The Mysterious Hidden {4th Place in Romance (Pokemon Watty Awards 2015)}

*Amnesia* Part 2

"Reshiram, return." N said mutely as a red light flashed over the fainted dragon, morphing it back to its pokeball. I ran up to my Zekrom and hugged its leg.

"We did it, buddy!" I whispered happily. Zekrom growled joyously as I returned it to its pokeball too. I looked over to N; he hid his eyes under his hat like he always did when he was in a bad mood.

"Everything's ruined..." he murmured. "My truth... The dreams my friends shared..."

"Oh stop being so dramatic," I huffed. "Look, I'm sorry you lost, but that's the way battles are! You win some and loose some." N looked up angrily, which shocked me slightly.

"You don't understand! You don't know how much I cared about this battle! About what was at stake if I lost!" he cried. "This was my only chance to save my friends from harm and now...!" N stopped suddenly, breathing unevenly. I kept watching him as he covered his eyes with his hand and began to softly whimper. Is he... Crying?! I wondered. I looked at him in astonishment for a few moments before he put down his hand and stared straight into my light blue orbs with his watery ones. "How would you feel if you saw Bianca, Cheren, and Black being beaten every day?" he asked, his voice mixed with sadness and anger. "How about your mother?! How would you feel if you had to watch helplessly as they were attacked, whipped, tortured, overworked, or even killed every single day of your pathetic life?!" I gasped in horror, picturing the terrifying scenes of my friends going through everything the N had described. I stayed silent as he spoke. "That is how I had to live my whole life. Watching my friends and their loved ones suffer until they eventually die!" I stepped back as he yelled the last word loudly. Tears were streaming down his face, eventually falling to the stone floor which was now covered in debris from our battle.

"N," I finally said. "Then why?! Why did you take all of those Pokemon who were actually happy with their trainers away from the ones they love?!" I stepped toward him. "Why?! Even though you probably knew that they were happy?!" N glared at me before his face saddened and he turned away. He stayed dead silent, his shaky breaths becoming faster.

"Ghetsis... He's the one who made me believe in all this! He told me the exact same words that I told you... But instead, he hit me, sent out his Pokemon to go and attack me, made me bleed to the point where I thought he was going to kill me..." N kept rubbing a part of his chest. He face me. "I have a scar here from that day... It was from his Bisharp." I walked closer to him as he slowly unbuttoned his white sweater and pulled down his black turtleneck, revealing a long red scar lining his upper chest. I looked at it in pity, and I didn't notice him take my hand and guide it towards his scar. I didn't know why, but I let him. I felt the bump where the skin was cut opened and the warmth of his body filling my fingertips.

"N..." I whispered. "I'm so sorry..." I glanced up at him, his eyes were closed and he sighed.

"No. I'm the one to be sorry, Touko." he said. "I shouldn't have taken everything out on you... It's just that Ghetsis is right... And it was just... All..."

"I understand." I assured. Once again, N moved my hand to trace his scar.

"You know, I don't let just anyone do this." he said. I shook my head unknowingly.

"Then why are you letting me?" I amusingly asked. "We hate each other. You hate me for being a trainer," N bit his lip.

"'Hate' is a strong word, Touko... I never hated you..." he breathed.