thunderblessedhero

[thunderblessedhero]

I’m pathetic sitting here, writing on this device and shouting into the void, feeling sorry for myself when I should be- I don’t know what I should be doing and that’s the problem. Everything I was SUPPOSED to be doing was a LIE. A waste. Nothing I did mattered, I just hurt hundreds of people’s lives and mentally fucked up a group of kids.

[thunderblessedhero]

If your character had to get a tattoo what would it be?

A tattoo…? Ah… I don’t think those are for me.

If I had to though… maybe something with plants? Or with Pokémon…

[thunderblessedhero]

I feel so weird these days. Like I’m watching everything around me happen from behind a glass wall. It’s like I’m… disconnected from reality.

But I’m not. The reality I’m in right now was caused because of me. I’m the last person who should be allowed to disconnect from it. I need to be doing something to fix all of this, but I don’t know what.

I hate this.

[thunderblessedhero]

🌸My Super Long Hopefully Fun Character Ask Game:

👕Appearance

What is your character's favorite physical trait they possess?

What would your character wear if they were told they had to gussy up?

Is there something about your character's appearance that they would change if possible?

Does your character have a favorite material they like to wear?

What are your character's opinion on scars?

How much interest does your character take in trends?

Is there someone your character tries to look similar to?

Does your character have a physical trait that they're known for?

What does your character smell like?

If your character could splurge on a particular garment, what would it be?

Is your character's favorite color a color they wear often?

Has your character gone through major stylistic or physical changes?

What is something your character would refuse to wear?

Is there a style your character is afraid they can’t pull off?

Would your character wear something someone else picked out for them?

Is your character's appearance more telling or deceiving?

What are your character's thoughts on wearing costumes?

Does your character have a favorite outfit?

If your character had to get a tattoo what would it be?

📦Objects

Is there an item your character doesn't like to leave without?

What gift would your character give to someone they didn't like but felt obligated to?

What type of object is likely to catch your character's attention?

Is there an item your character liked that they can’t get back? 

Would your character ever try to haggle?

What is something your character is proud to own?

Does your character ever spend more than they have?

What would it take for your character to give up an item they really like?

Does your character prefer to give or receive gifts?

Is there a type of object your character doesn’t like?

What might an acquaintance think is a good gift for your character?

Does your character personify objects?

What does your character most enjoy shopping for?

Is there an item your character is embarrassed they own or want?

Would your character prefer something bought or made personally?

Is your character willing to ask for things?

What is most important to your character when shopping?

🍽️Food and Drink

What flavor would your character say their personality is?

Would your character prefer baking, cooking or mixing drinks?

Is there a food or drink your character is unwilling to try?

How big is your character's appetite?

Does your character consider eating fun?

Would your character eat or drink something they didn't like to appease someone?

Is there food that has made your character sick?

What is your character's favorite food group?

Does your character like to try new foods?

What is a childhood meal your character cherishes?

Is your character food motivated?

Which mealtime is your character's favorite?

How much does your character care about wasting food?

Does your character prefer restaurant food or home cooked food?

What food or drink does your character consider a treat?

Is there a food texture your character doesn't like?

What kind of drinks does your character prefer?

🌤️Weather and Nature

What would your character do if they were suddenly caught in the rain?

Has your character had a meaningful encounter with an animal?

What season would your character say they're most similar to?

Is there a natural phenomenon that scares your character?

Has your character ever had an animal phase?

Would your character enjoy sky gazing?

Does your character have a good sense of direction?

What type of environment does your character like best?

Is your character good with animals?

How would your character react to snow?

What part of nature would your character most resonate with?

Could your character survive in the wilderness on their own for a week or more?

What element best represents your character?

Does your character prefer hot or cold weather?

Is there a creature that scares your character?

What celestial body would interest your character the most?

Is your character good with plants?

How willing would your character be to nap outside?

What animal would your character say best represents them?

🤝Community and Relationships

Does your character prefer company or solitude when sick?

What is your character's favorite kind of social event?

How comfortable would your character be singing and dancing in front of others?

Is your character upfront about their feelings?

Who would your character first seek if they needed medical help?

How willing would your character be to go to a party with people they don't know?

Who is your character most honest with?

How likely is it for your character to initiate a friendship?

Where is your character's comfort place?

Is there a habit your character has that they learned from someone else?

Does your character have people they think would worry about them if they got injured?

How would your character react to being put in a position of leadership?

Would your character be good at providing medical assistance?

Who would your character say knows them best?

Is there a person your character would turn to for backup in a fight?

Who would your character most want to sign their cast if they got one?

How well does your character work with others?

What is your character's favorite form of affection?

Does your character enjoy celebrating holidays?

What would it take for your character to get into a fight?

💓Mind, Body and Soul

What is a habit your character has that others might find cute?

Are there particular sounds your character is fond of?

Is your character more prone to fight or flight?

Does your character believe in myths and fairy tales?

What words could tear your character down?

How well does your character act under pressure?

Is your character good at practicing self-care?

What scents does your character find comforting?

Does your character have any allergies?

Is your character a light, medium or heavy sleeper?

Does your character have strong willpower?

Is your character more likely to give advice or seek it?

How does your character relax?

Is there a secret thing your character longs to hear?

Does your character have a sleep routine?

Would your character feel confident in a fight?

Is your character more energized in the morning, afternoon or at night?

How often does your character have nightmares?

Are there scents your character dislikes?

Is there a fear your character wants to learn to overcome?

If your character had to act in a play what role would they think they’d best perform?

Does your character have a high pain tolerance?

🎲 Hobbies and Activities

What kind of games does your character most enjoy playing?

Does your character have a secret hobby?

What is a talent your character wishes they had?

Is there an activity your character used to enjoy that they now dislike?

Which does your character try to prioritize more, work or hobbies?

Does your character work better with creative or technical endeavors?

What is a talent that your character is proud of?

Is your character more outdoorsy or indoorsy?

What is a topic your character would be excited to talk about? 

Is there a skill your character doesn’t know they’re bad at?

Does your character have any injury stories?

What kind of music does your character enjoy?

Has your character ever made something for themselves or someone else?

What is your character’s opinion on cheating in games?

How good is your character at following through on projects?

What’s an activity that reminds your character of someone else?

Does your character prefer music or silence?

What is a topic your character wouldn't want to talk about?

[thunderblessedhero]

// oh yea he’s back from being arrested he just didn’t say anything. torment him

[thunderblessedhero]

Sticks 👍

[thunderblessedhero]

[ This device has been taken into police custody. ]

[thunderblessedhero]

———

[AUDIO: At first, the audio starts off with strange banging noises, that gradually grow louder as whoever’s holding the recording device gets closer.

???: Um, your majesty, the Dubwool is at it again-

???: Yes, I can see that.

???: Is that N out there-?

???: Cloudy, sic ‘em!

Dubwool: BEHHHH!

???: Sigh. Salana, could I ask for your help?

Thump.

Darmanitan: Dar-man!

Rustle.

Dubwool: Behh-?! BEH!

???: Cloudy?!

???: Thank you. Would you be so kind as to escort our friend here back to the gardens? And… keep an extra close eye on him, please…

Darmanitan: Dar-man-i-tan!

You hear loud footsteps and the sound of the Dubwool’s furiously bleating echoing off the walls of a hallway as it’s carried away.

???: Tch, god damn it…

???: How many times are you going to keep doing this, Laventon?

???: Doing what? ‘M not doing anything. It’s Cloudy who’s acting on his own accord. Probably cause you’re keeping his best friend locked up in a- what- what even is this, a laundry room?

???: W-we do need this room back, sir, our uniforms are getting a bit grimy…

???: Then let me rephrase- how long are you going to try and use his blind loyalty to you to help you escape? He could hurt himself one of these days. The right thing to do would be to tell him to stop.

???: The right thing to do would be to let us go, you insufferable-!

???: I have given you numerous offers of freedom, and you’ve rejected them all. You think I want you here with how much of a racket you make every day? The only one keeping you here is yourselves, at this point.

???: Okay, first of all? You severely underestimate the durability of a Dubwool’s noggin, mate. I’ve seen the big bastards charge straight into steel and walk it off like it was nothin’.

???: Second of all, that’s because the terms you were offering were utter horseshit.

???: You honestly think we’re gonna willingly hand over our Pokémon to you for anything?

???: It doesn’t matter now, does it? We already have them. You could still go free, on the promise that none of you will try to stir up trouble for Plasma again.

???: Yeah, hard no on that. You’re the ones asking for trouble by deciding t’ mess with me, my friends, and-

???: Trying to intimidate me now, are you? Might I remind you that I beat you and your friends, by a landslide if I remember correctly. None of your Pokémon could take more than a few hits from Zekrom, and she was holding back significantly. Yours in particular were quick to go down, if I recall…

???: Grrgh…

???: Tais-toi déjà, espèce de porc!

???: Vous ne me dites pas quand je dois me taire.

???: Oh, impressive. Your pronunciation’s off, though. You know, for someone who seems so well-versed in a lot of things, you’re a complete imbecile.

???: Please, enlighten me as to how.

???: Well, for starters your atrocious fashion sense. You are trying to appear kingly, no? I hate to break it to you, but the baseball hat just demolishes any trace of a royal vibe. Like, your minions and court are all decked out in knightly or regal attire, and you look like you’re going to a sports game. And the shoes, Xerneas, don’t get me started on the shoes-

???: …Are you going anywhere meaningful with this, or…??

???: I’m just saying, mon cher, it wouldn’t be that hard to at least throw on a fancy cloak or something.

???: But, second of all… this whole mission of taking everyone’s Pokémon away. Just, how exactly do you expect to accomplish such a feat? One decently powerful dragon in your arsenal isn’t going to guarantee you victory across the entire scope of the world!

???: Sigh- You aren’t the first nor likely last person to ask that… Tell me, if my plan is as ludicrous as you keep claiming it to be, why is it proving to work right now as we speak? People across the region are releasing their Pokémon. Maybe you aren’t easily swayed by a draconic incarnation of the sky’s wrath, but most normal people have the basic common sense to be.

???: Yeah, they’re doing it out of fear! You’re sending your men out and basically bullying them into listening to you!

???: Oh please, what matters is that it’s working. People can handle being afraid for a little while. Especially compared to the things Pokémon across the world have to deal with on a day-by-day basis...

???: You’re looking at this all through solely the lens of what it means for Pokémon! Specifically just abused ones, too… What about the people that are experiencing hardships across the globe, as well? The people who might rely on the help of Pokémon?

???: I’ll admit, I am a bit biased in my preference for Pokémon for pursuing the world I’m after… But ultimately what I’m doing will benefit both sides. People suffer at the hands of Pokémon exploitation too, you know. Take the Darkest Day, for instance, or even more notably the Ultimate Weapon-

???: Don’t you dare go there.

???: Go where? About how the Darkest Day caused so much destruction, that people are still rebuilding from it? There are still families without homes because theirs got crushed under the feet of rampaging Dynamax Pokémon? Or the lives lost when the laser hit Geosenge, or the fact that there may be no saving the town because of the radiation from the crater that might make it uninhabitable come a few years. Oh, isn’t Hanmerlocke Stadium experiencing a similar problem, now that I think of it?

???: You-

???: Might I need to bring up the personal consequences you both had to deal with, as well? Leon nearly losing his life. What Blake had to do to Lysandre in order to protect Auberi. Xerneas giving up the rest of its energy to revive them…

SLAM!

Hop: Shut the FUCK up! Don’t you dare try and twist the things WE went through into excuses for what you’re doing, you fucking- deplorable piece of shit!

???: How do you even-

???: Know about what actually conspired under Geosenge? Who do you think told me?

???: Blake, they…

???: Monstre! They trusted you enough to tell you something they never tell anyone, and you’re seriously using it against them right now?!

???: Well, the overarching point of it all is what it boils down to, isn’t it? Rose, Lysandre, neither of those men would’ve had the resources to pull of what they did if they hadn’t had Pokémon to use as the stepping stones. No one would’ve had their lives ruined, no one would’ve had to die.

???: I… don’t believe this. Blake is your friend, and you’re using their- no, OUR trauma to try and justify yourself!

???: Was my friend. And if they weren’t so stubborn, they’d ought to be thanking me. I was doing this with them in mind too, you know! I saw how much of a toll the things they’d gone through had taken on them. How insensitive the world was to their struggles, molding them into some idol rather than seeing those tragedies for what they were... I offered them a way to ensure those tragedies could never happen again, and they refused.

???: Yeah, cause your proposed method of “ensuring” that was bloody fucking mad! Asking them to give up their Pokémon? The one thing that’s kept Blake going over the years- all of us, actually- was love for Pokémon! That was everything driving us to fight, and you said you were going to rip it all away, what in Arc’s name did you expect?!

???: Love? Love? You don’t know love for Pokémon the way I do. Blake loves theirs, sure, but where they fall flat is when they aren’t willing to make the necessary sacrifices for them. I am!

???: Fucking hell- This is where all you villain types go completely off your fucking rocker. “Ohh, it’s for the greater good, there’s gonna be casualties, but it’ll benefit everyone in the end-” the point where you’ve lost the plot is where you’re willing to hurt innocents and tear apart livelihoods in order to get your way! Rose believed it, Lysandre believed it- don’t you have a shred of dignity, or do you not care that you sound exactly like the people you claim to hate so much?!

???: You know what? I don’t care. I don’t care anymore who or what I sound like to you, or anybody else! If it means that I’m able to save my friends, then so be it. I don’t want it to come to it, but Zekrom and I will force the entire world to its knees if we have to. I won’t stop until every single Pokémon out there is out of greedy, selfish human’s hands.

???: You’re playing your own Pokémon right into one’s! You think that Ghetsis is actually with you on this?! Every word that drips out of that snake’s mouth is so blatantly laced with deceit, and you-

???: Both of you! Enough.

???: But Professor-

???: There’s no getting through to him now, just stop. Please.

???: …

???: …Fucking fine. Waste of my breath anyways…

???: …

???: Good to hear you’re still awake in there, Juniper. You were so quiet for all of that just now, I was wondering if maybe you were asleep. Though I suppose there’s still a chance you were… Apologies then, if that’s the case, for disturbing your rest.

???: …

???: …I would ask if you’ve given my bargain for your freedom any more thought, but with Hop and Shauna’s reactions, I’m assuming you’re still of the same opinion…

???: …

???: …You know, I wasn’t going to tell you this, but while I’m here I ought to inform you of something interesting. Remember the Light Stone? How I confiscated it from Alder following my triumph against him?

???: Just last night, something peculiar happened. It started to glow. Burn as bright as a bonfire in the little box I put it in.

???: …What?

???: Before you assume, no, it wasn’t Reshiram agreeing to join my cause. It still burned me when I touched it. I can’t be completely sure, but if I had to read it as anything… I’d take it as a sign that a certain dex holder of yours is coming out of hiding.

???: Blake?

???: Fuck-

???: No, no no no no… Tell them to leave! Tell them to turn back!

???: Calm down, they haven’t arrived yet. I just told you I can’t even be certain that they will. But if they are, do you honestly think I have the power to dissuade them? I think the sheer strength of the fire I saw burst from the Light Stone is hint enough that won’t be a probability.

???: Anyways, if they are coming, and they intend to reclaim Reshiram, I’m sure you all know what that’ll entail.

???: I swear, if you do anything, ANYTHING to them, I will personally drag you kicking and screaming to Distortion’s doorstep myself-!

???: Threaten me all you want. The wheels are in motion. Unova is on the brink of change, and how that change will come about has been written in the stars for over 2,000 years. This is how it’ll be settled, how it was twice before. You, Blake, even I am incapable of stopping it. This is just the rule of fate.

???: Now… I’ll leave you to process this information. If you all intend to stick around, I’ll arrange time for you to see them before the final confrontation, just in case the end result is…

???: …Never mind. Excuse me…

Bang! Bang! Bang!

???: Don’t you dare walk away now! Get back here!

???: You can’t do this, N! Both you and Blake could get hurt, or worse!

Their shouts and banging on the door dwindle into muffled background noise as the recorder holder walks away, a second set of footsteps joining them.

???: U-Um, sire, w-we still need to figure out what to do about- about the laundry room-

???: For crying out loud- just wash your uniforms in the fountains, or something! I have more important matters.

???: B-but-!

Stomp, stomp, stomp.

???: W-we have an actual dungeon, why can’t we move them in there?!

End audio.]

———

[thunderblessedhero]

———

[VIDEO: A young, green haired man lying back on a silky white bed, holding a book over his face and flicking through the pages of it. Next to him, an Archeops is cuddled by his waist.

The ancient bird trills while shifting a little, and the man reaches down to gently scratch the top of its head with his finger. As the bird chirps happily at the attention and snuggles further into his black turtleneck shirt, he sighs through his nostrils and places his book flat on his chest.

“It feels weird,” he murmurs as he stares contemplatively up at the ceiling, his brows knit and his nose a tiny bit scrunched. “To be relaxing at a time like this. But… Sage Rood is insisting I try to rest whenever possible while father prepares the next stage of the plan.”

He closes his eyes, mouth curling into a dissatisfied frown. “It’s so… weird how easy all of it was. Defeating Alder, pushing back against any resistance…” He briefly cranes his neck back to peer out a nearby window seated just above his bed. Thunder can be heard rumbling in the dark clouds gathering outside. “Over a decade of preparation, nearly my entire life up to this point, and everything we were fighting so hard to dismantle crumbled in less than a few days.”

Archeops croons, bumping its head against its shoulder. Its human friend shifts enough on the mattress to reach down and run his hand through its soft neck plumage. He has this melancholic glaze over his eyes as he does, however. “I’m not… complaining, per se, that everything went so smoothly, but…”

He buries the side of his face into his pillow. His avian companion tilts its head at him, seeming confused by his downcast state. “…They were supposed to be here,” he murmurs so quietly that you can barely hear it.

He gazes absently at nothing for a while, what seems like some kind of remorse weighing heavy on him, before shaking himself out of whatever thoughts he’s getting lost in and picking up his book again. “Maybe it’s… for the best that they aren’t.”

As he steadies the book on his chest again, Archeops makes a few soft clicking noises at him, and his lips turn up in bemusement. “You want me to read out loud to you? I swore I’ve already narrated this story for you before…”

The fossil Pokémon just warbles insistently as it gets up, ruffles its feather, and steps up to sit on the man’s stomach. He raises a brow at Archeops as it settles on him, but holds back a snort at the big sad eyes it gives him as it rests its chin on the top of his book.

“You like it that much?” he chuckles, glimpsing down at the pages. “It doesn’t have a happy ending…”

Archeops squawks softly, and his eyelids lift in mild surprise. “You… like it because it’s one Lady Anthea wrote?”

The bird chatters in confirmation, lying down and slipping its head under the book so it can rest its head on the center of his chest. The man gazes thoughtfully at his Pokémon for a minute, before smiling warmly down at it and stroking its back lovingly.

“Okay, you win,” he snickers, before turning his eyes back to the pages, flipping back to the very first one. “Let’s see…”

“…Once upon a time, there lived a prince in a vast, lush forest. It was like a kingdom with no king, that expansive woodland, but the Pokémon who inhabited it still deemed the little one their prince, as he took his self-assigned duty of taking care of them all very seriously. He was young, but he put in the work everyday to make sure not a single one of his friends knew suffering.”

“He, too, once knew loneliness, during a time before the forest Pokémon took him in- and never wanted another being to feel the way he once had.”

“One day, a peculiar cloaked stranger arrived. The prince was the first to discover the stranger hiding amongst the canopy of oak leaves, and found out they were a young warrior from the outside, but had not come seeking conflict. Rather, they came seeking temporary retreat from their village that lied just outside the forest borders, the one that had rejected them for being the weakest and most soft-hearted amongst their ranks.”

“Normally, the forest Pokémon were wary of unfamiliar outsiders… after all, the outside was rumored to be an unpredictable place. The prince, however, saw pain the warrior’s eyes, and remembered his mission of ensuring no being suffered under his watch. Their tears brought just as much of an ache to his heart as the ones his friends shed, so what reason would he have to turn his eyes away from this individual?”

“He offered his friendship, and the warrior, who was not used to such kindness, confusedly accepted it. As strange as they both found each other at first, the more time they spent together, the more their protective walls fell, giving way for a true bond to take bloom.”

“The prince would bring them on his adventures throughout the wilds, and the warrior would show him trinkets from their world. Time passed, and soon, the two began to find safety in each other. The warrior had found a true friend, one who saw them for more than just their strength, and the prince had found someone he could rely upon and trust with anything.”

“Even with his most heaviest of woes, ones he felt he couldn’t tell anyone else. With his new friend being from the outside, there was one important question he’d been itching to ask, but held back for fear of stirring up unpleasant topics for them.”

“My friend, he began one day while they were frolicking in the meadows as they usually did, Please, tell me… what is the outside like?”

“I’ve already told and shown you much about it, replied the warrior, What else do you wish to know, my friend?”

“The prince would look away, seeming troubled. On occasion, Pokémon from the outside will arrive, battered and bruised and scarred both inside and out. Sometimes, they are so terrified, even I am unable to get through to them right away. And even after they heal, the burdens of what they went through continue to weigh heavy on them… The outside rejected you, as well, so tell me… is it truly that horrible of a place?”

“At first, the warrior is unsure what to tell him. It was true, the outside world they hailed from had treated them coldly for the better part of their life. They had no reason to not resent it. And yet…”

“No, I do not believe it is.”

“This answer came as a surprise to the prince. Could you explain your reasoning? He requested.”

“His friend just smiles, like it’s the simplest thing. I don’t think anything can be a hundred percent wicked. Despite how it treated me, I saw Pokémon be loved there in the outside world. I saw them smiling, playing, existing to their fullest. Yes, they knew strife at times, but in many cases that did not outweigh their joy.”

“…The prince still struggles to understand. Why love a world that could hurt them so viscerally?”

“Well, to me, I think it’s because it’s the only world they have. In reality, we’re part of it too, you know, the warrior gestures around to the forest around them. We are all living under the same sky, aren’t we? I doubt we will get along all the time, but we’re all each other has.”

“But what about the ones who are in pain? Or the ones who cause that pain?”

“The warrior smiles at him somberly. Pain is just a part of life, my friend. At times, there is no circumventing it, and that is what is cruel about the world. But you know what’s makes it beautiful in turn? Our ability to help and heal one another of that pain.”

The man pauses in the middle of the story, wearing an unpleasant frown as he seems to think deeply on something. He keeps reading when Archeops gently nibbles on his sleeve, urging him to continue.

“I wish there was no pain in the world, laments the prince. The thought of anyone feeling that way fills me with anguish like no other. Especially people I might never get to help.”

“I understand, my friend, consoles the warrior. You have a caring, righteous heart, that’s what I admire most about you. But you musn’t let the pains of all weigh on your shoulders. It could break you, and I’d never want to see that happen.”

“But a world without suffering, the prince insists, do you think it could exist? Do you think it’s possible?”

“Something like that is certainly a wonderful dream… the warrior ponders on it for a while. If anyone could help spur such a shift, it’d be you, I believe. You show so much kindness to other creatures, and that kindness spreads. Perhaps pain isn’t something that can ever truly be vanquished, but… I think, as long as you keep being you, as long as you never lose sight of your compassion and why you wield it, then yes. I think a world like that will come to fruition one day.”

“An idea sparks in the warrior’s mind, and they stand before the prince, eyes burning with passion as they take a bow. In fact, I would like to help you create that world, prince, if you’d have me. The kindness you showed me inspired hope within me again, and I’d like to express my gratitude somehow. Allow me to swear myself to you, and your dream of bringing that hope to everyone else. Even if these seeds sewn are ones we don’t live to see flourish, let me be the one to plant them with you.”

“The prince is rather baffled at first; he’s never had a knight before. However, this person was more than just a warrior, or a knight- they were his friend. If he were to pick anyone, it’d be them. So, he accepts.”

“Together, the knight and the prince build the foundation of that world they dream of. It isn’t much, and it’s already takes a lot of hard work. But, it’s a start, and every smile and every laugh from their friends that it reaps is worth it all. They spend their days helping their Pokémon friends, any who come to the forest seeking refuge, with a vision that one day they will set out into the world together and offer their assistance to ones in need out there.”

“But… such innocence was never meant to last.”

“It happened so suddenly, without any prior hint or warning. One day, while on a walk around the outskirts of his kingdom, the prince felt especially disheartened that day. It was occasional, when something would come and remind him of how much work he had to do, and how daunting his small little effort to bring a shred of light into the world seemed in the grand scheme of things. That’s when he heard it- a foreboding voice, calling to him from beyond the trees.”

“He was wary of it, at first, but it whispered words meticulously crafted to lure him in by his heart. Promises of being able to end his friends’ suffering once and for all, of ensuring their safety for the rest of time. Things that soothed the worries in his heart, of nothing he did mattering in the end and never getting to see a world in which he dreamed of.”

“With a small group of his most trusted Pokémon friends, he followed that voice into the shadows, tempted to hear what it had to say. Could this be the answer to everything he’d been searching for, he wondered? He stepped past the tree line, leaving the home that had kept him safe for all his life, and to it he never returned.”

“The knight would notice the prince’s absence quickly. Desperate to find their liege, their best friend, the knight searched the kingdom high and low. Asked every Pokémon, left no corner unchecked, no stone unturned.”

“Hours turned into days. Days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months.”

“No trace of the prince were they ever able to uncover, no word of departure left behind, nothing. But, the knight would not give up, not for anything. They took an oath, an unbreakable promise, one they intended to keep for the rest of time.”

“With no where else to search, the knight boldly journeyed to the outside from which they came, with intention to come back with the prince in hand and restore what was lost.”

“What became of them, no one was ever to find out, as neither they nor the prince ever made another appearance. Some believed they perished to the wilds, others think they could still be searching to this day. The Pokémon that didn’t disappear with the prince eventually dispersed from the kingdom, letting it fade to nothing but a blink in their memory. The story of the prince and knight were left forgotten to the whims of time, their dream vanishing along with it.”

The man stares silently at those last few written words for a time, before skimming through an array of blank, untouched pages that come after it. “I wonder why Anthea never finished this one…” he murmurs to himself, before snapping the book close and looking down to check the state of his Pokémon. Archeops had fallen fast asleep at some point during the story, its nose tucked under its wing. He smiles fondly at the prehistoric creature, running his fingers along its feathery back.

The two lay there for a while, the man closing his eyes to let himself drift into a slumber as well. It’s a peaceful scene, and you think perhaps it’s coming to an end- at least until you hear a subtle rattling noise come from somewhere offscreen. The man hears it, too, eyes blinking back awake as the sound starts to grow a bit more violent. Awoken by his stirring, Archeops hops off its human’s stomach, allowing him to sit up and swing his legs over the side of his bed closest to the camera. He bends down, seeming to reach for something tucked under the bed frame, before sitting up and revealing the sound’s source to be a wooden box. The container trembles in his hands like it’s about to burst, white like seeping from within, and he hastily undoes the latch and flicks the lid open.

Inside, you see a white, round stone, radiating a light as bright at the sun and emitting a wispy, orange flame. The man winces at the blinding glow flaring off of it, but still gazes at the object in wonder. Archeops shudders behind him, feathers standing on end as it shuffles away nervously.

“Reshiram, are you…” he whispers as the small blaze steadily starts to dwindle, lowering a hand to graze the surface of the pale stone. The flame licks his fingertips, though, and he swiftly withdraws it with a wince and a hiss of pain.

The fire raging off the artifact’s surface roars even more ferociously, and the man has to scramble to drop it on a nearby dresser. He breathily mutters something unintelligible, eyes flying about trying to make sense of this phenomenon, before it looks as though some kind of realization hits him.

“Are they here-?” He gasps, stumbling away from the stone before jogging somewhere off the screen without any further elaboration, feet pounding against the marble floor of the room he’s in. Archeops jumps to its feet and squawks after its human friend, frantically fluttering off the bed to catch up with him. You hear a large door creak as it’s pushed open and then swing back shut. Finally, the footage cuts.

End video.]

———

[thunderblessedhero]

It’s over. I’ve done it. I’ve defeated him.

Everything will finally change. I’m doing the right thing. I’m doing the right thing.

[thunderblessedhero]

I think the everstone is bc the pokemon doesnt want to evolve! so it might not want you to remove its collar bc it keeps it from evolving and possibly stressing it out to an aggression point

No, the everstone was put on it because its trainer didn’t want it to evolve. It’s being aggressive because it’s in a new place… I might have to try again later.

[thunderblessedhero]

———

[IMAGE: A blurry photo of a Deino, lunging at the camera, trying to chomp down on the wrist of the holder. You notice it has a collar with an everstone embedded in it on its neck.]

———

Please stop trying to bite me, I just want to get the collar off of you…

[thunderblessedhero]

———

[AUDIO: A recorded conversation.

???: Natural…

???: What, Zekrom?! If you’re expecting me to apologize for how I acted to Blake, it isn’t going to happen! I don’t regret anything I said!

???: I- first of all, watch your tone! You’re acting like a child.

???: Ngh…

???: Second of all, you can’t expect me to watch you lash out like that and not have a shred of concern for you. Just what on earth got into you back there?

???: I don’t know, maybe the fact that I’m sick of them making me feel so confused? They’re just- ugh! They’ve been infuriating me for so long now. It was long overdue I let it all out, especially after they took my sisters from us. That was crossing the line.

???: Why do you even care so much that I berated them? Don’t you dislike them too?

???: Yes, I do, for all the traits you pointed out to them… But that was another hero you disrespected, Natural, of two other gods no less! Zacian is beneath me in the pantheon, so I have no fear of her- but Yveltal isn’t. Trust me when I tell you she’s the last deity you want to be on the bad side of…

???: So- so what, I’m being scolded because you don’t want the other gods to be angry at you? Tch- aren’t you already picking a fight with them by being against their chosen? If Blake really wanted to, they could forget about summoning Reshiram and call in one of their other gods to defeat you. Or both!

???: That’s different, Natural. This ongoing conflict between us is a matter only reserved for Reshiram and I to resolve. The other gods, regardless of their biases, know it is not their place to intervene. However, too many unnecessary transgressions against their chosens could justifiably invoke their wrath.

???: Wh- you struck them with lightning! And I’m in trouble for what- laying it to them thick?

???: They were going to drop me off a tower, Natural, that was an act of self defense.

???: But… sigh… Admittedly, I have been pushing it a bit myself. Patience is a virtue I seem to have lost a significant amount of after Reshiram and I… never mind. None of this is even the only reason; my biggest concern of all, N, was how that clearly wasn’t you back there.

???: What do you mean?

???: I’ve only known you for a short amount of time, but you’ve never seemed like the type to fly off the handle like that. You’re passionate, you get a bit over your head at times, yes, and you are prone to being blunt with people- but that was a whole different level. Something else is going on beneath the surface, and it isn’t just about your sisters.

???: I…

???: …I don’t- it’s- it’s a lot of things, alright? So many things. I don’t even know where to start. It’s Concordia and Anthea, it’s all this pressure on me, it’s whatever’s been going on with Nox- You’ve noticed he’s been acting off, too, right?

???: Hrmm… Yes. I have.

???: Is it… part of why you didn’t take him with when we left Opelucid?

???: N… I will be honest with you. There is something amiss inside that Zoroark’s heart. I sensed it from him the moment I awoke, and it’s only gotten stronger since. He’s changing, N, and not for the better… I fear he could become dangerous, even to you.

???: He… is?

???: …Great… Here I am, the man who swore to protect all Pokémon, and I can’t even protect the one closest to me. I- why didn’t I reach out to him? I got too caught up in my mission, again. We left him there- what if he doesn’t come back? This is all my-

???: No, N. This is not your fault. I don’t know the full extent of you and Nox’s history together, but I am aware that he is a being fully capable of acting on his own accord. He chooses to be a menace, it fills some kind of hole in his heart to be cruel to the beings who’ve hurt him so.

???: He lost the rest of his litter mates to hunters when we were young, how am I supposed to blame him? Yes, he takes it too far sometimes, and I’ve tried to keep him in line, but- he owes humanity no sympathy. It’s his choice to not like them, I can’t reprimand him for feeling that way. He doesn’t let it drive him to hurt people without necessity, he never has- a-at least I… I don’t think he has.

???: The fact that you say with such uncertainty says a lot, Natural… But I digress. Nox’s condition is something we will have to prioritize for after we triumph over Alder. For now, you shouldn’t worry about him. He is the older of you two, is he not? He’s more than capable of looking after himself.

???: As for Blake…

???: Tch… What about them?

???: It’s undeniable that they’re a big playing factor in your stress as of late, young one.

???: Yes, that’s been obvious for a while now.

???: What did I say about the tone-? Never mind- N, I understand that as Reshiram’s new hero, that makes them our current most prominent adversary, even more so than the League. But I understand there was… camaraderie, between you two at a point in time. You said they can’t make up their mind about “what you two are”. But that isn’t a one-sided struggle in your relationship, is it?

???: …I don’t- I…

???: Fine, there was… something between us. I guess. But- it doesn’t matter how I feel about it, now! All they are is another hurdle I need to overcome, and that’s exactly what I plan to do.

???: N…

???: What? Don’t give me that look, Zekrom! I know- I already know I’m an idiot for loving them!

???: …

???: …I don’t- I’m not used to loving people. I love Pokémon, first and foremost. I love my human family. I don’t- all these feelings I have about Blake, I don’t know what to do with!

???: They’re so frustrating and hard to understand! But- that’s also what makes them intriguing and made me want to get to know them more. I felt like I could just… talk for hours with them, even about the weirdest things. They… they get on my nerves like nobody else does, it makes me want to rip my hair out, but they’re also kind and sweet and-

???: They love their Pokémon so much. I don’t even need to listen to theirs for too long to know they all mean the world to each other. And- it shouldn’t hurt so much for me to watch. Because even so, all the things I said about Blake as a trainer are true! But it does hurt- it breaks my heart. Thinking about what it’ll be like for them if their Pokémon are taken away.

???: …You’ve known each other for such a short time, yet they’ve left quite the impression on you. I’m curious- when did such strong fondness for them seep in…?

???: …I think it started on the Ferris Wheel. Everything went wrong that day, but before that- we’d been on the same wavelength, like we had been at the museum. There was so much we talked about… mundane and silly things, mostly, but things I never felt like I could discuss with another human. Then they blew up at me when I told them everything, but- the hostility didn’t last. We fought in Chargestone Cave, but then we got trapped together, and… we argued a lot, sure, but there were a few moments during that where we’d talked like… nothing had changed.

???: …I remember the longer we were trapped in there, the more antsy they were starting to get. I didn’t say anything, but I did just… try to talk to them, to keep their mind off of it.

???: That experience forged your bond even stronger.

???: I guess so. And then we- we… kissed, in Mistaltron. I wasn’t sure what to make of it- it just happened, so fast. They were screaming at me that they still cared about me, that they didn’t want me to get hurt trying to summon you- there was so much emotion. I don’t really know what my thought process was. Or theirs.

???: Hm. Romance is a fickle, strange thing. I’ve hardly ever been able to understand it myself.

???: I don’t even know if what Blake and I have is romance, or friendship- or if the distinction even matters. I just know I- …love them. And those feelings, they’re- they’re just getting in the way of what I need to do!

???: Sigh. I sound pathetic…

???: …Things like love can hardly ever be helped, N. I definitely understand that, even if it isn’t the same kind you’re experiencing.

???: …

???: Zekrom, be honest. How do you really feel about what Team Plasma’s trying to do? Do you truly believe in what I’m trying to achieve?

???: Liberating Pokémon? Well, from an objective standpoint, I guess there could be valid points to be made both for and against it, depending on who you ask. I’ve had human companions in the past, that I’ve fought beside and cared deeply for. And it’s true humans and Pokémon have existed alongside one another, for as long as even I have been alive. The original purpose of my old self was to help the first king establish the kingdom of Unova, after all- that was one of the oldest partnerships in your history.

???: But from a personal perspective, well- it’s just as I said. It is a partnership no longer forged by honor. Humanity has more of a control over the world than they did thousands, even hundreds of years ago. That makes them have an innate view of Pokémon as lower life forms, compared to the when they had feared and respected them.

???: A better future cannot be reached with such a mindset rampantly plaguing this world… that is the reason I answered to you. I sensed your firm belief in this future, your conviction to bring it to pass. Humans must learn a lesson before they are allowed to live beside Pokémon again.

???: And yet… you admit that you falter. Trainers like Blake, who love their Pokémon, give you pause.

???: …I know. And I’m sorry, okay? I know I shouldn’t be second guessing myself, this close to the end.

???: Well, this is exactly why the Hero of Truth has resurfaced to oppose you, N. The matter of separating humans and Pokémon- it is something the region is indubitably at odds about. It is a divide that must be settled. Regardless of whether or not Blake is an adequate enough hero to even awaken my other half in time… this is how fate calls for it to be done.

???: …Right…

???: …Something someone said a while ago stood out to me. Well, two someone’s- the spirits of Wind and Storm.

???: Thundurus and Tornadus? Yes, I could sense their presence stirring, even in my dormancy. Being divine beings just as I am, who share a regional territory with me, they are highly susceptible to brewing conflict between Reshiram and I.

???: …They… said their sibling perished, during one of the past fights between you two. Enamorus. And that Landorus is now in hiding because of it.

???: …Yes. She was lost that day. It is a story I will tell to you in larger detail, one day, but… I can tell you now that it is true.

???: …This encroaching battle against Blake and Reshiram- how much damage is going to come from it? The spirits said this clash had the potential to bring about either an era of harmony, or one of strife. Could either I or… Blake, get hurt?

???: …It’s highly possible, N. It is in the nature of these things for me, Reshiram, and our heroes to fight to the bitter end. When Truth and Ideals are set to clash, nothing can or should try and come between them. It only happens when Unova is on the brink of change, and a decision deciding its future must be made.

???: …Right then. Then I guess that’s just something I need to be ready for.

???: You seem peculiarly nonchalant about it, even with the warnings Thundurus and Tornadus left you with.

???: Do I have any other choice not to be? Look- I already said that whatever Blake and I had, it means null now. I won’t let it get in the way of what I need to do.

???: It stings. The connection between us- if I’m right about who they are, it goes back even further than our meeting in Accumula Town. But that… that’s history. My vision is on nothing but the future from here on out- not what was, or could’ve been. If Blake and their friends are going to keep standing in the way of it, then- I can’t be apologetic about whatever happens to them as a result.

???: Natural-

???: I… need to go talk to my father. Maybe his guidance would assist more from here… he’s much less- scatterbrained than I am right now.

???: Sigh. If there’s any good that came out of any of this, it’s that he at least doesn’t see me as an insufferable freak anymore…

???: N-

You hear the sound of a door clicking shut.

???: …Sigh.

???: …He’s changing, too. It’s just like before. I fear I could end up losing him. Just like how I lost both of you, Larkin… Asher…

???: The worst part- I don’t know how in my power I am to circumvent it. When Reshiram awakens, my obligation to fulfill my sacred duty will take priority, whether I like it or not. I could end up in a state much similar to him…

???: Almighty One, might some of your many eyes be watching, please… let the outcome be different. Let this time be the last. This eons old divide between my brother and I- more than anything, even more than I want this future N strives for, I… I want it to come to an end. This cruel circle of fate…

End audio.]

[thunderblessedhero]

OFFSCREEN POST

———

The shrill winds whistled over the desolate highlands, ruffling N’s long ponytail as he let his legs dangle over the ledge of the boulder he had perched himself on. Surrounding him on all sides were tall, barren black cliffs, one of which he and he and his draconic companion were resting on the edge of.

Zekrom stands tall and dignified beside him as always, piercing eyes diligent as she gazes steadily off towards something in the distance. She radiates elegance and power without even needing to try. N follows her line of sight to a small dot on the distant horizon- settled there on the faraway mountain range is the Pokémon League, the ancient-temple inspired architecture of its highest point distinguishable even from this distance. There it sits, whatever inhabitants inside of it oblivious to the divine presence watching from just a few miles away.

His mind wanders aimlessly as he stares at it too, for a while. How old of a structure was it, exactly? He recalls someone saying it had been constructed in honor of Victini, and he briefly thinks back to the one that accompanies that one boy, Cole. His mind then skips to pondering what the state of things were over there, if Alder and his Elite Four were in a disarray trying to prepare for his inevitable attack.

Zekrom rumbles at his side, her wings twitching in anticipation. He places a hand on her elbow, the only point of her towering form that was currently in his reach. “Soon,” he tells her, feeling the metallic hide buzzing slightly underneath his touch, similar to how it would as the Dark Stone.

“A joke,” the goddess snarls deeply, rearing her head back with a snort. “A mockery is what it is. Humans and Pokémon once fought alongside each other as equals, with honor, but now it’s been turned into nothing more but a spectacle.”

He absorbs her words, then lets his chin fall against his pulled up knees. “In an ideal world, Pokémon shouldn’t have to fight at all…” he laments softly. “Not at the whim or for the selfish reasons of humans.”

Zekrom thrums in concede, her eyes still drawn on the league building, and he wonders if it’s been standing long enough for her to have seen it in a previous awakened period of hers. While the globalization of Leagues across the world was a more modern development that had occurred within the last few decades, the concept as a whole had been around for well over a century. Unova’s was up there with the oldest, in fact, so it was entirely possible.

“It is in our nature to battle, to spar,” she rumbled as she settled down on her hind legs. “To try and grow stronger. But that is not the sole reason for our existence. And we certainly do not have to rely on humans to do so.”

“To that I agree, Goddess of Ideals.”

N doesn’t jump as he turns to face the new voice, already recognizing it the moment it reaches his ears. The sight of his Zoroark brother brings a twitch of a smile to his face, but it doesn’t last when he’s reminded of the distance that’s been between them as of late, due to his duties.

“Nox,” He slides down from the rock to greet his best friend, trying to not let the recent time apart faze him. He’s reaching out to give his fluffy red mane a gentle ruffle out of instinct, but doesn’t let his hand linger for long when the action earns a disgruntled huff from the dark fox. “You’re back.”

“I apologize if my absence worried you,” Nox replies, standing up on his hind legs and rising to about a quarter away from N’s height, something he did notably rarely. He always preferred appearing feral and menacing. “I know I was gone for some time.”

That triggers a pang of guilt in N’s heart when he realizes it’d actually been days since he last saw the Zoroark, and he hadn’t taken that into account until now. He’d been so caught up in training with Zekrom.

“I knew you’d return,” he assured, rubbing his arm sheepishly and hoping his embarrassment at his own folly wasn’t outwardly detectable. “I’m glad to see you’re okay now.”

Nox hums and lowers his head. “That’s a relief. I feared it would affect you due to Concordia and Anthea’s disappearance.”

The mention of his missing older sisters causes the young king to wince, and Nox withdraws thinking maybe now was a sore time to bring the subject up.

“Right…” N murmurs dolefully, eyes descending to his feet. The vanishing of his two older sisters, following his arrival back at the castle, was one of the major things weighing down on him lately- especially with him pinning the blame on himself for it. He’d acted horrendously to them, after they’d been doing nothing but attempting to console him like they always did. “H-Has anything been dug up about their whereabouts yet?”

That’s when Nox perks up again, but there is something distinguishably grim behind in the way his gaze intensifies. “That’s partly what I’ve come here for, brother.”

N’s heart skips a beat, feeling the tiniest spark of hope- until he reads the direness on Nox’s expression, and it sinks to his stomach when he realizes it must be bad news. “What happened? Are they-”

“They’re alive,” Nox assures him, but then looks to the ground and grimaces scornfully, showing his fangs. “But they…”

There’s a beat of silence, and N leans in attentively, quietly urging his brother to continue. Nox draws a deep breath in, collecting himself before he can fall apart, then deflating again with a long exhale. Still, there’s an intensity of churned emotions behind his hardened eyes as he speaks-

“They’ve turned on us. They’ve joined the Hero of Truth and are aiding them in defeating you.”

And just like that, the world seems to oh so silently shatter around N, like a rock through a thin sheet of ice. The young king feels his body goes stiff on the spot. Zekrom hisses out a low breath behind him, turning her chin up and watching her chosen carefully.

“…What?” He sputters out, shaking his head in disbelief. Denial. He thinks about the gentle hands of the two who raised him. Their warm embraces, their kind voices, things that at some points had been the only thing keeping him going. During times where he felt so burdened by the weight of his destiny, when he thought he would never live up to his father’s expectations… No, not two of the few humans he knew he could trust.

He shakes his head. That can’t be right. “N- no, they…”

Nox frowns regretfully, wishing it wasn’t so just as much as his brother did. Seeing that expression was all it took for N to know he was being truthful. Nox could lie, even manipulate when he wanted to, but live around someone long enough and you can see right through them no matter how cunning they were.

That sinking feeling increases tenfold as the shadows of Nox’s illusions stretch out to surround him, forming a dome. Materializing around him is a scene- one from the Zoroark’s memory, he assumes- the outside of a lone Pokémon center on what looks like the long route between Iccirus and Opelucid. He’s drawn to the window, and slowly makes his way towards it before bending to peer inside.

That’s where he sees them- Concordia and Anthea. They’re sitting around the fireplace with Blake’s group of friends, donning new sets of clothes and even their own X-Transceivers. And they’re… laughing. Along with all the others. And smiling- so much brighter than they ever had back in the castle. At least it seems that way, to him.

They’re… happy.

The sight would almost melt his heart had it not been for the context behind the scene in front of him. They’d abandoned him.

As the illusion starts to disintegrate, and he finds himself back on that desolate cliff with Zekrom and Nox, he simply feels… hollow. But heavy at the same time. Unbearably heavy. And the only question that seems to plague his mind is "why?". Why those two? Why his closest family?

In the last traces of the illusion, he looks up one last time, and sees them. That unmistakable head of bright pink hair, laughing along with his sisters.

Them. Why was it always them?

The next thing his eyes flick to is the bag by their seat, sitting with the zipper halfway open. Seconds before the illusion drops completely, he's able to make out a round, white shape sticking out against the black fabric. It doesn't take him more than a second to recognize it. The Light Stone.

The second he sees that artifact, the dormant counterpart of his legendary companion, it's like a switch is flipped. Something thunders to life inside his crushed, devastated soul, takes hold in his heart and twists his anguish into something else. Something angry.

"N, there's one more thing you should know," Nox begins, putting a cautious paw forwards. "Blake, they're the-"

"I already know," N cuts him off more sharply than intended. His hand clenches into a fist at his side. Of course they were. Just like he’d predicted. Just like he’d dreaded.

The world around him is still, yet he feels like he’s at the center of a hurricane with all this turmoil he feels surging inside of him. His mind races a mile a minute, his heart thumps within his chest like a pounding drum.

He knows what hate feels like. Is this what this is? No, he can’t hate his sisters. He’s beyond furious with them, but he doesn’t have it in his heart to hate them. No, it was towards someone else-

That trainer. They sided with them over him.

He has to sit down. He takes in lungfuls of air at a time, knocks his hat off as he digs his hand into his scalp, reaches for his void cube, but even that isn’t enough to soothe him.

“Brother?” Nox mumbles worriedly, ears pinning back.

“Why?” He seethes under his breath, gripping the old toy in his hand so tightly it might break. “Why is it always them?”

Nox narrows his eyes, understanding what he means without even having to ask. “Blake. Something must be done about them.”

That’s when Zekrom chooses to intervene. “Don’t do anything reckless, you two,” she warns with a gruff expire of air through her nostrils. “They’ve been chosen as the Hero of Truth. Remember your plans? They will face you alongside Reshiram, and the future will be decided by the victor.”

“I know, I just…” He growls, burying his face further into his hand. “It isn’t fair. Why? Why would they both do this to me?”

Zekrom’s face softens, and it’s an unusual look on a dragon as imposing as the Goddess of Ideals. With a soft, rumbling purr deep in her throat, she lowers her head and comfortingly presses her snout against her young hero’s back. “Betrayal can cut deep. Believe me, I know.”

He feels that same soft vibration of electric energy she always emits, and it’s enough to guide him out of his near-breakdown, just a little. The anger and resentment gives way to just sheer grief and despair again, and a choked sob escapes him. A part of him regrets ever declaring this would be decided on a clash between the dragons- why had he felt such a thing was needed so bad? He just wanted to soar straight to that Pokémon League right this second, pummel Alder into the dirt, and bring an end to this once and for all. Yet there had been something in him that wanted to prove himself against Reshiram. Against Blake.

This had all just started with him wanting to save Pokémon- such a simple and clear cut goal. The creatures he cared about more than anything in the world. That was the sole, core reason for all of this. Yet things had become so messy and complicated along the way- and it was all because of that pink haired idiot. Things had once been so straightforward- find the dragon, bring the Pokémon League to its knees. But then they came along, and had to mess everything up. Stir up all these old memories he thought were dead and buried.

Those fading ones he had of him following a head of tousled, light brown hair tied back with a bright pink bow through the forest, hands intertwined as they laughed gleefully together, running with the wild Pokémon…

His face felt hot, and he almost surprised himself when he found wetness dripping from his eyes. When had he started crying? Damn it, he thought, burying his face further into his hands. Why did I let this happen? At the start he’d just been looking for someone he thought he might share a common ground with, someone he thought he’d lost a long time ago, but all of that backfired the second he told them who he was on that Ferris Wheel. And even after that, he couldn’t seem to tear himself away from them- getting trapped in that cave-in together certainly didn’t help, and he might as well been doomed when they kissed in Mistralton.

Or when even after everything, they still furiously insisted they cared about him.

He hated how confused they made him. He hated how awful it made him feel when he hurt them, even if it was out of necessity. He hated this ache he felt when he thought about how things could’ve ended up differently between them, had he just maybe done something else. He hated how their mere existence created the tiniest sparks of doubt in him, whenever he saw how much their Pokémon loved them.

And now, they’d taken away his sisters. That was a line crossed. That was a bridge burned.

It’s the dull buzzing from his necklace that draws him out of the depths of his spiraling thoughts, and he snaps to attention when he realizes it must be someone calling him back to the castle. Hastily wiping away the tears from his eyes, he holds the disguised communicator up to his mouth and presses his thumb down on the hidden button. “Hello?”

“N, are you there?” He’s surprised to hear the voice of his father on the other end. He’d known Ghetsis was capable on contacting him via this method, but it was usually calls from either the Shadow Triad or other sages he received.

“Yes, father,” he replies, trying not to let his slightly unsteady voice reveal he had just been crying. “Am I needed back in the castle?”

“Not right this second,” says Ghetsis, and N furrows his brows in confusion. “I just received word of Concordia and Anthea’s whereabouts from the Triad, and thought I should inform you. I have to warn you- it isn’t good news.”

His grip tightens on the communicator, ridges slightly digging into his palm. “I know. Nox already told me.”

There’s an unusual undertone of pity in Ghetsis’ response. “I see.”

N feels that lump in his throat tighten again, and he tries to stay composed while on the line with his father, but he can't stop a waver or two getting through. "I don't know what to do. H-How could they do this to us?"

He hears Ghetsis sigh deeply, and the light tap of what sounds like a pen on a table. "Why don't you return to the castle? I have something I'd like to discuss, regarding our plans to strike the League."

Something about hearing that dampens his spirits more. He really doesn't want to think about the mission right now, but he knows he can't set it aside just so he can wallow in his grief. "Alright," he says while slumping in defeat. "I'll be there soon."

Which a click of a button, the call is ended, and he pushes himself off the rock to start moving towards Zekrom. Understanding it was time to depart, the dragon lowers herself and extends an arm out for him to climb. There's worry for her hero evident in her eyes, but she doesn't say anything as N lifts a foot onto her forearm.

Before he clambers up, he looks over his shoulder back at Nox. "Do you want a ride back?”

The Zoroark looks to the ground glumly and seems to consider it, before shaking his head in decline. "I would like a bit more time alone, I think."

Hearing that brings a small frown to N's face, but he can't blame him. With an understanding nod, he carefully skips up the length of Zekrom's arm until he reaches her shoulders and perches himself on the base of her neck. She rises to her full height, and N glances down to give his brother one last request. "Don't stay out too long, alright...? Just... let me know when you've returned."

And with that, Zekrom is off. The ride back to their underground palace is quiet, with nothing but the wind howling in his ears as his dragon weaves narrowly between the cliffs, gradually descending until they spot the torchlight of the windows in the darkness below.

She drops him off on the roof, and he's able to climb his way down the wall and through a window in practiced movements. Listening to the sound of her tail engine disappear into the distance outside, he begins his navigation through the halls, the near thirteen years he had to memorize these corridors serving him well as he traverses down the numerous floors to his father's quarters. Several grunts and two of the sages pay him their greetings as he passes by, and he doesn't acknowledge them with anything move than a halfhearted wave.

Soon enough, he facing the tall doors of Ghetsis' office and pushing his way inside. His father is standing at the far back, behind his desk and chair, staring up at a hung tapestry depicting Unova's two draconic deities circling one another, engaged in combat. Fire trails from the mouth of Reshiram, the white dragon ablaze in unfathomable glory, and electricity surges from the maw of Zekrom, crackling with an aura that radiates unshakeable might. No two looks to hold power over the other; perfectly balanced in strength and reverence.

His eyes linger on it to, for a while, mostly noting the inaccuracies in this illustration of Zekrom- The singular horn being too straight, the wings looking more like classical dragon wings rather than the more rugged and firm shape they were in real life, her being shown as quadruped rather that bipedal and humanoid. He supposes he can't blame the unknown creator too much- there had never been a concrete and consistent portrayal of them over the centuries, so taking liberties was pretty much necessary. He can't say much about Reshiram's design, but he can only assume it doesn't hold a candle to the actual one, either. He'd have to wait and see.

He pulls his attention away from it just in time to see his father turn to him. Ghetsis is posed as calmly and stoic as ever, pacing across the floor to meet his son halfway.

“You’re here,” he speaks gruffly. “Good.”

N’s hand twitches nervously by his hip, but he quickly tries to hide it. It had been quite a while since he spoken to his father face to face like this… he doesn’t remember them having a one on one talk since right before the tower.

“What is this about?” He asks, subconsciously avoiding the sage’s gaze. He always feel like he’s is peering straight through his soul, reading him for filth.

Ghetsis stares him down for a moment, and that aforementioned feeling of being judged harshly is palpable. He shifts uncomfortably in place, unable to shake the feeling he’s about to get shouted at or reprimanded one way or another.

A firm hand is placed upon his shoulder, and he isn’t exactly sure what to expect. The last thing he was expecting was to be pulled forwards into a hug soon after.

He blinks, bewildered and slightly unsettled, thinking he must’ve stepped into an alternate dimension. “Father…?”

The embrace isn’t long, as Ghetsis pulls away soon after, but the man still carries a somber smile upon his features as he gazes at his son. “I didn’t take the news of Anthea and Concordia’s betrayal well, either,” he admits. “After I provided all three of you with lives of comfort and stability… But as cross as I am with them, I’m choosing not to focus on their ungratefulness, and instead be thankful for the loyal son that I have left.”

He gives N a pat on the shoulder, and the young man still isn’t sure what to make of it. Emotional vulnerability wasn’t something often seen from his father, and he distinctly remembers not hugging since he was a child. Even back then, it was usually him initiating them, and Ghetsis wouldn’t reciprocate with much else besides a disinterested pat on the back.

“It’s been an incredibly long and arduous process getting to this point, N,” the Sage says, closing his eyes in thought. “There’s been many a curveball along the way, many skewered plans and unexpected trifles popping up trying to slow us down. But even so, you’ve prevailed in the face of of them all, and managed to obtain the legendary dragon.”

“I know your sisters abandoning us has been a shock to us all, but I know you’ll continue to strive forward in spite of it,” Ghetsis looks up again, eyes full of sincerity. “I’m proud of you, son.”

It’s those five incredibly simple words that make N want to crumble on the spot. He doesn’t, for risk of appearing weak in front of the man he’d fought so hard to impress, but he isn’t able to deny the subtle welling in his eyes. It wasn’t until now that he realized just how much he’d needed to hear those words, face to face. To be reminded he still had family who cared for him left.

“I…” he chokes out, swallowing hard in an attempt to keep his composure. “Th-thank you, father.”

Ghetsis hums, then turns to walk back over to his desk, and just like that the fleeting heartfelt moment comes to an end- although the expression of pride still lingers in N’s mind. His father beckons him over while sitting down in his chair, and he obliges, standing in front of the ornate wooden desk.

“Now for the other reason I called you here,” Ghetsis begins, folding his hands over each other as his expression changes to a more down-to-business one. “The siege on the Pokémon League is coming up any day now, but there are still preparations to make before then. Recently, they’ve amped up security around the League building… surveillance drones, extra guards, even the Elite Four will come out to patrol at times. They’ve become awfully close to uncovering our headquarters here. While Alder did promise to call off the hunt for us, I doubt he would keep his word on leaving us alone were he to locate this place.”

N’s eyes narrow. That would be certainly pose an issue. “So what’s the plan?”

“We simply need to buy ourselves more time,” the sage states, in that tone that easily makes N think he already has a plan of action in mind. “A distraction of sorts should be sufficient enough. And I already have scoped out a place of potential interest- Opelucid Gym.”

Hearing that sparks interest within N. Opelucid? Where Blake and their friends were heading next?

“The gym also functions as a dragon-type training facility, and Drayden even dubs it a ‘sanctuary’, but it’s hardly that at all.” He pressed a button on some device built into his desk, bringing up a projection of Opelucid Gym. “As you know, Dragon-types are incredibly volatile in nature when it comes to being handled humans. Drayden prides his methods on ‘forging bonds with them’, but I'm sure as you already expect, it's all just a facade. Keeping any large amount of Dragon-types, who are notoriously territorial with each other, captive in one small location like this is bound to reap its consequences sooner or later."

There's something almost devious in the way his father's grin spreads, eye glinting in the light of the hologram. "I believe it's within the Pokémons' best interest to intervene as soon as possible."

That last part makes N tense- he knows where this is going, and he doesn't know how to feel about it. "Wouldn't launching a direct attack on the building make the dragons inside become panicked and violent? The devastation that that would result from that kind of chaos breaking out..."

"Part of the reason why it's been on our radar for some time, but we've never chose to take action until now. That's where you come in," Ghetsis counters. "Or more specifically, you and your legendary. It's said that the Original Dragon had the ability to exude influence over other Dragon-types- and that this power was carried over Zekrom and Reshiram as well."

The pieces click into place seamlessly. N understood before the man had even finished his sentence. "You’re asking for our assistance in the raid?”

There’s a glint of approval in Ghetsis’ eyes, pleased that his son caught on so quickly. “Yes. With Zekrom using that ability of hers to keep the dragons calm, we’ll be able to send in grunts to fight off whatever Drayden throws at us while you extract them safely.”

While he trusts his father, he can’t say he isn’t unsure about how solid of a plan this is. “I don’t know how I feel exerting Zekrom’s power on anyone but the champion. And are we sure this capability of hers can extend to so many dragons at once?”

“We plan to put those rumors to the test before any drastic action is taken, of course,” Ghetsis assures him. “But as Zekrom’s hero, your consent is vital before we press forward with this mission. It’s all up to you, Natural.”

N can feel the pressure laid on thick. Their entire team was counting on him in this decision- should he refuse, would that leave them at risk of the League finding them? And did he really want to pass down the opportunity to rescue so many Pokémon from that facility?

The only thing spurring reluctance in him was the thought of who would be there to witness it. His sisters. Blake. What would he do if he encountered them there?

A part of him, one that’s still himself, fears he wouldn’t be able to reign in his anger were he to see them in person like that. But there’s another part, one he didn’t think he had in him, that wants to let his fury be known.

It crackles viscously to life inside his chest, an electric surge coursing through his veins, filling him with the galvanic fury of a deafening, destructive lightning strike. His fist shakes at his side with newfound, barely contained, godly rage. He doesn’t know where it comes from, but he doesn’t bother to question why. All he knows is that it needs to be let out.

Zekrom senses this sudden shift in him, and he hears her response in the tremors that echo in the sky outside.

He takes a moment to think on it, hard. Is this really what he wants? Is this truly how he wants his legacy as a hero to begin?

…

…Unova won’t bow to a weak king. He has to show them. All of them.

“…When do we strike?”

———

[thunderblessedhero]

did you make a pokemon with rain dance angry

I don’t… know? I hope not. I can’t think of any pokemon around me right now that knows the move…

[thunderblessedhero]

What do you mean "whuh-oh".

Why is it... raining specifically on my head right now?