to be found in its depths. And by a beautiful waterfall, laid the culprits of the raid: A fat bellied Darumaka, and its evolved buddy Darmanitan, a pair of pair of sleeping Meloetta, and N's Zoroark with a little Zoroa lying on top of its belly, all lying under a tree. "Guys!" N cried. Audino burst from behind the trees squealing at the top of its lungs, shouting "Audino! Audino!" scolding the band of Pokemon thieves. It turned to N and explained what had happened:

After N left to meet up with Anthea and Touko, he had asked Audino to watch the picnic for him while he was gone. Audino was sitting by the basket guarding the food, when Zoroark and Zoroa appeared. Zoroark reached for the basket, but Audino had slapped its paw away. Audino had told the troublemaking duo that no one was allowed to eat yet and to either wait for N to get back or go away. Angrily grumbling Zoroark had sat down under a tree. But suddenly, Zoroa had dashed out, grabbed the basket with its teeth, and ran into the trees followed by a frantic Audino. After a few minuets, it had returned with basket in mouth, a smug and triumphant look on its foxy little face. Laughing the two dark fox pokemon started raiding the basket, and with the smell of food attracting the other pokemon, the food was shared among the greedy bandits, leaving the mess and not even a crumb behind for Touko and N.

N was shocked. "Guys" he repeated weakly.

"N? Is this the surprise?"

N turned to face Touko, who was just barely containing her laughter at the sight of the gluttonous but happy pokemon. "It was supposed to be a nice picnic" N grumbled, explaining what Audino had said. After looking at N for a couple of seconds, Touko burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. Flustered, N didn't know what to do. This is the first time I've ever seen her laugh before. He liked her smiling face a lot more. All that time she was in the infirmary, she looked like she was in terrible pain.

Finally getting over her laughing fit, Touko straightened up, a wide smile still across her face. "You planned a picnic?" she said barley controlling another fit of giggles.

"Of course. You've been inside of the infirmary for a couple of months, so I thought that it might be nice to eat outside."

Touko was touched at N's thoughtfulness. Yes, it really did felel nice being outside, and with all these pokemon about it felt just like old times…

Touko shook herself from those sad thoughts. "Touko?" She turned to face N, whose face was etched with worry. Her sad feelings must have showed on her face. "Don't worry N I'm fine" she felt like a mother trying to reassure her young son, unusual but not in a bad way. It was…interesting. "Alright then," she said in a falsely cheery voice, "let's eat".

"How?" N said obviously confused.

"Easy, we'll just eat berries. You clean up, I'll get the food." So saying she went to the picnic basket, emptied it of all remaining crumbs and wrappers, and walked up to Audino, who hid behind N. The other pokemon watched on in interest. With the exception of Anthea, Concordia, and they mentally shuddered…Ghetsis, they had never seen N come in with another human before. In their minds most humans were cruel and abusive, N being the exception. That was why they fought with N, to separate pokemon from people, so that no other pokemon would ever have to suffer at the hands of a human ever again. They were uneasy with Touko's presence in their sanctuary.

"Audino" Touko called gently. It cringed. "Can you please help me gather some berries?" It looked up at her confused. N was curious, but couldn't get Touko's attention. She refused to take her eyes off of Audino. "Can you please help me? I'd climb the tree to get them myself, but that would take too much time" Audino wouldn't move. Touko shook her head, sighed in defeat, and put sad smile on her face. "It's alright. I've got it." She turned to N. "You clean up, I'll get the food. See if you can find anything the food filchers over there didn't eat." Before N could reply, Touko turned toward a tall tree loaded with Oran berries.

She dashed toward the tree, leaped up high, grabbed a branch, and in a well practiced movement, swung herself from that branch to a higher branch in front of her. After pulling herself up onto it, she stared down at a group of astounded pokemon and a stunned N. She smugly grinned down at them and called, "Go on, get cleaning! If you don't we'll never get to eat." So saying she started to packing berries and tree leaves inside the picnic basket.

"Wow" N said looking down at Audino, "Did you expect that?" It viciously shook its head no. Audino didn't understand why, but it felt sort of guilty for ignoring Touko. It was brought to N when he was a little boy, rescued by Team Plasma from a particularly nasty woman who beat it for losing battles…which was pretty often. N never asked it to fight, only to heal the abused pokemon that were brought to it. Its not that it didn't want to help Touko, but it was afraid of what she would do to it if it didn't do what she wanted correctly. It was really surprised though. Touko seemed to be really forgiving towards its unhelpful attitude. She was jumping through the trees just as easily as any Leavanny, and just as graceful. The other pokemon seemed to be just as amazed. She didn't seem weak like other humans they had seen before; rather she seemed to be a strong and independent person. She didn't seem like the type of trainer that only let their pokemon do the fighting. They were starting (begrudgingly) to respect her.

N was the most shocked of all. Had this girl really been hospitalized for two months? She was moving as if nothing had been wrong with her in the first place. He couldn't take his eyes off her as she hopped from branch to branch. He felt a tugging at his pants leg. Audino was pulling him toward the mess. "Okay I get" he said, "let's get cleaning." As he and Audino started to pick up the blanket, he noticed that Zoroark and the others were cleaning up the mess as well. He smiled wide. "Thanks guys, we'll be done in no time."

OoOoOoO

An hour later, Touko called down to N, loaded basket full of various berries and leaves on arm, "You guys done yet?"

"Yeah we're all ready. Come on down!" Even from the tall branch she could see N's radiant smile. She blushed slightly, her mind shifted temporarily from her sullen thoughts.

While she was up in the trees picking berries, she was thinking about her pokemon, all the times she had done this when they had run out of money for pokefood or food period. Please hold on Oshawott. Touko knew that she had to get her friends out and soon. All she needed was an opportunity.

"Touko, you ok?" N called. "I'm fine. Coming." She tossed the basket down to N, who placed it on the ground. Touko was about to climb down when she felt the trunk shake. It wasn't just her tree, as she looked across the sanctuary, she saw that other trees were shaking as well, and flying pokemon quickly took flight. The shaking was getting closer and closer. Touko could only conclude one thing: a rampaging pokemon was coming. It was huge, and it was coming fast. She immediately called down to N and the pokemon bellow, "Take cover! Something's coming!" They didn't miss a beat. N grabbed Audino and latched onto Zoroark. It grabbed N in one arm, Zoroa in the other, and it jumped into a tree across from Touko. "Dusharma, Darmanitan, protect Touko! Immediately the duo jumped into the tree at Touko's side. The two Meloetta ran into the bushes for cover.

They waited in tense silence, then suddenly a Bouffalant burst from the trees, banging its sides against random trees as it went. The pokemon was obviously in pain. N called out Touko "Don't move! I'll take care of it!" N was about to order Zoroark to take it down, when suddenly heard a shout. He turned fast enough to see Touko jump from the branch before Dusharma or Bouffalant could stop her.

Touko launched herself from the branch and slammed into the Bouffalant, hard enough to shake its balance. As it staggered on its feet, Touko scrambled to the forefront of its head and grabbed its horns. She jerked its head to the right and swung her body off the confused Bouffalant, and pulled its horns after her. The momentum of the pull was enough for Touko to slam the Bouffalant to the ground. As it struggled to pull itself to its feet, Touko jump over to the poor pokemon's right side and found what she was looking for: a large jagged splinter embedded into the poor creature's side. As the creature was starting to stand Touko grabbed its horns and pulled it to the ground again, yelling at the creature, "STAY DOWN!" The creature stopped moving immediately. She whispered in its ear, "I'm trying to help you so please stay still. This is gonna hurt a bit." The terrified Bouffalant barely nodded. She felt its side and it was trembling. Touko gently stroked its side as she headed to the splinter. "On the count of three" she said. "One" she tapped its side signaling it to get ready, "two" Bouffalant trembled furiously, "three" she tugged out the splinter and Bouffalant screamed in pain. It kept screaming until the splinter was pulled out entirely. After it was fully out, Touko felt her hands splashed with warm blood. She studied the open wound and saw pus dripping out. The wound was infected. "Touko what are you doing?" she looked up and saw N approaching an unreadable expression on his face, followed by Audino, Dusharma, Darmanitan, the two Meloetta, Zoroa, and Zoroark, who either had expressions of either fear, shock or anger. Touko ran up to N, "N hurry I need your help! We need something to starch the bleedi…" Before she could finish her sentence, she was backhanded across the face and knocked to the floor with N standing above her hand raised.

OoOoOoO

N was crouching in the tree about to tell Zoroark to take down Bouffalant ask gently as possible when he heard the yell. When he spun around to see where the yell came from, he saw Touko jump from her branch and slam into the Bouffalant below. He was stunned as he watched her jump on its back and held on as it tried to shake her. Then he was horrified as he watched Touko grab Bouffalant's horns and slammed it to the ground head first. He was confused when she jumped over to the Bouffalant's side and leaned down to study something he couldn't see. But when it tried to stand up, Touko screamed "STAY DOWN!" as she pulled its head to the ground again. It froze in terror, and Touko whispered something into its ear, and it started to tremble. He looked toward his pokemon all of whom were frozen in place. This is like a bad memory for them he thought. Then he heard the scream. He turned his head toward a horrific sight. Bouffalant was screaming agony and Touko was doing something, tugging at something that splashed her with blood with each pull. She stopped pulling and the Bouffalant slowly stopped screaming. It was trembling. A numbness filled N, he didn't understand. Why did Touko do this to this poor pokemon? Did he misjudge her? Zoroark was trembling in anger. N remembered that as a Zoroa, Zoroark was treated similarly by its former master. How angry it must have felt. "Zoroark" it sharply looked at him, "Down". Zoroark grabbed N, Audino, and Zoroa, and jumped off the tree. AS they landed, they were joined by Dusharma and Darmanitan as well as the Meloetta. He said in an almost inaudible whisper "Touko what are you doing?" She looked up at him, and he saw that blood covered her hands. His mind went blank and he felt his pokemon friends around him stiffen. She ran up to him with a relieved look on her face. She started to say something but N could only focus on the blood dripping from her hands. The question if that this is how she treated her own pokemon formed in his mind, and before he could stop himself, he heard a crack and felt his hand hit flesh and bone. Next thing he knew, Touko was thrown back onto the floor, a fresh purple bruise rising on the right side of her face, over the old one, and her face was looking up at him in hurt and horror.

OoOoOoO

Touko felt a familiar stinging sensation on the side of her face. She was still looking up at N, her mind blank, as she raised her hand and felt the right side of her face. She felt another bruise rising on her face. The Bouffalant let out a mournful cry, grabbing Touko's attention. Still feeling a weightless feeling of shock, she pulled herself to her feet and started walking almost zombie-like, toward the picnic basket. As she was about to pass N, he grabbed her upper arm in a bruising grip. The heavy grip effectively brought feeling back to Touko's numb body. She looked down at her arm and back at N's face for several seconds. "Let go" she finally said. "No" he replied his voice dead. "You are going to leave. You will not return until you understand that you cannot treat pokemon like your own personal playthings."

"Excuse me?" Touko said, her voice low, "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Don't play innocent" N said his anger rising, "We all saw you attacking that Bouffalant"

"Attacking it?! I was helping it"

"DON'T LIE!" N roared making the pokemon around him to jump, "We all saw you thrown it down and make it scream. You can't hide the blood on your hands!" N breathed hard, and tried to calm down. Struggling to control his voice, he said, "Face up to your actions. You will leave the sanctuary, and you won't come back until I deem you ready. I will not have my future queen treat my friends this way. I seemed to have greatly misjudged you." Having heard the commotion, tons of pokemon had gathered around watching the angry duo.

At the mention of the word 'queen', Touko's blood ran cold. She saw N's eyes turn blood red, or maybe it was just her vision. All she could see at the moment was a younger Ghetsis staring back at her.

"You misjudge me?" She lowered her head to face the floor trying to keep her anger in check. "No N, I seemed to have greatly misjudged you" she whispered, low enough that N couldn't hear. She raised her head again, looking N straight into his eyes. She no longer saw red, but emerald green eyes facing her, glittering with anger and disappointment. Bouffalant moaned again, grabbing her attention. Not moving her eyes from his she told him "Let go"

"No"

After staring each other down for a few seconds, Touko raised her free hand, lowered her body, and swiftly punched N in the stomach. As he doubled over, Touko shoved N to the ground and she dashed past him as the pokemon rushed to help. She grabbed the basket and the picnic blanket and sprinted back toward Bouffalant. As she reached it, Zoroark appeared in front of her, claws out and fangs bared. "Not now Zoroark" Touko said, voice low. It growled in response. "I said BACK OFF!" she screamed surprising the dark fox pokemon. She ducked past it and ran over to Bouffalant's side. It moaned softly.

"Shhhh…it's okay" she whispered. She looked down to the bloody splinter lying by her side. She looked up to see a furious N quickly walking toward her, an arm across his stomach. His face was livid. "You dare do this to your king!"

Touko picked up the large splinter and looked at N. "You may have a crown, but your no king of mine." So saying she threw the huge bloody thorn at him. As he caught it, looking at her with a confused expression, she added "Especially when you hit first and listen later."

N was speechless as he watched Touko get to work. He was about to pull her away when he saw the wound on Bouffalant's side. It was a huge rip, stinking of infection, full of pus. The pokemon gathered behind him to watch the gruesome sight. They all watched in silence as Touko started to clean the wound. Ripped off part of the picnic blanket, she pressed it against the still bleeding side until the blood had stopped flowing out. Then she opened the basket full of berries and grabbed a handful of pecha berries. She ripped off their leaves and chewed. Then placed the chewed leaves against Bouffalant's side drawing out the yellow-green pus that drained out of the wound and down Bouffalant's side and down Touko's arms to the ground. After she finally drained all the pus, she took the now bloody blanket, and wiped off all the pus from her arms and hands. Taking a handful of pecha and Oran berries in each hand and squeezed their juices into the wound, earning a squeal of pain from Bouffalant. Touko stroked and soothed it until it calmed down, and then she resumed her work. She ripped the rest of the picnic blanket into strips and squeezed the oran/pecha berry mixture on the strips of cloth. After wrapping the huge pokemon's wound, she made it eat all the pecha and oran berries in her basket. Finally she stood up and grabbed a leaf hanging overhead, put it to her lips, and started blow into it, playing her leaf whistle until Bouffalant fell asleep.

Quiet surrounded Touko, the silence broken only by Bouffalant's steady breathing. N cautiously approached Touko from the back. Reaching out to her shoulder he whispered, voice full of regret, "Touko…" she slapped his hand away. She stood up without turning to face him and said, "You misjudged me huh? Well there you have it N, there's my cruelty to pokemon. Take Bouffalant to a professional, that wound is pretty bad." She started to walk away. "Wait!" N called out. Touko ran, leaving him alone with the pokemon surrounding him.

N stood, feeling bewildered, upset, and incredibly guilty. Why had he been so ready to think the worst in Touko? He didn't want to drive her away, he was just doing what he thought was right. He looked around and saw that all the pokemon seemed just as confused as he was. Zoroark and the others seemed to feel horribly guilty as well.

They had misjudged Touko, but not by her capability for cruelty, but they had misjudged her capacity for kindness. "Audi Audi" Audio squeaked quietly (We need to apologize.). N ran after he without a second thought.

OoOoOoO

Touko ran and ran as fast as she could, no idea where she was heading. I seemed to have greatly misjudged you. Why did that bother her so much? And why was her chest hurting so badly? She ran until she finally reached the borderline of the sanctuary, a red brick wall covered in ivy, and the top, lined with iron spikes. By they time she had stopped running, it was dark, and the full moon was high in the sky. She leaned against the wall, catching her breath, eyes stinging. "No, I'm not going to cry. Not for him." "Touko!" she heard N call behind her. Oh Arceus, what does he want. Can't he just leave me alone? She heard the rustle of trees as N finally caught up with her. She had no energy nor desire to try to hide from him. "Touko." No answer. "Touko." She still ignored him. "Touko!" Sighing she turned to face him, and to her utter surprise N was crying! (big baby). "I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry." He fell to his knees, tears dripping down his face. He looked so pitiful, just like an abandoned child, it was so heartbreaking.

Touko couldn't move; she didn't know what to do. Sure she was still furious at N for slapping her, and really hurt by what he had said, but she couldn't just leave him like this…could she?

N heard her feet move. He thought she was going to walk away from him. He didn't want to be left alone, not in a cold stone building where no one, not even his own pokemon, would treat him like an actual person, not just a figure of power. He didn't want to feel that loneliness ever again. "Please", he whispered, "Please don't leave. I'm sorry, just please don't leave me alone." The footsteps stopped, and then N felt a warm pair of arms wrap around him and pull him against a small chest. A hand started to soothingly stroke his hair, and he looked up to see Touko gently smiling down at him. He grabbed her arm, and gently thumbed the purple bruise on her face, making her flinch in surprise. "Please" he begged, tear stains on his face, "promise, you'll stay with me."

Touko didn't know what to do. She hadn't meant to even touch N let alone comfort him. He just looked so, so…vulnerable. Despite everything, she just couldn't hate N, no matter how hard she tried. His face was so close, his eyes were so sad. Touko didn't think when she replied: "I promise"

His face looked as surprised as she felt. Did she really just say that? N's face brightened, and before she could react, N had put his hand behind Touko's head and pulled her into a deep kiss. Startled, she tried to resist, but he kissed he deeper, forcing his tongue against hers until she stop resisting and she started to kiss him back. She closed her eyes, enjoying the warm sensation building up inside her, then she heard the deafening boom, and she and N were thrown back by the explosion, rocks and wall thrown everywhere.

OoOoOoO

Touya and Bianca were waiting for the signal. Stationed behind the huge wall, it was the only thing standing between them and the Dragon Castle. "Come on Cheren, hurry up" Touya muttered under his breath. Both covered in black, their faces hidden ninja style, Bianca and Touya were crouching behind the Dragon Castles 'Pokemon Sanctuary' waiting for Cheren's signal to burst in. Touya wasn't half as patient as Cheren, and neither was his Samurott. He looked at his partner. He had been the first of their four friends to get a partner pokemon, and he had gotten his early. He left before the others could get the chance, so when he had gotten news of Touko and her new partner, he was more than amused. They really were twins, both picking an Oshawott as their partner pokemon. He smiled at the memory.

"Touya?" He shook his head facing a worried looking Bianca. Nowadays, the poor clumsy blonde had her hands full as one of the key generals of the resistance. "What's wrong?"

"There's the signal" He looked up to see a flashing of light from the far side of the wall. "Damn" he nearly missed it! He felt a hand grip his shoulder. Bianca looked at him a determined fire in her eyes. "I know. I miss her too. Tonight, we'll avenge her; they won't get away with what they did to her and to all of us." She threw out her pokeball, releasing her partner, ******. Touya squeezed in her hand in gratitude "Ready?"

"Ready"

"Ok let's go"

"Samurott, Horn Attack!"

"Emboar, *Flare Blitz!*

The two pokemon slammed into the wall, blowing a hole into its side. Through the dust, Touya could see Cheren, and their other forces quietly being lowered down by their grass pokemon's Vine Whips. They all new the plan. Touya, Bianca, and their platoon (made up of trainers with partner fire and water pokemon) ran through the dust, with Touya yelling "NOW!" Their forces scattered throughout Pokemon Sanctuary, as the sirens wailed. The dust fell, and in the bright moonlight Touya could see him. The green haired king was on the ground, his body covering something.

His mind went blank. All plans, strategies, and rehearsals were wiped from his mind. All Touya could see was the creator of all their problems, the murderer lying right in front of them starting to get up. "TOUYA! NO, NOT NOW" Bianca screamed. He ignored her, whipped out his long-bladed knife, and rushed toward his new target. Her scream however, caught N's attention, and as he turned around, lifting a shadowed figure to its feet, he saw the knife, turned, shoved the figure back into the trees and yelled "RUN!" He turned back to face Touya, he started to fall backwards as Touya slashed his knife in an X fashion, and the young king's chest burst forth blood as he hit the ground with a thud.

Bianca watched the ghastly sight with a small bit of satisfaction. Touya wasn't following the plan, but main object was being accomplished: The tyrant king was going to die. As she watched the blood burst and N fall she heard a feminine sheik, "N!" Her face paled and her blood ran cold as she heard that familiar voice. It can't be it just. can't. be! She thought. The shadowed figure ran from the safety of the trees and to the green haired king's side. The bright moonlight revealed that is was a young girl, about the same age as Bianca herself. Oh dear Arceus! It can't be! The girl lifted up her head, her faced and body bruised, her arms and bright yellow shirt stained with dried blood, blocking N with her body. In the bright light of the full moon, her sky blue eyes were full of fear, and her brown hair shone. The girl was pushing against the bleeding king's chest trying to stem the flow of blood, her voice, clear and desperate. "N! N! Come on stay with me!" There was no denying it. Bianca looked up, her eyes meeting Touya's, only one thought running through their minds. She's alive. Touko's alive.

OoOoOoO

Touko and N were blown back by the explosion from the wall, N immediately covering her with his body before they even hit the ground. Between the kiss, the explosion, being thrown to the grown, and now the dust scattering everywhere, Touko was having a hard time trying to catch her breath, and apparently so was N. N was trying struggling to stand, trying to pull Touko up with him. She saw that a piece of the wall must have hit N, because his was blood dripping down his forehead from underneath his green hair. His face was pale, his expression so serious that Touko knew, whatever that explosion was, it was nothing good. As he was helping her up, N handed Touko an Xtranseiver and told her urgently, "Run, take this and call Ghetsis, Anthea, and Concordia. Tell them that we're under attack. I'll catch up with you later. Hurry"

"But…" she stammered.

"No there's not enough time. Run." A voice, a woman screamed, "TOUYA! NO, NOT NOW" N heard, but Touko was in such a panic, she didn't hear anything. As N turned toward the voice, he saw a black clothed and masked figure, rushing at him with a long bladed knife in his hand. N immediately turned back to Touko and shoved her into the safety of the trees and roar "RUN!" He turned to face the figure and to a quick step back, just as he felt a searing pain across his chest. He felt warm blood cover his chest, contrasting the ice cold spreading inside his body. He heard the thud as he fell against the ground. He was blacking out as his vision swam. The last image he saw before blacking out was Touko face, streaming with tears, saying something indecipherable. So she didn't leave me, he thought with a small flare of relief and a small smile spreading across his face. Then his vision went black, and his mind cleared of all things and feeling.

OoOoOoO

Touko felt the thud of wood as she slammed back into the trunk of the tree. She looked up to see N turn around away fall back, and a black figure slashed a large knife. She saw the blood burst from N's chest as he fell to the ground, the black figure standing over him. No, NO! her mind screamed. "N!" She raced from the cover of the trees, the Xtranseiver hidden in her clenched fist, forgotten, as she ran to N's side. She pushed down on N's still bleeding chest, the slashes from the blade forming a large X across his chest, trying to stop the bleeding. "N! N! Come on stay with me!" she shouted, tears flowing freely down her face as she desperately trued to stop the blood. His emerald green eyes met her sky blue ones, filled with an innocent, child like, look of relief. A small smile crept upon his face, and his eyes closed. She froze as reached to feel his bare skin: it was cold and getting colder.

OK. I finally updated the story. I don't know how I feel about this chapter (is good, crappy, or just too long? I'll do better next time *bow repeatedly*) so please Read and review and give me your opinion. Tried making an extra long chapter for not posting last week.

As for the month of July, I was stuck in summer school and had no time to write, so please forgive me (I'm only 16 give me break here). Oh, I have an idea: You know how in the games, your character's mom doesn't seem to do anything (except pokemon Diamond and pearl), I'm thinking of giving Touko's mom some important connection with Ghetsis. Maybe even include something about her dad (You know since the dad seems to NEVER be around in any pokemon game or show). PM me to tell me what you think of this idea. I'll be waiting. Chow!