It just didn't make sense. Why is it that I just couldn't get over this? Every time…. No matter the size I always froze up. "Spiders… Giant Spiders..." Something about it I couldn't quite bring myself to think about anything else. Thought just kept rushing in my head about what sort of horrible things could potentially happen. Not to mention that if I got caught in a spiderweb that size so many things could happen… If the Spider Web was that size then I could only imagine what the size of the creature that made it was.
I was interrupted from my thoughts by the feeling of being embraced. Normally, my first reaction to that would be to immediately reposition myself so that whoever was behind me would be on the ground/floor in front of me, but I knew those arms. Those weren't the arms of a giant spider off to carry me off somewhere. Those were the arms of my mate, the Sceptile I loved dearly, and whose presence immediately brought me out of the reality that I was creating for myself.
"Kyn… we're all here… we're not gonna let anything happen to you. Remember… as you said, we can take out anything in that cave." Tensa's voice was reassuring, and it snapped me back into reality.
"You're right… but it still shouldn't have happened… but it was just so much of a shock. But that's over. Now we've got to wait for Clay. This is probably the problem that the city needed help with. Caves are often passages between towns. I wouldn't be surprised if the 'mon got fed up with it and decided to block the way." It was what I could surmise, as it seemed really logical.
Even with that in mind, I stillI took a sword out of its sheath and held it, ready for a battle. The rest of the wait, was rather uneventful however. Clay showed up, with no way of knowing what had happened to me.
"Thanks fer waitin'. Looks like th' nest of an Electric-type Pokémon called Galvantula. Don't know why there's a nest here, but if there are folks havin' problems, th' Gym Leader's th' one ta fix it. Krokorok! Take it out!" It seemed as if his Krokorok wasn't in Hibernation Mode, since he was able to hear the command, and thus able to easily comply with it.
His Krokorok charged forward, then stomped fiercely on the ground. The area around us shook, but the only thing that really showed any signs of anything being affected was the Galvantula nest. It seemed as if the cave was naturally sturdy on its own, and that Bulldoze was really a small variation of a less powerful Earthquake.
"Sure ya recognise that. This move does damage and lowers the Speed of any Pokémon it hits. Some Ground-type Pokémon move a little slower than ya'd like. If ya use Bulldoze right, ya can cover that weakness! I don't know how good you really are, but if ya think ya can go, go wherever, and if ya think ya can do somethin', keep doin' it. Do things how ya want! Decide yer own limits."
Upon entering Chargestone cave, Tensa starts acting odd, something that I took notice of. I immediately looked around and knew something was off. I looked up and there were no Pokémon in the cave. "I see…. So that's how it is. ...You really think you can hide from me?"
"...Interesting. Very few people are able to detect our movements. ...Come." Their words were swift and too the point, but I was not to be pushed around by them. I continued to have my sword drawn, and let myself for the time being, be lead by them.
"... My lord N, we brought the one you wanted." Those were their parting words before the quickly and hastily moved out of the area, which to the normal eye would make it appear as if they simply disappeared out of existence.
"Thats bullshit and you know it. I wasn't lead here. Well, except for by Clay. I needed to come through here anyway." I wasn't too pleased at them so casually dismissing me like that.
"...Hm.. Ah, yes. That was the Shadow Triad, just now. Ghetsis enlisted them in Team Plasma. Apparently, they were the ones who prepared the Galvantula nest at the cave entrance." N turned around and faced away from me. Of course, his literal fast talking ways caused him to speak before I could make my rebuttal. I was annoyed that it was them that placed the nest there.
"Chargestone Cave... I like this place."
"Heji likes it too." Heji seemed really energetic and happy, like when he was still a Shinx. Not that he wasn't happy normally, just that Shinx in general have a much more positive and playful personality overall.
"He must be an Electric-type too then." N surmised. I was about to confirm it but he interrupted me yet again.
"Now then... Formulas express electricity and its connection to Pokémon... If people did not exist this would be an ideal place. You have been chosen, you know. Does it surprise you I said that?"
"Not at all. You and I will do extraordinary things together N. Together we will change the world!" It was easy to tell him exactly what he wanted to hear. Of course, there was a tiny degree of sincerity in it, which allowed m to pull off the lie as convincing.
"I'm glad you understand. I told Ghetsis about you and your friends. After I did, he apparently used the Shadow Triad to find about you."
"I had a feeling that something like that was happening." I wondered just HOW much Ghetsis and the Shadow Triad had found out about me. I was not native to this region so they would not have any record of me outside of perhaps how many badges I'd won, and a few other things. If they dug deep enough, I suppose they would have found where I came from. I tended to not leave that much of a digital trail, really.
"Cheren is pursuing the ideal of strength. Poor Bianca has faced the sad truth that not everyone can become stronger."
"If Bianca wants to become stronger, I will make her stronger. I don't know what she wants." It was true… I didn't just 'train' Pokémon but I also did the same with people as well as their Pokémon and showing them how to better build off of each other.
"But you, you appear to not be swayed either way-more of a neutral presence. Which is apparently a good thing. Team Plasma will be waiting for you ahead. Ghetsis wants to see what kind of Pokémon Trainer you really are."
"Then I'll be happy to reveal why I am thrice the Champion." I bowed to N and he left. After he left, Heji and Tensa went back to normal. Heji really enjoyed this place. It was as if it was giving him an extra boost. I was going to look for the Team Plasma members he mentioned but before I could proceed, Bianca called out my name.
"Kynexn, did you know this? The floating stones move when you touch them? Isn't that right Professor?" She seemed like an excited child, discovering cake or ice cream for the first time.
I sighed. "Bianca, how in the hell would I know that? I just got here." Professor Juniper appeared shortly after Bianca did.
"Hi there! How are you, Kynexn?" As usual, she was nice and cheery and full of pep.
"I'm kind of in a hurry actually. Something important."
"Oh... I see... well. My father asked me to research Klink, which is a Pokémon that looks like a gear, because I'm researching the origins of Pokemon and the era they appeared."
"That's nice and all Professor, but I really do have to go." Without even allowing her the ability to respond, I headed out toward the confrontation that I knew was coming. This time however, I was prepared. As I walked, I closed my eyes, and felt the natural energy of the cave around me. Everything resonated. The rocks, the path ahead of me, and I was practically able to see with my eyes closed. The main difference was… that this time, having already expected the Shadow Triad, I knew what to look for, and I had in fact, found it. They made a very distinct impression on the overall energy of the cave, especially when they moved. "I honestly thought you left the cave, but clearly I was wrong.
"...Come." Again, they barely acknowledged my existence other than simply directing me from place to place.
"... There are stairs going down ahead. Team Plasma is waiting for you there." With that, the Trio of very few words, 'disappeared' again. We made our way across the bridge that was the only path that lead to stairs that we could see in the distance.
When we came to the first batch of grunts…. I decided that there was no time to mess around here with them. I needed to get right back to N… and Ghetsis might also be waiting in this cave as well. "Heji…" I paused. It wasn't something that I really felt bad about doing, but I was not going to kill them, after all. "Use Discharge."
Upon realization that I meant that Heji was supposed to be attacking them, they immediately rushed for their Poké Balls, but it did them no good. With the attack landed, they were severely damaged, considering that I hadn't told him to hold back. "I'm sure some of you have potentially valid reasons for wanting to join Team Plasma… but the simple truth of it is, you're all being used. If you can't see that, then you deserve what happened to you here. This Team is organized yet unorganized. Two of your members, kicked an innocent Munna, back in the Dream Yard, for the sheer sake of trying to get it to produce Dream Mist. If that's the type of people that you are, then you're no better than the type of Trainers you claim to want to 'liberate' Pokémon from. We're done here." There was no need to respond, the message was clear enough.
The process was repeated many times, until I finally reached N.
As if it didn't even matter, upon seeing me and knowing I was within earshot, N immediately began speaking. "Many different values mix together, and the world becomes gray... That is unforgivable! I will separate Pokémon and people, and black and white will be clearly distinct! Only then will Pokémon become perfect beings! Yes, that is my dream! That is the dream I must fulfill! Kynexn, do you have a dream of your own?"
"Yes." It was simple and straight to the point. He didn't need to now much more than that.
"You have a dream... That's wonderful. I'll learn just what kind of dream you have-in battle!" Of course it would be a battle. As much as he seemed to despise battling, he did sure seem to want to battle me a lot. But at the same time, he did mention that Ghetsis wanted to see what type of Trainer I was.
"Do you believe that Pokémon battles help us understand one another?"
"Yes, N. Good Trainers put their heart and soul into battling. Me and my friends are perfectly in sync! That is why we can never lose!" I said, upon which Heji spoke up, agreeing with me. Of courses, obviously I had the ability to lose, it was just really difficult, and would take quite a skilled trainer. But that was the one thing, that Bianca and Cheren would learn, that I learned long ago. There is always someone out there better than you. Which is why I never stop getting better.
"Right!" He said, and let out a triumphant roar.
N passionately declared, "I will show you that my love for my friends permeates every cell of my body. Behold!"
Heji, Tensa, Stripes, Sally, and Pendragon all worked together with me to defeat N's Pokémon together. Not all at once of course, it was still a Pokémon Battle.
"My friends getting hurt... That's what a Pokémon battle is."
"N, how do you think I feel? Remember what I told you?"
"Tsk! Why? Is it impossible for me to win while feeling bad about being a Trainer? As if I could pursue my ideals with something as meaningless as a battle! As if that could make me worthy to become friends with the legendary Pokémon!"
"N... It's that exactly quality that will ALLOW you to become friends with Zekrom, just as I will become friends with Reshiram."
Bianca's shout echoes inside the cave. "Kynexn!"
"Just a little further to Mistralton City!"
Professor Juniper trailed behind. "Bianca, you have good ears. I can't believe you heard Kynexn's voice from that far away."
Upon seeing that it wasn't just me, she almost, but not quite stared, looking at N.. "Kynexn, who is this Trainer?"
"He's not a Trainer. His name is N, and he's a friend of mine." I used the term loosely, but in a way, I could see that he and I had some similar degree of ideas when it came to how we viewed Pokémon. At the very least he was trying to do something about the way people treated Pokémon, even if he was going about it the wrong way.
"How long have you known him?"
"Ever since we met in Accumula town." He'd captured my attention then with the outright blatant declaration that he could understand Pokémon. I'm quite sure that by now he understand that that is not exactly something that one should be blurting out randomly to people, even if it was true.
"What...? You've only known him for that long?"
"Yes..." Clearly Bianca wasn't using her head. If I'd known him any longer, the two of them, Cheren and her, would have known him too. I suppose it could have been understood that maybe he was an older friend from the previous regions that I'd been to, or from my home region of Hoenn, but it was quite the odd thing to be surprised about.
N sighed at the Professor, looking a bit disappointed. "Professor Juniper, what are you thinking? You appear to have no qualms about the relationship between Pokémon and people. You put Pokémon into categories using arbitrary rules and think you can understand them like that... The very idea of a Pokédex revolts me. What do you have to say for yourself?"
The usually chipper Juniper, did her best to maintain a happier but neutral voice. A very diplomatic approach. Considering that she had no idea what sort of things he would do to her, if he even planned on it. "Oh, my. Looks like you're not my biggest fan. Your opinion is understandable. It happens to be different from mine, which is equally understandable. How about if all people get to decide for themselves how to relate to Pokémon?"
"You're saying-" I quickly cut N off, like he had done to me, many times before.
"Hold it N! Allow me to take over from here." I then turned towards Professor Juniper.
"Professor Juniper. I can't just allow people to treat Pokémon however they want, if the Pokémon suffer. He refuses to live in a world like like." Without saying another word, N walked away in a huff. I could imagine that he was going to say the exact same words, and so in a way, he was surprised, but also conflicted that someone who he found so fascinating for many different reasons, and told him of a different perspective, had said it as well..
"Well, I didn't expect him to change his mind right away. But I hope he'll spend a little time trying to understand how others feel."
"Now, then... I think I'll go collect a little more data. For Pokémon and people to get along better, we need to take steps to learn more about them!" Juniper said and went back deeper into the cave.
"Umm, Kynexn! I'm gonna go with Professor Juniper now 'cause I'm her bodyguard!" Bianca then followed after Professor Juniper. If at the very least, the positive thing to come out of Bianca's journey was that even though she wasn't exactly as good as Cheren or I, she still found something worth doing. Perhaps she'd become the Professor's assistant at the very least. With that little conflict out of the way, we spent a bit more time, enjoying Chargestone Cave, without any spider interference. Then, with renewed vigor, we followed the light out of the cave, and headed to Mistralton.