Author's Notes: I tried to take all the opposite elements of what I usually use to experiment and this was created. Also, Fanfiction hates the way I format things, BLUH. Inspired by nuzlocke comics, particularly the prologue page of "Reign" by TeamHeartGold on Deviantart.
Story Notes: Role reversal; White as the antagonist, N as the protagonist. For the most part, anyway. N is not very gentlemanly here towards White, so I hope no one takes this the wrong way (?). Rated T for dark themes/violence, mild (?) suggestive themes and language towards the end. Not sure if I would count this as Ferriswheelshipping or not...
-Also, I forgot to write in Zekrom and Reshiram and then I couldn't find a good place to stick them in without having to revamp half the fic. ;w; So no Zekrom or Reshiram here despite their importance, I apologize. D:
Anyway, voila.
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I set my eyes on a falling star.
N Harmonia is a young boy when he finds out how cruel the world can actually be. He has known that the murmured voices he hears everywhere he goes are the voices of pokemon, and they are always saying helppleasedon'tithurtsdon'tmakemefightplease—
He is still a young boy when he finds out that the Queen of Team Plasma is the cause; her sages preach about living together with pokemon, capturing them from the wild in order to fight side by side with them but their views are too skewed because no one knows how to treat pokemon.
N has seen her two closest sages himself; the one called Bianca is actually pure and kind but she is too naïve, too weak to truly understand pokemon. The other, Cheren, is far too strict and serious and he craves power far too much.
They have two characteristics of what makes a good trainer; kindness and strictness, but they are two halves and one without the other simply cannot hold together.
Bianca's pokemon may be content at the very least, but N knows that they are tired of being held back, of hardly being allowed to fight and being too weak to win when they do. They are tired of being stuck in their childish forms—they want to evolve. But because they aren't allowed to do so, they become antsy—violent, even, but Bianca only knows how to give them love and does not know how to train.
Cheren's are not miserable at the very least, but N knows that they are exhausted and tired; they are beginning to lose their innate friendliness and they are growing scared of what they may or have already become under his guidance. All they know how to do is fight and win, to conquer the enemy and move onto the next one. They don't know how to love anymore, nor do they know how to receive love anymore and that is igniting fear.
And then there is the abuse that ensues from amateur trainers who catch pokemon after listening to the speeches because they do not understand how to work together.
N is a young boy when all of this happens. He strokes Zorua, his closest friend, and makes one statement: "This must be put to an end."
N is still a young boy when he begins plotting the downfall of their Queen; he wants bring her down to her knees and watch as her world burns around her. He will look down at her and when she begs for his help he will tell her "No."
N is seventeen when he sets out on his journey with his friends who have eagerly lent him their aid.
Four months later, he presents himself to the Queen of Team Plasma with a blade of rage to wield against her.
To Catch a Falling Star
What a silly misconception, child. You do not catch falling stars. You wait for them to plummet and die; then you retrieve them from the ground.
"What seems to be the matter, Lady White?" N sneers, holding out his arms as if he is expecting a hug. But he does not want a hug from the wicked witch, if she walked into an embrace of his he would snap her glass frame and leave her pieces on the marble floor. "Were you not expecting me?"
Queen White narrows her eyes at him from the throne. She is surprisingly less "queenly" than N imagined; she is young, perhaps the same age as him or merely a few years older. She wears red-and-black lace-up boots and black shorts; her sleeveless white shirt has a tasteful layer of ruffles down the front with a black underbust vest over it. There is a belt at her hips holding a string of six little pokeballs.
She's dressed a little fancier than the average trainer but she does not look like a queen—if anything, a girl going to a formal party at most. But Queen White leans back on her throne with her legs crossed, her confident pose exuding something like arrogance as she recovers from his entrance, and the thought of the woman before him as a little girl fades.
"So you're the 'N Harmonia' I've been hearing about," she sneers back, propping her elbow up on the throne and resting her chin in her hand. "You're the one who's been releasing all those pokemon."
"I am the one who has been cleaning up the mess that you've made with your disillusioned ways," N says. Zorua, or rather, now Zoroak, curls himself around N's legs, dark eyes full of pure hate trained on the Queen. The Queen chuckles at the illusion fox pokemon, and Zoroak's fur bristles at the mockery.
"My disillusioned ways?" She questions, her eyes ice cold, "Do you know what you've done? You've severed the bonds between pokemon and trainer—and yet you dare fight alongside with them. You, dear N, are a hypocrite."
"This is your ideal world?" N responds, trying not to take her words to heart. His eyes just as cold as he gestures around him, "This world, where trainers abuse their pokemon who don't respond to their commands, this world where pokemon nature is suppressed and altered, this world where pokemon are mere tools to humans?" His voice has risen to a shout; he watches the Queen's eyes widen as if she is surprised by this news, and then narrow them once more.
She stands, and from her side a light flashes. When it fades, a beautiful and sleek serperior is at her feet. It hisses at N, and begins to coil itself around one of her legs, winding itself around her torso and draping itself across her shoulders.
How dare you question White, vermin, it hisses, and N is struck by both its protectiveness and the sheer beauty of the regal pokemon and the way it has accessorized the Queen. White takes two steps forward and holds out her hand, as if she is addressing a legion of subjects. But there is only N; he feels as though he is being singled out of an entire crowed; her authority and presence are overwhelming.
"The world cannot be perfect, but I know it can be changed. Cobalion, Vizirion, and Terrakion witnessed humanity at its worst. Zekrom and Reshiram split because of humanity. So I will change the world—I will turn the place into a world where pokemon and humans can work side by side. That is my dream."
Momentarily, N is struck by the benevolence of her reasoning; her eyes burn and he is temporarily stupefied. But he gathers his thoughts; he knows why he has come here, and he will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. He has seen the truth of what her rule has done, and he will bring it to an end.
"You are not seeing the truth," N retorts, "Your changes are for the worse; it has been years, my Lady, and the pokemon are only suffering! Your ideals are crumbling with all the flaws that your execution has possessed."
Her serperior hisses and uncoils itself to stand on the floor in all its 3-meter glory. Are you blind, scum? Do not pretend that you cannot hear me, I know you can. Am I suffering? Do I look mistreated to you? White herself is proof that her dreams can exist, and unsophisticated knaves like you will not stand in her way!
N glares at the regal pokemon. "You are one of few," he says, and then turns to White once more. "Have you even taken a step outside of your castle? Outside, pokemon are mere tools. There are hardly any trainers left who fit the traditional definition. Just because you are one of them doesn't mean that there are more of you. Your own sages don't even understand. Open your eyes, Lady Queen. You and your ideals are straying by ignoring the cruelty of humans to pokemon—the world is straying. Your dreams are shattering."
The next moment is a blur; her serperior lunges for him with frightening speed, narrowly missing him after being blocked by Zoroark.
How dare you attack N? The illusion fox pokemon growls with his claws extended, fur bristling in anger.
How dare you insult White, the regal pokemon hisses back, you will not get away with insulting my trainer and her ideals. You two were doomed the moment you walked into the castle.
Funny, seeing as how we beat all your grunts I would say that we are quite on the path of glory.
"Zoroark," N warns, although he can understand the fox's sentiments. The Queen is in front of him; he has been hunting her down for four months and now that she is within his reach he will bring her down to her knees. Her dream was pure, he will give her that, but she has been corrupted and all she is now is a simply an insufferable little girl who refuses to see the flaws in her idea of perfection. He wants to put a bullet through her head and watch the hole fill with blood, but guns were outlawed a long, long time ago.
The Queen chuckles. "So it's true. You can talk to pokemon. If so, you should understand their sentiments better than I."
"What?"
"Pokemon want to work together with humans. All the legendaries have chosen trainers before; there has never been an era where pokemon have separated from and dominated humans instead. Our cultures have already intertwined so intensely that neither of us can function without the other." She stares at him with her ice blue eyes, head tilted to the side, arms crossed. "What are your intentions, Harmonia? When this is all over, will you let Zoroark go and never see him again? You fight together—and that is what a trainer is. You don't necessarily have to capture them within pokeballs."
Zoroark looks slightly uneasy now at the thought of being separated from N, and White does not miss this.
"You cannot hope to be a leader when you cannot do what you preach," she drawls, tilting her head to the side and glancing lazily around the room. When she looks back she laughs at the dark expression on N's face and Zoroark's uncertainty, holding out her arms as if she were embracing the world.
"I want to change the world for Pokemon as well, because they are my friends. I want to see the things no one else has seen; I want a future where the relationship between pokemon and humans have become perfect…" she smiles as she says this, and her serperior returns to her side, coiling loosely around her legs protectively. But then she lets her arms fall to her side and frowns. "It is a pity that you do not feel the same."
"The strength of your inability to see the truth is unfortunate," N says, shaking his head. He narrows his eyes and stares at the Queen. "And to return the world to its natural balance, I have come to remove you from your throne."
White laughs loudly at this, but when she stops her tone is harsh and her eyes are furious. "Tell me, N Harmonia, what is your dream?"
"My dream? It is to destroy you and to liberate the pokemon from the hands of humans," he replies. "And I will make it a reality."
The air around them explodes.
The bond between the Queen and her pokemon must be strong indeed for the pokemon to attack without any visible commands; a maelstrom of leaves whips around them, blowing them back. Zoroark leaps forward in attempt to use Night Slash, but the gust only blows him back further. He lands several feet back, nearly hitting the wall before he skids to a stop with his claws. Zoroark growls, and N knows that this is the end of their dance with words.
White smirks, and her serperior stands up with pride. "Oh really?" She asks, as the storm of leaves begins to settle, "But you cannot claim that your reality is stronger than my dream if you cannot defeat me in battle!"
Even before she has finished speaking, N retracts Zoroark for later in the battle and pulls out another one of his team. He throws the pokeball and a vanilluxe appears; the Queen pulls back her serperior and throws out a chandelure.
"Chandelure, use Fire Burst!"
"Vanilluxe, dodge! Use Frost Breath!"
As their attacks hit each other and explode in a cloud of mist, N jumps forward and begins running the path to her throne. When the mist clears, he stops abruptly in momentary shock after seeing the Queen directly in front of him with her hand in a fist and her arm raised. Her lips split into a wide grin as she leaps up.
"Don't you dare underestimate your Queen, Harmonia!" She barks as her fist collides with his cheek. He retaliates in kicks her in the stomach; they both fall back. White is grinning as she holds a hand to her stomach, but N scowls as he puts a hand to his cheek.
N glances over at Vanilluxe; he is doing well but White definitely knows how to use advantage types to her benefit. Although her chandelure's attack didn't hit straight on, the bursting flames had hit the snowstorm pokemon and had done considerable damage.
"Chandelure!" White calls as she straightens, grimacing from the pain, "Fire Blast!"
And N knows that Vanilluxe is done but he cannot call him back in time; the vortex of fire engulfs the ice-cream shaped pokemon and it faints. N pulls back his vanilluxe and presses the pokeball to his lips, whispering an apology. He returns the capsule to his side and throws out another.
"Go, Carracosta!"
White grits her teeth, knowing that she is not the only one who knows the advantage types. She hesitates, considering whether to draw back Chandelure or not before N lunges for her.
She turns to avoid the full power of his hit, calling out, "Chandelure! Use Shadow Ball!"
"Carracosta, use Aqua Tail!" N also yells. He knows that the Queen is intelligent; she could easily continuously switch between the pokemon in her excellent team. But he will not give her the time to do so.
N backhands her across the face and as he tries to leap back she grabs his hair, pulling him towards her and slamming her forehead against his. He groans, blinking the stars from his eyes as White uses this moment to watch the pokemon battle out of the corner of her eye. Chandelure is out; she switches in her beautiful mienshao, briefly pressing her lips to Chandelure's pokeball as she does so. N is surprised at the fact that they both do the same thing.
"You're not the only one who cares about pokemon, whatever you may believe," She hisses at him after noticing his gaze, clipping the ball back onto her belt. "I cannot afford to lose, for their sake!"
She aims a roundhouse kick at his side; as N watches the battle between her mienshao and his carracosta out of the corner of his eye, he can tell that she had learned from the martial arts pokemon itself. He narrowly sidesteps her powerful blow, feeling the wind as her leg sweeps by. He grabs her leg, throwing her to the ground and attempts to pin her there. When White recovers from her surprise, she uses her other leg to nail N in the side.
"If so, then we share the same sentiments," N growls out, and lunges forward once more.
The battle continues with explosions of mist and leaves and rocks and fire until the castle walls begin to crumble.
In the end, it finally comes down to the Queen's serperior and N's own zoroark. The battle is winding down; both parties are exhausted though neither will admit it.
White has her right hand grabbing her left arm; she wonders if it is broken. She has a gash on her cheek from the cut of debris and her body is covered in bruises. Her clothes are dusty, bloody, and slightly ripped but the fire in her eyes had not diminished.
N is not faring any better. He brings up a hand to wipe away the blood that is gushing from his broken nose and winces; his clothes are also stained with dirt and blood. He thinks he also might have a cracked rib or two, but he also knows for sure that White has one or two broken ones. N never had any intention of playing nice with this disillusioned monarch; he takes vindictive pleasure in knowing that she had taken more physical damage than he. It was clear that the Queen had more skill than he did; but he had the greater strength. But that wasn't to say he was not suffering at all.
"Seperior! Use Leaf Storm!" White commands, watching N carefully, gauging how much more damage she could take.
Her companion musters up the strength for the attack and Zoroark digs his claws into the ground to keep his stance.
"Zoroark! Retaliate!"
And as he says this, N runs forward one last time. White's eyes widen, she knows that Serperior's health is excellent but she had taken out KlingKlang last time and Retaliate would only be more powerful. She momentarily forgets to keep her eyes on her own opponent.
White feels breathless as she is knocked to the floor; she closes her eyes briefly from the pain and when she opens them again there is the triumphant face of N Harmonia staring down at her. He has pinned down her arms above her head and onto the floor, his knees on either side of her waist. White gives a weak laugh, the pain throbbing through her body and the exhaustion finally seeping into her willpower.
"This is a very suggestive position Harmonia," she says, trying for a harsh tone with sarcasm, but her voice only comes out tired and breathless.
He drips blood onto her as he replies. "Your reign is over, Queen White," he snarls, surprised at the vitality he still has left.
White laughs, turning her head to check on her serperior. The regal pokemon is lying limp on the floor, scratched and worn, but Zoroark does not appear to have any intention of hurting her further. He stares at the Queen with eyes devoid of emotion. She turns back to N, a taunting smile on her face.
"And so it appears. So what will you do now, Harmonia? Kill me, as you have always wanted to? Spike my head on a spear and parade it around the world as a trophy of your victory?"
N is silent; there is not really resignation in her voice; naturally she knows that she has lost, but yet somehow she is still fighting—her pride and dignity are still strong.
"Well?" She spits when he doesn't answer, narrowing her eyes in anger, "What will you do, Lord N?"
He is somewhat startled by the title, but not at all displeased. He gives a dark smile in return, which widens at the surprise that blooms on her face. He leans down until their noses are almost touching.
"I've thought of a much better idea, My Lady," He whispers.
White struggles and fails to break free. She gives him the deadliest glare she can muster, but he knows that she is at his mercy. "Sick bastard," She hisses, several methods of murder running through her head.
But he smiles. "I think I'll take you as my Queen, Lady White…and taint you black."
There is a silence before White bursts out laughing, the sound echoing throughout the room. When she stops, there is fresh loathing her eyes. "Fuck you, Harmonia," she growls, "Don't think that I'll break that easily!"
"Is that submission I hear, my Queen?" N inquires with a lovely smile on his face as he tilts his head slightly, "You'll let me try to break you at all?"
"Hah!" White spits, tilting her chin up in defiance. "I'm not fool enough to think you'll let me find a way out of your imprisonment. I just hope you won't let me be bored, or else I might have to come up with new ways to murder you in your sleep, Lord N."
N chuckles at the hatred in her voice, pressing down on her wrists even harder and taking pleasure in watching her wince. "Not to worry," he says, "I assure you that I'll keep you satisfactorily occupied. We'll have plenty of time to break your idealistic wings in order to make you see the truth, Lady White."
He closes the distance between them and their kiss tastes like blood.
I picked up the fallen star from the ground and it burnt my hand but I held on and now it's mine.
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