Chapter 17: The Heroine of Ideals, Cure Bolt!
Once upon a time, there was a Swanna whose feathers were as black as charcoal. She wished to display her plumage to the rest of the world, but what the world saw was not the proud, black Swanna. They saw the white Swanna.
The sound of crackling embers snaps against Touko's ears as she watches Cheren poke at their campfire. It is now nighttime in Route 6, and after Touko's friends finally fish her out of the state Cheren had put her in, Mei suggests they swap information in the privacy of the hidden grotto.
"So, what do you want to know first?" the actress begins, posture open and relaxed.
Cheren clears his throat, "You could start by explaining how you became a magical girl. Touko is able to transform due to a strange malfunction in Reshiram's luxury ball, but I can't imagine it's the same for you."
"I've been wondering that myself," Mei's face scrunches in concentration, "How is Touko able to wield Reshiram's power, much less revert the Kugekis back? I'm sure Colress would be able to find an explanation…"
"Colress? You mean that scientist who used to work for Neo Team Plasma? How is he related to all this?" Touko questions.
Mei flashes a shaky grin, "Well, you see…"
Six months ago…
"Good morning, everyone!" Mei yells as she slams the doors to the adoption center open. A collective greeting filled with the same, rambunctious energy is hollered back by the people inside, and upon hearing it, the actress brightly smiles.
Her joyful expression fades quickly, however. She clears her throat and announces, "I know this is last minute, but we have a very important guest today!"
Sage Rood raises an eyebrow. Was their meeting with Clay over the replacement shipment of Bluk Berries today? Mei ignores the confusion spreading on Rood's face and calls out to someone behind her, "Don't just stand there! Come in!"
A tall, lean man with long, green hair drags himself into the building. He lowers his monochrome hat to hide his face. His white overshirt has seen better days; the sleeves are frayed, unraveling into a collection of hanging threads. There are large patches of dirt on his khaki-colored pants, and his green sneakers are worn to the point of unusable. The only thing on him that can be considered clean is the newly-opened, green Xtransceiver on his left wrist.
The sage immediately recognizes Mei's guest, "L-Lord N!"
At the mention of N's name, the rest of the staff jolts upright and then assembles themselves in front of the entrance, forming a walkway with their own bodies. With practiced coordination, they bow their heads and say, "Welcome, Lord N!"
Anthea and Concordia walk out of their room, and for the first time in almost three years, they come face-to-face with their adoptive brother.
"It's really you, N," Concordia breathlessly says.
N doesn't respond with anything other than a low hum, keeping his gaze on Mei. Eventually, he starts backing away, mumbling, "I...don't think this is a good idea. I shouldn't be here…"
Mei isn't having any of it. She grabs his wrist, keeping him firmly in place. "Oh no, don't give me that! You need a better place to stay in than that old castle, and you need to learn how to take better care of yourself. I mean, when was the last time you got new clothes? Or even took a bath, for that matter?"
"I-I have been bathing," he weakly replies, "When...I happen to find a river."
"And you wonder why everyone's worried about you..." Mei turns to the line of grunts before her, "Someone show N to the bathroom. Make sure he doesn't leave until he's sparkly clean. I'm going to see if we have any clothes in his size."
"We have a spare set in the back closet," informs Anthea, "I will look for it."
"Thanks! Alright, N! In you go! If you don't move, I will push you into the bathroom."
N glances at Mei, firing countless, unspoken questions at her with only a dubious stare. She meets him with an unyielding glare, one that's so familiar to a certain trainer, and he eventually crumbles under her determination.
"Your level of stubbornness...even matches hers…" he mumbles to himself. Even though no one was supposed to hear him, the longing in his words stings Mei, irritating her ears to a burning red color. As N follows Rood and a grunt to the back of the adoption center, Mei bows her head and takes a moment to adjust her visor.
Hugh walks up to her, "So, that's the former king of Team Plasma? Hard to believe this is the guy who befriended Zekrom. I bet I can beat him in a battle."
Mei lifts her head and narrows her eyes at her rival, "You shouldn't underestimate him. He's much, much stronger than he looks."
Half an hour later, Sage Rood returns with N, who's now sporting a fresh set of his old clothes. Upon seeing N avert his gaze yet again, Mei rests a fist by her hips, not once dropping her serious expression.
"Tell me about Touko," she eventually demands, "You keep mentioning her whenever we hang out, and it's high time I get the full story. Every time I bring her up to Cheren and Bianca, they clam up and won't say a thing."
Light returns to N's blank eyes upon hearing Touko's name. A dopey smile creeps onto his face before he can stop himself. At the sight, Mei softens her glare. She's seen this happen so many times she has lost count.
"As you know, she is the hero chosen by Reshiram," N begins, finally in a mood to talk, "With overwhelming passion and love for her Pokémon, she defeated Team Plasma and ended their campaign to liberate Pokémon from people. She's a very important friend."
While N's gaze displays a level of fondness reserved only for Touko, the rest of the adoption center seizes up at the heroine's name. Some of their faces have paled, and one even let out an accidental shriek. Sage Rood, Anthea, and Concordia are the only ones to look on with heavy sadness.
"What gives?" questions Hugh, "Are you guys...scared of her?"
"I-If you saw how she was, you would be, too!" one female grunt exclaims, "She was like a feral Scolipede! If looks could kill, I'd be dead within the first second of seeing her!"
Mei makes an alarmed expression. "W-What? No way…"
"It's a known fact to anyone involved in the original Team Plasma incident that Touko...deeply resented Team Plasma," explains Sage Rood, "So much so that anyone in the organization who had fought her was given a swift and merciless defeat. Even our king suffered the same treatment."
Hugh mutters something about understanding how Touko felt, while Mei shakes her head, "What in the world…? Now I have to know! N, start from the beginning!"
With the help of Sage Rood, N recounts the events leading up to his climactic battle with Touko. He tells them of their first encounter in Accumula Town, his proclamation in Nimbasa City, Zekrom's awakening, and his battle with Alder. Of him summoning his castle from beneath the Pokémon League, how Touko showed him the error of his ways, and how she destroyed Ghetsis's ambitions with only a single Pokémon.
"The last I've seen of her was within those halls," N concludes, "Before I said farewell to her, I told her to make her dreams come true. I wonder if she has gotten any closer to fulfilling them."
Hugh is gaping by the end of N's story, "She...beat Ghetsis with only one Pokémon? That's crazy...but also pretty sick! I had no idea she was that strong!" The spiky-haired trainer then notices how Mei is gripping the handle of her bag a bit too tightly. He is about to ask what's wrong when she screams, blowing everyone's ears off.
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"
N's hands fly to his ears, "M-Mei?"
She points a finger at him, "No wonder she reacted the way she did! Don't you know the Ferris Wheel is the worst place to confess that you were the king of Team Plasma?! How could you not read the mood?!"
"There...was a mood? I don't understand. I had to cover for my followers, so I led her aboard the Ferris Wheel. When I told her I was the king of Team Plasma, it was because I did not wish to hide the truth from her."
In response, Mei addresses the crowd around her, turning her fury onto them, "How could you let this happen?! You raised him to be a king, and you don't teach him how to properly interact with people?!"
Some of the grunts scoff, and one mentions how they were preoccupied with other things, like following orders. Anthea and Concordia are now boring their eyes into N's back, not sure if they're more disappointed in him or themselves. Sage Rood seems to be taking it the hardest. His body is hunched over as he fights the desire to drop to his knees and beg for forgiveness.
The sage's voice quivers, "This...This is a transgression I must atone for."
N softly apologizes, even though he doesn't know what exactly he's apologizing for. When he makes eye contact with Mei again, he sees that her fierce glare hasn't let up and tips his hat down to shield himself from the intensity in her eyes.
"With how the two of you parted ways, N," the twin-bunned trainer continues, "I highly doubt she sees you as a friend. At best, you were someone who got in the way of her journey. You said earlier today that you wished to look for her, but do you really think she'll listen to anything you say once you find her? It'll take a miracle for that to happen!"
N wants to object, to say that his relationship with Touko is less antagonistic than what Mei is making it out to be. However, with each attempt to draw upon a moment that'll support his idealistic view of Touko, Mei's hard-hitting words recontextualize his memories and reveal to him the bitter truth.
"Have...I even seen her smile? What does her smile look like?"
Mei's frustration fades away as N finally realizes the impossibility of his wish. Upon seeing the first signs of hopelessness sink into him, she clears her throat and claims, "Lucky for you, I happen to be a miracle worker!"
N gaps openly at her, "Mei…?"
"I'm going to transform you into the perfect gentleman, N! We'll show her just how you've changed for the better, and then, just maybe, she'll think of being your friend."
The former king grasps the necklace resting against his chest almost as if gripping his heart. When he told Mei of his desire to search for Touko, he only wished to express his gratitude to her for revealing the truth of this world to him. And yet, he can feel something else deep within him. A tiny, newborn wish.
N wants to be friends with her. It's a blatantly selfish thought, but it is one borne from his newly-founded desire to see a smiling Touko. His mind is already conjuring up several images of what she might look like, but he knows that he must turn those ideals into reality for them to truly mean anything to him.
He gives Mei his answer, "Teach me everything you know. I will commit them to heart...in order to make my wish come true."
Two weeks later…
Mei, on the back of her Swanna, flies towards the Plasma Frigate, docked in Route 17 next to a small island with a single, abandoned building. From above, she sees a couple of Neo Team Plasma grunts huddled next to the entrance to the interior of the airship. As she draws closer, one of the male grunts jabs a finger into another grunt's chest, which prompts the rest of the group to latch onto his limbs.
"I can't believe you!" Mei hears, "How can you accuse me of something like that? You think I want this ship to explode?! You're the one who's more suspicious out of the two of us!"
"Excuse me?! I'm just as innocent as everyone else in this place! Like I understand how anything here works!"
Mei takes it upon herself to stop their argument before it spirals out of control. If they suddenly start a Pokémon battle among themselves, she doesn't know how she's going to explain it to the locals. And the part about the ship exploding is troubling, to say the least.
"Guys, enough!" As she had hoped, all of the grunts snap their heads towards her, effectively halting their conversation. "What's the problem this time? Where's Colress?"
"Shit, just our luck," the slacking grunt curses. A female grunt, who is watching from the sidelines, whispers to the trainer, "In his lab. He's been cooped up there since this morning. Ah, but since you're here, maybe you can help him."
"Just because I'm in charge of the cameras doesn't make me the prime suspect! How about the grunts who were supposed to monitor the damn tank?!"
"With the way you're accusing everyone else, I'd say you're the culprit!"
"I have a feeling…it's going to take all of us to calm these two down," the female grunt groans as they go back to fighting, and the rest of the crew surrounds them. Some have taken sides, but the majority of the grunts are watching with disapproving gazes. Mei decides to listen to the female grunt, and she slips away, heading to the flight of stairs that leads down to the helm.
Since the incident with Neo Team Plasma, Colress has converted part of the airship into his personal lab, where he continues to study how to further draw out a Pokémon's power. He has also promised to reform the remaining members of Neo Team Plasma, but two months later, his curiosity has led him to take a month-long trip to the Alola region, leaving her to watch over them in his stead. Ever since coming back to Unova, he's been fully enthralled in his research, apparently working on something extremely confidential.
Mei wonders to herself, "I've never seen the grunts so…disgruntled. Is this airship really on the verge of blowing up?"
"Only Colress holds the answers," Zekrom butts in. Its voice pops in Mei's head like a brewing thunderstorm. Even after almost three months of possessing Zekrom, she is still not used to it speaking in her mind, "Let us hurry."
She comes up to the large tank that used to be Kyurem's prison. Another female grunt is checking its status, and her eyes narrow at what she's seeing, "We're down to the last of the energy created by Kyurem's power…At least we still have the solar panels. Huh, what's this? Who…unlocked the safety hatches last night…?"
Mei remembers how the legendary Pokémon had stared blankly at her from within the tank as if resigned to a life of captivity and abuse. No signs of struggling, no hope to be found within itself. She wonders how Kyurem is doing. Maybe she should check up on it again later this week.
Taking a right, she steps on a teleporter and enters the ship's helm. The first thing she notices is the wheel, which is now attached to a semi-circular desk. Its surface is covered with blinking lights of various colors, arranged into sets of multiple keyboards. Usually, it'll be blue and yellow lights calmly reporting the stable status of the airship, but today, there's a new color in the mix: a striking shade of red.
Colress himself is sitting in front of a screen. For once, his laid-back and analyzing grin is gone in favor of clenched teeth and furrowed eyebrows. He taps on several of his folders, hoping to open up something, only to then activate a program that covers the entire screen with a slow-moving progress bar.
"Colress?" Mei calls, "Is everything alright? The grunts outside are fighting."
When the scientist looks up, she finds an uneasiness that borders on weariness. His expression does soften, though. "Ah, don't mind them. They're blowing things out of proportion. I've told them I would handle the situation, but I guess some of them are a little too fond of this airship."
Mei understands what the grunts are feeling. To them, this is their home. If they lose the Plasma Frigate, they'll have nowhere else to go. After watching over them for a month, she's become close to most of them. She wants them to find a way to move on from their past as part of Neo Team Plasma.
"What exactly happened? The grunts might overreact a lot, but there's usually a good reason why," she questions, "I overheard one of them noticing something wrong with the energy tank."
Giving a shaky grin, Colress stands up and gestures for her to follow him. They exit his lab and make their way to the surveillance room, where the scientist then rewinds footage from the camera overlooking the energy tank. Mei sees nothing out of the ordinary, just a Neo Team Plasma grunt taking a nap as a Magnezone hovers next to its trainer, supposedly keeping watch. That is until the time reaches mid-morning, at which point the footage changes to the grunt suddenly on her feet, rushing offscreen to her right.
"Someone tampered with the cameras? Is that why the grunts are accusing each other?" Mei guesses.
"Yes. As you might have heard, we barely have any of Kyurem's power left in the energy tank. This means we're docked for the rest of this airship's lifespan unless we are able to procure more. I'd imagine Kyurem would not be willing to expend any more of its power to the place that used to imprison it."
The tiniest of zaps pricks Mei's waist, and she grips her tote bag. It seems Zekrom isn't fond of the idea. "Does this mean the Plasma Frigate might also explode?"
The scientist stares at her funny before chuckling to himself, "Of course not. We have enough energy to sustain the airship's functions. That's what the solar panels are for."
As she breathes a sigh of relief, they leave the surveillance room and head back to his lab. By now, the lights have returned to their normal colors, and the screen Colress was looking at earlier has closed itself.
"Now that all of that is out of the way," the scientist starts as he plants himself in his chair, "How can I help you?"
Mei's eyes sparkle with enthusiasm, a telltale sign she's about to suggest something outlandish. "Actually, I want to turn in that favor you owe me for watching over the grunts while you were in Alola. I've been curious about something ever since you came back."
"And what might that be?"
"Well, for starters, remember what you've said about Z-Moves? How they physically represent the power of bonds between trainers and their Pokémon?"
"You've been listening to my ramblings," Colress notes, internally surprised by the fact, "That's correct. By utilizing their bonds with their trainers, Pokémon are able to unleash devastating power called Z-Power in the form of a Z-Move. Some researchers in the Alola region believe this power originated from a place called Ultra Space."
"I was thinking…is it possible for trainers to have their own version of Z-Power? Have a Pokémon channel its powers into a person?"
Colress has to take a moment to process what he's just heard. What she's proposing is practically unheard of. It's always Pokémon who are fighting the battles, and it's always been a trainer's job to guide them on how to use their powers. That's just how the world works.
Of course, Team Plasma dared to challenge this view two and a half years ago, but even they did not go so far as to dream of letting people wield a Pokémon's power with their bare hands.
"Can I ask why you are interested in such a thing, Mei?" questions Colress. He must know the reason. Is it morbid curiosity? A hidden desire to change the world?
Mei's eyes only grow wider as her voice raises a pitch, "Think about it, Colress. If people are also able to unleash Z-Moves, then it'll be like they're using magic! Wouldn't that be super cool?!"
The scientist really shouldn't be surprised, but his mouth now hangs open, an incredulous expression quickly spreading on his face. Then, his body shakes as a laugh bursts forth from his lips.
Of course, that would be the reason. He shouldn't have expected anything else.
"Hey, I'm being completely serious here!"
Colress doesn't doubt that for a moment. "My apologies. The imagination of young people continues to amaze me." He opens a blank document on his screen and turns back to her, "Since this is your request, I'll humor you. I can't guarantee anything, but I'll see if I can craft some theories on how that might work."
Mei cheers at the top of her lungs. If things go well, maybe she'll find a way to become just like the magical girls on television. As she rambles on about what she would do if she could use magic, a message appears on Colress's screen, and he narrows his eyes again.
Once every other day, Mei would stop by the adoption center to host "extracurricular classes." These were mainly for N, but she also made the rest of the staff participate, essentially turning them into her teaching assistants. N is the type of student to ask questions at every turn, challenging almost every point Mei brings up. While most of them blatantly displays his lack of understanding—"If she says it's nothing, it's always something? If she doesn't want her friends to worry, then why would she be secretly calling for help in this way? It's a verbal signal?"—sometimes, the only answer he gets from her is, "You have to decide that for yourself."
After her lessons, Mei and Hugh would have a battle, and he would serve as the referee. Hugh carries the same six Pokémon with him, but Mei likes to diversify her teams. There's Pokémon she's training for the PWT, Pokémon who are only interested in starring in movies, and Pokémon who are still wondering what they want to do. Despite the differences in their dreams, Mei treats all of her Pokémon with the same amount of care and love. That much is clear from how she guides them in battle.
But after witnessing and analyzing several of her battles with Hugh, he begins to notice how Mei would only use five of her Pokémon, despite having a full team. She would sometimes find herself in a tough situation, where none of her Pokémon are a good match against what Hugh is using, but still insist on getting through the battle without revealing her last Pokémon.
It's after her narrowest victory yet that N decides to confirm his suspicions. As always, Hugh congratulates her for her win before declaring that he'll beat her next time. She mentions how he was super close to beating her, and he responds, "Yeah, almost got you down to your last Pokémon. Who is it, by the way?"
Mei tenses up and then tries to change the topic. N focuses his hearing, searching for the sixth voice in her party. And when he hears a familiar, spine-tingling rumble, his lips curve into a deep frown.
"Why didn't you use Zekrom, Mei?" he slowly questions.
Hugh, who hasn't fully realized what N had just said, is glad someone has answered his question, "Oh, so it was Zekrom? That's neat…Wait, Zekrom? You have Zekrom?!"
The adoption center staff is also at a loss for words. Sage Rood voices everyone else's thoughts, "Lord N, you gave Zekrom to Mei?"
"Yes," the former king answers honestly, "I believe Zekrom will help her achieve her dreams. She has proven the strength of her determination to both me and the legendary Pokémon."
Mei looks as though she's suddenly gotten stage fright, crumbling under their awestruck stares. The brief moment of panic is quickly wiped away when she flashes the biggest grin she can muster.
"It wouldn't be fair to Hugh if I decide to use Zekrom against him. He's helping me train up my Pokémon, not signing up to get bullied."
"You're selling me short, Mei," Hugh says, arms crossed, "Next time, don't hold back. I want to test myself against really strong opponents. You better hit me with Zekrom's full power!"
"Umm, uhh…yeah, sure!" Mei's answer is hesitant at best, but N is too fixated on the sadness he senses in Zekrom to notice.
Pretty soon, Mei finds herself falling into a pattern. Her days are jam-packed with things to do, places to check up on, and people to help. She quickly forgets about the incident with the Plasma Frigate's energy tank in the midst of her ever-expanding schedule. Before she knows it, two months have gone by.
On a particularly warm, spring day, Mei lands in Icirrus City, to the hill on the far-right end of the city. She steps forward and is not surprised when a shadowy figure shows up. Beneath his black face mask, his eyes reflect a desperate determination that's been present ever since she had found them lingering near the edge of Icirrus City.
The Shadow Triad.
"No matter how many times you battle me, you'll never be able to defeat me," Mei declares, but the truth does nothing to faze him. If anything, he only stands more defiant. She pulls out a Poké Ball, ready to engage in their monthly battle.
Despite the many defeats he's suffered at her hands, his team remains the same: two Bisharp and an Absol. They have the same move set, the same way of battling, and Mei deploys the same strategy to defeat them.
It's only after she claims her victory that she realizes something's different. She expects the next member of the Shadow Triad to crawl out of the shadows, but no one else appears next to the ninja.
"Where are they?"
Shadow, as they wished to be called, merely stares down at her. "You are right. We stand no chance of defeating you in a Pokémon battle. We thought, if we just keep fighting, we can regain Lord Ghetsis's heart."
Mei doesn't understand why they insist on sticking to Ghetsis. He'll never rise to power again, not after revealing his true colors to the rest of the region. "Stop this already! Team Plasma is gone, and Ghetsis is never coming back! Why can't you accept that?"
"We owe everything to Lord Ghetsis. Our lives are his to use as he sees fit. And even when he isn't able to command us, our sole purpose is to help fulfill his dream." The ninja turns his head slightly to the side as the voice of his brother reports, "Everything is in place. Send the girl to our location."
"Understood. Listen here. Today's the day we take the first step towards reviving Ghetsis. If you want to stop us, head to the Plasma Frigate. There, you will witness our resolve."
He vanishes out of sight, leaving behind a floundering Mei. Her mind is still questioning how they are still clinging onto Ghetsis.
Zekrom's booming voice does little to snap her out of it. "We have to go. If they are on the move again, we must be there to stop them. I cannot allow this region to fall into their hands."
"I…I want them to move on from Ghetsis. He might have saved their lives, but it's only to use them as tools! How can they not see that? Has Ghetsis ever appreciated what they've done for him?"
"Mei! Mei!" Hugh's voice rings out, and his unexpected arrival succeeds in returning her to the present.
"Hugh? What are you doing here?"
"You weren't answering your Xtransceiver, so Colress sent me to get you! It's them, the Shadow Triad! They're attacking the Team Plasma airship! I thought they disappeared after you stopped Ghetsis."
Mei hangs her head down, not willing to admit how she's been battling against them for half a year now. She thought she could contain them. If she could defeat them enough times, they'll see just how useless their struggles are and hopefully find another way to live their lives, just like everyone else who used to be in Team Plasma.
She had underestimated their loyalty to Ghetsis.
When Mei and Hugh land on the deck of the Plasma Frigate, they find the other two members of the Shadow Triad glaring down at a heap of collapsed Pokémon. The grunts grit their teeth as they recall their Pokémon, now having no way of evicting the ninjas from the ship. Colress convinces them to retreat into the ship's bowel.
The two young trainers step forward to stand in between Colress and the Shadow Triad. Hugh points a Poké Ball at the ninjas and releases his Unfezant, ready to engage them in a battle.
"Did Ghetsis put you up to this?! What is he trying to do now?! Tell me, or get ready to face my fury!" Mei's spiky-haired rival shouts, his Pokémon prepared to follow up on his threat. The Shadow Triad eyes Hugh with intent burning in their eyes. They then reveal a device that looks strikingly similar to the DNA Splicers.
Hugh gasps before turning to Mei, "The DNA Splicers? Did they steal it from you?!"
His rival shakes her head as she digs into her bag and reveals the real DNA Splicers. Colress tilts his head down, the gleam from his glasses obscuring his eyes.
"These grunts are not strong enough to pose a challenge. But you. Your hatred of Ghetsis will contribute to his return!"
Shadow presses down on the pointy, yellow tip. It breaks apart into a nucleus of icy blue chains that immediately latch onto Hugh. Both he and his Pokémon are encased in a sphere of solid ice, and Mei hears anguished screams coming from inside.
"Hugh!"
"Mei! Watch out!" Quick to act, Colress grabs the girl and pulls her away just as the surface of the cocoon begins to crack. With a blast of chilly mist, a creature resembling a male Unfezant shadows the airship. Its ribbon-like head plumage flap against the wind, extending past its body. Red, white, and blue feathers form a series of rings around its chest. Its wattle is now navy blue, and its eyes burn with fury.
"N-No…!" Mei is unable to comprehend what has just transpired, "Hugh…! What did you do to Hugh?!"
"The experiment…is a success." The sight of the monstrous fusion stuns even its creators. "We were able to fuse them together…"
Colress pushes up his glasses as a troubled frown settles on his face. "Ah, I see now. Having prior knowledge of this ship's layout and how the grunts on board behave, along with your skills of blending in the shadows…infiltrating this place would be child's play. And on top of stealing our reserve of Kyurem's power, you also..."
"What do you mean by that?!" snaps a delirious-sounding Mei, "How…What is that thing?! What did they turn Hugh into?!"
"Calm down. Panicking will not help the situation."
"How can you say that?! My best friend just got turned into a monster!"
The Shadow Triad sees the terror reflected in Mei's eyes and decides to use this moment to instill their resolve into her. "Attack, Kugeki! Act like the void, and show this false hero true despair!"
The Kugeki, as it's now named, throws its head back and then snaps its long growths towards Mei. Her feet are planted in place, and her body refuses to move. A scene of the past flashes before her, of ice spears surrounding her, ready to impale her on the spot. Fear holds her captive, not even allowing her the chance to choke out a scream.
A blue light coalesces in front of the actress, manifesting into a tall, dark figure that takes the attack for her. The crackle of electricity prickles her skin, and it's the same sensation she felt when she was saved by N.
Zekrom drops its arms from its chest and growls at the Kugeki. Mei's mouth drops at the sight of the legendary Pokémon protecting her.
"Zekrom…"
The dragon of ideals speaks to Colress without turning its head back. "You have anticipated this outcome, have you not? Take her and figure out how to change her friend back to normal. I will hold it off for as long as possible."
If they weren't in such a dire situation, Colress would have argued with the legendary Pokémon about the risks of leaving itself all alone. Instead, he grabs Mei again and bolts to his lab. The air sizzles with energy as Zekrom engulfs itself with lightning, which lashes out in every direction.
Colress brings Mei over to the energy tank and turns on the monitor. He quickly inputs a password in before pulling up several programs.
Mei, on the other hand, turns back to the staircase leading back outside. "Is…Is Zekrom going to be okay? What if they did the same thing as last time?"
"It'll be fine," reassures Colress, though he raises an eyebrow at her, "Zekrom won't fall for the same trick twice. Still, to think the Shadow Triad had stolen my research. They've used my notes on human-Pokémon fusions from my project in order to create and control these Kugekis."
The tank expels a puff of cold air, and Colress collects a silver-colored liquid in a test tube. Once he seals it with a cork, he urges Mei to follow him into his lab.
"So, what's the plan?" Mei brings herself to ask.
Colress swigs the test tube around, "Mei, I must admit, I did not accept your request for the sake of pure intellectual curiosity. It would not have contributed much to the theme of my research."
"What? So you were making fun of me!"
"I would never think of doing such a thing. You have helped me greatly in informing my approach to my research. What I realized when you brought up the idea was that I needed a backup plan for my project in the off chance of something going wrong."
It takes a while for Mei to connect the dots, but when she does, her eyes almost pop out of her sockets, "Wait, are you saying you actually figured out a way to-?!"
While not definitively answering her, Colress continues as if he did, "That Kugeki is most likely utilizing the two main properties of Kyurem's power: the power of the void and the power of fusion. We will need to nullify both if we are to save Hugh."
He shows Mei a small, diamond-shaped crystal with a lightning bolt engraved in the middle. She recognizes the object; it's a Z-Crystal. He holds up the test tube and the Z-Crystal, "That's where these come in. If we combine their powers, we can theoretically revert the Kugeki back. There's just one problem. I'm not sure if we have enough of Kyurem's power to pull this off. Even if the energy from the Z-Crystal manages to counteract Kyurem's power of the void, without being able to sever the fusion, the Shadow Triad will continue to use Hugh for their schemes."
Mei slams a hand on the table, "In that case, I'll get more of Kyurem's power for you, even if that means dragging it here myself! I can't let the Shadow Triad use Hugh like this!"
"Mei." Colress can see just how distraught she is. Hugh is the reason she went on her Pokémon journey. They always had each other's backs and balanced each other out. Whenever Hugh charged in, fury driving his every move, she was there to support him, making sure no one got in his way. They were an unstoppable duo.
But right now, she's the one swept up by emotions, and he needs to be the voice of reason. "There's no need for that. Even if you were able to slip away to the Giant Chasm, how will you convince Kyurem to help us? It holds no attachment to any of us."
"Then…what do we do?"
"We will need to amplify Kyurem's power. Mei, hand me the DNA Splicers and Zekrom's Poké Ball."
Her expression becomes hesitant, almost defiant. She clutches her tote bag and shakes her head. "Wait, hold on. Can't you use anyone else other than Zekrom? I've brought my strongest team with me. Maybe one of them can-!"
Colress wonders where her desperation to save her friend disappeared off to. Why is she wavering now? "Zekrom is our best option. It has an intrinsically close tie to Kyurem, which means it is better equipped to handle Kyurem's power."
"No…" Still, even after hearing Colress's logical explanation, Mei resists, "I promised myself. I promised I wouldn't use Zekrom. Ever. I'm not Zekrom's hero! That power is not mine to wield! That right belongs to N!"
"Then why have you not given Zekrom back to its rightful trainer?"
Colress's question directly strikes at her heart, breaking down the wall she has kept up. Anger flows through her as she spills everything she has locked inside. "Because N won't accept Zekrom back! He's dumped his ideals onto me, tells me to make a world where people and Pokémon won't need Poké Balls, and then passes Zekrom to me as if I'm doing him a big favor! Doesn't he hear how sad Zekrom gets, knowing it can't help its real hero fulfill his dreams?!"
The ship shakes violently, and they both hear Zekrom let out an anguished cry. Mei screams and books it out of the lab, dropping her tote bag in the process. When she teleports her way back to the deck, she finds Zekrom on its back covered in lashes. She trembles as she rushes to its side, her shaky fingers cradling one of Zekrom's large hands.
"Zekrom!"
The legendary Pokémon peeks at her while grimacing at the pain. "This is…as far as I can go. I fear this foe is too much…even for me."
"Hang in there, Zekrom! Let me give you some medicine!"
"It will do very little to help. No matter what I did, none of my attacks seemed to work. Stay back. I will not allow any harm to fall upon Lord N's successor."
Shadow slowly creeps up to them, pulling another one of their devices. He points it at Mei, poised to also turn her into a Kugeki. Tears stream down her cheeks as she thinks that this is it for her, Hugh, and maybe the entire Unova region. She's never going to make her dreams come true, and she's never going to help Zekrom convey its true feelings to its hero.
"Magnezone, Flash Cannon!"
A silver beam flies over Mei's head and blasts the device out of the ninja's hands. It crashes onto the deck and explodes. Both Shadow and Mei turn around to see Colress and his Magnezone, who is currently charging up another attack to fire at the Kugeki.
"Mei, catch!" The scientist tosses Zekrom's ultra ball to her. As she notes how an icy-blue barrier is pulsing around the ball, Colress says, "The rest is up to you. I can't say I understand why you refuse to use Zekrom. To fulfill one's dream, one should use everything in their arsenal. However, even I know that any Pokémon, even the legendary Pokémon, would feel sad if their trainer neglects them. It's clear, whether or not you want to admit it, that the two of you share a bond of mutual understanding. That's why Zekrom is protecting you now…and why you are angry on its behalf."
Shadow commands the Kugeki to attack Mei once more, but Colress sends out the rest of his team, and together, they distract the monster. Mei stares at Zekrom's supine body, racking her eyes over every wound. She can't even begin to express the feelings rampaging inside of her, but Zekrom patiently waits for her, and the gesture only generates more tears.
"I'm not…N's successor," Mei finally says, correcting the legendary Pokémon, "My name…is Mei. I'm from Aspertia City…and I went on my journey to help Hugh kick Team Plasma's butt. My dream is…to become the most famous trainer in Unova."
Mei wipes away her tears and points the ultra ball at the legendary Pokémon. "I want to save my friend, Zekrom. Until the day we get N to open his eyes and realize your true feelings, please lend me your strength!"
Zekrom approvingly growls at her declaration. It taps its hand against the ultra ball, recalling itself into it. Mei stands up and defiantly glares at the Kugeki. With a smile that screams "checkmate," Colress says, "You're good to go, Mei! Just give it an activation code."
Mei doesn't need to think too hard about what the code should be. She's been preparing for this moment since the day she brought it up to Colress. Raising the ultra ball high up into the sky, she confidently shouts, "Curing Fusion!"
Ultra Wormhole energy coats Mei in a hazy yellow aura before a pillar of sparkling white light blinds everyone around her. The ultra ball opens with a resounding pop and floods Mei's world with black feathers and blue electricity. At the sound of three lightning zaps, her clothes and visor are stripped away, leaving her in a short and simple white dress. The black feathers spinning around her begin to cling to her dress, transforming the top half into a black, one-shoulder crop top. A petal-shaped sleeve drapes over her right shoulder, while a cord of lightning sits on her chest and ties itself into a bow that resembles a pair of bells.
Another long thread circles around her thighs, materializing a fluffy, black tutu. A whirlwind of black feathers travels down her legs, covering them with sheer black stockings that begin at the bottom of her skirt. As a pen of lightning traces a ring of hexagons around both of her ankles, she steps into a pair of short, black boots. Mei then crosses her hands and closes her eyes at the feeling of black feathers delicately clinging to them. Once the plumes transform into a set of fingerless gloves, she tests it out by clenching her fists. With a satisfied grin on her face, Mei moves her hands to the back of her head. As if removing a hair tie, she tosses her hands back, unraveling a curtain of hair that reaches her lower back. A flash of lightning later, the color of her hair changes from a chocolate brown to a neon blue. Two jagged bolts settle on her head, becoming a hairband with two antennas sticking up.
Mei grasps a streak of lightning, and as she ties it around her neck, it transforms into a black choker held together by a blue bow. A stray bolt folds itself into a hexagon, which then attaches itself to the choker. A whirlwind of black feathers swarms around her lower back like a murder of crows and fashions a set of draconic wings identical to Zekrom's. They attach the wings to a pouch shaped in the same vein as the ribbon on her chest.
Her eyes fly open, revealing a pair of scarlet irises. She grabs the ultra ball and juggles it several times with her feet before catching it and tucking it away in her newly-form backpack.
With her transformation now complete, the black feathers disappear into the heavens, and she reappears in a flash of lightning. Mei takes a second to admire her new form just as Zekrom, now barely the size of her palm, perches on her shoulder.
"This is amazing…" she breathes, "I can feel the electricity running through my body. How did Colress pull this off?"
Zekrom wisely chooses not to answer. Instead, it reminds her, "You have yet to announce the name of this form."
Mei is suddenly taken aback, "Shoot, you're right! I didn't expect you to be my partner, so I don't have a name prepared!"
"I have something in mind. It can be a temporary placeholder until you come up with a more fitting name."
"Oh, don't be like that! We agreed to be partners, right? Hehe, the legendary dragon of ideals is interested in magical girls. It's fitting."
Mei opens her left palm and conjures a tiny lightning bolt.
"The Heroine of Ideals!" The streak of lightning circles around her like a satellite to a planet, but Mei spins in the opposite direction. Only when her hand meets the orbiting bolt do they both stop, and she tucks the jagged flash tightly in her fist. Her right arm then sweeps out to her side, stringing along a whip of lightning that fizzles out once she settles into her final pose.
"Cure Bolt!"
The blinding light flickers away as it unveils the magical girl. Colress beams at the sight of his successful experiment; he can always count on Mei to achieve the impossible. The Shadow Triad, on the other hand, can't make heads or tails of the situation.
This wasn't in their calculations. She was supposed to drown in despair, along with the legendary Pokémon who used to be so important to their master's schemes.
But, even with this turn of events, there's only one way forward for them. It's too late to reconsider their plan. Pushing through the confusion, Shadow orders his creation, "Kugeki, attack the girl!"
The Kugeki once again rears its head back and then lashes out with its feelers. Bolt readies her fists and swats the appendages aside. Using the brief window of vulnerability, she launches herself towards the Kugeki at blinding speed and lands a lightning-charged punch on its guts. The sheer force of her attack sends the monster crashing onto the island next to the airship, opening up a crater that spans half of the island's width.
As Bolt touches down on the edge of the basin, the Shadow Triad shares a fearful glance with each other. One of them then turns his sights onto Colress and whispers, "Stall her."
His brother nods and fades into the shadows, reappearing next to the fallen Kugeki, who's now wracked in pain. Its body twitches as sparks of electricity pop up in different spots, a clear indicator that it's been paralyzed. Bolt's heart aches at the sight; somewhere inside of that monster is Hugh, and she doesn't know if he's okay. What is he feeling right now? Can he even feel anything?
Shadow crunches next to the Kugeki, "Stand. You still have hatred inside of you. Use it."
Its dark aura blares to life just as its eyes snap open. Blinded by red, the Kugeki pierces Bolt's ears with a howl unlike anything she's heard before. It's as if the anger is being squeezed out and then amplified.
"Hugh!"
"I'll destroy all of Team Plasma! I'm going to take Purrloin back, no matter what!"
It's unmistakably Hugh's voice, but Bolt doesn't understand why he's mentioning Purrloin. They've already saved his sister's Purrloin, after all. And the part about destroying all of Team Plasma…does he still hate them? Even the ones who are trying to atone?
But then, she remembers how Hugh has been working alongside the ex-members of Team Plasma ever since their original journey ended. How he approaches his tasks every day with the same level of responsibility and intent as the rest of the adoption center staff, working together to care for the stolen and abandoned Pokémon in their care. And even before then, when he encouraged them to gather the courage to fight for their ideals, he didn't hesitate in showing them how to do it.
Did becoming a Kugeki make him forget all of that?
If he has forgotten, she needs to be the one to remind him. "Listen to me, Hugh! Not everyone in Team Plasma feels the same way! Some of them really only wanted to stop Pokémon from suffering, and they're doing everything they can to help them! And your sister's Purrloin is safe! It's at home, slowly remembering her! Please, Hugh! You have to remember what you saw on your journey!"
Without even an indication that it has registered Bolt's words, the Kugeki whips up a whirlwind strong enough to blow the roof of the abandoned lab off. Bolt shrieks as she is sent flying into the sky. A shadow zooms towards her, and before she can react, the Kugeki launches an assault of fast dash attacks, juggling her in the air.
"They want to save Pokémon? Yeah, right! They're only a bunch of scummy Pokémon thieves!" Bolt feels a swipe against her right shoulder.
"Team Plasma only sees Pokémon as tools!" Her chest is sliced by a sharp wing attack.
"I can't ever forgive them!" The Kugeki bashes against the back of her head.
"I'll never forgive them!"
Bolt lets out a blood-curling scream when its long feelers smack into her back, sending her hurtling into the crater she had created. Her body aches all over, and the idea of collapsing right then and there is tempting.
"This is your limit," Shadow proclaims, now the one to be staring down at her, "In the end, you have nothing. You are nothing. Everything is meaningless in the face of our lord Ghetsis's dream."
Bolt grits her teeth, straining to keep her eyes open. Tears blind her sight, but Shadow quickly discovers that they are not from despair. The sparkle of defiance in her red eyes is still there, dazzling and brilliant.
"I do…have something," she retorts as she struggles back onto her feet, "I have a dream. A dream that I want to fulfill, no matter what! That's more than what I can say for you! That dream you're trying to fulfill…isn't even yours!"
Shadow chokes on his words, seething from behind his mask. The Kugeki lands next to its creator, and the ninja snaps at it, "Destroy her!"
With a sinister screech, the Kugeki charges, coating itself with a wind barrier. Hugh's voice snarls out once more, "Get out of my way!"
Bolt's lips curve into a wistful smile as she is reminded of all the times she stood next to that rage, allowing it to run rampant over every Neo-Team Plasma grunt. In a way, it was comforting because Hugh never backed down, even as the situation turned out to be more complicated than they could ever imagine.
When she sees the Kugeki charging at her with hatred burning in its eyes, she knows there's only one thing to do.
"You can forgive them. You already have," Her smile becomes resolute, "Zekrom and I are going to make you remember, so give me your best shot, Hugh! Take our full strength!"
Bolt gathers electricity into her legs. Stray bolts flicker around her, growing more and more in number as she waits for the right moment. The Kugeki boosts itself slightly to increase its momentum, hoping to use the added speed to throw off her timing. With how fast the Kugeki has closed the distance, it looks as though there isn't enough time to dodge.
The magical girl lifts her arms into second position. A crack of thunder shakes the route. Stormy clouds blanket the sky.
Bathed in silvery-white wind, the Kugeki reaches its target, intending to strike at her stomach, but with another thunderclap, she twirls out of the way. The magical girl watches as the Kugeki soars up to the black clouds above, unable to stop because of its own momentum. Once it disappears out of view, its anguished wail is muffled by the sound of rumbling thunder.
"Right where we want it. Let us finish this!"
Bolt feels her body being engulfed with a tingling warmth. A hazy aura flows around her as she sees the world of black feathers again. She concentrates the power running through her into an outlet of electricity, and soon, she becomes a yellow ball of sparkling lightning.
"Precure!" The magical girl proclaims, feeling Zekrom guide her words, "Bolt Strike!"
Bolt shoots towards the Kugeki in a blink of an eye. Her attack is all-consuming; yellow lightning turns into streaks of blue flying in all directions. Against the world of black backdropped behind her, she is a star, a twinkling sparkle taking flight.
The Kugeki split back into Hugh and his Unfezant, who are now both sleeping peacefully. Bolt cradles Hugh in her arms and lets the flying-type hang over her shoulders. The sky clears, and in a flash of lightning, she teleports back down to the ground.
Shadow, for the first time, takes a step backward, terror swirling in his eyes. The magical girl glares at him, as if daring him to try anything else, but the ninja only grits his teeth and vanishes. Only after they leave does she breathe a sigh of relief. Bolt gently places Hugh down and rests Unfezant next to him. She then hears Colress calling her name and turns to see him running over to her. He makes a quick inspection of the situation, nodding when he finds the unconscious Hugh.
"Well done, Mei," Colress congratulates with a proud grin, "Not only were we able to repel the Shadow Triad and save your friend, but also, in doing so, we were able to achieve the impossible. You can now wield Zekrom's fearsome power for yourself."
"I'll only use Zekrom to fight the Shadow Triad and their Kugekis," she responds, not batting an eye when Colress shoots her a disappointed expression, "But…I think I'll try to get to know Zekrom more, instead of ignoring it. That way, I can understand its feeling better and help it convey them to its real hero. Oh, and when I'm in this form, call me Cure Bolt. Or Bolt for short."
Bolt glances down and smiles at the legendary Pokémon, who merely nods back. The scientist sports a small grin of his own before fiddling with the device on his arm again.
"Sure, Bolt. Let's give Hugh a quick check-up. Even though we were successful in changing him back, we must check if there are any side effects."
Bolt eagerly picks her friend up again and follows the scientist to the Plasma Frigate. Her heart is swarmed with a storm of different emotions, but she can confidently say that she's really, super glad she is able to become a magical girl.
Hugh wakes up with a haze over his mind. When his vision adjusts, he finds Mei watching over him, her eyes lighting up when his gaze lands on her. With a harsh groan, he pulls himself into a sitting position and immediately presses a hand against his forehead in order to contain the sudden headache blooming in his head.
"How are you feeling?" Mei questions as she hands him a cup of water. Hugh mumbles his thanks and finishes it in one gulp.
"Urghh…head's pounding away like there's a party up there…"
"Pfft…sorry! Glad to know your snarky mouth is still working."
Hugh raises an eyebrow. What did she mean by that? Mei must have noticed his reaction because her laughter disappears almost instantly.
"Where am I…?"
"The Plasma Frigate," Colress casually answers.
Hugh's back straightens, his eyes immediately narrowing at the scientist. Colress, on the other hand, approaches the bedridden trainer with a somewhat strained grin.
"That's right. Mei and I…wait, the Shadow Triad! Ughh…this stupid headache! They had a device like the DNA Splicers…and they used it on me, but…what did they do?! I can't remember!"
Mei shares an uneasy glance with Colress before murmuring, "You don't remember…?"
A screen manifests next to Colress's face, alerting him of an incoming voice message. He accepts the call, and a blonde-haired boy stares back at him, fingers drumming on his table. The glaring white room around him heavily contrasts with his beaten, black hoodie. Behind him is a mauve-haired woman with giant pink frames, dressed in a pink turtleneck and a thin, white skirt.
"Colress, has that trainer woken up yet?" the boy questions.
"A short minute ago, yes. Judging from his reaction, though, it would appear he does not recall being fused with his Pokémon."
A chill crawls down Hugh's spine. "F-Fused…with my Pokémon?"
"That's right," the blonde says, "And your friend fought to save you."
He takes a closer look at his rival and notices how she looks ragged. Not the kind that comes from being exhausted, but from getting into a fistfight. She sticks her tongue out as if to say it's no big deal, but he knows, from the way she looked at him when he woke up, just how relieved she truly is.
Is this guy saying she was the one fighting, not her Pokémon? Did that mean she was fighting…whatever he was turned into? How exactly did she save him? Why can't he remember?!
The woman in the pink glasses catches the confusion spreading on Hugh's face and gives him a reassuring smile, "It's wonderful that she was able to rescue you. The two of you remind me of Miss Lillie and Elio. They're always helping each other out."
As the blonde grumbles something under his breath, triggered by the mention of the two unfamiliar names, Hugh glances back at his rival, "Mei…thanks. You always have my back, huh?"
"That's what friends are for!"
"I don't know. You go a bit too far sometimes. Most of the time, actually."
She lets out a mock gasp before both of their faces break into chuckles. A small grin briefly flashes across the blonde boy's face before returning to its stoic gaze.
"Glad to see he's alright," he then pauses, turning away from the camera for a split second, "I should introduce myself. I'm Gladion, interim president of the Aether Foundation. You can say I'm Colress's current employer."
"And I'm Wicke," the woman in pink adds, "I assist young master Gladion in all kinds of matters. Our organization is dedicated to the conservation of Pokémon in the Alola region."
Seeing as both Mei and Hugh are about to introduce themselves, Gladion cuts them off, "Colress has told me a few things about the both of you. Mei in particular. Before I say anything more, I have to apologize for getting you involved. Even with all of our precautions, we were careless."
"Don't beat yourself up too much," Colress interjects, "Neither of us would have guessed that the Shadow Triad would be interested in our project, much less use it for their own schemes. It is only for two very specific Pokémon, and you can't find either of them in Unova. Not unless an Ultra Wormhole opens up here."
Mei nods in agreement, and Gladion relaxes slightly. "In that case, let's move on. Mei, I want you to help contain the situation with the Shadow Triad. I can't allow the technology behind the project I've assigned to Colress to be used to hurt both people and Pokémon. The power you possess is our only way of standing up against them."
"Right. Kyurem has shut itself in the Giant Chasm, and Reshiram…is with Touko, searching for N." Mei clutches Zekrom's ultra ball and then nods again. "Of course I'll help! I was going to, anyway, even if you didn't ask me."
Gladion finally lets a grin show, "Good. We're on the same page. Colress, put a hold on our project for now. The matter with the Shadow Triad comes first. If the International Police gets involved, I will be limited in what I can do. Resolve this as quickly as you can."
"Now, hold on a second," Colress brings a hand up, "I understand that the Shadow Triad should be our top priority, but as I've reported, we've barely managed to stop them this time. If we are to put an end to their plans, we will need to refine our methods."
Gladion sends a nasty glare, already guessing at what the scientist is asking for. He turns to Wicke and asks her to pull up their financial reports. As she disappears offscreen, Gladion reluctantly says, "The Aether Foundation will provide additional funds for your research. You better use it to stop the Shadow Triad."
"Of course. I've already stated how much I dislike Ghetsis. He won't be coming back under our watch."
"Then, we are done here. Keep me updated. If you need anything, contact Wicke."
The call ends, and the screen closes out of view. Colress glances back at the two trainers, "Looks like we have our work cut out for us."
"Yeah. I won't let them threaten Unova a third time!" Mei declares.
"Count me in, too!" Hugh butts in, forcibly inserting himself into the conversation, "Anyone who follows Ghetsis needs to be crushed. It's time I repay you for everything you've done for me, Mei. Just as you've got my back, I have yours."
His rival brightly beams, evidently touched by his words, "Thanks, Hugh! Let's kick some Shadow Triad ass!"
As the two of them let out a battle cry together, Zekrom ponders to itself, "It is all thanks to the Shadow Triad that she was able to open up to me. Lord N, you have suffered too much at the hands of Ghetsis and his followers. Please continue to pursue your dream as we protect this region from them."
When Mei finishes her recollection, Cheren is still scribbling away on his notepad. The campfire has dwindled into a flickering ember, and the forest is silent save for the rustling of paper.
Bianca is the first to speak up, "Wow…and you've been fighting them ever since?"
"Yes," Mei nods, "Shortly after, we've heard sightings of Kugekis appearing all over the region. I've been doing my best to defeat them, but for every Kugeki I beat, more would pop up in its place."
"Because there's three of them and only one of you," muses Cheren.
Touko crosses her arms as her thoughtful glance turns into a deep frown. "If you were struggling with the Kugekis, why did you not accept my help in the beginning? It can't just be because you wanted to improve your acting."
Mei nervously laughs, "Truth is, Gladion wanted to involve as few people as possible. So when we learned about how you were able to transform into a magical girl, he wanted me to see if your powers were legit. I was only supposed to help when you really needed it."
"In other words, he wanted to test Touko," Cheren says, "And you chose to play a role in order to do just that."
"Bingo! And that's all I know so far. Colress and I have been chasing after the Shadow Triad for months, but so far, they've just been sowing chaos across the region and nothing more. We haven't found a connection between the Kugekis and their true goal."
Mei's face then scrunches up as if recalling a nagging thought. "Hold on. Actually, now that I think about it…"
"What's wrong?" Cheren urges her to continue.
"Kugekis used to spawn in random locations. There's no real pattern behind their appearances, and they tend to be found in isolated places. But recently, they've seemed to be following a path."
Cheren stills and then flips through his notebook. He lands on a page containing his records of every Kugeki Touko has fought, noticing how, aside from a few exceptions, the Kugekis show up wherever Touko was.
Pursuing his lips, he glances at the actress, "Do you think…they're targeting Touko?"
Judging from the equally tight-lipped expression on Mei's face, she must have come to the same conclusion. "It's very likely. She is the one who stopped Ghetsis's ambition the first time. That's enough reason to want to eliminate her."
"I bet that's what they were trying to do when they turned Bianca into a Kugeki."
Bianca turns to Touko, who has the rim of her hat pulled down to cover her face, "Touko, what's wrong?"
The heroine lifts her cap away from her face, revealing a barely-visible smile. "I was just remembering what you said earlier. These past few days, I've seen N do things I didn't believe he would do. When I first got my powers, I knew I only wanted to use them to protect him. However…there's a part of me that's afraid of what he'll do once he learns about the Kugekis. And when he reassured me and showed me how he has changed, that scared me, too."
Touko's gaze falls onto Reshiram's luxury ball, "I still feel that fear inside, but I can't let it get in the way of what I want. And…what I want is to experience all sorts of things with N. To see the world with him, together. I have so much fun just being with him, and I want to feel that even more. That's a good enough reason, right?"
Mei's eyes sparkle like they've birthed a new star, and she exclaims, "Of course! I'm so glad you've found your answer."
"Glad to see you're not moping anymore," Cheren says, tucking his notebook away, "You're starting to move on."
"Sorry for making you worry."
"We're always going to worry, Touko!" Bianca adds, "You're our friend!"
It takes her a moment to respond back, but the smile she gives is one they haven't seen in years, "Hehe, thanks!"
"Does this mean you're going to tell N about you being Cure Flare?" asks Cheren.
Touko's smile drops slightly, "I…should. Leaving him out of this when all of you are involved doesn't sound right. I just hope he doesn't get too mad at me for keeping him in the dark."
"Are you truly capable of telling him the truth?" Reshiram grumbles, extending its telepathy and making its presence known, "You still cannot maintain eye contact with him. He could barely understand what you were saying earlier, too."
Touko snaps at the legendary Pokémon, "S-Shut up! Don't remind me!"
Mei and Bianca giggle together while Cheren awkwardly adjusts his tie. The professor's assistant then lets out a long yawn. Sheepishly apologizing, the professor's assistant crawls to her sleeping bag and promptly falls asleep. Cheren excuses himself and retreats to his own sleeping bag.
When Touko confirms that her two best friends are fast asleep, she releases Reshiram. Mei takes this as a cue to send out Zekrom, and the two legendary dragons face each other with unreadable expressions.
Touko sends a glare Reshiram's way, still peeved about the dragon drawing attention to the major problem she has, but she eventually crosses her arms and says, "This is your chance to beat up Zekrom for taking your idea."
Mei is barely able to contain her shock, "W-What? Now?! No, don't! The entire route will be destroyed!"
Reshiram's eyes narrow, blazing blue against deep red. Zekrom, in turn, flexs its fingers. The actress loudly gulps as the heroine maintains her glare.
"...As expected of my other half," Reshiram says, an amused chuckle spewing from its lips, "It seems we were on the same page, as the humans would say."
Zekrom's expression doesn't change, but it speaks in a lighter tone, "Let me guess. You had a dream about a disjointed voice narrating the legend of a legendary warrior."
"Why yes! You had the same dream?"
Mei drops to the floor, while Touko only shakes her head.
"Don't act like you knew from the start," the heroine whines.
Now the only one left awake, Touko lifts Reshiram's luxury ball and inspects it closely. The mention of Ultra Wormhole energy reminds her of Touya and their conversation regarding his lost memories.
"If I go off of how Mei's powers work, I would need both Z-Power and Kyurem's power to revert Kugekis back. Since this ball was originally Touya's, does that mean it has some of that Z-Power inside?"
"From what we have learned, Ultra Wormhole energy and Z-Power are closely related. If Touya was instilled with a heavy amount of Ultra Wormhole energy, it is likely some of that energy has slipped into the Poké Balls in his possession."
"What about Kyurem's power? We shouldn't have any of it, so how is it that your power is enough to convert the Kugekis back?"
"...Touko, if I may venture a guess, I believe the reason behind the malfunction, aside from the lingering traces of Ultra Wormhole energy, is because this ball used to house another Pokémon."
"Another…Pokémon? Wait, are you saying…?!"
"Yes. Your friend, Touya, might be someone far more important than we might think."
Profile: Mei
The main protagonist of Pokémon Black 2. Hailing from Aspertia City, Mei's initial reason for going on a Pokémon journey was to travel with her childhood friend, Hugh, and help him find his sister's Purrloin, who was stolen by Team Plasma several years ago. She is an energetic, optimistic girl who does things at her own pace, often dragging everyone around her along for the ride. She has a habit of taking things too far. If she isn't busy shooting a movie or managing Join Avenue, she can be found helping people all across Unova. Her bubbly personality makes her easy to trust, and she backs it up with a kind of determination that can rival even Touko's.
Age: 15
Horoscope: Braviary
Alter Ego: Cure Bolt
Symbol: Hexagons and diamonds
Signature move: Precure Bolt Strike
Current team: Serperior, Swanna, Zekrom, Chincinno, Volcarona, Gardevoir