Chapter 42 The Harmonia Legacy

Upon arriving at the Plasma Frigate, Hil had stuck close to Hugh, helping blast the ship from high above with Reshiram's Fusion Flares. Between believing Kyurem had to be somewhere aboard and Hugh's insistence that it was the Shadow Triad that had plucked Nate from the sky, he was furious and more than happy to help destroy that vessel of doom. Church, seated behind him, helped keep him aware of his surroundings in the air, as the League Staff and their trainers were not the only ones with Flying-types in this battle (though knowing where friendlies were was a good idea, too).

Yet, the entire time, Reshiram kept jerking its head to the side and occasionally beelining away from the Frigate, towards the mountain ranges lining the Giant Chasm on the right. Hil would have to grab Reshiram's long tufts on its head and redirect its attention to the Frigate, to the battle at hand. Adrenaline flowing, a normally far more observant Hil failed to notice the urgency in Reshiram's actions, frustratedly directing the pokémon to just divebomb the Frigate again, and again, and again, until Hugh called for them to stop. Even then, however, their work was not done.

Having blasted a hole straight through the entire ship with Reshiram's abilities, Hil, Church, Hugh, and the rest of the League Staff swarmed the broken Frigate. "Find Nate! Find Ghetsis! Find Kyurem!" he heard Hugh distantly howl above the cacophonous battles. Some brave Neo Plasma grunts remained behind, even in the aftermath of Reshiram's furious hellfire, valiantly defending their ship until they ran out of pokémon to defend with. Then, they'd flee the ship, and various trainers that the gym leaders had called for assistance were quick to catch the escapees. Although police wouldn't arrive for quite some time, and certainly not while they were still in active confrontation, they had agreed before descending upon the Frigate to capture as many grunts as possible—they wanted as few former Neo Plasma roaming the streets following that day as they could get.

Yet, as Hil tried to help explore the ship for their targets, Reshiram growled and nipped at his hands. Church defended him from ahead, directing his Arcanine to deal with camping Neo Plasma grunts in the rubble. They were in a cracked, broken hallway, the steel above them wrought and twisted away to reveal the sky above. The damage Reshiram had dealt to the Frigate also meant that the power was out on the vessel, so it was difficult to see, and awareness for their surroundings was crucial. Trusting Church to keep an eye out for his safety momentarily, Hil whirled around to face Reshiram. "What?" he breathlessly questioned. He was finding it increasingly difficult to breathe as the battle waged on and they were not locating Kyurem, or Ghetsis, for that matter… "We're looking for Kyurem, it's on this ship! What's gotten into you?"

A chill ran up Hil's spine and he jumped away, whipping around to see a lone member of the Shadow Triad. Church noticed and immediately pointed a finger at him. "Arcanine, Extreme Speed!" he snarled. Reshiram flared its wings angrily as the Shadow Triad member vanished, easily avoiding the klutzy Arcanine barreling toward him, and reappeared on the other side of Hil.

"Kyurem is no longer on the Frigate," the Shadow Triad member hissed in Hil's ear, grabbing him by the shoulder tightly. "The ship was a decoy designed to delay you."

Gaping in shock, Hil went to question why this member of the Shadow Triad would be helping him, but Reshiram snatched them by their shoulder with its fangs. Blue eyes flashing furiously, it lifted them into the air, growled, and then jerked its head back and forth violently, bringing its powerful jaws down on its victim like they were nothing more than a ragdoll. Horrified, Hil slammed a fist into Reshiram's chest. "Reshiram! Stop it!" Hil screamed. "Let him go! He—he was helping me!" And… and I don't want to hurt anyone that excessively… Hil felt fear as he regarded Reshiram then. With how gentle and understanding Reshiram had always been to him, it seemed somewhere along the line he had forgotten that this was, in fact, a godlike pokémon—and it was pissed, more than capable of violent retribution should it feel it was deserved.

At Hil's pleading, Reshiram dropped the Shadow Triad member unceremoniously to the scuffed, broken deck of the Frigate. They landed in a heap, their dark clothing torn, and skin smeared pink with blood. Even so, they spoke normally, as if unaffected by pain. "Lord Ghetsis waits at the deepest recesses of the Giant Chasm. He intends to use Kyurem's boosted power there to cover Unova in ice. The ship was always a decoy," they explained matter-of-factly.

Reeling as they spoke, Hil shook his head. Part of him was screaming at him not to believe Ghetsis' minion, but between Reshiram's urgency and obvious annoyance, and the adamancy in which the Shadow Triad member had tried to explain to him… Deep down, he just didn't think the other was lying. He thought it over for a second and floundered like a Magikarp out of water. Oh… oh no, Reshiram's been trying to get me to go where Kyurem is this whole time!

"Of course it was a ploy!" Hil puffed in shock, reeling away from the injured Shadow Triad member. He shot a furtive glance to Reshiram, and then took in his surroundings momentarily. Church rushed to his side and asked him if he was alright, clasping his hand over Hil's. Beyond him, Cheren and Clay jumped down through the broken ceiling and worked together to drive back a female Neo Plasma grunt and her Garbodor and Liepard. Hugh had long since disappeared deeper into the vessel along with a handful of other League Staff. Hil felt his blood run like the ice. All this… all this suffering, and attacking, and… our target wasn't even here… Kyurem's not even here!

"Hil, Hil," Church whimpered, clutching his hand tightly, "Are you okay?"

"The Frigate was a diversion," Hil hauntedly told him. With that, he wrenched himself free of Church's grasp and darted over to Reshiram, jumping easily onto the pokémon's back.

"Wait!" Church howled, running after him. "Wait, let me—where are you going? Let me on!"

Reshiram beat its wings, blowing Church down with the force of it, and rose somewhat into the air. Hil took a shuddery breath. "I'm… I'm sorry, Church," he cried against his scratchy throat, looking down sadly at him. I know Ghetsis. I know how he operates… If I bring you, Church, he'll torment you or hurt you, or… I just… I can't risk bringing you to him, Church… Especially not now, not with the DNA Splicers in play… When we agreed to do this together, that was… that was before I knew just how bad this was going to get… What if he absorbs Reshiram and I can't defend you? Pained tears stung at his eyes and Hil gnawed his lower lip. "I can't take you to Ghetsis. I can't risk getting you hurt when I know he could possibly absorb Reshiram…" And I still don't know where N is… I sent him away back in Virbank and… now I don't know where he is… or what's happened to him…

"You said we were in this together!" Church bellowed up at him, stamping a foot. A Seviper rushed at him and his Arcanine leapt to his defense, sinking its fangs into the opposing pokémon and throwing it overboard. Church briefly glanced to see that, and then turned his attention furiously back to Hil. "Hil! Get back down here!"

Hil looked away and didn't reply to him, clutching at Reshiram's head. "Take me where you were trying to go, Reshiram," he whimpered softly. "I'm… sorry I ignored you before…" And I'm sorry Church… I'm sorry for always letting you down when it comes down to the wire… I just… I can't risk you…

Yet, he didn't have long to feel sorry for himself. As if following a beacon, Reshiram dove at a yawning cave entrance in the hillsides of the Giant Chasm, deftly avoiding crags and spires in its way through the long, winding path. It grew significantly colder the deeper in they traversed, and finally, Hil's breath hitched as he caught the sound of someone's voice. Someone he wished he didn't recognize.

"Kyurem, GLACIATE!"

Whatever that is, it can't be good. Before he even saw what was going on, Hil tugged on Reshiram's fur and whined, "Reshiram, do something! F-Fusion Flare, stop whatever it is he's doing! Now!"

No more, Ghetsis. No more.

Bracing himself for the cruel fate spelled out before him, Nate jolted in confusion when he heard a long, shrieking roar from behind him, finally daring to open his eyes. The entire cavern lit up in bright red as a ball of flame burst forth from the opening and collided with Kyurem's icy circle of death inches away from his head yet again, the attacks exploding into steam that watered down his hair. Heart pounding in disbelief, he thought he might faint when he saw Reshiram burst in through the cavern's maw, landing just a few feet away from Nate.

"That's enough, Ghetsis!" Hil snarled from the back of the vast, white Dragon-type. Reshiram's tail blazed with blue flames instead of red or orange, however, and its eyes glowed brightly in the dimness of the cave. Hil clutched at the long ribbons of fluff on the end of its head and stood on its shoulders, standing tall as he could manage. "You're—…oh… oh, my Arceus, N?!"

Gasping for breath, Nate struggled to his feet and laughed, hysterically, like he might have lost it. "Hil! You came!" He didn't care about how late he was. There was a time and a place to hash those details out and right then was not it.

Ignorant to Nate's relieved outcry, Hil leapt from Reshiram's shoulders and bolted over to N, sliding to his knees next to him. He hovered his hands over the other shakily, like he had no idea what to do, and frantically looked between Kyurem, Ghetsis, Reshiram, and even Nate before looking down at N again. "What did you do?" Hil asked Ghetsis through distraught heaves of breath. "Oh, my Arceus, N! Are you even alive…? Talk to me!"

"You… came," N weakly mewled.

Kyurem shifted impatiently and growled, shaking its head rhythmically back and forth, as if trying to dislodge something. Nate noticed, and stared at it quizzically. Its yellow eyes weren't as soulless as when he had first entered the cavern… Small, gray irises had appeared in that piercing gaze, and every time it glanced to N, he saw its muzzle twitch with the beginnings of a growl. Only then would it start to rhythmically shake its head back and forth.

"It's about time you joined us, Hilbert," Ghetsis taunted through gasps for air. His lungs rattled with every breath and his arms shook with the effort of maintaining his posture over that steel cane, yet the murderous glee on his face didn't falter. Ghetsis' lips curled as he spat, "Now, we can really get the show started!"

Nate turned his attention back to Kyurem. Taking a decisive breath and determinedly rising to his full height, he set his jaw. Hil's here. Reshiram's here. You can't fuse Reshiram into that thing while you have Zekrom in there… Nate furiously clenched a fist and narrowed his eyes at Kyurem. And Zekrom is still in there… Zekrom clearly cared about N. Maybe… Getting an idea, Nate decidedly remained quiet as Ghetsis and Hil exchanged bitter, cold words, taking the opportunity while they were distracted to skirt around the edge of the cave. It was slow, painful progress… His body felt beaten, his mind even more so, and he stumbled and collapsed more than a few times. Still, he'd grit his teeth and growl to himself every time. I've got… to get… back up! I can't quit! When his muscles refused to cooperate and he truly felt that he couldn't stand again, he'd pound an angry fist against the stony floor. What about Hugh? What about Spacey? What about N? What about Zeshi? What about how hopeless everyone is? Even you were ready to give up before Hil got here… He came and rescued you. You can't let their suffering be for nothing, Nate! Get UP!

"Reshiram," Hil barked as Nate continued his slow mission, "prepare a Fusion Flare! On Ghetsis!"

"Ah, ah, ah," Ghetsis hissed gleefully, moving so that he was standing over N again. Reshiram's attack died in its throat as it realized it couldn't hit Ghetsis without injuring N and possibly Hil. The old man wobbled unsteadily as he pointed that cane at Hil, which only caused N to convulse and yelp fearfully, as if afraid Ghetsis would strike him with it again. He was spared a blow, and Hil only glared back at Ghetsis. The hysteria from moments ago had worn off his face and he looked fearless… or perhaps expressionless was a better word for it. Apparently delighted by Hil's defiant response, Ghetsis heaved a wet laugh and slammed that cane back to the stony floor. "You know, Hilbert, last time, you really caught me off guard."

Ignoring him, Hil turned to N and warned him tersely, "N, I've got to move you, man, this is gonna hurt. I'm sorry…" Then, he tucked his arms below N's shoulders, supporting his injured head with his chest, and started to drag him away. N involuntarily jolted and howled in pain, causing Hil to grimace. Nate stumbled again and angrily hit his fist against the ground. He was only halfway around the room… He still had so much distance to put between him and Kyurem… Why was it so fucking hard?

Ghetsis continued, unbothered by what Hil or Nate were doing. "I couldn't comprehend how someone completely unrelated to the Harmonia name could have become a Hero. Much less so someone as weak in battle and pathetically sensitive as you."

Hauling himself back to his feet again, Nate staggered closer to Kyurem. Cupping his hands around his lips, he hoarsely called, "Zek… Zekrom!"

Kyurem turned to look at him and blinked dubiously. A throaty growl rumbled out from its chest.

Hil finished dragging N far away from Ghetsis, laying him flat against the ground. "N, you gotta hang in there, man, okay? You gotta stay awake…" Hil swallowed hard as he looked down, realizing there was a trail of thick, sticky blood from where he had dragged N. He looked like he wanted to gag, and he shook his head. "You gotta just stay with me, man, okay?"

"So, I decided to do some homework once I was free of that pathetic excuse for a prison," Ghetsis carried on. "Vincent 'Vince' Andrew Whitacre. Born to Andrew Ayers Whitacre and Opal Summer Whitacre… Yet, I discovered something very interesting about your grandmother, Hilbert."

"Shut up!" Hil suddenly turned on him, leaping to his feet and balling his fists at his sides. "Shut the fuck UP! You don't get to talk anymore!"

"Opal Whitacre's maiden name. Prior to marrying Andrew, she was known as Opal Summer Harmonia."

Shuffling dazedly closer to Kyurem, Nate held up his hands in surrender and then weakly gestured toward N's downed frame with one hand. "Zekrom, that's your trainer… That's your friend… He's hurt. He needs you," Nate pleaded.

Still, Kyurem only watched him, patiently awaiting orders from Ghetsis.

This isn't working… Nate thought frustratedly to himself. Yet, he was wrenched from his thoughts as Hil reacted to what Ghetsis had said.

"She… she what?" Hil asked through dry, clammy lips.

All of a sudden, Ghetsis threw his head back and cackled, long, loud, and hard. He tapped the cane a few times against the ground in his fervor. "I couldn't believe it! Your father was so far removed from the Harmonias, that they didn't even have the correct last name! The full last name is 'Harmonia Gropius!' I never would have even thought to check his heritage!" Ghetsis shuddered with snickers as he slowly pulled his head back upright. "I had no idea that if I killed off enough Harmonias, they'd start doing the dirty work for me! Really, it's too bad he's not still around so I can thank him! Anyway, I had the Shadow Triad talk to many members of Team Plasma as well as former members, and that's how I discovered he had been hanging out with them and one of my higher-ups had let it slip, my little plans to hunt down all the Harmonias… Your pathetic father just couldn't leave well enough alone and looked into his own heritage."

"You're bluffing!" Hil cried. "Reshiram, Fu—"

His voice died in his throat before he'd finished the order, effectively cutting himself off as Ghetsis continued. "He discovered he was related, and it ate him alive from the inside out, little Hilbert, knowing that nobody would believe him if he went to the authorities, but knowing that by living, he was potentially going to draw attention to you. He thought that if I discovered his relation to the Harmonias, I'd hunt you down, too," he sneered, starting to pace despite his straining, struggling body. "Lot of good that did him! Because here you are now, ripe for the picking! You made his death completely invalid by sticking your nose into all of my plans, Hilbert! Of course, even if I hadn't been in the picture… It's not like your mother helped, did she? The Shadow Triad have checked on Amber a few times. What a foul woman. Even if he hadn't worried about me, I wouldn't blame him for wanting to suck on the barrel of a pistol, what with having to deal with her."

Nate had no idea what was going on, but knew that whatever it was, it was bad. He nervously glanced between Hil and Ghetsis, noting that Hil had gone white as a sheet, shivering all over as Ghetsis kept talking. Nate tore his gaze away and back to Kyurem. "Zekrom!" Nate begged. He was desperate. He didn't care if his plan to encourage Zekrom would work or not. It gave him hope to try, it gave him something to do. "Please! You are one half to the Hero of Ideals! Unova needs you! You can fight this! You can!" He truly had no idea if Zekrom could, but he wanted to believe. He needed to believe. Nobody else in that room could do that for him; he had learned long ago to be his own beacon of hope when needed.

"So, Hilbert Whitacre," Ghetsis drawled, "you are not special. You are just an impure Harmonia I did not account for trying to outrun his own destiny. That father of yours was a quitter and so are you. What do you even have left to fight for? This depressed, dejected region, where everyone's given up? That broken man beside you who will bleed to death before you can get him to a hospital? That redheaded boy you lead on like an obedient Lillipup, who you know you're destined to hurt at every turn?"

Abject dismay filled Nate as he watched Hil sink to his knees and start to lower his head in what seemed to be a display of defeat. If he hadn't been so tired and his voice so gone, Nate might have screamed at Hil to get back up. No! You can't give up now, damn it!

Ghetsis smirked. "There's a good boy. I'm just sorry I don't have an easier way out for you, I know a gun is so pleasant and quick, and would be so poetic." He glanced to Kyurem, and that's when he noticed Nate, having crept close to the Beast of Black Ice as he absently droned on at Hil. Under the pressure of his stare, Nate froze in place. Ghetsis only snorted. "What do you think you're doing?" he growled. "Kyurem—"

"No."

Ghetsis and Nate both jerked their heads to look at Hil. Reshiram had moved so that it was closer to him, nudging him worriedly. His hands were balled to fists and trembling, shaking with the effort of it.

"What was that?" Ghetsis asked icily.

"No!" Hil repeated, lunging to his feet. Nate gasped as he saw that his eyes were not the familiar brown he had seen earlier, but instead glowed a piercing blue, the exact same as Reshiram's. "I am NOT my father! I am NOT here to quit! And today, Ghetsis, I'll erase your fucking name from the history books!" Reshiram roared supportively, the volume and pitch of the long, drawn-out cry causing the cavern to shudder, and flared its wings as Hil mounted its back. Hil suddenly pointed at Nate. "Nate! Get over there and keep N safe! Keep him awake while I deal with this!"

Nate smiled and for an awe-inspired moment, he felt that everything would be okay. Maybe he didn't have to be his own beacon of hope for that moment. He nodded vigorously. "Yes, sir!" It wasn't nearly as difficult to make his way over to N as it had been to half-drag, half-crawl his way to Kyurem, thanks to the euphoria that flooded his body at Hil's display of perseverance. I don't know what the glowing eyes means… but I can take a guess that it means we're about to win this.

"You think I'm afraid of your light show?" Ghetsis roared. "I am PERFECTION! I control TWO of the Ancient Dragons of Unova! Reshiram is outmatched! You are NOTHING!"

Hil clutched Reshiram's mane. "Try us!" he spat. "Reshiram, Blue Flare! Aim for Ghetsis!"

Nate collapsed to his knees next to N and recoiled at the absolute, bloody mess that he was. He couldn't even tell if he still had a left eye or not, there was so much blood pooled around the socket, and his right eye was glassy and distant, as if unfocused on the present. Thinking fast, he undid the furry, gray jacket he had around himself and grimaced. "N, this is… this is gonna hurt," he warned, "but you're bleeding way too much… N, can you hear me?"

N didn't move a muscle as he grunted in acknowledgment. He was so, so pale, and his entire body limp. Nate decided that would have to do as far as consent went and pressed the softest part of the jacket to N's face, biting his lower lip and shutting his eyes at N's agonized moaning that followed. He weakly raised a hand to push at Nate's arms, but Nate knew he couldn't stop. "N…" Nate swallowed hard against the bile rising in the back of his throat. "I-I'm sorry, man, but… can't let you keep bleeding like that…" I need to keep him talking… He's hurt bad. I can't let him pass out… He didn't want to think about what might happen if N went unconscious. Scrambling for something destressing to discuss, he blurted, "N, what's… what's your favorite color?"

There was a brief pause before N answered. "Wh…what?" N all but croaked.

"Your favorite color," Nate laughed hoarsely. "What is it? M-mine is… gray…"

"Blue…" N answered after a long delay, his whimpers of pain fading in and out. "Like the… sky…"

Nodding to himself, Nate did his best to keep N talking like that. Looking over his shoulder back at the battle at hand, he resolutely sighed and dipped his head in reverence. You're our hope now, Hil, Reshiram… Show him what Unova's made of! …No… He shook his head. Show him what you're made of!

I'm sorry I'm gonna miss your birthday this weekend. It'd be the first one I've missed ever and… I know I said I'd never do that, but I'm not strong enough to handle it, buddy.

On his knees, Hil was shivering in rage as Vince's note, burned into his memory like his brain were a branded Zebstrika, scrolled through his mind. The words he had agonized over occasionally in the months he had spent away from Unova following his battle with N at the Pokémon League seemed to take on an entirely new meaning now. Words from the fractured mind of yet another one of Ghetsis' seemingly endless pool of victims rather than the desperate father at his wit's end with a cruel, unforgiving wife.

As for why or how… I'm going to be honest, why's a hard question to answer. It's been so long of this I can't even remember where to start but as for how…

It had been so long of it… So long of what? Contending with the knowledge he'd had of Ghetsis?

I didn't want my friends to see me like this or be traumatized knowing what they did to me. That's why the gun. And that's why I stayed away to do it too. There is nothing more to it than that, I promise.

Or what if he stayed away because he had wanted to distance himself, distance his name and legacy, from his only son? Why specify that there was nothing more to it?

You are the only one I regret hurting in this. But it'll be the last time I hurt you. It'll be the last time I drag you down. After this it'll be a month or two of chatter and then it's over. Then it's all over.

Because Ghetsis would never think to check into him, into Hil?

You deserved so much better than me. Yet in you I see me, like I said earlier. You remind me so much of myself it's scary. That's also why Im worried. Push for better, Hil, you can do so much better than me. If you feel the drive to run, then you flip that gear into drive and you GO. You hear me? You follow your heart. Whatever you want, chase it. Go for it. Run if you have to.

Run… so that he never got mixed up in Team Plasma, never met Ghetsis?

Do what is best for you because you deserve it. Im just sorry I can't be around to tell you that in person.

Hil thought he might pull a muscle in his forearms if he didn't quit clenching his fists. He was as white as white could be. "No," he said coldly, clearly, decisively. This entire time, I thought it was Alder, I thought it was Amber, I even thought it was me for a long time—but the entire time it was just HIM! It was Ghetsis! It was ALWAYS GHETSIS!

"What was that?" Ghetsis pried icily.

"No!" Hil screamed, launching to his feet, feeling as if his thighs were springs. Unknown to him, his eyes flashed a bright blue, nearly to the point they drowned out his pupils. "I am NOT my father! I am NOT here to quit! And today, Ghetsis, I'll erase your fucking name from the history books!" Dad did not die in vain! I will not just lay here and fucking take it! Even if it kills me, Ghetsis, you are going down! WITH me, if it comes down to it! Reshiram landed beside him and started nuzzling his face, and Hil just jumped to the pokémon's back, standing on its shoulders and gripping its flowing mane tightly. Then, whipping his gaze to Nate, who he had noticed had been trying to talk Zekrom out of Kyurem, he snapped, "Nate! Get over there and keep N safe! Keep him awake while I deal with this!"

"Yes, sir!" Nate beamed, booking it back over to N.

"You think I'm afraid of your light show?" Ghetsis roared. "I am PERFECTION! I control TWO of the Ancient Dragons of Unova! Reshiram is outmatched! You are NOTHING!"

Hil clutched Reshiram's mane. "Try us!" he spat. "Reshiram, Blue Flare! Aim for Ghetsis!" He didn't know where the attack order had come from… he had never heard of a Blue Flare attack…

Reshiram shrieked in a way that set the entire cavern to rattling again, and a blue light started to build in its stretched maw. Ghetsis rapped his cane against the floor and Kyurem lumbered forward, screeching back, massive icicles materializing over its head and hovering in midair. Electricity crackled around them. Reshiram let the blazing ball of blue flame fly at Ghetsis, and Kyurem jumped in the way. Instead of tanking the hit like Ghetsis expected it to, however, Kyurem howled in agony and was bowled onto its side. Only narrowly avoiding getting crushed by the toppled beast, Ghetsis slammed his cane against the ground again, furiously.

"Get back up, you pathetic beast!" Ghetsis snarled. "Sheer Cold that fucking Reshiram!"

Hil's lips curled as he heard the desperation seeping into Ghetsis' tone. "What's the matter, Ghetsis?" Hil taunted as Reshiram readied another Blue Flare, painting the entire cavern in a wash of brilliant, blue light. "Are you scared?"

Ghetsis bared his teeth. "You should be cowering! You have nothing! Unova has nothing left! I've destroyed it from the inside out! Why aren't you giving up?"

"Are you scared?!" Hil repeated, loudly.

"I fear NOTHING!" Ghetsis yelled, his face reddening in rage and with difficulty to breathe. Yet, somehow, Hil found his sentiment difficult to believe.

Kyurem opened its jaws and started to spill a frigid breeze. Hil jabbed his finger at Ghetsis, and yet again, Reshiram blew a massive orb of blue fire at him. Forced to end its attack early, Kyurem dove in front of Ghetsis and was forced to endure the full brunt of yet another Blue Flare. Shuddering in the aftermath of the strike, Kyurem shook violently as it tried to haul itself back to its feet, electricity dancing across its body.

Heaving for breath, Ghetsis' red eye was stretched wide as he regarded Hil in a new light.

Hil licked his lips. "You're scared," he jeered. "How's it feel, Ghetsis?" Clenching Reshiram's mane tighter than ever, Hil screamed at the top of his lungs, "HAVE YOU FILLED THAT HOLE INSIDE YOU YET? Reshiram, BLUE FLARE AT HIM AGAIN!"

Hero of Truths, a low, rich feminine voice permeated Hil's mind abruptly, as Reshiram turned to look over its shoulder at him as it prepped that plasmatic, ultramarine blaze in its muzzle, I just want you to know that I never chose you for the name alone. I chose you for you. I could always see who you were, your heritage—but more importantly, I could see what you truly could do once you believed in me, believed in you. Believed in us. You are more than a name.

Hil took a deep breath. "Thank you for never giving up on me, Reshiram," Hil answered shakily.

As if on cue, Reshiram whipped back to the battle at hand, and attacked Ghetsis again. Yet again, Kyurem was forced to endure the blow to protect his aged master. The pokémon mournfully growled and dropped to its knees, sparks shooting from its body as if it were shorting out. Ghetsis slammed his cane again and again. "No, no, no, NO!" he bellowed. "Get back UP! We are not DONE!" His breathing became even more ragged, to the point he could hardly get a word out. "I… can't… am not… finished… get… UP!"

Ghetsis' grip on his cane slacked and he spluttered violently, hacking up a gross mix of yellow and red fluid as he collapsed to the ground. Kyurem cast a glance to Hil and Reshiram, then to Ghetsis, and then lowered its head as if in a bow, slowly moving to lay against the ground in surrender. Next to it, Ghetsis writhed as he coughed and coughed, unable to catch his breath. His red eyepiece was knocked free of his head in his convulsions, revealing the scarred flesh beneath.

Hil watched and for what felt like an eternity, pondered just what to do… It was so hard to watch. Even if it was Ghetsis, even with all the fury sending blood roaring in his ears, making his head pound, watching him seize was so hard. It was pitiful. Ghetsis was so spiteful, had been so burned by the world, that he had decided to dedicate his life to exacting revenge on everyone else rather than making peace with his inner demons and finding what truly brought him joy. There was so much suffering in Unova, so much death, because of his excessive lust for vengeance… He was little better than a mindless animal, and now, he was overturned with his belly exposed to Hil. The question on his mind was whether to kill Ghetsis, or whether to apprehend him… Of course, as soon as he asked himself that question, he realized that there was only one true answer.

Killing Ghetsis not only would ensure his terrifying reign over Unova was put to an end, but… Hil truly felt that it would have been an act of mercy as well to put someone so twisted and damaged out of their misery. Still, he didn't like the thought. He looked away from Ghetsis' shuddering form, away from the glassy, dead-eyed stare he now bolstered in the throes of his seizure, and then leaned his head forward into Reshiram's warm, comforting fur. Feeling his arms quiver in the strain of holding himself in that position, Hil mumbled, "Reshiram… Bl-Blue Flare him… kill him…" That should take him out immediately… No pain at all…

It will be painless, that feminine voice assured him as Reshiram readied its attack. Still, Hil didn't dare look up as it fired off the final, fateful Blue Flare.

For a moment… for a wonderful, sweet moment… it was quiet, and Hil just hugged Reshiram's neck tightly. It was over.

It was all finally over…

Nate had winced and looked away from the battle raging nearby as Hil ordered that finalizing Blue Flare. He heard it crashing into the cavern's floor and sucked in a fast breath, turning his attention to N again sharply so he didn't have to see it. "N? What's—"

"Wha… happ…" N tried to question, but his voice died in his throat. He was somehow even paler now, white as paper. Nate's jacket had soaked up so much blood, but it just… didn't stop flowing… He was shivering like mad in the brutal cold, but that only served to make him worry for N more. They all needed to get out of this cavern…

Yet, Nate heard Reshiram growl and heard the scuffing of feet, and so he jerked his head back to look at Hil and was shocked to see two members of the Shadow Triad standing in the center of the cavern. Ghetsis was in a heap between them, still as could be, but unscathed… The Blue Flare hadn't touched him. Hil and Reshiram both turned to glare at the Shadow Triad, and Nate noted that Hil's eyes were no longer glowing as they had been earlier. He scowled at the Shadow Triad and demanded, "What are you doing?"

"Lord Ghetsis has… lost control…" one of the Shadow Triad whispered.

"We cannot… allow you to harm him," the other muttered huskily.

Reshiram roared, making everyone in the cavern cringe. "Like hell!" Hil snarled in a hoarse tone. "He's caused enough pain… and he's in pain… Just… let me finish him… please…"

"Lord Ghetsis is ill," the second, husky-voiced one supplied as he shifted uncomfortably. "There is nobody left of Team Plasma nor its scientists that can or is willing to heal him."

He's going to die of… whatever it is he's got going on… Heart attack, stroke, whatever it was, Nate realized. He heard N whimper and he jolted, still applying pressure to his wounded eye, and swallowed. "N?"

"What's going… on…?" N managed to squeeze out.

"They…" Nate didn't know how to answer that. He didn't want to stress N out or cause him to panic, and thus, invigorate his bloodflow. Overlooking the downed man, Nate just had to… wince. His blood-soaked clothes and hair, the rapid, even if shallow, rise and fall of his chest, the way he had begged Ghetsis earlier… Nate hadn't always been so observant of the strife others endured, but he was certain watching that had been one of the hardest moments in his life. Hauntingly, he felt as if he were looking in a trick mirror, at the physical, bloody manifestation of so much abuse… He just wanted to clean N up and make all of that suffering go away. Nate had learned to pluck himself up off the floor no matter what, but it had been a long, arduous journey there, and for all he knew, N was only just beginning his.

He heard more shuffling of feet and caught sight of the Shadow Triad just as they disappeared into thin air, taking Ghetsis' limp body with them. Nate's tired mind did its best to try to comprehend the ramifications of Ghetsis escaping them, no matter how ill, but his thoughts were cut off by Hil letting loose a pained, almost otherworldly scream as he collapsed against Reshiram's back. Clutching at the pokémon's fur, he just howled, like someone screaming into a pillow, letting a guttural sound of frustration, sadness, anger—Nate didn't know what it was—fly uninhibited.

Kyurem, still curled up on the ground, abruptly glowed blindingly white, forcing Nate to shut his eyes. When he opened them again, he saw Kyurem was back in its original form, split from Zekrom, who wasted no time in rushing over to Nate and N. The black pokémon chuffed anxiously, repeatedly, as it loomed over N's broken form and nudged him on the shoulder. "Careful!" Nate hissed in warning.

"Zek… rom…" N gasped. "You… you're okay…" He shifted beneath Nate's hold with the jacket, and Nate instantly moved to press firmly on his chest.

"No, N, no," Nate mumbled right away, "you need to be still…"

"Where's… Hil?" N whimpered. "Did he…?"

"Hil!" Nate shouted.

"Huh?" Hil responded, disoriented as he lay slumped against Reshiram. Kyurem had retreated to the farthest wall of the room, away from them all, watching them all expressionlessly and silently.

"We've gotta get N out of here, man!" A horrible shiver ran up Nate's spine and he remembered just how cold he was. "Shit…" he huffed under his breath. Clearing his throat, he called louder, "I mean, we all gotta get out of here! We're not done!"

"Oh, my Arceus, N, that's right," Hil yelped. He scrambled off of Reshiram's back and hobbled over to where Nate and Zekrom were hunched over him. He sank to his knees beside him and shook his head disbelievingly. "Oh, N…" Turning to Nate, he tearfully whimpered. "N-Nate… help me get him up so Zekrom can carry him out of here…"

"I'm… sorry…" N faintly mumbled.

"N, no, shh," Hil soothingly said, pressing a hand gently to N's left shoulder. The silvery-white shirt he wore was stained crimson with his own blood and Nate saw Hil cringe at the wetness of it on his hand. "You have nothing to be sorry for…"

"Yes… I'm sorry you… had to save me again…" N shivered, and Nate saw his right eye tear up. "Was wrong… Knew better…"

"That's enough," Nate hissed. "Don't get him all riled up, he'll bleed worse, he's already white as a ghost."

Together, he and Hil hauled N up so Zekrom could scoop him up in his arms carefully. Reshiram ambled closer to them and Hil wearily clambered back onto the pokémon. "Want a ride?" Hil hoarsely asked Nate.

Wordlessly, Nate answered by climbing aboard and holding tightly onto Hil, not caring about the close contact.

He was just too glad that they were alive. Despite it all, through all the blood, sweat, pain, tears… they were alive. Unova had survived. Upon exiting that cavern, Zekrom in tow, Nate saw that the sky was dark, speckled with stars, telling him it was quite late, and although that night sky looked no different than any other he'd ever seen…

…it truly felt like the most beautiful night sky there had ever been.

So before anyone accuses me of encouraging incest by asking about N/Hil shipping in the past - pls remember that Ghetsis specifically says that Hil is super far removed from the original Harmonias. It'd be like claiming two people getting together that both descended from Ghengis Khan or Jesus himself are committing incest so like just pls don't come at me with that nonsense