Chapter Thirty-Five: Split
He blew through a red light before any of the other cars could go, doubling the speed limit as he went straight where he should have taken a left. "Aaron!" Nora shrieked. "Slow down!" Her words fell on deaf ears, and the other pokémon were starting to panic as their trainer ignored everything around them, speeding towards a new destination.
Aaron paused for a moment in the driveway, his hands shaking as he clutched the wheel. Everyone looked like they were about to have a heart attack as he shakily grabbed the door handle. "Aaron, wait! Don't do something stupid!" He jumped out of the car and slammed the door. The others joined him, albeit with great fear, as their trainer pounded on the door.
A few seconds passed before Aiden answered it. "Oh, hey guys! We were just about to—" Aaron stormed past the charizard and into the house. "Oh… okay…" It didn't take him long to find who he was looking for. Standing in front of the mirror and securing a tie to his dress shirt, Nathan turned around, giving him a questioning look as to what the hassle was about.
"NATHAN! You son of a bitch!" Aaron yelled, hauling off and punching him in the face. He would have followed it up, too, had his body not been hurled against a wall. The large bookshelf shook as some of its contents fell to the floor. His pokémon struggled to break free from the latias' grasp but were easily overpowered.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Adira snapped. Nathan stood up, his hand pressed against a bleeding nose. A somber resolution was in his eyes.
"Let him go," he said. "If he wants to do this, let him." Aaron didn't – but he felt like he needed to. The second she dropped him, he lunged towards Nathan, his fist missing its target completely as the older trainer sidestepped. Nathan deflected another blow without batting an eye. Aaron lurched forward as a fist connected with his stomach.
"Aaron!" Nora and the team were pinned to the wall, powerless to intervene as the fight went on. Aaron made another attempt, balling his fists and throwing a right hook. Nathan blocked it with his left arm before catching him again in the same spot.
"F-fuck!" Aaron sputtered, stumbling into the kitchen. He fell into the blinds as he struggled to prop himself up, accidentally tearing them from their support. Tears stung his eyes between labored breaths. He propped himself up again and clenched his fist.
"That didn't seem to work." Aaron was far beyond hearing words at this point, though, and attempted another strike. Nathan backed up, the heel of his dress shoe touching the kitchen table. One moment Aaron was about catch Nathan with a hook, the next his world was turned over. He woke up a few seconds later, his throat pinned to the table with no clue how of he'd gotten there. Nathan's fist was raised high. Aaron's eyes went wide, his body acting instinctively as he pulled his arms over his face.
"AARON!" Nora nearly broke free from Adira's psychic grip, only to be shoved back into the wall a split-second later. But Nathan never brought his fist down, instead releasing his hold on Aaron. He fell to the floor and panted heavily, both from exertion and terror, then stared up at Nathan.
"Are we ready to use our words now?" The older trainer motioned towards Adira who finally released the pokémon. Aiden, Naomi and Trina all stood by, each looking hurt by what all had transpired – and ready to intervene, if necessary. Half of Aaron was ashamed that he had lashed out in such a way, the other part ashamed of how easily he had been taken down. Everything had blended together into a furious blur.
"How… how could you?" he asked.
"Just so I know that we're talking about the same thing…"
"WHY ARE YOU LEADING THEM?!" Nathan didn't budge an inch.
"What makes you say that?"
"Oh, I don't know – how about the whole 'if two can't play nice' thing?" The older trainer paused for a moment before closing his eyes. A heavy sigh escaped him. "You're the only person I know that says that."
"Good catch, I suppose. I was pretty tired that day. I'd only been asleep for an hour and a half when I got your call." He extended a hand; Aaron didn't know whether or not to take it. There wasn't much he did know anymore. Nathan rolled his eyes. Aaron hesitantly accepted, being helped back onto his feet. That didn't prevent him from backing away from the older trainer.
"Who the hell are you? I thought… I thought I knew you."
"You do, Aaron."
"Bullshit! Everything about you has been a giant lie!" Tears streamed down his cheeks. He didn't care about saving face – they were way past that now.
"I have never once lied to you."
"Oh really?" Aaron retorted. "Well, let's start with your real name."
"Nathan is my real name. My first name, at least." The younger male shook his head in disbelief. "I happen to use my middle name for… well, business purposes."
"You've got to be kidding me…"
"Afraid not," Nathan said. He straightened his collar as if there weren't blood soaking his shirt.
"Why didn't you tell me? Why… are you doing this?"
"See, the second question makes me think that you weren't paying attention to any of the dozens of speeches I've given. I believe I've made my goals pretty clear." He pulled out one of the dining room chairs and took a seat. "As for the first, I didn't feel like you needed to know."
"Really? I didn't need to know that my best friend was trying to subdue the planet?!" Aaron brought his hands to the back of his head. This couldn't be happening. He had to wake up any second now, hopefully forgetting this nightmare forever. But reality was staring him in the face. Nathan didn't miss a beat.
"That's right. You didn't need to know. I was hoping to prevent something like this."
"Well you did a great job with that," Aaron spat.
"I can see that…" Nora looked at Adira with heavy eyes.
"Is… is it true?" The latias didn't answer. The typhlosion squinted her eyes shut to keep tears from falling.
"I can't believe you… I…" Aaron paused, swallowing the lump in his throat. "This can't be happening… You have to have a reason, or an excuse, or… something."
"Like I said, I've already given all my reasons. As for excuses, though, I have none – because I have nothing to excuse." Aaron paced towards the living room, avoiding eye contact with his similarly terrified pokémon. As much as he hated it, a lot of things made sense now: the private library, the house décor, the ludicrously strong team…
He just didn't want it to make sense. Not like this.
"Please… you can stop this," Aaron said. "There's still time."
"Time for what?" Nathan countered. "Time to let the world build back to its wretched state while we all pretend like it's anything but? No. There's no time at all. Not for the old world."
"But you can't… take everyone's freedom. You can't force people to comply!" Aaron stammered.
"To the six-year-old child, a parent forcing them to eat vegetables is a denial of freedom. You don't know what true freedom looks like because you've never known true oppression."
"Oh, so that's just it? All of us are just children that need to be ruled over?"
"GROW UP!" Nathan yelled, slamming the table and causing everyone to jump. "Are you seriously going to come here and spout that idiocy? I thought you were a little bit better than that. Are you willing to fight for a society that lives like this while billions across the world struggle to survive? Are you going to prop yourself up like some sort of hero fighting for independence while that very independence came at the enslavement and extortion of others? Hypocrite!" Aaron backed up against the wall, not knowing whether or not there was about to be a round two – and now he was nowhere near deluded enough to think he stood a chance. Seeing the fear in Aaron, Nathan exhaled and calmed down.
"This isn't right, Nathan."
"Right?" The older trainer looked at him in disbelief. "You want to talk about what's right? I'll tell you what – how about the two of us go on a little field trip?" He pulled a white and purple pokéball from his pocket and motioned for everyone to clear space. A creature that Aaron had only read about in articles materialized before them. Solgaleo closed his eyes, appearing, for that very moment, mortal. For a being that contained world-threatening power, he seemed to be just as distraught as everyone else in the house. "Solgaleo, could you take us to Santagua? Twenty-fifth embassy." The legendary nodded. Nathan grabbed Aaron's shoulder and shoved him forward as a small portal opened. Before they stepped in, Nathan looked at his team. "You guys keep them company while we're away."
Aaron was greeted to the most horrid stench he had ever smelled in his life. Shacks were crammed against one another, pieced together with rotting wood, thin sheets of metal and hardened mud. They combined into large rows, trailing through the city like a large serpent as far as the eye could see. People stared at the three of them as they stepped out of the portal, turning to each other and exchanging hushed words in Spanish. A look to the side revealed the source of the stench: mountainous piles of garbage in front of a murky river. The humidity was unbearable, sweat clinging to his clothing the moment he arrived.
"What is this?" Aaron asked. His head was still throbbing.
"It's where these people live," Nathan said. "Well, for now. We're working on that. At the moment, getting everyone food and medicine is the top priority. That and clean drinking water." Aaron looked down, averting his gaze from the impoverished masses surrounding him. "Those who lived in these shacks were the more fortunate ones. There were just as many in the garbage heaps, half of which were children." A person who wore similar clothing to the various admins Aaron and Sofia had fought noticed their presence and immediately saluted Nathan, placing her right hand to her chest. He repeated the gesture before turning to Aaron. "My country did this, you know. They overthrew the government a century ago, replacing it with a proxy dictator so that Kanoma could have greater access to South America. One coup led to another, eventually leading to communism here… and this was the result."
"I—"
"I want you to look at these people. Go on – make eye contact with them. Don't be a coward. You think you've stared death in the face before? Well, here it is." Aaron averted his gaze from Nathan, eventually managing to look at the shocked population staring back at them. They were in a line not entirely unlike the food lines that were formed in Unova. The people, though, wore clothing that was stained and shredded beyond recognition, almost blending in with their surroundings. Not a single one of them had even the slightest amount of excess body fat. In the entire area, the only beacon of hope was Omega's tents – where the very people he and Sofia had been fighting passed out food and administered medicine. "Our prominence in the region started nearly a year ago. A year, Aaron. And many of them still haven't recovered from the effects of their government. A government we were indirectly responsible for – and one we could have toppled in a matter of days. But no, everyone's too scared, too lazy or too self-centered to utilize their power for someone else."
"Why are you showing me this?" Aaron mumbled.
"Because I want you to look at all this and tell me it's right. That their suffering at the hands of Kanoma's self-interests and their dictator's tyranny was right." He looked away. "What? No comment?"
"…I don't…"
"That's what I thought. Up next is Ramzaha." Nathan signaled Solgaleo, who formed another portal. "In you go." Fear gripped Aaron as he was shoved through the portal into a region that he had only heard about on the news – one that was riddled with terrorists and constant warfare.
It was nighttime in this region, dry air and clear skies showing a view that he had never seen before: an unpolluted view of the night sky. He had no idea there were that many stars, and what looked like a violet ring in the deep reaches of space. Nathan and Solgaleo walked forward, causing Aaron's eyes to fall back to the ground. Or rather, what was left of the ground. Craters and rubble were everywhere he looked, sandstone buildings collapsed and blown apart from artillery shells. And yet, as his eyes adjusted to the new darkness, he noticed that there were lights in some of these buildings – flickering oil lanterns. Knights patrolled the area with ultra beasts.
One of the soldiers approached them. "Sir, there have been no sign of the insurgents all week."
"At ease, Craix. We're just here on a little… educational trip. But you and your men have done well in keeping the peace here." The knight in question saluted and left the pair to themselves.
"What have you done?" Aaron asked quietly.
"What the rest of the world failed to do: we ended the constant violence here. This country was raided by both our regions and Sovenovsk, each trying to undermine the other's political systems or gain access to oil reservoirs – all while the people suffered. Following that, religious extremists took over and began murdering those who served Arceus. This very town was filled with nothing but orphans and beggars. But then we came." Nathan took a step towards Aaron, his dress shoe imprinting in the sand-filled road. "Go ahead, though – tell me that the way things were before was right."
"It wasn't right! But that doesn't mean—"
"Doesn't mean what?" Nathan interjected. "That we shouldn't be able to rip out the horrid systems that allowed for this to begin with?" He made his way to Solgaleo's side. It didn't take long for another portal to open.
Harawayu was up next. Similarly to the first region he had been taken to, there were multiple tents. There was something very different about this scene, though. He watched as a young girl with ebony skin – no older than seven – wandered throughout the camp, only for a knight to kneel down level to her, setting her weapon down. "What are you doing up?" she asked. The child's large eyes stared back at the soldier, who offered her hand. "Come now, little one. Let's get you back to bed." Aaron and Nathan followed them at a distance, the younger trainer realizing that Nathan's fist was balled up – as if he himself didn't like being here. A brief glimpse into a dimly-lit tent revealed a group of girls. The oldest, from what Aaron could tell by the scarce time he had to process everything, was merely a teenager.
"What is this?" he asked. Nathan shook his head.
"These people were the 'merchandise' of a sex trafficking ring." Aaron wished he hadn't asked, feeling sick to his stomach.
"They're kids…"
"You'd be surprised how little that mattered out here." A rumble came from Solgaleo's throat, one that made Aaron fearful despite it not being directed at him. "I have been careful to spare every single person I could have throughout this war, no matter how evil. Everyone can change. But… when you go into a building filled with kids in cages, hauled around like livestock and naked, ravaged by Arceus only knows how many people…"
"I have no regrets over what I did," Solgaleo stated flatly. "None. But those vile creatures now will regret it for eternity." The spite in the legendary creature's voice was enough to make anyone shiver.
"I only regret that our governments could have stopped this. Our militaries could have put an end to this. We could have marched in here and ripped out their terrorist-funding government, saving the people from all of this, but instead we blow through over a trillion dollars per year on advancing our interests and securing oil! Our regions didn't take the monsters out, Aaron, they shook hands with them and pocketed the profits!" Aaron looked down, feeling ashamed over something he had no control over.
Nathan forced him in one portal after another. Pretty soon, all the faces and scenes began to blur together into a single, common picture, one painted with blood and suffering. Suffering that he had been completely separated from in his life in Unova. Aaron fell silent, realizing that in the grand scheme of things, nothing he could possibly complain about held any weight. Finally, a portal opened without him saying where they were going. Aaron quickly recognized the skyscrapers, though.
They stood on top of the Larsen Tower, overlooking the multiple cities that Aaron knew and loved. Heights admittedly weren't Aaron's thing, and he found himself terrified to look down. The winds howled and pushed against him as if threatening to hurl him over the edge, but Omega's leader walked without fear, waving his hand over the scenery. "Now tell me that this is right. A region filled with more prosperity – and everyone wants more. The left complains about not being able to take someone else's money while the right refuses to help anyone but themselves. The amount of food thrown away in North America per year is enough to feed the rest of the world, Aaron! The spending on plastic surgery in two years could provide infrastructure and safety for the entire third world. But none of you ever think about that, do you? None of you even care!"
"I…" Aaron couldn't maintain eye contact. "None of that is my fault."
"No," Nathan said, shaking his head. "None of these issues were caused by any one of us, yet the systems we keep in place – the demands that we have – allowed for half of the world to remain in perpetual suffering. And the resources to fix all of it were right here! We had the strength, we had the funds – but everyone's too full of themselves to think about others." He stared at the city with contempt. Aaron wondered if, by the end of this, Nathan would even allow for it to stand. As if reading his mind, the older trainer continued. "Omega has the means to end life on this planet hundreds of times over. The legendaries could have started over. But there's another way forward. You all just have to get over your pride and independence and kneel."
"But… there has to be another way. Forcing the world to kneel is wrong, Nathan..."
"Oh? So now you're an expert on right and wrong?" Aaron quickly regret his words. "I won't pull up your past – Arceus knows I have my own, and I loathe hypocrisy. But do you actually care for anyone outside of your little bubble? Outside of yourself? Sure, you allowed Pierce to leave – after he felt obligated to stay, no less – but Pierce was somebody you liked. Somebody you cared about. What about all those faces you saw today? What about someone who has nothing to offer you – nothing they can do for you? What about someone you don't even want to like? Would you help them?" Aaron had no answer, knowing that Nathan would easily see through any response he could come up with. And the reason was simple: Nathan was right. He tended to be.
"…What now?" he mumbled, eyes shifting towards the lion who gazed at the rising sun.
"I'm not sure," Nathan admitted. "I had hoped this would not happen, yet here we are. I know you and your team think you're doing the right thing, but I want you to know that the very systems you're protecting caused what you saw today. If by some infinitely small chance, two of those three remaining trainers manage to win, half of the world will continue as it always has. But I will not allow for your people to lay another finger on the developing world. We have failed to protect this world, Aaron. Our systems need to be pulled out by the very roots – and we're going to burn it all down. From the ashes of what has been, something better will arise."
"A world under Omega's foot," Aaron replied.
"A world led by the only beings capable of ruling it justly. Mortals have failed, from the smallest pokémon packs to the largest human governments. Our time in the sun has passed… and what a wretched time it was." Nathan stared towards the direction of the Desert Resort, its terrain shrunken by half of what it once was. Castelia and Nimbasa both, after all, were in constant need of expansion. "Even in older, better times, people have always been evil. From the very beginning, since mortals first seized their autonomy from their Creator, we've always sought to do what we want instead of what's right. We have failed to love Arceus and one another. You and I both are among the world in that regard, stained by pasts that we would both rather forget. So as it stands, we can stay broken or we can be better. I've chosen to be better. What will you choose, Aaron?" He didn't know. There wasn't much Aaron did know at this point, his world having fallen from under him.
"I just… I don't know if this is better…" There had to be another way than forcing the entire world under a single banner – under a single system.
"And yet here I am with hundreds of legendaries beside me." Again, he had no response. Not for Nathan, at least.
"What about you?" Aaron asked the lion. Solgaleo barely budged upon being addressed, not so much as turning to look at him. "You've been awfully quiet this entire time."
"You must make your own choice," the legendary said. "I cannot push you in one direction or another. But I will say this much: the people within your regions are among the most self-centered, wicked creatures I have ever seen throughout my few decades of existence. My mate, who has lived for eons longer, has the same to say about your people." That was anything but reassuring…
"Think what you will. I had hoped that my secret would have gone unnoticed, but I'm not immune to slip-ups. That's why even the human chosen by both Reshiram and Zekrom is not fit to lead. But they are."
"And if humans refuse?" Aaron asked.
"Then I suppose those final three trainers better know what they're doing – because Surge, Wes and I sure do." Nathan turned around, heading back towards Solgaleo. The legendary opened a portal back to his living room – a portal that Aaron was glad to take. He nodded upon closing it, and Nathan returned him to the pokéball. He walked back to his bedroom for a moment, returning with another shirt and straightening his hair, much to Aaron's confusion.
"We're late for the service," Nathan stated. "You still want to join us?" Just like that, he seemed willing to look past whatever strife was now between them in favor of some façade of normalcy. It was anything but. He took their silence as a no. Aster looked towards the milotic, who met his gaze with tears in her eyes. Now he understood why Naomi had turned him down.
"So I guess this is it, huh?" Aaron croaked.
"I don't see why that has to be the case. As I've said before, I have never lied to you. Perhaps I did not reveal everything, but what I have said is true. You are one of my closest friends, Aaron. This does not change that. But it appears as though we cannot see eye-to-eye on this issue."
Adira released her telekinetic grip on his team, allowing them to slowly drift back to the floor. They silently left out the front door before Nathan locked it, each trainer standing in front of their vehicles. "You are free to continue your little rebellion," Nathan said. "But it doesn't end the way you want – I can tell you that much. And that's even if you can withstand what happens next month."
"What… happens then?"
"Up until now, you all have sought out our trainers. That won't be the case for much longer."
"You mean to tell me you're sending headhunters after us?!"
"Well, that implies I'm trying to kill you all," Nathan replied. "Obviously that's not the case. But we'll see how those last few dissenters fare against trainers taught by Cynthia." That was a name that made Aaron's heart stop. Nathan continued. "I've got people all over the globe, Aaron. People from all walks of life that have grown tired of the current world and have devoted themselves to something better."
"But you can't possibly tell how things will turn out!" Aaron felt like he was grasping at straws at this point. Nathan had likely thought over every possible detail of this invasion over several years. But that still didn't mean he knew everything.
"I think we'll take our chances. Half of the world is doing better under Omega than they have in nearly a millennium. Sounds to me like we're making this work just fine."
"The world… it's way too complicated for everyone to be put under a single flag."
"Then maybe it's time to un-complicate things," Nathan retorted. "Here's as simple as I can make it: there are only two people in this world. There are those who serve Arceus… and those who serve themselves. Which person are you going to be, Aaron?" The younger trainer's throat felt dry, and he remained silent. The doors shut as Nathan's pokémon hopped in his truck. Aiden looked down, avoiding eye contact from Aaron's team as a frown set on his face. Nathan stopped before getting in, casting a glance towards Nora and the rest of Aaron's pokémon. "In any case, keep him safe while we get Alpha and Delta off the streets, alright? And let me know if I need to send Aiden over there with anything." With that, Nathan got into his truck and drove off, leaving a dumbstruck group in his driveway.
A/N: We've finally entered the third and last segment of the story. Please do be mindful not to spoil anything. Special thanks to FuryWrites for both looking over this chapter and suggesting a few crucial changes.