Chapter 27 Ideally, No Hero

"Do you have to go?" Hil whined, leaning against Church's shoulder. It was Friday and that meant Church would leave for the Pokémon League for the weekend. In the last few weeks Hil had stayed, he had remained behind while Church left for them to avoid getting recognized by anyone in the League.

"Yes, Hil," Church laughed as he slipped into his dark, dressy shoes. His Arcanine waved his tail as he pranced around the living room, excitedly circling because he knew Church was about to leave. Church turned a quizzical look to Hil. "Would you want to come with me?" he asked, voice shuddering with nerves. "Y'know… since you're gonna talk to Cheren, and Bianca, anyway… I know they said they couldn't be here or talk today, but—"

"Of course," Hil answered confidently, cutting his anxious stammering off. It felt oddly warm and nice to see Church's face light up at his response, to please him like that. Hil felt more at ease, too. He still felt that push, that urge, whenever he glanced to the glowing Light Stone, but it was easier to ignore now, with the prospect of pleasing Church and making him happy on the table. Because Hil did love him, even if there was so much doing its best to tear them apart. "I'd love to come with you for the weekend."

"Great!" Church beamed and hugged him back, then playfully messed with Hil's hair as he stood. "I need to go restock on some Hyper Potions, Revives, and so on before we leave, though. I'll be right back."

Hil leaned into his touch and then nodded. "Sure," he replied distractedly.

Church patted his thigh and his Arcanine bolted after him, then both disappeared out the front door. Hil flopped down on the sofa and pulled his new Xtransceiver free to look for something to keep him entertained until Church returned. He was sure it wouldn't take long, so didn't see the point in starting up a show or anything.

Noodle, of course, took the opportunity to try to throw himself onto Hil and curl up on his stomach. Managing to fight the enormous Serperior off that idea, he ended up settling for the lesser win of curling up on top of Hil's legs (which admittedly, still hurt, but at least he could breathe, unlike if Noodle had rested on his abdomen). He just rolled his eyes. "What am I gonna do with you, Noodle?"

Knocking on the front door, soft and uncertain, but knocking all the same. Hil cracked a smirk and dropped the Xtransceiver against his chest, looking down at Noodle. "Did he forget his keys?" Hil asked tauntingly.

Seemingly uninterested in Hil's humor that day, Noodle's head twitched as he eagerly slithered off the couch, plopping into the floor and hurrying to the door. He nuzzled the doorknob and trilled eagerly before Hil even had a chance to scramble to his feet. "I'm coming, I'm coming," Hil snorted as he grabbed the doorknob and opened the door. "He probably just—"

Hil leapt away from the door like a startled Liepard and his heart immediately raced. It was not Church at the door at all. This man was far taller and thinner, with long green hair bunched over his shoulders and back, a black and red ballcap over his head that cast shadows over his gray eyes. He was wearing mostly variants of those blacks and pale reds now, but he still had that round, planetary necklace strung from his neck and the glittering cube dangling at his side. His hands were politely tucked behind his back and he had an uneasy, yet hopeful grin over his face.

"Hil," N said, "it's you!"

Speechless, Hil couldn't say anything. Words drowned in his mind before he had a chance to even speak them. He sputtered for something for a few seconds but then just shook his head in disbelief. N hesitantly stepped inside and Hil flinched again, knowing he should have told him to leave, but still unable to get his stupid mouth to cooperate. Why, oh, why couldn't he find words?

"Hil," N started nervously, "I know I'm uninvited here, but I had to find you. We need to talk."

Finally, Hil felt like the muzzle was ripped free of his lips and he was able to vocalize something. "Get out!" he shot, starting to sweat bullets. "Get out, right now! You can't be here!" Thoughts started to process again, and he practically bared his teeth in frustration. This was just like N! Hil hadn't forgotten how easily N managed to make a mess of his emotions whenever he was around, and the last thing he needed right then was for Church to come home and find N there with him while he was away! He bravely stamped a foot, moving forward, and pointed at the still-open door. He didn't care about his nightmares. He didn't care about the Light Stone. And he most certainly did not care about N. "Get out!"

Pulling back slightly at his anger, N shook his head adamantly. "Hil, no… please, listen to me, I know I made it difficult for you these last couple years—"

"Difficult!" Hil incredulously spat the word, glaring irritably at Noodle when he slithered up to N and rubbed his head against the others pants affectionately. Traitor. "You made it 'difficult?' You changed the whole course of my life! Now, like I said, you need to get out because you can't be here!" No, this wasn't what he had wanted at all, he was supposed to be forgetting all about this, supposed to be getting ready to head to the League with Church for the weekend, supposed to be moving on—

"Hil!" N sounded more desperate this time, stormy eyes rounding fearfully. "Listen to me, please! Unova is dying. We are needed again!"

Hil's expression faded and he just shook his head. "What are you talking about?" he asked breathlessly. N was starting to speak too fast to keep up with and he just felt an overwhelming sense of fear, fear of what might happen should N not shut up soon, should N not leave. Hil didn't trust his own resolve, no matter how staunchly he wanted to tell himself he didn't care. Deep down in his heart, he just knew he was a wayward wanderer, the same as the man before him. Softer and more desperate, he begged, "What are you ever talking about, N?"

N reached into a pocket and held up a black, perfect sphere, crackling with blue electricity over the surface. He looked down at it and clutched it in his grasp hard, then turned a pained look up to Hil. "Zekrom led me back here… Unova needs us, Hil."

"Arcanine—what are you doing?" Church laughed as he made his way down Virbank's cobbled streets. Arcanine was known for being curious and obnoxious at times, but usually the pokémon had no trouble sticking to his side. Yet, today, he was bounding all over the place, occasionally looking off past the crowded houses along the roads and whining. At Church's call, he bounced back to his side, nearly barreling into his legs. Church went to say something else, but just as he opened his lips, Arcanine barked furiously and tore off after something toward the Route 20 gate.

"W-wait, Arcanine!" Church sped after him and found himself soon regretting his usual choice in attire, the silky shirt clinging to his body and the long pants feeling like they stifled his movements. He entered the gate just in time to see Arcanine vanish out the other end, and he cursed himself as he paused to catch his breath, panting. This is my luck. Some Elite Four I'll turn out to be, he almost laughed at himself. Losing one of my pokémon!

Someone questioned him about whether he was feeling alright, and Church grinned at them and waved them off, adopting that collectedness he usually boasted. "Just training a new pokémon and he got away from me a little bit, I got it," Church winked back at them. They seemed to recognize him then with the way their face lit up with a gleeful smile, but Church made sure to scurry away and after his Arcanine before they had a chance to start chattering away to him. He was not interested in an impromptu interview and he had to find Arcanine.

On the other side, however, he was stalled in his tracks by a scene he couldn't believe. Arcanine was bouncing and turning in circles, as if he were chasing his tail, but he was looking up. Just above his head, a little orange pokémon with familiar V-shaped ears flitted about, the occasional ember arcing from its head. "Oh, my Arceus," Church yelped, "that's—" He cut himself off as he covered his mouth with his hands, unable to believe his eyes. He had heard of Victini in stories and, of course, one of his starring roles had featured a CGI Victini in the movie, but he couldn't have ever imagined seeing the real thing. Yet, that's what was in front of him. There was no way it could have been anything else, he was sure of it.

Victini eyed him with a soulful blue gaze and then chattered excitedly, flying away down the route, Arcanine barking and in tow. "Wait, Arcanine, stop!" Church squeaked, darting after them.

What on Earth is Victini doing here?! Church thought with a twinge of nervous, excited apprehension. What is it leading me to?

"No, no, no, no!" Hil snapped, shaking his head vigorously, depriving that inner voice that wanted to listen to N so badly of the chance to hear him explain. He hatefully glared back up at N and set his jaw. "Unova does not need me. I had my fun, N. It was great, really, running around, always chasing you and trying to figure out what was going on with you, but I'm done. Every time I did that, it turned around and bit me in the ass. Either you lashed out at me and hurt me, or everything else fell apart around me, and—and—I've got something good going on right now, I'm trying to get my life back on track, and you're not about to just waltz in here with your little Dark Stone in hand and tell me some pokémon told you something and try to drag me back into—"

"You are the Hero of Truths, are you not?" N demanded. He had pressed his lips to a thin line and no longer looked so hopeful. He looked… contemptuous, almost. He stalked just a little closer and Hil jumped away again, hitting the wall dividing Church's living room and kitchen. N advanced more, unfazed by Hil's frightened response. "You hold the Light Stone, do you not? You battled alongside Reshiram in the past, did you not?"

"Get out of here, N!" Hil snarled, clutching at the wall behind him, voice breaking with the effort. "I'm not doing this again!"

"You battled alongside Reshiram in the past, did you not?" N repeated, louder and furiously.

"Because it had no choice!" Hil wailed. "It chose me at the last second! Remember that, N? Remember that?!" No, no, no, no, this was wrong, he wasn't going back into this, Reshiram had chosen wrong, Reshiram needed to leave and find someone else—

"Ghetsis is still out there," N explained, beginning to pace ahead of Hil, still clutching the Dark Stone in his hands. "He runs this new Neo Plasma. He is making Unova sick. Sick, Hil, sick!" He paced a few more times and angrily shook his head. "Unovans are so afraid of this group, have been living in fear of that man for so long, have been tearing each other apart over mixed beliefs over Team Plasma, that Meloetta is dying. Meloetta, Hil," N sharply turned on a heel to face him, "is the heart of Unova. She is what gives Unovans their spirit, but she survives off the goodwill of others as much as she gives it. If she dies, Hil, then Unova may never be a happy place again, and Ghetsis will get what he wants!"

ShutupshutupshutupshutupSHUTUP! Frustrated, desperately clinging to what little resolve he had, Hil viciously yelled, "I don't CARE!" But I do care. This sounds awful. I can't just let this happen. Am I really going to let Unova suffer so I can have my time with Church? He shook his head vigorously. No, he couldn't let N get into his head. He knew better! Every time that happened, it hurt him in the end! How could he even believe N? What was a Meloetta? This sounded frightening and insane, and he wanted no parts of it! I just want Church. I just want Church, he told himself again and again. "Church told me that people are—the gym leaders and the League—they're taking care of Neo Plasma! They know that Ghetsis is free! This isn't like last time!"

"You're right, it's worse!" N bristled. "It's worse, Hil! Why can't you see that? Why do you not want to assist?" He started to pace again. "Ghetsis has another Ancient Dragon of Unova. One neither of us knew about before. Its name is Kyurem. Kyurem is suffering and will destroy Unova with ice under Ghetsis'—"

"N, I don't care!" Hil cut him off desperately, voice shaking. Just stop talking! Just leave! I can't keep telling you off forever! Just get out! "Not this time, N! I finally have something good going for me, I'm not letting you take that away from me with your scary…" Hil shook his head. He knew he was in the wrong. He knew he shouldn't have been denying, he should have been listening, asking for N to explain, to understand what he was saying, but he didn't want to! Oh, how desperately he just didn't want to… "Go away! Just, go away!"

N frustratedly groaned. "You would really choose that man over the safety of Unova, of which Reshiram chose you as its Hero?"

Hil gaped at him following the verbal blow. He clenched his fists and lunged forward, getting into N's face suddenly. Just leave, N! "I didn't ask for that!" Hil spat at him. "It chose me, I didn't choose a damn thing!"

"Not yet, but you could!" N retorted, not backing down.

"And yes, for your information, I would choose 'that man' over it! 'That man' means more to me than anything!" Hil practically sneered as he added, "And he definitely means more than you!" Yes. I hate you. You have no right to be in my dreams, in my head, walking up in here and throwing my whole life off track whenever you feel like it, you—you—fucking—you fucking tree! Hil growled in annoyance and shook the thoughts from his head, scowling at N with all the hatred he could muster. It took so much energy to be this angry… Just leave, N… Just… leave…

"I thought you were different," N said softly as he stepped back. He tightened his fists. "I thought you were proof that humans could be truly selfless and caring." He eyed Hil steadily, eyes glittering, and growled, "But I see I was wrong."

Hil put his head in his hands. This was wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong. "Get out!" he hollered again, this time sounding more like he was pleading rather than ordering.

N left and shut the door behind him with a click.

Victini had led them to a lake. Church had needed to get creative to get there; the path following Victini was crisscrossed with waterways and forestry, but he eventually picked his way after them, finding the mythical and his Arcanine playing at the banks. Breathlessly, Church called out to them as he approached, then grimaced as he looked down at his now mud-soaked shoes and pants. His shirt had various little marks across it that he couldn't place as well. Deciding that was a small price to pay for meeting an actual legendary, he gawked back at the Victini… who flew across the lake and landed on the small, stony island in the center of the water.

Acanine pawed at the water and whimpered, unwilling to swim through it. Church just looked at it, too. It might have been the middle of summer, but the temperature had dropped significantly recently. He did not look forward to the idea of wading through that icy water… "Uh, Vict—Victini?" he nervously called out as he dipped the toe of his shoe into the lake, then withdrew it immediately. He could feel the cold through his shoes! "I don't think I can cross this…"

"Perhaps you need a lift."

Hearing the steady beat of wings and a rumbling growl, Church whirled around and staggered away from the enormous, black Dragon-type that was lowering itself to the ground. As impressive as it was, with the blue electricity arcing across its head and its ominous, glowing tail, he was more pressingly drawn to the person astride its shoulders. The lanky man with green hair fluidly leapt from the beast's shoulders and scrutinized Church with an almost disdainful gaze. "Perhaps if I can't get through to Hil, I can get through to you."

Church's excitement shattered in that moment. His expression fell and he whispered, "Couldn't get through to Hil…? What do you…?" He glanced between the pokémon and the man and pieces started to fit together. Hil had told him enough stories in the past and recently about N to understand who he was looking at. This was N, the former leader of Team Plasma, and his legendary Ancient Dragon of Unova—Zekrom. N, the man who Hil had given so much to save… Church couldn't help the caginess that came over him as he surreptitiously folded his arms across his chest and glowered at the other. "What do you mean, 'couldn't get through to Hil?'" His heart started to pound as his mind raced with all the possibilities for that… He didn't want to buy into them yet, because he wanted to believe Hil, and he didn't want to become so emotional here in the middle of nowhere, but they were there, surging just beneath the surface, making his lips twitch. Because it sounded to him as if N had been speaking to Hil without his knowledge…

N pursed his lips and glanced to Zekrom. "Let me show you something." He nodded at Zekrom and the pokémon lumbered forward, lowering its head. At Church's hesitation, N impatiently explained, "Get on."

"Get on? That thing?" Church's voice climbed higher in pitch as he spoke, and he blanched as he overlooked Zekrom's fierce form.

"Yes, and that thing is my friend, Zekrom, it has a name," N pointedly hissed.

With some more awkward exchanges and sharp words from N, Church climbed to Zekrom's shoulders and recalled his Arcanine. Then, Zekrom scooped N up in its arms, and flew to the island in the center of the lake. It carefully set N to the ground and then lowered its head so that Church could step off, onto the wet rock below. He nervously stared at the dark cave entrance ahead, relaxing slightly when Victini zipped out into view again. It squeakily chattered something at N and Zekrom, tossed a look to Church again, then flew back into the cavern.

"Go inside," N urged. "I need you to see something." N walked ahead of him and was swallowed up by the darkness inside of the cave. Curiosity getting the better of his jealous fear that N had gone to see Hil without his knowledge, Church slowly moved after him, surprised by how the cavern opened up so large but was so empty, save for some puddles of water on the floor…

He followed N all the way to the back of the cave and jolted in shock at seeing Victini leaned over some pokémon he didn't recognize, one whose breathing was shallow and ragged, and as limp and lifeless as they came. "What is that?" Church asked in alarm, starting to dig through his bag. "It's hurt, whatever it is—"

"Stop. You can't heal it," N said tersely. He stood behind the downed pokémon and put his hands behind his back, giving Church an unreadable expression in the dimness of the cavern. The only light was from Victini itself, whose ears were glowing orange with tiny flames. "This is what I was trying to tell Hil about today. Initially, Victini and I had just decided to keep you busy while I spoke to him, thinking he'd be more cooperative with you away, but he wasn't. So, Churchill… I believe that's your name. This is Meloetta. Meloetta is the heart of Unova. As much as she gives joy to others, she survives off the same. When morale falls and Meloetta can't summon it back, she is hurt. Unovans are suffering more than ever under the thumb of my fath… of Ghetsis."

"What… Why show me this? Why… Why try to tell Hil this?" Church asked defensively, interest piqued by that detail. "What could he do about it?" Why would you need him specifically to do something about it, by the way? Verging on jealousy, he added, "And why would you try to talk to him behind my back? Why does he need to talk to you in private?"

"Because Hil is the Hero of Truths and he is throwing it away for you, and I hoped that perhaps with you gone, he might see sense," N said bluntly. Church scoffed, unappreciative of N's barbed tongue, but let him finish. "Ghetsis has control of another legendary Ancient Dragon of Unova. Of Kyurem. This pokémon is a beast of ice with no heart left… Ghetsis and Kyurem will destroy Unova. They will break the people's spirits even more. They will kill Meloetta and Unova will be no more. Then, Ghetsis may take his destruction elsewhere."

Church's breath quickened as he listened, and he started to shake his head. "No… That's… that's crazy, N, you realize that, right? I don't doubt that Ghetsis is dangerous and is likely up to no good, but to say that he could threaten legendaries, that he could get a pokémon that strong under his control, and endanger an entire region—"

"Do not underestimate him," N growled. He looked down at Meloetta. "Don't say it isn't possible or it isn't true. Because it is. You're looking at the proof right now. Try to heal Meloetta with a Hyper Potion if you wish. It won't work."

Feeling panicky and wanting to prove him wrong, selfishly just wanting him to go away and stop talking about Hil, Church wrenched a spray bottle free of his bag and leaned down, spritzing the fluid across the downed pokémon's body. Victini shifted away and sadly mewled as the spray did nothing to Meloetta's frail frame. Shakily, Church put the empty bottle back in his bag and sank to his knees. Oh, my Arceus. It's true. This is… I've only ever heard of Meloetta in folklore, when I was studying the Village Bridge for that musical. But I'm here, looking at Victini. That's Zekrom. Legendaries wouldn't just be here for no reason… and I know Ghetsis is dangerous… Hil told me all about him, as did anyone else I spoke to that had met him… He shivered as he recalled former Champion Alder's tales. But N… no, he can't be telling the truth… No…

"Kyurem is as strong as Zekrom or Reshiram and there is no telling what Ghetsis has done to it," N continued quietly. "I can't beat him on my own. I need the Hero of Truths to assist me, but he doesn't want anything to do with me. Because of you." Church jerked his face to look up at N's contemptuous, angry stare. Shocked as N curled his lip at him, N carried on, growing louder with frustration, "You humans are so selfish and cruel. That is what is killing this beautiful region more so than anything else. Ghetsis' cruelty started it and now you, Churchill, your selfishness may just guarantee its destruction!"

N stamped through some puddles away from Meloetta and paused with his arms crossed.

"N… that's not… I didn't… What are you talking about?" Church asked heatedly, ready to defend himself, ready to defend Hil, in particular. He didn't appreciate N's accusatory tone and what he was implying about himself, but more than that, he was incensed by N's indication that Hil was selfish or cruel. Hil could be dense but he was far from self-serving. He slowly rose to his feet and scowled at N. "I never said Hil couldn't do something he felt was important or anything like that!"

"Yet, he refuses, because he just wants to have a happy life with you," N retorted with a sarcastic edge. "He is willing to let Unova suffer because he doesn't want to upset you."

Swallowing anxiously, Church struggled to find the words. Have… have I really played a role in this? he thought in dismay as he cast a glance back at Meloetta. "He… he… I didn't mean to make him feel like he couldn't help with something like this…" Yet, as the guilt started to set in, there was some frustration… He couldn't help but feel like something was readying to steal Hil away from him again, and perhaps this time, he would have to be the one to help push him away. He steeled his jaw against a thought. Why am I always second place? Why am I never anyone's first choice for anything? "And stop talking about him like that. I don't appreciate it. If what you say is true and he sent you away, it's not because he wants Unova to suffer. Hil wouldn't want that… He just…" Church paused and took a shuddery breath upon saying this out loud. "He wants me… I promise, N," the name felt sour on his tongue, "I never meant to make him feel like he couldn't help if he was needed again."

"Then you need to let him know that," N said coldly. "Because if you don't, well… I'm going to go face Ghetsis. I'll do what I can to stop him. We will form a plan without the Hero of Truths, so that we are ready in case… but we could use him dearly. He would guarantee our success."

Flicking a pained look between Zekrom, Victini, Meloetta, and finally settling on N, Church swallowed hard and grimaced. He was in training to be an Elite Four member, a position in which one would be sworn to protect Unova at all costs, and he had been fighting that lingering doubt in the back of his mind that Hil would leave for a long time. He had just wanted so badly to believe that Hil wouldn't need to leave… Had wanted so badly to believe that Hil's adventure was over and he just needed time to settle back into a life he was comfortable with, one that hopefully included him. His keen intuition knew exactly what he needed to do. As much as he wanted to spite N, he could tell N was not lying; he was angry and upset—desperate. There was nothing romantic about the way he spoke about Hil and there was nothing coy about the way he spoke about the state of Unova, or of Meloetta… And he had seen Meloetta's refusal to heal despite the Hyper Potion…

Church just felt so, utterly defeated. "I'll talk to him," he admitted at last, hanging his head to stare at N's shoes rather than him directly. This was a loveless affair, after all. N was there to steal Hil away but not for the reasons he had feared. Arguably, this was worse… He couldn't argue against this. As N had pointed out, it would be selfish for him to clutch Hil and refuse to let him go despite knowing all of this. Wearily, he knew what he needed to do. "I'll… I'll try to talk to him… What did you tell him already…?"

"I told him everything I told you."

With a stiff nod, Church crossed his arms again and clenched his jaw, fighting off the strong emotions that always seemed to rise to the surface whenever Hil was involved. He glanced furtively at the opening of the cave, where he could just barely see Zekrom lazing in front of it. Church gave a long, heavy sigh. "Alright… Like I said… I'll talk to him…"

There was an awkward silence. "Thank you," N said at last, starting to amble toward the entrance again. "I… can take you back to your place…"

Subdued, Church just followed wordlessly. Just another broken promise I made to myself, he thought with a tiny flicker of sad amusement. I knew better… I am always second to something else. With Mom, it was drugs, with Hil, I thought it was N, but… it's Unova itself. I'm never anyone's first choice nor will I ever be. Yet, he halted when Victini flew into his face, cocking its head at him curiously. "Yeah…?" Church asked unsteadily.

Victini squeaked happily and raised its tiny hand to touch him on the nose. A flood of warmth, bordering on uncomfortably hot, raced from his head to his toes, leaving him gasping for breath and clutching at the air. The sensation doubled back on him and felt like liquid flame coursing through his veins for a split second. He gawked at the pokémon and stammered, "Wh-what… what was that?"

Victini squealed again and its ears burst into bright flame that tossed light all over the cavern, reflecting the water on the floor on the ceiling beautifully. He was briefly mesmerized by the sea of reds, yellows, oranges, and blues on the stone all around him, reflecting and twisting in intricate patterns. "Wow…" The light soon faded as Victini's flames died down and it flitted past Church, back toward the rear of the cave.

Church turned to look at N with silent expectance, wanting to understand what had just happened, but afraid to ask. N looked equally as surprised. "What was that, N…?" Church chanced at last breathlessly.

"Victini blessed you with good luck," N answered softly, staring distantly past Church. "It can't do that often… It takes much energy." With that, he started to turn to continue his walk toward Zekrom. "Victini… says that you still can have a role in this…" N stiffly explained as Church caught up to him at the mouth of the cave. "Victini recognizes that it's not… entirely fair to ask you to do this, that you are still human." N's lip twitched and he rubbed a hand to Zekrom's face. "Whatever being human has to do with any of it," he admitted at last.

Church was no longer listening to him though. He was shooting glances back at that cave, trying to fight the grin on his face. I… I have a place in this? he thought wildly. I'm not just… collateral damage or there to help? I'm actually a part of this?

He couldn't believe it, but oh, how he wanted to…

Hil is gonna be so confused ngl