A/N: Hello my Reshi's! I am back feeling fresher than ever! Had a week worth of vacation at the beach, Sea World, enjoying my relaxing time with my family, and now it's time for writing! I literally have tons of new ideas for this story but I will take my time and chill with this story. Do you know what I mean? Hoping so. XD
I'm sorry it took longer than usual, but school is here! Please be patient for the next chapter!
Please review nicely so others can happily enjoy reading through them.
Reshiram flapped its wings quickly, rising higher into the sky. With a call to the open world it flew above the clouds with high speed. The puffy clouds spread off of its wings and faded away as Reshiram continued its journey. Looking back, the Legendary Pokémon gaped at the princess. Reshiram earned a smile and a nod before it looked forward. Slowing down slightly, the Pokémon playfully swung back and forth with ease.
"So where are we heading to, Cheren?"
"Hmm . . . we should head south of Unova. There are islands that could have Shaymin on them, due to the climax," he muttered. Touko stiffened a bit as Cheren leaned forward. Having his chest against her back made Touko feel rather odd. He was a childhood friend, someone who was always by her side and got in trouble with her. Having him as close as this . . . she didn't feel what she felt with N when he was this close. Having her heart race, a hot blush race across her cheeks—Touko didn't have any of those feelings stirring up with Cheren. He was a simple person compared to N.
N was going to be trapped in the castle for two whole months without seeing her. He was going to be in that cell alone with no one to talk to, no one to be with. What would they do to him? Treat him like he was something disgusting that was in the way of the greater good? A simple pest that was hated in the house by everything and everyone? Just thinking about it made Touko's stomach feel tight. If her mother wasn't so firm, everything would fall in place easily. My mother has always been stern and never liked things that were troubling—I can't forget that. If she has so much hatred towards Ghetsis, why take it out on N? Sure he might have destroyed a few homes trying to take Reshiram down with Zekrom by his side, but that doesn't make him a murderer. He was trying to help—trying to tame his father down and keep Reshiram's rage down as well before the situation became severe.
"—Touko, are you even listening?" Cheren snapped, making Touko jerk back into reality. Looking backward, the princess caught that simple frown of his. Sighing and shaking his head, the prince adjusted his glasses. And of course, I'm talking to myself again. Brilliant, he thought harshly.
"As I was saying for Arceus' sake, we're close to the islands. A small town is on it, so we can find an inn to sleep in. We should start planning and ask the people about Shaymin; I'm sure they have information about the Pokémon as well as other Legendary Pokémon that visit there, too."
"Really? There are other Legendary Pokémon? Like who?" Touko questioned. Seeing that familiar Cheren, the brunette regretted asking the question. Being a nerd and knowing basically everything, he would start rambling on and on.
"Well, they say Mew comes and visits the Pokémon who live on the islands, making sure they are well and enjoying life with humans. Though most aren't sure if Mew does visit, since it can become invisible and transform into other types of Pokémon. That's just one example of Legends coming; I'll explain a few later. Look—there are the islands."
Touko perked up, peeking above Reshiram. There was a large island, surrounded by several others. Being the biggest island, Touko saw its decent-sized villages. Reshiram flew to the side, veering a distance away from the islands' sight before lying low, flying toward the ocean. With one last flap of its wings, Reshiram approached the island, soaring behind the large mountain. Landing rather clumsily in a small area, Reshiram lowered its upper body. Touko jumped off, followed by Cheren.
"Thank you, Reshiram, for taking us here," the princess murmured, returning the beast. Both humans looked at each other. Touko gave a pointed look to the prince; Cheren simply leaned to one side, crossing his arms.
"Well, since we don't want people to be suspicious of us or cause commotion, we'll have to walk. It shouldn't be far, but it could take a couple hours at the least," he stated. A loud sigh was heard from Touko. More walking? She wasn't really up to it, not to mention it would take longer to get there. Time was scarce for the two. Both began to walk alone, even though they had Pokémon with them. Of course, the princess slightly understood her friend's logic. They needed to stay low and make sure not very many people knew who they were. If spotted, people would gossip and the queen might discover their location. She could set a trap for the two, making sure Shaymin would never be found, thus making sure N would never be set free, either.
Touko tried to get those terrible thoughts out of her mind, not wanting to think what horrible things could be done to N. She scanned the surroundings that slowly went by. The trees were all sorts of different shapes, some with dark or light leaves, others having thin or large greenery. Wild plants were everywhere, making it difficult to walk in. The princess was amazed at all the different flowers that grew. Dull, bright, and so much more! A small stream flowed by their side, with several Sawsbuck drinking from the stream. The Pokémon slowly looked up to the humans, their antlers a bushy green or dotted with small, pink flowers.
"Cheren, I thought they would be in their autumn form. Why these?"
"Well, just as I said earlier: These islands stay mostly green all year round, making some Pokémon—such as them—stay in forms that they shouldn't retain now because of the weather. It's about eighty degrees here—warm weather compared to Unova, which is about twenty or thirty degrees less right now," Cheren informed. He turned his head, watching as a few Bidoof ran pass. Many Pokémon from all regions were running around freely, not minding each other as they walked by.
Uttering a harsh sigh, Touko tilted her head back. The clouds were pure white, floating so slowly in the sky. Covering the sun halfway, they made the air feel less hot. The princess kept next to Cheren, looking around the island restlessly. Her friend was usually quiet, but with just the right question or sentence, Cheren usually did begin to talk more . . .
"Hello, Princess Touko. I would like you to meet my son—his name is Cheren. Chery, say hello," his father had said, moving to the side. Only age six, Touko was a happy and cheerful little girl. Hands behind her back, head tilted to the side, she gave a big welcoming smile.
"Hi! You're Cheren, right?" Touko asked quickly, taking a few quick steps forward. The little boy held on to his father's pant leg rather shyly, peeking from behind the older male. Leaving the two young children alone after pulling away from his son, Cheren's father left to greet Touko's mother. This gave Touko a chance to see the boy more—and hope to become his friend.
"Isn't Cheren a girl name? Can I call you Chery too? It's really cute!"
Giggling, the princess looked at the young prince. He wore glasses almost seeming a bit too big for his face; Cheren adjusted them. She sighed. He wasn't going to talk? Maybe he was deaf and couldn't hear her clearly?
"I got a Pokémon! Wanna see him?" Touko asked, voice raised. The boy looked at her with curiosity.
"A P-Pokémon? Is it a starter-type? Which one do you have? Maybe the water-type Oshawott, since your brother has Tepig. I got Snivy, want to see him?"
"Whoa! Whoa! Too many questions!" Touko complained, hands thrown in the air. With a rather tough attitude, Touko pressed a fist against her hip.
"Well, since you can hear me, I guess I can answer your questions. . . . Yup! I got Osha! Wanna see him now?"
The boy nodded. Touko pulled out a Poké Ball, releasing the water-type. It yawned, stretching its limbs before giving a wave with a determined look.
"My Snivy is stronger than your Oshawott since water is weak against grass," Cheren informed. Touko looked shocked.
"Eh?! No way! I want to be stronger than you! Brother has been training me, but his Tepig usually faints quickly . . . will you help me, Chery?"
"Of course Tepig faints! Water is strong against fire—everyone should know that! Well, since you're kinda dumb, I'll train you; but you have to listen to every word and command I say, understand?" Cheren said, questioning the girl. With a cheer and a smile, Touko nodded her head.
"Yeah! I'll listen! So, are we friends, Chery?"
"Uh, I think so . . ."
"Great! Let's get training, Chery!"
Touko couldn't help but laugh a little. She was a bit crazy when they were little, but meeting Cheren for the first time like that was something new in her life. After that day, they did begin training together, sometimes having Touya come in to help with some skills or to train himself. Together as three, they trained hard and worked as a team. When work was done or they felt like doing something else was when they did get into trouble. It was mostly Touko's fault, but Touya usually did the pushing to get into crap.
"What are you laughing about?" Cheren asked, lifting a brow. Touko smiled at him. He was still that same old Cheren, yet very different in many ways.
"Nothing; I was just thinking about the first time we met, Chery," she teased. Cheren embarrassedly scratched the back of his head as a small blush crept onto his cheeks. It was rare for her nerdy friend to blush.
"D-Don't call me by such a childish name. . . . Besides, I was a shy boy back then. You looked like a crazy person—smiling a lot, jumping around, and having so much energy. Are you sure you're a human, and not a Chimchar in disguise?" he joked, letting his hands slip into his pockets. Touko stuck her tongue at him harshly, making the young male chuckle. Just like old times.
Touko stared forward. It seemed like time was quickly slipping by as they were talking more about the past, recalling crazy or fun moments. Having this special time with Cheren was rare. He was usually cooped up inside the castle, studying or reading for hours. Did he ever just look outside, past the castle lands and over to the sunset, thinking about his friends, how they were doing or if they thought about him?
"Are we almost there? My feet are beginning to hurt," Touko muttered with a whine to her voice. Cheren sighed, looking up at the sky. The sun was beginning to set; it had to be just past six or seven o'clock. Muttering something about Touko being a pain, the prince stopped to look at her.
"Aw, does the princess need to be carried to shelter, or can she take care of herself for just a short while before a village comes up?" he asked, giving a fake sad face. Touko, feeling angered, walked past him.
"I can walk! I was just saying, geez!"
He smiled at her, continuing to walk. Wild Pokémon began to take shelter, some brushing past the humans in a hurry. The wind was stirring, making the branches move and leaves rattle against each other. Clouds were slowly drifting in, dark and dreary. A storm must have been coming in.
"Maybe we should take shelter in a nearby cave; I think I saw one a little way off the pass," Touko said, looking over her shoulder. She was a bit worried as the wind grew more intense. With a nod, the prince followed her. Off the thin past, they moved past thick bushes and dove around trees that stood in the way. The mountain grew closer and Cheren noticed a cave. Both hoped no large Pokémon was sleeping inside. Just imagining it gave Touko a nervous feeling. The prince stopped, looking around.
"Touko, did you hear that sound?" he asked.
"I didn't hear anything. Are you sure you heard something?"
Cheren looked around slowly and carefully. Lightning flashed across the sky, thunder rumbling soon after. A deep growl was heard—it sounded vicious. A large body emerged from the tall grass, its upper body lowered to the ground. It was an Arcanine! Touko froze, watching as its muzzle was drawn back, showing its sharp teeth. Cheren slowly moved back, turning his head to the side.
"Touko, pull Samurott out when I say so . . . I'll distract him, princess," he murmured gently. The Pokémon snapped its jaws, a furious bark coming out. Moving away, Cheren grabbed a thick stick. He launched forward with an aggressive hiss; Arcanine shouted a cry when it was hit. With a snarl, it pounced, pushing Cheren to the ground. The stick was between the wild beast's jaws.
"T-Touko, bring him out now!"
Cheren gasped in pain, feeling its claws dig into his stomach. Warm liquid spilled between the nails slowly, sticking onto the orange-colored fur. It growled, pushing forward more. Touko didn't know what to do after releasing her trusted Pokémon. Arcanine was hurting Cheren. She couldn't do anything. Pulling the stick away, it quickly grabbed onto Cheren. Samurott—just in time—launched forward. It shocked Arcanine, causing the Pokémon to fall to the ground with a thud. Cheren stood up quickly, running.
"Run now!" he snapped, pushing Touko. She began to run, hearing the battle behind them. Rain began to pour, thunder rumbling loud above them. Once in the cave, Cheren was instructed to sit down at once. Mumbling, he slid down the cave wall.
"You're such an idiot—why did you think you could take on such a Pokémon?" Touko snapped, kneeling down in front of him. Cheren didn't say anything. Pulling out some medical stuff that she brought along, the princess began unbuttoning his shirt. The blood was soaked on his white torn shirt—it looked like he killed somebody. As he leaned forward, the shirt fell lower. Touko began working on his arm first. Everything seemed to slip by so quickly—they were just walking in the forest to a cave for shelter. They were attacked so suddenly; Cheren had been hurt. It seemed like disaster happened to only Touko and no one else.
"Cheren, can you sit straight so I can wrap this around you?" Touko questioned. Obeying, he moved again as Touko leaned close to wrap the bandage dozens of times around his mid-section. Rain was falling hard now. Some small Pokémon walked in the cave. When they noticed the humans, they flinched back.
"It's alright—you can come in," Cheren murmured gently. They walked in, shaking water off their pelts before lying down. Touko moved back to examine him. Looking at the bandage wrapped around his stomach and arm, Touko frowned. If they turned to scars on him, that would lead to so much trouble for the young prince. Usually people in high class where supposed to have pure skin, like it was never touched or hurt. Why was everything such a complicated mess? With a heavy sigh, she looked up. Cheren was staring at her.
"H-Hey, it isn't nice to stare at a person! Do you know how rude that is?" Touko snapped, moving away while pointing at him. "You should at least say something! Anyway, aren't you—?"
"Thank you . . ."
"Wha . . . ? Why are you thanking me?"
Cheren watched Samurott walk in slowly. The water-type shook itself in the entrance before walking towards Touko. Lying down, Samurott closed his eyes with a light smile on his lips. The rain thinned out slightly, but it was going to continue on throughout the night, probably in the early morning, too. Cheren didn't say anything as he turned his back to Touko, lying down. With a heavy sigh, Touko pressed her knees close to her chest, wrapping her arms around them to keep warm. Lightning struck in the distance; thunder still rumbled up above. It was a pretty bad storm, the wind breaking twigs and gathering anything else that was loose and free.
". . . I'm thanking you for being a friend. Without you I'm sure it wouldn't have ended quite so well out of that battle. Not to mention, you make life exciting and less . . . boring," he murmured. Touko stared at Cheren as he turned his head to the side. A smile was on his lips, blue eyes showing amusement.
"W-Well, you could of said that sooner, i-idiot," Touko stuttered. He lifted his head to look outside for a moment, then turned to look back at the princess. Watching as Samurott was returned, he noticed the brunette shudder. The prince couldn't help but chuckle.
"Come here—you'll be warmer with me."
Touko hesitated. With a roll of his eyes, Cheren lay on his back so his hand could reach the stubborn girl. Slowly moving forward, Touko squeaked when Cheren wrapped his arm around her waist, rolling them both over so his injured arm wasn't the one being lain on. The princess blushed.
"Y-You idiot! Don't make sudden moves on me like this! I'm already taken so—"
"So you did have sex with him, didn't you?" Cheren questioned, earning a deeper shade of red from her. "Don't worry, I won't tell your mother or anyone else. . . . Was he gentle with you?"
"S-Shut up! You—"
"Shh—we have guests," he hissed. Touko gave him a harsh glare, her cheeks red. She was so too easy to tease. It was obvious when he hit the jackpot, earning those cute stuttering sentences from her, her face completely flushed. Why wasn't every girl like that? Pressing a hand against his chest, Touko pushed herself away a bit. His grip never loosened around her body.
"Um, C-Cheren, when will we get to a town?" Touko asked. She wanted that whole weird conversation to be gone and away from her mind. Memories were flooding back, and it wasn't a good time to remember them. Quietly, he moved her head closer to his chest.
"Probably tomorrow. Go to sleep. We need all the rest we can get for tonight; we're getting up early tomorrow," said Cheren. Touko shook her head.
"No! I want to find Shaymin first, not a town! We don't have time to rest!"
Cheren looked at her and saw that—yet again—she was giving him the look. Touko was mad, and he noticed the tears in the corners of her eyes that would not fall. His gaze softened as he brushed the hot tears away.
"You love N dearly, don't you? Don't worry, we'll find a Shaymin and show your mom that she cannot separate you two. No matter what happens here, we will find you a Shaymin—do you understand, Touko? Now go to sleep—crying won't solve anything. Close your eyes and I'll tell you a story."
"I'm not a little girl, Cheren," Touko said harshly. Ignoring her, he hugged her gently, staring at the cave wall. Cheren began a story, telling about a stubborn young girl who had fallen in love with someone. Touko listened closely.
"Her parents were furious when they witnessed who their daughter was in love with. Both needed someone—or something—to break them apart. An old lady had heard of the news and rushed to the castle, telling the father she knew what to do. The old woman had said, 'If you want me to cause their love to crumble, I need something that is close to your heart in return.' The father had hesitated for a moment, but handed her a stone. The hag looked at it with disgust. What was in the stone was something precious—a Pokémon that was powerful and had powers like no other. Explaining its properties to the woman, she licked her greedy lips and nodded. Later that night, the princess met up with the male whom she loved, but it wasn't she. It was the elder in disguise as the young princess. She turned the prince into a small Pokémon—a Jolteon. Right then he knew no one could love something so small and weak such as him. The witch vanished, but mistakenly dropped the stone. Upon seeing it, the prince rushed and grabbed it."
Cheren looked down, seeing that Touko had fallen asleep. He smiled lightly, brushing a few strands of hair out of her face. Closing his eyes, he continued quietly.
"The prince cried silently, murmuring to himself, 'Who would ever love something so small and weak? Not a single person would take notice of me.' A few days later, the princess walked in the rose garden, saddened that her love had disappeared. Before she left, she heard a quiet sob. Catching sight of the small, yellow Pokémon, the princess bent down. Jolteon looked up at her, the stone hidden behind him. 'Why are you crying?' she had asked, picking him up. He did not say he was the prince, but said, 'My heart is broken because no one will ever love me. If you will take this stone, I will be happy and always cherish good memories.' She smiled, grabbing the stone. As she placed a small kiss on the Jolteon, the stone glowed in her hand. Both were puzzled. It had whispered to them, telling how the Jolteon was her love and how the witch had hurt their relationship. Then it said, 'If you want to, make a single wish and it will be granted.' The princess simply said, 'I want to be a Jolteon.' The wish was then granted. Both prince and princess left the castle grounds, traveling far away. Though it was an odd decision, she knew her parents would never approve of her love for the prince, and the relationship they shared."
Cheren yawned and slowly began dozing off to sleep. It was a weird story indeed; but it did prove that no matter what happens to two who are deeply in love, they will find a way to be together. They will find a way to be in love with no worries of others despising them . . .