(I'm so sorry I know you're probably sick of Ferriswheel...but I wasn't feeling 100% today and this made me feel better)

N wandered one of the many caves in Victory Road. He wasn't relatively aware of the time, but he could tell it was getting late, since the Woobat and Swoobat were all waking up. Suddenly, a bunch of Woobat and Roggenrola came running and screaming from one passage of the cave. They were screaming about some huge scary Pokémon destroying rocks.

Maybe I should check on that, N thought. He walked into the part of the cave where the Pokémon were running from. As he walked in, he saw a Haxorus and its trainer destroying rocks and boulders. N was about to tell the trainer off, until he realized who it was.

Haxorus destroyed another boulder, and its trainer shook her head.

"Haxorus, I know rock smash isn't a very strong move, but destroying a rock in two hits after a swords dance? It should be one" she said.

"Easy for you to say" the Haxorus sighed.

"What are you doing?" N snapped.

The trainer turned her attention to N and smiled. Her smile quickly faltered, however, as she saw the scowl on N's face.

"Training?" she said, as if it was obvious.

"Destroying natural habitats and exhausting your Pokémon more like" N hissed.

"I don't think any Pokémon live in rocks. And Haxorus is just trying to improve his strength"

Haxorus grunted.

"Okay fine," the trainer sighed, "I'm just trying to improve his strength. I'm trying to teach him brick break, and I thought rock smash would be a good place to start" she explained, shrugging.

N turned to Haxorus, "Are you alright?"

"Duh. I'm just annoyed. Hilda's been driving me crazy with all this 'We gotta be strong enough to stop Team Plasma' business" Haxorus said tiredly, "Not like I'm against it, but I've never even met any Team Plasma members. Unfezant says they're real brutes though"

"What are you going on about?" Hilda asked teasingly, handing her Pokémon a few Sitris berries.

"Haxorus is just telling me about how worried you are about Team Plasma" N translated, a smirk finding its way to his face.

"I never really said she was 'worried'..." Haxorus mumbled, shoving a berry in his mouth.

Hilda laughed, "Worried? Their King's a big softie" she teased, mimicking N's smirk.

N shoved his hands in his pockets, raising an eyebrow "Oh yeah? I hear he's pretty great"

"Oh I heard that too, trust me" Haxorus muttered.

"Oh?"

"Oh yeah. 'I really hate that I have to fight N- he's such a nice person' I have zero clue who this N guy is, but I surely hear a lot about him"

"Haxorus, what are you rambling about?" Hilda asked.

"He just was telling me about how nice you think I am" N explained.

Hilda blushed madly, "Haxorus!" she yelled, pushing Haxorus' shoulder. Her large, sturdy, Pokémon hardly felt that push. N noticed her Haxorus was significantly bigger than a normal Haxorus would normally be.

"This guy's N? Where are your priorities, girl?" Haxorus said, picking Hilda up with his tail.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that..." N sighed.

Hilda struggled in her Pokémon's grasp. "Put me down!"

"As you wish" Haxorus said, dropping Hilda on her stomach. She hit the ground with a thud, knocking the wind out of her. N walked over and helped her up.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Yeah I'm fine..." Hilda said, pulling a Pokeball out of her bag and returning her Haxorus.

She sighed and rubbed her temples, "He's too much sometimes..."

"Off topic but, can you maybe stop destroying all these boulders? You're scaring the Pokémon" N said.

"Oh! Sorry, of course" Hilda apologized.

"Thank you. Those poor Woobat did not need a wake up call like that"

"Wake up call?" Hilda asked, "Is it that late already?!"

"I guess?"

Hilda grew a look of excitement on her face, "There's a meteor shower tonight, and I do not plan on missing it!" Hilda exclaimed, making a beeline for the exit of the cave as if she knew exactly where to go to get out.

N didn't know how to get out, and his father had 'strongly recommended' that he get out of the cave by the end of the day, so he figured he'd follow Hilda. She seemed to know where she was going, after all. After about fifteen minutes, they both made it out of the cave.

The sky was a dark purple, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. A million bright stars shone and shimmered in the sky, and the moon illuminated the mountain in a soft white glow.

Hilda looked at her Xtransceiver and said, "Good, I haven't missed it yet!"

N adjusted his hat and looked up at the sky, "Missed what, exactly?"

"The meteor shower" Hilda said, setting a thin blanket on the ground and laying down on her back. Hilda took her hat off and put it on the ground next to her, instead of putting it on the blanket. She'd thrown her bag and what looked like a sleeping bag off to the side next to her hat.

"What's so special about falling silicon and oxygen?" N asked, bringing his gaze down to Hilda.

"It's pretty, and since when do you know so much about meteors?" Hilda laughed.

"Meteorites, technically" N corrected.

"Haha. Lay down" Hilda said, gesturing to a spot next to her.

N hesitantly took the spot next to Hilda, laying on his back. He took his hat off as well, not knowing the proper procedure for looking at the sky.

"You didn't answer my question" Hilda stated.

N shrugged, "Father never had any story books when my sisters and I were growing up"

"Sisters?"

"Yeah. Two of them. Anthea and Concordia"

"Zorua had its paws full then?" Hilda joked.

N shook his head, "No, we're all adopted. I'm the only one who was raised by Pokémon"

"Oh...So, you know a lot about stars?"

"I suppose"

"Know any constellations?"

"Yes"

"Wanna show me some?"

"Sure" N said, scooting closer to Hilda to where their shoulders were touching. He pointed to the sky making a curved line across a few stars.

"That one is Milotic...or Serperior depending on who you ask" N said.

"What do you think it is?" Hilda asked.

"Me? Milotic"

"I think it's a Serperior"

"Now you're just trying to have different views" N sighed.

Hilda laughed, "Sorry"

N rolled his eyes and pointed to another constellation. He made one long line with two smaller jagged lines attached to it, "That one is Kyogre"

"What's a Kyogre?"

"It's a legendary Pokémon from Hoenn. The sea basin Pokémon"

"Woah...so like...a giant whale?"

N laughed lightly, "I suppose"

N began explaining more constellations, but after awhile found Hilda staring at him.

"What?" He asked. Hilda didn't answer right away.

"Were you even listening to me?" N asked playfully.

Hilda answered this time, "Yes" she sounded frazzled, "Yes the stars...aren't they pretty?"

N looked down to her lips, then looked into her eyes, "Beautiful"

He wanted to close the distance. He wanted to see what her lips tasted like. He wanted to kiss her. But he couldn't. She was the enemy. She stood for everything he was against.

So why did he want her so badly?

N saw out of the corner of his eye, long white streaks shooting across the sky. He turned his head to the sky.

"Look Hilda" he said nervously.

Hilda turned her head to the sky, and her eyes immediately lit up.

"Wow!" she exclaimed. N laughed quietly, finding her excitement adorable.

The pair laid there for about an hour, before Hilda finally fell asleep. It wasn't a particularly cold night, but N was worried that she might get cold. N didn't normally sleep with blankets, so he didn't have one, but he assumed Hilda must have had more than one. He looked over to where her things were, and slowly and quietly reached over her to get her sleeping bag. He unzipped it all the way so it could be used as a blanket, and draped it over her.

N didn't sleep that night. He watched Hilda as she breathed in and out peacefully. She must've been having a nice dream, because she kept smiling. He kept thinking about how beautiful the moonlight made her look, how it complimented her fair skin and contrasted against her dark hair.

For the first time he thought about her future in a positive way. He thought that Hilda could never want a horrible future. Maybe her future wasn't so bad. He started thinking about his future- how upset it would make her, how all the light would drain from her eyes. That wasn't a future he wanted. But he had to free his Pokémon friends. But what about his human friend?

Before he realized it, the sun was coming up. He sat up and watched as the deep purple sky turned a dark red, to a bright orange, to a rosy pink. So many bright, warm colors filled the sky, bringing the sun's warmth and light with it.

He heard Hilda stir next to him. He glanced over and the two locked eyes.

"Good morning" N whispered.

"Morning?" Hilda whispered back. N nodded and Hilda sat up and yawned, stretching her arms. She shivered a bit "It's cold"

"Is it?" N asked honestly. He didn't think it was so cold.

Hilda scooted closer to and and wrapped the sleeping bag around both of them.

"Where have I seen this before?" N joked.

Hilda smiled and rested her head on N's shoulder, "I don't know what you're talking about" she joked back.

"No? Ah, must've been a dream"

"Must have"

The pair silently watched the sunrise for awhile before N asked, "How did you sleep?"

Hilda sighed wistfully, "Good"

"Any particular reason as to why?"

"I just had a nice dream, is all"

"Oh? Care to tell?"

Hilda was about to tell him, but she heard a ringing coming from her bag.

She groaned, "Its probably Cheren. He's been trying to meet up on Victory Road ever since he got here"

"I thought you were friends?"

"We are, and don't get me wrong, I love Cheren"

N tensed at the word 'love'. Did she really feel that way about Cheren?

"Sometimes though, I wish he'd stop calling all the time. He's probably looking to have a battle too, but I'm not up for it" Hilda continued.

"You love him?" N asked, jealousy corroding his words.

Hilda didn't seem to notice, "He's like my brother"

N relaxed, "Oh"

"Why?"

N became tense again, "No reason," he lied, blushing.

Hilda placed her hand on top of N's, and his blush instantly became ten times stronger. Ignoring the Butterfree in his stomach, N entwined their fingers.

Hilda sighed. "I can't wait to crush you and Team Plasma" she said teasingly.

N's tension melted away, "We'll see who'll really get crushed"

They sat in silence for what felt like minutes. It must've been at least an hour though, since the sky was no longer orange, red, or pink, but it's normal blue color.

"He's close. I smell him" A distant voice said. N knew that voice and panicked.

"Hilda"

"Yeah?"

"You need to leave"

She took her head off his shoulder and looked at him confused, "Why?"

"Ghetsis," N said frantically, "his Hydreigon, I can hear it. They're close, you need to get out of here, fast"

N stood up, dragging Hilda up as well. He let of of her hand, and gathered her things quickly and sloppily.

"N what's-"

"-Hilda they're coming, get out of here, now" N ordered, shoving her bag and sleeping bag into her hands.

"I smell someone else..."

"Hilda, they're closer- please leave" N begged.

Hilda slowly backed away, before turning and running full speed into the nearest cave, opposite from the one she'd come out of last night.

As soon as Hilda was out of sight, Ghetsis, his Hydreigon, and a few grunts emerged from the cave N had come from the night before.

"Ah my son!" Ghetsis called.

"Hello Father" N said shakily.

"Where's your hat, boy?"

"My what?"

"Your hats..." Hydreigon said, N's hat in one of its mouths. It also seemed it had something in its other mouth...

"No..." N said as he realized Hydreigon had Hilda's hat as well. Hydreigon gave N his hat before hovering over to Ghetsis and giving him Hilda's. All of the grunts eyes widened, but Ghetsis' expression was blank.

"It seems you and the girl had an affair?"

"No...Father, please understand-"

"-Understand? N, I'm very proud of you!"

N's face contorted in confusion, "What?"

"The girl will be distracted," Ghetsis explained, "you'll be able to destroy her before she can even attempt to stop you! You will win!"

"But...Hilda and I didn't-"

"I want to hear no more," Ghetsis commanded, raising his hand. He gave Hilda's hat to one of the grunts, "Make sure this gets back to her" he told the grunt. The grunt nodded and dashed off.

"N" Ghetsis said, "If the next time you see her is before you must fight, you will not interact with her. You will ignore her"

"But why would I want to do that?" N asked.

"To crush her spirit-to make sure she won't fight at full power"

"Won't that hurt her?"

"That's the point"

"No! I won't do that!" N denied.

"N, you want to win don't you?" Hydreigon asked.

"Not like this" N hissed.

"You don't have a choice" Ghetsis responded calmly, "The shadow triad will make sure of it"

N fled. He didn't want to be near Ghetsis. He didn't want to crush Hilda like that. He wanted to beat her fair and square.

Not like this.