Hiding -- Chapter 8

"Okay, why is she staring at me like that?" Black asked with a huff.

He, N, and Kaitlyn were sitting at a booth table in a restaurant not too far from the port. They were going to grab some breakfast before heading off to Kaitlyn's hometown, since Black's stomach wouldn't stop growling at them. Thankfully for N it was still early in the day, so there weren't too many people in the restaurant. They were all staring at their menus, debating what to order. However, all Black could focus on was the irate glare Kaitlyn's Typhlosion was giving him.

"Oh, she's probably still pissed off that ya canceled on trainin' a while back," Kaitlyn answered without even taking her eyes off of the menu. "I told ya she was gettin' antsy about it. As far as I know she's probably plottin' how to get back at ya."

"I'm sorry, I had a lot going on at the time!" Black retorted. The fire-type's glare didn't falter though.

"Oh, ya mean your mental break down phase? Yeah, the trainin' was supposed to help ya out with that, 'member?"

Black rested his face in his hand. He really didn't want to talk about that in front of N. He looked over at said man and noticed a concerned look on his face. He waved his hand and followed with a "Don't worry about it," hoping that the man would forget about it. N cocked an eyebrow at him before returning to skimming over the menu.

"So have ya guys decided what you're gettin' yet?"

"Not a clue yet," Black replied.

"How 'bout you, N?"

"…I'm not quite sure yet… Is there anything you would recommend?"

"Well, it has been a while since I've eaten here… But I remember really likin' the pancakes with maple sausage. The pancakes were always fluffy and moist, while the sausage was the perfect combination of sweet and savory… Or maybe you could try the breakfast ham and egg casserole! I don't know how they do it but I personally can't get enough of—"

"Well, um, as good as that sounds…" N interrupted, causing Kaitlyn to tilt her head in confusion. "…I'm a vegetarian. Sorry."

"Oh. No, no, it's my bad for assumin' and all," she replied as she slowly began to reach across the table towards Back. "Just one sec…" She got a grip on Black's jacket and pulled him in closer to the table and used her menu to put up a sort of barrier between them and N. "Dude, why didn't ya tell me he was a vegetarian?"

"Sorry, I didn't—" Black tried to whisper back.

"Now I feel like an asshole recommendin' dishes with meat in 'em. Ya should've stopped me after the first one…"

"Um, it's fine really," N spoke up. "Black didn't know either."

"Oh… I was whisperin' loudly again wasn't I?" Black nodded. "Sorry Black, I just assumed since he's your friend and all," Kaitlyn apologized as she released the boy. "I guess I'm not really makin' the best first impression right now. B-but since you're a vegetarian maybe you could try the spinach omelet? I've heard a lot of good things about it. U-unless you're the kind of vegetarian who doesn't do dairy or eggs and stuff, then I'm really not sure."

"No, I just don't eat meat products. And that sounds just fine, thank you."

"No problem," Kaitlyn replied, after which she let out a sigh of relief. She really hoped that she wasn't making too bad an impression on Black's friend. "S-so, Black, have ya decided what you're gonna order yet?"

"Well that one pancake dish you mentioned sounds pretty good…"

Hanabi snickered and growled something under her breath. Kaitlyn just reached over and pat her on the head, but N…chuckled? Three sets of curious eyes fell on him.

"Oh, it's nothing," N said as he raised a hand defensively. "I just found Hanabi's reaction rather amusing."

"Oh, okay then," Black replied, returning to just blankly staring at his menu. He was silent for a moment before responding again. "Wait a sec, did she say something about me?"

"More like your selection, but yes."

"So what exactly did she say?"

"Well she—"

"I'm sorry, I'm a bit lost…" Kaitlyn interrupted as she and Hanabi tilted their heads. "You're makin' it sound like he can actually tell what Hanabi's sayin'."

"Oh yeah, I guess I forgot to mention that…" Black rubbed the back of his head with an apologetic look. "See, N actually can hear what they say. I don't know how I forgot to mention that…" Kaitlyn and Hanabi just blinked in confusion and shock.

"You're… You're serious?" Their gazes shifted over to N, who gave a nod. "…Oh, Arceus, I have to test this out. Hanabi! Say somethin' incredibly ridiculous!" Hanabi gave a frantic sort of roar sound, and they looked back to N expectantly. "Okay, what'd she say just now?"

"She said 'something incredibly ridiculous,' though I suppose you didn't mean for her to literally repeat that…" Hanabi immediately had a shocked expression on her face, and Kaitlyn took notice.

"…Well holy shit… N, geez dude, that's quite a gift ya have there. What I wouldn't give to hear what my Pokémon say… You're freakin' lucky, man." Kaitlyn was cut off by the waitress coming and taking their orders, but quickly returned to it as soon as she left. "So what's it like understandin' Pokémon like that? How long have ya been able to do that?"

"Well, I've been able to hear their voices for as long as I can remember, so I suppose it just comes as casually to me as it would for one human talking to another… To be honest, I was surprised when I found out other humans couldn't understand Pokémon in the way I could…"

"Yeah, unfortunately we just have to stick with guessin' what they're feelin' or sayin' through tone and body language. Even then we aren't that accurate. So I'm really jealous of ya, N. Geez…"

The waitress returned with their drinks and informed them that their food should arrive before long. An awkward silence seemed to fall on them as Kaitlyn began to drum her fingers on the table. N was preoccupied with looking out the window next to him while Black just looked back and forth between the two. Obviously, neither of them was about to speak up, causing a sigh to pass his lips. Looking back at N, he noticed his eyes were fixed on…something. He couldn't tell what.

"…So what are you looking at, N?" N finally asked, the man jumping slightly from the sudden break of silence.

"Oh, just the lighthouse… I thought I saw its light earlier when we were on the boat, and it seemed…different somehow…"

"Oh Shining Lighthouse? Yeah, that doesn't use a normal light source," Kaitlyn spoke up. "It's actually lit by an Ampharos named Amphy. He's been there since I was a little girl… Jasmine, the gym leader of this city, takes care of Amphy all of the time. Ya normally have to go up there and let her know ya want to battle since she hardly spends time at her gym because of that. If we weren't so pressed for time right now I'd show ya guys, but I guess we'll just take care of that when we pass through here again."

"Say what?" Black asked as he and N turned to face her.

"Oh come on, ya didn't honestly think that you were gonna stay in Johto without seein' everythin' this region has to offer, did ya? Geez it'd be one lousy vacation to another region without seein' the sites and whatnot. But first things first, we need to get ya guys all settled in as soon as we get to my hometown. So as soon as we're done here, off we go." Hanabi gave an enthusiastic nod, and the waitress came over with their orders.

"So, is there any place in particular that stands out for tourists?" Black asked as he poured a generous amount of syrup on is pancakes.

"Well, each town has something to offer," Kaitlyn began as she started adding packet after packet of sugar into her coffee. "Ya got Slowpoke Well in Azalea, Dragon's Den in Blackthorn, oh and the Ruins of Alph by Violet… There really is just quite a bit to see out here, I guess we'll just have to tackle 'em as we go along. My hometown is New Bark, which is a good startin' point anyway, so we'll just start from there. The only thing we have that could be considered an attraction there, though, is Professor Elm's lab, and I can't really guarantee any visits there. The professor's pretty busy and all, so…yeah…"

"Well, we may be here for a while," Black pointed out, "so we may get a chance to meet him at some point… Though…I forgot, what does Professor Elm research again?" Kaitlyn opened her mouth to speak, but N cut her off.

"I believe his research is focused on Pokémon breeding, such as what breeds are compatible and how long it takes for certain eggs to hatch and what kinds of abilities a newborn bred under certain conditions may have. That is correct, yes?" As king of Team Plasma, N found it necessary to do some research on high authorities in the Pokémon world. The professors were the first he looked into. But he felt that wasn't necessary to share, so he looked to Kaitlyn for a response. She blinked a few times at his incredibly accurate answer before nodding.

"Y-yeah, that's right… I guess you've done your homework, huh…? …Y'know, one of my friends actually helps out the professor with his research every now and then. If ya guys do end up stayin' a while, ya might get the chance to meet him. Again, no guarantees, but it's possible… Anyways, enough jibber-jabber. The sooner we finish eatin', the sooner we head out."

And with that, they began eating their breakfast in silence. Of course, though there were no words being spoken, their minds were all running a mile a minute. Kaitlyn was focused on her excitement about being home and getting to see her friends and family for the first time in two years and if they were all doing well. But she was also nervous about what kind of impression her friends would make on Black and N, and if the two would be satisfied with their temporary living arrangements.

As for N, he was concerned that his paranoia was getting the better of him. What if Ghetsis found them? What if he got a hold of N? What would he do to Black? How far would he go to get his revenge? But he tried his best to get those thoughts out of his head for once. He was in a region where (hopefully) no one knew who he was or what he had done. Ghetsis should have absolutely no idea where they were. N had his Pokémon friends with him for comfort and protection. And he had Black by his side. He would be just fine. If he really wanted to be concerned about anything, it would be how long they'd be in Johto, or if the citizens were nice, or what Kaitlyn's friends were like, since they were bound to meet them…or if Black was still suspicious about that mark on his neck. He hoped to Arceus the boy had forgotten about it. Trying to put his racing mind to rest, he focused on nothing but the food before him.

For Black, his mind was still focused on the excitement of being in a new region for the first time. And it sounded like there was so much to see, he couldn't wait to get started. Though, he didn't exactly know how to feel about possibly meeting Professor Elm. Yes, it'd be interesting to see him and learn from him, but how did N feel about it? From what he recalled, the man wasn't that big a fan of Professor Juniper. What if that was the case for all of the Pokémon professors? If N didn't like the idea of it, it'd be hard for Black to enjoy it himself. …Wait, there he went again, having N's opinions effecting his own. It was as if he couldn't take two steps without thinking about how N might react to anything. Why did he keep doing that? Out of courtesy maybe…? Yes, courtesy, that had to be it. Black's eyes drifted over to N again as he looked him over, wondering how he felt about everything right now. His eyes reached the man's neck and froze there. He recalled seeing something there before, and he still wondered what it was…if there really was anything at all. Of course, he had a feeling N would get defensive if he asked about it now. Black decided to drop it for now, figuring he'd find out later, and returned to eating. But as his copper eyes went back to his food, he noticed Hanabi stealing the sausages from his plate.

"Hey, Hanabi, what are you--!?"

Hanabi snickered and ran back to her trainer, prize in hand—er, mouth. Kaitlyn and N snapped out of their dazes and looked at the scene. The girl burst out laughing while N chuckled a little.

"Geez, Black, you were right there! How the hell did ya let her get away with that? At least she left one for ya!" Kaitlyn continued to laugh as she pat a very pleased Hanabi on the head. Black sighed and rested his head in his hand. He was so focused on N that he didn't even pay attention to what was in front of him. But now that he thought about it…

"…Hey, N? When you said Hanabi said something about my choice for breakfast…was it that she was going to do that?"

"…Oh, yes it was actually. I suppose I forgot to say so since the topic of conversation shifted mid-sentence earlier."

Figured… Black shot Hanabi a look before returning to eating, and she snickered back at him. The rest of breakfast went by without any other problems, and the event earlier did help clear any negative thoughts from their minds. As soon as everyone was finished, Kaitlyn took care of paying for breakfast before leading them out into an open area by the docks. She turned on her heel, her highly sugared coffee obviously running through her system now, and faced the boys with a smile.

"So, I'm assumin' ya both have a flyin'-type with ya?" she asked in a happy tone. "If so, better send 'em out now. The sooner we get to New Bark Town, the better."

"Well you know I always have Braviary with me," Black replied as he grabbed the Pokeball that contained said Pokémon. The red and white sphere opened, and the familiar bird came out from the bright light and stood proudly next to his trainer.

"Nice to see ya, Braviary!" Kaitlyn greeted, while Hanabi gave an enthusiastic roar. The two then faced N with an expectant gaze. "So, how 'bout you, N? Do ya have a flyin'-type with ya?"

N nodded before reaching into his bag and pulling out a ball and releasing the creature within it. As soon as the light faded, a large and colorful prehistoric aviary Pokémon stood before them. He let out an excited screech and ruffled his blue and yellow feathers. Immediately afterward, he happily cawed at N and nuzzled his green and red head against him. Kaitlyn's eyes widened in awe as she stared at the Pokémon before her.

"Oh wow, ya have an Archeops? That's so cool, N!" The envious girl walked closer to him and tilted her head as she looked him over. "This is the closest I've ever been to a live Archeops…" Her hand began to instinctively reach out slowly before she paused and looked to N. "May I…?" N gave an approving nod, and she calmly extended her hand, only to have Archeops press his head against it for her. She smiled and ran her hand along his scaly head, drawing out a sort of purr-like sound from him. "…So cool…" she whispered excitedly, before Black cleared his throat, causing everyone to turn towards him.

"Okay, miss fossil maniac. Are you gonna just gawk at Archeops all day, or are we gonna get going?" he asked with a playful tone.

"Oh, yes, right. Sorry, got carried away," she apologized with a smile before reaching for a Pokeball of her own. "Awright, c'mon out Tsubasa!" she shouted as she released the bird inside. After the flash of light, a large brown and tan bird with long red and yellow feathers on her head was seen before them. "Hey, big girl," Kaitlyn greeted her Pidgeot and stroked her feathers before mounting onto her back, followed by more feather petting. "Well then, since everyone has their flyin'-types ready, shall we get a move on?" Black and N both nodded and got onto their Pokémon. Kaitlyn returned Hanabi to the safety of her Pokeball and looked back to the guys. "Alright then, Tsubasa and I will lead the way. As soon as we're all up in the air, I'll have Tsubasa use Tailwind to give us a boost. If I remember correctly, at that rate we should hit New Bark Town in less than two hours. If anyone gets tired, lemme know and we'll take a break. All good?"

"Yep, we're ready to go," Black replied with a thumb up. N gave a nod to signal that he was ready.

"Awright then, stay close and enjoy the view!"

And with that, Tsubasa started to flap her wings and take to the skies, Braviary and Archeops immediately following. Once at a high enough altitude, Tsubasa proceeded to use Tailwind, causing a strong gust of wind and giving the trio a decent boost. Soon they'd be in New Bark Town, and they could relax from the travel there. In the end, watching the scenery below rush by as they made their way, as well as a few breaks here and there, caused time to go by rather quickly. Before the trio knew it, they could see a small town with a few houses as well as one large building, which was the Professor's lab. Though they couldn't hear what she was saying, her excited expression and the way she pointed towards the town was all Black and N needed to see to know that they had finally arrived. They slowly began their descent down to an open area, relieved to finally be at their destination. As soon as their Pokémon all had ground beneath their feet, the three of them got down and put some earth beneath their shoes as well. After giving a big stretch, Kaitlyn brought Hanabi back out, who was obviously excited to be back home because of the frantic circles she was running in.

"Well guys, here we are. The quaint little town of New Bark," Kaitlyn excitedly stated with her arms stretched out.

"So, how's it feel to finally be back home?" Black asked as he stretched as well.

"It feels great," Kaitlyn replied after taking a large inhale of the air around her. "Well, I suppose we should get you two settled in, huh? You guys had a long trip here, so I'm sure you'd like to just lie down and rela—"

Kaitlyn was abruptly cut off when a tall figure rushed over and practically knocked her over. Black and N looked over, both startled and concerned as they saw her struggling to get out of her captor's grasp. Looking closely at the man, he appeared to be in his early twenties, and he had onyx black hair and golden eyes. And for some reason he had a pair of goggles dangling from his neck. Black and N couldn't tell if he was a threat or not, but when Kaitlyn suddenly started laughing as she tried to get out of his grip, they figured he must be a friend of hers.

"H-h-hey, duuuude!" she tried to scream out between laughs. "G-Gold! L-let go of me, dammit!!"

"Aaw, but Katie, I missed yaaaa," the man, Gold, whined out. "You were supposed to be here last niiiiiight! What the hell happened?"

"M-my friend was a little late arrivin' that's all! I'm here now though, so just let go! You're crushin' me!" Gold pouted but did as she demanded and released her. Kaitlyn back away from him and leaned down with her hands on her knees as she gasped for air. "…For the love of Arceus, Gold… I know ya missed me, but I didn't expect death by hug… Sheesh…"

"Well ya shouldn't've kept me waiting so long…" Gold replied, the pout still on his face. "It's been two long years…" He paused and looked the brunette over. "…And apparently you didn't get any taller while away, Shorty!"

"Oh, shut it…" she replied with a glare. Finally done catching her breath, she stood straight up again and faced Black and N, who looked a bit startled. "Sorry 'bout that, guys… This is my friend, Gold. I was hopin' he'd leave a better first impression, but I guess he still has too much energy for that body… Anyways, Gold, this is my friend, Black, and his friend, N."

"Ah, yeah, Black," Gold replied as he walked up to the two with a calmer demeanor. "Katie's told us a lot about ya. It's nice to finally meet you." Gold gave a big grin as he extended his hand.

"Yeah, she's talked about you a lot as well," Black replied as he shook his hand. "So it's nice to meet you, too." Gold's amber eyes drifted to N as he looked him up and down before offering his hand.

"Sorry, I know absolutely nothing about you," Gold admitted as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Oh, it's alright…" N replied as he cautiously shook Gold's hand as well. "It's…nice to meet you though…"

"Hey, no need to be shy, dude! I know I was a little excited earlier, but I promise I don't bite!" There was a scoff heard from somewhere behind the group, and they all turned in that direction.

"'A little'? I think that's a bit of an understatement. You nearly drove Kaitlyn into the ground."

The voice sounded far calmer than Gold's, and said man gave yet another pout at his statement. The voice belonged to a man who also appeared to be in his early twenties. He appeared to be slightly taller than Gold, and he had long red hair that went down below his shoulders and partially covered one of his eyes. Walking out from the shade of the tree he was under, his piercing silver eyes were firmly planted on Gold.

"Aw, but Silverrrr. Two yearrrrrs…"

"Gold, you're acting like a child. I know you missed her, but wouldn't sending her to the hospital be a bad way to say 'welcome ba—" Now it was Silver's turn to be cut off by a hug as Kaitlyn clung to him.

"Hey, Silv, I missed ya! So do you still strongly dislike hugs, or what?"

"Yes he does!" Gold shouted, which caused Silver to glare and Kaitlyn to tighten her grip.

"Sorry, Silv, but ya know I had to," the girl cheerfully stated. She gave one last squeeze before releasing him and turning back to Black and N. "Black, N, this is Silver, another one of my friends. Silver, this is Black, and his friend, N." Silver looked over Black for a moment before offering his hand.

"As Gold said, we've heard a lot about you. It's nice to meet you."

"Back at you," Black replied as he shook the gloved hand.

He didn't want to show it, but Black felt a little intimidated by Silver, those namesake eyes seeming to try to read him like a book. Those eyes then drifted over to N, as they looked the green-haired man over in the same manner. Like Black, N felt intimidated by those eyes as they scanned over his body. Silver looked at the man a bit longer than he did Black, not entirely sure what to make of him. He couldn't tell what, but something seemed…off about him. Regardless, he held his hand out as well.

"It's nice to meet you, as well," Silver greeted, those eyes still trying to read the man. N, like last time, cautiously took the hand offered and shook it slightly, giving a nod as a response. Feeling an awkward atmosphere beginning to form, Kaitlyn cleared her throat, causing all eyes to fall on her.

"Well then… Gold, Silv, is Crys gonna show up as well?" she asked. The two males glanced at each other uncomfortably, causing Kaitlyn to tilt her head in confusion.

"Weeeell, ya see…" Gold began as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Unfortunately she couldn't be here," Silver spat out for the other. "Professor Oak sent her to Hoenn to help with his research. She left only a few days ago." A look of disappointment spread across Kaitlyn's face.

"Oh… Well damn, that sucks… I mean, I know she's good at what she does, so I can see why he asked for her help. But damn, I was looking forward to seein' her."

"And so was she, but hey, at least you have us, right?" Gold replied with a grin as he threw his arm over Silver's shoulder.

"Yeah, I guess. Woulda been nice if we were all here, but it's better than nothin'." Gold nodded before looking at her, Black, and N expectantly.

"Sooo…?"

"'Sooo'?" Kaitlyn replied with a head tilt.

"Don't play dumb! C'mon, I wanna see what kinds of Pokémon you Unovans got! Well, I mean, I can see you have some interesting birds out there," he said as he gestured to Archeops and Braviary, "but what else do ya guys have? I wanna see!"

"Well shouldn't I get Jake so you can see his too?"

"He already showed us his Pokémon last night," Silver answered as he slid out from under Gold's arm. "Besides his Charizard, he had, if I recall the names correctly, a Samurott, a Munna, a Fraxure, a Larvesta, and a Gigalith."

"Yeah, and he said Samurott was one of the starters you guys have out there and that you guys had the other two! So c'mooooon!"

Kaitlyn looked towards Black and N and raised a brow. N gave a nod while Black shrugged and gave a wave of his hand, telling her to go first. Kaitlyn nodded and reached into her bag for her other Pokeballs.

"Well, as you can tell," she began as she gestured to Hanabi and Tsubasa, "I don't have all of my Pokémon from Unova with me."

"Better than none, just show us!" gold demanded like a little kid, causing a sigh to escape from Silver.

"Awrighty then." And so she let out her remaining four Pokémon to show her curious friends.

The first one was a large, green snake-like Pokémon with ornate patterns along his body. He kept his head proudly raised as his piercing red eyes looked down upon the strangers before him. The second was a large chandelier looking Pokémon with an eerie purple flame in his body and on his long black arms. The third was a small brown body with a giant ball of cotton surrounding him. He had green curls beside his face and an excited expression. The fourth was her Leafeon, Kokiri. She gestured to each of them respectively as she introduced them.

"This here is Link, my Serperior—and the final evolution of Snivy, which was the grass starter in Unova. This one is Poe, a Chandelure. This little guy is Deku, my Whimsicott. Lastly we have Kokiri the Leafeon. Not really a Unovan Pokémon, but he is my most recently added member, so I'm tryin' to spend some time with him," she explained as she crouched down to pet the grass-type on his head. She stood back up and looked to her friends for a reaction. As Silver looked over them, Gold let out a laugh.

"Okay, I think you might be a little obsessed with your video games," Gold teased, noting the theme of the nicknames given.

"Oh, shut it…"

"Well, still, they look pretty interesting, huh Silvy?" Silver gave a nod, and Gold looked over to Black. "Alright, your turn."

Black nodded and took out the Pokeballs containing his other Pokémon. Excited to show them off, he didn't hesitate to let them out. First he had a large and bulky black and orange boar Pokémon with flames along his neck and past his shoulders. Next he had a large dog with long black and gray fur that practically covered his paws, as well as long tan fur on his face that was even longer and dragged along the ground. His third companion was black and had white stripes along his equine body that looked like lightning bolts. He had a spikey white mane that ran down his back to his tail. His fourth and final Pokémon had a small pale body that was covered in some kind of green gel-like substance, and she had rather large arms.

"Well, you already saw Braviary over here," Black began as he gestured to his Pokémon. "This one right here is Emboar. He was the starter I received when I started my journey. Next we have Stoutland, who was the first Pokémon I caught. Then there's Zebstrika. I apologize in advance for his moody behavior…" Zebstrika let out a snort, and Black rolled his eyes before continuing. "Lastly we have Reuniclus. She's pretty friendly, so I don't think you'll have any problems with her." At the compliment, the psychic-type gave the boy a pat on the head with one of her large hands.

"So that's the fire starter, huh? Dude, he looks so bad ass!" Gold exclaimed as he stared at him. Emboar crossed his arms and let out a satisfied huff, while Serperior raised his nose into the air. "Not that you don't look cool, I'm just sayin'!" Gold defended upon seeing the snake's behavior. He gave a swish with his tail as he looked down at the man.

"Sorry, Link can get a little sassy…" Kaitlyn apologized.

"Regardless, you have some pretty interesting looking Pokémon, Black," Silver complimented while Gold gave an enthusiastic nod. Those silver eyes then drifted over to N's. "So what about you?"

N broke the eye contact by looking over to Black, who gave a soft smile and a nod. Archeops even gave him a little nudge to coax him. Not that N needed much convincing. He knew he'd feel a lot more comfortable as soon as he was surrounded by his friends. He took out his Pokeballs and let his companions out. Zoroark wasted no time in standing next to her master as she stared at the strangers before her. N placed a relaxing hand on her head, calming at the feeling of her mane between his fingers. His other friends stayed close to him as well as they were let out. One was a large blue-skinned turtle with a dark gray shell and mask. Another was a set of gears with a spiked wheel around its base. Lastly there was one that looked like two scoops of ice cream with faces on them. One of the heads had a straw-like appendage with a mist blowing out of it. N smiled contently, happy to be surrounded by his friends, before introducing them.

"These are my friends, Zoroark, Archeops, Carracosta, Klinklang, and Vanilluxe," he introduced quickly. Black smiled upon seeing the familiar team, and also taking notice of how relaxed the man seemed now. The other three gazed at the team with curious eyes.

"Woooow, you Unovans really do have some interesting Pokémon out there," Gold stated while Silver gave an agreeing nod. "It'll be fun watching and getting to know them while you guys are here! Speaking of which, I bet you guys wanna get settled in now, huh?"

"Oh, yeah! That'd be great," Black stated, happy to finally get the chance to relax for the day. "So, Kait, we're staying at your place, right?"

"Uuuuh, yeah, about that…" Kaitlyn began, causing Black and N to stare at her quizzically. "…Yes, that was the original idea, but… Well, since ya called in and added N at the last minute… See, my folks had set up a place for one guest, and with N…I had to change plans. So instead of my place, you'll be stayin' at Gold's place with him and Silv." Black and N's gazes then went to the two mentioned.

"Yup, you'll be livin' with us during your stay here in Johto!" Gold happily announced as he threw his arm over Silver's shoulder again and pulled him closer. "Got a nice big house with plenty of room for your Pokémon, as well as a nice big yard for them to run around in, plus the great Chef Silver to cook your meals; you guys are gonna love it!"

"Wait wait wait, when did ya learn to cook Silv?" Kaitlyn asked.

"…It's an important life skill to possess, so I had to teach myself eventually," Silver answered as he escaped Gold's grasp again. "Anyways, shouldn't you be headed home to relax yourself, Kaitlyn? Gold's not the only one who desperately missed you, after all."

"Well, yeah, I suppose I should, but—"

"But nothin'. You'll be spending a lot of time with us while you're here anyway," Gold pointed out. "There will be plenty of time to catch up later. Just go spend time with your folks for now, and we'll take care of these two for ya." Gold pointed a thumb towards Black and N.

"…I guess ya have a point…but still I—"

"Katie, I'll shove you there myself if I have to. You know I will." Kaitlyn looked at Gold with a pout before sighing. She could try to keep the argument going, but Gold always won in the end.

"Fine. I was hopin' to spend more time with ya before headin' home, but if you insist…" She turned to face Black and N. "Well, I know they may not have left the best first impressions, with Gold's energy and Silv's intimidatin' ways…but they are good people, trust me. You'll learn to love 'em."

"If you say so," Black replied with a slight shrug. N gave a slight nod, still not entirely sure what to make of the two men…

"Alright then…" Kaitlyn turned and gave Gold and Silver a hug, after which Gold tightened his arms around the two while shouting "group hug". After struggling out of his grasp with a chuckle, Kaitlyn smiled up at them. "You guys take good care of those two, alright? Don't do anythin' stupid." She said that last sentence while staring at Gold specifically. After giggling at Gold's pout again, she ran over and hugged Black. "If they give ya guys any trouble, just call me and tell me, alright?"

"Will do," Black replied with a reassuring smile as Gold pouted again.

"Geez, do you not trust us at all?" Not even bothering to answer Gold's question, Kaitlyn walked up to N and debated whether or not a hug would be suitable. Deciding against it, she gave a swift bow and a smile.

"It was nice to meet ya, N. I do hope ya have a good time while here."

"I will do what I can," N replied with a small smile and a nod.

"Alrighty then," she began as she took a few steps back, "I'll see ya guys later. Have fun!"

And with one last wave, Kaitlyn and her Pokémon darted off to finally see her home again. The four males gave waves of farewell to her before standing there in a somewhat awkward silence. Silver cleared his throat to break it and the others stared at him with open ears.

"Well, I suppose we should get you both set up then," he stated as he turned and started to walk away.

"Oh, yeah, better go do that! Don't even worry with putting your Pokémon away. I'm sure all of ours would love to meet yours!"

Gold darted off to catch up with Silver, while Black and N followed at a calm pace, leaving a small distance between the two pairs. The green-haired man stayed close to his brunette companion as they followed the duo ahead of them to their temporary home. Black looked up at N and noticed the familiar distant look in his eyes. He placed a hand on the man's shoulder to snap him from his thoughts. It worked, since that look left his eyes and he looked back down at Black. He was clearly nervous about living in a house with two complete strangers, and admittedly Black was too. He knew a little about the two of them because of what Kaitlyn had told them, but knowing about someone and actually knowing them were different concepts. But she said to trust them, so why not? He gave N's shoulder a slight squeeze as he smiled warmly, receiving a small smile back.

Before long, the four males stood in front of a large two-story building, and Gold dug into his pocket for his house key. After fiddling with the lock for a moment, he opened the door and stood aside for his guests and their Pokémon.

"After you," he stated as he gestured towards the door.

The duo and their Pokémon all entered the house, followed by Silver then Gold. The home had a nice modernized interior, with plenty of space for the Pokémon to move around in, even a big one like Emboar. The ceilings were raised as well, so no one had to worry about hitting their head on anything. The largest room was the living room, which also seemed to be the hub for everything. There was a staircase leading to the bedrooms upstairs, a lowered wall that also acted as a bar for the kitchen, a door under the stairs that lead down into the basement—or "lounge" as Gold liked to call it—and a large sliding glass door that led outside to a large backyard. Apparently they tended to keep it open most of the time so their Pokémon could come and go as they pleased. In fact, that's where most of Black and N's Pokémon went, save for Zoroark, Stoutland, and Reuniclus.

"Alright then, how 'bout I take you guys upstairs to your rooms?" Gold offered as he stood at the base of the stairs. Black and N nodded as the two of them and their Pokémon followed the young man up the stairs. "Now then, we have two guest rooms. One is bigger than the other, but they both have cable so you don't need to worry about that. The room at the end of the hall there is where Silver and I sleep, so if you need us, that's where we'll be. Well, at least I will be. Sometimes Silvy just sleeps on the couch in the lounge for whatever reason. Anyways, go ahead and take your pick, guys."

Gold gestured to the two rooms across the hall from one another, and Black and N peered into both of them. The smaller one had a pale blue color scheme, the larger one had a pale green. Black found that rather ironic, considering his choice in clothing and the color of N's hair, but continued to observe the rooms. Both had hardwood floors, and both did have TVs as Gold mentioned, and there was plenty of space in both rooms for their Pokémon. But the blue one had one night table, while the green had one on each side of the bed. And the TV in the blue room was placed on top of the dresser, while the green had a TV cabinet and a larger dresser. The bed in the green room was also significantly larger than the one in the blue. Well, it didn't take much for Black to figure this one out. Standing in the doorway for the first room, he looked towards N.

"Hey, N, how about you take the larger room, and I'll take this one?" N blinked at the younger boy as he listened.

"Are you sure about that, Black? I'm fine with the smaller one if you'd prefer the other…"

"Yes, I'm positive," the brunette replied with a smile.

"…If you insist."

"Alright then!" Gold spoke up. "So Black gets the blue, N gets the green. Easy enough to remember, since you guys are practically color coordinated with them. I'll go ahead and let Silver know. Did you guys need a snack or anything, or are you just gonna rest for a while first? Oh, that reminds me, any food allergies or anything you guys can't eat? Silvy would be pissed if I forgot to ask."

"Well, N is a vegetarian," Black pointed out.

"Okay, what kind of vegetarian? No red meat, no white meat, no Pokémon products at all…?"

"I'm fine with Pokémon products. I just don't wish to eat anything that used to be a living Pokémon…"

"So nothing with a face. Got it."

"That won't be a problem for you two, will it…?"

"Nah, you're fine. Silver even has some good recipes from his vegetarian diet days, so you're good. So, was that a yes or no on the snack?"

"Well, I'm just going to unpack and relax for a while, so I'll pass," Black answered. Gold's amber eyes then went towards N.

"Oh, I'm just going to do the same, perhaps take a nap… Thank you for offering, though."

"Don't sweat it. Well, if you guys need anything, just holler for us." Black gave a nod as Gold walked back down the stairs.

"Will do."

Gold gave a wave of his hand to signal that he heard the boy as he descended down into the living room. Upon reaching the bottom, he noticed Silver was already sitting on the couch with an open book in hand, not even paying the slightest bit of attention to what was on TV. Gold happily made his way over and hopped over the back of the couch as he took a seat next to the red-head, who didn't even move a muscle from the action. The dark and ice-type Pokémon resting on the man's lap, however, shot him a glare.

"Sorry, Weavile. Didn't see ya there," Gold apologized. "So, mind if I change the channel, Silvy?"

"Go ahead." Gold happily snatched the remote off of the coffee table and looked through the TV guide to try to find anything interesting to watch. "So, the two have their rooms picked out?"

"Yup. Black took the blue one, while N took the green one. Pretty easy to remember."

"Mhmm."

"Oh, by the way, turns out N won't eat anything with a face. Just FYI, mister chef."

"Okay then."

"And I'm thinking we should go basic for dinner and maybe call for pizza. Good with you?"

"Sure thing."

"…Okay, would ya stop pretending to read and tell me what's on your mind?"

"What made you come to that conclusion?"

"Because. You're talking to me in that lame ass monotone of yours that you use when you're thinking hard about something. And besides, your eyes aren't even moving back and forth," Gold accused as he wagged a finger in Silver's face. The man sighed and closed the book, placing it on the table next to him. "There ya go! So tell me, what's up? Is it about those two?"

"…It's about one of them."

"Lemme guess. The green-haired one?" Silver gave a nod.

"Something seemed off about him. He looked…scared about something…"

"Well, I did give a surprise attack, and you were kinda menacing with that stare of yours. That may have something to do with it. If not, well maybe he's just incredibly shy or socially awkward or something."

"No Gold, I don't think it was that. Maybe a little, but that's not what it was…"

"Maybe it's just you, since you don't know much about him."

"…I suppose that's possible… Kaitlyn told us a little about Black, so at least have some decent knowledge about him, while I know nothing about N."

"Well, that's not necessarily true. You know he's a vegetarian." Silver shot him a look. "…Just sayin'. But still, if there is something important to know, then I'm sure we'll find out eventually. Just give him time to open up. Or ask Black. The kid knows more about him, obviously. Quit being such a worry Wartortle," Gold finished as he gave his friend a playful shove and finally selecting a channel. Silver shoved back a little harder, not wanting to admit that Gold was right. "Oh, I'm sorry, did you wanna start somethin'?" the raven-haired man asked playfully before shoving back even more forcefully.

"No, thank you," Silver quickly replied as he held his hands up defensively. "Just go ahead and ask those two if they're okay with pizza for dinner."

"Sure thing." Gold leapt off of the couch and ran to the base of the stairs. "Yo Black, N! You guys cool with pizza for dinner later?"

"Y-yes, that sounds fine," N shouted back from his room.

"Yeah, that sounds good!" Black added as he finished putting his clothes in his dresser.

"Alright then, just let us know when you're ready!"

"Got it!"

Black closed the drawer and sighed, happy that he was pretty much all settled in his room. He was tired from all of the travelling he'd done to get there, and considered the idea of taking a nap like N. But of course as he turned around to go sit on his bed, Stoutland was already lying down on the foot of it, his large body taking up quite a bit of foot room.

"Really, Stoutland? Taking up foot space already? You're not a Lillipup anymore. You know that, right?" The Pokémon just lied his head down on the bed, signaling that he wasn't about to give up his spot. Black chuckled as he walked over and scratched the dog behind his ear. "Well, obviously it's comfortable." Stoutland gave a deep bark of approval. "Well you know I have no problem with you sleeping with me, but geez you take up a lot of space. …I guess we'll work something out." Then Reuniclus floated over and lied down on the pillows. "Oh not you too, Reuniclus!" Black exclaimed with a laugh. "You guys have to give me some room to sleep." He then heard a gentle knocking noise at his doorway. He turned around and saw N standing there.

"Do you mind if I come in…?"

"Oh, sure thing, go ahead," Black replied, offering N a seat on the edge of his bed. The man smiled softly and took a seat next to Stoutland and started petting the dog on his head. "So," Black began as he sat down next to N, "what's up?"

"Oh, nothing really. I just came by to see how you're doing…"

"Well, I'm doing just fine, thanks for wondering. Just finished unpacking and everything, so… How about you?"

"I'm finished as well. Zoroark is already lying down on the bed. I was going to join her in a nap, but I wanted to come by first…"

"I see. Well don't let me keep you up if you're tired…"

"No, no, it's alright. Honestly I wanted to ask…" N paused and Black stared at him.

"…Go on…?"

"…How do you feel about Gold and Silver…?"

"Well… I dunno, we haven't even known them for that long, so I can't really say… Though Gold's energetic side kind of reminds me of Bianca, and Silver's seriousness kind of reminds me of Cheren…so I'm sure I'll be able to adjust to them easily… What about you?"

"…Like you, I'm not so sure just yet… I suppose we'll just have to observe their actions and behavior and find out about them over time… Though your friend told us to trust them, so I'll try to."

"Exactly. She's known them for…geez, I don't even remember, but since she was a little kid. She understands them well. So if she tells us to trust them, then we'll trust them. Besides, if we're gonna be living with them, we'll need to, right?" N gave a nod before covering his mouth as he yawned. "…Well I guess you better get that nap, huh?"

"…Yes, I suppose I should…" N stood up to leave and Black walked to the door way with him, Reuniclus floating behind him.

"Well, N, if you ever need to, just come right on in, okay?" Reuniclus floated by Black and gave N a pat on the head. "See, even Reuniclus is okay with you coming by!" N chuckled at the Pokémon's display of affection.

"Thank you, Black, and Reuniclus. The same goes for you."

"Okay then, thanks. You have a good nap, okay?"

"I will try. Thank you again."

Black watched as N entered his own room and closed the door behind him. He sighed and did the same before falling back on his bed. He turned on the TV and flipped through the channels a bit before making a selection, but kept it at a low volume. Stoutland shifted his position slightly so Black could lie down properly on the bed, and the boy did just that. But Stoutland then returned to his previous position, his body now lying on top of Black's legs. The brunette sighed but put up with it as he rested his head against the pillow. He began to wonder how much he'd have to adjust to get used to life with Gold and Silver, and he was certain that N was wondering the same thing. Before long though, his copper eyes had closed and he was fast asleep.