"Go, Zoroark!"

I had watched in shock as all my Pokémon friends, even Zekrom, fell one by one against the wielder of the light stone. Now was my last chance to make a better world for all Pokémon… and for my dear Zoroark. I had been with this particular Zoroark for most of my life, and we were the best of friends from spending countless hours playing in my playroom, to the occasional training. I wasn't like those barbaric trainers who spent countless hours forcing an innocent to fight other innocents in a messed up tier system that made up the unova region and it's accursed champion...

I had rescued Zorua after finding him in a forest nearly dead after an abusive trainer let him go for losing a gym battle. Humans. I hated humans all my life, but the mistreatment of such an innocent was exactly why I had to win this, Team Plasma is the only hope of refuge these poor Pokémon have…this is my last shot. Zoroark, sensing the urgency of my look, was ready to fight. I wish it didn't have to come to this. My other friends fought valiantly and the hero was down to just his weakened serperior.

"Use leaf tornado!" My thoughts were interrupted. Right. Focus on the battle at hand.

"You can't see it amidst that tornado, try using night slash to clear it up," I ordered. Zoroark tried, but the slashes were promptly thrown back by the wind. "Serperior, use wrap!" shouted Black as the serpent appeared out of nowhere and swiftly coiled around Zoroark. I winced. I hated seeing any Pokémon in pain…but Zoroark…it just hurt more.

My brief hesitation was broken when I saw Zoroark looking at me desperately for a command. "Zoroark, quickly, use dark pulse!" Black couldn't call off serperior in time, and it crashed into the wall of the castle, knocked out. I winced - my friend appeared to have suffered a nasty injury to her right leg during the whole ordeal.

"Amazing job, Zoroark," I said gently to my beloved Pokémon, who bounded over to allow me to stroke hiermane. Zoroark always likes when I do that. I sprayed her wound with a potion. "It's over, Black. You fought well, but it seems that you don't have what it takes to be a hero. Reshiram hasn't recognized your passion for truth. Hand over your Pokémon"

Black stood there, stunned... but suddenly smiled as his bag started shaking. I had no idea why he was so happy, we had won, right? It was at that moment the light stone flew up from the bag and swirled around, slowly at first, but gaining speed as flames shot out. Born from the crimson fire stood the legendary Pokémon…Reshiram.

Black threw a pokeball straight away and caught it flawlessly. "You gotta love the catch rates of these legendary dragons" I muttered to myself half angrily, half in shock at the events I was witnessing here. This turn of events had left me no choice but to keep fighting. Zoroark seemed exhausted, though. I hesitated… We'd come so far, but—no…to injure another pokemon, my best friend in the whole world even, would make me no better than the scum that beat her as a Zorua years ago. I cleared my throat-and forfeited the match.

"You... what?" Black stared in confusion,

"I give up. You win." I smiled dazedly, my lips were moving but clearly the full impact of what I'd just done not quite clear yet…

Black hesitated...saw I was being serious and returned Reshiram to its pokeball.

Zoroark looked at me in horror, protesting even for several seconds before nodding slowly, understanding. We sat in silence until-

"INSOLENT BOY!" a familiar voice shouted at me. "GIVING UP ON ALL I'VE FOUGHT FOR FOR THE SAKE OF A SINGLE POKEMON?"

Ghetsis… amidst all my selfishness I'd almost forgotten about Ghetsis. Realizing the magnitude of what I just did, I quickly healed the hero's pokemon, he would be fine to beat Ghetsis with Reshiram at his side. I healed Zekrom, and flew away, too ashamed to face either of them.

Had I been wrong the whole time? Did I really just betray my own team for one pokemon's sake? Did I sacrifice them all for one? Thoughts flooded my head as we flew above the clouds. One thing I was certain of—I was a hypocrite. How could I keep my own pokemon captive and try to free the rest? Was I any better for trying to achieve my goal this way? All these thoughts raced through my head as I flew away, crying, and ashamed…

...but at the same time relieved. I let Zoroark out of her pokeball, and we flew together the rest of the way, in exhausted silence.