Author's note: Hello again! I'm back and ready to produce even more content, and that means I've started another longer fic, though shorter than THotB, as a side project to keep myself in the swing of things. This came about through musing about these two awful dads meeting, and suddenly, whoops, there's a whole new story going on. Obviously, this is heavily AU-any "canon" timeline will be disregarded, because I do what I want.

Enjoy!

Warnings for the entire fic: Blood, gore, animal abuse, child abuse, animal death

"…Yet for all your theatrics and power, you lack the sense to carry out such threats. Did it even once occur to you that perhaps the rangers' means of controlling Pokémon may have had merit to it? That perhaps in place of force, a simple guiding hand was all you required?"

Looming nearly half a foot over the Fioran man, standing in the throne room of Plasma's castle, and letting out heavy breaths between gritted teeth, Ghetsis couldn't believe anyone could have come so far on such brutal force alone. The man-Gordor, he believed?-had shown promise, certainly. He'd had the same idea in regards to his own children. Four of them, no less! Ghetsis had already had enough trouble as it was with three, if he could even bring himself to call them anything close to family.

Yet this man held tightly onto his stubborn pride. Ghetsis had heard it all. The tale of Gordor's work alongside this Hastings person. How Gordor had never come close enough to his colleague's work. How this man, in spite of having raised a small army, in spite of having approached Plasma to discuss an alliance after the Go-Rock Squad's numbers had dwindled, after the beast known as Entei had barely been contained on the ship to Unova, still refused to see that his rival's methods could have been used to further his own goals.

It was downright infuriating, having to listen to him go on about Hastings's work. About how his own son had perfected the styler, how there was no more room for improvement.

This was going to take far more than simple talk.

"Hmph. You're quite confident in your abilities."

Gordor remained unfazed as Ghetsis stood above him, aided by one of the many steps in the castle. Plasma's castle. He'd clearly been in awe of it when he'd first seen it. A great and towering building, lying in wait for the moment Plasma's king took his place on the throne.

Someday, soon, the castle would rise. Someday, soon, Ghetsis would rule. Not Plasma. Not the child he'd raised to be king. Him, and only him.

There was no room for another king, nor another leader. Of course…Gordor wouldn't ever learn that fact.

As far as Gordor knew, he'd rule Fiore. Perhaps that was how things would be in the end. Perhaps they'd have to compromise.

As if Ghetsis would let such a thing happen.

"Then tell me," Gordor hissed, "What this merit might be. Tell me what might have been my mistake in leading my own team. I will tell you now…Harmonia, was it? I do not take kindly to being toyed with."

Ghetsis stifled a booming laugh at this. Oh, he wouldn't be telling this other team's leader a thing.

He'd be showing the true power of Plasma, then and there.

"…Before we head anywhere," Ghetsis replied, "You're not to speak a word regarding his true purpose. N knows nothing of his true purpose. I fully intend to keep this as such."

"And if I fail to keep silent?"

Was that…A challenge? There was a biting tone to Gordor's voice that hadn't come out of him before this statement. Nevertheless, Ghetsis's reply was quick, turning a conversation between himself and this stranger into complete silence within mere seconds.

"There will be dire consequences."

A low growl rumbled in Ghetsis's throat as he lifted his Hydreigon's ball in his scarred hand, as if to tell Gordor what the beast-Silas, he'd always called it-was capable of.

Without another word, the two stepped away from the throne room, out towards the hallway leading to what was perhaps the most important aspect of the castle: N's room. It would disturb many, Ghetsis was well aware. Eighteen years of age and still living in a child's room, accompanied by no more than his Pokémon, his sisters, and occasionally Ghetsis, N had been raised for one task and one task alone. He'd been fooled his entire life, kept innocent for the sake of his "father's" ambitions, and nothing showed this more than his room.

Perhaps this was why a look of sudden, almost, almost horrified realization appeared, briefly, on Gordor's face as he stood in the doorway to the room, in the presence of the boy he'd been informed about from the start.

This was N. This was Ghetsis's greatest feat. A boy sitting in the middle of this room and watching as his closest companions, a family of two Zorua and a Zoroark, dashed around the room, wrestling and biting playfully at each other, chasing each other's tails, and occasionally letting out soft barks at their friend.

Ghetsis gestured for Gordor to stay silent as he approached N.

"My lord N…Plasma is considering an alliance in its goal of liberating Unova's Pokémon. If I may introduce you to Gordor, head of the Fiore-based Go-Rock Squad."

He spoke with a sort of softness to his voice that Gordor hadn't yet heard. To anyone who didn't know of his true plan, this tone sounded genuine. Even Gordor clearly showed, in that brief moment, hesitation at the idea of suddenly going along with Plasma's plans.

N stood up, turning to Gordor and letting out a soft hum of acknowledgement. This was all he could manage at that point. It wasn't until one of the Zorua hit the ground with a muffled thud that N began to speak.

"Ah!" N gasped, "Are you…Hurt?"

The Zorua simply stood up, unsheathing its claws and looking to Gordor. The other Zorua and Zoroark had stopped playing and now stood beside the small fox Pokémon, their eyes all locked on the stranger.

Each one looked ready to pounce at a moment's notice.

Gordor, however, showed not an ounce of fear. If Ghetsis had indeed planned something, done something to this teenager, he would come out unscathed.

Ghetsis had taken a step back, allowing for open space between N and Gordor. He watched with a single narrowed eye, as if awaiting some inevitable action.

"Wait," N told the Zorua, "Please don't hurt him. As Father told me…He's here to help us. You'll be okay."

In an instant, all three Pokémon sat down, each looking like a guilty child that had been caught red-handed.

"…Forgive our intrusion, then," Ghetsis sighed, "Gordor. Shall we, then? There's much for us to discuss."

"…Indeed," Gordor replied before turning and walking away from the room, Ghetsis following behind until the two had returned to the throne room.

Silence lingered between them for a long while. Ghetsis was the one to finally cut through it.

"So you've seen it now," he began, "How N boasts far more than a mere connection with Pokémon. He speaks with them, and he shall speak with this Entei you say you've captured. He shall be the one to calm the beast, and as such will be the one it trusts. Do you now see? Pokémon are not difficult to fool once they trust humans. Once you've learned this, your Go-Rock Squad will become far more powerful than it has ever been."

"Hmph. It seems I have little choice in the matter, then," Gordor admitted, "So be it. Should you choose to offer your forces in our fight against the Union, we shall adopt your methods. It won't take long for Garret to modify his own styler. I'll inform him of the task he's to take up."

"Yes…Your children. When you came in, I could hardly imagine us finding any sort of common ground. Then, you mentioned your children. Your top admins. I assure you, there is a place for them in Team Plasma."

Ghetsis let out a deep chuckle as he looked up, closing his single eye.

"…And I assure you that royalty they shall become. The princes and princess of Plasma. They shall serve their lord N without any other choice in the matter."

Gordor couldn't help but return the laugh. Yes…This was exactly what the two of them had been working towards throughout their entire conversation. The alliance had been finalized. There was no more Gordor could do in the castle.

Gordor turned away, sending one last glance towards Ghetsis.

"You'll be meeting them tomorrow." Amusement echoed in Gordor's voice. "They have not once disappointed me. I trust they won't do so to you, either."

"Hahaha…That's quite the promise," Ghetsis replied, "But if you're so certain… I'm looking forward to meeting Plasma's new recruits. Its new royalty. Now…Begone. There is much for the both of us to do."

Without another word, Gordor left for the hallways, forcing himself to keep his attention away from the king's room as he left.

He'd see plenty of it soon, he was sure.

He'd see so much of Plasma, just as Plasma would see of his team.

In a way, it was almost frightening that he'd had to turn to Ghetsis.

Then again, Gordor was one to think through the consequences of such an alliance. As long as he could remain a step ahead of the other team's leader…

Fiore would be his. Ghetsis could take everything, but Fiore belonged to the Go-Rock Squad and no one else.

As soon as the boat arrived, and with it, the Quads, there was no stopping him. No matter what Ghetsis did, he'd come out of this fight with something.

The weeks ahead would no doubt be long.

Gordor, however, was ready for such a fight.