What if you have the opportunity to open up from the bottom of your heart?

Would you take the chance Or would you keep everything that weighs you down under lock and key?

With just a second, a second and a tear it will be enough for both of us to say "I love you"
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How many times have they already gone? One ... two ... three ... How many times had the green-haired man and the girl with the blue orbs fought? The result was the same, over and over again, she was always victorious, but still he was determined to win.

Dreams? That drove both of them, yes, being opposites in every way, forced to be opposites naturally ... Strange thing of fate, but neither, despite being enemies, actually hated each other.

The fourth time they met and the battle became serious, both had only one pokemon in a position to fight, the situation was desperate, and both were exhausted from running so much because due to the constant damage they cause in the wooded terrain they had to move constantly so as not to take damage.

A determined order on the part of the young man with the blue-gray eyes and the feint movement was used by a small Zorua running from one side to the other. In response, a Riolu threw his hyper beam, both pokemons fell to the ground with what little energy they had, without even looking at the other N and Touko ran to their weakened friends.

The wind constantly roared as their hair was whipped hard as they looked at each other. A draw, for the first time, had been a draw in their battle ...

N was the first to get up and to Touko's surprise he took out his pokeball, putting his Zorua in it while giving her a kind of smile apparently of surprise and joy. Would he have realized what was really happening?

When the green haired man was about to leave the forest, a flash of light was seen in the sky and followed by a thunderous sound that made the brown-haired girl jump, the opposite turned his gaze to her, it looked like a scared Bunneary trying to take refuge in something. And without more than waiting for the sounds of thunder a heavy rain began to fall, soaking them both.

N was going to continue on his way, but a feeling of guilt seized him, he stopped short; Without wanting or realizing it, his feet were already heading to the place of the girl in pink.

In a slight gesture the young man stood in front of her, in the rain, and knelt like a knight at her height. Touko opened her eyes suddenly when she felt the other's presence in front of her, her first sight was a hand extended towards her and when she looked up she could see how a peaceful face looked at her as if he had found a small wild animal or an abandoned pokemon.

She knew that look of his, it was the look with which he looked at each pokemon, but she never expected him to dedicate it to someone... human.

She did not take his hand, for a second she questioned the person in front of her... Always dragging her into fights or trying to spend time with her, saying that she was interesting and then saying that she had no emotion of her own... Fighting with her until both were exhausted and then extend a helping hand... Which of the two N was the real one? The King of Team Plasma ...? Or the weird guy who liked science and talking to pokemons?

The opposite prepared to save his hand but in a matter of seconds there was another that held him as if preventing him from leaving.

N closed his hand holding the opposite one, slightly pulled her to stand both and without saying a word, only affirming the contact between both palms and a smile from the older man in between and without much thought they began to run under the noisy rain.

The forest deepened each time they advanced and the path they were going seemed to lead nowhere. Had they gotten lost? Touko looked for a second at the fragment of profile that she could see of her companion as he was leading them, for a second she thought she saw concern on his face, they hurried their step and N spoke a word.

-Farther ahead there is a cave, let's take shelter there from the rain, it is the closest we have left and the way it is, it does not seem that it will stop raining until tomorrow- the boy's voice sounded firm but it was also noticeable in it a little nervous because of the situation. He spoke to fast.

They ran a few more meters and they managed to make out the cave that the cloudy blue-eyed man had mentioned and he pulled a little more than the opposite to make her hurry, the thunder increased considerably and to Touko it seemed that one fell somewhere in the forest. A few more steps and they had to stop in their tracks due to a river that was in front of them, blocking their way.

Touko stopped worried while still holding the opponent's hand. N noticed fear in her for the first time, and he couldn't help but smile. The girl who always looked at him defiantly and beat him in all battles was scared, ironic to be able to fight Pokémon much bigger than her and be scared by a simple storm. But for those who were used to running away from their father from time to time and spending long hours in the woods, the current situation was one more little prank.

N advanced ready to cross the river through the small rocks that were visible in the almost overflowing flow, but from his hand he drew the opposite trembling and retreating, it really surprised him to see that part of her.

Again he extended his hand to her and stood between one of the rocks and the shore trying to encourage his partner to continue and to be safe.

He waited for an answer but it never came, she seemed frozen over everything, and no matter how much he mentioned her name, he didn't get an answer, was she really so scared not to cross? If he waited another minute the river would overflow and they would be in a danger zone, alert to the situation he had no choice but to raise his voice even if it was something not very to his liking.

-Touko, look at me! -And as if it were an order to the contrary, she gave a small jump reacting and looked at the owner of the voice in a matter of seconds, her eyes showed fear but still she kept her gaze on him- Do you trust me?

He did not have a verbal response but the movement of her head and how she approached him gave him everything he wanted to know, without much thought the boy left where he was and ran to her to carry her princess style and cross the river as fast as he could and then climb the small slope to the cave.

Once there, they both let out a loud sigh of relief and suddenly when they exchanged glances, a blush came over both faces. The position in which he carried her was very embarrassing... for both of them.

-You ... you can put me down ... Thank you- the nervous voice of a flushed blue-eyed was heard in the cave and then delicately next to a "Y-yes" answer, her feet stepped on the rocky ground.

They were both soaked, which of the two worse. The always disheveled green hair was now strangely straight, noticing even more how long it was, reaching to the hips of its owner or even lower; As for the brunette, she was uncomfortable with the cap and the bow. The first thing they both did was untie their ponytails and take off their caps and place them on the floor next to the blue-eyed bag.

The boy left the cave without saying anything else surprising her partner, she saw him go into the forest. For a second she thought that he would leave but it was not like that, he returned with some branches in his hand, even more soaked than before.

Touko gave him a worried look as she placed the jacket that she had already removed on the floor next to her bag, leaving only her white blouse and shorts, maybe she could get sick after this...

Neither spoke a word, the boy only limited himself to organizing the wood on the ground and glanced at his companion once the branches were already stacked. The brunette sighed in resignation and lowered her head taking out her sixth pokeball and opening it in the process.

A smile of resignation was painted on Touko's face as an Emboar stood between them. Touko was aware of how N hated that they will use the pokemons, but he had asked her with his eyes, so it would be fine to just ask him to light the fire for them.

Touko spoke.

-Envy, can you light that wet wood for us? - She pointed out as she explained at the same time that the sight of the Emboar was directed where his trainer pointed, a nod from the giant boar and a warm fire was already in.

The Emboar approached his trainer once he had done what he had been told to do and placed a kind of kiss on the human forehead and then leaned back and touched his trainer's head with his paw, and then directed a look at the boy together to her and enter his pokeball without further ado. Touko placed it next to the bag with the rest of her balls, N had already placed his next to his black cap and the accessories he was wearing.

-Your Emboar was worried about you, and he also questioned why you didn't take him out to fight ... I do too ...- N's almost inaudible whisper reached the opposite ears and made her look at him

-You had noticed that Envy was not there from the beginning, there is no point in asking now- A very calm Touko answered her, it was reality, she had accepted a defeat as soon as she saw the mercy of her partner.

Without saying another word and aware of the situation, both took off their wet clothes and placed them near the fire, while turning their backs so as not to disrespect their partner.

Silence reigned in the cave for several minutes that seemed eternal. Until curiosity arose in a green hair.

-Why did you agree to fight with me? - The boy's questioning gaze as he kept his gaze fixed on the fire seemed melancholic while behind him the young woman with loose brown hair that reached the ground seemed to ponder his answer.

A full minute passed, the fire cracking at the wood beneath it, the cloudy blue orbs's gaze still fixed on the fire while still waiting for his response. And so it was, the female lips parted speaking a word.

-I don't know ...- So after those words everything fell into silence again while now she was looking at the fire as if trying to fan something inside her

She tried to look into the rain she could still hear outside to organize her ideas once more, took a deep breath and again her lips gave way to words.

-No ... It's not true- A sound from the opposite made her understand that he was confused by her answer, denying the previous one, she continued calmly -I do know why I did that; I guess I was looking for... a way in which I could understand you, I wanted my feelings to reach you somehow...

The cloudy sky-colored eyes widened but still stared at the warm fire that illuminated their faces. He did not understand and at the same time he did the words of the opposite, he wanted to say so many things but he also repressed it.

-You and I see the world in very different ways ... Touko- Calmly spoke and to her surprise her same calm was reflected in the opposite words in response.

-I know, you say you want to free the pokemon but you keep capturing them to achieve your goal, while I just want to be strong by their side to protect each other. Your idea and mine of the perfect world is very different, but still ...

And her words fell silent, once again Mr. Silence with his invisible cloak came to surround them both, one looking at the fire and the other looking at the raindrops that fell from the rocks at the entrance to the ground, it was still very dark

They both reflected on what was said but neither spoke a word, you could only hear the rain hitting the earth and plants and you could smell that aroma so characteristic of it.

Touko was the first to speak again, once she had cleared her mind.

-After we get out of this, you will be the great leader of Team Plasma again, and I will be Touko, the trainer who tries to stop you... But now, if it is now ...

Suddenly the long-haired boy felt something really warm lying on his back and he was surrounded at neck level by two thin arms of which he knew their owner.

A light red color that was turning to an intense crimson took hold of the cheeks of both, despite being inexperienced in this type of gesture or contact, the mutual warmth helped them relax. They stayed there for a few minutes, a few long minutes and N did not understand what his partner's intention was until he felt something warm that was getting cold as it ran through his skin, moisture that could only come from someone along with some small inaudible

N felt a twinge somewhere in his chest as he wondered what to do in this situation. He had never been close enough to someone to go through a situation like this, the Pokemon had been his only company. He couldn't understand it, but still he tried hard to do it, he wanted to understand this girl, whom cried while hugging him, and at the same time tried to appear strong. Was this like the person with incredible will whom he considered a rival?

He remembered once calling her neutral and aimless or real emotion for something, but in that moment he had realized the reality.

It's not that Touko didn't feel, it's not that she didn't have an opinion, just that she hid it. To make others happy, that's why her pokemons followed her, she thought of others first than of herself, of the dreams and interests of others; she didn't support his dream, because it wasn't totally his... he really didn't want to abandon his pokemons, his friends. That's why she didn't support him. That is why she was crying now.

She was being totally honest for once. She was showing what was in her heart, she was trying...

So he could also open up without fear of making any mistakes?

-I ... I don't want to fight anymore, I don't want to fight with you ...- N's words surprised the opponent and suddenly some hands took hers, pale hands and totally cold but still extremely warm, they both smiled.

-I don't know what I should do ... Touko-  the warm smile on the male face was suddenly despair followed by tears that fell softly onto the girl's arms.

It was not a loud cry like Touko's, it was a silent cry, as if he was holding back, as if he was trying to hide his emotions. How many times would he have cried alone? How many times would this have happened? Moved by that scene, the girl with wavy hair received on her shoulder, turning him in the process, the face of the green haired man while she stroked his head trying to calm him down.

- I'm here for you ... N- and those words were enough for suddenly two arms to reciprocate that hug and placed on the shoulders of others and countless sobs came out of the major.

Without knowing why Touko began to sing a lullaby that she knew since she was little, in her opinion, what she had in front of despite having an adult body, was a small child who had never had a chance to grow up. Subdued, hidden from the world. She didn't care if N didn't tell her everything about him, nor if he kept disappearing after this, only that now she would be there for him. Until he took out all his pain.

A few hours later, the external sound of the rain ceased completely and the fire that previously illuminated them had been extinguished for now the only light that illuminated them was that of the sun that crept through the trees and entered the cave reflecting the silhouette of a green haired boy lying on the female lap and the girl leaning against the wall, both asleep surrounded by a few wild pokemons that had also fallen asleep next to them.

***
It had been months since that moment, she had not seen him for a long time, the last time she saw him he had told her to get something very stupid if anyone else had heard it, but for Touko, that had been the best confirmation of "We'll see you again"

Determined, she walked inside a strange palace that had appeared in the middle of nowhere. Her heart was beating too fast and her feet almost without noticing it began to run. She wanted to see him, she wanted to have said what she didn't say at the time, what she realized she really wanted to say.

Her hair for the first time was loose, quite short for its previous length and spun in the air, while its owner ran desperately through immense corridors. It seemed like she was going to get lost, but suddenly a black light coming from her bag completely caught her, the dark stone was now in her hand, a soft throbbing came out of it and suddenly darkness filled the whole place. The small sphere that she carried in her hands had disappeared and in front of her a dragon of incredible size appeared, staring at her.

-You are... Zekrom- the pokemon upon hearing his name simply lowered his head, being inches from the face of his future trainer.

Touko raised one of her hands and placed it on the pokemon's forehead to give him small caresses and then lean her forehead to him. A few seconds remained that way.

-Zekrom, please lend me your strength. Help me save my friend- as if by magic or a perfect communication, as soon as Touko took out a pokeball it was dyed black and the pokemon in front of her entered on its own. The ball gave a successful capture sound as Zekrom entered it and for Touko that was her signal that Zekrom had accepted her.

As the darkness dissipated, she could see how in front of her there was a majestic white dragon and right next to her a green-haired boy whom she knew very well. Steadily she arrived in front of him and ready to begin the battle.

-Welcome, Touko. You look good with your hair like this - The welcoming words were accompanied by a smile as the girl got rid of the cap and placed it aside next to her bag and the black jacket she used to wear. She looked once more at her companion and held the black ball in her hand tightly.

-Well, let's see how far your feelings can go, because I plan to defeat you, Touko- N's confident comment totally implied otherwise but Touko wouldn't back down, not now. -One against one

And as soon as the boy finished his words, a black dragon appeared and stood next to his trainer giving a loud roar that was answered by the opponent's target. And only one phrase came out of both mouths at the same time as smiles were painted on both faces.

-I will defeat you, because I love you-
-I will defeat you, because I love you-