"Come on, Akari, wake up!" Akari groaned and pushed herself upright off of Reshiram. She looked around; it was still dark.

"N, it's so early," she sighed. "Why did you wake me up now?" N grinned.

"There's so much to do and explore! I want to see it all, Akari. I was so excited about it I couldn't sleep!" Akari stared at N. His excitement and curiosity were like that of a small child's. Had he been confined to the castle when he'd lived there? And if that was so, were his recent travels his first encounter with the world? Akari fought back tears at that thought. How could Ghestis be so cruel to keep N locked away from the world all his life?

"Akari?" N's voice snapped Akari out of her thoughts. "Are you OK?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just spaced out for a moment." Reshiram came closer, nudging her shoulder and growling. Zekrom growled as well, staring into the clearing. Something was agitating them both.

"Tiii!" Victini called to Samurott, and the two Pokémon ran to the edge of the clearing. Samurott lowered its head threateningly, and Victini's fur stood straight up as a figure seemed to appear out of thin air. A member of the Shadow Triad!

N immediately moved in front of Akari, putting his arm in front of her protectively. The member of the Shadow Triad held up his hands.

"Peace, my lord N. I come not to bring harm to either of you, but to bring something to Akari." N stiffened.

"I no longer go by that name. Team Plasma is behind me."

"Of course. Forgive me. May I give this to Akari?" N stared at him for a heavy moment, and then backed off.

"Fine. But if you hurt one hair on her head…"

"You may trust me. I will not harm her." The member of the Shadow Triad went over to Akari, earning a growl and protective stare from her Pokémon.

"Lord Ghestis asked me to give this to you." The man placed an odd-looking azure instrument into her hands. It seemed to have a mystic quality to it.

"What is this?"

"It is called the Azure Flute. According to legend, when this is played at the top of Mt. Coronet in the Sinnoh region, it will summon the legendary Pokémon Arceus." The man paused. "Lord Ghestis…is he testing you? Or is he using you? I don't know. Farewell. We shall not meet again." And with that, the man vanished. N came over to Akari.

"So that can summon the legendary Arceus…Akari, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"I think so. We're off to the Sinnoh region!"