Touko fixed her hat, flipping her long bangs back.
It had all come down to this – the goal of her long two year journey.
Victory Road stood behind her, the dark caves serving as a last minute training session before the upcoming battles. Before her, the marble of the Pokémon League stretched out to meet her, beckoning her to complete her goal.
Her team was ready to go, Nurse Joy wishing her luck on the final leg of her journey. Her bag was lined with items she knew she was going to need – specifically Full Revive's and Super Potions.
The security guards watching the entrance to the marble league checked her badges for authenticity, eventually waving her through as she hopped eagerly from foot to foot. This was it, she thought as she stepped onto the marble floors.
From there, she had four different pathways available to her; each offering a different challenge to her aptitude and knowledge.
She decided to challenge Shauntal first, the ghost trainer's room setting her on edge. Some places of the stairs looked ready to collapse underneath her weight. She'd never been a fan of the ghost types, the Celestial Tower her least favourite part of the journey. There was just something about them . . .
Grimsley put her to the test, the dark types a strong match up against her Pokémon team. Caitlin was one of the better match ups for her team; her Stoutland and Zebstrika pulling her effortlessly through the battle.
After defeating Caitlin, Touko found her thoughts were starting to chase each other around in her mind. She had defeated three of the Elite Four, and had only had to use two revives and a handful of potions. Touko had to talk herself down, now was not the time to get comfortable and go easy in the final battle that separated her from Unova's champion, Alder.
Marshall was the last of the Elite Four, congratulating her on getting so far, but informing her this would be as far as she got. She intended to prove him wrong, and barely did. How she wished she could momentarily visit the Pokemon Center located on the other side of the barrier . . .
How cruel to place it within sight, but to have no access to it.
In the main plaza, Touko called her Pokemon forward, thanking them for the hard work they had put into her dream and that soon they would get to relax. She healed them with Super Potions, wanting her team in perfect form for the next battle – the toughest one ever.
As the statue in the plaza moved, revealing the staircase below, Touko took a deep breath, stepping forward. Her footsteps echoed against the marble floor, the statue moving over the staircase again encasing her in darkness. Touko gripped the pokeballs on her belt, her footsteps and breathing the only sounds before she finally emerged at the bottom of the stairs, Alder's room before her.
Then she paused, the scene before her not making any sense in her mind.
Alder stood on the platform before her, talking to N – she'd know that green hair anywhere.
How could he be here too? Why couldn't he just leave her alone?
She just wanted to challenge Alder, but then he beats her there and defeats the Champion.
"Arceous must have it out for me," she grumbled under her breath.
Throughout her entire journey, she kept running into the green haired, self-proclaimed King.
Accumula Town . . . The Dream Yard . . . Nacrene and Nimbasa City . . . Chargestone Cave, and the Dragonspire Tower, he was everywhere she went. Add on the times she ran into either the Team Plasma Grunts or Ghetsis and it seemed like he was stalking her.
She ran into them more than she did her own friends; although N seemed able to get under her skin just as easy as Cheren did. It was then that N noticed her, challenging her to a battle to change the face of Unova.
Despite Alder's words, this was too much for a thirteen year old to accomplish. Shouldn't the Gym Leaders and the Champion of Unova at least try to help her? But no, they stand back to deal with the Seven Sages.
After cautiously making her way through N's Castle, wary of all the Plasma members who paid her little attention (and healed her Pokemon) she found herself on the roof of the Castle. Across the way, she noticed N standing there silently in the wind, Zekrom's powerful form looming behind him.
"Welcome Touko," N said, although the wind dragged his voice away. "This is, alas, the end of the line."
Touko narrowed her eyes, unable to hear N's words. This is it, she thought, walking forward, calling out her Hydragon as she went.
This was it, the ideals of Unova against a new regime.
If she failed, it would all be her fault and she couldn't afford to lose.
Now it was just whose will was stronger . . .
A/N: I got thinking what would go through the playable characters mind as they finally reached their destination, only to find out that everything had been flipped upside down, and instead of fighting the champion, they're fighting for the entire continent as everything Unova knows hangs in the balance. Sometimes, I wish the playable characters talked to those around them as well; anyone else notice that they never say anything?