Enharmonic -NxWhite-

Running. I don't think I've ever ran so hard in my life. Still, I pushed my legs faster, they willingly obliged, my whole body desperate to find him.

I'd done as he'd asked, my original goal was to make him see sense, but now I was to save him. He'd frequently protested the partnership of people and pokemon, but he never realised that he was the slave in all of this.

"Stop." That voice again, I skidded to a halt, and a man dressed in black suddenly appeared before me. I'd seen them appear like that many times now, it was no longer unnerving. I growled; "Let me past!"

"I will, you might want to go heal your pokemon first, they've been through a lot." The Shadow Triad, I could tell even behind his mask, was smiling, as he took my five pokeballs from me. It took him mere seconds, but I knew all my pokemon would be fit and well. I looked up as I heard the crack of him disappearing, then ran through his wake to continue up the stairs.

The halls were beautiful, royal blue floor tiles and matching blue flags decorated the stone walls. It was a shame it was home to such terrible men.

I was panting by the time I got to the top floor, it was grandly decorated with gold ribbons and flags, and the floor gleamed more beautifully. I headed for the middle archway, but stumbled to a stop as I got close and could see where I was going. The floor was narrow, but further ahead stood a large stone battle field, then another narrow bridge to the end of the room.

There he sat, his fist holding up his tilted head like a bored child pose, one leg bent into his chest as the other dangled off his throne. He spotted me and sat up straight, shouting through the large room. "I knew you'd come!"

I met his grin with an even stare, why was he so calm about all of this? I was terrified.

"Come and challenge me!" He dared, standing up off his seat. I hurried forward carefully along the bridge, my eyes never once leaving the floor that kept me from dropping into the waters that loomed below. In my peripherals, I could see him strolling down his bridge with ease.

Once I was on wider ground, my eyes slowly moved up to meet his. He was staring at me intently, clearly in deep thought.

"I'm not here to battle you." I said clearly, taking a step forward, my hands reaching slightly toward him, palms facing up.

"What do you mean?" He tilted his head to the side; "We are destined... Unless you didn't awaken Reshiram."

I turned red, it was true I hadn't managed to awaken Reshiram like he had awoken Zekrom, but I was still strong without a legendary, and Zekrom was nowhere to be seen.

He smiled; "you didn't, did you? You're not a hero."

"A hero is a title not caught through a pokemon, but earned through respect of one." I snapped.

A new voice replied, but it was one I'd heard before. "Only true heroes awaken the mighty legends that are Zekrom and Reshiram. You need not attempt to destroy that status with your petty philosophies."

I turned, to Ghetsis advancing towards me. His eyes never left N behind me. "Are you just going to let her get in your way?"

"She won't fight."

"He's using you!" I cried, spinning to face N, "He's been using you and Team Plasma all along." I tried to run closer to him, but a hand caught my wrist before I could even take a step. Ghetsis twisted me so my arms were painfully held behind my back. "I really wouldn't listen to her, I think it's time we got on with our plans, yes?"

N looked at me quickly, then back to Ghetsis. He nodded and turned his back on us. "Zekrom, enter!"

The ground rumbled beneath us, and I whimpered helplessly as Ghetsis' grip shook my pained limbs. "N! You don't have to do this!"

"Shut up!" Ghetsis growled, throwing me across the floor. I cried out as I skidded along the field, friction burns covering my entire left side. Still, I persisted, scrambling up and running for N. "He wants people to release their pokemon so he can use them instead! He wants to own the world, not change it!"

N turned to look at me, his eyes wide as he sought the truth in my own. Before I could get any closer, Ghetsis was there again, pulling at my hair and moving me away. "You have to see reason!" I still called, suddenly interrupted by the wind in my lungs rushing out as I crashed onto my back again. I slid, and suddenly the floor was no longer beneath my head. I turned to see the waters below, but couldn't scramble away as Ghetsis wrapped a hand around my throat. "I think it's time we shut you up now. After all, we can't let you go blabbing my plans to the world, can we?"

Zekrom crashed through the walls, debris flying everywhere. The waters drained out from underneath, which meant an even worse fate if I happened to fall down there.

"You mean it's true?"

N appeared in my view, and Ghetsis' face faltered. He turned his head; "Well..."

Suddenly has hand was no longer blocking my windpipe, and disappeared from my line of view. A pair of hands cupped under my shoulders, and I allowed N to hoist me to my feet.

"Hydreigon!" The sage growled, "get her out of here."

N's hands pulled away as he swung it to point at the dragon type. "Zekrom!"

It loyally took the attack coming towards us, but crashed to the floor and caused a massive wave of dust and wind to kick us backwards. I heard a low cry behind me, and my own chorused along as I reflexively grabbed the ledge, and concentrated on catching N before he fell to his death. Our hands managed to claw at each others wrists, and I braced for the sudden pull as I broke the force of gravity's pull. My shoulders screamed in pain, not used to carrying more than my own weight, but I could hold on.

"What a worthless son." The voice loomed over us, I looked up as Ghetsis placed a foot onto my hand, pressing enough to make it painful. I muffled my protest, still shocked from what he'd said. Son? He looked at me and grinned; "From the very beginning, N's revival of Zekrom was for the glory of my plans! Not his! He was too blinded with compassion for pokemon to realise I'd been using him the whole time!" He sneered before he continued, pressing even harder onto my hand. "It seems being raised by pokemon only made you a heartless and inhuman monster in the end..."

"That's not true!" I yelled, struggling under the pressure on my hand and the weight on my other arm. Suddenly, a light blasted through the area, blinding me completely in a sheet of white, causing me to recoil. The weight on my hand loosened, and gravity tugged us down to the empty pool's bottom.

But we did not land. Our hands still clutching each other, we didn't dare let go as I looked around for any sign of colour, but the light would not dim. The feeling of falling stopped, and something hard, but gentle lifted us instead. As we rose, the light finally turned to a soft glow, and yet white still surrounded us.

"Reshiram!" N exclaimed, looking up at our saviour. I looked up too, its kind face and shockingly blue eyes meeting mine with a look of intensity. I immediately knew we were partners, and it would do anything in its power for me, and that I would do so in return. I nodded, and it did so back to me.

"I don't believe it!" Ghetsis yelled behind us in awe. He began laughing; "You really are the two heroes!"

I stood on the palm of my legend, "but we refuse to fight."

Ghetsis shook his head; "You think you refuse, but you are destined to destroy each other!" He cackled. "And I'll be there when that time comes to obtain your legendaries without having to be a hero! You'll see!" With that, his Hydreigon backed off from the fight with Zekrom, and swooped to its master.

"Reshiram! Stop him!" I pointed as Ghetsis jumped to land on his own dragon pokemon.

"Just leave him." N muttered, pulling me back slightly. "He'll get away anyway, there is no use in exhausting your newly awoken pokemon."

"But I-" I tried to protest, frightened for the world he wished to rule over, but N shook his head. "He has no power anymore. The sages will do as I say, and the grunts will follow."

I nodded slowly, I guess even Ghetsis knows just one man alone cannot take over the world. Reshiram placed its claw to the battle area, and I stepped off, only letting go of N now we were on solid ground. Zekrom hovered over to N's side, its eyes resting on Reshiram behind me. I assumed it met Zekrom with an even stare of its own.

"I'm still not here to fight you, N." I said quietly.

"I know you're not." He replied, turning to his pokemon and pulling out a large potion spray. Zekrom grumbled in relief as he began squirting the liquid over a bite wound from the battle, then lifted N to spray another wound on its neck. I realised the bond the two had was already far stronger than my new one with Reshiram. I turned to it, and it was watching N too, happy to see its other half be treated with such care. Zekrom spoke in its own tongue, and Reshiram's eyes looked to me.

"You don't have to stay." I said, "you can go if you want to."

The legend nudged me with its large head, and I giggled as I placed my arms around it. "Okay okay! I'll travel with you!"

As I opened my eyes, N stood smiling gently at me; "Amazing."

I laughed; "What?"

"How you don't speak their tongue, yet you still understand them." He held out a hand toward me; "but can we talk for a while?"

I sobered, blinking a little as I pulled away from Reshiram; "Sure."

N turned to Zekrom, returning it to its pokeball, and I hesitantly pulled out a fresh one and pointed it to Reshiram. It smiled and allowed itself to be pulled in to the tiny capsule, and didn't even struggle against it.

"Zekrom told Reshiram it would be happy with you. So it doesn't mind being your partner." N said as he began walking down the narrow pathway to the exit of the room.

I hurried after him, certain there was more on his mind than the legendaries. He looked at the ground as he smiled, hiding his eyes from me, masking the pain.

"N?" I whispered; "You know you're not a monster, right?"

He snorted; "I'm no hero."

"What are you talking about?" I exclaimed; "You're the kindest person I've ever met! If that doesn't make you qualify as a hero, I don't know what does."

He chuckled, clearly not listening to me.

"It's your father who's the heartless monster. You were used, N. You can't blame yourself when you didn't know any better." I placed a hand onto his forearm comfortingly, but he didn't seem to respond to any form of human behaviour. I had to remember that wasn't what he was used to.

"In an ideal world, I would be a hero, but I have come to accept that this world relies on the truths." He walked through the halls of the castle that was supposedly his. Once he reached a set of stairs, he walked us halfway down, and stopped, sitting down on one. I sat on the step above his, twisting to face him straight on.

"You know, when I first met you, I couldn't comprehend why your pokemon liked you so much. I'd never seen pokemon so fond of a human before." He paused, obviously sifting through memories we'd shared. "I couldn't stop thinking about it, I was constantly confused. That's why I fought you so much, to see if my beliefs were wrong. I wanted to believe I was right, but they kept growing fonder of you. So I did too." He admitted; "But now I worry about my father's words..."

"Why?" I said quickly; "Haven't you learnt? He was manipulating you this whole time." I wanted to shake him, scream at him until he realised it was Ghetsis who was in the wrong.

He shook his head; "No, he spoke of our destinies, and I know he is right." He paused, conflicted; "There is only so long we can keep up the calm facade before I will want to battle you again. And we will have Zekrom and Reshiram at our sides, that will cause devestation through the land we encounter each other."

"So what are you saying?"

His lips pursed as he met my eyes "I don't think we should meet again. For the sake of people and pokemon, I don't want to destroy you."

I stood up, my fists clenching fiercely; "and I don't want to destroy you, either! Just because the previous heroes ended up fighting, that doesn't mean we have to."

"Do you want to risk that?" He questioned, cutting me short. I wasn't sure how to respond. I couldn't imagine anyone who sought ideals would be any less kinder hearted than N, and no truth hero to be more determined than I. If they hadn't managed to stop fighting, then I couldn't see myself being any better than them. But my life had been so driven by my goal surrounding him for so long now that I didn't want to be suddenly lost without him.

"You can't leave me." I insisted, shaking my head. "You just can't." I would have given up my beliefs if it meant I could stay friends with him now, but I couldn't imagine myself changing so drastically. I would always fight for the welfare of pokemon, but I would forever be realistic, knowing ideals will never prevail with evil in the world.

He stood too, turning to face me. "You said you had a dream, well I say chase it."

"I did chase it!" I welled up, I defeated the elite four, I wasn't champion, but I had completed my goal to reach N for the final battle.

"For the wrong reasons." He took my hat and ruffled my hair to make me smile; "and for that I am in your debt, but now you should keep chasing it for yourself."

I looked down, hating the feeling that this was a goodbye. Like I was already mourning for the loss, the premature death of a friendship that was too young to have blossomed.

"Where will you go?" I asked, looking up through bleary eyes. He shook his head; "I'm not going to say."

My shoulders slumped, tears welling over my lashes.

"I want you to promise me you won't look for me, White." He said sternly. I didn't reply, hicupping a sob. He took my shoulders and shook slightly; "Promise me, White."

My eyes locked with his, and I nodded slowly. "I promise." I muttered.

Even though N was not as human as I, human instinct was still a part of him, and it coursed through him as he leaned closer, his hands locking my head in place so he landed his mouth to mine. My eyes closed gently, and we stayed still, both of us new to kissing. Unsure of what to do with my hands I placed them to his neck like he'd done to mine. As soon as I moved, our mouths fell into place, and suddenly things were comfortable. He leaned closer, my back arched, his hands found my waist and I clutched onto him tighter. Tears continued to stream down my face as I refused to let him go, but we had to stop. Truths hit me, the harsh reality of my beliefs tearing me apart from the ideal I longed for.

I looked at him, and he stared back with awestruck wonder in his. Such a beautiful green colour... I memorised it so I would never forget. I sighed as his hands uncoiled from around me, and he pulled away. "You have to go..." I accepted, another hiccup causing pain in my chest.

He nodded, hesitating before he moved. "Take care of yourself, White."

"You too." I clung to whatever composure I could muster up, not wanting to make this any harder. He tried to lean in again, but I lowered my head. I wouldn't be able to take the pain again. He pressed his lips to my forehead, then leant down to pick up my cap. Silently, he placed it on my head and ran back up the stairs.

Zekrom's roar echoed through the castle, and my whole body shook to life as I ran after them. I didn't stop to be catious on the thin bridges of the throne room, I only halted at the massive hole Zekrom caused when it had first entered. I collapsed onto my knees, watching as Zekrom blasted off into the distance, leaving nothing but a fading blue trail in its wake.

"White!"

I didn't turn around, I knew it was Cheren. I could hear him running towards me. He knelt beside me, hovering over me protectively, checking for wounds; "Are you okay?"

I nodded slowly, and his eyes followed mine to see the last glimpse of N. "He got away then, huh?"

Stupidly, I nodded. "Yeah. I let him go."