Chapter Text
It's a quiet day in Camphrier Town, not unlike the many others he'd spent passing through small towns in various regions throughout his journey. He'd already been to the crowded streets of Lumiose, packed with locals and tourists alike eager to sample the cafes or get a picture in front of Prism Tower.
That's not why Touya is here, though. He's here for the same reason as ever, looking for a certain green-haired man and his dragon, a pair that he hasn't seen for years now. Stopping at every park, restaurant, and Pokémon Center. Asking every random trainer passing by who looks like they might know something. Sometimes he gets a vague "I thought I saw someone like that around here," but usually he gets a shrug or a shake of the head and a "good luck."
When he reaches the outskirts of Camphrier, he makes his way toward the Riviere Walk. It's a scenic route that passes by a river - a popular sightseeing spot for the average tourist visiting Kalos. But Touya isn't here to see the sights. Instead, he takes a detour to Route 6, heading straight for a different landmark, one that he heard about from a local after describing the dragon he's been chasing.
Statues of Reshiram and Zekrom, he's been told, reside in the castle gardens of Parfum Palace.
Certainly a statue of Reshiram is something N would like to see if he'd been here. And if Touya's hunch is correct, there's a good chance someone here has seen him. Maybe even one of the staff, including the one that takes his fee to enter the palace-turned-museum. But, no, the staff has no knowledge of who he's talking about, or maybe they just don't remember. Too bad. Perhaps somebody else inside the grounds can help.
He just has to keep trying.
He'll keep trying, even though N's never there. Always just out of reach, it seems. Over and over again, he'll ask, he'll search, he'll fail, and he'll be alone.
Before he knows it, he's wandered through the halls of the palace and out the back door, where a large man-made pond is parted by a bridge that carries him to the courtyard. Even though he was prepared for what he'd find here, the sight still stops him in his tracks.
Reshiram.
Its form has been captured in an imposing stone sculpture. It's a spitting image of the white dragon that N summoned, the same one that lit up the throne room with its Fusion Flare on that fateful day. Touya still remembers how the heat from its flames made the skin on his face sting.
But now, the stone his palms touch is cold.
What he'd give to see its trainer, or maybe more accurately its friend, one more time. To hear his hurried speech about ferris wheels or dreams or truths. To see his eyes soften whenever he would talk to Pokémon, or sometimes even to Touya, at least at the very end.
"Where are you?"
The words escape his lips in a pained whisper, even though their intended recipient isn't around to hear them.
Touya hopes N is doing well. He hasn't gotten so much as a sign of life in years, at least not anything definitive. He can only hope nothing bad has happened to him. He can't help but worry that maybe someone who still thought he was a threat tried to hurt him, or if whatever remains of Team Plasma got to him, or if all the pain he went through was just too much for him to bear.
No, he has to hope that he's happy out there somewhere, meeting new people and new Pokémon, making friends, seeing the world for its beauty rather than its suffering. Maybe he really is happy out there without Touya. Is he looking for him, too? Does N even think about him anymore?
At some point, he realizes he's fallen to his knees.
It hurts.
He looks over his shoulder. Some distance away, Zekrom's stone figure lurks, poised at the opposite end of the courtyard as if fixed in battle with Reshiram. It's reminiscent of the last day he saw N. He can feel the presence of Zekrom hidden away in the Ultra Ball in his bag.
Zekrom. Reshiram. Two halves of a whole, separated.
Will they ever see each other again?
They have to. He can't let it end like this, not after everything they've been through. After N saw the truth, understood Touya's ideals…for a brief moment, there was a glimmer of hope that they could enjoy a peaceful life together. That was until N shattered it by saying farewell and leaving on the back of the dragon.
Touya turns around to face Reshiram again.
"N…"
His throat feels tight. He misses N so, so badly. He's been searching so long, so desperately, with one single goal in mind for years, and the closest he's come is this lifeless statue.
It hurts.
Maybe it's finally time for him to give up.
Touya wakes with a start. The room is dark and quiet aside from the hum of the air conditioner and what sounds like Zoroark's snoring in the distance. Instinctively, he reaches a hand out beside him, grasping empty bedsheets between his fingers.
Something warm wells up in his eyes and drips down his cheek.
Oh, he's crying. He retracts his fist from the sheets and wipes at his face. It's okay, he tells himself. N is here now. He's just down the hall in his room. N is here, they've been reunited, it's okay now. That long journey is behind him.
Then why does it still hurt?
He doesn't remember getting out of bed, barely registering the sensation of his bare feet touching cold laminate. The statue of the dragon is still etched into his mind's eye, the loneliness carved into his heart. He doesn't remember pushing open the door to N's room and standing at his bedside. He isn't even fully aware of the words that come out next.
"I don't want to be alone."
By the time he fully comes to, the lights are already on, and N is sitting upright in bed, hair frazzled and blue eyes wide with concern. Munna is floating nearby.
"Touya…? What happened?" he asks, a slight edge of panic in his tone. Understandable. To be woken up suddenly by Touya appearing at his bedside and muttering something nonsensical, cheeks still wet with the remnants of tears, must be startling.
Touya can't quite form an answer, though.
"Here," N fills the silence, holding his arms open, inviting Touya in. "Come."
Touya obeys eagerly, nearly collapsing into N as he climbs up onto the bed with him. Immediately, N pulls him close, enveloping him in a warm embrace. After spending a minute or two like this, they reposition so that they're both laying down with Touya's head pulled close to N's chest.
"Did you have a bad dream?" N asks as he runs a hand through Touya's hair.
"Mmh…yeah…" Touya mumbles, his voice muffled by the fabric of N's shirt.
N lets out a sympathetic sigh. "Poor baby…"
Baby? The term of endearment seems to just slip out. It's almost like something he might say to an ailing Pokémon, but fonder somehow. N has never called him anything besides his name before. A shiver of pleasure runs down his spine.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
Touya hesitates. "It was just…um…a dream about…before." He buries his head deeper into N's chest. "When you were gone."
"Oh…" That seems to have struck a nerve. "I'm sorry…"
"It still hurts sometimes." The words tumble out before Touya has a chance to reel them back in. "S-Sorry, I didn't mean…"
"Touya…" N's grip on him tightens. "I didn't…I never wanted to hurt you. That day…my world changed forever. It was intense. I needed some space." There's a heavy pause. "Still…I regret not coming back sooner."
"I should have found you sooner."
N shakes his head. "You did find me, and that's what matters. We're together now because of you. Thank you…for finding me."
Touya almost laughs. "Isn't that what you said the first time we shared a room?"
"Ah…I suppose I did." A warm smile works its way onto N's features. "Well, this time, I mean it even more."
Touya's heart feels a little lighter now. For a while, they just hold each other, until N finally breaks the silence.
"You know…I've been relying on Munna to help me with my nightmares all this time," he says, playing with Touya's hair again. "But I never thought about how you might need its help, too." He pulls back a little to look Touya in the eyes, his expression shy. "Why don't we share a bed from now on…? That way, Munna can help both of us."
"Mmhm," Touya hums, feeling his heart begin to race. "That sounds nice." He's only half talking about Munna.
N shifts, and Touya's head finds its way to N's chest again.
"You're not alone anymore," N nearly whispers, and the vibrations of his voice tickle Touya's cheek, grounding him in the present. "I'll always be right here."
"N…" Touya digs his fingers into the flesh of N's back. "Never leave me again."
"I won't," N says, placing a kiss on Touya's forehead. "Never again. I promise."
When Touya wakes up again, to his dismay, he's no longer in N's arms.
He pushes himself upright to see N sitting at the foot of the bed, facing away and hunched over. Something feels off.
"N…?" Touya tries, voice raspy with sleep. "What's up?"
There's a pause before N turns to face Touya. His brows are drawn in, and he's cradling Munna in his arms. The Pokémon lets out a tired cry.
"It's too much…"
"Munna?" Worry twists in his gut. "I-Is it okay?"
N lets out a troubled sigh. "Trying to eat both of our nightmares must have been too much for Munna…it's completely worn out." He frowns, stroking Munna's fur.
Touya perks up. "Oh, it probably ran out of power for its Dream Eater move. I think I have some ethers somewhere-"
"That's not the point," N cuts him off. "It's not fair. We're sacrificing Munna's rest for our own. Pushing it to the brink of exhaustion…"
Touya hesitates. "I…I'm sorry."
"No," N hurries, "This isn't your fault…I didn't mean it like that. It was my idea. Munna is my partner now, and I should understand its limits." His gaze falls on his Pokémon. "I'm sorry, Munna…"
Munna warbles a response unintelligible to Touya, and N pulls his lips into a tight line in response.
N begins to tend to Munna, and with nothing else he can do, Touya steps away to get ready for the day. As he gets dressed, he mulls the situation over in his mind. Munna has helped N so much. What can they do now to help Munna?
His thoughts wander to Bianca, who also befriended a Munna during her Pokémon journey with Touya and Cheren. It's no longer a Munna anymore, though. It's a Musharna.
Musharna…
If N's Munna could evolve into Musharna, maybe it could become stronger and be able to handle the nightmares of two people. It has been struggling in battle lately, too, so evolving could help in more ways than one. Touya racks his mind as he brushes his teeth. Munna uses a stone to evolve, right? Which one was it again…a moon stone?
When he's done in the bathroom, he opens up his Xtransciever and sends a message to Bianca.
Touya: you evolved your musharna with a moon stone, right?
Bianca: yep! that's right!
Touya: woah, that was a fast reply. the professor doesn't have you too busy for once?
Bianca: suuuper busy! you just caught me on my coffee break. only my second cup of the day. i'm trying to cut back on the caffeine
Only her second? Touya checks the time.
Touya: but it's only 9:30…
Bianca: yeah, and i've been up since 6, so that's pretty good if you ask me!
Touya sighs. It's obvious that Bianca lives a very different lifestyle than he does.
Bianca: anyway, what has you asking about musharna all the sudden?
Touya: N caught a munna a while ago and i was thinking about helping him evolve it, but i have no idea where to find a moon stone
Bianca: i got mine as a gift, so i'm not sure…
Bianca: oh! i can dig through my research notes. just gimme a minute
While he waits, Touya makes himself his own cup of coffee and takes a seat on the couch. Soon enough, his Xtransciever beeps with another message.
Bianca: according to my records, you can find moon stones in twist mountain! but they're pretty rare here in unova. didja know that most moon stones come from mt moon in kanto?
Touya: i don't think i'm going back to kanto any time soon, so twist mountain it is. thank you! you're the best
Bianca: yay! happy i could help :)
Bianca: btw, we should all get together soon. it's been too long since we hung out just for fun. N is invited, of course <3
Touya smiles.
Touya: we should! i think he could use some more human friends tbh
"Did something good happen…?"
Touya yelps, jumping a little in his seat before turning to face N. "N-Nothing in particular, no…" He takes a breath to calm his nerves. "I was just talking to Bianca. But, um…how's Munna doing?"
"Feeling better after having some food and medicine, I think," N says, looking a bit more at ease than before. "It's resting now."
"That's good. I feel bad for putting extra stress on it…"
"Not your fault," N reassures Touya, placing a hand on his shoulder and rubbing it gently. "I'm sorry I snapped earlier…I was just worried about Munna. But it seems like it's going to be just fine."
Touya places his hand over N's. "Yeah, I-I know. You care about your Pokémon a lot. That's what makes you such a good trainer."
For a moment, he considers inviting N to come with him to Twist Mountain, but he hesitates. Maybe something like a moon stone would make a good gift? A surprise to cheer him up…he imagines the smile on N's face when presented with a gift, and…yeah, that's nice.
So, he decides to take this opportunity to give himself an alibi.
"A-Anyway, seems like Bianca has some free time right now, so we're gonna go grab lunch," he fibs. "Or I guess brunch? Either way, it's been a while since the two of us met up outside of a strategy meeting. She's always so busy with work."
N smiles softly. "Ah, I see…that's nice. I think I'll stick around to keep an eye on Munna. You two have fun."
"R-Right. Right! That sounds perfect." He winces at how suspicious he sounds, but N doesn't seem to notice. Either that, or he lets it slide.
Touya takes another deep breath as he rises to his feet. "I'm gonna head out, then."
"All right. I'll see you later," N says, following Touya to the front door. Before he can leave, he reaches out to grab hold of Touya's upper arm, making him stop. Then, slowly, N leans in, pressing a gentle kiss on his cheek.
"Stay safe."
Touya feels his face flush. "Ah, um, I-I will."
If Bianca's right and there really are moon stones in Twist Mountain, it's sure not proving to be easy to find them. By the time Touya arrives at the deepest part of the disjointed cave system, an hour has already passed, and he's still yet to find any sign of one. All he's encountered are a number of trainers eager to battle, which has been fun, but it's made progress on his search slow and tired out his Pokémon in the process.
As he's searching in corners and behind rocks at yet another dead end, a sound catches his attention. Distant, hushed voices. The low groan of something unfamiliar.
It's getting colder in here.
"Interesting…yes, my experiment…successful…"
Carefully and as quietly as he can, he rises to his feet and tiptoes closer to the sound. As he peeks around the corner, the first thing he sees is the silhouette of a man in the distance wearing a long cape with a tuft of hair that sticks straight up. His heart stops.
Ghetsis?
"With this device, I should be able to regulate both the frequency and intensity of attacks…"
No, that doesn't sound like Ghetsis. Then, who is he?
Touya creeps around the corner just an inch more to get a better look at the strange man. What he first thought was a cape appears to be a long lab coat, and his hair is short and blond with a longer streak of blue.
And he's not alone. Surrounding him are a handful of others, all dressed in those new ninja-like Plasma uniforms.
Then, there's another low, groaning cry, loud enough to raise the hair on his arms. One more time, Touya inches closer.
Oh no. No, no, no. That's-
"As you see…"
The strange man - a scientist, maybe? - holds up some kind of small device and presses a button. As he does, the hulking Pokémon in front of him reacts.
Kyurem cries out, sounding almost pained, and launches a beam of ice at the stone wall. A chunk of rock tumbles away in its wake. Some oohs and aahs from the Plasma grunts echo out in response.
Touya holds his breath.
"Remarkable, isn't it? The implications are extraordinary," the scientist muses to his small crowd. "I've demonstrated that the process of building trust between trainer and Pokémon can be bypassed entirely, which means one can skip right to accessing their full, unbridled power!"
With a quiet exhale, Touya begins to reach for the Poké Balls in his bag, but then he pauses. Charging in to face a group like this alone, especially with an already battle-worn team, wouldn't be wise. He has no idea how strong this strange man is, anyway, and that's not even taking Kyurem into consideration.
Kyurem. Touya shivers, and not just from the cold. While evidence suggested Plasma got hold of the legendary Pokémon, he's witnessing the first confirmation that their assumption was correct. A part of him hoped that maybe they would fail to control it and it would escape, but no. Here it is, apparently being manipulated by some kind of device that can harness its power to do Plasma's bidding.
And right now, alone as he is, he doesn't stand a chance to fight it.
Maybe he can call—no, he can't do that now, not here. That would make too much noise, draw unwanted attention. He should retreat, then he can call for help. Can he even get service in here, anyway?
"These results should satisfy Ghetsis…perhaps he'll even secure me additional funding for the next stage of my research. Now that N is no longer an obstacle, progress should proceed much more smoothly."
Upon hearing that name, Touya's blood runs cold. Does this mean Ghetsis is leading the Plasma revivalists after all? And what did he mean by N no longer being an obstacle? He needs to decide his next move, but he's frozen to the spot, partially out of fear but also out of a somewhat morbid curiosity to eavesdrop more after hearing that last comment.
“For the final trial, I’ll increase the output one more level." He turns to the grunts. "Are you taking the readings? Good. Now then, let us observe what happens next…”
Once again, the scientist turns a dial and then presses a button on his device. Kyurem cries out, louder, more desperate, before erupting with a blast of ice. The temperature in the cave instantly drops 20 degrees.
Kyurem's Ice Beam crashes against stone, and this time, a cascade of rubble begins to fall not just from where it hit the wall, but from above, too.
Judging by the panicked voices he can just barely hear over the crashing stones and Kyurem's cry, Touya assumes this wasn't intentional, and they've now entered uncharted territory. His pulse quickens. He begins to scramble back toward the entrance of the cave, but shards are raining down all around him. Small pieces fall like hail. Large boulders crash just a few feet away. If he doesn't want to get crushed, he has to get to safety, and fast.
Ahead, he can see light from outside pouring in through the cave entrance, his saving grace. But it's so far away, and stones continue to fall, and he can't make it fast enough. He fumbles for his bag, trying to call on a Pokémon for help, when—
Tumbling down from the wall comes another round of stone, this time headed straight for him. Running on pure instinct and adrenaline, Touya stumbles backward until he hits a wall.
With nowhere to move, he clenches his eyes shut.
For a minute, there's crashing, rumbling, hissing of stone against stone, until finally, all goes quiet.
When he opens his eyes again, he's surrounded by darkness.
He reaches his hands out and both touch rock. It's all around him. He's trapped. In his panic, he must have backed himself into a crevice in the wall, and now boulders are blocking his only way out. He tries to give them a push, but they don't budge, not even a millimeter. There must be several layers of them, too much for even a Strength attack to take care of.
With a huff, he tries to keep calm and evaluate his options.
The only Pokémon who may be able to handle this with pure strength alone is Zekrom, but the space he's trapped in is too small. If he lets the dragon-type out here, he'll just get crushed. Samurott would drown him in here with its water-type moves. Chandelure's fire is sure to burn through his limited oxygen supply. His best bet, then, is probably Mienshao. It's smaller, and it can chip away at the rocks with its fighting-type moves until there's a large enough opening for it to squeeze out and call for help.
But first, maybe he can call for help directly. He holds out his wrist, blinking his Xtransciever to life at the tap of his finger. More out of habit than anything else, he navigates to N's number first and tries to make a call, but just as he suspected, there's no service this deep in the cave.
So, he summons Mienshao. The Pokémon emerges with a flurry of confused squeaks upon seeing the predicament its trainer has gotten into, and Touya gives it a reassuring pat on the head.
"Sorry, buddy," he says in an even tone that belies his nerves. "We're gonna be okay. I just need your help…"
Touya forms a fist and taps on the boulder in front of them. "Could you try hitting this with your Drain Punch a bunch of times?"
Mienshao carefully watches Touya's movements for a moment, then seems to understand the task and begins punching away.
Touya sighs and leans back against the wall behind him, trying to focus on the sound of Mienshao's claws slashing at the rock instead of the pounding of his heart as his anxiety lingers.
Eventually, Mienshao has chipped away enough for a tiny speckle of light to peek through the rubble, illuminating a strip inside the enclosed space. Touya's eyes follow the ray, tracing it to the ground where something is shimmering just beside his feet.
Is that…?
Mienshao has been diligently working at the obstacle for a while now. Meanwhile, Touya fiddles with the moon stone in his hand, running his fingers along its jagged edges as his mind wanders.
Now that it's confirmed that Plasma has Kyurem, and they can control its power, they'll need to devise a solid strategy to oppose them. Things could get really dangerous really quickly. He wonders if anyone's been hurt today in Twist Mountain, or anywhere else for that matter. It's been silent in the cave since the dust settled from that last attack, no voices to be heard. What if Plasma fled and is stirring up chaos somewhere else right now?
He wonders if the blonde scientist is another dark figure from N's past. He wonders how N's going to take the news about Kyurem, or about Ghetsis being behind all of this.
His stomach churns.
If the news about what went down has gotten to N already, he must be worried sick. He can only hope he hasn't done anything reckless.
He needs to get back to him, he—
"Touya?" a familiar voice calls out, sounding a bit frantic. "Touya, are you here? Touya!" A frustrated huff. "Do you hear anything, Swoobat?"
Touya perks up. What's N doing here? He wants to cry out, but he holds his breath. On the off chance that Plasma is still lingering around nearby, he wouldn't want to give away his whereabouts. Just hearing N running around and yelling his name like that is making him uneasy.
"I know, I just…we've checked everywhere else, and if he's not here, that means…something must have happened to him. He wouldn't ignore my calls on purpose…"
N's talking a mile a minute, not in the way he excitedly talks about formulas or Pokémon biology but in a way that's frantic and out of breath. It's unnatural. Thinking quickly, he looks over to Mienshao, who's paused its task upon hearing N's voice, on high alert. If he could get it to speak to N in a language only he can understand…
"Hey, Mienshao," he gets the attention of his Pokémon. "You hear N too, right? Do you think you could call out to him? Let him know we're here?"
Mienshao looks back to its trainer and tilts its head with a squeak. Touya pouts. He can't speak to Pokémon, not like N can, but he has to try. He shifts closer to the small opening that Mienshao has dug out and puts his hands by his mouth, miming a yelling motion.
"Like this," he says, hoping his Pokémon will understand. Thankfully, it chirps in affirmation, and with a nod, sticks its little snout through the crack. It makes a series of noises Touya can't quite parse, but it must mean something.
There's a quiet pause. "…Mienshao, is that you?" N's voice is softer this time, and the sound of his footsteps are getting closer. Mienshao squeaks out a response, explaining the situation, presumably. "And you're both unharmed?" A loud, relieved sigh. "Oh, thank Arceus…"
It's only a few moments before N makes it to Touya's captive spot.
"Touya! Can you hear me? Stand back, as far as you can. And…it's probably best if you return Mienshao to its Poké Ball. I don't want either of you getting hurt."
N's tone is authoritative, measured, though a slight tremble betrays his facade. Touya obeys, recalling Mienshao and scooting back as far as he can until his back hits the wall, sitting with his knees pulled against his chest. "Yeah, o-okay, we're good now."
N speaks again, though it's not directed at Touya this time. It sounds like he's instructing somebody. He doesn't have much time to wonder, though, as the large boulders trapping him in start to move. There's two - no, four Gurdurr standing nearby when he's been fully freed, looking satisfied with a job well done.
His attention quickly refocuses to N.
"Touya!" Panicked, N rushes forward. "Are you okay? Why…why were you even here alone?"
"Hey," Touya puts a finger to his lips, shushing him. "I'm okay, and I can explain, but keep your voice down, there was…" His voice drops to a whisper. "Plasma was here, and I'm not sure if they're still…"
"I know," N says quickly, "I got the news from Bianca. Her colleague was doing research nearby and saw what happened…when she said you might be here, I tried to call you, but you didn't answer," his voice wavers. "By the time I arrived, Plasma was already gone."
Touya opens his mouth to respond, but the words keep pouring out of N's mouth before he can think of what to say.
"I ran into Gurdurr," he motions to the Pokémon behind him. "An old friend…and its friends. I asked them to help me search…" He's shaking now. "They were moving rocks and digging through rubble in case…i-in case you…" He trails off with a whimper.
Then, he's falling to his knees and pulling Touya into a hug. It's so tight it's almost suffocating.
"When I heard you were here…when I called and couldn't reach you, and…and I…" N's voice breaks as he digs his fingers into the cloth of Touya's jacket. "I couldn't find you…I thought…I-I thought I was too late…"
"Oh, N…it's okay," Touya soothes, wrapping his arms around N. "It's okay, I'm okay, I'm sorry…sorry I worried you…"
It's a minute before N's vice grip finally eases up, the tension in his body lessening with a shaky exhale as he pulls back to meet Touya's gaze.
"I wish you would stop getting yourself into danger like this," N sniffles, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "But…you've always been like this, I suppose. Even back when we first met…" He sighs. "Perhaps it's just in your nature. Still…what were you doing here? I thought you were getting lunch with Bianca?"
"I-I didn't mean to…" Touya starts, swallowing down the guilt. "I had no idea Plasma would be here, I swear. I just came here to look for something." With one hand, he feels for the moon stone, secure in his bag. Maybe now's not the time, though. "Um, I'll show you later. It was supposed to be a surprise…"
N exhales slowly. "Okay…I believe you." He slumps over, resting his head on Touya's shoulder. "Just, please…try not to scare me like that again."
Touya's rubbing comforting circles on N's back when he hears tiny footsteps tap up beside him.
"Darumaka?"
The small Pokémon leans in to Touya, wrapping its little arms around his leg.
"Darumaka wanted to help, too." N's expression softens. "I think it's taken a liking to you. I still can't hear its voice, but…that's the impression I get. Maybe my l—um, my feelings have rubbed off on it."
With a smile, Touya reaches down to give Darumaka a pat. "Thanks, Darumaka. A-And Gurdurr, too."
"Ah, but we should head back," N says, finally letting go of Touya and straightening up. "Your friends are anxious to know if you're safe."
N rises to his feet, holding a hand out to help Touya up, too. "Come on, let's get going."
Later that evening, after discussing the incident with the others and making plans for a more thorough strategy meeting, the duo returns to their apartment physically and emotionally drained. First, N hurries to the bedroom to check on Munna. Meanwhile, Touya drops his bag on the table, and out of it tumbles the moon stone. In all the chaos, he almost forgot the reason he went to Twist Mountain in the first place.
Moon stone in hand, he walks over to the bedroom and peeks in.
"How's Munna doing?"
"Back to its usual self now, it seems," N replies with a tired smile, patting the bed beside him.
"Good," Touya says as he sits next to N. He holds the stone out in front of him, and N tilts his head.
"What's this…?"
"A moon stone," Touya explains. "Bianca told me I could find them in Twist Mountain. They can be used to evolve Munna into Musharna."
N blinks.
"Ah, I was just thinking, i-if we can get Munna to evolve, it'll be able to help us even more," he scrambles for an explanation. "Both with the nightmares and also in battle. Especially now that we know what we're up against, we'll want our team to be as strong as possible, right? So, um…I got this. For you. But, like, kinda for both of us."
N doesn't respond at first. This gives Touya pause.
"…Touya," N says slowly. "When you say that…do you mean…so Munna can be of more use to us?"
His tone is off. Touya feels uneasy. "Um, w-well, I wouldn't put it like that, I guess, I was just thinking…"
"Aren't we just using Munna for our own benefit? As a means to our own ends?"
Touya falters. "Wh-What…? This is just…trainers evolve their Pokémon all the time, what are you talking about?"
"Forcing Pokémon to get stronger so we can use them to solve the problems of humans…if that's what we're doing, how are we any better than Team Plasma? What about what Munna wants?"
"N, wait, h-hold on," Touya tries to reign him in. "If you're worried about what Munna wants, why don't you ask it yourself…?"
N hesitates. Then, he turns to Munna.
"Munna…" he starts after a moment. "If you want to stay as you are, I would love you the same. I wouldn't be upset."
Munna lets out a curious-sounding warble. Subtly, Touya slides the moon stone into N's hand.
"But if you want to change…if you're ready…I'll support that decision, too. It's up to you."
Munna listens closely to its trainer's words, staring down at the stone in contemplation.
"So, Munna…what do you want?"
Its eyes sharpen, and it moves closer to N's hand.
N holds out the stone. "Only if you're sure."
Munna nods, then presses its head against the stone. As it does, it begins to glow with blue energy. N watches on in wonder as its body transforms, growing larger, the flower pattern on its fur widening to overtake its body. When the glow settles, a stream of pink mist begins to emanate from Musharna's forehead.
"Dream Mist," Touya says, his eyes wide. "I met someone who was studying it once…"
"Musharna…" N wraps his arms around his friend's now larger stature. "You're incredible. I'll do my best to learn about this new form of yours so we can grow together."
Touya smiles fondly at the trainer and his Pokémon. "Congrats, you two. Aren't you glad you asked?"
"Touya…" N looks down. "I…I'm sorry for my outburst. It's been a…stressful day, to say the least."
Touya places a hand on N's thigh. "I know…it's okay."
N bites his lip. "There's just…a lot on my mind right now."
Touya holds his breath. He can tell the events of the day have shifted something within N, shattering the delicate peace that they've been living in for a little while. Things are only going to get more difficult from here, though, and that's what has a pit of dread forming in Touya's stomach.
He knows that N has a very dark past, and he has a feeling he doesn't quite grasp the extent of it. He hopes someday N feels safe enough to talk to him about it so he doesn't have to carry that burden alone.
Hopefully he can do so before it becomes too much for him to handle.