Author's Notes: This is my first published story... Eeep! Hope everyone enjoys it! Please feel free to leave reviews. It would be seriously appreciated! (:
Edit 03/07/2015: I ended up rewriting a significant chunk of this story that I was unhappy with. Hopefully it flows better, provides the reader with more detail, and stays more true to the characters. Again, reviews are extremely helpful! *wink wink nudge nudge*
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon, or any of the characters mentioned in the story below. All that jazz belongs to Game Freak, The Pokémon Company, etc.
Fateful Encounter
"My name is Ghetsis. I am here representing Team Plasma. Today, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to talk to you about Pokémon Liberation."
The speaker struck a peculiar, but intimidating stature that had no trouble drawing the attention of the crowd. The man had long, pale green hair that tumbled over his shoulders and stuck up in three carefully styled tufts around his face, which bore a charismatic smile as he addressed the people and visitors of Accumula Town. A delicate silver and red eyepiece was fastened over his right eye, while his left probed into the crowd. Everyone was perfectly silent as they listened to him speak.
He was dressed in an extravagant indigo and pale gold cloak, fastened around what appeared to be a plain white dress robe. The outer robe was embroidered with a strange double eye motif, each eye bearing a blood red iris that seemed to pierce right through anyone that glanced at it. The shoulders of the cloak bore heavy-looking bronze decorations that resembled the battlements of medieval castles, which were each inlayed with precious stones – presumably aquamarine based on their colouring. The insignia of his organization, the aforementioned Team Plasma, was displayed across his chest.
A line of impassive soldiers stood guard behind him, looking regal as ever in their equally medieval but not nearly as elaborate uniforms. A pair of flags stood at either side of the improvised stage, and the Team Plasma emblem they each bore rippled and snapped in the cool spring wind.
No one in the crowd could tear their eyes away from the bizarre display, except for the boy.
N Harmonia stood quietly near the front of the audience, inattentively watching the proceedings from under the brim of his cap. His steel blue eyes explored the scene, occasionally flickering back to Ghetsis as he strode back and forth across the grass. His long, well-manicured fingers absently toyed with the void cube that hung from a chain on his belt as he studied the people around him in a rather bored manner.
Despite his fervency to separate Pokémon from the humans who have been subjugating them for their own selfish needs and desires for centuries, this speech had grown terribly wearisome after attending Team Plasma's event in every predominantly trainer occupied town and city in the region. N took a considerable amount of solace in the fact that this was the final rally he would have to attend, and then he would finally be free to roam the rest of Unova on his own, as Ghetsis had promised. Though N had his suspicions his father's personal bodyguards, the Shadow Triad, would be keeping a very close eye on him. It wouldn't be very surprising, considering his true identity was King Harmonia of Team Plasma, or Lord N, which he was most often called by his loyal subjects.
Without thinking, N allowed a yawn to seize him. He'd slept very little the night before. Dreams featuring roaring gigantic beasts, fire, thunder, and lightning plagued him often now. Ghetsis had told him recently it was because he'd been chosen for one of the mighty Tao dragons: Reshiram, or Zekrom.
The idea sent shivers of anticipation running down his spine every time it crossed his mind. He would befriend one of those magnificent legends and together, they could make his ultimate dream come true and change the world. Using their unmatchable power, they would force every cruel, abusive trainer in the region to release their Pokémon. Pokémon would never again have to subject to the selfish needs of humans. They could be perfect beings without a single limit to keep them from their true potential. His friends deserved freedom, and N would work relentlessly to achieve it for them.
Initially, he'd wanted to drop everything and track down the Dark Stone and the Light Stone which, according to legend, contained Zekrom and Reshiram respectively in their dormant states, but Ghetsis had sharply reminded him they had an agenda that needed to be followed. Team Plasma would undoubtedly work on finding the dragons. But in the meantime, they must focus on exposing the truth of what the trainers of Unova were doing to Pokémon. They had to gradually introduce trainers to the idea of being separate from their companions. If Team Plasma were to abruptly command the liberation of every Pokémon, there would be anarchy. But if they worked slowly towards the severance of man and beast and convinced the trainers what they were doing was wrong, there would be less rebellion and trainers would willingly release their partners.
While N understood the importance of this campaign, he couldn't deny his impatience to awaken Reshiram or Zekrom – though something within him nudged N towards the white dragon of truth, Reshiram. N surmised this was the dragon meant for him, which only strengthened his conviction that what he was trying to achieve was right.
Luckily for him, Ghetsis had not noticed his son's inattention and continued to passionately deliver his sermon to the residents of Accumula Town.
"Pokémon are subject to the selfish commands of trainers... They get pushed around when they are our "partners" at work... Can anyone say with confidence that there is no truth in what I'm saying?"
At these words, the adolescent turned slightly to observe the reaction of the crowd. An assortment of reactions donned their faces: bewilderment, outrage, astonishment. But there were others who appeared to already doubt their lifelong beliefs. One young girl had pulled out her Poké Ball and was gazing at it sadly. Many other members of the audience showed traces of their inner turmoil through their agitated body language and expressions at Ghetsis' words.
How easily their philosophies crumbled! Team Plasma would be achieving their goal in no time. This pleased N greatly. His friends would be free from their imprisonment soon.
However, an unexpected amount of disappointment stirred within him. He'd anticipated a little more resistance to their campaign. How could the Unovians not fight for their Pokémon? If anyone dared to tell N he could no longer be with his friends, he would fight against it until his last breath!
"Everyone, I end my words here today by imploring you to consider the relationship between people and Pokémon... And the correct way to proceed. We sincerely appreciate your attention."
N snapped back to attention as Ghetsis finished just in time to catch his father's eye and nod ever so slightly. As usual, he was to take note of how the citizens reacted once their group had left and report his findings straight to Ghetsis later on. Though he'd originally wanted to be the one to deliver this speech to the people of Unova, Ghetsis had convinced N that this was the perfect position for him. With his age and far less conspicuous appearance, he blended in well with the other trainers, so they would barely notice him and speak their minds freely around him, as long as he kept his identity a secret.
With that, the grunts packed up the flags and arranged in a defensive formation around their leader. The crowd lingered, warily watching the strange procession march out of the square.
"About that speech…" A hesitant voice from beside him spoke up, causing several heads to turn. The older man next to him twisted his hands together, shifting his weight uncomfortably. Worry creased his wrinkled brow even more. "What do you think we should do?" A younger male further back snorted. "Liberate Pokémon? That's not even possible!" Murmurs of agreement rose from the crowd, but many sounded tentative.
N's lips pressed together in a simper, and a tea green eyebrow quirked upwards to complete his smug expression. Clearly there were still a few that would be stubborn, but they would all see the truth soon.
People began to make their way back to their homes, whispering quietly to each other about the speech. The undercover monarch also turned to go, but suddenly a small voice caught his attention and he paused. Turning his head towards the source, he laid eyes on a boy and girl, not much younger than him, who must have been amongst the crowd during his father's speech. The boy was tall and lean, with Murkrow-coloured hair and eyes that were nearly as dark. His angular face was pinched into a frown as he turned to talk to the girl beside him.
"That's bullshit! I can't believe he would say that!" She suddenly burst out, startling anyone within hearing distance. Her companion heaved a sigh while his dark eyes rolled in their sockets, evidently unsurprised at the outburst. He began to say something, but she cut him off with another angry shout. "You know just as well as I do that he was completely wrong. How… How dare him!" The girl fumed.
N blinked. She was where the voice was coming from… How interesting.
Tuning out her hysterics momentarily, he listened to the sounds coming from one of those despicable Poké Balls that were clipped to her waist. After a moment, his brow lifted in disbelief. "What?" He whispered under his breath. "That's impossible." N looked up at the girl in confusion, disturbed by what her Pokémon had to say.
"Sssssseperated from my trainer? Never!" The tiny voice exclaimed from within the red and white capsule. "She is ssssssuch a good, kind trainer! We are more than partners, we are friends!" Soft cries of agreement drifted out from the other Poké Balls on her hip.
N knew perfectly well that Pokémon were morally incapable of lying, but perhaps this particular creature was an exception. Why else would her Pokémon say such absurd things? But no, if the others were in union with it, this couldn't be a lie. By his calculations, the odds were stacked quite heavily against having three lying Pokémon.
N was thoroughly baffled by this discovery. All his life as the prince, then king of Team Plasma, he had been taught that trainers were not kind to their Pokémon. They enslaved them, forced them to fight for money and glory. If they could not deliver those things for their trainers, they were abandoned. Cast aside and left to die. That was what had happened to all of the friends Ghetsis had provided him with as a child. All abused, neglected, and forgotten Pokémon he had saved from certain death.
What could possibly be so special about this girl? She didn't look that remarkable to him. N's steely eyes raked her form intently. He couldn't get a good look at her face, as she was partially hidden behind her tall friend at the moment, but he could tell she had long, wildly curled brunette hair scraped back into a messy ponytail that poked out from under a rather plain white and pink Poké Ball cap, and a short, slender build clad in casual trainer wear. Nothing there was particularly extraordinary.
Despite his profound shock, N was intrigued by the girl. He moved closer to get a better look, observing her body language as she fumed about Ghetsis' speech to her companion. Her tiny form was tense in anger; fingers curled into fists, jaw clenched, feet braced apart as if she was dying for someone to fight her on it. Her friend seemed to be trying to calm her down, gesturing around him as though drawing her attention to the fact that they were not alone. She turned her head to cast a fierce glare around the square, finally giving the older teenager a proper look at her face.
N was mesmerized. Her deep blue eyes absolutely blazed in fury. The king felt the breath knocked out of him as though she'd slugged him in the gut. This was the kind of fight he'd expected from the other trainers. She was livid at the thought of being separated from her team. But did she really care about them, or was she simply upset at the thought of losing access to her Pokémon's powers?
Unable to curb his burning curiosity any longer, N started toward the pair.
The brunette trainer noticed him first, her eyes snapping back to narrow at him as she realized he was heading their way. The boy turned to face him, imperceptibly inching in front of the girl as though he meant to shield her from the stranger. N internally scoffed at the action. She didn't strike him as the type of person that needed protection.
"Your Pokémon." N began, gesturing toward her belt, the brass bracelets he wore on that wrist clinked together sharply at the movement. "Just now, it was saying-." "Slow down, you talk too fast." The other boy cut in, frowning at him from behind his glasses. N paused, irritation playing in his expression at the interruption. The younger male continued, pushing his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. "And what's this about Pokémon… Talking? That's an odd thing to say." N stared at him, letting his face go blank. "Yes, they're talking."
Having been around Pokémon nearly all his life, N had amazingly learned how to communicate with them and hear their inner voices. Many people he revealed this to simply dismissed, or even ridiculed it. Regardless, he embraced it fully and did not appreciate when others questioned its credibility.
He glanced back and forth between the two adolescents. The boy scowled cynically at him, while the girl appeared to have temporarily misplaced her anger. Her head was tipped back to accommodate N's height, and her cerulean eyes scrutinized him from under the brim of her own cap. Though she did not immediately disbelieve him like her friend, she did not seem to accept his claim very easily either. His earlier feelings of disappointment returned. For the briefest instant, he had thought perhaps she could talk to Pokémon like him, which could have explained why hers cared for her so much.
"Oh. Then you two can't hear it, either… How sad." His voice grew even softer with a hint of melancholy as he gazed at her. If only the rest of mankind were able to speak to Pokémon like he could. If Pokémon and humans were able to communicate with each other, perhaps there wouldn't even be a need for Team Plasma's Pokémon Liberation movement.
He heard a quiet snort from beside her, and resisted the urge to glare at her vexing friend.
The girl tore her stare from the pendant around his neck she had been eyeballing to frown at him, his own curiosity echoed in her irises. Once again, N was fascinated by the depths of her eyes. Something about them was different from other trainers. He struggled for a moment as he pondered what it could be, until she happened to glance up just a bit farther and lock eyes with him.
They both stiffened as what N could only describe as a surge of raw energy crackled intangibly between them; an almighty fusion of fire and electricity that resonated through their veins and awakened an ancient power from within. N swore he could faintly hear the echo of crashing thunder, roaring fire, and snarling dragons; the very sounds that had been haunting his dreams for the past several weeks. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise, and his heart raced beneath his breast.
The girl standing before him clearly felt the same way. Her pupils dilated as she drank him in, her chest was absolutely still as though she was holding her breath, and her previously taut jawline had visibly slackened. N could even see the Swannabumps that had broken out across the soft, lightly suntanned flesh on her arms.
He had never felt so hyperaware of another human being. This realization both deeply perturbed and enthralled him. In the back of his mind, he anxiously wondered what could be causing this. But almost immediately, he knew the answer.
This girl was the other hero. There was no other explanation for this extraordinary reaction.
Trepidation curdled his brief flare of excitement. This was his rival – the only person capable of putting a stop to his plans and dreams. N had always known it was entirely possible that such a person would exist, but he'd never imagined they would just fall into his lap. And to be a common young girl of all things!
He contemplated turning and walking away from her. There was no way she could possibly know of their destiny. She likely came from a perfectly ordinary life where the legend of Reshiram and Zekrom was just that, a legend. He could walk away and pretend this little conversation had never happened. He and Reshiram could rise to power and achieve Pokémon Liberation while Zekrom and its hero's power lay dormant and incomplete, therefore unable to oppose them.
But no, he couldn't do that, N grimly realized. The inescapable threads of fate had already bonded them together. Surely she had felt that mystical exchange as vividly as he did. She would question it; want to know who he was, and who they were to each other. He could not go back from this so he should follow through with it, N thought to himself. Perhaps he could study her and learn her weaknesses, though he did not want to destroy her. The mere thought of such a wicked act made the young man feel physically ill. But he might be able to find a way to persuade her to join him…
A low cough snapped the two heroes out of their daze, severing their connection. They both shot a look at the other boy, who was the source of the noise. The bespectacled teen appeared annoyed at the private moment that had just passed between his friend and this mysterious stranger. His lips pursed together disapprovingly as he caught the girl's eye and cocked an ebony eyebrow at her. She responded with a glower, shrugging defensively. N nosily watched the silent exchange, quickly arranging his face into an impassive appearance as the pair of teens turned back to him.
"Who are you?" The young lady queried, focusing on him with an edge of suspicion.
"I'm N." He informed them in an eloquent manner, straightening his posture to a more suitable presence for a king, realizing too late that he should have remained slouching like them. He was undercover, after all.
"My name is Cheren, and this is Vivian. We were asked to complete the Pokédex, and we just left on our journey." The ebony-haired lad gestured between them, speaking for his friend. N wished he wouldn't. He was quickly growing tired of the other male. "My main goal is to become Champion, though." Cheren tacked on, regarding N smugly.
N's upper lip curled slightly in distaste. Here was yet another selfish trainer whose only focus was to attain fame and fortune. N bitterly wondered how many Pokémon he would abuse to achieve this goal.
But something the boy had said sparked further disbelief in the king. These two had just left on their Pokémon journey? Her Pokémon spoke of her as if it had known her for years! It seemed as though this Vivian girl did not need to be able to verbally communicate with Pokémon like he could in order to establish a strong bond with her team. This made her all the more dangerous to his plans.
"The Pokédex, eh? So... You're going to confine many, many Pokémon in Poké Balls for that, then." N grimaced. He loathed the idea of his friends being imprisoned. He always released the majority of Pokémon he befriended. His only permanent Pokémon companion was Zuzu, an orphaned Zoroark who'd been by his side since they were both quite young. Though at the moment, Zuzu was waiting for him back at base, likely exploring the forest around Team Plasma's temporary living setup just off Route 2.
"I'm a trainer, too, but I can't help wondering... Are Pokémon really happy that way?" N's intense gaze fell upon the lass once more as he finished speaking. He was baiting her, badly wanting to learn just how dedicated she was to her ideals. He firmly reminded himself it was all a part of his strategy to corrupt the rival hero. As interesting as Vivian was, he couldn't afford any distractions.
Vivian shot him a dirty look – his words evidently igniting her temper once again. "Of course they're happy!" She snapped at him. The sharpness of her voice made Cheren cringe slightly. N simply regarded her with patience, allowing a trace of his inquisitiveness to show in his façade.
"Pokémon and people are friends!" She stated with an indignant toss of her bushy hair over her shoulder, unknowingly echoing her Pokémon's earlier proclamation. "They work together in harmony! Unfortunately, there are trainers who abuse that privilege," The corners of Vivian's mouth dipped down in disappointment as she admitted this, which warmed N to her ever so slightly. "But that doesn't mean all trainers are bad and should be separated from their friends."
His poise faltered for a moment as N rocked back a little on his heels at the conviction in her voice. This was going to be much harder than he thought; he disdainfully noted.
Cheren watched the tête-à-tête with a calculating glint in his eyes. When Vivian glanced at him for encouragement, he jerked his head in agreement, arching a brow at N as though daring him to counter her.
"Is that so?" N scarcely managed to supress the irritated growl that wanted to creep into his voice at the superior smirk Cheren sported at his apparent agitation. Vivian nodded once, her own lips curving into a similar expression. N constructed his features into a reproachful grimace that made his disagreement with their ideals quite clear. "Any trainer can say such things, but as soon as their partners stop winning battles for them, the poor creatures tend to find themselves abandoned." His tone fell cold and flat as he glared at Cheren in particular. "Or worse."
Vivian and Cheren each made outraged noises of protest, but N held up a hand to silence them. Cheren unexpectedly quieted, but Vivian shook her head angrily. "I will never be one of those despicable people!" She disagreed hotly, her tone laced with venom. Tiny alarms began to sound in N's mind, warning him that he was losing her trust with all of these accusations. He didn't want that, so he decided to try a different tactic.
"Well, Vivian, is it? Let me hear your Pokémon's voice again!" He challenged her with an edge of mock arrogance to goad her once more. He wanted to see how she treated her partners in battle, and if she could be deemed worthy enough of such a 'privilege', as she had so eloquently put it. Would she stay true to her beliefs in the heat of battle, or would she prove him right?
The petite brunette blinked her deep blue eyes at him, clearly thrown at the turn of events.
"You want to battle?" She asked with a heavily perplexed tone, brow quirking in surprise as he gave a single nod in response. She crossed her arms and her head cocked to the side as she considered him for a few moments, though he noticed she seemed to be avoiding looking him directly in the eye again.
Cheren hastily bent towards the girl to murmur in her ear while casting a suspicious glare at N. "Vivian, I don't think-." "Sure, why not?" She conceded most smirkingly. "Then you can see that I'm right." Cheren began to make another objection, but fell silent as Vivian reached over to tug on his sleeve. It struck N as an odd, childlike gesture that made her seem even younger than she already appeared. When he turned to frown questionably at her, she gave him a gentle, reassuring smile. "It's alright, Cher. I'll be fine." She murmured with confidence, lightly patting the boy's arm. Cheren gritted his teeth together, but his shoulders had sagged in defeat.
"I suppose I'll be the referee." He grumbled, pulling away from her and stalking towards the plain of grass Team Plasma had used as a stage only minutes earlier.
N saw the smile slowly slip from her face as Vivian watched her friend walk away. She seemed confused and a little sad to him, and he almost asked her what was wrong, but the younger trainer quickly wiped the unhappy expression from her face and replaced it with confident grin. "Well, what are we waiting for?" She quipped to N before jogging off in the direction Cheren had went.
He hesitated for a moment, thrown at the girl's peculiarity, but dismissed it with a shrug and followed the two friends.
The trio took their appropriate positions on the grass, where N unhitched his only Poké Ball from his waist. "Come on out my friend!" He called, tossing the object into the air, which released the Purrloin he'd asked to accompany him and Zuzu the night before, as the Zorark deeply preferred not to battle and in order to blend in as a trainer, N would require at least one Pokémon to battle with. The small feline landed nimbly on the ground, arching his back into a stretch with a wide yawn. N gazed across the small field, watching Vivian closely while she prepared to make her move.
"A Purrloin, eh?" Vivian nodded curtly. N could see the gears turning in her head as she fingered the Poké Balls at her hip. After a moment's deliberation, she selected one. "Let's go, Chiodos!" She cried as she threw the capsule onto the field. A Snivy sprang from the ball she tossed with an excited hiss.
"Feel like another battle, buddy?" She asked the creature, which bounced up and down happily. "Sniv, Snivy!" He shouted. "Of coursssse! I'm always ready to fight for you!"
"Hmm." N regarded the Pokémon intently. It was no doubt the Pokémon he'd heard earlier, and the Snivy truly seemed to think highly of his trainer. He was also in excellent condition, and didn't show a single sign of neglect or abuse. His skin looked shiny and soft, as though he'd recently shed. He may have been a touch overweight, but N recalled that she'd only recently come by the Pokémon, so it couldn't be because of anything she'd done to the Snivy. Besides, the weight would likely come right off with exercise and a slightly more regulated feeding schedule.
"This will be a one on one Pokémon battle. Good luck to both trainers! Now, begin!" Cheren called from his position at the sidelines, bringing N back to attention and signalling the start of the match.
"Um, are you just gonna stand there?" Vivian asked after a couple of seconds of no activity from her opponent. N calmly regarded her. "Of course not, I was simply letting you have the first move." He replied smoothly, spreading his arms slowly to indicate his acquiescence. "Oh." Vivian blinked in surprise, a small smile gracing her mouth at N's cordiality. "Okay. Well then, Chiodos, let's start with a Tackle!" The little green reptile responded at once, hurtling forward to ram into his Purrloin. "Dodge it!" N called to his friend. The cat just barely managed to get out of the way before the Snivy could collide with it. N was impressed with the leafy creature's speed.
"Keep at it!" Vivian encouraged. "Sniv!" The Snivy continued his assault, turning on a dime and throwing itself at the feline once again. "Don't let it hit you!" N directed. He hoped to evade each attack until the grass Pokémon tired itself out, then Purrloin could attack and hopefully knock out her Snivy without causing too much damage.
At first, Purrloin was able to evade each of the Snivy's attack, but suddenly his paw caught on a divot in the grass and his balance wavered for just a moment, but it was all the Snivy needed. It struck Purrloin in the side, sending the creature careening gracelessly across the grass. It came to a rest several feet away, where it lay still. Vivian and N both cringed, while Cheren watched the scene closely, ready to make the call if Purrloin showed no signs of continuing the battle.
"Purrloin!" N called out to his friend in concern. "Are you alright?!" The mauve and cream tomcat struggled for a moment, but managed to get to his feet. "Purrloin!" He yowled fiercely.
"Tough little guy, isn't he?" Vivian smiled fondly at N's Pokémon, seeming quite relieved. "Purrrr!" Purrloin puffed his chest out proudly at the praise. N hesitated, eyeing her suspiciously. She was happy that his Pokémon was still standing? "He certainly is…" He replied slowly. "Well, so is Chiodos." She smoothly retorted with an impish grin that lit up her face. "C'mon Chio! Give him a Leer, and then finish with Tackle!" Vivian ordered, switching back into battle mode.
In response, the Snivy fixed his Purrloin with a scowl that came dangerously close to rivaling his trainer's own fierce glare. The feline scampered back a few steps, clearly startled by the menacing look. "It's alright, Purrloin. Snap out of it and use Scratch!" N called out to reassure his friend. The Pokémon hesitated, but bounded forward with a determined glint in his eye just as Snivy charged forward for another Tackle. This time Purrloin was faster, simultaneously dodging the attack and delivering a strong blow, raking Chiodos' scaly hide with his claws as the reptile charged past. The Snivy hissed in pain, skidding to a stop so it could turn and launch another assault on his opponent. Purrloin was ready for this and pounced into the air to leap over his opponent as he rushed towards him. Before either trainer could utter another command, a pair of vines emerged from Chiodos' back and snagged Purrloin in mid-air.
"No way! Chiodos, you learned Vine Whip!" Vivian exclaimed in surprise. Her partner paused for a moment to assess his newly learned skill with excitement, but snapped back to attention as the Purrloin began to struggle against the grip of the Snivy's appendages. Vivian watched him with a proud grin that lit up her face that N couldn't help but gawk at. The way her eyes glowed with happiness when she watched her Pokémon… It made him strangely content to watch. The love she felt for her Pokémon was undeniably genuine, and even reminded N a little of himself.
Then, a sudden flash within Vivian's eyes warned N his opponent had devised a new battle tactic.
"Now, give him a whirl and slam him back down!" "Sniiiiiiiiiii…" The Snivy began to swing his prey around in a large circle, eliciting an anxious cry from the ensnared Purrloin. N helplessly watched the scene. The momentum the Snivy was swinging his partner at had rendered the cat unable to do anything to free himself. "SniVYYYY!" Chiodos growled, abruptly snapping his vines down to slam Purrloin into the ground.
Everyone leaned forward in anticipation.
Chiodos firmly stood his ground with the vines still wrapped around Purrloin to hold off another attack, breathing heavily as he watched the limp form of his foe. But this time, Purrloin made no effort to get up.
"Purrloin is unable to battle, Chiodos is the winner. Meaning, the overall winner of this battle is Vivian!" Cheren called out, grandly gesturing to his friend. N expected the girl to cheer victoriously and recall her Pokémon, but she surprised him yet again. Vivian rushed forward to scoop up her tired Snivy, who had released his grip on the fainted Pokémon. "Ahhhh! You did an awesome job, Chiodos!" She shouted, pulling him into her chest for a congratulatory snuggle. "I'm so proud of you." She crooned, hugging her Snivy happily. "Snivy! Snivy, sni!" "I'm sssssso happy! I can't wait to battle for you again, Misssss Vivian!"
N watched the spectacle uneasily. This was not what he expected at all. Frowning deeply, he hurried over to his fainted friend, and eased a Revive into his slackened mouth. After a few moments, the medication took effect and the creature stirred. "Purr… Loin…" The Pokémon uttered weakly as he came to. "I'm sorry… I let you down..." N bent down, stroking his friend's fur gently. "You did no such thing. You fought very hard, and I appreciate that. I'm just sorry you got hurt. You don't deserve that. No Pokémon does."
"You're right." A soft voice spoke up from behind them.
N glanced over his shoulder. Vivian and Cheren had come closer without him realizing, and it was Vivian who had spoken. "I don't like that Pokémon get hurt either." She murmured, her eyes swimming with emotion as she absently rubbed Chiodos' scaly chin. The Snivy in her arms hissed quietly in contentment.
Her statement earned an astonished look from Cheren. "But that's what makes them stronger! They learn to endure attacks from their opponents, and even learn how to dodge what they can't endure. It's certainly not a pleasant part of battling, but it's necessary to develop their combat abilities." He protested.
Vivian considered her companion's words, and eventually gave slow nod of concurrence. "Well, you're not wrong. And N is right too; some people take battling way too seriously, and it's their Pokémon that pay the price for it. But Ghetsis and this 'Team Plasma' are still wrong to want to separate people from Pokémon." She declared, pulling the leafy serpent in her arms even closer to her chest. "Pokémon aren't unhappy working alongside people. We live together, travel together, and work together. Obviously, not all Pokémon are going to be perfectly happy with battling, competing in contests, or even just being around people. Many of them are probably pretty happy just living by themselves or with other Pokémon in the wild. But Ghetsis is wrong to speak for all Pokémon." Her critter chirruped in agreement, and Cheren also made a noise of concord in the back of his throat. As usual, N merely watched her, his brow puckering slightly as he mulled over her words.
"Anyways, is your Purrloin alright? Chiodos and I were a little rough on him." She admitted, interrupting his thoughts. She bent closer and flashed them both an apologetic smile while reaching into a pocket of her bag and producing an Oran berry, which she extended to the recovering Pokémon. "I'm sorry, Purrloin. We didn't mean to rough you up too bad. I guess we got a little carried away." The Pokémon turned his head to look at her for a long moment, then accepted the berry and mewled softly before biting into it. "He said it's alright, he forgives you." N translated, not looking at either of them.
"Oh, did he now…" Cheren muttered sarcastically, but N didn't hear Cheren's remark. He was far too busy attempting to gather the churn of conflicting thoughts and questions this fateful encounter had thrust upon him.
How could someone state they didn't enjoy seeing Pokémon suffer, but insist that confining these incredible creatures in tiny capsules and pitting them against each other in glorified dogfights was a morally correct way of co-existing with them? It was absurdly hypocritical... And yet, her Pokémon seemed truly happy to fight for her. They were obviously thriving on her love and care, despite the brutish lifestyle they partook in. Were there more trainers out there like Vivian? Could it be possible that maybe, just maybe… His father had been wrong?
But the image of Zuzu's bloodied mother – who Team Plasma's doctors had been unable to save from her horrific injuries her previous trainer had inflicted upon her for being unable to produce champion-worthy offspring – unwelcomingly pushed its way to the front of his mind. Ghetsis had forced N to watch her take her last wheezing breaths on the operating table before death had mercifully ended her suffering to show him what humans were capable of. Humans were monsters, and Pokémon did not have to subject to their whims for fame, fortune, and power. Pokémon deserved to be free, and to live up to their ultimate potential.
As the destined hero of truth, it was his responsibility to ensure that humans would never be able to enslave these magnificent creatures ever again.
They quietly watched Purrloin devour his berry, and N recalled his Pokémon once he was finished, as he would have to take Purrloin to a Pokémon Center to fully heal the rest of his injuries before he released his friend back into the wild. Staring forlornly at the ball in his hand, he stated: "As long as Pokémon are confined in Poké Balls... Pokémon will never become perfect beings. I have to change the world for Pokémon, because they're my friends."
He glanced over to the brunette crouched down beside him as he spoke, finally locking eyes with her once more to assess her response. The thrum of intense energy between them had thankfully quieted to a faint tingle, but still sent a quiver through him as his silvery blue stare clashed with her equally intense cerulean gaze. Surprising him yet again, she said nothing to this and instead, she held his gaze solemnly. Within those eyes, N could see an underlying current of empathy he was truly beginning to admire in her. But, as was to be expected of the potential hero of ideals, he could also see the streak of astonishingly obstinate moral value that could possibly be the conqueror over his own steadfast beliefs to separate man and beast.
There was no swaying her, he realized. She could never be persuaded that her ideals were wrong. Just like him, she would fight until the very end to keep humans and Pokémon together. He was a fool to even flirt with the idea of converting her.
The corner of his mouth quirked into a grim smirk as right then and there, he made the decision to humour the fates; he was going to challenge this girl to go against him in a clash of truth and ideals. Perhaps not straight away, though. He wanted to wait for just the right moment to reveal their destiny to her. Something of this magnitude was not to be taken lightly, and he wanted to ensure she trusted him enough to not immediately dismiss him as some sort of loon.
As though she could guess his thoughts, Vivian mirrored his smirk. Though she likely didn't realize what exactly she was assenting to, she certainly realized that he was testing her once again. And as N was quickly learning, she was never one to back down from a challenge.
"Change the world? That's quite a burden you're placing on yourself." Cheren said as N and Vivian broke gazes and straightened. The dark-haired teen's characteristic frown actually showed a little concern for the mysterious stranger when N looked over at him.
"It's the least I can do. Pokémon have given me so much…" N trailed off, shaking his head. "I must be going. Farewell. I suspect we will be seeing each other again." His eyes found Vivian one final time before he turned and walked away in the direction Team Plasma had gone.
Not even a moment after he left their sight, his Xtransceiver rang.
"Lord N." His father's face came up on the screen when he answered the call. "What do you have to report?"
"Accumula Town appears to be reacting the same way as the others. They're starting to see the truth. Pokémon Liberation will soon become a reality, father." N responded smoothly, his face void of expression. He wasn't sure he wanted to let on about this girl to his father just yet. "Good." Ghetsis nodded, his lips curving into a smile that did not quite reach his eyes. "Are you on your way back to base?" "Yes, father." N answered. "Excellent."
Without another word, Ghetsis hung up on his son. The green-haired lad exhaled deeply as he put away his Xtransceiver.
"Vivian… Yes, I am sure we will see each other very soon." N murmured to himself, a genuine smile cracking his cool demeanor.