Author's Corner.

Slybill: What's up guys? Did you miss me? *Epically dodges a brick, scythe and a cannonball* I'll take that as a yes then. I apologise for my long break. Like some of you, I had to study for tests and all *cough*Finally got an A in physics *cough* and as a result, my update speed suffered. But now I'm back and Radiant Sunrise is here!

Awesome: Places everyone! This is the last stretch so let's put in our best!

Cast: YEAH!

Slybill: And without further ado let the party begin!

DISCLAIMER: SLYBILL DOESN'T OWN POKEMON. ELSE, WE WOULD'VE HAD SOME SERIOUS FANSERVICE BY NOW!

"Scarlet..."

"Scarlet..."

"Time to wake up...Ginger..."

Green eyes fluttered open and Scarlet blinked at the warm sunlight spilling through his bedside window. Slowly he looked around his slightly scattered room, taking in the toys and Munchlax cushion in the corner. A turned off Chinchou light bulb hung above his head and his bed resembled a large Snorlax with the head acting as a pillow. From all looks of it, this room belonged to a poke-centric kid and Scarlet rolled his eyes as the Starly alarm clock began to buzz.

Wait. What?

Like lightning, Scarlet sat up and looked around. Where was he? Why was he here? Why could he feel his left arm? And shouldn't he be...dead?

"Geez Scarly. If you keep wasting time like this then we're gonna be late for trainer school!"

The boy froze at the sound of that voice. A voice that made his eyes involuntarily water. Slowly, he turned to his side and felt his eyes swell with shock.

"J...Jade?"

True to his words, his brown-haired brother sat beside him with his hair now cut short and a small, impatient frown on his angelic face. The look changed to surprise though as Scarlet suddenly lunged at him, tackling them both to the ground.

"H-hey! What're you-"

"Is this a dream? Please tell me!" Scarlet exclaimed, holding him tightly for all his worth. He felt real, his skin was warm and his heartbeat was loud and clear.

"Did you have another nightmare again?" Jade asked curiously and wrapped his little arms around his redheaded brother. "Sorry...I should've known. But everything's okay now, bro. Now come on. Mom's making pancakes today."

Scarlet's lips quivered upon hearing that one word. Suddenly, he jumped off the floor and tore through the open door, blindly ignoring the fact that he was still eight and as such couldn't go too far without nearly felling things over. Just as he accidentally knocked off a flower vase, Dragonite quickly came in and caught it before giving the running boy an exasperated stare. Kids these days were always so jumpy.

"Mom!" Scarlet called, running through the expansive house. "Mom!"

"Scarlet! What did I say about running in the hallways? I'm in the kitchen you know and you'd better hurry up or you and Jade will be late for-OOF!"

The woman with chocolate-brown hair looked down in surprise at the redhead clinging to her legs and sobbing hysterically.

"Scarlet, are you alright?"

"You're alive! Jade's alive! Where are we?! I thought we didn't escape!" he babbled endlessly through his tears and Jillian lowered herself to his level before wiping his tears with her apron.

"It's alright, Scarlet. We did escape, remember? Ghetsis was killed in that chasm and we were flown to safety. Now let's not worry about such things anymore, 'kay? We're a family and we can live however we want now."

Slowly, Scarlet's sobs reduced and his expression brightened instantly as he hugged her again. Yes, all that was a dream. ORPH, Team Plasma, the Reshiram hunt. everything! Just a bad dream...a long nightmare.

After a few minutes of observing, Scarlet found out that they had just moved to Jillian's house in Twinleaf Town and that he and his beloved brother were going to attend trainer school for the first time. As a kid, he felt nervous but at the same time, he felt too happy with his current life to care. He had a family now and that was all that mattered. The breakfast was delicious and both boys got themselves bathed and dressed in their uniforms before stepping out of the door and viewing the beautiful, rural landscape and the blue sky that touched the far, green horizon.

"I'm in heaven!" Scarlet boomed, beaming like an idiot.

"We're in heaven!" his brother echoed, too airheaded to think they were disturbing the peace. A flock of Starly flew above their heads and Scarlet took in the Magikarp filled stream a little way before their cosy house. His reflection also made him gasp in surprise as that horrid scar had disappeared from his face and his eyes never looked so big and wide with childish innocence. His hair was also cut short and his smile was just as wide as Jade's.

"I'll pick you guys up at school after work, 'kay?" Jillian called as they took off in the direction of the Town's Trainer School. "Don't talk to strangers!"

"We won't! Trust me!" Scarlet yelled back and let Jade lead the way, listening to his hearty chatter about their knew dark-haired friends and a hyperactive blonde who fined people for the silliest of reasons and owned a Piplup with an ego the size of Mt Coronet. The redhead laughed all the way, squeezing Jade's hand tightly and resolving to live his new life to the fullest without having to worry about monsters and dragons and deranged humans here and there.

...Who the hell was he kidding...?

BOOM!

"Where the heck am I?" Scarlet asked as the world had suddenly gone dark. "Jade? Where'd you go?"

Scared, the boy turned...and saw Twinleaf Town drenched in blood and ice. People and pokemon hung like meat from each giant icicle and Scarlet's eyes widened at the sickening smell of decomposing flesh in the air.

"Jade...?" he murmured and started to run. "Jade! Answer me! Where-"

Scarlet froze. Right where their house was stood a massive platform of ice with a set of steps above it. Lining each step were dead bodies of familiar people that made the redhead's breath quicken with each recognition. Jolteon. Violet. Camille. Lightning. Cheren. Bianca. Skyla. Iris. Jillian. And Jade.

"What...?"

The sky turned red and a big black moon appeared right in its centre, making the sky look like some big, black-eyed Dusknoir that was peering down on the trembling little boy below. Suddenly, he heard a scream and looked up to see the one person he loved more than anything else being dragged up the body-strewed steps by the very man who had turned his life upside down.

"White!" he cried, kicking forward. "Let her go, bastard!"

Ghetsis simply laughed and snapped his fingers, instantly summoning his red-eyed Dragon Knights who extended their claws and sank their hands into his torso from four different sides. Scarlet gasped, feeling his heart literally burst and it was all he could do not to pass out from the overwhelming pain. As one, the personified hell-hounds pulled out their bloodied arms and Joid grabbed the boy before he even touched the ground. Laughing, the soul-sucker held Scarlet's face up by his hair and directed his sight towards the demonic sacrificial table that brought back so many hideous memories.

"Scarlet!" White cried, extending a hand. "Help me!"

"White..." the boy muttered and with all his strength, pushed Joid off and started running towards the steps despite his horrific injuries. "White!"

"Save me!" she begged as the green-haired devil slammed her on the table and drew the blood-draining weapon.

"WHITE!" Scarlet screamed as a sadistic grin took up most of Ghetsis' face while he raised his sword. "DON'T! GHETSIS!"

"Scarlet!" the helpless girl cried before gasping as the blade sank into her chest. Her scream alone was enough to rend the boy's heart asunder and his irises shrank as her ruby-red essence leaked from her mouth. Stiffly, she raised a hand to Scarlet and coughed out blood before putting up a tearful smile. "S-Scarly..."

The trainer's hand fell limp against the side of the table and Ghetsis let out a maniacal cackle of glee while twisting the blade and drawing more blood.

"You couldn't save her!" he sneered and pulled the blade out. "You couldn't save anyone, you worthless wretch!"

"No..." the boy murmured, feeling the world come crashing down on him.

"You'll never amount to anything~" Aqua sang, grabbing Scarlet and pushing him to his knees.

"A useless defect that's only good for accumulating faults," Terra jeered and sank his spiked boots into Scarlet's stomach, making the boy gasp and hack up blood. "That's what you are."

"Scarlet~" a voice rolled and Scarlet froze as two lean arms wrapped his shoulders from behind. Alphinia's lustful smile dropped onto his neck and he shivered, knowing what was coming next. "I love you."

CHOMP!

Blood sprayed as the blonde took his shoulder apart with her razor-sharp fangs and Scarlet screamed as Joid joined the feast, burying his teeth into the boy's arm. The gory scene lasted forever but it felt even longer to the suffering boy and though he wished for death, it never came, making him realise something terrible.

He was in hell.

The boy opened his mouth to scream only to have it shut by Alphinia's lips and he coughed up his blood into her mouth as she sank a hand through his chest again. As his head swam, Scarlet started to grow faint at the feeling of Alphinia's tongue ravaging his mouth and he felt his world begin to darken as he looked into her deep, red eyes. He gladly passed out...only to be jolted back by a tentacle pushing into his side.

"Now for the main course," he heard Draco sing and his eyes widened as the man's jaws opened to amazingly frightening proportions, revealing rows of rows of teeth. Molten magma could be seen at the very end of his throat and Scarlet shook his head in fright as more tentacles wrapped around him and slowly began to pull him in.

"No..." he muttered, struggling like a beast. "NO! White! Jolteon! Somebody! Help me!"

Too late. Scarlet was pulled into the hole and he looked back to see Ghetsis holding White limp body and dragging a tongue across her cheek.

"Die, Failure."

And the gates closed shut with a squishy CHOMP!

Opelucid City Cemetery.

Iris wailed and refused to let go of Drayden's casket, before screaming and kicking as Lightning's Haxorus pulled her back. The scene was tearful to watch and nearly all the gym leaders had tears running down their faces as the Spartan Mayor's casket was lowered into the dug-out ground.

Cynthia watched as Haxorus returned to her side and she chewed a fingernail as she remembered the mortality count the even of three days ago had brought up.

"2012..." she murmured, feeling her shoulders tremble in anger at Ghetsis' cruel sense of humour. "2012 people and pokemon...that bastard..."

Burgh slammed a fist into the ground and cursed, remembering the eye witness reports stating that a certain white-haired trainer had been stolen away by those fanatics.

"White..." he muttered before remembering another severe casualty and finally breaking down. "Scarlet..."

That only seemed to worsen Iris' wails and Brycen looked away as he remembered the raven-haired boy he had found just inches away from death back in Dragonspiral Tower.

"So death had finally caught up with him," he mused and bowed to Drayden's tombstone before taking his leave. Elesa hadn't even come that day as she had promptly fainted upon hearing the news. The others knew that this was just as hard for her as she considered all eight of them as a family. Now, she had lost a bright-eyed little sister and a man she could've as well called father. All because of those accursed demons that went by the name of Team Plasma.

Cynthia now realised that this was the reason for Black's almost-insane persistence in tracking their king down. Ghetsis was a monster, his minions were practically the biggest threats to Unova and perhaps the world now and even she with all her strength felt uncertain of victory against them. Slowly, she looked to Haxorus' side and sighed.

"You still can't find him?" she asked and Lightning's dragon shook its head sadly. They just didn't get how Lightning had managed to disappear from the hospital so quickly despite his severe injuries that required at least a month of intensive medical care. "I hope he's okay...seeing as his friends are..."

Unknown to them, Lightning was standing at Opelucid's ruined Central Park staring at Drayden's beheaded statue with a forlorn look in his eyes and a pink and white hat in his left arm.

"I'm a failure-de arimasu..." he whispered and squeezed the hat in his fist. "I became like this to protect White...Ironic...isn't it-de arimasuka?"

On cue, rain began to fall and he gladly welcomed it since it helped to mask his tears.

"Scarlet...you bastard..." he murmured and grit his teeth before looking up to the sky with an expression of pure rage on his face. "HOW COULD YOU DIE ON HER, YOU INGRATE?!"

With that, he dropped the hat and began to punch the Drayden's statue in anger. Every blow brought blood from his knuckles but he barely paid any attention to it as his memories with the two teens brought far more painful memories.

"Why..." he huffed as he finally withdrew his bleeding hands. They had gone numb now and chose to dangle limply at his sides. "Why does it hurt when I remember that scarfaced hunter with my best friend...? I hate him! He was decieving her all along! He's responsible for all this! Yet...why does it hurt so much to remember his damned grin when he was with her...? It should've been me...I could've saved White...I could've...saved them both. It's all my fault-de arimasu..."

To his own surprise, he found himself laughing like a psychotic loser and he put a hand to his face to stifle it, to no avail.

"I see," he giggled and staggered back before looking to the sky. "This is Arceus' way of telling me that I'm not cut out for hero stuff, huh? Heh...Ha...Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!"

SLAM!

Lightning's fist actually cracked the statue he had just punched and his murderous expression was enough to scare away the nearby pokemon loitering about.

"Give me a break-de arimasu!" he growled and ran a hand through his wet, glistening hair. "Why the hell should Arceus be the one to decide my life-de arimasuka? I'm Lightning and as such, I can't afford to think about not being good enough or whatever! Anyway, I'm very sure White's still alive and as long as I'm still breathing and can fight with my pokemon, I won't lose to anyone anymore. I'll go to Team Plasma and kick their asses to hell and back-de arimasu! That's my resolution!"

Lightning clenched his fist and looked to the sky. "If only Scarlet was still alive. I'd punch his lights out too for dying like an ass-de arimasu."

"You're quite loud, you know that?"

Lightning slowly turned and saw Cheren sitting on an upturned park bench.

"Yo," he greeted, adjusting his tie. "Looks like I was a little late for the funeral."

Lightning pocketed his bleeding hands and shifted his weight to his good leg. "It's been a while, Cheren. Congratulations on being a dad-de arimasu."

"Thanks," Cheren replied with a sad smile. "Though it's a little disheartening that the baby arrived during these troublesome times. The only good thing is that Aspertia City hasn't reported any sightings of Team Plasma so my family should be safe. It's a girl by the way. Aurelia's got Bianca's big eyes...and my stubborn cowlick."

"There you go again, looking at the bad sides of things-de arimasu," the blonde deadpanned, rolling his mint-green eyes. "You haven't changed a bit-nya."

"And you haven't dropped your speech prefixes either," Cheren pointed out with a mocking smile before feeling his shoulders droop at the pink and white baseball hat on the boy's head. "I heard what happened. Looks like Ghetsis finally got his mitts on White though I wonder what he needs her for. Revenge against Black, maybe? Or something much, much worse."

"I'd pick the latter-de arimasu," Lightning stated and tapped his foot impatiently. "I just hope he's not doing anything to hurt her cos if he does, he's gonna answer to my searmitars-de arimasu."

"Love the determination. I think the over-confidence is a little foolish though," a voice piped up and the duo looked back to see Rain and Latios leaning against a tree and the former looked like he was too busy counting the raindrops to even look at them. "Ghetsis took Scarlet apart back in Dragonspiral Tower, Draco beheaded Drayden and turned his Haxorus to minced meat and let's not forget the gruesome death our hunter suffered when he tried to face them again. What makes you think you can beat them?"

The cowboy's brow twitched and felt his temper rise at Rain's indifferent attitude. "Are you even human-nya?! How can you belt out such things without the slightest trace of sympathy-de arimasu?! Though I'm still surprised to find out that Scarlet was a notorious pokemon hunter, I still wouldn't have wished such a death on him! Also, are you saying there's nothing I can do to stop Team Plasma-de arimasuka?! Don't look down on me, asshole!"

"It is that very reason that makes you so damn annoying," Rain sighed and finally turned his head to the side, locking his half-lidded eyes with Lightning's narrowed ones. "Your childish arrogance fools you into thinking you can do anything so long as you've got life in you. I disagree. Pushing your body over the edge is no longer heroics and must be seen as suicide or plain ignorance. I admire your courage, Gilbert and your ideals are noble but remember this. Heroes die too. The last champion of this region was a prime example. Hell, even Scarlet could be seen as a suitable example since I suddenly couldn't place his position on the good-bad scale anymore. You're only human, boy, and your body will someday cease to move at your greatest time of need. Do you understand?"

Lightning stared at Rain with a thoughtful scowl before huffing in contempt and throwing up his wide, toothy grin.

"It's Hilbert and sorry, Rain, but I've got a tiny bit of superiority complex and as such I think all you're saying is utter bullshit. But as a hero, I understood your advice loud and clear and this is my reply." The blonde thumped his chest. "I'm Lightning-de arimasu. My body's made of tougher stuff and though I admit to being human, I know that even these frail bodies of ours are capable of extraordinary things when pushed to the wall-de arimasu. Coupled with my pokemon to help me every step of the way, this is one hero you won't see dying of anything but old age-de arimasu!"

Rain blinked and Cheren swore he heard the tiniest of snorts from his lips.

"You're just like those anime boys on TV," he remarked and lifted himself off the tree. "Even your speeches are cheesy yet they still find some way to make sense. Very well then. Go ahead and put this theory to the test. I'd love to see the look on your face if it goes horribly wrong."

Lightning hissed before leaning against Drayden's statue. "By the way, you told me yesterday that you were hunting Scarlet down. Now that he's...you know, I assumed you'd be flying back to your base or something."

Rain gave a closed-eye smile before stepping to the right, revealing a snoring LP in handcuffs, sitting on the park bench. "I got a consolation prize."

A simple matter of extending his sleeping hours, no biggie, Latios remarked. LP has got to be the most careless hunter I had ever seen.

"Ditto," Rain said and sighed. "It looks like my mission is over then."

"Is that sadness I sense?" Cheren asked, arching a brow.

"No. Scarlet was a remarkable person to observe so it just feels a little disheartening that he's no longer with us. I would've liked to engage in a battle with him."

Cheren looked down with a quizzical expression on his face. "Uh...I know this may sound strange but I can't help feeling that this so-called notorious pokemon hunter wasn't all that bad. He was young so its only logical for him to have made a wrong turn somewhere. A bad influence on him perhaps?"

"Or a traumatic experience that made him take a turn for the worse psychologically," Rain offered and relayed to them Scarlet's fight with Ghetsis at Dragonspiral Tower.

Minutes later, Lightning chewed his lip. "So Ghetsis must've ruined his life too-de arimasu...If Scarlet where still alive, I'd probably have asked him about his past-de arimasu"

"I doubt he'd tell you," Cheren pointed out and got off his seat. "Let's move on to more pressing matters. How do we stop Team Plasma? We can't even find their base."

Silence took over for the next few minutes as everyone paused to consider the question. In time, Lightning snapped his fingers in sudden realisation.

"Uncle N-de arimasu!" he offered. "He was once King of Team Plasma so he should have some ideas on where all their secret hideouts are-de arimasu."

"If he were here," Cheren stated, wondering where the green-haired man had gone. "I know he's back in Unova and I also know he's searching for White since he told me he had something to give her best friend. I didn't know what that meant but I recommended Scarlet since they looked to be quite close and I told N that they'd be in Opelucid."

"Why didn't you recommend me-nya? I thought I was her best friend-nya!"

Cheren sweatdropped. "I didn't know your location so it would've been pointless telling N. Besides, I thought you probably didn't like White anymore seeing as how she rejected your advances."

"HOW DID YOU KNOW-DE ARIMASUKA?!"

"I'm a gym leader so I hear a lot of stuff from the challengers. Moving on, I don't see that green-haired hippie anywhere. Did he get lost?"

"No." Rain fiddled with his Capture Styler while keeping his eyes trained in the direction of the hospital at the far end of Opelucid City. "He's here alright. He's the one who requested that Scarlet's body be left in the cryogenic chamber to prevent decay."

"What?" Lightning gawked. "Why the hell did he want that-de arimasu?"

Rain shrugged indifferently. "Ask him yourself. Frankly, I don't see the point in keeping such a war-torn body in deep freeze." The ranger turned and nodded to Latios who lifted LP into the air with his psychic powers. "I'll be going now since I technically got what I came for. There was some nasty rumour going around that every hunter I captured got shot on their way to prison so I have to be extra careful with this guy."

"And he looked like such a nice guy-de arimasu," Lightning remarked. "I wonder why he stuck fast to the possibility that Scarlet couldn't be dead-de arimasu."

Rain stared at the sleeping man before starting off in the direction of the exit terminus with his Eon Pokemon hovering over him. Sighing at his silence, Cheren and Lightning were just about heading back when they heard a whistle. Rain raised an envelope and smiled a little.

"On an important note, N brought a friend who you guys just might want to see. I'm sure she'll be a valuable asset to stopping Team Plasma," he called and got on Latios' back. "On another lesser but still important note, LP and I shall be present for this Red Moon Ball. And on a final closing note, I'll give you guys a word that carries a significant part in Ghetsis' plans."

"And that would be?" Cheren asked.

Rain flicked the envelop with the precision of a ninja throwing shuriken and Lightning caught it just as fast in-between his middle and index fingers. With that, Rain flew off and the two remaining young men stared at the card-like envelope. Slowly, Lightning ripped it open and pulled out a tiny piece of paper with a word that, though made no sense, got his blood to run cold for no reason whatsoever.

Sacrifice.

Cryogenic Chamber Unit, Opelucid City Hospital.

Cold.

N marvelled at how ice-type pokemon could be used to generate such freezing temperatures needed to preserve bodies at just the right degree at the orders of their human partners. They were lucky that shifts were taken else he would've surely protested seeing as the freezing temperature had to be continuously generated. Then again, this was where pokemon and human collaboration came in since the equipment needed to maintain this temperature had gone bust when Team Plasma...his Team Plasma...laid waste to half the city, cutting off the power supply to most areas now. As it currently stood, several electric-type pokemon were being called to supply electricity to Intensive Care Units in the hospital and though Zekrom could generate enough power to last the city a good year, he couldn't ask him for help as he didn't want his location revealed to his tyrannical father.

"First my pokemon...then my best friend...then my sisters...and now..." He trailed off upon taking another look at Scarlet's body in the cask-like enclosure. Despite not liking other humans too well, he felt a sense of agony and guilt for the boy, knowing full-well about the event of eight years ago and how Scarlet had been connected to it. "To think he took your own family from you and turned you into this...I was so careless...I should've chased after Ghetsis with Black. Maybe...none of this would've happened then."

What really made N's heart pound was the fact that Ghetsis had White in his icy clutches. There was no doubt in his mind that she would suffer for being directly related to Black. But he knew that she'd be kept alive until the Promised Day. The book Black had given him assured him of that and he shuddered upon remembering its other contents.

Slowly, he touched the glass separating Scarlet from the outside world and he chewed his lip at the stump where his left arm should've been. If Scarlet was needed then he'd have to have it replaced and fast.

"Though you're like this, I doubt your body is truly dead," he murmured and turned his back on the casket. "After all..." N brushed off the fog on the glass, revealing Scarlet's body further. "...the hole in your chest has closed completely. Not to mention the fact that all your injuries are nearly gone. Is this a result of all those things Ghetsis' scientists had pumped into years ago...or is this just a miracle?"

Yes, it was true. Scarlet's body showed no trace of his last fight as, for some reason, most of his wounds had closed up completely. Keep in mind that G-factor dies once the host dies too and Scarlet's gloves were yet to arrive.

"Or is it your body's will to save her despite being in this sorry state?" N remarked and looked to the boy's still expression. "I just hope your mind hasn't given up on White. Besides, you're the only one who can save her since I failed in that aspect. I'm sure Black must be disappointed in me."

Rumination Field, Pinwheel Forest. Eleven years ago.

"Hey Natural! Over here!"

N snapped out of his usual brooding and huffed in slight annoyance that his pseudo-friend was running up to him, effortlessly breaking his concentration.

"For the last time, Black, I have told you to stop following me! And don't call me by that. It's annoying-OOF!"

"Don't be such a stiff, man!" the brunette joked, tackling him to the ground and giving him a severe noogie. "You're always disappearing to who knows where and what happened to the times when you used to challenge me to battles in hopes of seeing my bond with my partners? Unless you finally understand now that humans and pokemon are meant to be together."

"Do not kid yourself," N snapped, getting his head out and massaging the bump. "I still believe that pokemon are simply being enslaved by their human masters and I won't forget the harsh truth that they're being turned to objects of sport or labour, used till broken and then tossed away."

Black pouted and folded his arms. "So you're still sticking to that then...you're such a baldie."

"...Baldie?"

"Baldie~ Baldie~" Black sang and collapsed against the grass with a contented sigh. "But that's why you're such a fun guy to talk to."

N loomed over Black's head with a curious frown. "Why are you here? Shouldn't you be scolding me for acquiring Zekrom's help? Aren't you the least bit annoyed at my ideals? I am going to beat Alder after all and you know what happens when I've gained the power of a Pokemon Champion-"

"You'll issue an order for everyone to release their pokemon and blah, blah, blah," the brunette cut in nonchalantly and stretched. "We've had this talk many times, N and I told you I couldn't be bothered with your silly ideals."

Now N was a very composed young man but he felt that foreign expression of anger contort his face. The only thing he hated aside from pokemon abuse was this airhead's attitude.

"Don't you care?!" he barked, scaring off the Pidove in the trees. "I'm about to separate every trainer from their pokemon by next week and you sit here telling me that my ideals are trash yet you don't feel the slightest bit inclined to stop me?! Are you saying I won't succeed?"

Black shrugged and smiled widely. "I don't know. Do you want me to stop you?"

"..."

Black chuckled and parted the brown hair covering his yellow eyes. "N. I didn't come here to see you flare up though your red face is clearly hilarious. I came here because I've got something to show you."

N tisked and folded his arms, sulking despite his age. "You always do this, Black. Changing the subject just to show me unnecessary sights and talk about rubbish."

"Hey, I rode the Ferris Wheel with you and endured your creepy speech on Physics and stuff so this is your way of paying me back."

Slowly, Black got up and beckoned to N before heading in the direction from whence he came. Sighing, N followed and soon found himself at a beautiful lake surrounded by trees with the sunlight filtering through at just the right angle, giving the area a breathtaking sight. Tiny pokemon either scurried about or lounged beside the lake's edge, basking in the cool afternoon and N could hear their contented banter. They didn't even seem to mind the newcomers and Black picked his way through the grass before coming to a stop at a particularly large, moss-covered rock.

"So you wanted to show Serperior basking in the sunlight," N deadpanned, seeing the large Regal Pokemon coiled atop the flat-topped rock. "Black, I really don't have the time for-"

"SHH!" Black shushed and took his hand before climbing up the rock and stepping towards his pokemon. N followed, giving some gap as Black's Serperior didn't like him too well. Slowly, Black flagged him closer and they both peered at the bundle sleeping within the ring formed by the grass-type's coiled frame.

A toddler.

"Isn't she beautiful..." Black cooed, gently lifting the three year old and doing his best not to wake her.

"You never told me you had a sister," N pointed out, observing the child with apprehensive eyes. She was a strange one with a mop of white hair and pale skin. But Black was right though. She was a cute child.

"You never asked," Black replied, earning a sweatdrop from N. "I thought she'd need some fresh scent of nature once in a while so I took her to this lake. She tired herself out when she was playing with the pokemon and I'm surprised she wasn't scared of them at all. The same went for the pokemon seeing as they trusted her all of a sudden. I think she's got a knack for understanding pokemon...kinda like you."

"Hmph," was all N replied and Black held her out to him. "She's White."

"I can see that."

"No, mosshead! Her name's White," Black laughed quietly and rocked the toddler before looking to N. "Wanna hold her?"

N stared hesitantly before reluctantly stretching his hands forward. Little children were still innocent so he didn't feel any negative disposition towards them. More so that this girl had a certain quality about her that made his mind wander a little. Black placed her gently in his arms and N involuntarily sighed at how soft and light she felt to him. Drawing her close, he inspected her like a scientist would with an experiment and this seemed to amuse Black.

"She's not an alien or anything so you don't have to run mental experiments, Natural," he remarked, eliciting a glare from N. "You haven't had experience with toddlers, have you?"

Right on the mark as always. "She seems fragile," N remarked and pressed her cheek curiously. "And she's quite soft. Sickly-looking too."

"Her right hand's got a strong grip though," Black chipped in, fingering her tiny arm. "I can tell she'll have a killer right hook when she grows up."

Suddenly, White's eyes flew open and N tensed at her golden yellow irises that seemed to bore into his soul. Despite their scary appearance, her eyes also twinkled with playful innocence and her curious face looked around in wonder before stopping at Black and brightening immediately.

"Bak!" she cooed, extending her arms out to reach him. "Bak! Bak!"

"Sorry. She can't really pronounce L yet," the brunette laughed, taking her off N. "Hello White. Did you enjoy your sleep? Do you still wanna play? Who's a good girl?" he asked in a babyish voice that made N wince. Suddenly, he caught White staring at him again and he shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.

Her next words were surprisingly accurate.

"Tree!" she cried and N dropped, anime style. "Tree! Tree!"

"I most certainly am NOT a tree," the teen denied. This girl was going to be an airhead, just like her big brother. N could feel it in his bones.

"Aww, don't be mad, man. You do look like a walking tree anyway," Black joked and rubbed noses with the girl, commenting on how smart she was. Despite the insult, N felt slightly happy that it was enough to draw a laugh from her and he slowly extended a hand out.

"I'll let that slide but only because you are still young," he remarked. "I am N. King of Team Plasma and pokemon liberator. It's a honour to meet you, White-"

CHOMP!

N stared at the girl with a comical blank expression. "Did...did she just bite me?"

Black laughed nervously and showed his own bandaged fingers. "She's almost done teething."

The child sucked on N's finger before chomping harder, finally making him pull out and sweatdrop at his bloodied finger. "I'll take that as a sign that she too disagrees with my ideals. Moving on, why did you show her to me?"

Black sat on the rock and put the giggling child between his legs before tapping the space next to him, sending N the obvious message. A soon as N sat beside them, Black faced the lake and put up his solemn smile that only meant one thing to N. He was about to see a serious side of Black...again.

"Hey, N. Earlier on you thought I didn't care, right? Well, if it were a few months ago, I would've said you were right. I didn't exactly see pokemon as equals, being the naive rookie that I was. But after I got a pokemon and began travelling, I realised just how important we were to each other. I needed Snivy so I could be achieve my dream of winning the League and Snivy needed me for a good laugh. We became fast friends and that's probably what made you notice me back in Accumula Town. Now Snivy's a Serperior now and I've gotten other precious pokemon too and you know what, travelling with them made me grow up in a sense. I could barely recognise myself anymore, having six strong pokemon there to back me up when the going got rough. As a result, I soon stopped seeing them as tools and more like partners-no, siblings. We're that close now, N, and I'm sure I'm not the only who feels that way. Sure there'll be bad people who abuse pokemon but that's in the minority and it's slowly coming to a stop too with the Pokemon League's help."

"Is that what you think? How are you sure that you're not just deceiving yourself into thinking that your pokemon are happy?" N asked sceptically.

"N. You said it yourself back in Mistralton when you talked with Serperior. You told me that he trusted me for some reason and that it was good. And you know you can't deny that...since according to you, Pokemon never tell lies."

"Tch. You love using my own words against me," N scoffed and leaned back to avoid White's arm reaching out to his ponytail. "Don't get cocky though. You are just one of the many abnormalities and unsolvable questions I have unluckily chanced upon. I will save the pokemon from this menace called training and the world shall know true balance."

Silence.

White waddled out of Black's grip and leaned against N's lap in an effort to reach his hair. Sighing, he leaned forward and let her grasp his green locks. Happily, she pulled and played with it while N patiently awaited Black's answer.

"N." The boy's long bangs were shifted to reveal only one yellow eye that shone with fierce determination. "Like you, I too wish for a world with true balance. But my take on such a world doesn't involve trampling on the bonds between people and pokemon. I believe in the world where all people and pokemon shall come to realise each other's importance and will therefore resolve to work together in peace, love and harmony. That is the world I want my baby sister to grow up in. Do you understand, N? I want White to experience the growth I went through with my team and it is for that reason that I will crush every obstacle aiming to separate her from her future partners. You included."

The king actually swallowed at that last statement but chose to take the calm route so as to show that he wouldn't be intimidated.

"Believe what you like, Black and I shall do the same. As long as pokémon are confined in pokéballs... pokémon will never become perfect beings. I have to change the world for pokémon, because they're my friends. Stop me if you dare, Black. But be rest assured that if your conviction isn't strong enough then you shall never defeat me."

"My conviction is strong," Black replied, standing up and peeling White off N's hair. "We'll meet at the League and me and my friends are gonna do all in our power to stop you and preserve this imperfect world for White to explore. That is my truth."

Silence.

"Hey, your legs are shaking," N remarked and Black's solemnity melted away as he laughed shakily.

"Arguing with you still makes me feel uncomfortable. Man, can we save this discussion for the final battle? All that talk about truth and ideals is making my head hurt," the brunette laughed and N rolled his eyes.

"You're not as stupid as everyone thinks you are, yourself included," he stated matter-of-factly and also got up before dusting his pants. "I admit to feeling slightly nervous under that determined and annoying will of yours. I think it's time we leave."

"Yeah, Virizion warned us not to come here but hey, teens will be teens," Black remarked mischievously and picked White up. "I wonder if I can get her to give White a ride round the forest."

"She broke your neck when you tried to hitch a ride on her back," N deadpanned, eliciting another goofy laugh from Black. "Really, you are such an airhead."

The brunette stuck out his tongue before placing White on his shoulders, watching as N whistled for his Archeops to pick him up.

"Hey N!" he suddenly called and the King turned to face Black. "We'll still be friends no matter our differences!"

That certainly took N aback. But it was quite true since Black had been the only person who truly understood him. They were just like two sides of a coin.

"Also, I've got a favour to ask!" Black stated and pointed to White. "When all this is over and if anything happens to me...could you at least watch over my baby sis in my stead? She really likes you and I'm sure you'd make a better influence than me!"

N froze and stared at White's angelic smile before pulling his hat over his eyes. "I'll...think about it. But only because you're...a friend..."

Black grinned and waved as N's Archeops swooped in and carried N off.

"Tree!" the green-haired teen heard from below and looked back to see White waving at him. "Bye bye! Tree!"

"Hmph. I suppose she does need some watching over if her brother isn't around," he mused and disappeared above the clouds, resolving to face forward and pit his ideals against Black's truth while holding White to his heart. He had a feeling that she was destined for something great and he would honour Black's wishes and see to it that she grew into a happy, innocent person who cared for pokemon too.

"And I failed..." N murmured, feeling his eyes sting as he remembered their bright smile and big eyes. "I let you down all because I realised everything too late."

"But it's not too late to save her, you know."

N's expression went calm and he slowly looked over his shoulder with a small smile as a blonde stepped out of the shadows. "Yes. That's true. Because we now have you on our side. Alphinia F. Quincy...or should I say my mother's reincarnate, Felicia Harmonia."

Author's Corner.

Slybill: It was a little obvious that Alphinia would join them in the end, am I right? BTW, correct me if I'm wrong...but Alphinia kissed Scarlet at that nightmare part, right? Now some of you might call me crazy but I actually...support...ScarlyXAlphy *dodges brick* What? I think they make a good couple in a gruesome sense.

Lightning: Scarly X Alphy-de arimasu...No.

Burgh: No.

Violet: Nope!

Draco: What're you thinking, Sly?

Omega: I disagree.

Shauntal: YES! Wait...Alphinia is a girl so, NO!

Slybill: Okay okay! I get it already! I'll just have to sign off with a happy note then. A Simple Pokemon Movie is finally finished and is currently being proof-read (Yes. I, Slybill, am proof-reading something for the First. Time. Ever.) It's about eleven chapters long and expect it to be slightly non-canon. Then again, most movies are so...BYE! And happy birthday, Rikato! Expect a surprise on DeviantArt any time from now.