Chapter 16

"We live in cities you'll never see onscreen, Not very pretty, but we sure know how to run things, Livin' in ruins of a palace within my dreams, And you know we're on each other's team" Team by Lorde

There's a mall! A mall!

I love shopping!

It's my weakness! Like the way fire hates water and water is absorbed by grass.

But I need to focus at the task at hand. Urggggh. But like, when am I going to see another mall again? I take out Ganon and he's my height now that he fully looks like his namesake. I evolved him just a few hours ago and I'll spare you the waterworks and teary details of that. Now the only ones still left for evolution are Poe and Sheik the Meinfoo, but they won't evolve in quite some time, that's why I'm sparing them from any competitive battles.

"Ganon!" I say while we walk along the road side by side.

"Boar?"

"I need you to do me a favor. I cannot go inside that mall at any cost because I will get trapped there for hours and I can't betray White. So I need you to drag me away if need be. Got it?"

"Emboar!" he affirms, smiling. His tusks bend along with his smile. How adorable.

I don't last for very long and I make a run for the mall. Ganon the Emboar does his job and hauls me off to Opelucid City.

"No, no, no! Let's go shopping, Ganon!" The struggle begins. "Pleaseeeeee?"

"Boar..." He is adamant on me sticking to the road. I sigh in response.

"Okay fine. You're no fun." I walk alongside the road with him. Its amazing how we're the same height now. I kind of love it!

When we walk into Opelucid, I instantly notice how much of a prideful, yet ancient town it is. It all looks so natural and preserved. It's beautiful! What instantly catches my ears is the pleasant sound of a flute playing a soulful melody. It sounds wistful, as though it's trying to remind a world so focused on the future that the past was once there.

Now that I think about it, it's kind of a problem I have. I'm so busy looking forward to all of the possibilities and of the future that I oftentimes ignore the past. I feel changed. I'm not as clumsy (though my hips keep hitting and walls at times and I have to change my position to walk through narrow walkways) as I once was, I'm more vocal about my ideas, and I'm not afraid to question things. Despite all of these positive changes in me, I still have to remember that I am Bianca Bel at the end of the day. I am my own person. I am almost nineteen years old and I am still trying to seek out what I want in this future. I know I'm close, I'm ever so close.

"Hey! It's you again! Are you here to challenge us for the Legend Badge?" It's Iris who shows up a little bit too close to my face, interrupting my reverie. She looks the exact same as she did last time. I didn't really get her contact info, as she said she was used to not using technology. Strange, but that's fine.

"Um...no, actually. I kind of decided to take a break from the Gym Challenge for a bit."

"Oh. Grandpa says I'm too young to do that, though I know I can become Champion someday. I'm really strong, but no one takes me seriously," she says, frowning. "It sucks. You know that Alder didn't even have to do much to get his Championship position." This perks my ears up. I can't measure just how quickly the direction of this conversation has gone, but wow.

"He didn't? But he seems so skilled on TV."

"Alder's great on TV along with his ability to channel the energy of others combined with his leveled headed personality is what makes him there unlike other Champions like Cynthia or Steven, who are there based on actual skill. It's really the Elite Four running things, especially Grimsley and Caitlin, especially when Alder's running around trying to find himself and stuff. He's not very good against Grandpa Drayden during unofficial matches, but they tend to not air those."

Interesting...Wait a second...This is terrible! My jaw drops at her words.

"Boar?" I forgot Ganon was still standing with me.

"Is something wrong?" Iris says, completely confused at the same time as Ganon. Makes sense as she probably wouldn't understand the half of what's going on.

"Yes!" I say, my voice higher pitched than usual. "This bad! Really, really bad. Is there someone I can talk to about what's happening?"

"Sure, we can stop by my house and talk about it with Grandpa."

Iris's house is the biggest of the bunch of houses in this city and in it is an older man with an epic beard reading a book with a Dragonite fighting a Haxorus on the cover. "Iris?"

"Grandpa! My friend is here. She says she needs to talk about something."

His staring at me is is rather intense, but he quickly gains composure, stroking his beard with one hand. "Well of course, young lady. As mayor of this city, it is important for me to know of all going-ons."

"Well..." I say, talking about yesterday's incident with Team Plasma and N's acquisition of Reshiram. Drayden doesn't take well to this at all. Iris, on the other hand, shakes her head.

"Wait. Isn't Team Plasma that weirdo knight group that stole your Munna back when we first met?"

"Uh-huh," I nod. "So this is really, really bad!"

"But you're saying there is hope in your friend."

"Is it that brunette girl who was with us?" Iris asks.

I nod. "N said that only she can summon Zekrom but she doesn't know how. I don't know if she's got the Dark Stone or what, but she's the only one that can stop him. Iris also told me that Alder isn't as powerful as other champions, is that true?"

Drayden is silent. "Alder was requested by the League to reign as Champion. He has done this with a just hand for over two and a half decades. Things changed when his Pokémon—his starter—succumbed to an illness and Alder almost quit. The League allowed him to travel out of grief, but he has never fully recovered from her death. Alder is a vastly intelligent man and we are lucky to have him be the figurehead of Unova, but his emotions are unbalanced and he talks to people about topics he himself cannot preach. If Team Plasma were to succeed with the Legendary Dragon as you say, then Alder would be but a stepping stone to them. I have been asked to step in for him a few times, but I do not want that burden."

"This is why I think I should challenge him!" Iris says, stamping her feet.

"One day, when you are ready. You are not ready right now, my child. That Axew you have is not a Haxorus. You are not prepared."

"Axew?" The tiny Pokémon from before pops out of Iris' hair and stares at Ganon in bewilderment. "Ax..." It goes back in.

"Ughhh but—" Drayden gives her a stern look and she's quiet.

"Well, your friend cannot make it to Victory Road unless she challenges Opelucid City's Gym. There is no way I can just give her the Badge. There have been plenty of challengers seeking their final gym badge and I have denied to all but a few. After your friend has defeated me, then we shall take a plan of action."

"Okay!" I say.

"By the way. What did you say your name was?"

I never said my name, but I'll humor him. "My name's Bianca."

"Of course it is." He ceases eye contact with me and takes out his book again. What was that all about?

"Hey Bianca, you wanna go and take a tour of Opelucid City with me?" Iris says, once again interrupting my thought process.

"Sure!" Maybe I should try and relax for two seconds.

Talking to Iris is pleasant, but I can't help but pierce together Drayden's last words to me. He's a strange individual, but seems like a good guy.

"So that's Opelucid City!" Iris concludes, barely noticing that my mind has been elsewhere all day.

"So were you born here?"

"I don't know, but I grew up here! Grandpa Drayden adopted me when I was really young, which explains why we look nothing alike! Anyway, we need to come up with a plan."

"A plan?"

"Yes! We need to help your friend out when she comes so I need you to help me think of something."

"Okay..."

"Not now, though! We need to deal with things one at a time." For a little girl, Iris is really directive. "I helped White before and I wanna help her again. It's only fair. And I don't want to lose Axew or else I'll go back into the wild. Don't think I won't, 'cuz I will!"

I giggle at her words, even though she's not laughing with me. "Anyway, it's late and I gotta go home now. See ya!"

I'm alone again in this city so I decide to rest up in the Center for a little bit. I lounge around the front area where the news is being broadcast. A video of a red burst of smoke in the sky is shown all across places in Unova. When the videos are zoomed in, you can see the silhouette of a person with a blurry shade of green. It's only N and it appears the world has taken notice.

"Thank you for waiting, Miss White. We've restored your Pokémon to full health. We hope to see you again soon." I overhear the nurse saying from behind where I'm sitting.

"You will."

"Will you be making a reservation for the night?"

"I don't know."

Now's my chance. "White, hey! Heeeeeeey!" I wave my hands, even though she instantly notices me. She looks stressed out of her mind. She looks frazzled, tired even. Has she gotten any sleep since what happened yesterday? I see her placing her hand go from the insides of her vest to a casual position in the most clandestine manner. I don't want to bring it up at the moment.

"Hey, B. How's it going." She says it as if it's a statement and not a question.

"You're tired. Let me buy you a coffee. It's the least I can do." I go to the mart and buy her a frozen red-eye drink before she protests. I also get myself one. White sits down, looking completely out of it.

"Thanks." White pops the cap off and begins to drink. I awkwardly stare at her as I sit across from her. This is the first time we've gotten to just sit in a Center in a long time. White lets out a little huff. "You always know when to help me, even if I don't even think I need it."

"I try my best."

"No, seriously." White takes off her cap and loosens her ponytail. Her hair falls down to her waist, its curves glossy and refined. I know that if I grow my own hair to that length, it'll look and feel like straw since it's naturally much coarser than her's. I'm somewhat jealous of her hair. "Ugh, I love having my hair in a ponytail but it gives me a headache from time to time." I doubt it's that that's giving her a headache as much as other things. "I'm so jealous of you, you don't even get to feel weighed down by your hair like I do. Sometimes I want to just chop it all off, maybe buzz cut my hair and run around loose with no hair."

"You'd never do that," I say, giggling.

"No, because I'd moan about it an hour later, next thing I know, you'd have given me a wig."

"A wig? I'd give you twenty wigs and then we'd go shopping for more." This makes White really laugh.

White massages her scalp. "You remember that time when we were sixteen and we did divisions against Nacrene High?"

"Of course I do!"

"Yeah, it was during fourth period and you snuck out of Math class just to sit on the bleachers and watch me play because literally no one else was cheering for us because they scheduled that game at the end of the school day. It's funny because no one noticed you. Not coach, not my teammates, not even the other team saw you sitting alone in those bleachers." I remember asking Cheren if he wanted to skip class with me to cheer for White but he was adamant on staying in his Pokémon Biology class. "And I saw you there and you waved at me, just like you always do." White imitates my waving with her one free hand. Wow, I didn't know it was that frenetic. Am I really like that? "And then I felt so motivated to win against those hipster scums from the other team because even though they had an away game that was scheduled in the middle of the school day. It was wonderful knowing you were the only person there and that you were there for me."

"And then that ball hit you right in the face," I say, reminding her. I remember that was a really nasty hit that came out of nowhere. There was blood coming out of the air when the ball bounced off White's face and it hit her so hard it knocked her down into the grassy field.

"There was a scream and the next thing I know, you're by my side, crying. And you stayed there and left in the ambulance with me." I was worried she had a concussion, but thankfully, the brunt of the damage was in her mouth. I'm surprised her nose wasn't even broken by this.

"Your coach was so surprised to see me there. She reported me afterwards and I had to serve detention that Friday for skipping class. Dad was fuming at me for the next two weeks!" I try not to shudder at the memory of that, even though I now acknowledge my dad as a huge drama queen. Heavens know how many detentions he served back when he was in school.

"And that's the thing. You risked so much to see me play, you risked detention, your dad's wrath, and even an F in Math just to see me play, all to see me succeed." I don't remind her that Nacrene won the game, since this isn't really the time or the place. "And you didn't even have to do any of it. It's moments like this when you see me like this, when I'm down, that you're always going to be there for me and be my best friend and the sister I never had."

I almost want to cry at her words, but I swallow my tears.

"You'll succeed, White. I know you and that stone will work. I promise." I don't know why I'm saying that, since I don't even truly know, but I need to have hope.

"Thanks." Her hand gestures back to that spot inside her vest. She must be keeping it close to her heart. The place where her ideals would naturally stem from. It's through this rationalization that I know the truth of the matter: Zekrom will be hers.

"Anyway, I need to go to the Gym. Drayden and Iris are expecting me soon, anyway. This gave me the boost I need to get the badge." White stands up and throws her can into a nearby trashcan.

"Good luck."

I don't know what to do with myself after my chat with White so I just stroll around the town's outskirts. "Bianca!" I hear a voice calling my name. It's Cheren.

"Oh hey there! What's up?"

I take a second to notice that Cheren looks like he always did in the past. His face is clean shaven and his hair is neatly trimmed save for that one cowlick that never stays in place. I wonder if this is the end of Cheren vs. Wild. Maybe he's finally gotten to a point where he needs to put White ahead of his own personal gain.

"I'm just getting prepared. I'm going in with White."

"You can't do that!" I say. I was right...too right.

"I mean, I'm going to go to Victory Road and see what I can do there. I think its a good idea to hold off on my idea of being Champion once this blows over because if N wins, I won't have any Pokémon to win my Championship."

My face falls. "I wonder if I'll ever get to see Victory Road...I can't go, obviously. I keep losing against everyone all the time but that's okay. I'm close to finding what I want to do anyway. Being a trainer is just an experience."

Cheren's quiet, his dark eyes failing to meet mine. "What do you think will happen...If N wins and we lose our Pokémon?"

"That's not going to happen because it's White challenging him!" I say. "Think positive! Remember that!"

"You're right, but I can't help but think of that. All of my effort will be put to waste. I know this sounds strange to you, but I've found what I've wanted to do with my life. I don't want to go to college and get a degree just yet, maybe ever. I want to train Pokémon and raise them. It's a really sappy thing to say on my part, but I can't imagine myself without them."

That's the most emotional thing I've ever heard Cheren say. Wow. Just, wow. I just act on instinct and I give him a hug. "Awww. We'll be okay! Just keep thinking positive and it'll all be all right!" I continue our embrace.

"Um...Bianca? You've been hugging me for too long..."

I instantly pull away. "Sorry!" Cheren pushes up his glasses to reduce the tension. It isn't working.

"Anyway, White's off battling Iris for the badge and then we'll come see her off."

"She's battling Iris? Isn't it a little bit too late to have Gym Battles?" Seriously, it's seven in the evening. Gyms tend to close at around six.

"They've made an exception for her and for myself to a lesser extent. The plan is to have White travel through Victory Road throughout the night, as there are less trainers lurking about and then she'll reach the League with little problems. She'll battle Alder and try to become Champion. Hopefully it'll go as planned. If not, then we're going to have a problem."

I stare at Cheren for a bit. "Problem...There's something off about this plan. What if White doesn't get there on time? And N decides to take out his castle in the sky or something?"Cheren shrugs at my words. "He did say he was a king after all! If N brings his minions slash subjects forward, then White's really going to be in trouble. He's got those seven sages guys and they're not like the ones from Ocarina of Time." I can't believe I somehow remembered all of this from Castelia, but the memories pour into my mind. Seven...Seven sages. Seven...It's seven, right? Including Ghetsis?

"Guys?" White says as she enters Route 10's bridge.

"White!" I say.

"I'm going to go do it. Wish me luck. I need it." She's clutching something purple in her hand.

"Is that a Masterball?" Cheren asks.

White nods. "Professor Juniper came here just now and gave it to me. She told me to stay true to myself and to what this journey has brought me. She asked me if I regretted all of this. I know I angst a lot about this, but at the end of the day, if this was the path I was to take, then no. I don't have any regrets."

"That's great, because Bianca and I were just talking about worst-case scenarios and I need to know if you're prepared."

White doesn't hesitate to respond. "Yes. I am prepared for all outcomes."

"Good, because I need you to know if you can handle it. Unfezant, go!"

And just like that, I bear witness to a curbstomping Pokémon battle. White's team is varied and unstoppable and while Cheren tries to use different strategies on her, she just breaks through his barriers with sheer energy and willpower.

"Wow, you are something else! I mean that in the best possible way, too!" he says. "Here." He takes a bunch of Full Restores and heals all of her Pokémon. "You're good to go. If you need me for the battle against N, call me."

I can't really think of a proper plan to help White, but something does pop up. "White..." I say. "There's not much I can do, but I can give you these just in case." I give her the Max Revives Juniper gave me all the way in Mistralton.

"Bianca..."

"You'll find more use for them than I will. Please accept it." The air becomes tense and quiet. "Isn't it funny how we're all different than when we first started?"

"Funny isn't the word I'd use," Cheren says. "Not for a time like this."

"Cheren, that's not what I meant. Gosh, can you stop being so serious and try to smile every now and then? What I'm trying to say that is we've walked throughout these same roads and cities and even though they haven't changed, we have. A lot has happened and we have changed. So much. We've all found out that the things we want to do and the things we can do are different for us three. This is what has made our journey so worth all of those hardships. And somehow, this all makes me really happy."

Cheren's quiet. I know I have a point. Cheren, the big sap that he actually is, has realized he loves the Pokémon world. He's suited towards academics and can be a try-hard in the most extreme sense, but his heart is in the right place as he has found genuine love with his Pokémon. Cheren was looking for strength, but found himself. White wants basically what I've been doing all along. A journey of self-discovery, but instead has found herself with insurmountable strength she didn't even know she had. I...I'm still trying to figure it out. Maybe what I'll find is something else. I'm still thinking.

"I think I see what you, mean, Bianca. We all have different truths and ideals. White's found her strength, I've discovered myself, and Bianca's got her interest in academia and helping both Junipers out."

"Wait, I never said that!"

"Well, you keep thinking about it, then. Anyway, it's important that we all help each other out with our checks and balances and that's exactly why we have our Pokémon with us at our sides." Cheren is met with silence. "Well, if anything happens to you or Alder, I'll try to be close by and diffuse the issue. That's why I'm going to keep on training and get stronger. Just promise me you won't do anything impulsive or reckless, okay?"

White nods.

"I'll see you around," Cheren says and turns away. Now it's just me and White once more.

"He's gone. White...You know I'll also do my best to help you out. So...Um... I wish I could be as inspiring as Cheren, but I'm not very good with words. So uh...best foot forward. The thing to fear is fear itself. What is popular is not always right, what is right is not always popular..."

"You were both inspiring. Don't worry about it!" White says in the most lighthearted tone she can. "Also, best foot forward? Really? I already have enough trouble tying these!" She points towards her unlaced combat boots. How is she so graceful to never even trip on them?

"You know what I mean!"

"I love you, too Bianca. And I love Cheren as well." We give each other a hug and I watch her go off into the Badge Check area and I watch her get her Trio Badge get checked. The gate closes behind her and I'm all alone.

"I hope you can stop him. Make his heart understand that people have ideals too..."

Because I know you can, White.

Hey guys, I linked up a playlist on my YT for this story in order of each time there's a song mention on my profile. Thanks for reading!