Chapter XI: What Lives

I'm not one who believes in legends. They make for good stories, sure. I've already written about how I could retell the legend of the Tao Trio frontward, backward, and sideways. But I didn't believe there was a lot of truth to legends. Even now, I still have my doubts. (After everything that happened, I can't deny the truth behind Unova's most famous story. But the skeptic in me will never be so easily swayed).

So I'm not sure why I didn't question it when Iris told us her plan. In fact, I was almost immediately ready to do everything I could to help her and Cilan see it through. That's the kind of effect Iris had, though. She can believe in the craziest things, but she believes in them so earnestly that even the most stringent cynic would be pulled in. Not only that, but she is strong, and she is determined. Her heart inspires loyalty. It's why Burgundy became such a devoted friend and support. For Iris to sacrifice so much to get her Pokemon back, it earned Burgundy's respect. It earned mine.

Simply put: Iris was, and is, a leader you want to follow. And we would follow her to the end.


Cilan, for the first time in weeks, felt like he could breathe again. Up until then, he'd been walking around with the weight of a thousand questions on his chest. Is she still alive? What if she was wrong about me? What do we do about Reshiram? How do I explain this to her Pokémon? How do I explain this to our friends? Now that she was with him again, in the same room as him again, those questions, and the fears carried with them, had vanished.

They were staying in the Opelucid Pokémon Center for the night. Once the adrenaline of victory had worn off, exhaustion quickly set in. It was collectively decided that it would be more dangerous to complete the trip back to Liberty Garden that night, when they were tired and less alert, than to wait until the morning. The rescue team was just small enough, and the Pokémon Center just empty enough, for everyone to have a bed.

Still, while the temptation of his pillow was strong, Cilan wanted to stay awake long enough to witness this:

"I'm so sorry for worrying all of you," Iris said with a slight sniffle, addressing her five Pokémon in a huddle held as far as her arms could stretch. Their collective cries of relief were filled with an immediate forgiveness, and Iris bowed her head and shook a little. Even from behind, Cilan could tell she was crying again.

He had situated himself on a chair a comfortable distance away, his chin leaning into his hand as he watched the scene unfold. His eyes felt heavy with sleep, and he was certain that if he were to look in a mirror, he'd see a pair of dark circles beneath his lashes. Still, he smiled. He did not see Iris cry often—he didn't even think he'd seen her shed a tear at Drayden's memorial—but until now, it had always wrenched his heart when she did. Now, her tears were shed out of joy and not pain. Her happiness was reassuring. It told him that, despite everything, Iris truly was okay, that their ordeal was over, that—

Iris pulled her head back. For a split second, he saw a blank, empty look fill her eyes, until her Fraxure nuzzled her cheek. She smiled again and let out a light laugh. Cilan straightened up in alarm.

—something was wrong.

She was thinner. (Although, to be fair, so was he). She had been keeping them covered, but Cilan could also see there were scars—of puncture wounds?—on the inside of her wrist. But most of all, most of all, there was some piece of her, some piece of the unbounded vitality that ruled her every emotion, that was missing.

Yes, many of the questions that Cilan had in her absence had evaporated upon her return. But a new one now weighed heavier on him, heavier than the thousand others combined:

What did they do to her?

Iris stood and returned her Pokémon. She then turned toward Cilan, who stood up in response.

"Thank you for watching over them," she said.

"Of course," Cilan graciously replied. "I'm just glad you're okay. You were sorely missed by them. They wondered where you were and if you were all right just as much as us." Something he said, Cilan realized, deeply struck Iris. Her pupils narrowed, and her breath audibly caught. Cilan immediately perked up in alarm.

"What's the matter?" he worriedly asked.

"I need to go to the gym," Iris quickly answered.

"The—?" It took Cilan a moment to realize she meant the Opelucid Gym. "Right now? At this hour? It's almost 3 a.m."

"I know." Iris nodded. She then more forcefully pressed, "I need to go." As she spoke, her hand tightly grasped the strap of the bookbag slung across her chest. Cilan was both taken aback and troubled by her insistence. Still, he sighed.

"Okay," he agreed. "Do you mind if I accompany you?"

Iris had already turned around and was halfway out the door at "okay," but she threw a glance over her shoulder and said, "Yeah—I mean, no. I don't mind. I want you to come." Cilan straightened up at that and hurried to follow her.

The walk to the gym was typically a 20-minute stroll, perhaps a little longer. But at the pace Iris was going, the travel time was almost cut in half. Along the way, Cilan kept meaning to ask what had her in such a rush, but each time he opened his mouth, he deterred himself. She looked to be on the edge of panic, and he figured all would be explained once they arrived.

Once the gym was in sight, Iris practically broke into a sprint, which caught Cilan off guard. He jogged to keep up, but couldn't hope to run as fast with how tired he felt. When Iris reached the doors, however, instead of pushing them open, she slowed and knelt before them. Cilan couldn't see what had stopped her through the dim street lighting until he got close: In her hands were the padlock and chain she had used to secure the entrance, snapped into pieces.

Someone had broken in. It should have been no big surprise. She had been gone for months by then. Still, Iris was unusually solemn.

"Iris…" Cilan started, but he never finished the thought. She rose to her feet and pressed against the heavy doors, opening them. It was dark inside, but she immediately knew where the light switch was, and she flipped it on. The lamps above flickered to life, casting a yellow, otherworldly haze across the battlefield.

Cilan watched her take a few steps forward. Her feet dragged a little, sending a few drafts of the field's red dust into the air near her ankles.

"I left Dragonite here." Her voice echoed in the emptiness of the gym. Cilan's chest rose. Of course. That was why she was in such a hurry. "I wanted him to watch over the gym while I was gone. I told him to wait at least 30 days for me. If I didn't come back for him, it meant I wasn't going to." Cilan quietly strode to her side. He watched as she tightly closed her eyes and pressed back the tears that were forming with her fingers. "I only thought I would go to Dragonspiral Tower. I didn't know I'd get mixed up in all of this."

Cilan's heart ached for her. His hand reached for her shoulder.

"You had reasons for being away as long as you were," he reassured her.

Iris dropped her hands again.

"He probably thinks I'm dead," she declared in a flat voice.

Cilan had nothing he could say to that. No words of comfort, at least. If he pointed out that, well, maybe that wasn't true—then what would that mean for Dragonite? That he believed his trainer abandoned him? For Iris, that was a fate worse than death.

"Let's go back," he quietly suggested. "It's been a hard night. Things will seem better in the morning, and it's a long trip back to Liberty Garden." He suddenly felt her go rigid under his hand, and she slid out from under him.

"Back to Liberty Garden?" she repeated questioningly.

"Of… Of course," Cilan said, though he sounded unsure. "Where else would we go?"

Iris's hand tightened around the strap of her bookbag again.

"I want to show you something," she said. Her eyes were suddenly dry, and her voice was firm. She abruptly turned. "Come upstairs with me." It was a command, not a request, and Cilan, though surprised, obliged.

The place had definitely been ransacked by thieves. The walls in just about every room were cut into to remove copper wiring. In the kitchen, all the drawers had been pulled out onto the floor, and the silverware was missing. Various other items were noticeably missing, too, but Iris didn't seem to care—in fact, she appeared relieved upon walking into the living room.

"Oh good," she breathed. "It's still here!" Cilan initially wasn't sure to what she was referring, until she jogged over to the television and knelt in front of it. That struck him as odd. Iris didn't really watch TV, and for that matter, he didn't think Drayden did much either. It probably collected dust for most of the year, unless there was a contest or tournament airing that either wanted to watch.

Iris suddenly let out an incredulous cry. Cilan jumped out of his thoughts and back into reality.

"What's the matter?" he quickly asked.

"The VCR's gone!" she exclaimed.

"What?" Cilan gave her an odd look.

"The VCR's gone!" she repeated, standing "Who steals a VCR and not a TV? Who even steals a VCR?"

Cilan was beginning to wonder if he had fallen asleep back at the Pokémon Center and if this was all apart of some strange fever dream. He looked directly at her.

"Iris," he began plainly. He didn't know how it make it sound anything other than obvious. "We can get you another VCR."

"That's not the—" Iris pressed her face into both hands and groaned loudly, bending her back down. Her dramatics might have been more amusing if it wasn't in the middle of the night and they weren't so utterly strange. Before Cilan could say anything, however, Iris dropped her hands once again and, in a very quiet, defeated voice, said, "... I just want to go to back."

Cilan agreed that might be the best for the both of them. On the way back, he asked what she meant to show him. Iris only rubbed at her eyes and tiredly replied, "I'll… tell you about it tomorrow."

He accepted that was the best he was getting from her tonight. The rest of the walk was silent, and it took much longer than their first trip. It was approaching 4 a.m. by the time they made it to their rooms, which were across the hall from each other.

They stood awkwardly between their doors for a moment.

"Well… good night," Cilan began. Iris latched her gaze onto his.

"I want to talk to you first thing in the morning," she said. Her voice was suddenly back to being firm. It unsettled him.

"Okay," Cilan agreed. He turned to head into his bedroom, but Iris grabbed his hand and held it tightly.

"I mean it," she implored. "The first thing." The gravity in her voice arrested him, and he turned to face her fully once again. In her eyes, he could now discern a look of desperation, perhaps even fear. He didn't understand why, but he at least understood this was important to her.

"Okay," Cilan said again, sounding more resolved. He hesitated, then leaned in and brushed his lips against hers. When she opened her eyes again, she looked far more at ease, and she loosened her grip on his hand. He smiled at her, and she did the same. He had her trust.

His roommates, his brothers and Trip, were already fast asleep. Which was a good thing. Cilan didn't want probing questions about where he and Iris had been for the past hour.

He collapsed onto the open bed and closed his eyes, prepared for what he imagined would be the best sleep of his life.


Iris, unlike Cilan, wasn't even sure if she could sleep. She wanted to, and she was certainly tired enough. Yet, just the thought of being off guard, even if for only a few hours, was enough to shake her exhaustion into bitter wakefulness. She couldn't sleep, not with Zekrom near her hip, not when surrounded by dozens of Truth Seekers still loyal to the cause. She was deeply grateful for their rescue, and guilt would prick her conscious when she considered how brazenly she had lied to all of them, but she had to remain firm in her resolve. Even if N was no longer with her, she had to move forward with her plan.

She determined she would force herself to stay up, long enough for Cilan to sleep for at least a few hours. When it was morning, she would show him the tape. There had to be a VCR somewhere in the Pokémon Center, outdated as they were. Maybe, Iris thought, she could spend her hours awake scouting one out. Then she could plan for how she'd manage to get him alone for a couple minutes to show him… If he saw it, Iris was certain he'd follow her lead, and somehow, they'd slip away together in the early morning hours.

Iris hated coffee and never drank it, but she figured she needed to get some caffeine in her system if she was going to pull an all-nighter looking for a stupid hunk of technology that was older than she was. So she went down to the communal kitchen, hoping there might be cup's worth of coffee on drip at the machine. If not, well, then she supposed she'd have to teach herself, or maybe she'd just eat a bag of raw grounds and hope that had the same effect.

She was lucky. A pot, though very near empty, had already been prepared. Iris headed to the machine, hoisted up the pot by the handle and poured what was left into one of the complimentary styrofoam cups. She then steeled herself and forced herself to drink the lukewarm, bitter liquid in one go. Her face scrunched in response. It was grainy.

"Can't sleep either?"

Every muscle in Iris's body tensed. She wetted her lips and set her now-emptied cup down.

"Yeah," she stiffly replied. She didn't turn as she spoke, but over her shoulder, she watched Benga stroll into the kitchen and make himself comfortable at a small dining table.

"I feel you there," he said with a wry smile. "I also drink coffee when I'm trying to sleep."

Iris didn't move, nor did she speak. Her gaze, however, remained firmly locked onto him.

"Sorry, I'm just joking with you," Benga added with a laugh that sounded more like a cough. "Not trying to give you a hard time."

She finally turned to face him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked in a low, almost warning tone.

"You make it sound like I planned this with sinister intentions," Benga said, now sounding a little exasperated. Iris's expression didn't break.

"Did you?" she asked. Benga stared, then let out a short, disbelieving chuckle.

"Boy, you never miss a beat," he said, rubbing his temple. When his hand dropped again, he added, "Y'know, you've always been standoffish toward me. But I've never felt this level of animosity coming from you. It makes me wonder: Did you even want to be rescued?"

Iris's chest tightened a little.

"I…" She closed her eyes and sucked in her breath. "I probably wouldn't be alive without all of you coming for me. I am grateful for that. But I wish it would've been different." Her eyes opened again. "I'm not a Team Plasma convert, if that's what you're suggesting."

Benga watched her, slowly nodding as he soaked in her words. Then, he sighed and said, "I'm sorry."

Iris furrowed her eyebrows.

"What are you apologizing for?" she asked.

"I'm sorry for doubting you," Benga elaborated. Iris remained visibly wary, so he continued, "I genuinely like you, Iris. I know I can't convince you of that for whatever reason, but it's the honest truth. If I didn't like you at all, I ultimately wouldn't have approved a rescue mission."

"I think you saving me has less to do with liking me and more to do with you needing me to command Reshiram," Iris bitterly replied. Benga clicked his tongue, apparently having had enough.

"Well, that can't be the case," he said plainly. "Because with Cilan, we can do just fine without you." Iris almost forgot to breathe. Benga rested his chin on his hand and sounded utterly casual when he continued, "I'm not going to ask why you decided to hide that you didn't capture Reshiram from me. I can make some pretty good guesses."

Iris didn't know what his strategy was. She didn't know what he wanted her to say, how he wanted her to respond. Her first instinct was to demand how he knew, but she quickly realized the answer was obvious: If Reshiram had deferred to Cilan as quickly as Zekrom had deferred to her, then the truth of the matter would have become plain to see.

Iris shook, not quite with anger, and not quite with fear, but with a sudden, burning desire to make him feel just as exposed as she did in that moment. She wanted them to stand on equal ground again, and that was when she burst out with, "Well, I'm going to ask you why you were out wrecking towers and making it look like Team Plasma did it."

It worked. Her words visibly peeled away Benga's cool demeanor, leaving him wide-eyed and without his new defenses. He tightly closed his eyes and sighed.

"Look…" he started.

"So it is true!" Iris's voice rose slightly. The crack in her volume when she reached a new pitch surprised her, because it meant that maybe, just maybe, there was a small part of her that hoped the video was fake.

"Team Plasma's recruitment efforts were becoming more aggressive, and we had to respond in kind," Benga explained, trying to sound as calm as possible. "They were breaking into television broadcasts to speak directly to people and try to bring them to their side. We tried to cut off the head by destroying communication towers. Painting Team Plasma's insignia onto them was a stupid idea to try to turn people to us instead."

"By making them afraid," Iris growled. She stopped long enough to suck in her breath and reorganize her thoughts. "Answer me honestly. Cilan told me a while ago that the Truth Seekers were having trouble with recruitment in Striaton City until his and his brothers' gym burned down. Was that the work of the Truth Seekers?"

Benga looked directly into her eyes.

"No," he firmly answered.

Iris pressed her lips hard together to keep them from quivering.

"You know, Benga," she said, sounding more tired than she had all day. "I want to believe you. But I just don't know if I can." She started to turn away, but Benga, suddenly angered, jumped to his feet.

"I don't have to defend myself to you," he spat. "You're no better than me. You've lied, too."

Iris clenched her fists and spun back on her heel, opening her mouth to retort. Yet, her words withered away under his fiery red gaze.

"You act like you're on some moral high ground for hating the Truth Seekers, and quite frankly, I'm getting really sick of it," Benga heatedly went on. "I mean, I understand it to an extent. Look at my eyes. You don't think I also hate what the old Truth Seekers did to our ancestors? But I didn't let myself get hung up on the past. I revived the Truth Seekers and turned it into something good. You're not willing to let go, though. You're not willing to admit we're different."

"You're wrong," Iris fought back, finding her voice again. "The Truth Seekers aren't different. You're right that I can't blame the new Truth Seekers for what happened to the Draconid. But the Truth Seekers still use Pokémon to fight their wars. The only thing that's changed is the enemy."

She turned away again.

"Are you sure you don't sympathize with Team Plasma now?" Benga growled. "Because you sure sound like it."

"I don't," Iris bluntly replied, still on her way out the door. "I just don't sympathize with you either."

"I've been honest with you tonight," Benga said, equally forthcoming. "Can you say the same?"

Iris froze, just for a moment.

"Good night, Benga," she said stiffly. A short beat of silence followed before she threw a glance over her shoulder and added, "I'll see you in the morning."

He simmered down and nodded to her. Iris jerked her head forward and kept going, hoping the argument had been sufficiently defused, at least for the evening. A few more steps forward, however, and she checked to see whether Benga was following before breaking into a run. She couldn't wait any longer.

She threw open the door to Cilan's room, breathing hard as she stumbled through the darkness. She fell to his bedside and grabbed his shoulders, shaking him awake.

"Cilan! Cilan!" she called to him in a desperate whisper.

"Iris?" His voice was still heavy with sleep, but he grew more alert as her hands slid down his shoulders. "Iris, what's the matter?"

"Cilan, we have to go," Iris pleaded. "We have to go now."

"Iris, slow down," Cilan said, sitting all the way up. "Tell me what happened."

"I can explain everything later, but please," Iris pressed. "We have to go."

"Wha—"

"Please!" Iris now firmly grasped both of his hands. "Please, you have to trust me."

His eyes searched hers for a moment. Then, he swallowed.

"Okay," he agreed. He threw the sheets off him and started to slip his shoes back onto his feet, but Iris was impatient, and she pulled him into the hall with them only halfway on. He had to finish the job while stumbling his way downstairs.

At the entrance to the lobby, Iris hurried to hide behind a corner, pulling Cilan with her. She then peered into the room and, making sure it was clear, bolted ahead with Cilan in tow. It wasn't until they were outside that Cilan managed to get in an actual question: "Where are we going?"

"To Mount Taima," Iris answered without pause.

They came to sudden, gritty halt. Cilan dug his heels into the ground, sliding forward only a few inches before coming to a complete stop. Iris jerked back a few inches. As forceful as she was, Cilan still had his greater height and weight on her. She looked wildly back at him.

"What?! Wait." Cilan pulled his hand from hers. "To Mount Taima?" It was as if he hadn't heard her right.

"Yes," Iris confirmed, nodding.

"Hold on," Cilan said, pushing his hands out in front of him for emphasis. "Why are we leaving for Mount Taima in the middle of the night? That's a three- to four-day trip. Number one, we don't have any provisions as is—"

"—We'll stop somewhere and pick some up, but we've got to get away now," Iris pressed, reaching for one of his hands again. He stepped away, and she was left grasping at air.

"You didn't let me finish," Cilan firmly said. "Number two, I'm not going to vanish into the night without telling anyone, least of all our friends and my brothers. We're supposed to go back to Liberty Garden in several hours."

"We can't go back," Iris emphasized. "We have to go, or we'll never get away again, and Zekrom—"

"Zekrom?" Cilan cut in questioningly.

"I meant Reshiram," Iris hastily amended, realizing her error. Cilan was unconvinced. He breathed out slowly, then pressed his lips together. She saw his eyes harden a little.

"You have Zekrom," he said with bitter realization. Iris's chest tightened.

"... Yes," she confessed, and Cilan pressed a hand over his eyes, groaning.

"So you lied," he said. The ire in his voice was palatable. Before Iris could attempt to explain herself, another voice cut in.

"To all of us." It was Georgia, accompanied by Trip and Burgundy. She sounded just as resentful, if not more, as Cilan. Iris felt her resolution wilting under the sting of guilt.

"How'd you find us?" Cilan asked. He didn't sound too thrilled to see them either, perhaps desiring to resolve his grief with Iris alone.

"Iris made a bit of a racket on her way into our room," Trip explained. "You're lucky your brothers are heavy sleepers. I woke Georgia and Burgundy up myself." His gaze flicked back toward Iris, who straightened up. "So if you caught Zekrom, then all that talk about how Team Plasma 'lost' him… ?"

"I made it up," Iris admitted. "I can explain, though."

"Right, yeah, let's hear your excuse," Georgia said flippantly. Iris flexed her hands, sweaty from the spike in her anxiety at being discovered, and ground her teeth a little in frustration.

"It's not any of you," she went on. "It's Benga. I meant to tell you later."

"What were you waiting for then?" Trip asked.

"I just—wasn't—" Iris started, stammering through her words.

"You could've easily gotten us alone after—"

"—Just let her talk!" Burgundy suddenly burst out. A tense silence followed. Iris stared in surprise at the connoisseuse, who inhaled deeply before addressing Iris directly. "What about Benga?"

Iris regathered herself, taking in a cleansing breath. She was quiet for a moment as she considered how best to say this.

"I can't trust Benga to make the best choice for Reshiram or Zekrom," she eventually began. "I'm worried he'd take them and use them to destroy Team Plasma."

"And that's bad because… ?" Georgia sarcastically urged her on with a twirl of her hand.

"Because there's a better way," Iris said. Her voice had found its authority again. "Maybe getting rid of Team Plasma will end the fighting for now, but what about in the future? What about in another 20, or 50, or 100 years when another war breaks out? The different sides will go on a mad hunt for Reshiram and Zekrom as the ultimate trump cards again. It isn't right. It isn't fair, to either of them. I want to put an end to the cycle, for good, so no one can wrongfully use them ever again."

"How do you plan on doing that?" Trip asked doubtfully.

"There's another Legendary Pokémon called Kyurem that lives on Mount Taima," Iris explained. "He was what was left behind after Reshiram and Zekrom split apart in the first war. If we can bring all three together again, maybe they will reunite into the Aboriginal Dragon. That will end Zekrom and Reshiram's need to fight each other, and by extension, end their suffering." Iris pressed her hand against Shauntal's bookbag, feeling the heat of Zekrom's Pokéball from within. "You should've seen the condition Zekrom was in when I found him…"

The expressions of her companions showed they were thoughtfully considering what she said. It heartened Iris enough to finish her indictment. "I know Benga wants to end the war, too," she said. "But he's willing to do things I can't condone. I think they're things you wouldn't condone either, and I can show you."

"... Show us?" Cilan repeated. Iris opened up Shauntal's bookbag and pulled out the tape. Confusion crossed his face, as well as the faces of Burgundy, Georgia, and Trip.

"This is footage from a security camera in Black City," Iris explained. "It shows Benga knocking down a communication tower and then painting it to make it look like Team Plasma did it. This is only one incident, but… I don't know if there are others. I don't know how much of what's happened in Unova is the Truth Seekers' fault, and how much of it is Team Plasma's." She slid the tape back into her bag. "That's why I can't fully trust him, or his intentions."

Silence followed as her words sank into their skin. Iris waited with bated breath for their reaction, her fists balling up. Suddenly, she felt the cool brush of Cilan's fingers against her hand, and the anxiety that had coiled up in her stomach began to unravel.

"Why didn't you just tell us this from the beginning?" he quietly asked.

"Yeah," Georgia agreed. "We would've understood."

"It also would've saved us some grief in the long run," Trip added.

Iris was dumbfounded.

"I… I was worried…" she began.

"That we wouldn't believe you?" Burgundy finished for her.

"We fought really hard to get you back to us," Georgia went on. "Of course we'd listen to what you have to say. Tape or no tape."

"We care about you," Cilan concluded. He pressed his thumb against her knuckles, coaxing her to open her fist so he could properly hold her hand. "Just be open with us."

Iris stared at her friends in bewilderment. Then, she smiled crookedly, let out a strangled laugh, and ducked her head down low. Cilan perked up in alarm, feeling her shiver.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"I-It's nothing." Iris looked up again, smiling wider. "I just didn't realize I had such good friends."

Cilan then smiled too, as did her three other companions. The lightness of the moment soon passed, however, as Trip's expression grew more serious again.

"Well, if we want to make this work, then we'd better hurry," he said. "The sun rises in less than two hours. We have to put some distance between us and Benga before daylight, when everyone wakes up, discovers us missing, and inevitably goes looking for us. Have you slept at all Iris?"

Iris's heart rose into her throat. They didn't just believe her. They would follow her, and they would do this together.

"No." Iris shook her head. "But I can manage for a while."

"Nearly all of our belongings are back at Liberty Garden. We'll have to stop somewhere anyway for food and other necessities," Cilan pointed out. "You can catch up on a little sleep then."

"We can stop at Village Bridge," Georgia said. "It's only an hour or two away on foot, if we make good time."

"That's perfect," Cilan said.

"Shouldn't we tell the others we're leaving?" Burgundy asked.

"No," Trip immediately answered. "I don't doubt they would believe Iris. But we'd be putting them in a bad situation if they stayed behind, knowing all this."

Iris frowned and cast a sideways glance at Cilan.

"Are you okay with that?" she asked him. He sucked in his breath.

"My brothers will ultimately understand," he said. "Bianca, Cameron, Stephan, and Luke will too."

"Then we're all agreed," Trip said. "So let's go."


Morning came, and Benga had managed a couple hours of sleep. Restless sleep, so what little refreshment might have been gained was lost to the time spent tossing in bed. He had been turning over the days' events in his mind; more specifically, he had been turning over his fight with Iris.

"I could've been wrong," Hilda mumbled, sitting across from him at a little table in his room. She was stirring some sugar into her morning coffee as she spoke. "Iris was with N and Team Plasma more recently, so she'd know better."

Benga sighed and stretched back in his chair. A few bones in his shoulders cracked, and Hilda winced. He knew she hated the sound, but he couldn't help it.

"You're probably right," he conceded. "Still, I get the sense she's hiding something from me."

"Hiding more than just the fact she didn't catch Reshiram?" Hilda craned an eyebrow.

"She was very tense throughout our conversation," Benga said.

"I would be too if I suspected you of burning my boyfriend's gym to the ground," Hilda said wryly. When Benga glowered at her, she added, "Hey, it's not my fault you're an idiot who got caught using shady tactics on camera."

Benga groaned and rubbed his fingers tiredly over his eyelids.

"She just sounded so much like a Plasma," he recalled. "The things she was saying, it made me so mad. Team Plasma murdered my grandfather. I lost my temper."

"That's hard to believe," Hilda said, taking a sip of her coffee. "Your temper's hard to lose."

"It's personal," Benga said with a shrug. Hilda suddenly lowered her mug from her lips, her expression growing serious.

"That's a dangerous thing to say," she warned. "Once things get too personal, your judgement becomes clouded. You do a good job keeping a clear head with your laidback nature. Keep it that way."

Benga said nothing, but nodded slowly in agreement before averting his gaze. Hilda settled back down.

"Anyway, what does it matter?" she mumbled. "We're on the verge of winning this thing regardless of what Iris says."

"I wouldn't say that," Benga said. "You said it best: She's a hero to people. I think there's a lot she could say that others would listen to. And because she's got that tower thing on me, I can't say a word about how it was Cilan who captured Reshiram, not her."

"It sure makes her rescue a nice love story," Hilda mused. She became noticeably withdrawn then. She lowered her eyes and needlessly stirred her coffee. Benga watched her for a while before flicking her eyes away again.

"It's probably for the best if I stay in her good graces," he decided.

"Probably," Hilda agreed flatly .

"I'm going to apologize," Benga then declared.

"Good idea," Hilda said, her tone unchanging.

Upstairs, Benga gently knocked at the door to Iris's room. Bianca, a disheveled, sleepy mess, answered, but she perked up when she saw whom her visitor was.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "Good morning."

"Good morning, Bianca," Benga greeted. He tried to peer over her shoulder. "Could I speak to Iris?"

"I actually haven't seen her all morning," Bianca admitted.

"Oh? Well, what about Georgia and Burgundy?" he asked. "Have they seen her?"

"I haven't seen them all morning either," Bianca said.

"Really?" Benga turned to see Cress and Chili exiting their bedroom behind him. Cress continued, "We haven't seen Cilan or Trip either. I was wondering if you or the other ladies had."

"No, I haven't." Bianca shook her head.

Benga did a double-take between her and the two brothers. Realization suddenly sank into him, and he breathed in sharply. He gritted his teeth, turned abruptly, and headed back down the stairs to find Hilda.


Daylight had broken by the time they made it to Village Bridge. Iris had fared well during the trip, but as soon as the glare of the sun hit her eyes and brought her past the 24-hour mark, her feet began to drag. Cilan noticed and gently recommended to the rest of the group that they stop at the first opportunity.

That opportunity ended up being in the shade near a bench outside a mini PokéMart at the mouth of the village bridge. As soon as she was seated, her exhaustion truly set in. Iris's eyes drooped closed as she leaned against Cilan's shoulder while he and the others pooled together what little change they had on them.

"₱2223," Georgia declared after counting out the meager few bills and coins they collectively had. "That's barely enough to afford a set of water bottles and a few snacks."

"Mount Taima's very cold. There's snow on the peaks, even in the summer," Trip mused. "We're going to need some coats."

"Village of Dragons," Iris mumbled, her eyes still closed. Her companions looked at her in surprise. They thought she had been asleep.

"What?" Cilan asked. Her voice was so weak they had barely heard her anyway.

"We can stop by the Village of Dragons," Iris elaborated, slightly louder. "We can get warm clothes and more food there."

Trip hummed and exchanged contemplative looks with the others.

"We could probably make it there by sunset if we don't stop moving," he said.

"We can't reasonably keep going that long," Burgundy pointed out. "Iris hasn't slept at all, and the rest of us got only two or three hours at most. We'll have to stop."

"We can find somewhere secluded to nap, and a few of our Pokémon can stand guard," Cilan suggested. "We can still make it to the village tonight."

"Sounds like a plan." Trip gathered together their money and stood up. "I'm going in."

"Oh!" Burgundy reached out and tugged on his sleeve to get his attention. Trip glanced back at her with a craned eyebrow. "Will you get Acuity Water instead of Mahogany? Mahogany always tastes fishy to me."

Trip didn't blink.

"I'll get whatever's cheapest," he dismissed before continuing on his way. Burgundy huffed and folded her arms once he disappeared behind the automatic sliding doors. Iris watched the scene unfold through a half-lidded gaze and chuckled a little before settling down. Her hand loosely intertwined with Cilan's as she dozed off.

The following hours dwindled away in a haze. They quickly set off again, but the journey was arduous—not just for Iris, but for everyone else, too, as their lack of sleep started to catch up to them. If she were more awake, Iris might have been more alarmed by their collective sluggishness. If Benga, or worse, Team Plasma found them, there would be no escape.

Just before they reached the point of total burnout, however, they found a small cavern where they could set up makeshift sleeping arrangements. They retreated a little ways inside, leaving Georgia's Bisharp at the entrance to watch for potential intruders.

"How long do we want to sleep for?" Georgia asked as they started to settle down. Her fingers hovered over her Xtransceiver, waiting. It was all very methodical; as a group, they had always been fairly practical travelers—there was little room for leisure with the dangers wartime posed—but their planning had reached a new level of efficiency.

"90 minutes is a full sleep cycle," Trip said. His hood was pulled down over the top half of his face. "Two cycles ought to be enough."

"Okay. I'll set the timer for the three hours."

"It takes the average human 15 minutes to fall asleep," Trip added.

"... Three hours and 15 minutes then," Georgia begrudgingly amended. She set the timer and rolled back on the ground, casting an arm over her eyes.

Iris, too, laid back and shut her eyes. Just closing her eyes offered much-needed relief. She lazily started to do some math in her head. It was just before noon, so if they slept for about three hours… they'd probably leave again a little after 3 p.m. The trip to the Village of Dragons would take another six or seven hours on foot, and sunset was around 8 p.m. this time of year… so they'd have to do an hour or two in the dark.

Iris shifted around, trying to get comfortable. It would be worth it if she could sleep in her own bed.

Suddenly, a giant floof of fur dropped on top of her entire head. Iris sputtered and pushed herself up. Burgundy's Stoutland had practically sat on her. Burgundy appeared a little sheepish and apologized before adding, "You'll hurt your neck if you sleep on the ground like that."

Burgundy then laid a few feet beside Iris, resting her head against her Pokémon's side. Iris soon realized what happened and managed a weak smile.

"Thanks," she said, also resting against Stoutland.

Cilan caught her eye from across the cavern. He smiled at her and then flipped on his side so he was turned away. Iris blinked a few times before eventually dozing off.

When they set off again, Iris felt better than she had in a long, long time. Not just physically, but mentally too. She was better rested and without serious ailment; she was in the beauty of wild Unova with friends, and not burning up with cabin fever among enemies. Their mission was clear, and they moved with purpose. She actually felt confident.

"So what did you do while I was away?" Iris asked, addressing Cilan as they walked briskly along the unmarked path. Iris had traveled to the Village of Dragons hundreds of times in dozens of different ways, and she knew how to best get there if the goal was to go unnoticed.

"What do you mean?" Cilan inquired, blinking.

"Well… like… how did you train Reshiram?" There were many other questions Iris wanted to ask—How did Benga react when I was captured? What made him decide to approve my rescue?—but this was chief among them. "It was impressive, the way you handled him last night."

Last night. It was only last night that they had rescued her. It was only last night that she had last seen N. It was only last night that she had seen his world fall apart. Iris shook herself back into the present before she fall too far back into her regrets. Still, the memories lingered.

Cilan let out an abashed laugh. "Thank you," he said. "I don't understand it myself. When we were alone in the chamber, though… It came so naturally. Frankly, I don't know how to describe it."

That was rare: Him, unable to describe something, not even with a fussy metaphor. Iris tilted her head.

"You were alone?" she asked.

"Benga was there," Cilan corrected himself.

"Oh." Iris looked forward again. "I guess that's how he figured out you captured him, and not me."

"He figured that out?" Burgundy cast a surprised look over her shoulder, and Iris nodded.

"He confronted me about it last night, when everyone else was asleep," she said. The intrigue of her companions was visibly piqued, and Iris realized she never shared that she actually did have a conversation with Benga before deciding to run. She wasn't sure if that made their loyalty to her more heartwarming or reckless. Iris didn't feel like getting into all the details, though, so she only added, "It turned into a pretty bad fight. I also told him I knew about the tape."

Georgia smirked.

"Boy, I would've loved to have seen his face," she said.

"He was pretty surprised," Iris said, decidedly sharing in her amusement with a smile.

"He was going to figure out our ruse eventually," Trip added with a shrug. "It was pretty flimsy."

"I don't know if flimsy is the right word," Georgia added, suddenly looking sly. "Mushy, though? Sure."

"Mushy?" Iris repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"Hilda and Cilan convinced Benga that Reshiram might listen to Cilan because he was in love with you," Trip bluntly clarified. "It worked well enough to get Reshiram back into Cilan's hands, but I guess the truth had to come out eventually."

Iris glanced at Cilan, whose face was burning a bright red shade she'd never seen him wear before. She smiled again but decided to give him an out.

"Hilda helped you?" she asked.

"Y-Yes," Cilan answered, regathering himself. "She was convinced you were alive, and she took that information to Benga for us."

Iris straightened up.

"Why was she convinced?" she asked.

"Something about how N would never let you die," Georgia explained. Iris's chest tightened. Georgia interpreted the change in her expression as a sign of confusion and added, "You know, N, the new Champ—"

"—I know who N is," Iris quietly clarified. Her sudden reticence was a little jarring. Cilan furrowed his eyebrows worriedly and decided to change the subject.

"So how did you capture Zekrom?" he asked. Iris shrugged.

"It's a long story," she said, her voice still low. "I guess you could say it came naturally to me, too." She then paused and, readjusting Shauntal's bookbag, added with greater conviction, "He's part of the reason I want to go to the Village of Dragons. He's safe now, but they had him chained up, trapped underground… He was pretty badly hurt, and he needs treatment. The people in the Village of Dragons are experts."

By then, Georgia, Trip, and Burgundy were all watching her speak from ahead. Cilan exchanged quick glances with each of them.

"Well, I suppose we'd better hurry then," Cilan said, looking at Iris again, "for Zekrom's sake."

Night fell. Trip's Chandelure became their guiding light. The group came closer together as they followed the ethereal purple glow through the dark forest. The sounds of the Unovan wild became more mysterious, and therefore more unsettling, at night when one couldn't see, and Iris could tell her companions were feeling a little on edge. A twig snapped under Burgundy's foot, and she jumped with a slight yelp.

"Don't worry," Iris assured her with a laugh. "I played in this forest all the time when I was a kid. Nothing will hurt you here."

Embarrassed, Burgundy stammered out, "R-Right." Meanwhile, the familiarity of the moment struck Iris, and she solemnly faced forward again.

"Does that mean we're close?" Georgia asked.

"Yeah..." Iris replied. "You'll probably be able to see it at the top of this cliff."

And they did: The village did not have the same dazzling luminescence as Opelucid had the previous evening, but there was a warm glow emanating the specks of windows in the distance. The scene unexpectedly filled Iris with a fond sense of homecoming, and it surprised her. The last time she had come, shortly after Drayden's death, she had only felt hollow.

They started off toward the bottom. Trip recalled his Chandeleure once the glow of burning lamps was enough to light their way, then asked, "So what do we do now that we're here?"

Iris tightly grasped the strap of Shauntal's bookbag.

"I tell the Elder what we've done," she said.

The Elder's home was at the village center, and all the windows were dark. Iris was undeterred, however. She pushed open the door and headed straight inside. Her companions uncomfortably waited beyond the door, unsure of what to do. After a moment, Iris returned to the doorway with furrowed, confused eyebrows and gestured for them to follow. They exchanged uncertain looks before doing so.

Iris groped around in the dark for a minute of two before finding a lantern. She turned it on and set it on the table.

"Elder?" Iris then called. She moved forward, pressing aside the curtain leading into the backroom. "Elder, are you awake?"

Her inquiries initially went unanswered. Then, a very faint "Iris?" emerged from the darkness ahead. Iris inhaled sharply, her hand dropping the curtain while taking a step back to let the Elder come through. She wasn't wearing her headscarf, and her long, gray hair hung loosely at her shoulders. "Iris, you're... alive?"

"Elder!" Iris exclaimed as they embraced. "I'm sorry. I wouldn't have come so late if it weren't important."

The Elder pulled back and held Iris's hand eagerly in her both of hers. "Do not mind that. Please, sit, and tell me everything." Her gaze moved beyond Iris, and she straightened up when she noticed they weren't alone. "You brought others."

"Yes." Iris let go of the Elder's hand and stood beside Cilan. "These are my friends. You know Cilan—" He bowed his head slightly. "—but this is Georgia, Burgundy, and Trip." She pointed to each as she said their name.

Trip took a slight step forward.

"It is an honor to meet you," he graciously said.

The Elder initially said nothing as her eyes carefully assessed each of them. Cilan suddenly remembered how, months earlier, he had been treated with similar suspicions by the villagers when staying with Iris. At the time, Iris had dismissed it as a general mistrust of outsiders in lieu of the Truth Seekers' return. He could only imagine it was worse now with the escalations in region-wide chaos.

But then the Elder said, "Friends of Iris are friends to all of us. You are welcome here." She kneeled before the table upon which Iris had placed the lantern, and invited the rest to do the same. "Thank you for watching after her."

Cilan nodded as he uneasily sat down. He wasn't sure whether there was something in their or Iris's demeanor that gave away they had saved her life, or if the Elder simply assumed Iris's life would have needed saving.

The Elder flicked her gaze back to Iris.

"Child, we have long presumed you were dead," the Elder said with a discernible ache in her voice. "What brings you here now, after all this time?"

Iris's fingers curled into the fabric of her leggings.

"Elder…" she started, sounding more nervous than one would expected. "I…" She suddenly changed course, reaching out and placing her hand over Cilan's. Her touch infected him with the same jolt of apprehension. "We… Cilan and I, we captured Reshiram and Zekrom."

The Elder breathed in sharply, though inaudibly.

"You… You what?" She was stunned.

"We have both Reshiram and Zekrom," Iris repeated, more assuredly. "We're taking them to the top of Mount Taima to find Kyurem and reunite the Aboriginal Dragon."

"How did you manage—" The Elder stopped to recollect herself. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She was a grounded woman, Iris knew, and she wouldn't be so easily carried away by the enormity of the achievement, no matter how fantastic. When the Elder opened her eyes again, she continued in an even tone, "This is a difficult task. Kyurem is unpredictable. Do not forget, you lost your parents' lives to him, and you nearly lost yours as well."

This was not a new revelation to Cilan, and as a result, he remained steadfast in watching Iris's expression. However, it was new to Georgia, Burgundy, and Trip. Burgundy gasped a little and exchanged a worried look with Georgia, whilst Trip straightened up in surprise. Iris's bottom lip quivered.

"I know," she said quietly, ignoring her companions' looks. Her grip tightened on top of Cilan's hand. "But I'm confident Cilan and I can do it together."

The Elder was silent for a while, lowering her eyes as she contemplated this. Then, resolved, she looked directly at Iris again and asked, "What can I do to help?"

Iris appeared deeply relieved, but quickly grew serious.

"Zekrom is badly hurt. He needs the care of the village doctors," she said. "We also—"

"—That's enough." The Elder raised her hand. "If Zekrom is injured, that is our first priority. You may tell me what else you need, as well as elaborate on how you came to capture him later."

Iris fell back with a hum and a nod.

"Right," she agreed. The Elder lowered her hand.

"Go wake Jolon, if he isn't still up," the Elder ordered. "Bring him here immediately, and ask him to send Malia for any other help we may need. Go now."


Shannon was the first of the evening to shed tears. The moment she stepped through the open doorway to the Elder's home, where the village medics were gathering, and saw Iris standing alive among them, her eyes began to well up. She threw her arms around Iris before Iris had even realized she was there and sobbed.

"Shannon!" Iris exclaimed in surprise, stumbling from the force of her old friend's embrace. The peculiarity of the sudden gesture dawned on Shannon, and she pulled back, wiping away her tears.

"Sorry," she apologized, shyly lowering her head.. "It's just—I thought—"

Iris knew what she meant. She placed both hands comfortingly on Shannon's shoulders and leaned close.

"It's okay," she assured her. "I'm fine."

Shannon smiled weakly and raised her eyes toward Iris again.

"Is it really true?" she asked. "Did you really capture Reshiram and Zekrom?"

Iris's chest swelled.

"Yes," Iris said, nodding. Shannon let out an incredulous breath.

"Iris, that's… that's incredible," she marveled.

"Well, I didn't do it alone," Iris said, casting a glance over her shoulder at Cilan and the others. They appeared a little uncomfortable at their own purposelessness; they were surrounded by the hustle of village medics scrambling to prepare their best remedies, and there was little they could do other than get out of the way. However, she caught Cilan's eye, and he offered her a smile. Iris smiled, too, before looking back at Shannon.

"I need you to do me a favor," Iris requested before leaning closer to whisper in her ear.

"Iris!" Jolon called to her a few minutes later. "We're ready when you are."

"Okay." Iris nodded to him before reaching into her bag and pulling out Zekrom's Pokéball. She then glanced toward her friends and said, "I want you all to stay here with Shannon."

"What?" Georgia straightened up. "Why?"

"Zekrom was badly abused by Team Plasma. Being surrounded by a lot of people could stress him out," Iris explained. She then averted her gaze before adding, "... I also asked Shannon to show you the tape."

A beat of silence followed.

"We don't have to watch the tape," Burgundy reminded her. "We believe you." Cilan nodded with her, and Trip and Georgia also seemed to be in agreement. Their faith made Iris's heart swell and made her question why she had ever doubted them in the first place.

"I know," Iris said. "But I want you to. It's important to me."

Trip pressed his lips hard together.

"Well, if that's how you feel…" he said before trailing off. He left the sentence unfinished, but the sentiment was understood.

Shannon took the group back to her home, a short walk from the Elder's abode. Shannon was pleasant, but clearly shaken up over the whole ordeal. She helped them settle in her living room, where an old TV set with an equally old VCR was set up.

"I-I'm impressed you made it all the way here from Opelucid in one day," Shannon remarked. "Have any of you eaten? You must be hungry."

"We… haven't, actually," Burgundy admitted with hesitation. While Shannon was Iris's friend, she felt uncomfortable accepting her hospitality when she barely knew her.

"Oh… Oh! Well, I'll see if I can quickly fix something up," Shannon offered. "Please, make yourselves at home. When you're tired, I can make up some beds for you, too."

"Thank you, Shannon," Cilan said with a warm smile. She nodded to him and hurried out of the room. Cilan turned to face the other and sucked in his breath. The tape was in his hands.

"So… let's get this over with, I suppose," Georgia said. They were in agreement, so Trip turned off the light, and Cilan pushed the tape into the VCR and rewound it to the time specified on the front.

They watched, knowing what to expect. Still, the moment the tower collapsed and Benga's face was lit up in the night, a few audible breaths were drawn. Cilan also swallowed and felt his jaw tighten when he saw the mark Benga left on the downed tower. He cast glances at his companions. Burgundy had pressed a hand over her mouth. Georgia had folded her arms, looking deeply unimpressed. Trip was expressionless, yet he was the one to stand, walk toward the television set, and press "stop." He then looked at the others and opened his mouth to speak—but a woman's voice followed.

"So Benga's joined Team Plasma… ?"

Their heads collectively jerked behind them, where Shannon stood with a tray full of some sliced fruit and other assorted finger foods. Her gaze was wide, still focused on the now-dark screen. Even as she set the tray down on the low square table before them, her eyes never left that screen.

"You know Benga?" Cilan inquired.

"We've met," Shannon delicately admitted as she settled herself among them. "He came here a few times with his grandmother, when she was still alive."

"Well, I don't think it's so much that he's joined Team Plasma as he is trying to recruit people for the Truth Seekers," Trip mumbled. Shannon blanched.

"What?!" she squeaked. "The Truth Seekers? As in, the Truth Seekers?"

"You... had a bigger reaction to that than thinking he was a part of Team Plasma," Georgia remarked, looking a little estranged.

"Well, I certainly don't condone joining Team Plasma either," Shannon said, recovering. "But it's hard to believe a Draconid like Benga would have anything to do with the Truth Seekers."

"Benga's a Draconid?" Burgundy asked incredulously.

"Yes," Shannon confirmed, nodding. "His grandmother, Alder's wife, was from this village." Cilan exchanged intrigued looks with the others. Benga's heritage perhaps explained some of Iris's behavior around him.

"Benga's actually the leader of the Truth Seekers," Trip eventually said, looking back at Shannon.

"That's…" Shannon pressed a hand to her cheek and turned her head away. "Surely his grandmother must have said something… I can't imagine she wouldn't have…" Cilan straightened up suddenly whilst his eyes studied her. He realized he had an opportunity.

"Shannon, why is it the Draconid hate the Truth Seekers so much?" he asked evenly. Shannon's hand fell into her lap.

"Did Iris never tell you?" she inquired, blinking at him.

"No, actually," Georgia hummed. "She's always been kinda dodgy on the topic."

Shannon, too, hummed and again glanced away. "I guess that shouldn't be too surprising," she mused. She then sighed and looked back at the group. "Does the name Vero Albinus sound familiar?"

"Yes," Trip answered. "He was the explorer from the Indigo regions who settled Unova."

"That's putting it in very nice terms." Shannon smiled weakly. "I'm assuming you know the general history of the Great War, too?"

"Yeah, we don't need a history lesson," Georgia said, trying to prod Shannon to get to the point. Shannon seemed to understand, but she flicked her gaze aside.

"With all due respect, I think you do," she said. She was trying to maintain her smile and light, pleasant tone, but it faltered every now and then into solemn bitterness. "Vero Albinus started the Truth Seekers during the Great War. Their purpose was simple: To wipe out the Draconid and take Unova for themselves. They succeeded, too."

"Wipe out?" Burgundy perked up in alarm.

"As in, genocide," Shannon clarified. "'Draconid' is actually a very, very broad term. There were hundreds of different tribes across Unova before the war. They're gone now. People like myself, Iris, and Benga are all that's left two hundred years later."


At the sound of a low rumble from the back of Zekrom's throat, Iris immediately pressed her forehead against his and murmured words of comfort. They were an hour deep into treatment. The task was not only difficult because of the enormity of the beast, but also because of the number of wounds needing medical attention. An open field had been sectioned off from the rest of the village. No one, aside from the Elder, Iris, and the medical help were allowed near, so their ministrations could carry on in peace.

When Zekrom calmed again, Iris pulled her head back and stroked the side of his face affectionately. Zekrom closed his eyes and let out a long breath through his nostrils. The air was warm against Iris's skin.

"You've been through very much," the Elder remarked once Iris had pacified Zekrom. She stood near Iris, but kept a respectable distance between herself and the Legendary; Zekrom was still not too trusting. "When you left, you were a child. Now, I see you are an adult."

Iris managed a smile. She had just finished telling the Elder everything: The PCA Nimbasa campus fire, the ruins in Striaton City, her near-fatal encounter with Reshiram, her journey to the Truth Seekers, her imprisonment among Team Plasma, her capture of Zekrom, and the string of events that finally led her and her companions to flee the Truth Seekers. If there was one truly notable quality of the Elder, it was that she was an excellent listener. Her tired magenta eyes were engaged with every word, and she nodded at all the right times and knew the power of a well-placed comforting touch or a sympathetic smile.

"The young man, Cilan…" the Elder continued thoughtfully. "Has he been treating you well?"

Well, maybe not everything. Iris wasn't quite ready to share that her and Cilan's relationship had taken an amorous turn, mainly because she wasn't quite ready to define what that turn meant. Still, it seemed the Elder had sensed something was different.

"Yes," Iris said, deciding not to elaborate.

"The journey ahead of you, it is a hard one," the Elder said. "You'll need to look after each other." At that point, Iris wasn't sure whether she was offering words of wisdom regarding their upcoming departure for Mount Taima or relationship advice.

"We will," Iris assured her. "We've been best friends for forever. If we've survived this long, we'll get through this too. And we'll have our friends, and Reshiram and Zekrom, to support us."

"You must be careful," the Elder warned. "Do not forget, Reshiram and Zekrom are natural enemies. Any measure of disunity between you and Cilan could be disastrous. If you fight, you could easily lose control of them, and they may turn against each other once again."

Iris sucked in her breath a little shakily.

"I know."

Yet, the Elder smiled and placed her hand on Iris's shoulder.

"You've done well, and I have faith in you," she said. "But it may be wise to speak with Cilan and ensure you're of one mind and heart on these matters."

Iris nodded slowly. The Elder was right, she knew. It was a conversation she and Cilan had yet to hold. While it was implicitly understood Cilan would be a major part of their effort to reunite the Dragons, Iris wasn't sure if he knew just how major a part he would play.

"Iris." Iris snapped out of her thoughts and looked to her left to see Jolon approaching from behind Zekrom. "We've treated the wounds and sealed them the best we could. Some time back in his Pokeball will move the healing process along."

Iris let out a long, relieved sigh.

"Thank you, Jolon," she said. She stepped back from Zekrom and pulled out his Pokéball. "Return, Zekrom, and rest up. You deserve it." Zekrom submitted to her, and he disappeared within the Pokéball. Iris stowed it safely away in her pocket and looked back at Jolon.

"Best of luck," he said. "We're counting on you… and that boy." With that, he turned away and left. The Elder cleared her throat, and Iris glanced her way.

"Go home," she gently commanded. "We will have everything you and your friends need prepared by the morning."

"Thank you." Iris suddenly embraced her again. When she pulled away, she added, "Good night."

"Good night, my dear," the Elder said. Iris slid fully out of her arms and turned to go—but before she could get far, the Elder suddenly called out, "Oh! There's something you ought to know." Iris perked up and looked back at the Elder, who then frowned and shook her head. "But… I suppose it should wait for the morning. It's much too late. Please, never mind I said anything for now."

Iris blinked.

"Okay..." she hesitantly agreed.

Now alone in her thoughts as proceeded along the beaten path, Iris began to mull over the Elder's advice and, by extension, what she ought to do about Cilan. Neither had seen each other work with Reshiram and Zekrom up close; in fact, Reshiram and Zekrom hadn't even seen each other up close. Perhaps that would be the first order of business in the morning, after she and Cilan had a long conversation about… well, everything. Not just about Kyurem and the Aboriginal Dragon, but them. As in, their relationship.

The notion made Iris's head hurt. The progression of their romance had been instinctual, unmeditated, and in a way, Iris liked that. She was a person of action; it was how she best expressed herself. Still, while words weren't exactly her forte, even she had to admit that they were good at clearing up ambiguities. And the Elder was right: With what she and Cilan were planning, there was no room for any misunderstanding.

She decided she could save talking for the morning—until she opened the door to her home on the village's edge and discovered it occupied.

"Cilan!" Iris exclaimed in surprise. He jerked his head up, looking equally caught off guard. "I thought you'd be asleep by now. Wasn't Shannon going to make you guys beds… ?"

Cilan let out a nervous laugh and rose to his feet from the chair on which he was seated.

"She offered," he said. "I wanted to see you though." A pause. "How did it go with Zekrom?"

"He's going to be fine," Iris answered.

"That's good to hear." Cilan nodded.

An awkward silence followed. Iris twiddled her fingers together and averted her gaze. She wanted to save this for the morning, but since he was here...

"Tomorrow, you and I should… try to introduce Zekrom and Reshiram to each other," Iris suggested. "Or, reintroduce them, I guess."

"Right," Cilan agreed.

This was already agonizing. Iris, her eyes still averted, momentarily chewed on her thumb, trying to think of what to say next—or, at least, what to do to set up the right mood for all of this. Ugh, she thought, it was so much easier when she didn't have to think about what to do, and it just happened. She cleared her throat.

"It's really late, and it's kind of a long walk back to Shannon's house," Iris said. "You should stay with me tonight."

"Okay." Cilan again nodded. "I can make my own bed."

"O-Oh." That wasn't at all the result she intended. "You sure?"

"Yes," Cilan affirmed with a weak smile. "Don't worry about it."

He turned away and pulled an extra set of blankets out from the chest pushed against the wall. It wasn't the first time he had slept over. Still, Iris stood stiffly in place, watching him. He caught her tense gaze, and looked back at her strangely. That was when she, totally off the cuff, announced, "I'm going to change. … You don't have to turn around if you don't want to."

Iris barely saw Cilan's face began to redden when she spun around, feeling her own face burn up. That was what she went with? She supposed that it at least got the point across.

Iris swiftly pulled her shirt over her head and unsnapped the straps across her back. She wasn't sure if he was watching or not, and she wasn't sure whether she wanted him to. She was feeling pretty stupid by then, and she hoped he, the actual wordsmith, would just say something and get this whole conversation about the state of their relationship going so they could sort it out, go to sleep, and save Unova in the morning.

She felt a new weight upon the edge of her bed. Iris knew then that Cilan had forgone making his own bed and that he was watching her.

"Why didn't you ever tell me about the Truth Seekers and the Draconid?" he asked quietly.

Iris's breath caught. She held her nightshirt firm in her hands.

"... So I'm guessing Shannon explained the history there," she said wearily.

"She did."

Iris bit her bottom lip and pushed a piece of hair out of her face. She almost would have rather gone back to awkwardly stumbling through trying to talk about her feelings.

"I don't know," she said.

"You do, though," Cilan gently prodded. "Please, Iris. After everything, you can trust me."

Iris closed her eyes and sucked in her breath.

"... I was scared," she admitted in a small voice, still turned away from him. "I was scared that even if I told you, you'd still join the Truth Seekers. I don't know if you can really understand, but it would've hurt so much, and I'm not sure we still could've been friends. So, I decided not to tell you, because it would hurt less if you just didn't know."

Cilan said nothing for a moment, processing this. Then, he asked, "Is that why it was so important we see the tape? So you'd be certain we felt the same as you about the Truth Seekers?"

Iris swallowed.

"Yeah," she answered. Guilt suddenly pricked at her, and she quickly added, "Sorry. You and the others really have done so much for me, and I should have every reason to trust you." Her hands clutched hard at her shirt. "I-I am so thankful that—"

She stopped short when she felt his hand on her wrist, his thumb gently running over the scars that Plasma's Liepard had left when it attacked her. She glanced over her shoulder at him in surprise. Until then, she hadn't realized he knew they were there.

Her look must have alarmed him, because his face suddenly pinked and he pulled his hand back.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I went too far."

"N-No," Iris quickly assured him. "You're fine." She was inwardly kicking herself then. She'd gotten him to do something, but she'd accidentally scared him.

"I'm also sorry that I hurt you," Cilan went on after recovering. "Ignorance is not an excuse."

Iris wrung her shirt in her hands. She wasn't sure why she didn't just put it on and face him like a normal human being, but for whatever reason, she didn't want to shut that door that was creaking open the longer this carried on.

"Well… in retrospect, I'm actually glad things happened the way they did," she admitted.

"Even with Team Plasma?" Cilan asked.

Iris shifted.

"Even with Team Plasma," she affirmed. She glanced over her shoulder again. "I know you want to know what happened. And I promise I'll tell you. But not right now. Right now, I just want…" She trailed off, struggling with herself.

"... Want what?" Cilan asked in a low voice. The sound was almost sensual, whether he wanted it to be or not, and it gave Iris the resolve she needed to finish her statement.

The shirt slid out of her hands as she turned to face him fully.

"I want you to stop being such a prude," she said.

She kissed him. It was unlike their few previous few kisses, which were marked by impulse and came and went with the moment. Even when Cilan had chastely kissed her last night in the Pokémon Center, it was over in the blink of an eye. But this was slow, deliberate, and far, far more intimate.

When she pulled back, arms still encircled around his neck, reality set in hard. She was shirtless and straddling his lap on her bed. Panic erupted from within her lower abdomen. She wanted to make things less complicated, not more. She went into this hoping she could clear up some doubts when they tried to combine Unova's most volatile Legendary Pokémon into one ancient being. This was not the time to be introducing sex into their burgeoning relationship.

The look in Cilan's eyes, which were locked firmly with Iris's—he didn't dare let them venture any lower—suggested he had the same thought on his mind. He gently grasped her wrists, stammering, "I-Iris…"

"I know." Iris closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against his, recentering herself. She needed a moment to think, a moment to calm down, and he needed the same. When she opened her eyes again, they were both more at ease, their intimate placements notwithstanding.

"This would be a big step for us," Cilan said. Iris blinked. The tone of his voice suggested he was open to it, even now. She briefly glanced down whilst her thumb brushed over the top button in his shirt. She wasn't pulling it loose, yet.

"Yeah," she agreed. At least now he was leading the conversation like she'd hoped he would. Cilan watched her for a moment, then brushed his hand against her cheek and gently pushed her chin up, so she would look at him again.

"I… I am willing to take that step," he nervously admitted, "if you are." Iris's chest swelled. He went on, "Iris, I am in love with you. I have been for a while now. I just didn't quite realize how much until I thought you were gone." His warm wrapped loosely around her waist, and she felt the tips of his fingers from his other hand ghost along her spine. "So if you feel the same…"

The last few tendrils of apprehension writhing in her died away. She had been agonizing over what to say, over how to ensure they were wholeheartedly unified when they reached the heights of Mount Taima. And here was how. She was a person of action, after all.

Her hands slipped behind his neck, lacing her fingers through his hair.

"I do," she said, and she kissed him deeply. His hesitations evidently fell away too. When their kiss broke, his lips found her neck, and they surrendered to the feeling.

...

When it was over, Cilan was running his thumb along the scars on her wrist again. They faced each other, close enough to feel the warmth of the other's breath.

"It's funny, how this all turned out…" he remarked. "After two hundred years, down the line, here we are."

She knew what he meant, and she let out a light, airy laugh before leaning forward to kiss him again. They found rest before all of the night dwindled away.


What could go wrong?

A lot, actually. Still, Iris was feeling more optimistic than she ever had the following morning. Whatever would happen, whatever would go wrong, they would overcome it. She was one with Zekrom; Cilan was one with Reshiram; and she and Cilan were one with each other.

What could go wrong?

"You're positively glowing this morning," Cilan remarked a little cheekily, hovering nearby as Iris's face came up dripping with water from her sink. "Any particular reason?"

Iris flicked some stray droplets at him.

"Don't get too cocky," she teased back, smiling. They were dressed and getting ready to head out. Iris knew a clearing outside the village where they could bring out Zekrom and Reshiram together, just to test the waters before they dove (or rather, climbed) headfirst into Mount Taima to find Kyurem. That was their main objective of the day. If all went well, then they could depart the village for their true mission.

"By the way," Cilan started carefully as Iris dried her hands. "We may want to think about what we're going to tell the others when we see them this morning, and I was gone all night."

Iris shrugged.

"We don't have to say anything about it," she casually replied. "Same as Georgia and Burgundy never say anything."

"That's true..." Cilan conceded, though his voice trailed off.

Iris smiled again and, turning from the sink and leaning back against the rim with one hand, she reached up to touch the edge of his jaw with her other.

"Don't worry about it so much," she assured him. "We've stayed together since the beginning. No one will even think anything of it as long as neither of us act weird about it."

Cilan's fears of their privacy being trampled upon assuaged, he, too, smiled. Then he added, "So… shall we get started?"

Iris nodded quickly.

"Yeah," she agreed.

The morning air was warm, but not overbearing as Cilan and Iris ventured past the village's edge. Iris carried Zekrom's Pokéball in her hand and turned it over carefully in her fingers, feeling the heat emanating from inside. She remembered the sense of dread that had filled her when she held Reshiram's Pokéball. Not so with Zekrom.

She wondered if Cilan felt the reverse when handling Reshiram's ball, and if so, how had not known that he was the Hero of Truth earlier?

"I have to admit, I'm not sure how to go about this," Cilan confessed suddenly, drawing Iris's gaze toward him. "I'm not sure it would be in good taste to spring, 'We would like you to combine with your mortal enemy and former shell' on Reshiram and Zekrom so suddenly. I can't imagine that idea would go over well, even if we've established a good connection with them."

"I know what you mean," Iris said. "But that's why we're doing this." They reached the clearing: a meadow overrun with tiny speckles of red flowers and dandelions. She reached out to grasp Cilan's hand with hers. "As long as you and I stay in sync with each other, and we stay in sync with Reshiram and Zekrom… it'll be fine."

Cilan laced his fingers through hers and nodded.

"You first," he graciously said. Iris also gave a quick nod, let go of Cilan's hand, and held Zekrom's Pokéball out.

"Zekrom… there's someone I want you to meet."

Cilan sucked in his breath as the appearance of the enormous, dark-scale Legendary eclipsed the morning sun and cast a long shadow over both him and Iris. His knees trembled a little bit, and Iris, noticing, reached out and touched his hand again reassuringly. Then, she looked toward Zekrom and gestured he lean down.

He did so, and the sun again appeared over the horizon of him.

"Zekrom, this is my friend Cilan," Iris introduced. Cilan gave an uncomfortable wave and smile, unsure of what else to do. "He is very important to me. We're working together to end the war in Unova, and we need your help."

Zekrom let out a long, deep, hum through his nose out but lowered his head even further. Iris's smiled widened and she looked back at Cilan.

"Well, go on," she encouraged him. "He's letting you pet him."

"Oh!... Oh…" Cilan cautiously approached with a shaking hand—the memories of Reshiram's reactions to Iris were not lost on him—but soon pressed skin against scales, running the palm of his hand across the black surface. Zekrom slowly closed and opened his eyes, making what sounded like a sigh of contentment. Cilan became more at ease. "It's very nice to meet you."

Zekrom hummed again, as though he were replying, You too.

"The wounds are a lot better," Iris remarked, peering around Zekrom's side. "Jolon really is an amazing."

"I'm glad," Cilan said. He moved his hand further up Zekrom's snout. "We both want you to be well."

Cilan then exchanged a cautious look with Iris, who nodded in return. They both understood what the look in each other's eyes meant, and they were ready. Cilan stepped back and pulled out Reshiram's Pokéball.

"Now, Zekrom…" Iris said, starting to sound a little anxious. Cilan, meanwhile, was muttering something indistinguishable to Reshiram in his Pokéball. "There's… someone else we want you to meet, or rather, to meet again."

Zekrom lifted his head, now looking suspicious.

Cilan released Reshiram to the opposite side of the field. At the moment he materialized, Reshiram went stiff. Zekrom reacted similarly; he stood on two feet again, and the two Legendaries stared each other down.

Cilan and Iris waited through the tense silence with bated breath, watching both Pokémon for even the slightest change in movement. Reshiram was the first to break his stance. He lowered his head and let out a low growl, the fire in his turbine begin to whirl. Zekrom responded in kind with the electricity in his tail sparking to life. Iris inhaled sharply and sprinted between them. Cilan cried out for her and grabbed for her, but to no avail.

"Wait!" she called out, holding her hands out between them. "Please! Don't fight." Zekrom went still, but Reshiram roared then, his fires increasing in intensity.

And that's when Cilan ran out, too.

"Please!" he implored, speaking to Reshiram while protectively coming to Iris's side. "I understand." Cilan glanced at Zekrom, too, appealing to them both. "I know there is a negative history here. But there was a time when you were together, and you were the protector of the people in Unova." Iris blinked and looked back at Cilan. He continued, "The differences between you may be deep—but there must be a bridge between you that you can build, a middleground whereupon you can meet."

Reshiram's fire began to dim. Iris inhaled in amazement and did a double-take between him and Zekrom. The Dragons' gazes were firmly locked still, but slowly… surely… the animosity was fading.

Zekrom was the first to lay down.

Reshiram watched him for a moment longer, then lay down too. There would be no conflict.

Iris now let out a shaky, incredulous breath before turning toward Cilan fully as he did the same. They were both positively beaming, and Cilan dipped low for an exuberant but equally relieved kiss. When they broke apart, they were grinning. Iris still had her arm around his tall shoulders, so she stood on the tips of her toes, almost hovering off the ground.

"We… We did it!" Cilan celebrated.

"And it was so easy," Iris marveled. "We can make this happen. We can combine the Tao Trio into the Aborginal Dragon again!" A thought suddenly struck her, and she looked curious when she asked, "How did you know to say all that? About how they used to be one being and protect Unova together?"

Cilan smiled crookedly.

"I may have skimmed through that book you had in your bag. The chapter on the Aboriginal Dragon was marked," he explained.

Iris pressed her lips together, though she was still smiling.

"Shauntal comes through again," she remarked wryly.

Before she could explain what she meant, their victorious moment was cut short. A flock of Pidove erupted into the sky above the village. Cilan and Iris jerked their heads that way, feeling a chill wash over them. Zekrom and Reshiram, too, looked toward the village.

"Something's happening," Iris said quickly.

"What is?" Cilan asked.

"I don't know," Iris answered, pulling out Zekrom's Pokéball, "but we should hurry back." Cilan nodded and also pulled out Reshiram's Pokéball.

"Zekrom—"

"Reshiram—"

"—return!"