Last chapter, everyone! Besides the epilogue. I really hope you enjoy this last one, and thank you all for reading!

Warning for more violence, a little blood, and deaths.


Chapter 10: One Last Hero

"Black!"

"Ow..." Black groaned as he tried to sit up. He hurt all over, and his whole body was sore and aching.

Wait, what? Where was he?

He shot straight up, ignoring the sharpness of pain that followed. The sky spun around him, and Black shook his head to dispel the bout of dizziness. When his eyes focused, he realized that he was sitting on a flying Pokémon, soaring through the stormy gray clouds. It took him a while, but finally he managed to recognize it from the legends he'd learned long ago at school. A Reshiram? His eyes stretched wide with shock.

"Black? Are you okay? I...I thought you were dead!"

He knew that voice. As Black heard it, he thought it was too good to be true. His eyes instantly fixed onto the girl sitting on Reshiram next to him, gazing down at him with horrified, shocked blue eyes. It was White.

Under normal circumstances he would have reveled in her close presence, which he missed so much, but right now he was too confused to register anything. There were too many questions boiling in his mind. Automatically, Black looked down and felt his heart pound at how high they were. They were circling in the sky, and he strained his eyes to make out the distant landscape below. He spotted a black shape and blue lightning sparking everywhere, and thousands of tiny figures lying on the ground.

"What's going on?" Black demanded. A wave of nausea washed over him, but he shoved it down. Focus. He made himself think, and his heart sank at the memories that rushed back. He'd blown up the Plasma castle. Ghetsis had tried to kill him. He broke the Dark Stone into a milliion pieces and released Zekrom, a furious beast intent on destroying everything in sight. But the last thing Black remembered was a huge thunderbolt roaring down from the storm clouds, Fusion Bolt, and then everything had went black.

He glanced down and saw that his whole body was soaked, chilled to the bone. And the freezing rain was continuing to fall, pounding down relentlessly. Thunder rumbled overhead and shadowy, ominous clouds had gathered to cover the whole entire sky.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a blinding white lightning bolt struck down near them, and Reshiram swerved to avoid it. Black clung to the legendary Pokémon's fur for dear life, his arms tense and trembling with fatigue. All his senses were alert and he was so scared, his heart was about to burst out of his chest.

"Why are we up here?" Black yelled over the roar of the storm. "We're all gonna get killed! Let's find somewhere to land!"

White's blue eyes darkened. "I'm not stupid, Black. I tried to! We can't go down there, or else Zekrom will attack us."

"But—" He gazed downwards again, and sure enough, the black shape was on a rampage, tearing up rock and ground and releasing deadly electricity into the air. White was right. As another lightning bolt split the sky in the distance, Black's heart sank even lower, all hope draining away and despair settling in for good. This was all his fault.

All of a sudden, he remembered his faithful Pokémon and gasped out loud. "M-my Pokémon! Archeops and Musharna and Emboar...they're all down there! Zekrom is going to kill them!" His fists clenched with dibelief and tears sprang to his eyes as he pictured his beloved friends fighting for their lives down on the ground, against all the power and ferocity of a legendary dragon.

"This is all my fault. I was the one who released Zekrom." Black choked back a sob, but White shook her head firmly.

"It wasn't your fault. N told me that it was fate, that it was bound to happen anyway." White gazed at him intently, willing him to understand. "Don't you see, Black? This was all prophesied thousands of years ago—Zekrom would be released from the Dark Stone and go on a rampage. It was going to happen sooner or later."

Black didn't believe her, but he swallowed the lump in his throat. "Then w-where did this Reshiram come from?" he managed to say.

Uncertainty registered in her clear blue eyes for a moment, but it was gone as quickly as it had come. She seemed to gather her courage as she spoke again, after a slight hesitation. "It belongs to N."

"N?" At the name, bitter resentment rose inside Black, but he forced it down. It wouldn't do them any good if he made White angry right now, of all times, when their very lives were in danger. And besides, she seemed more comfortable with him than she'd been in a while. "He has a Reshiram?"

For some reason, the thought didn't surprise him. He looked down at the white dragon he was sitting on, massive in size with huge white wings and fiery blue eyes. According to what he'd learned about the myths of Unova, Reshiram could breathe blazing orange flames that could burn anything in sight. The thought made Black uneasy about riding on it. However, unlike Zekrom, the white legend looked calm right now.

"He revived it from the Light Stone, just like you with Zekrom...except he didn't, well, destroy the stone in the process." White paused. "N's down there right now..." Her eyes flashed with sudden fear and worry. "...trying to calm Zekrom down." As she said that, a striking blue thunderbolt flashed in the distance—far away, yet so close at the same time.

"What?" Black tried to hide his shock, but failed. The air temperature seemed to drop twenty degrees as he sat in silence, trying to wrestle together his thoughts. As much as he disliked the guy, he would not want N to die a horrible death like the one Zekrom might give him. "Wait...N's down there? What if he's killed?"

"I warned him!" Her terrified blue eyes locked with his brown ones. "I told him that, but he wouldn't listen!" She squeezed her eyes shut, apparently struggling with guilt and concern for N. When she spoke again, her voice was almost a whisper, and Black had to strain to hear. "He...he gave me his Reshiram. He told me to save you and get away from here, but I can't leave him alone! Black, I don't know what to do!"

Black shivered as he gazed into her eyes, tortured with a world of panic. He didn't like N; he honestly hated the guy, but he couldn't just fly away and leave White in distress about what happened to N. He couldn't leave N behind to die.

White had fixed her gaze on him, pleading and desperate, unsure of what to do. Finally, Black couldn't take her anguished expression anymore. He made up his mind.

"Tell Reshiram to turn around. We have to save N."

The anxious look on the brunette's face instantly turned to one of shock. "But...Black! Why? We're just going to be killed right alongside him!" She stared down at her hands. "And also...I thought you didn't like N."

"I know. I don't." But Black was firm and determined, and he wasn't going to change his mind. N was more or less his enemy, but what kind of person would he be if he let N die at the claws of Zekrom? And besides, he was doing this for White too. As much as he didn't like it, he knew she was extremely close to N. Maybe even more than Black. But it didn't matter, he realized with some surprise, as long as White was happy.

White looked sidelong at him and seemed to understand. She nodded, resolution in her eyes, and urged Reshiram to turn around and head in the opposite direction. The Pokémon obeyed without question and gave its mighty white wings a powerful flap, propelling them back down to the ruins of Team Plasma's Castle. Black was surprised at Reshiram's absolute obedience to White and was about to ask why (after all, it was N's Pokémon), but when he glanced over at the brunette, he saw that she was deep in thought, perhaps thinking the darker thoughts that sprang up in Black's own mind: What if we're too late? What if N is dead?

As they soared downwards, approaching the ruins, Black's heart caught in his throat. Bodies were strewn everywhere, all limp and unmoving, and he spotted the still body of Ghetsis among the ruins. There was no sign of his Pokémon anywhere. And a lone figure was standing, facing Zekrom and talking to it calmly. Reshiram landed on the rocks and Black and White jumped off, their eyes fixed on the distant silhouette. As he landed, he let out a gasp; his wounds were on fire again, and his whole body trembled with effort, but Black forced himself to stand up.

"N!" White rushed forward, but Black caught her arm, all his senses telling him to be careful.

"Wait, we can't get too close," he warned. "We have to stand here and watch." As he spoke, she narrowed her eyes but nodded, probably understanding the danger as well as he.

Nevertheless, White let out a cry as the black dragon struck out at N with its massive claws, sending him flying. Black tried to restrain her, but she twisted out of his grip and took off sprinting toward the two distant figures. He yelled for her to wait, which the brunette ignored, so he was forced to run after her toward Zekrom and the king of Team Plasma, N. His feet pounded on the ground and it was like knives were slashing at him with every step, the pain was so excruciating. His heart beat from fear and adrenaline. The world immediately started spinning like a top again, and Black blinked, trying to make the nausea go away.

The green-haired guy was lying on the ground, blood trailing from his mouth, but he managed to get shakily to his knees. He didn't seem to see Black or White approach at all; his eyes were fixed only on the legendary dragon, a furious killer, in front of him.

"Zekrom, please," N begged, but the beast wouldn't listen. It slashed its claws at him again, but Black could see that the black dragon was getting weaker and weaker with each attack. It had probably used most of its energy unleashing its Fusion Bolt, or maybe Black's own Pokémon had wounded it pretty badly. However, Zekrom would not let up its fury of attacks.

White let out a scream as Zekrom let out a spark of blue lightning that arced right at N, letting out a small explosion that left the boy collapsed on the ground, still and unmoving. Despite Black's best efforts to hold her back, White raced toward him and Black was forced to follow, until they were standing right in front of N.

His eyes were squeezed shut and he was barely breathing, but Black could tell he was alive.

"N..." White whispered hoarsely, falling to her knees. "N!"

Miraculously, at her voice, the green-haired boy blinked open his eyes, with effort. His gray eyes stretched wide with astonishment as he recognized Black and White. "W...what are you doing here?" Every word seemed like a struggle. "I-I told you to leave!"

White opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, a black shape came up behind her, grabbing her and flinging her across the battlefield. Horrified, Black yelled her name, but he couldn't tear his eyes away as he watched Zekrom loom over N.

But right as the Pokémon was about to strike, a massive white blur rushed in the way with such force, Zekrom went staggering backward. The black dragon roared in fury and its red eyes gleamed with anger as it glared at Reshiram, who was standing in front of N with its claws raised and its tail blazing with orange fire. Reshiram's eyes were gleaming with anger, blue-hot flames.

Black watched, his legs trembling and threatening to collapse under him at any moment. All of a sudden, White yelled from a distance away, "Reshiram! Fusion Flare!" and the white Pokémon let out a battle cry and a giant red flame appeared in its claws, so blazing hot that Black could feel its heat from several yards away. He wondered why Reshiram obeyed White without question, but there was no time to think about it. With a grunt, Reshiram flung the fiery light at Zekrom, who was struck hard and flew back, skidding and landing on the rocks farther away.

However, it wasn't long before the black dragon got to its feet and growled, its eyes even more violent and fierce. Another electric-blue thunderbolt came streaking down from the heavens above and flung down on Reshiram. While the white legendary Pokémon was stunned from the powerful attack, Zekrom shouldered past it roughly until it was face to face with N, who was still lying on the ground, scarcely breathing.

Black took a step toward N, desperate to help, terrified of seeing the other boy die, but the king of Team Plasma saw him coming and lifted his hand weakly. "It's okay, Black. Wait."

Every instinct screamed at Black to help the guy, but his feet seemed to be frozen to the spot as Zekrom advanced toward N. However, amazingly, the dragon paused before attacking, seeming to be listening to something Black couldn't hear. He strained his ears and heard N whispering to Zekrom, calming it, soothing it. With a start, Black realized N could talk to the Pokémon.

"We're friends," N murmured. "Aren't we?"

Zekrom's claws sizzled with electricity, but it looked confused and stared at N unblinkingly.

The green-haired boy finally opened his eyes fully and gazed at the legendary dragon. "Zekrom..." He was pleading, begging.

He was on the edge of death, and yet his face were peaceful. Crystal tears formed at the edge of his eyes as he whispered the name again, and Black was startled at N's eyes. They were full of emotion, passion and love toward Pokémon and desperation to see them free from humans' violent hands. Eyes full of dedication to that one goal, eyes with nothing but pureness in them. And Black knew N truly loved Pokémon, would do anything for them. He wasn't evil, just genuinely devoted toward Pokémon. His friends—not tools, but friends.

And with a sigh, the king of Team Plasma passed from life with a peaceful smile on his face.

Zekrom's crimson red eyes were fixed unwaveringly on N, and in them Black saw a hint of something...anguish, perhaps? The dragon lowered its claws and finally looked away, straight toward Black.

"Z-Zekrom," he began uncertainly, but the legendary creature didn't attack. Zekrom simply turned around and stomped away, the earth shaking with its every step, appearing to be headed toward Reshiram. At first Black thought it was going to attack the other Pokémon, but they stopped in front of each other and their eyes met in a silent agreement, a truce. Then Zekrom pushed past its white counterpart until it halted in front of the broken shards of the Dark Stone.

"What are they doing?" A hoarse voice sounded behind him, and Black whirled around to face White. She had a few scratches and bruises, but seemed fine. Her eyes, however, were settled on the black and white dragons, complete opposites and yet equal in power.

The bright blue electricity in Zekrom's tail was dying away, and so were the orange flames in Reshiram's. Then together, in unity, the legendary dragons raised their claws to the sky, reaching toward the heavens, unleashing their final powers. A black vortex appeared and swirled around Zekrom while a white vortex surged around Reshiram, growing bigger and bigger, enveloping the rocks and ground. Black stumbled away, afraid of what would happen again, but finally the chasms disappeared.

In their places were two stones, one as black as the night and the other as white as the sky.

And then Black truly understood what had happened. N had sacrificed himself, his own life, to calm Zekrom. He was the true hero.

Black looked over at White, and their eyes locked. In the depths of her sky blue eyes was sorrow and distress, and he was surprised to find that he felt the same way. Not only that, but admiration. Respect for the king of Team Plasma. N was full of genuine good intentions, and Black knew that his grudge against the other had faded, only to be replaced by high reverence.

His eyes, unconciously, scanned the battlefield, and a small cry escaped from his lips as he spotted several motionless shapes lying on the ground, a distance apart from all the dead Plasma members. Though his legs were killing him, Black sprinted toward the creatures as fast as he could, his mind hazy with despair and hopelessness for what he was about to see.

He had expected it, but the horror of the sight did not lessen.

His Pokémon.

Emboar, Musharna, Simisage, Archeops, Galvantula, Zoroark. All lying, torn and tattered, in the dust. Motionless.

"No..." Black croaked out, and fell to his knees beside them, nothing but memories running through his head. He saw their journey together, getting stronger and closer to each other, until they were an unseperable team. Musharna, the pertinacious Pokémon with the strongest will ever, never giving into anything. Simisage, the endearing monkey, somewhat of a clown, but always giving its full effort in all it did. Archeops, the Pokémon who flew Black to Team Plasma's palace, who'd stood by him even when it was fatally wounded. Galvantula, who he had met as a tiny Joltik, but had become just as powerful as all the others. Zoroark, mischievous and always playing pranks, but serious when it came to battle.

And finally, Emboar, his first Pokémon—at first resistant and unwilling to obey Black's orders, but in the end, the most loyal Pokémon anyone could wish for. It had stood with him through the storm and fire, and hadn't ever backed down from protecting him, even to its death.

Black saw them running through Unova, tearing down the Gym Leaders and raging through every battle. They couldn't have ever been more alive then. Now, his Pokémon's bodies were crushed, wounded and bloody by Zekrom's vicious attacks. They had died valiant deaths, fighting to protect Black from Zekrom. The human whose life they valued above their own.

Black swallowed the lump in his throat. His Pokémon had sacrificed themselves for him, and he knew they truly loved him. He fought back the tears, but before he could stop them, they were already free, flowing down his cheeks and splashing onto the floor.

I'm sorry... Thanks for everything...

Suddenly, Emboar moved.

After that, Musharna trembled.

They were tiny movements and Black barely saw them, but hope blossomed in him and he sprang to his feet, his heart pounding. "Emboar, Musharna, everyone! You're alive?" He could hardly believe it, and a voice in the back of his mind told him to stop dreaming, to snap back to the present.

But it was real! His Pokémon were letting out small whimpers and groans, scarcely audible, but Black knew they weren't dead. The world suddenly seemed brighter, and he took out the Poké balls and recalled them, willing them to have a long rest inside.

Inside, his heart was leaping and he couldn't have been happier. His Pokémon were alive! Alive!

"Y...you stupid Pokémon." Black was crying and laughing at the same time. "You made me cry for nothing."

White, however, was blinking her eyes hard, a small trail of tears slipping down her cheeks. "N's dead. He saved us...he was a real hero." However, as she gazed at Black, her eyes shone with the sparkle he had long wished for, a twinkle long forgotten. "But thanks, Black. You were brave."

Taken aback at those simple words coming from her, he gazed at her in shock for a few moments, in which she shoved his shoulder (although lightly). "What are you looking at me like that for?" she joked. Her playful, teasing tone roused him from his stupor.

"Well, I was always the stupid one. Listening to my parents and all of that." Black tried to grin, but he was unsure of how she would react.

His heart sank as White remained silent and emotionless, and finally all his emotions snapped. He whirled around and began walking away, tears stinging his eyes and making the ground blurry. Darn it, he'd messed up again! What was he thinking, that she'd forgive him? After all that betrayal, all those insults? Their friendship was broken and gone, and he had to accept it.

His heart was pounding and he didn't look backwards at White, because he was afraid to see her expression. She would probably still hate him, but he didn't mind. He knew he deserved it.

There was a silence, and then Black, hating himself and wondering what in the world he was trying to accomplish, turned around to look at her.

White was smiling, grinning ear to ear, in spite of her tears. In fact, her tears made those sky-blue eyes sparkle like the sun shining on water, and Black thought she was beautiful.

Just like when they were in kindergarten.

Her radiant smile urged Black to go back to her again, so he began walking the distance back. White reached out and first hugged Black, which made him blush, and then punched his arm. "Oh, Black. You're such an idiot."

"And don't worry," White added when she saw his mock angry expression. "It's meant as a compliment."

As she said that, Black couldn't help himself. He tentatively reached out and wrapped his arms around the brunette, who stiffened in shock. "Thanks," he replied softly. "For everything."

And to his surprise, she hugged him back.

After a moment, they pulled away and Black stood next to her, watching the world in the distance. Silence fell, but somehow a comfortable one. The storm clouds had disappeared and the sky was still dark, but the slightest hint of the golden sun peeked out of the clouds. Black realized their friendship was like that—the storm had passed and the sun had not yet come out fully, but it was there.

They still had a lot of work to do. His Pokémon were lying in their Poké balls, almost dead, and they had to be rushed to the hospital. Black's wounds were so painful, they were shrieking at him. But right now Black didn't want to be anywhere but next to White, in a world of peace that would not last.

And Black also understood that their friendship wasn't gone or shattered forever. Hope would never die. The glass picture that painted an image of Black and White was still there. It had been shattered and the pieces had fallen on the floor, but he could pick them back up and rebuild the glass image of their friendship. (He would use super glue.) And this time, it would last.

That was when he knew they were in complete unity.

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end

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