A while ago, I was asked to do some ChessShipping. And I do mean a while ago. Probably a few years ago, and I haven't had the chance to put this up here because of breaking laptops and school and summer work and what not. But it's finally here, and I do hope you enjoy it, dear.

I know it's kind of choppy, but I've been in a rut lately, and it's the longest thing I've written since entering said rut, so... yeah.

I don't own Pokémon.

the real world

The tiles are cold and hard underneath his scuffed sneakers. The fact that his sneakers have begun to look old makes him sad since he only recently got those from mom. They don't even light up anymore!

He looks up at the bright, pretty walls and scowls.

"I don't get it, White, why are we here?"

By here, he means a corporate company building. The enemy of young children like themselves.

"Because, Black," she starts, and he wants to glare at her nonchalant use of his nickname, "This is the real world."

She's only echoing her mother, and without having to search far inside of himself, Touya knows that Touko doesn't really understand what her mother was even talking about. But Touko's eyes widen at this kind of world, and even as a young boy, Touya knows that she would do anything to be a grown up. The world has always entranced her, and the lights or hard tile floors or even the people rushing around in suits and heels have never bothered her.

And as he watches her eyes glow and look in awe at everything around her, Touya decides that he won't be caught dead in here. He'd rather be out training Pokemon, having fun like a young boy should. Maybe after his journey, he can come here and get a job to support himself.

After all, how hard could this really be?

By the time Touya is done musing with his young boy thoughts, his best friend is gone and he no longer knows where he is. He walks around the building, gawking at everyone like an idiot until he finds her, right by her mother's side, learning the ins and outs of this god forsaken place.

The frown that suddenly hits his face hits hard. Touko isn't a little girl, but then again, she never has been, with her pretty, brown locks, and her wide, blue eyes.

His best friend is growing up without him, and he doesn't know how to stop it.

She doesn't show up on the day they get their first Pokemon. Touya is still a curious boy, and knows more than he did when he was younger. He knows where Touko probably is, and he frowns.

He calls her anyway.

"Hi, Black!"

Touya's lips purse. He's not sure he likes his nickname anymore.

"Where are you, Touko?"

He doesn't use her real name unless he is completely serious, and he can almost hear Touko's eyes widen at the use of her real name. She hasn't heard that leave his lips since the day they created their nicknames, full of giggles and cheerful smiles.

"I'm with my mom in Castelia. Why?"

Touya looks to Cheren and Bianca with a frown. They can hear her words, despite not being in the X-transceiver call, and they aren't happy, either.

Touya sighs, "Don't you remember what today is?"

The girl on the other end of the line twirls her hair slowly over her pointer finger, trying to remember what the day is. She begins to shake her head, but then a loud, hollow gasp leaves her pink lips. Even though her eyes look sad, the rest of her face shows no remorse.

"We're getting our first Pokemon today!"

"Yesterday," Touya sneers, and then hangs up the line.

Bianca's frown and tearing eyes are not a pretty sight. Cheren suddenly gets angry, and as he opens his mouth, probably to yell, he is stopped by Bianca's soft words.

"How could she forget?"

Tears begin to fall from her green eyes, and even though the two boys do their best to cheer her up, it's not the same without Touko.

But nonetheless, Bianca lets go and gets them to take a first step on the route all happy and carefree, like usual.

From this point, Touya remembers nothing but anger. Red hot fury and rage consumes him. He uses that anger to push himself all the way, defeating N and his good for nothing father, and eventually, Touya becomes champion.

In between the anger that pushes him to do those tasks, he sometimes gets sad. Blue surrounds him, and he wonders if doing all those things could get Touko to notice him, to remember him, to come find him, to congratulate him…

To be her age again.

But she moves away, and she continues to grow faster than everyone else, living and working in the "real world" like she said she would. Touya stops caring and eventually loses his hurt feelings and pride.

Dear Mr. Champion,

You are hereby invited to the special end of year banquet. The banquet is formal, and, as champion, you are required to attend and look your best.

The gym leaders and your fellow Elite Four will be attending, as well as other trainers who are not ranked so highly. You are also required to introduce yourself to these trainers.

You may bring along someone else, if you wish, but only one other.

Thank you for your constant patronage,

The Pokemon League Association

Touya let out a breath as he finished reading the letter he had received.

"It's just a banquet, Touya. How bad could it be?"

Touya groaned, "Well, first of all, it's a formal banquet, and I don't have any suits or anything fancy to wear to it."

Cheren scoffed, "Then just get a suit! It's not that hard."

"When you're champion it is… I can't go shopping without a crowd of people hoarding me…"

The black haired boy adjusted his glasses and debated smacking his friend, "That's why you can go to a private company. There are dozens of them in Castelia, so stop whining."

Bianca, who had been previously quiet, squealed, "Oh, Touya! I know the perfect company!"

Touya gulped.

The company she had picked wasn't as bad as he thought it would be, but it was still in a corporate building. He didn't like to think about it, but it reminded him of Touko, and how she was probably successful in one of these places.

Bianca giggled, "Okay, have fun! I'll come back for you in an hour!"

Touya raised a brow, "You're not staying with me?" he asked, almost desperate.

"Of course not, silly! You and Cheren aren't the only ones going to the banquet!"

Before Touya could ask, Bianca was running out the door and he was being pulled away by the receptionist for his appointment.

"Ms. Touko, your one-o'clock is here."

Touya's jaw dropped in a gasp, and without another word, he was pulled into the room where "Ms. Touko" was waiting.

He rubbed his eyes, trying to believe what he was seeing. She hadn't turned around yet, so she hadn't seen him, but she was definitely addressing him.

"I'm glad you scheduled this, Mr. Champion."

But when she turned around, there was no sign of animosity on her face, only a small smile.

"It's good to see you again, Touya."

Touko was quite good at her job, helping him find the right suit in under an hour, and now they were fitting him for it.

Her soft skin hadn't changed, and she used the tape measurer quickly, getting his measurements faster than the blink of an eye. But then, Touya supposed she would be good at this kind of thing, as she had been working on getting this job since she was very young.

She still seemed sad, nonetheless, and sighs left her pink turned red lips often. She asked questions often, as well, asking about Cheren and Bianca, and asking about how his journey had went, and occasionally she would talk about how her life had been, and how much she liked her job. And then she asked if he liked being champion.

"I guess."

"You guess?" she repeated in shock, "Touya, you're the champion! People would kill to be what you are!"

Touya laughed a bitter laugh, "I know. And I do like, it's just… There are some things I could do without. Like this banquet, for one."

It was Touko's turn to laugh, "Banquets aren't that bad. But I do understand how you feel. I like my job, too, but…"

Touya raised an eyebrow, "But…?" It was the first time she had opened up about her true feelings, and he wasn't letting this part of the conversation slip away.

"There are things I wish I hadn't missed."

"Ain't it fun, Touko?"

She looked up curiously, "Is what fun?"

"The real world," he replied. She looked almost sad after he had responded with that, but he hadn't realized just what he said until after he had said it. But Touko waved it off, not replying.

And with that, she smiled, "We're all finished here!"

As he was walking out with her, she seemed to shine, her dark curls falling along her shoulders almost perfectly, and her blue eyes radiating happiness. He hadn't forgotten how pretty she was, or how much he used to like her, and it seemed like his feelings were coming back all too soon and in full force.

"It was good to see you again, Touya. I hope we can meet up like this again soon."

But he didn't want to wait to see her again now that he had already seen her after all these years. He couldn't do it, and he wouldn't do it.

"Touko…"

She looked up.

"I'm allowed to bring one other person with me. So… I was wondering… Would you come to the banquet with me?"

Touya instantly yells at himself for being awkward at asking girls out. But then again, he had never asked a girl out in his life before and even Cheren has more experience than he does.

Touko accepts though, and Touya thanks Arceus that she did.

Bianca is waiting outside with a bright yet telling smile on her face.

"Wait… Did you… Did you know Touko worked there? Is that why you and Cheren suggested this?"

But all Bianca does is giggle.

Touko shows up to the banquet – or not really a banquet because it's really not – in an ironically white dress, and Touya is standing in the background next to Cheren and Bianca in his ironically black suit.

Bianca has been trying to get Cheren to dance for the past hour, and by this point her pouting face has worked on him. Such a sucker.

Touko approaches Touya slowly, and then laughs as Cheren is taken away. "They've still got a thing for each other?"

Touya laughs as well, "Apparently."

He smiles at her, "You look nice."

And then he blushes, and she smiles, "Thank you."

When the song is over, Bianca squeals and runs to hug Touko, and the two girls are instantly transported to childhood, being as close as ever despite the fact that they have spent years apart. Touya watches as they laugh and smiles gently at the fact that their friendship has still lasted, and there are no ill feelings.

But he can't say the same for both Cheren and himself. Though Touya is aware that he has forgiven her, he still feels awkward around her, and Cheren hasn't even forgiven her yet. But there is a small smile on his usually reserved friend's face. It looks nice on him, too, and he doesn't smile often enough.

That makes Touya's smile widen, and he's glad that the four of them are finally together again like this. It's been far, far too long. Bianca and Cheren eventually leave when they need to talk to someone else, and Touko makes her way back up to Touya.

"I'm glad that we're together again."

She smiles, "Me too."

And then the last song of the night comes on. And it's… that song. Touko's old favorite song, back from their childhood. A huge grin breaks out on her face, and Touya's smile falters. It was a love song that he used to abhor. He swears he can hear Bianca's laughter from where he's standing.

He smiles at her, though, and offers her his hand, "How about it, Touko? One last escape from the real world?"

She nods, and takes his hand, and suddenly they're out on the dance floor, surrounded by other people. But it doesn't matter. All Touya sees is Touko.

"Thank you, Black."

He wants to gasp. He hasn't been addressed by his nickname since they cut ties. By her one use of it, Touya could grow to like it again, though. He smiles, and says you're welcome, and all of a sudden, her lips are upon his. It's soft and gentle, and sudden.

The real world drifts away.