So after that quite dramatic chapter I'm just feeling super uninspired. Which sucks. Hopefully I'll be able to crank… something out, because while i have ideas, I just don't know if my lack of writing is because I'm tired or not.

But, new years resolution is to update more! I want to see this through to the end!

Amy47101 does not own pokémon, only her OCs, Vale, Sara Knight/Agent Blitz, and the Bennet family.

o.0.o.0.o

The Adventure Saga

The Truth Behind Us

o.0.o.0.o

Start Date: June 2nd, X017

Current Date: October 20th, X017

o.0.o.0.o

"Are you going to talk today?"

No response. The patient continued to avoid eye contact, the plastic fork scratching against the plastic tray. The staff didn't trust him with metal or breakable dishes or silverware. Said they feared he would be a harm to himself, or even worse, to the staff. And yet, he wasn't tied down or restrained, or even on the cusp of being arrested.

According to the staff, he was a victim of kidnapping and kept in Cold Storage to the point of being hypothermic. While the trauma should've effected him, what they were truly worried about was his reaction upon waking up. He began to wildly panic, severely bruised a doctors wrist, and broke a nurses nose when he punched them in a wild, frenzied attempt to get up and get away.

After a couple days of sedation and slowly bringing him back to reality, he was much calmer, but refused to speak to the doctors or to any other medical professional. In fact, according to staff, he only really spoke to the girl on his emergency contact list, and even then, it was only when she came to visit on her terms. He wasn't actively seeking her out for discussion.

To be honest, the only information he had received on this boy was on his emergency contact form. Eighteen years old, only two people to contact if he was in trouble, one being added within the four months and the other being a relative. If he were hospitalized, it was specifically stated that they had to contact the girl first. The girl, assumably, who visited him daily, nothing more than a traveling companion.

He refused to actively participate in any sort of sessions, barely even acknowledging he was there. It wasn't that he couldn't talk, he just didn't want to. So he resorted to just ignoring him entirely.

He would sit there for the entire half hour session, just in case he had something to say. But like always, the patient sat thin-lipped and silent, fiddling with whatever was in his hands.

As the half hour came to a close, the therapist stood, leaving the patient be. Approaching the nurses station, a couple hushed as he went to talk to the lead doctor, trying to listen in.

"He refused to speak. That being said, however, he's not showing any signs of being unstable or unable to cope. He just doesn't want to talk."

"So we're just supposed to discharge him?" one nurse said, her tone nothing less than snarky and annoyed. She had a bandage over her nose. "He punched me in the face!"

"I'm aware, but you and I can both admit, given his mannerisms now, that he didn't actively hunt you down to punch you in the face out of malice. He was afraid and you happened to get the raw end of his strength." the therapist turned to the doctor. "With all due respect, if someone wakes up in an unfamiliar place after a traumatic event, such as kidnapping and being locked in a confined space for days, them waking up violently isn't out of the ordinary."

"We're aware of this." the doctor sighed. "However, typically for an otherwise unremarkable eighteen year old male, it's rather strange for him to not only not respond at all to being comforted, but he woke up fighting wildly. He woke up screaming bloody murder, and when he saw that needle…"

The doctor ran his hand down his face, eyes going up to the ceiling for a moment.

"Excuse us." the therapist said, gesturing for the doctor to follow. Out of sight of the nurses, who quickly dispersed after they left. Once in private, the therapist turned to the doctor.

"I'm worried about allowing the patient to discharge. Not because I think he's particularly a dangerous individual… But because of what I saw in when he was freaking out… What I've observed while he was here."

"What do you think is wrong?"

"When you look at his records and contact info, he specifically says to not call his father under any circumstances. No contacts outside of his father, however, other than that girl that has been visiting him. He's more talkative around her, but it's mostly them… arguing? He'll tease her, she'll snap back… But there's no one else. Not anyone else. Additionally…"

"If you're talking about how he glances out the door whenever someone passes by, I've noticed." the therapist fell quiet. "What caused him to clamp his hand around that one doctor's wrist?"

"The doctor had a needle. We tried to explain it was a sedative, but he only seemed to panic upon seeing the needle."

"Possibly phobic of needles then." the therapist muttered.

"Obviously, my staff thinks he's dangerous, but for me? I don't know what his triggers are. He doesn't even seem aware that he hurt anyone… Or he doesn't care. That reaction was more than just him coming out of a hypothermic coma, something else happened to him."

"I suspect as much too, but I can't just block you from releasing him simply because he refuses to talk to me. I can't force him to talk, and if he's talking normally to his friend and hasn't struck out at the nurses again, then there's no reason to advise you to keep him here. This is especially so since he's not committing or has committed a crime, so unless you can't discharge him for his physical state, I'm not going to keep him here because of his mental state."

"I… I understand." the doctor muttered. "I do plan on keeping him here a bit longer, however, if only to make sure he can eat properly and his hands and feet are still functioning properly. Perhaps you could watch him from afar? A bit covertly?"

"I'm only a therapist, sir."

"Just watch, and you'll understand. There's something deeper going on with that boy, and I'm not sure what to make of it."

With that, the doctor turned on his heel and left, leaving the therapist alone. He was about to leave, only for cacophany of noise to come towards him. A girl with a ponytail marched into the boys room, and immediately, he heard him begin to talk, followed by the girls heated response. Inching slightly closer to listen, the therapist picked up that the conversation, while seemingly heated, was also lighthearted. Like it was an ongoing trope or theme of the relationship for him to purposefully poke her and for her to blow up dramatically.

Closing his eyes, the therapist turned on his heel and left, bringing his phone to his ear as he walked out of the hospital.

"I have to admit, milord…" he chuckled under his breath. "I didn't originally see the value in that kid, but now that I've actually seen him express something other than stone-cold boredom, well… I think this Burns boy might be a bit more interesting than I originally believed."

o.0.o.0.o

"Do you regret it, N?"

"Regret what?"

N's voice was thrown to the wind, sitting on the back of a massive pokémon as he flew through the air. He noticed Tessie playing with another Galvantula, despite the massive winds, on the back of this pokémon.

"Throwing it all away?"

"I could never be a part of an organization that was so hypocritical. I want… to do good in this world." N found himself saying after a long sigh. "What is the point of my power if I have to hurt people to get it? If I knew… I would never had let it happen."

"...Are you happy, N?"

The question came tentatively, and N found himself wondering when the last time was that a human asked him if he was happy. In truth? He wasn't sure… Anthea and Concordia may have asked it as a child, but he was certain that, after he grew into adolescence, the questions stop and the orders began. But pokémon always comforted him, and when he began to tell his caregivers that he felt better and was fine… They simply stopped asking.

N had to re-evaluate so much… Was the state of his emotional wellbeing ever a concern? Or was he only pacified day in and out for the benefit of his father?

"… I'm not sure." N mumbled. "But someday… Someday I will be."

Suddenly a gust of wind blew, picking up Tessie and the Galvantula and blowing them away.

"Tessie! Jolt!" N cried out as they flew past his shoulder. Despite the inherent horror of them falling off, the two of them were laughing. A pair of pale hands caught the two pokémon, still giggling from their impromptu ride. Holding them to her chest as they continued to ride, N lifted his gaze.

Vale had a small smile on her face. A small, gentle smile as her thumb brushed across Jolt's head, trying to calm him down. She lifted her head, and said something.

"What?!" N cried out, not hearing her over the winds. Vale opened her mouth again, smile growing as she closed her eyes to yell.

"Nath-"

o.0.o.0.o

"My King!"

N snapped awake, panting like he ran a marathon as he was ripped from the dream. Normally, one could not so easily yank him from one of his visions. His heartrate had accelerated and he was breathing like he just ran a marathon. Bronius stood over him, concern on his elderly features.

"I'm sorry, I…" N shook his head, trying to shake off the fuzziness in his brain, the lull to go back to sleep to finish the rest of the vision. "What's going on?"

"We found something you might find interesting. We possibly found the Dark Stone, but-"

"The Dark Stone?" N suddenly snapped to attention, standing. "Take me to it!"

Ever since they first got a lead on the stone, his visions has been increasing, as well as the voice of what he could only assume was the legend residing within. He knew that this only had to be a result of being so close, it was calling him…

"Except, well…"

"Yes…?"

"There are some… complications."

o.0.o.0.o

October 25th, X017

o.0.o.0.o

In the end, when Black fully came to on the eighteenth, the doctors decided to keep him for a week to make sure that he was functioning physically. Hilda stayed in Driftviel, touching base with Bianca and Cheren over the course of the next week. The two ultimately decided to continue on with their journey, and despite the tension that Hilda sensed between those two and Black, they asked her to keep them updated on his health.

Hilda was pretty sure that Black had said something to either Bianca or Cheren in Nimbassa, because since then, Bianca hasn't been fawning over him like a lovesick Lilipup and there was obvious, very cold and borderline painful hatred between Cheren and Black. Well, maybe more of a sense of disdain from Cheren, towards Black. Black just seems indifferent to the both of them, but at least he wasn't openly flirting with Bianca anymore…

Either way, Bianca and Cheren moved on while she stayed in Driftviel. Vale also stayed in Driftviel, but more because Clay was either suspicious of or concerned about her lack of long-term injury from the torture she endured. Irregardless, whenever she tried to leave, she was called back to the police station or the hospital, citing "additional checkups" and being reinterviewed to "make sure they had all the details".

By the next time Hilda saw Vale, she could practically sense the irritation radiating off the taller girl. She was fed up and tired of being delayed in continuing forward. Hilda wasn't sure if Vale was aware of it or not, but she was pretty certain that Clay was trying to look into Vale for connections to Team Plasma. Even though Hilda herself wasn't sure what they were, exactly, she had no doubt that Zinzolin was cryptically running his mouth in his cell. Not to mention that she was showing borderline inhuman resistance to electricity, and neither the doctors nor Clay was buying her "electric type trainer" excuse.

But irregardless, Hilda was itching to go. So the day that Black was due to be discharged, Hilda was already packing to go. Clay had been putting her up in his surprisingly humble little house. Even though they were so similar that they ended up butting heads, Clay was overwhelmingly generous and understanding. Laney was right when she talked about her uncle, there was something of a gem under that rough exterior.

As she was pulling her boots on at the entrance of his home, Clay stood against the wall with his arms cross, a typical scowl on his face.

"Lassie, ya have a way of surrounding yerself with some interestin' characters."

"Ain't like I ask for it." Hilda muttered. "I swear, I've got like a weirdo magnet on me or some shit…"

"I'm tryin' to warn ya." Clay spoke seriously. "Your friend, Vale… Something ain't right with that girl."

Hilda pursed her lips slightly. She could've told him that herself.

"There's something underneath all that… I can't tell what it is, but I'm thinkin' she knows more than she's lettin' on."

"I mean…" Hilda shrugged her shoulders. "Dunno why you're asking me this. I don't know what Vale's keeping to herself."

"You you admit she's hidin' something."

"I mean, yeah." Hilda glanced at him. "Don't all of us have secrets? Maybe she's got a crush on someone, I dunno."

"Now lass," Clay lowered his head, chuckling slightly, as if amused by her trying to make light of it all. "You and I both know that what she's hidin' is a little more than a torch bein' aflame for some lad."

Hilda was quiet, finally tying her boots tight.

"Lass, I need to know." Clay met her gaze as she stood, turning to him. "If that girl is dangerous. If she knows something that could help with Team Plasma."

Hilda didn't say a word, because she knew if Clay poked anymore, she'd end up blowing Vale's secret. Vale's purpose and her past involving Team Plasma… and that pain. Those scars. She clenched her fists tightly.

"Am I right?"

Hilda clenched her jaw, turning away.

"I don't know what you want me to tell you about Vale." Hilda muttered. "But… her intentions aren't malicious. She's a little strange, I know this. But I wouldn't be hanging around her if she was out to hurt us."

"Ya don't say…" Clay trailed off, fiddling with the brim of his hat. "Hilda, I ain't gonna force ya to talk 'bout her, but considerin' how Team Plasma attacked her… She might be in ov'r her head. Ya best think right an' maybe distance yerself from 'er… If only ta keep yerself from bein' pulled under."

He held out his hand.

"Lassie, let's call this a truce. If ya ever need anythin', don't hesitate to gimme a call. I'll help ya all I can."

"I'll keep that in mind." Hilda said, shaking his hand with a grin.

"Remember what I said, lass." Clay gripped her hand a little tighter. "Wantin' to help yer friends is noble and good and all, but ya gotta know… Ya've gotta remember to look out for yerself. I wanna squash Team Plasma as quickly as possible, with as little trainers involved as possible. Can ya keep that promise, lass?"

Hilda couldn't answer that question.

"I… I can…" Hilda shut her mouth, averting her gaze, knowing she couldn't even tell a half life to Clay.

"You were given the hand of a hero, Hilda."

"Thanks for all your help, Clay." Hilda met his gaze, avoiding the question entirely. "I'll keep your offer in mind, okay?"

"'Kay, lass. Stay safe out there."

"I can only do my best!" Hilda grinned, turning on her heel to go and retrieve Black.

Gripping her purse as she marched to the hospital, Hilda thought about her father and what he told her. He lingered in Driftviel for a few days, but then finally left with an awkward goodbye. Hilda wasn't ever close to her father, since he just wasn't really there, but a part of her also always believed he was a decent dude who, well, got stuck took responsibility for what he had done.

She used to always believe that, but now, a part of her feel like he shilled his problems onto her. Ghetsis wasn't chasing him, but chasing her. His so-called hero status was shoved onto her instead!

I don't wanna be a hero, I don't wanna be a hero, I won't be some stupid hero!

"You okay?"

Hilda glanced up, seeing Black bundled up, already up and about and out of the hospital. There was a look of minor concern on his face, but concern nonetheless.

"I… no." Hilda muttered. "But it's not important. You, uh… okay?"

"I mean, I'm hungry. They've been feeding me soup and light stuff for the last couple of days to get me used to eating normal food again." Black shuddered dramatically, prompting an eye roll from Hilda. "Anything at this point sounds better than hospital soup."

"Yeah, well, how's about some lunch and then we head on route 6 to Chargestone Cave? Maybe I'll cover half your bill, you asswipe."

"Half my bill?" Black exclaimed, hand flying over his heart. "From the Queen of Cheap, Hilda White herself? If I hadn't know any better, I'd say you love-"

"Hilda, I think I love you."

"SHADDUP!" Hilda hollered, shoving her hands over his mouth. "I take it back, you cover, after all the shit and worry you put me through!"

"Worry?" Black asked, taking her hands from his mouth. "You were worried, Hilda?"

"Dammit!" Hilda clenched her fists tightly, feeling heat crawl up her neck. "Don't make me punch you!"

Hilda wrenched her arms away, muttering under her breath. Obviously, she wasn't sure how to handle Black's little 'confession', and still hasn't figured it out yet. Since she's been visiting lucid Black, he hadn't mentioned it at all, or even acted like he had said anything like that when she came to visit him. She couldn't tell, yet, if he already brushed it off, was keeping cool to cover it up, or if he was so drugged he just didn't remember to begin with.

Either way, Hilda was having trouble looking at him straight now. Because now she knew that, under the mask he put on daily, was a pretty sweet guy. She always heard that people showed their true selves when they were coming out of some heavy sedatives, but Hilda really wasn't expecting a… doting personality under the douchebag air that he put on. Honestly, it was fucking with her something fierce, but not just because she was having trouble associating nice, doting Black with the asswipe of a dude that stood before her.

Why the fuck, if he had such a decent personality, would he try to hide it under this "charming" act?

As they walked through the hospital reception, Hilda saw a couple of nurses scuttle out of Black's sight, whispering behind their hands. Black didn't pay them any mind, shooting them a smile and a wink as they passed. The nurses almost shuddered and bolted.

"Huh, that's a weird reaction." Black mused, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Yeah, I wouldn't flirt with the staff here." Hilda said. Black furrowed his brow, looking amused.

"Why not?"

"You just… did shit when you first came too. Probably best to just go and let it go."

"Huh." Black furrowed his brow, signing reception papers. "What did I do, Hilda?"

Tried to rip IVs out of your arm, screamed bloody murder, almost broke a doctors wrist, punched another doctor in the nose, had to be restrained by eight staff members to get a sedative…

Hilda bit her tongue to keep her mouth shut. Black tapped the pen against the counter, contemplating.

"Did it have to do with them bringing a therapist into my room?"

"They brought you a shrink?"

"Yeah." Black shrugged. "Dunno why. I don't really trust therapists, so it's not like I cared either. I didn't pay attention to what he was saying."

"Well…" Hilda trailed off. A part of her wondered if Black recalled coming to and he wanted to forget… Or if he didn't remember. She wasn't about to bring it up to him. "I mean, you're a teenager, and you were kidnapped and tied up in a storage crate in Cold Storage for two days. Probably somewhat traumatizing to most people, so maybe a therapist is a given."

"True." Black muttered. "I still don't need therapy, though."

Hilda physically bit her tongue in order to keep herself from talking.

"What, no snarky remark?" Black glanced at her, a humored smile on his face. "No 'Asswipe, you need more than just therapy, you need a damned straight-jacket!'?"

"No." Hilda shook her head, averting her gaze, brow furrowed in frustration. "Not this time, Black."

She knew what she saw in the hospital room. Heard him screaming incoherently and freaking out at the sight of a needle and doctors. While she believed that it would take a lot to hold down a teenage boy like Black, she didn't expect it to take eight relatively healthy looking doctors, with him still fighting.

She wanted to say that of course he would wake up fighting like that, but it was like different. She felt like she was watching some documentary about old-timey mental wards, and how they needed to pin patients down to get their medication in. He was more than just scared, he was horrified and terrified all at once.

"Well, what's done is done." Black shrugged, uninterested. They walked out the hospital doors, side by side. "Let's just move on. You need to challenge the gym?"

"I… already won it." Hilda muttered, kicking a stone.

"Already? So I missed it..."

"Yeah." Hilda continued kicking the stone. "If I'd known you were a damned hostage, Black, I would've gotten to you sooner. I just…"

As long as they're your friends, they'll always have something to do with this.

Hilda trailed off, clenching her fists tightly.

"I'm really sorry. A lot of this is my fault to begin with and you got caught up in this mess by proxy and shit… And besides, I'm not proud of my battle against Clay. I fucked up a bunch and I'm sure you'd tease me about it, but it's not something I'd want anyone to see anyways…"

"I'm sorry I missed it." Black responded honestly, a somber look on his face. "I am. Truly. Watching you battle is always the most entertaining thing, because despite you cussing and shouting like a sailor, while outwardly acting very rough and…"

"A bit like an asshole?" Hilda offered with a grin.

"I didn't say it."

"But at least I can admit it!" Hilda exclaimed, socking Black on the arm. "Don't worry about it, I know. That's how people think 'bout me, and I won't deny it. I am an asshole sometimes."

"… Well, everyone, pokémon and humans… Everyone seems to really enjoy when you battle. You just have this way of making them just happy. To be honest," Black reached up and pinched her nose, teasing. "I think it's because you're just terrible at hiding how you feel, so in turn, your expressiveness makes everyone feel like they can trust you."

"I can't tell if you're complimenting me or insulting me." Hilda snapped, removing his hand.

"I've been speaking highly of you the entire time, haven't I?" Black shook his head. "Come on, Hilda, it was a compliment. I'm trying to be sincere here."

"It's weird." Hilda spoke flatly.

"Don't you think the great hero of yours truly deserves a little bit of a change?"

"Don't call me a hero."

Hilda felt her tone shift with such bitter distaste at being called a hero. Even Black rose his eyebrows, staring at her in confusion.

"I thought you liked having your accomplishments pointed out to you."

"I do, I just…" Hilda trailed off, averting her gaze. Crossing her arms, she kept her gaze on the floor. "Just don't call me a hero. I don't like it."

"Okay, then…" Black trailed off, staring at her. Hilda dug her fingers into her coat. "Did something happen? Should I be aware of something?"

"Just found out a little bit of unsettling family history." Hilda answered. "I don't like it, and the word 'hero' pisses me off now."

"Well, then. I'll respect that." Black said. "So what should I call you? Savior? My champion of justice? My knight in shining armor?"

"Ew." Hilda crinkled her nose. "Okay, don't call me a knight either, now I just associate that with Team Plasma."

"Hey, Hilda." Black suddenly grabbed the brim of her hat, yanking it over her eyes.

"Hey, you-"

"Thank you for caring to find me."

The words were barely a whisper, so much so that Hilda wasn't sure she heard that correctly. Black pulled back as Hilda felt her face go red, recalling him in the hospital room. Was she doing this to push her buttons? To fluster her? She wasn't sure.

"You're a good person, Hilda." Black pulled back, letting out a sigh. "Even though you cuss like a sailor and barge through things like a truck through a nuclear warplant… You're good at heart."

o.0.o.0.o

October 30th, X017

o.0.o.0.o

N stared through the cavern at the black stone, sitting atop a small pile of rubble, almost like it was the center of a shrine. It was maybe twice the size of an enlarged pokéball.

It took them almost ten days to unearth the stone itself, mostly because, when they first discovered it, and the day when he felt it pulling at him, they hadn't actually discovered it. Instead, they discovered a hollowed out chamber, or at least a hole that led to it. It was incredibly small, small enough for Joltik, maybe a Galvantula, to squeeze through. The hole was discovered when a Joltik had crawled out of the hole and landed in her hood, causing her to frantically scream as the little one tried to escape.

Once that mess was sorted and the Joltik was rescued, a couple other grunts began to pick away at the hole. Creating a hole just big enough for someone's face to fit through, they were met with the sight of hundreds upon thousands of Joltik scrambling about in the cavern. It became obvious to N that this place, as large as it was, not only housed the Dark Stone, but also was a nest for Galvantula to lay their eggs.

It was understandable. If the Dark Stone was giving off so much static, then it would be a perfect place for the babies to keep safe and to charge up until they can come out on their own.

At that point N completely halted any construction and mining. He already knew the stone was there, but he wasn't going to risk hurting the baby Joltik or the unborn eggs. First, he requested a replacement for the Dark Stone. He didn't want to disrupt the way of life that these pokémon had developed, as it wasn't fair to them. While that was being put into production, he spent the next ten days, with Tessie's help, convincing the Galvantula to move the Joltik who were to small, as well as their eggs, to a temporary spot so they could retrieve the Dark Stone, then restore the secret habitat.

It had been ten days. Ten long, long days trying to procure supplies in order to do this. When everything was gathered and every Joltik was out of harms way, N gave the order for the grunts to, carefully, bring the cavern wall down so that they could access it. So,gently, they brought the wall down piece by piece until finally, the musty air hit them like a gust. Light flooded the cavern, revealing years, maybe even decades, of webbing and old nests.

"There! I told you, I told you! It's there! I remember this place!" Tessie exclaimed, hopping off his shoulder and crawling across the webs. "You can walk in here, King, it's okay!"

Tentatively, N stepped up on the webbing. It pushed back against his weight, but seemed to hold it. He wasn't sure what was under the webbing, but he figured that this was thick enough to hold his weight.

"Are you going to continue?" N glanced back, and saw Bronius attempting to climb in as well. N held up his hand to stop him.

"Bronius, I want you to stay back. I'm not sure on the strength of this webbing, or what is underneath this. I don't want you getting hurt if it collapses."

"Perhaps we should consider sending someone…" Bronius trailed off, waving his hand through the air. "My King, would it not be safer to send someone of less importance into the tavern?"

"What are you saying?" N's eyes flew open wide, horrified. "No! I would never want someone to risk getting hurt at my expense, especially if retrieving the Dark Stone is my duty to begin with!"

"Then perhaps we should consider-"

"My Lord," the trio of voices seemed to startle Bronius, as he stepped back just as the Shadow Triad appeared behind them. N glanced at them, his smile met only with cold, merciless gazes. The grunts scattered like leaves as they kneeled before him.

"Yes?"

While the younger two kept their heads down, the eldest, Ichiro, lifted his head to speak.

"We have spotted something of interest. Hilda Veritas, the boy who goes by Black, and the Destroyer are at the entrance of the cave."

"The Destroyer…?" N mumbled. Feeling hopeful, he lifted his head. "Vale is here…?"

"… Yes, though we are not to call her by name…" the youngest, Saburo spoke. N pursed his lips slightly.

"Who told you that?" N asked, feeling miffed. "She has a name for a reason, call her by that."

The three of them remained silent.

"What do you wish for us to do?" Ichiro asked. N glanced back at the Dark Stone.

"My lord, if I may speak…" Bronius suddenly piped up. "If Hilda Veritas is destined to be your opponent in the end, perhaps we should keep her away from the Dark Stone. The girl is something of a Bouffilant in a Johtonese porcelain shop. The boy, however, is a little more concerning… We can't risk them discovering the stone."

"We can incapacitate them, my lord." Jiro suggested. N felt a shiver go down his spine. Jiro, the middle brother, always had a vicious way about him that unsettled N. He tried not to acknowledge it, but he was afraid what he meant by 'incapacitating' Hilda and Black…

"I think the best course of action," N spoke slowly from his perch, contemplating. "Is to distract them or cause enough of a ruckus to steer them away from here. I don't want them to be hurt… I just don't want them here. Shadow Triad, wait a moment."

The Shadow Triad had already begun to rise, but immediately crouched back down on his order.

"I want Bronius and the rest of the knights to take care of this." N said simply.

"Of course," Bronius bowed with his hand over his heart. "I shall assemble the grunts and prepare them for battle across Chargestone Cave. Hopefully this will garner you enough time to retrieve the stone and escape."

Bronius quickly gathered the grunts in the cavern, then moved on to gather the others that were standing guard. N glanced at the Shadow Triad.

"What should we do about the… Vale." Ichiro trailed off when N shot him a sour look. N fell silent in contemplation, glancing back at the stone, sparking with electricity and emitting a red aura in the dark cavern. N could feel it calling him, like strings were attached to his soul and pulled taught, trying to draw him in.

This moment was monumental to Team Plasma's ambitions and dreams… It would be the moment that marked the beginning of his ideals becoming a reality. He wanted Vale here to see it… because he knew that if he succeeded, then he would not only secure his future, the future of pokémon and Team Plasma as a whole, but he would secure a sense of security for Vale too. Even she and her father were at odds... all he had to do was convince his father that she was good, and convince her that he and Team Plasma really were working for the greater good of Unova… Of the world!

Stepping down from the cavern, he spoke.

"I… I want to talk to Vale. Can you escort her here?"

"Of course, Milord."

And with that, the Shadow Triad disappeared. N felt Tessie climb into his hair again, rolling around to obtain as much static electricity as possible.

"Say, King, who's Vale?"

"Um…" N trailed off, fiddling with his puzzle cube as he sat down to wait. His face felt warm. "She's, um… a friend. I think."

"A friend?" Tessie asked. "How do you think someone's your friend? Either she's your friend or she's not! Isn't that something ya just know, King?"

"W-Well, it's complicated a bit."

"How?"

"Because, well… I have friends. You're my friend, Tessie. But the way I feel about Vale… It feels like friendship, but it… doesn't."

N trailed off, frantically fiddling with his puzzle cube.

"I know that I don't hate her, but I feel like I like her more than a friend. That's the simplest way I can describe it."

o.0.o.0.o

"Daaaaaamn…" Hilda exclaimed as Black followed her gaze upwards.

It had taken them nearly five days to cross route six and reach Chargestone Cave, mostly due to weather and due to Hilda making sure that Black wasn't a damned moron due to his extended stay in the hospital. He kept pointing out her recklessness after her hospital stays as opposed to his one hospital stay.

She made sure she cooked that night, if only to spite him with her charcoal masterpieces.

"You know," Black said. "When all the research I did said that stones in this cave float, I didn't quite believe it until now."

"Wasn't it something about how crazy magnetic these things are?" Hilda asked, reaching out and touching one of the floating crystals. While it was cool to the touch, the glow seemed almost attracted to her hand, sparking slightly, but not dangerously. When Hilda pulled her hand away, tiny bits of electricity crackled between her hand and the crystal. "Dude, this is cool! Black, check it out!"

"Must have something to do with the electric current in them as well…" Black mused, watching Hilda as she reached out her other hand.

"Man, if we had a camera!" Hilda grinned, pulling her hands back as far as she could go, electricity crackling.

"You look like a super…" Black trailed off, pausing. "Person."

"Couldn't think of a better word for hero?"

"I'm just trying to respect you utter distaste for this word, Hilda."

"I'll take the compliment." Hilda chuckled. Feeling something scuttle across her leg, she reached down to itch what she assumed was a scratch, but felt something fuzzy bristle through her glove.

Hearing a yelp, Hilda turned, surprised to see that Black was furiously running his hands through his hair and across his neck, flinging his hat off in the process.

"Hilda, get it off, I don't know what it is, but get it off."

"Get what off?"

"I don't know!" Black glanced up at her, frantic. "Something was in my hood and crawled into my hair!"

Black was already frantically in the process of unzipping his hood to get whatever it was off his person. Hilda quirked an eyebrow, approaching him as she saw something small and yellow disappear into the layers of his hair.

"Stay still." Hilda muttered simply. Black's hands were trembling violently. "I think I know what it is, but if you squish it I'm gonna kick your ass, now calm down!"

Black's shaking didn't cease, but he was allowing her to dig through his hair. She brushed some of his hair aside, and saw pink, raised scars crawling up his neck. Hilda paused, staring at them. They were just hiding under his shirt, implying they went down his back too. Glancing at his hoodie on the ground, she wondered if this was why he wore that high-necked hoodie all the time, even in the summer. Tentatively, she brushed some more hair aside in the area, and Black jumped back, hand over his neck.

"What are you doing? Did you get it?"

"No, no, I was still looking."

Black averted his gaze, not moving his hand in the slightest, looking extremely uncomfortable.

"I can feel it crawling…"

"Well then, calm down and let me get it!"

With that, she marched up to him and parted his hair a little more, finding the culprit.

"Hey there, little guy." Hilda muttered, gently scooping the Joltik out of his hair. "So. You aware you're freaking my friend out?"

"Yeah, but hair has such nice static comfort to it! It's like the perfect bed!" the Joltik chirped. "Guy hair is great too! Girl hair smells really sweet and gross and makes our tummies squirm!"

"It's gone?"

"Gone." Hilda answered Black, who immediately proceeded to shaking out his jacket like crazy. Once he thoroughly examined it, he pulled it back on and began to do a similar, vigorous shake out of his jacket. Hilda didn't question why he freaked out so bad, but she assumed it had something to do with the scars.

"This place is full Joltik."

Hilda turned, seeing Vale approaching them from deeper in the cave, her own Joltik nuzzled into her neck, purring happily.

"The Joltik get a nice static charge from the rocks here, so it makes them feel warm and safe. Though sometimes," Vale cast an amused look at Black. "They still like to latch onto hair and in clothes."

"So you were watching." Black muttered.

"Seems your Joltik is enjoying it." Hilda said, trying to steer the conversation away from Black as she knelt down to let the wild Joltik scuttle away.

"I imagine it makes him happy to be around his kind." Vale shrugged. Reaching up, she stroked little circles with her forefinger on Joltik's forehead. "But he still seems to like this spot the most."

"Hello, Destroyer."

Immediately, Hilda saw Vale tense, alongside Black. Hilda tried to find the source of the voice, but couldn't seem to place it. Vale turned with her back to them, holding out an arm.

"Watch yourself." she muttered to them. Just as she said it, a familiar trio suddenly appeared.

"You fuckers!" Hilda couldn't help but exclaim. "I remember you ninja freaks, you kidnapped us on Victory Island!"

"This does not concern you, Hilda Veritas. Nor you… Burns."

"Dammit, it's WHITE. Hilda motherfucking White! And Burns?" Hilda echoed. "What the fuck are you-"

"Where did you hear that name?"

The demand came from Black. Hilda glanced at him, surprised by the utter mortification in his voice. His face was set into a steely cold glare, but his eyes and tone depicted something else. Horror like nothing Hilda had ever seen before. In truth, Black almost seemed a little sick by whatever… 'burns' was. A name, one of them said? Who's name?

…

…

Maybe… His name…?

"This does not concern you." they repeated. "We want the Destroyer. Or more specifically… Our King wants her."

"N?" Vale suddenly asked. Face twisted into a scowl. "If N wanted to talk to me, he would've sought me out himself. I refuse."

"You do not get a choice."

One of them lunged at her, but Vale deftly moved to the side. Dodging back towards Hilda and Black, she grabbed them each by the sleeves, and shoved them towards and adjacent bridge.

"Go! Get out of here!"

"Wait, but we-" Hilda began, only to be stopped when Black grabbed her wrist. "Black, what the fu-!"

"If Vale wants to die at the hands of those guys, I'm not going to stick around for us to be next!" Black snapped at her, dragging her across the bridge.

"DIE?! No way, she's my friend-"

"We're retreating!" Black snapped at her. "You have no clue what those men are capable of!"

With surprising speed and strength, he hefted her over his shoulder and bolted across the bridge, with Hilda pounding her fists into his back and kicking him as best she could. He seemed utterly unfazed. Lifting her head, the last thing she saw was the Triad looming over Vale. She wasn't sure if she was unconscious or…

"Black, we need to go back!" she began to fight him with increasing fury. "They might have killed her, we need to go back! Black!"

But he ignored her, continuing running until Vale and the Triad was out of sight.

o.0.o.0.o

I'm so tired and I knew how I wnted to end the chapter, but idk… It's a bit MEH to me.

Amy47101 signing off! ^.^