By Your Side - An AgencyShipping Fanfiction

Chapter Four

He says good-bye to White for the first time when he is twelve years old.

Bianca and Cheren have been spending a lot of time with Professor Juniper lately, something about wanting to learn how to help her with her research. Black doesn't tag along; he's way too busy training with Musha and Brav or studying battle techniques. But he'd assumed that White went with them; her house is right next to the lab.

But one afternoon, trekking back home from the edge of town, he glances through White's front window and sees her sitting in the entrance hall, surrounded by a snowstorm of papers.

"Application forms," she explains after she's let him inside. "There's this apprenticeship opportunity at a movie studio, shadowing a real director making a real movie. I could get a chance to work under Stu Deeoh! Can you believe that? Stu Deeoh! Remember when we watched B.T. the Extra-Terrestrial? He directed that!"

Black squints. B.T.? Was that the one with the beeheeyem that made those kid's bikes fly? "Sounds cool."

"It is! Ugh, I hope I get accepted. It would be so amazing to work on an actual movie set." White's gaze is bright and starry, and Black smiles.

"You'll get it," he tells her confidently. If there's one person he could believe in more than himself, it's White. "Where is this, anyway? Accumula?"

"Hmm? No, I wish. It's in Virbank City."

"Virbank," he muses. Where was that? Up in northern Unova? "That's a pretty long commute from here."

"Oh, I wouldn't go back and forth every day. I'd probably go stay with my aunt in Flocessy. It's right near Virbank."

Black feels like the floor just fell out from under him. "What? You'd leave Nuvema?"

"Yes, of course." White looks nonplussed. "That's what we've always talked about, right?"

"Well, yeah, but..." He's always assumed that they would be leaving Nuvema together. Black racks his brain for a reason for her to stay. "What about getting a Pokédex?"

"That's your dream, not mine," she reminds him.

"Oh...yeah." He's a bit put out. He'd sort of hoped she would change her mind about that. He tries again. "Bianca would really miss you, you know."

"Just Bianca?" White asks slyly.

She has a knowing smile on her face, and Black is suddenly embarrassed. "Cheren too. And, uh, Brav. And Musha." His face burns as he says the next words, but whatever. "And, well. Me." She's his best friend. Of course he'll miss her.

"Oh, Black." White's eyes are soft. She reaches out and gives his arm a quick squeeze. "I wish we could leave together too. But this is something I can't pass up. You understand, right?"

Black sighs. Yeah. He understands. More than anybody.

White gives his arm a final pat before returning to the application. "And who knows? I might not even get this apprenticeship."

She gets the apprenticeship, of course.

On the day she leaves for Flocessy Town, Black, Cheren, and Bianca see her off at the edge of Nuvema. Bianca is tearful, Cheren is solemn, and Black is....somehow both jealous and proud. White, looking nervous and excited in her brand-new travel clothes, waves frantically as she disappears over the nearest hill.

Black watches the point where she vanishes. He makes a silent vow to her retreating back; I will catch up, I will. Just you wait.