"Say, who's the Elite Four here, Church?"
An uncharacteristically biting retort. "I don't know, Grimsley, who is? You sure don't act like what I picture when I think Elite Four."
Hil shot up as he heard the voices and blinked away bleariness, realizing Church was not in the bed. The door to the guestroom they had stayed in was ajar and the covers had been tossed away from Church's side, as if he had jumped out of the bed in a hurry. Noodle was coiled at the foot of the bed and growling at the door while Church's Arcanine stood in the doorway, barking madly. Heart pounding from the chaos already going on, Hil jumped up and finger-brushed his hair from his face, snapping fingers to encourage Noodle to follow him. Church's Arcanine jostled out of his way, but never quit barking, just as Noodle never quit growling.
"You can't fuckin' go with him, Churchill," he heard Grimsley snap from the main room. After rounding some of that dark home's halls—thanks to the circular shape, most of Grimsley's actual home was hallway—Hil found Grimsley and Church facing one another in the living room. Grimsley was standing in front of a recliner with a coffee in one hand and his other animatedly waving at Church, while the other stood at the ready on the opposite end of the room, between the coffee table and the TV, a glass bottle clutched in his right hand. A Liepard anxiously paced the length of the room behind Grimsley's chair and Hil was momentarily distracted by a Volcarona fluttering in one corner of the room, watching the confrontation carefully.
Neither Church nor Grimsley seemed to notice Hil's approach. Grimsley pointed his free hand at Church. "You are needed here. You haven't ever even beat all the gyms and are still in training—"
"Because you won't put down a goddamn bottle long enough to train me!" Church cut him off, voice rising in pitch as he annoyedly waved that bottle in his hand at the other. Grimsley and Hil both recoiled as he took a deep breath, reloading his strained voice for the next verbal shot. "I've tried to be patient. I've tried to just help where I can. I've dealt with all you've had to say, Grimsley, even when it's really awful. Now, you're going to listen to me this time. I'm tired of it. I'm just tired of it."
"Whoa, whoa," Hil finally found his voice, stepping more prominently into their view. "What's going on…?"
Grimsley collapsed to his recliner and shook his head, spilling a little of his coffee. His Liepard crept nervously from behind him and hopped into his lap, purring loudly as she rubbed her head against his chest. Church groaned in frustration and turned around, seemingly happy to have just broken his line of sight with Grimsley, and crossed his arms.
"He's in no position to go playing Hero at your side," Grimsley muttered as he flicked a hand at Hil, then used it to stroke his Liepard from head to tail. She purred loudly at his ministrations. "I'm glad your back, Hil, everybody'll be. But Church ain't going with you. No way."
"Good to know you do care about me after all," Church sarcastically retorted, "'cause you sure as hell could have fooled me." His Arcanine barreled into the room at that point and circled his legs. Begrudgingly, Church reached a hand to stroke the pokémon's head, stilling him at last.
"Why can't he?" Hil asked Grimsley. A combination of how early it was and seeing Church so upset had banished his reservations for the moment and he scrutinized Grimsley with a glare. Stepping slightly past Church, he put his hands on his hips and growled, "And how are you going to stop him if he decides he wants to?" Shaking his head, Hil continued before Grimsley had a chance to say anything. "You know, last time, the Champion of Unova was fucking Unova over and you seemed really worried about what was going to happen if he stayed up there. You thought Alder had chosen me and was trying to cheat me into the position."
Grimsley narrowed glassy eyes at him. "So?" he yawned.
"So, why are you like this?" Hil demanded bluntly, gesturing a hand across Grimsley's entire form. "You were drunk when we showed up yesterday. Clearly, Church has been trying to work with you for some time, if his stories are any indication. You blow him off any chance you get. You aren't working with the other Elite Four about Neo Plasma and now you don't want Church to help me?" Hil looked down the hall, back toward the guestroom, where he knew Reshiram was waiting in the Light Stone for the weekend to pass… He felt a surge of pride. A surge of anger. A surge of burning need. A surge of betrayal. He shot a glare full of those emotions on Grimsley and wasn't blind to the way he visibly shrank away from the scathing look. "Are you happy to just let Neo Plasma walk all over Unova? Do you not want to do anything to save it?" He paused as he reached his real question. "Have you given up, Grimsley?"
"Yes!" Grimsley exclaimed, digging his free hand into his Liepard's back. She tensed and mournfully looked up at him as he bitterly explained. "Yes, I have! Plasma kicked our asses last time, then you and that other guy fucked off, and now, Gym Leader Drayden won't even talk to anybody and then there's that goofy Water-type gym leader that never would talk to anybody at all! There's a whole, like, six people working to take on Neo Plasma, and Ghetsis is free again—despite their best efforts, the Pokémon League was destroyed last time! Innocent challengers died and—they had crucified carvings of all the gym leaders strung up on that castle! Who the hell do we think we are standing up to them? I tried to believe we could do better this time at first, but it's the same damn thing all over again!" Grimsley cast a scared look at Church. "So, when I tell him not to go, it's 'cause he's the only person I care about anymore or that cares about me and I don't want him to get hurt!"
Hil listened to his defeatist tirade with a rising wave of frustration, shaking his head as his words drew to a close. I wanted to run away from it, too. I did, for a long time, and… had I just done that, I'd be dooming Church and everyone else I care about to whatever Neo Plasma—whatever Ghetsis—wants to do. Hearing Grimsley's breakdown was more than enough to convince Hil he had finally made the right choice. Don't you see that, Grimsley? Don't you all see that? Giving in doesn't just make them go away. It gives them free reign to do whatever they want. Ghetsis is so cruel… He shook his head at Grimsley. Can't you see that, Grimsley? To give up means letting them hurt everyone and everything you love… He clenched his fists and defiantly asked, "And who said I was going to let him get hurt?"
Grimsley and Church both turned to face him and Hil loudly continued, fueled by that frustration, "We can't just sit back and let this happen. That's not how we fix this! That's not how we save Unova." Hil took a shuddery breath, finding himself recounting N's words. Unova is dying! We are needed again! As Hil hugged himself close and breathed in the faded scent of alcohol and cigarettes in the chamber, he wrinkled his nose and practically bared his teeth. Unova had been dying for a long time even before he had gotten involved, he was sure of it. He had been so blind, and he had been so selfish to disappear when his home, with everyone he loved on it, was crumbling from the inside out like a rotten apple. He hadn't realized he was staring at Church as he came to that conclusion, and it was silent for a few minutes as a small, amazed smile graced the other's lips.
Hil tore his gaze away from him and then narrowed it at Grimsley. "I'll challenge you four again to show you that I've gotten better at battling when it's needed most. Then, Church can battle me. Will that ease your mind, at least?"
"Don't bother," Grimsley mumbled under his breath, stroking his Liepard some more. "I just hope for his sake you know what you're doing this time. For all of Unova's sake. You two go play the Hero. I'll just sit here and pet my Liepard, and—"
"Drink?" Church cut him off rudely. He rounded the coffee table swiftly and paused, as if he were going to stand there instead, but then, quick as a flash, reached down and snatched something from Grimsley's belt. Darting away, Hil saw that it was his Poké Ball clip, and it clanked against the bottle he already held. Grimsley launched to his feet, unceremoniously dropping his Liepard to the floor, and sputtered curses.
"Damn it, Church!" Grimsley snapped. "Give me that!"
"Nope," Church answered matter-of-factly, shooting him that winning grin from across the next room. "Get the other Elite Four to battle Hil, then let him battle you, and I'll show you I can do this. Grimsley…" Church shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry. I was so caught up in how I felt about you… using… this stuff… that I didn't ever even stop to consider why you might have been… I want to show you that this isn't hopeless… So many in Unova are hopeless. Please. I don't want you to be one of them."
"We're not leaving until the end of the weekend, anyway," Hil chimed in with a sarcastic edge. "So… you can work with us, or I can just talk your ear off for the next few days." Hil beamed.
Grimsley snorted but the tiniest of curves at the edge of his lips betrayed his amusement. "Church does that to me already. What's one more pain in the ass?"
"Without booze," Church added knowingly.
"Aw," Grimsley groaned and tossed his head back, "now, that's just not fair!" There was a long pause as Grimsley set his coffee down and ran a hand over his head, disturbing his hair. "Fine. Fine, fine, fine."
Smiling warmly, Hil nodded. "We've got this, Elite Four Grimsley. Things are different now."
Grimsley's Liepard then strode over to him, touching its nose with Noodle. The Serperior had finally stopped growling at last and tilted his head curiously at the other. Chancing it, Hil bent down and rubbed the Liepard's head. She leaned into his touch and arched her back, purring happily. "You're way nicer than your trainer," Hil cooed to her, smirking to himself amusedly as he knew Grimsley would hear him. "Where'd you come from, huh?"
"Abandoned. Burgh said he found her in that building Team Plasma vacated across from his gym half-dead. Shelters are overloaded with Purrloin and some people have misconceptions about 'em, too, so Burgh called me and asked me if I'd take her in 'cause otherwise, he was worried the shelter might end up euthanizin' her. Had a little green bell around her neck."
Hil glanced back at him and then back at the Liepard. He set his jaw. "Team Plasma has hurt way too many people and pokémon." Hil rubbed the Liepard's chin. "I'll be ready this time. I know who I am."
Grimsley raised a brow at him. "What are you on about?"
"Last time, I didn't really know what I was doing, and I was scared out of my mind," Hil said breathlessly. "I'm still scared but I can't let that own me anymore. I'm gonna have people by my side and I'm gonna take care of this problem once and for all, because I am the Hero of Truths. Reshiram chose me, and I'll do whatever it takes to fix what I broke by not realizing that sooner."
Getting Hugh to agree to come with him, Professor Juniper, Bianca, and Gym Leader Skyla to Lentimas—a small town just next to Reversal Mountain, where Bianca wanted to go, and Undella, where the Marine Tube's entrance was located—was easy, but Rosa seemed less than enthused. "I still haven't beaten Skyla," she said lamely.
"Oh, I talked to Gym Leader Skyla about that," Nate offered right away, "she said she could battle you before we head out or at Lentimas…" Turning to Hugh, Nate nervously explained, "So, that will put us really close to Opelucid, too, but I was thinking we could battle Gym Leader Marlon in Humilau first. He's a Water-type trainer and I just think he'd be good practice before we get to Gym Leader Drayden, y'know?"
"That's a good idea!" Hugh nodded vigorously. "Gettin' stronger is more important than picking fights you know you can't win! That way, we're properly ready to face Neo Plasma when they show their ugly faces!"
Not too long after that, they were on that small plane from Mistralton to Lentimas, flying over Twist Mountain and a smaller city, coated with a thick layer of snow, named Icirrus. Nate had decided to forget how exhausted he had seen Skyla earlier that day (that was not stress he wanted), and she and Rosa had decided they would battle once they made landfall in Lentimas. Hugh gloated about how he was sure to have some decent practice against Marlon, though he was also certain he'd win easily between his Serperior and his new Galvantula. Whenever a conversation seemed like it might drift back to Neo Plasma, Bianca was quick to loudly interject with something about her project in Reversal Mountain… which, admittedly, Nate caught little of out of irritation for Bianca's attitude towards Neo Plasma.
Upon touchdown, Rosa stayed behind to battle Skyla, reassuring them she'd catch up later, and Nate and Hugh taunted one another about who could race to Undella faster. Realizing they had to pass through Reversal Mountain to get there, Nate had begged that they keep up the race, if for no other reason than to not run into Bianca again. "She basically doesn't want people dealing with Neo Plasma if they can help it," Nate complained to Hugh. "Like, what does she want people to do otherwise?"
"Yeah, fuck that," Hugh had nodded in agreement.
It was so wonderful to agree with him on stuff. Why had it been so easy to spend so long at one another's throats? This was so much nicer!
They both had to pause on the other side of Reversal Mountain, taking a moment to relax, seated in the sand. Still, the air was crisp with a bitter cold that made enjoying the beachfront view difficult, and it was almost eerie to see the sea so devoid of the swimmers and surfers he had heard called the shores of Undella home during the summer… Upon catching their breath, though, the sentiment was forgotten as they raced for the deep, blue tube in the center of the town.
"Ready for this?" Hugh asked with a mischievous grin, holding up a Poké Ball.
Nate raised a brow and, thinking he perhaps understood what he was getting at, raised a Poké Ball of his own. "You got it."
Pitching his first, Hugh revealed his Unfezant, and tossed a leg over her back. Clutching her shoulders tightly, he laughed at Nate. "Seeya!" With that, he tapped the pokémon with the heel of his shoe, and it dove into the tube, flying through it. Nate grinned with wild excitement as he followed suit with his own Unfezant, clambering onto Risk's back and steadying himself, gripping tightly.
"After them!" Nate called, snickering to himself.
He and Hugh sailed overhead of a handful of other people walking through the tunnel, earning themselves some strange looks, but Nate in particular was lost to their stares. He was gazing in wonder at the sights around him, just beyond the thick, tempered glass of Marine Tube. Despite the icier ocean waters, pokémon of all shapes and sizes still swam around the tube, from Wailord to Gyarados to Magikarp and Basculin. The sights whizzed by as Risk flew him at high speeds down the tunnel, curving and occasionally even rolling to keep his balance on the low drafts. The wind rushing through his hair, and unbeknownst to him, the hairtie holding back his longer hair was wrenched free. Yet, when he realized the longer hair whipping into his face on occasion, he didn't feel that old burst of shame that had come with recognizing his longer hair… In fact, it felt almost freeing.
The beautiful ocean all around, his new, easygoing relationship with Hugh—it was all enough to make Nate hug Risk's neck closer and just smile, smile wider than he honestly felt he would have ever been able to in the past. He was suddenly aware of just how far he had come and how grateful he was for the pokémon at his side… for the friends that had slowly taught him, despite the growing pains, that everyone else wasn't an enemy nor looking to exploit him.
Maybe getting dragged into helping with Neo Plasma wasn't so bad…
Risk and Hugh's Unfezant burst from the other end of Marine Tube and shot into the sky, disoriented by the sudden light. They hovered in midair close enough for their trainers to hear one another as they laughed. Nate loosened his hug on Risk slightly and rubbed the pokémon's neck. "Thank you, Risk," he said gently. Turning his attention to Hugh, he beamed. "That was awesome!"
"I've been thinking about doing that ever since I heard of the Marine Tube!" Hugh exclaimed. "Like, I'm pretty sure we broke some rules, but—"
"You have real life assaulted several people in front of my eyes before," Nate snorted, "I think we've already broken quite a few rules, anyway."
Directing their pokémon to land, it was Hugh who replied once they were safe on the ground again. "Well, Neo Plasma deserves it!" he jokingly defended himself.
Distracted by the surroundings, Nate didn't reply right away. Humilau looked wildly different from even Undella. Marine Tube had spilled them out onto a small island, but an intricate network of wooden piers snaked between various wooden homes that seemed to somehow float against the surface of the water, occasionally making small noises as they bumped and jostled the piers. Boats swarmed the oceans around them, and at the center of the tiny landmass that made up less than a quarter of the seaside paradise, a pokémon gym seemingly made entirely of glass arched over a pathway. A lonely Pokémon Center claimed part of the nearby beach.
"Like a different world out here," Nate breathed.
"It… really is, huh?"
He and Hugh both jumped and spat something in shock when someone darted up next to them, proudly puffing his chest and crossing his arms. "Yo! I saw you two Flyin' out of the Marine Tube like that! That was sick!" he exclaimed, undaunted by their momentary fright. Nate was a little disconcerted by the man's closeness and shirtlessness but forgot it when he noticed that beneath the tan, he was marred with… something across his skin. Narrowing his eyes slightly, Nate fought a sense of dread as it dawned on him that they were scars. Crisscrossing his arms, chin, and even his neck, thin scars painted him like a fleshy canvas. "Name's Marlon!"
"Oh, you're the gym leader!" Hugh bounced in excitement as he recalled his Unfezant. "Perfect! We need to battle you so we can get stronger, so I—I mean, we—can take care of Neo Plasma! It's great we found you so fast!"
Marlon's amused blue eyes rounded with something Nate couldn't quite place at Hugh's words, and the smile was swept clean from his face. He nervously rubbed a hand over his deep blue hair and gnawed at his lower lip before responding. "A-ah. You fightin' Neo Plasma? So, you think Team Plasma's bad, then…"
Gawking, Nate had to wonder… just how many people were so passive regarding Neo Plasma? Were those six gym leaders and the Champion really all they had opposing them? This is war, Zeshi's words returned to him briefly even though she was finally tucked away in a Poké Ball.
"Well, yeah!" Hugh aggressively insisted, cagily crossing his arms, and cutting those red eyes at Marlon. "Why wouldn't they be, Gym Leader Marlon?"
"Hey, hey," Marlon waved his hands in surrender, stumbling away from them. "I get it, I get it, they're b-bad, so you fight 'em…" Why's he stuttering? Nate thought, frowning. "J-just… you know… gotta pick your battles, man, uh…" He swallowed hard and shouldered past them abruptly, heading for the Humilau Gym. "Shoots, never mind, I'll be in my gym, ready when you are!"
"What kind of gym leader questions you for fighting Neo Plasma?" Hugh was fuming. "I'm gonna mop the floor with him!"
Nate couldn't help but share the sentiment. "Yeah. That was…" He shook his head and stroked Risk's feathers one more time before recalling the pokémon. "That's ridiculous." Almost as ridiculous as Bianca's unwillingness to face them. Almost as ridiculous as the idea of a whole six people standing up to that army we saw on the ship… Yet… Nate couldn't shake that disturbed sensation at noticing Marlon's scars and his flighty demeanor following Neo Plasma's mention. His words beaconed with carelessness, but… Well, perhaps he was reading into it, but Nate had easily picked up on the discomfort in his body language, and the scars… He couldn't help but worry… he didn't know what he was worried about with the gym leader, but he was worried.
"Well?" Hugh expectantly turned to him. "You coming?"
"You mean right now?" Nate blinked. "To battle him?"
"Well, yeah! We're already here!"
Nate laughed, almost doubling over. "Two badges in one day, huh? Alright, y'know what, let's do it. But can we get something to eat first…? I'm starving." Oh, and I should call Rosa to see if she's gonna get here soon…
"Ugh. Fine!"
"That was fast…" Rosa dryly commented as she sat at the edge of some water in Reversal Mountain. She dangled her feet in the cool pool below. Her Pignite had evolved into an Emboar during her battle with Skyla (which she had won, a Jet Badge tucked into her pocket to show for her victory), and the bulky pokémon had rumbled a threatening noise when Dr. Colress had appeared behind her with the help of his Shadow Triad. He had announced that he had her suit finished, and then she saw the brief flash of light that indicated the Shadow Triad had left.
"Things get done quickly with the Shadow Triad around," he almost sang. "Turn around and get up so I can tweak it to you properly."
"Don't you need to stab my brain first?" Rosa waspishly asked, hugging herself tightly. She felt so small…
There was a long silence. "I've decided I'm not going to do that."
She jolted in shock, and finally jumped to her feet. Blinking at him, she shook her head. "Wh-what? You're… not?"
He pressed his lips to a thin line. "Doesn't mean I don't have other methods of keeping you in line," he snapped moodily, "so don't get any ideas. Now, Miss Rosa, step closer."
Do you, Dr. Colress? she wondered delightedly as she stepped where he was gesturing so he could start fitting her with that cold suit, made of metal, fibrous mesh, and the occasional outer plate. Do you? Or is this another one of your mind games? We're still playing that game of Chess, aren't we?
Yet, as he finished clasping that suit around her… A visor reminiscent of a motorcycle helmet was fitted over her head and allowed her to see in the darkness around her easily. Lightweight armored plates covered her joints, the entire suit held together by a light, breathable metallic mesh, and she found it incredibly easy to move despite her clothes beneath. She felt a shameful sense of childish wonder as she moved her arms and legs to get a sense for her new toy. "So… what can this do?"
He laughed and approached her from the front. "Oh, Miss Rosa!" he beamed. "What can't you do~?"
An ugly, involuntary giggle escaped her, and she hated the blush that dusted her cheeks. "I mean it, Dr. Colress. Talk to me."
"My pleasure, Miss Rosa! You're going to love it!"