"I thought that the Subway Bosses of Nimbasa were supposed to be good. I didn't expect to beat two out of three of his pokemon so quickly." N boasted. I breathed slowly as I returned my Crustle. My Excadrill was taken out by his Carracosta with two Earthquakes before I could attack. My Crustle fell the same way.
"Who else are you going to send? Another one of your weak pokemon?" N sneered. I tossed my pokeball high in the air to reveal my Chandulure.
"Ha! And you actually want to win? Carracosta, Hydro Pump!" N yelled. His ancient turtle prepared to unleash a powerful blast.
"Chan… Energy Ball." I said sharply. N's eyes widened as my Chandulure tossed an orb of green light at the turtle. It instantly fainted.
"That was luck." N stated as he returned his Carracosta. He revealed his next pokemon, a Vanilluxe.
"Hmm…interesting." I said. N grinned.
"You'll see why. Go! Use Hail!" The double ice-cream cone emitted a soft shrill, and icy blocks rained from above.
"Chandulure! End this quick! Fire Blast!" Chandulure was about to fire, but a flurry of blocks rained on it.
"Ha! Vanilluxe, Brine!" The Vanilluxe shook and shot a rain of water droplets. They hit my Chandulure as she yelped.
"Chan! Come on! Inferno!" I yelled. Hilda waved her hands.
"Ingo! Inferno has terrible accuracy though!" She cried. I ignored her as Chandulure summoned a tower of fire and engulfed the ice-type.
"No!" N roared. His Vanilluxe fainted.
"You sure have the luck of a Victini." N remarked. I patted my Chandulure's head.
"Alright enough messing around." He tossed his final pokemon high in the air and out came a Zoroark.
"Zoroark, let's finish this in one hit. Night Daze!" His Zoroark grinned as its claws were swirling with dark aura. It then clamped its hands together and released a powerful blast at my Chandulure.
"Chan! Protect!" It made it just in time. I sighed in relief, then saw the state of my Chandulure. It looked exhausted.
"One more should be enough. GO Night Slash!" N howled.
"Flare Blitz!" I yelled. Two powerful attacks impacted upon each other and sent a wave of debris and dust in our eyes. Soon, the dust cleared and I saw both our pokemon, still standing and, in Chandulure's case, floating. Suddenly, my Chandulure fainted.
"I knew it; I haven't lost a battle since Hilbert Black defeated me. Nobody can beat me!" N laughed. Then, his Zoroark was engulfed in a tornado of flame, and N's laughter died on his lips.
"Flame body." I said as his Zoroark fainted. N gritted his teeth and returned it back into his pokeball.
"It was a tie." Hilda said sharply. I glanced at her and took my cap off.
"I believe you are mistaken; my Chandulure fainted first. I…I shall obey the rules of the bet and leave Miss White alone." My entire body shook. Hilda came up to me.
"It was a tie. It's in the guidelines that if a pokemon faints due to a status condition, then it will count as a tie if the other pokemon faints before it. It's a tie Ingo." Hilda insisted. I gave her a sorrowful look. N just shrugged.
"It's a tie. Nobody won." N said. I gave him an icy glare.
"Then what happens now?" I asked.
"I think we should let Hilda choose." N said, turning to Hilda. Hilda bit her lip and said, "I want Ingo in my life; I don't want to be away from him."
"I see…and do you want to be with him?" N grimaced. Hilda's blue eyes shimmered with fear.
"N…I can't choose, don't make me choose." She whispered. He came up to her and kissed her. She squirmed and I ripped him off her. He sneered.
"Did that mean anything? Did you feel anything? If not…then I'm leaving." He released his Zekrom.
"N please don't leave. I haven't chosen yet." Hilda whimpered. He climbed onto the Dragon-type's back.
"N! Don't leave!" She cried as he flew away. She sobbed and her legs gave out. I pulled my hat down. The sight of her crying made my eyes water. The train jerked to a stop as it pulled into the Gear Station.
"Miss White?" I asked. She continued to cry.
"Go to him. Tell him you're sorry. I'm a fool if I thought I could have a perfect person like you. I'm sorry. Please forgive me." I walked out of the train and walked up the stairs. I healed my pokemon at the Gear Station's public services, then went to the top floor. Climbing up on a latter, I sat down on the roof of the station. I pulled out a cigarette and released my Chandulure.
"Chan…could you come closer?" I asked. My Chandulure whimpered softly as it came closer, igniting my cigarette with its flame.
"Thank you." I sighed and looked up at the sky. The stars twinkled as it lit the dark scene of the night.
Hilda… I have to let you go
