The palace doors sealed shut behind N and his father. They moved through the small antechamber, which was empty and without light, but which N loved the sight of all the same. He breathed in the familiar scent of dust and smiled at the walls. It felt good to arrive home finally, but he didn't want to stay for too long. There were no wrongs to right here.
Ghetsis unveiled a hand from his robe and pushed open the dark, wooden doors to the main chamber, stepping through. N followed. The light of the many chandeliers greeted them.
The room was large; the walls painted over with chipped, red paint. There were doors to the right and left that served as entry to the many zigzagging corridors. A wide, marble staircase at the far wall led to the upper floor, which was railed by balustrades and columns. At the foot of the stairs, both of his sisters were waiting for them.
They beamed at N.
"Anthea! Concordia!" He ran to them, footfalls echoing against the marble floor, and hugged them both in a tight embrace. They smelled faintly of a fruity perfume, as they always had.
"We're so happy to see you, N," Anthea said.
"How have you been?" Concordia asked. He released them, unable to stop the edges of his lips from pulling upward.
"I'm well," he said, squeezing their shoulders. "Very well."
Anthea's smile lessened, and she shared an uneasy look with her sister. N frowned. What had he said?
"Is something the matter?" He asked.
Concordia shook her head, then took N's hand from her shoulder and squeezed it comfortingly. "No. Of course not, N. We're so happy to see you again. Why don't you come to the kitchens, and we'll see you fed?"
He shook his head. "Father says the Sages will gather for a meeting. I am to join them." He stepped to the side so that they could look at Ghetsis, where he stood patiently in the center of the room.
They bowed. "Father," they said in unison.
He stepped forward. "Anthea, inform the sages that we have arrived. Tell them they are to assemble in the throne room. Concordia, see that you prepare it."
They nodded and hurried up the stairs. Anthea looked over her shoulder at N, and he offered a small wave before Ghetsis turned to address him.
"We will be discussing the future of the newly created Team Plasma," his father said, "and the plan for convincing more of the populace. Furthermore, whether we will begin freeing the Pokemon through force, intimidation, or continued persuasion."
N cocked his head as they started up the steps. "Force, father?"
"Yes," he said, his tone dry. "It may be necessary to capture the Pokemon from ignorant trainers who do not listen to our cause and release them peacefully. Once we have obtained them, we would then release them to the wild."
N opened his mouth, then closed it again. He supposed it was possible that using violence, the person, or, worse, the Pokemon, might be injured, but he trusted Ghetsis' judgment, and he would take any step toward furthering his goal, even if that meant using force. He was, after all, a criminal, and so perhaps it was necessary.
They arrived at the top of the steps, where the landing split into two pathways leading left and right. There was no noise except for their muted footsteps on the carpet as they turned right.
His thoughts churned. He wondered about his goal, but as he did so, Luna kept slipping into his mind. He pushed an image of her away. She was gone. There was no use in thinking of her anymore. But why couldn't he stop? He had no time for relationships like the one he'd had with her, which would only harm him in the end, as Ghetsis made clear. No time. And, besides, if being with her did not further his ambitions, then there was no point to it.
They turned again and came to the throne room, where the door stood ajar. Ghetsis led N inside. Below the dais, where the ornate throne sat, Concordia had arranged wooden chairs in a circle. A number of the Sages had already arrived: Bronius, Gorm, and Rood. Gorm noticed them enter and shuffled his way over.
He dipped his head to Ghetsis. "My Lord Ghetsis. It is so good to see you again! I have heard things have gone, ah, very good. No, indeed, I have seen it."
Ghetsis nodded and moved around Gorm, where he exchanged terse words with the other Sages already seated. Gorm followed him with his eyes, jaw unhinged, then startled himself from staring and bowed to N.
"My Lord N," he said. He was a short man with a drooping gray mustache that hung past his jowls. N had always liked him. He worked hard to please Ghetsis, and N could do nothing but respect the Sage because of that.
He smiled. "Gorm. Have things been well?"
He raised his head and nodded hastily. "Oh, yes, My Lord. Very, thank you." His eyes darted about nervously, but then, he had been like that for as long as N could remember, and the Sages had been around since he was a boy.
"Shall we join the others, Gorm?" N asked, gesturing toward the group.
"Oh, ah, yes, Lord N. Yes."
N nodded.
They walked together to the ring of chairs, where Bronius and Rood sat with Ghetsis. Each Sage wore a robe of their own, like Ghetsis', though none nearly as intricately designed. It was only proper, he thought, since Ghetsis was their leader. Bronius was a heavy-set man, whose bulk strained against his robe, and Rood a stark contrast: slim and composed.
N said his greetings and sat next to his father. Gorm placed himself where he had been previously: beside Bronius.
The room was filled with dry coughing and sniffing as they awaited the arrival of the remaining Sages. Each was much older than N, and while he highly respected all of them for their dedication, they tended to make a great deal of noise, even when not talking. Not his father, of course, and perhaps not Rood, who both remained composed and patient.
N relaxed in his seat, and the three other Sages eventually trickled in and took their places. Giallo was first, then Ryoku, and lastly arrived Zinzolin. When each settled themselves, Ghetsis stood and folded his arms inside the sleeves of his robe.
"We are starting upon a new path," he said. "We are now part of the group Team Plasma. We will be discussing the best approach to releasing all Pokemon from the bonds of servitude." He sat.
"Recruitment is progressing nicely," Rood said. "Lord N's incursions in society have garnered much attention from the general public. Government agents and special police forces have, as expected, attempted to stop me, but I have dealt with many of them accordingly. The Unova leaders are wary of our… revolution."
"As they should be," Bronius said. "But where will the grunts stay? Don't tell me we're flooding the castle with them.
Ghetsis turned to him. "The majority will stay where they are and be contacted when I wish them to carry out assignments. We will have a presence in each town and city, and eyes everywhere."
The group nodded their assent. Gorm leaned forward, mustache shaking as he spoke. "I, ah, have a proposal, My Lord Ghetsis."
"Speak."
His gaze fluttered about. "The homeless, My Lord," he said. "There are an, ah, exceedingly great many of them in the major cities. What if we were to give them food and shelter, here in the castle, in exchange for their service?"
Zinzolin scowled. "I'll not have the grubby and dirt-stained around me," he said. To N, his voice sounded like two pieces of gravel rubbing together. He had a pinched face lined with deep creases. N tried to find good things to like about the Sage, but he found it difficult, at times.
"The decision does not rest in your hands, Zinzolin," Ghetsis said. Zinzolin grunted.
"I think it is a great idea," N chimed in. "Perhaps I could even see to it myself, father?"
"No, my son," he answered. "After the business in Vertress City with the girl and your criminal status, I will not risk it. You will be able to boost the morale of our subordinates by showing yourself to those already recruited, but that is all you will have to do with recruitment."
"Business with the girl?" Rood asked. "What do you mean?"
The eyes in the room shifted to look at N. He met their gazes in turn, trying to hold steady, but he felt his cheeks stain red. He had not meant to escape with Luna. He hadn't.
"It does not matter," Ghetsis said. "We are straying from the topic at hand. Your idea is possible, Gorm, and while I do not wish to have any more of them around me, as Zinzolin said, it is feasible and beneficial. There is an issue, however, in that we do not have the supplies to feed them."
"We can always farm the nearby land," Ryoku said: a gaunt man with a high-pitched voice. "We haven't in, well, ages, as I recall, because of the lack of manpower, but that shouldn't be a problem if we task it with some of these recruits."
Ghetsis was still for a moment, the creases of his forehead indicating that he was thinking on it when eventually he nodded his agreement. "Very well. There are no objections other than that of Bronius and Zinzolin? You will both live with this, whether it suits you or not, as I will."
Bronius grunted, and Zinzolin's scowl deepened. When none of the others voiced an objection, Gorm exhaled and grinned proudly. N could not help but smile at the look.
"Furthermore, Ghetsis," Rood said, "I believe we should consider, now that we are beginning to acquire a collection of supporters, becoming a more aggressive force. A more proactive one."
"Go on."
Rood cleared his throat. "Lord N has successfully opened the populace's eyes, as I did mention earlier, but now that we have their attention, we must hold it, or risk falling back to the shadow. We must strive for bigger, for more. I propose we begin to ransack certain places, stealing the Pokemon held there and disrupting the order of Unova. Only then will we be most persuasive."
"You suggest we create anarchy?" Ghetsis asked.
"Indeed."
"I have thought the same."
"Agreed," Bronius said.
All of the Sages progressively murmured their mutual agreement. They seemed intent on the idea, and N had no objections. If that was their desired plan, then he, too, wanted to be a part of it.
"I get we're all bent on saving Pokemon," Zinzolin growled, startling N from his thoughts. "But I've heard tales of powerful legendary beasts. If we were to harness their power, then-"
"No!" N shouted, standing. "That goes against all we stand for."
Zinzolin scoffed. "You're naive. The servitude of two greater Pokemon will allow us to free all the lesser ones."
"It is not right," N flared. He met Zinzolin's cold gaze. He would not back down, not when the issue involved Pokemon.
"Sit, my son. I will not base the future of this organization off of idle rumor."
Zinzolin tsked. N seated himself but turned to address Ghetsis.
"Father," he said. "If we are beginning to act, really act, please allow me to perform some of the duties. Allow me to lead our members on attacks."
Ghetsis pursed his lips. "No, my son. I cannot risk you. It is not the right time."
"Please," N said. At times, his father's care went too deep, even though N loved him for it. "I do not care about my life, only about freeing Pokemon. Father, if you will not allow me to participate in recruitment, allow me this."
"N is, ah, the face of our organization, My Lord Ghetsis," Gorm said, glancing at N. "If… he participates in these activities; it will only further spread his name, yes? Therefore more will be willing to rally behind our Lord, and he will gather, ah, more attention about himself."
"I do not see the harm in it," Rood shrugged. "He has the zealousness of youth. I say, let him go."
Ghetsis scowled at them, and Gorm flinched. Eventually, however, his father sighed and nodded. N beamed.
"Thank you, father. I will not disappoint." He leaned back in his chair. The conversation around him continued, but he listened with only half an ear, stirring and shifting in his seat. He was too excited to sit still. He wanted to leave the castle that very instant and begin to make his mark on the world. Team Plasma would start to free Pokemon, and people would learn the errors of the society in which they lived.
N was at the center of it. He had never wanted to lead or even participate in criminal activities, not before, but things had changed. He had changed.
And now it was time for Unova to do the same. He fidgeted until the meeting was over, and the Sages dispersed, each going their separate ways. For the remainder of the day, N found himself not able to relax, and he slept for a short time only when day turned to night. In the morning, he rushed to meet his father, and together they set off.
Back out into the world.