DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN POKEMON! ELSE THERE WOULD'VE BEEN BETTER OPENING THEMES!

Opelucid City, Unova.

Scarlet massaged his sore legs and looked around the Pokemon Center for any sign of his companions. In no time, White and Jolteon walked back from the counter with her rested pokemon and big trays of food.

"I can't finish all that," he deadpanned.

"Silly Scarly! I didn't say it was for you," she replied and began her assault on the meal, sending bits of food flying onto Scarlet's cheeks.

"I know I've probably said this before," he sighed and wiped the mess with a napkin. "But with the rate at which you're eating, you're gonna blow up when you reach 30."

"That's what I said!"

Scarlet turned his head and shot a disinterested look at the dark-skinned young woman with puffy purple hair sitting beside him and grinning from ear to ear. He did a double take however and instantly shifted, startled.

"Hey! Aren't you-!" he began but was cut-off as she slammed a chunk of bread into his opened jaws, shutting him up instantly.

"Ssshhh!" she hissed and the small green dragon-type pokemon in her hair reciprocated the action.

White on the other hand, let the cutlery fall from her hands in shock.

"Iris?!"

"Thanks for blowing my cover," the woman deadpanned and looked around nervously. Luckily, no one had heard the trainer so she was safe, for now. "Geez, tactless as ever. What a kid."

I knew she looked familiar, Scarlet inwardly remarked as he remembered the exhibition matches he had watched on TV whenever Pokemon League conferences where held. Often, foreign Champions where invited to spar with the regional Champion as an opening for the tournament and Iris had participated more times than he could remember.

"What're you doing here?" he asked, going calm again. "Thought you'd be at the league or something."

Iris pouted and slouched in her seat. "Champions have lives too. I also needed some fun." Her mockingbird-Axew echoed the words in its own low growls. "Anyway, its been too long, White. You're on a training journey, right?"

White took out her badge case and showed off her seven badges with a proud grin. "Need one more to go!"

"Wow. So you'll be facing Drayden for the Legend Badge," the champion cooed and handed some apples off White's plate to the Axew in her hair who gladly wolfed them down. "That's good. We'll probably see in the Unova League Conference."

"Yup!" White replied and sank back into her food. Iris' brown eyes instantly turned to Scarlet and she wrapped an arm round his shoulder before drawing him close with a coy smile on her lips.

"So White's got a hot boyfriend now, I'm impressed," she remarked with a giggle and the ravenette stuttered.

"S-she's not my-"

"Have you seen them?" Iris cut-in and he blinked in confusion. Slowly, Iris pointed to the small cleavage poking out of White's top. "Have. You. Seen. Them?"

Yeah, on the second day we met but I won't tell you cos you'll make a scene, he inwardly remarked and just shook his head. The woman seemed slightly disappointed but the pout vanished as a new thought popped up in her big head.

"So, who are you anyway?" she asked as she let go of him.

"Scarlet. He's my coach!" White answered although it sounded muffled with the food in her mouth.

"Don't talk when you're eating else you're gonna choke," Scarlet deadpanned before turning to Iris. "As she said, I'm her training coach. Nice to meet you."

The champion shook the extended hand before peering closely at him. "You look familiar."

"Hm?" Scarlet mumbled with a cock of an eyebrow. He'd never seen Iris outside of TV before so what made her say that. Unless-

"Like a dangerous person the Board of Directors told me to watch out for..." she muttered and Scarlet's heart started to pound. However, Iris shook the thought off with a huff. "That's impossible. They said it was a redhead. Don't mind me, I'm just rambling. Minor ADHD does that to people."

The hunter let out a ragged breath of relief. That was too close.

Iris' attention redirected to the Jolteon on his lap and her eyes widened in recognition. "Isn't that...?"

Before the pokemon knew it, he was suddenly snatched up and swung round in Iris' happy dance.

"He survived!" she sang. "He actually survived!"

In response, Jolteon sent a dazzling bolt of lightning down on the girl and she gave a comical shriek as her hair stood on end. The pokemon wriggled free before shaking the dust off his fur and taking another look at the girl.

"Sorry, he doesn't like it when unknown people grab him and spin him around," Scarlet apologised as he scooped Jolteon up in his arms. Iris shook the dust off her face and frowned.

"You mean you don't remember me, Jolt?" she asked. Jolteon shook his head in response and settled back into Scarlet's lap. Iris looked downcast and she gave a sigh.

"He was always so forgetful. Oh well, stubborn pokemon didn't like me anyway."

"You sound like you two have met," Scarlet remarked and Iris smiled again.

"Of course! I helped to catch him!"

The hunter's eyes went wide. "Seriously?"

"Gee, there're a lot of people in this Pokemon Centre," she suddenly remarked and Scarlet sweatdropped. Had she been taken her meds lately?

"That's true," White said and looked around, seeing the seats and tables completely filled with trainers and their pokemon. "We couldn't even book a room since Nurse Joy said they'd been filled."

"Is there an event coming up?" the ravenette asked.

"You didn't know?" a random trainer asked from the seat behind them. "Aqua Mareen is finally coming to Opelucid City!"

White's yellow eyes widened. "Really? The Aqua Mareen?"

"Yeah," another trainer replied. "Their ending their tour of Unova here and its gonna be the concert of the century!"

"I'm confused," Scarlet chipped in. "Who's Aqua Mareen? Some singer maybe?"

The girls gasped. "You don't know Aqua Mareen? Do you have any music sense?"

A tick mark formed on Scarlet's face but he decided to let that question slide. And he did have music sense...it was just that he was into more classical songs like Beethoven and Mozart. That was what Jillian had played for him and Jade after all. "Who's Aqua Mareen?"

"Only the best music band in the world!" one trainer replied enthusiastically.

"Their members are so hot," one girl swooned.

"And their lead singer is the most beautiful thing the world has ever seen," another boy sighed dreamily. "Her voice is so bewitching, everyone calls her the Melodious Mermaid."

"Okay...White. Let's find that gym."

"HE DOESN'T CARE AT ALL!" the random trainers screamed in unison as he slowly got up and took his bag. He had more important things to do other than listen to a bunch of fanboys and girls swoon over some band.

"Right!" White stated and packed her empty tray.

"I'll show you to the gym, then!" Iris offered and the teens nodded in gratitude.

...

Opelucid City was by far the most futuristic one that Scarlet had ever seen in Unova with its technological appearance and whatnot. You couldn't take three steps before seeing a skyscraper or large office building.

"Back when I was gym leader, the city was more natural," Iris huffed. "But change can be surprisingly good every once in a while."

Now that he thought about it, change did come as a surprise to him. Even the short, wide-eyed Iris who he had remembered seeing with her dragon pokemon had over the years changed into this tall, less wide-eyed young woman with confidence and curiosity still emanating from her being. The same went for White who months back was just a rookie trainer with only two pokemon and a big dose of childish naivety. Now she too had grown up to become a trainer capable of pushing Jolteon to his limit if she so wished. And even Scarlet himself had found himself changing. His way of thinking had turned, the hole in him having undergone a drastic reduction and leaving only that dull ache that came from remembering his late family.

"A convenient city of rapid change, showing no traces of the past..." the hunter muttered and Iris arched an eyebrow.

"That's our city's slogan. How did you know?" she asked.

Scarlet scratched his head. "That's a good question. How did I know?"

The champion gave him a weird glance before putting up her usual troll-pose. "Spacing out for no reason, huh? Jeez, what a kid." And Axew echoed the action like the faithful pokemon she was.

"You love trolling people, don't you?" Scarlet deadpanned before stopping at the wide park in the city's centre. From the scaffoldings, stage lights and stereo equipment littering the grass, it didn't take much to guess where the concert was being held.

"So it's here. Hopefully I'll still be in town by then," Iris remarked. "That is if old man Drayden doesn't catch me here."

"I firmly believe that it is too late for that now."

The teens froze at the intimidating tone and slowly turned to face a very muscular chest, barely held back by a white dress shirt and suspenders. Looking up, they met the fiercest pale-yellow eyes they had ever seen and as Iris sweatdropped in fright, Scarlet couldn't help but blurt out two words.

"Dat Beard."

...

Drayden sat himself down against the office desk and folded his powerful-looking arms before addressing the newcomers standing before him. Maybe it was the beard, but Scarlet couldn't help but feel intimidated every time he looked at him.

"Champion Iris, I was told that you went missing from the League Headquarters. Might I ask why?" he stated. Even though the voice was calm, it still made the young woman cringe.

"G-good to see you too, Drayden," she stammered and rubbed her head nervously. "Your voice is still as scary as ever and did you get your beard trimmed cos it's looking very nice today-"

Drayden did not laugh.

"I'm in trouble," she murmured and lowered her head. "I got bored and left for a little while. Plus as Champion, I felt it was my duty to track down Team Plasma."

So that's the real reason she was here, Scarlet remarked. Guess she does have her own sense of responsibility.

"I see. But it's highly unlikely for any members of Team Plasma to be lurking around this city as I have run personal checks on our citizens. At present, Opelucid is on extreme alert with guards and their pokemon stationed at every entrance and on every street. If they find any suspicious activity, they reserve the right to forcefully suppress it."

"Okay," Iris sighed, wondering if this was Drayden's way of telling her to go back.

"You may stay if you want, Iris. This old man has a lot to catch up on," he said, although hesitantly. Instantly, Iris' brown hands wrapped around his neck and Axew latched onto his arm happily.

"I knew you missed me!" the champion squealed and Scarlet watched them with a curious smirk as Drayden did his best to stay formal about the situation he was in. To the hunter, they acted like grandfather and granddaughter.

Soon after, the mayor gave a deliberate cough, signifying the end of Iris' chattering session.

"If you please, I would like to address the others," he stated and the girl slowly released him before carrying Axew. "Alone, Iris."

Nodding, the champion skipped out of the room but not before whispering something to Scarlet as she passed him.

"Drayden's not so scary so relax, Scarface."

"Hey!" he shouted but she had already left. "Flat-chested troll..."

Drayden cleared his throat and the previously distracted White turned her attention away from trophies and awards in the cabinet on the left.

"A pleasure to see you again, White."

"Nice to see you too, Drayden," she greeted cheerfully.

"I see you are on a training journey. From the looks of it, I happen to be the last one, no?" he asked and she nodded enthusiastically. "I'm not surprised that you've come this far. Your prowess is somewhat on par with your brother's as most of the other gym leaders commented. I myself would like to see how you fare against my dragons." The man turned to Scarlet. "Now if I may ask, who is this friend of yours?"

"Scarlet, sir," Scarlet answered curtly. "I'm her training coach."

"Training coach. So you're the one who groomed her into the mature trainer she is now?"

"I wouldn't say mature," the ravenette joked and prodded White as she had found herself taking interest in the documents on Drayden's table. "But she's quite strong when it comes to battling and I suggest you hold on to your suspenders as you'll be in for a ride."

"Scarly," White sniffed in gratitude, flashing gooey eyes. "Thank you, I really appreciate it-"

"Provided she's not off doing one of her usual silly hobbies like watching concerts," Scarlet added and doubled over in pain as her fist connected forcefully with his side.

Just couldn't resist ruining the moment, Jolteon deadpanned as his agonised master rolled comically on the carpet.

"Hm! I like the sound of that, young man," Drayden laughed and stroked his beard. "I do hope what you say is true. I haven't been knocked off my feet since Iris and I battled each other. So White, how have your adventures been so far?"

As the trainer began her vivid reply, Scarlet took the time to really peer at the man people called The Spartan Mayor. He was certainly well on in years but his toned physique clearly let others know that his strength and energy hadn't so much as flickered with time. Then the beard. Truth be told, Scarlet never like beards but he personally had to give this one a lot of credit. It looked like the lower half of a dragon pokemon's open jaws for Arceus' sake and it practically swallowed Drayden's jaw and nose. Just how does he breath with that?

"By the way, Scarlet was it?"

The ravenette stopped fawning over the beard and nodded at Drayden. "Sir?"

"I know White to be a sometimes...difficult person to handle. What's your reason for helping her?"

"We made a deal in Skyarrow Bridge when we met. In returning for training me, I'll let him see Reshiram!" the trainer responded, ignorant of the fact that Scarlet didn't want too many people to know. Also, Drayden's shoulders tensed at the mention of the name and silence took control of the office.

"...You want to see Reshiram...?" the man asked and Scarlet instantly detected the edge in his voice. "Why?"

"Just curious is all. Who wouldn't want to see such a beautiful dragon?" Scarlet replied, putting on his deceptive smile. But then again, it wasn't like he was going to capture the pokemon. He had already decided to give up upon realising who his employers were.

The silence continued until White was forced to break it as she tired from seeing the two males staring each other down.

"Hey, Drayden. When do we battle?" she asked and the man finally tore his yellow eyes off Scarlet to face her.

"My schedule is quite booked for a while. How does Wednesday sound?"

As today was a Monday, White didn't mind. It wasn't far off at all and they could use Tuesday to train. "And I won't miss the concert since its on Friday!"

"Good to know. Although I don't approve of such loud activities," the man replied and folded his hands again. "If you'll please excuse me. I have to finish my work."

"Right. I'm going off ahead, Scarly! Bye Bye!" White called and ran out with Jolteon leaving Scarlet and Drayden alone. Only the mayor's pen scratching against the paper was enough to provide any noise in the ensuing silence.

"You look dangerous, boy."

Scarlet simply tilted his head and kept up his cold smile. "How do you mean, sir?"

Drayden continued writing. "Your reason though common sounds too flimsy for your face. And your eyes appear to belong to those of someone with malicious intent. A certain hunter I've heard about sports them."

The ravenette stroked his hair. "Oh? What does he look like?"

"Young. Green-eyed. Scarred. Red hair. A simple matter of hair dye would hide him well. Don't you think?"

"Yeah. Coincidental isn't it. You're not saying it's me, right?" Scarlet asked calmly although his muscles tensed up. Drayden rose to full height and stepped up to Scarlet with a threatening glint in his eyes.

"Consider yourself safe that I don't know this hunter's name or actual appearance. But mark my words, Scarlet. Black was a gem to this world who was stolen by equally suspicious people such as yourself. As protector of this new generation, I will not let the same thing repeat itself with White."

"It's not wise to judge a book by its cover, Drayden. I'm sure a man such as yourself should understand that," Scarlet replied and picked up the large black CD lying on the table. "Is this Mozart?"

"It is indeed. Of everyone in this city, I'm the only one who plays such a song on a gramophone. Those don't exist anymore."

"I see." Scarlet slipped the disk on the gramophone and set the pin down on it before hitting the play button. Notes stroked the air and the both men took the time to relish the music.

"It looks like we share the same interests in music," Drayden commented as soon as the piece was over.

"I guess so," Scarlet replied and pocketed his hands. "I'll should get going so I won't hinder your work."

As Scarlet passed him, he heard the mayor call his name and he stopped in his tracks as his hand just touched the door knob.

"I know you're hiding something. It will come to light sooner or later. But be sure of this. " Drayden's tone went menacingly calm. "If White is negatively affected in anyway, I will kill you."

The hunter's only response was to twist the knob and walk out.

...

"So, the kid wants to see Reshiram."

Scarlet looked to his right and saw Iris and Axew standing at the far end of the hallway.

"Jeez, what's so wrong in wanting to see it?" he sighed, sitting beside her.

The champion hugged Axew closer. "White must really trust if she's willing to show Reshiram...despite the fact that she's not supposed to."

Scarlet shot her a puzzled look. "Come again?"

"I said she's not supposed to. Black told her so," Iris said and turned to look at him. "I don't blame you for not knowing. She was also told not to tell anyone that either."

"Then why're you telling me?"

The champion didn't answer that question. Instead she turned back to Axew and began tickling her. Also, she asked a question.

"Has White been showing any abnormal abilities?"

"Well, her eyes go purple when she's really into a fight. Apparently, it releases her pokemon's limits and boundaries allowing them to use moves they wouldn't normally be capable of using...or something along that line. I never got how it worked."

"Anything else?" Iris pressed on and Scarlet racked his memories.

"There was one other thing..." he finally replied and Iris noticed the shudder in his voice.

"What was it?"

Scarlet and White were well on their way to Twist mountain but had stopped to take a breather in a town nearby. After booking a room in the nearest Pokemon Center, they had gone out on White's insistence to explore the small town. The roads were a little rough and slippery so Scarlet had warned her to stop walking too fast else she'd trip. The ditz had simply poked her tongue out at him and thereafter challenged Jolteon to a race. It didn't take long before White missed her footing and slammed head-first into the concrete floor.

"You're lucky you didn't bleed," the ravenette had sighed as he slapped a bandage over the wound later that night. "I hope you learnt a lesson."

Later that night, Scarlet found it hard to sleep and got up to get himself some water when he found White's bed empty. When she had left, he couldn't tell but she was quite good at doing it with him still awake. Almost like she had disappeared into thin air.

"She's probably in the toilet," he had concluded and would've left had it been for the red spots he made out on her pillow. "How did that...?"

Worried, Scarlet had knocked on the bathroom and had inquired as to White's health. No answer whatsoever. Steeling himself, Scarlet had barged in only to find it completely vacant. Panicking, he searched the entire PC and bit his lip when he found no trace of her whatsoever.

Then he heard laughter.

Slipping on a jacket, he dashed over to the PC's entrance and flung open the door. The empty streets greeted him but the laughter was still there. Scarlet followed its eerie peals and wondered whether he had gone mad. How could the sound be so loud when he couldn't see the source before him? In time, he was led to the town's centre where a simple statue of an unknown pokemon stood against the moon. And slowly, a face peeked out from behind it.

"White," Scarlet called and gave a sigh of relief. "What're you doing here at this time. It's dangerous for a girl to be out alone at this time."

The girl only giggled in response and Scarlet arched an eyebrow.

"What's so funny?"

She slowly stepped out from behind the statue and the moon took that moment to send one lone ray at her spot, giving her hair a smoky glow and illuminating her features. Dried blood stained her cheeks yet she sported a playful smile on her pale face.

Her eyes shone an electric blue hue.

"White...?"

White rose a finger and pointed at him before her eyes went half-lidded, giving her an entranced expression and for some reason, Scarlet spotted a few Litwicks and Lampents playing around in a circle around them.

"Hey, White. I think we should go back," the creeped out ravenette offered but White simply stood there and kept her finger on him. Then she opened her mouth.

The innocence points her fingers to the guilt and jeers.

She tramples upon the wills of others and laughs.

She runs about, spreading destruction and madness through her subjects.

She binds them down to do her bidding.

She mocks them. Taunts them. Pity them.

And they can do nothing in their anger.

For if they so much as crack the innocence, their tainted hearts shall be rent asunder and roasted with fire and lightning.

So beware, child who wishes to see Reshiram.

For you are treading the path of destruction.

Scarlet was thoroughly frightened by the ominous change in White's tone. It wasn't her usual high-pitched squeal.

"White...?"

The entranced girl slowly made her way to him with one sentence on her lips.

Is your heart pure enough to behold the truth?

Step.

Are you worthy enough to be my guilty one?

Step.

Can you carry my anger and vile thoughts and keep my mind pure unto the beast?

The girl pressed herself against Scarlet and cupped his face in her hands before looking right into his eyes with her blue, glazed orbs.

Well? she asked.

Now Scarlet had no idea what was going on but his mouth seemingly moved on its own accord and gave his reply.

"Yes."

White smiled and snuggled into his chest. Liar.

And she fell asleep. Scarlet let out a raggedy sigh and scooped her up in his arms before wondering as to what that had been. And with a shrug, he left for the PC with the ghost pokemon watching his retreating form.

"Oh great, it's awakening," Iris remarked with a hiss.

"What's awakening?" Scarlet asked, quite confused at her facial expression.

"It's a long story but let me cut to the chase. You noticed how naive White could be, right?"

"Yeah. I'm beginning to think she's not all that stupid."

"Yeah. Just really innocent. See, White's more in tune with it than others so she tends to act quite childish and irrational. It's also why she can't tell a lie or deliberately do something wrong."

"What does that have to do with it?" the ravenette asked.

"Duh! When there's no lie, truth always abounds. A suitable requirement for taking control of the light stone in which Reshiram is held."

Scarlet continued to stare and she thought of a simpler explanation.

"Reshiram is the legendary pokemon of truth. White can't tell a lie. Reshiram abides within truth."

Scarlet took a minute to process the explanation before giving up and asking a sarcastic question. "So what you're saying is...Reshiram is in White?"

Iris smiled. "Bingo."

"...Huh?"

The champion looked around before drawing close and beckoning to Scarlet.

"I don't know why but I feel compelled to tell you anyway. Before Black left to find Ghetsis, he took White, six then, to Relic Castle in Route 4. He took her to the deepest parts and explained to her that Ghetsis was going to use Reshiram for something evil and as such he needed her help. As soon as she agreed, he took out Reshiram, said a few things to it and pointed to White. Suddenly, Reshiram reverted back to stone form and then that was where things got a little creepy."

"Go on," Scarlet whispered.

"You know how in the old days, merchants used to grind emeralds and have their slaves swallow the powder so it could be safely transported?"

"Yeah...the slaves would later on die on the sea voyage and their bodies where taken to the storehouse where their blood was sifted..." the hunter replied and froze. "He didn't-!"

Iris gave a grave nod. "It was the best way to hide the light stone."

"But...shouldn't that have killed White? I mean, swallowing dust that contained such immense power..."

"That's why Black was careful. Reshiram abides in truth and innocence and the only vessel capable of providing that was White. That's why she didn't die. That's why she can't tell a lie too or think bad thoughts as Reshiram's essence cancelled them out."

"Didn't he know that doing that would render his sister extremely gullible and naive?!" Scarlet barked, getting angry. "Why didn't he take it? He was the Hero of Truth wasn't he? He should've been compatible!"

"Alas, that was the only flaw. In his impatience he failed to realise that White's mind would be forever limited to those thoughts. It's good to be innocent, but too much of that and one won't last long in this world," Iris remarked and closed her eyes with a sigh. "And Black had two reasons for not swallowing the stone."

"And they are?"

Iris held up a finger. "One. In the unfortunate event that the host dies, Reshiram will die too. He didn't want that, probably knowing full well that he wouldn't come back home alive. Then there's the other, more important reason. Black was an innocent fifteen year old trainer with big dreams of becoming the Champion. When he met Team Plasma, that innocence helped him awaken Reshiram for the grand fight against its then-king N and his pokemon of Ideals, Zekrom. A fight we at the league termed "The Black-White Incident." Long story short, Black won, N went on self-exile and Ghetsis escaped. But Black followed Ghetsis, knowing how dangerous the seventh sage could be and along the line he saw many scary things that changed his way of thinking."

Scarlet looked down sadly. "He lost it."

"Yeah," Iris replied and stroked the sleeping pokemon on her laps. "He lost that innocence. But here's the thing. Black never thought himself to hold the real innocence needed to unlock Reshiram's true strength."

The hunter arched an eyebrow. "So...Black was never the true hero to begin with?"

"Black was never the true hero to begin with," the champion echoed. "It was White."

Silence ensued and the hunter slowly processed the words. Then his memories started to swirl.

"I don't lie. That's one of the many reasons why I'm called White."

It all made sense now. The white hair, the pale skin, her powers, the blue eyes, her inability to lie, Drayden's unease. Everything was falling into place and Scarlet now knew why Ghetsis called White an important piece of his plans.

"How did you know all this?" was all he could ask.

"Black told me and Drayden about it. I also followed him when he took White to Relic Castle. Then I figured the rest out on my own."

Scarlet rubbed his temple and got up shakily. "I need to lie down."

"You can have my hotel suite in Opelucid's Grand Hotel," Iris offered and tossed him a room key. "I got a sudden change of heart so I'm leaving now for the Pokemon League. Besides, I prefer the grass to squishy beds."

"Thanks," Scarlet muttered and turned to leave.

"Hey, scarface!" Iris called. "You never heard this from me. Got it?"

The hunter waved in response and left the building. On the way he saw White talking to some brunette woman with aqua blue eyes but he couldn't be bothered to care. All he needed right now was some space to think.

Author's Corner.

Slybill: Another big reveal, people! Phew, after that explanation I myself needed to take a seat. Later!