Chapter 24 The Next Right Thing

While time passed as Hil stroked the Servine's side, he slowly regained a foothold on reality, on where he was, on what was happening. He began to question the guilty thoughts that had racked him some moments earlier, the ones telling he should be sorry for being 'useless,' for not helping. He wondered, in a rare moment of clarity, just what made him useless when he still could help? Secretly, he knew exactly why he had felt useless. Why the haunting imagery of his father and mother had played tricks on him. Try as he might to not allow the thoughts in, Hil felt guilty over Vince. He always had since the accident, and he knew he likely always would.

Yet, hadn't he made the pact with himself back in Nacrene and Castelia that he wouldn't allow himself to sit idly by anymore? That he wouldn't let himself helplessly reel in 'uselessness' anymore? He thought to Burgh and how the downtrodden gym leader had rushed to their aid regardless of the potential repercussions. This wasn't like with his father. Vince was gone. Bianca was standing just on the other side of the cavern and Cheren was at his side still. The realization that this wasn't over hit him like a freight train. He still had time!

Noodle seemed to sense the shift in Hil's mood, and he looked up at his trainer with those round, hopeful red eyes. Noodle then nudged him with his pointy muzzle and crooned curiously at him. Hil smiled warmly, then gently moved him so he could stand. Catching Cheren's attention, his friend gave a start of surprise and looked at him. "Hil?"

"I still have time," Hil breathlessly said aloud, that stupid grin pulling at his lips like he'd discovered something so precious, "I'm gonna go talk to her."

Cheren looked like he was going to say something, but he shut his mouth with an audible click of the teeth. Averting his gaze, he just jerked his head at Bianca as if to tell him to go ahead. Hil eagerly took his blessing and, with Noodle hot on his heels, made his way to Bianca and the three members of Team Plasma. They had sat in a circle, the Joltik long gone, but a Tynamo had joined them instead. It whisked between each of them, wriggling excitedly, flashing the stripe on its body as if daring them to touch it, though none of them did. At Hil's approach, they all quit their joyful laughter and regarded him uncertainly. Bianca's words caught in her throat a few times before she finally spoke clearly.

"Hi, Hil," she choked out. "I'm… sorry for being so loud back there… I know, that freaks you out, and I saw you. I just didn't know what to…"

She trailed off and Hil shrugged. Noodle gave a squeal of happiness next to him and everyone's attention was drawn to the proud little Servine. Hil chuckled. "It's okay, Bianca… I don't want to come over here and tell you you're wrong, because, well, you're right about at least one thing. We never really asked you anything about it. But can we talk for a minute?"

"Of course, Hil," Bianca weakly nodded. "You and Cheren are both still my friends… even if I'm a little upset at him right now…"

One of the Team Plasma grunts chimed in. She had dark, curled hair that spilled from beneath her hood. "Your friend here, Bianca, this is Hil, yes?"

"The one and only," Hil jokingly saluted. It made his mouth run dry to look at the Team Plasma grunts but he had something much more important to focus on. Whatever his personal issues with Team Plasma were, he had a friend to help.

"Is it okay if we talk in front of them?" Bianca questioned.

Hil gnawed the inside of his lower lip momentarily as he pondered it. He didn't really want to, but he supposed it wouldn't be the end of the world if he did if they were okay with what he was about to say. "Yeah, that's fine, I think." Hil sat down and put a hand on Noodle's back, hugging him close. "I guess I'm just a little confused, still… What makes you want to believe Team Plasma?" Hil asked her at last.

Bianca blinked in what appeared to be shock. She pushed some straggly blond hair from in front of her face and adjusted her green beret. "That's… just what I was talking to these three about, actually."

The same female grunt that had spoken before nodded. "Yes. Miss Bianca claims that she met two grunts that were attacking a Munna in the Striaton City Dreamyard," she said sadly. "That's sad news but we were glad to inform her that those two grunts have since been discharged from Team Plasma."

"Very dishonorably, I might add," another one of them interjected with a snicker. He had pitch black hair with reddish highlights here and there. His eyes were so big and blue. "Lord N had them tossed out immediately when he learned of what they did. Lord Ghetsis, I guess he knew Lord N would go off the deep end if he knew, so originally, he just punished them and told us all to keep it a secret from Lord N. Lord Ghetsis… his punishments might be harsh, but he still intends to help at the end of the day."

Hil, intrigued, frowned at him slightly. "S-so, Ghetsis—"

"Lord Ghetsis," he was quickly correct by the third grunt, a meek, tawny-haired girl.

"Sorry," Hil apologized after a deep breath to keep from snapping at her that he didn't care, and he grimaced as he went on to say, "So, Lord Ghetsis, he hides stuff from N—I mean, Lord N?" He pronounced their titles as if attempting to articulate a foreign word. It felt so nasty to call them by that.

"Well, sometimes, but that makes it sound bad." Blue Eyes shifted uncomfortably. "It's… Lord N is the King of Team Plasma but Lord Ghetsis is his adoptive father. Lord N's word is final but Lord Ghetsis is his closest advisor… It's hard running something like Team Plasma alone, you know."

Hil's heart pumped a little faster at that news. Ghetsis was N's father? He had a deep, sinking feeling. All too well, Hil knew the kind of sway a father could have over their child… adoptive or not. Then, he stifled a disbelieving scoff at the idea of Ghetsis adopting a child. He couldn't shake the thought that if Ghetsis had done that, it was a stunt for saving face. After all, every time Hil had seen him, he appeared to be hiding something. Coveting a secret and covering his organization's metaphorical ass to make them appear blameless for any wrongdoing. But he didn't understand one thing, still: if Ghetsis, this wickedly intelligent man, was N's advisor and father, why was N so frustratingly naïve?

"Anyway," Bianca faked a cough, "after that happened… I was upset, of course, and mad at them. I thought they were the worst people around. But then, in Castelia… One of the same guys came back and stole Munny from me. Iris preached at me about how they were wrong and violent and… I just didn't care. I knew that guy was bad. The problem was that I let that happen. Munny was my pokémon that I had promised to protect and help and grow as my friend and partner and… she was stolen from me, there was nothing I could do." Bianca paused and the Tynamo swam through the air over to her, settling against her chin. It bumped it a few times as if trying to raise it for her but was too weak to do so. Bianca laughed sadly. "Even if there are some… crazies… can you really say that there's no truth to it at all?"

"Bianca…" Hil reached a hand to gently touch her shoulder. The Tynamo whipped away to Blue Eyes and swirled around his head. "I know that whole thing was upsetting for you, but… even if bad things happen sometimes, is that really something worth throwing away all the good?"

As if on cue, Noodle wormed his way to the center of the group. The three Team Plasma grunts curiously tilted their heads at him. Noodle put on a show for them, spreading two vines from his shoulders and gently waving his tail. They oohed and the meek girl on the end reached a hand to tentatively touch one of the tendrils. Noodle noticed her and moved it to let her feel. She smiled so genuinely at that. Hil gave them all a soft, pained look. Meek Girl especially was enchanted by Noodle. Maybe she was so sullen because she didn't actually agree with Team Plasma's platform…

He swallowed hard as he turned to Bianca. "Look, I know there's probably a lot of bad going on in the world… and you're right. There probably are some things that could change." He thought back to the truth about the Pokémon Daycare he learned in Nimbasa City. Ugh. It was still such a disgusting thought. He shivered before he continued. "But can I…" He paused briefly as he took in a shaky breath. He was suddenly not so sure about what he was getting himself into. "Can I try to show you there's another way than what Team Plasma wants?"

Bianca nervously looked between him and the three Team Plasma grunts. Hil did as well, concerned they might react unpleasantly to his question, but Meek Girl just kept playing with Noodle, nervously batting at his vines while he quickly jerked them away from her. Amusingly, it reminded Hil of a Purrloin batting at a feather toy. Blue Eyes just gave Bianca an easygoing smile. Dark-Haired Girl just shrugged and said, "We're here to try to educate others. If you want to hear him out, too, we've got no problem with that."

"Okay, Hil," Bianca agreed finally, "I'll try to see your way first. Before I make any decisions. Just…" She stared past him and he could tell without tracing her line of sight that she was watching Cheren. "I need him to let me figure this out… That's really the problem. He just… wants to fix everything for me. For us."

"I'll tell him to leave you alone," Hil said encouragingly. "I promise."

Bianca stood up and brushed away the gravel from her clothes. The Team Plasma grunts also stood, Meek Girl standing last, and Blue Eyes dipped his head respectfully at Bianca, saying, "Well, if you end up making the choice to join us, me and my friends will be staying in Mistralton City for a few days." With that, they took their leave, swallowed up by the darkness of the deeper recesses of Chargestone Cave.

Hil felt a little clammy as he realized the pressure he had just placed on his shoulders. He had the sole responsibility of making Bianca believe Team Plasma was not a group to get involved with, and the idea of her joining them scared him… What if she became like N? Convinced he was unworthy of her friendship for opposing her views? The ball was in his court now and he had to handle it. There was nobody else to offload it onto; Cheren was completely out of the question. As the anxiety blossomed, Hil felt Noodle use his vines to try and haul himself back to Hil's shoulders. He chuckled and leaned down, picking him up. At the nuzzling of the Servine, Hil decided he didn't want to give into those thoughts, didn't want to think about how scary it was to have so much riding on him, because so what if it was? He was going to do his best to handle it. He was going to do his best to show her… There was no benefit to thinking about what might happen if he failed.

Together, he and Bianca walked back over to Cheren. She pointedly said nothing to him, hardly even looked at him, and Cheren did the same. It was definitely awkward, but Hil had every intention on taking them through Chargestone despite the tension. We left Nuvema Town together. We're staying together whether they like it or not.

Of course, Bianca had been easy to talk to, but Hil had no idea what to do to try and help Cheren. As they traversed the rocky environment, Hil occasionally battled the odd wildlife, but still failed to catch any new pokémon. Cheren remained decidedly silent, his usual helpful advice nowhere to be found, and Hil couldn't press him for it. At least Prada evolved into a Zebstrika along the way. It wasn't long before they began to run into Team Plasma members, though, and Cheren shouldered his way to the lead of the pack. Hil just fell back and let him handle them. Let Bianca watch.

It hurt, if he was perfectly honest, to listen to them compliment Cheren's ability and question his motives, even as they battled. Sure, they riddled their words with passive-aggression and took shots at Cheren's quiet nature with his pokémon, but they were giving him a chance. They were analyzing him. Hil had been given no such chance and as such, N had not only decided Hil wasn't worth being friends with, but he wasn't even worth having as a rival. So, every battle, Hil hung back and found himself staring at his feet, petting Noodle, feeling pangs of jealousy for Cheren. More and more as the battles waged on and his friend won easily again and again. Most frustrating at all was that Cheren didn't engage much with the grunts that faced him. He didn't seem to have anything to say at all to their barbed statements.

"Do you really think this helps us understand one another?" a particularly incredulous man had asked following the recall of his Krokorok. "I have to ask."

Cheren had just pushed past him without saying a word.

The Team Plasma grunt, eyeing Hil and Bianca as they trailed after Cheren, had scornfully said, "I suppose it doesn't, since I understand nothing more about you than I did moments ago."

Hil was so grateful when they finally escaped that cavern. It spilled them out right into the middle of a city's roadway. A Pokémon Center proudly stood just a short walk away. In the distance, a few miscellaneous buildings dotted the landscape, but what drew Hil's attention the most was a collection of three aircrafts on a runway behind long stretches of fencing. A modernistic glass building appeared to serve as the airport's headquarters nearby. He had very little time to take in the sights of Mistralton City, however, as Cheren began to storm off toward the Pokémon Center.

"Where are you going?" Hil called.

"To heal my pokémon. What else?" Cheren answered almost snidely.

"Can't we talk about what we're gonna do here?" Hil asked confusedly, glancing between him and Bianca. "I mean, me and you?"

Cheren had paused and without looking back at them, he said, "No. I mean, Bianca isn't talking to me, and I figure you need to talk to her about whatever it is you discussed back in the cave, so why should I stay?" Before Hil or Bianca had an opportunity to dispute him, he entered the Pokémon Center. Hil groaned and scuffed his foot on the ground. Noodle leaned his weight against Hil's neck sympathetically.

"Hil, I understand what you were trying to say back there in the cave," Bianca sighed, "but all that did was… show me how pokémon are used." At Hil's alarmed expression, she exasperatedly said, "Come on, you saw that, too. Cheren barely talks to his pokémon in battle. He just orders them around and he's clearly just mad at Team Plasma. Some 'Hero' he is. And yeah, Team Plasma's using pokémon, too. I can see that. But at least they're going to release them when it's all said and done! It'll be some of the last times pokémon are ever used."

"Bianca…" Hil trailed off. He had no idea how to rebuke her without upsetting her. He didn't like her talking down Cheren like that, especially since Hil was sure he was just acting out because he was hurt from his and Bianca's fight, but he decided to leave that topic alone for now. Calmly, he said, "Let me show you. Let me show you that people and pokémon sometimes… need each other. That we can do great things with each other." At that, he took Noodle into his arms and held up the Servine. One might have thought it looked childish, like him holding up an object for show-and-tell in kindergarten, but Noodle's body squirmed in glee as he happily waved his tail in Hil's grasp. "Noodle. Back there in that cave, I was a mess. I was. You know that, right?"

"Yes…" Bianca shuffled her feet. "I saw."

"Do you know how I pulled it together?"

"Not really…"

"Noodle!" Hil beamed stupidly and put the Servine on the ground. Right away, he hissed his complaint and attempted to pull himself back to Hil's shoulders with his vines. To further prove his point, Hil merely crossed his arms and didn't assist. Growing annoyed with Hil's lack of cooperation, Noodle finally wrapped vines around his trainer's shoulders, and unceremoniously raised his fat body with the tendrils. Hil snorted as he crumbled under the weight and began to fall over. Only then did he give in and help Noodle, and the Servine finally let the tendrils go. "He wants to be with me. He helps me in so many ways. And I think I help him too… I think me and all my pokémon have something like that… We've all been together since, like, Nacrene." Hil chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. He hoped he wasn't mucking this up…

Bianca nodded slowly. "I… I suppose… I guess I've been a little unfair… Ever since Nacrene, I've had a hard time watching battles." She averted her gaze and tucked her hands behind her back. "All I can see is how bloody or bruised they get, and then I just… look away and I only cheer for you guys because you're my friends. What kind of friend would I be if I didn't? And Cheren and you are always so happy when I'm rooting for you guys… I don't want to drag anyone down. I always got so excited and hugged you after because of that, but also…"

"…Because you were glad it was over," Hil supplied sadly.

"Yeah," Bianca mumbled.

"Well," Hil sighed and clasped his hands together as his mind worked. He suddenly had an idea as he stole a look at the distant, brown-roofed building further into Mistralton. The gym. Of course. Flying-type isn't so hard… Prada should be able to handle her easily… Maybe… "Bianca, would you mind watching me challenge Gym Leader Skyla?" At Bianca's off-guard expression, he added, "I mean, would you want to try to really watch my battle with her? Try to see how me and my pokémon work together? Maybe try to see how they enjoy it? Look beyond the superficial wounds." She struggled to answer him, and he pressed further. "I know… it's hard. My first few battles… Even sometimes recently. I just lock up because I see it, too. But then Roadie will look back at me, or Lucky will meow at me, and… they remind me that they want this."

Bianca flicked her eyes to the Pokémon Center just beyond Hil, to the gym, and then back at Hil. Ultimately, she just threw out her hands in surrender. "Okay. I'll watch. But after that, I'll make my decision."

"You got it."