A blast of metallic energy ripped up the earth as Magnezone flew around the battlefield, electricity charging along his body towards his magnets. Fire streaked along Ninetales as she swung her tails. A ring of fire slammed into the Electric/Steel type, encaging him in a fiery tornado. It raged for a few seconds before Magnezone fell to the ground defeated.
"Your weakness is just a bit too obvious!" Alex called out to Colress, who stood guard in front of the cave Ghetsis and N had disappeared into. "Give it up! Team Plasma isn't winning today! Or ever!"
"It does look that way doesn't it," Colress groaned as he palmed his face. "Man, Kamake is going to make fun of me for years to come."
"Kamake?" Alex was caught off guard. "What does she-?"
"Even so!" Colress lowered his hand as he produced another Ultra Ball. "I will fight for my convictions! To see Pokemon reach their ultimate potential! Even if it's just for a moment, I want to witness the Original Dragon being birthed into this world anew! So I shall hold my ground against you until Ghetsis achieves his goals!" A Metagross landed in front of him, his iron gaze set on Ninetales.
"Well, it was worth a shot," Alex sighed before her gaze hardened. She returned Ninetales and sent out Darmanitan. "Don't say I didn't warn you. Now, let's burn them to ashes!"
Darmanitan pounded his chest and let out a bellow before leaping towards Metagtoss, fists alight with flames. He slammed them into the ground, Metagross having dodged just in time. Skidding across the ground, Metagross quickly rose up, his legs rotating up and inwards before he spun forwards, crashing into the Fire type. Grappling onto the Steel/Psychic type the best he could, Darmanitan let out blaring uproar that rattled Metagross so much that he fell out of the sky. Both Pokemon tumbled across the ground, Darmanitan's flaming eyebrows flaring in intensity as he spun himself around, bringing up both fists and slamming them down on Metagross with a mighty explosion.
Metagross flew out of the smoke, firing a powerful metallic beam. It crashed into Darmanitan, forcing him back, but his body lit up with fire and he pushed through the attack. He gained speed, fists and feet pounding against the ground as he ran through the pain and leapt upwards. He rocketed into Metagross and bounced backwards, crashing to the ground. As Metagross stood and slammed his feet into the ground, causing the earth to shake and rumble, Zen Mode Darmanitan flew towards him, aloft on his own psychic energy. Mystical orbs of fire sprung up around him before firing, merging into one big bluish-red fireball before exploding against Metagross.
The Iron Leg Pokemon emerged from the flames, one of his legs glowing as he slammed it into Darmanitan, sending him into the ground where Metagross fell on him, crushing him further into the ground. Psychic energy enveloped Metagross, forcing his leg back up, giving Darmanitan just enough room to slip free. His eyes burned and lashes of fire swung out from him, wrapping around Metagross' body. They burned across his metallic skin, leaving scorch marks once they dissipated. Metagross stumbled unsteadily on his four legs before collapsing.
Colress cursed softly. "Guess that's the end for me then. Well, I did my best and gave Ghetsis all the time I could give. Now, I shall gladly move out of your way and-OOF!" He fell to the side as Alex socked him in the face.
"That felt real good," Alex said as she shook her hand out. She made it a few feet into the cave before slumping against the side of the wall. "Okay, geez, I'm beat." She slid down the wall. "Yep, I reached my limits. Ugh." She closed her eyes for a brief moment before she felt energy rush through the cave. "Okay, not good. C'mon Alex, on your feet girl. You can do this." With a exhale, she forced herself to stand on wobbly legs before a hand settled on her shoulders.
"It's alright. I'll take it from here."
"Is that really all you could manage?" Ghetsis looked down with disdain at the freak.
N was on his knees, bruised and bleeding, while his Pokemon lay around him in the grand cave, unable to fight any longer. Huffing with annoyance, Ghetsis slammed his cane into N's side and sent him sprawling against a stalagmite. N tried to get back up, but to no avail.
"Now, come forth, Reshiram, Zekrom!" Ghetsis threw the pokeballs and both Legendary Dragons appeared, their roars echoing through the cavern. "Now obey me!" Ghetsis threw down two discs at their feet. They lit up and electrified wires shot up around them, shocking them with purple energy. Both fell to their knees, roaring in pain.
"Colress designed these devices well! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Ghetsis laughed maniacally as he pounded his metal cane into the rocky ground with undisguised glee. "Now! I shall reunite you with the one you shed long ago!" He threw a third pokeball, this one releasing a different dragon. This one lay limp upon the ground, weakly regarding Ghetsis. No device held it in place.
N grit his teeth as he struggled to get up. "What did you do to him!?"
"He was rebellious when we found him," Ghetsis smirked in his direction. "Now he is meek. The result of good training."
"You bastard!" N shouted, before Ghetsis slammed the butt of his cane into his stomach.
"Shut up, insolent freak!" Ghetsis roared. "I will not tolerate your insubordination any longer!" He stepped back and took a moment to collect himself. "Now stay down. And witness the creation of Unova's Dragon of Old. The original, perfect, Dragon!" He brandished a triangular pyramid device from his robe pockets. "Left in Drayden's care, this DNA Splicers will merge Kyurem, Reshiram, and Zekrom back together! And then no one will be able to stop my conquest! BAHAHAHAHAH!"
He held out the device and the individual pieces began to rotate. A beam of energy shot out, enveloping the dragons in brilliant light. Ghetsis' cloak flapped behind him wildly as the energy swept through the cave and beyond. N shielded his eyes, before widening once the energy began to disappear.
"Finally, you are-!" Ghetsis stopped mid-yell. His eyes became rageful. "What is this!? What is this!?" Standing before him was a hulking Dragon that looked like a fusion of both Reshiram and Kyurem. And off to the side was a weakened Zekrom. "WHY AREN'T THEY ONE!?" He activated the device again and the same energy rushed through the cave. This time the results differed, with Kyurem and Zekrom having fused together with Reshiram off to the side. "DAMMIT, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE!?" He tried again. And again. The results were the same every time. Two would fuse, but either Reshiram or Zekrom would be left out.
Ghetsis let out a final yell and slammed the DNA Splicers to the ground, causing another beam to shoot out and separate Kyurem from Zekrom.
"Human technology can only go so far, sorry."
"You!?" Ghetsis snarled, whirling around to face the figure casually walking towards them from the cave entrance.
"Yeah, me," Robert gave a lopsided grin. "Sorry, I'm just a tad late. Forgive me."
"The friend of the Hero of Ideals," Ghetsis glared at him. "You have no business here. You are merely a bystander, let alone a hero. You are nothing."
"I am," Robert said. "And gladly so. You see, I remembered something on the way here. Something I'd forgotten. It's brought me a bit more clarity about myself and what I want to do. Not to mention how to fuse all three dragons into one."
"What?" Ghetsis stared at him.
"You heard me," Robert smirked. "Now look, you want the Original Dragon. I do too. If only for the research purposes. Imagine the data I could get from it."
"This is a trick," Ghetsis slammed his cane into the ground. "Do not think you can fool me, boy!"
"I don't intend to fool you," Robert shook his head. "Regardless of my intentions here, isn't combining them the very reason you're here? Isn't that what you want above all else?" Robert met his gaze. "I can help."
Ghetsis regarded him in silence. N sat up with a groan. "Robert, what are you doing!?"
"Shut up, N!" Robert shouted before coughing into his fist and grinning sheepishly. "Sorry. Don't mind the outburst."
"Hmph," Ghetsis stepped to one side. "Fine. But do not think I'll allow you to lay even a finger on the DNA Splicers."
"I had no intention of using them," Robert strode forwards. "Didn't I say human technology can only go so far? Sure, I get by with the gadgets I can use and whatnot, but it can't solve everything." He stopped in front of Kyurem, bending to one knee as he reached out a hand to rest on Kyurem's head. "Now, let me tell you a story. A story about a lonely monster and a girl who didn't believe..."
In the town of high walls, a girl lived, surrounded by the myths and legends of the monster that lurked beyond the town walls at night in the dead of winter. It was said that with it would come great storms of snow and ice, plaguing the town while the monster roamed just beyond, waiting to snatch whomever strayed too far. Yet she adamantly chose not to believe in these 'superstitions'.
Because she did not believe, and the fact that she prided herself on being obstinate, this girl went out in nothing but but a cloak draped over her nightgown and a lantern if only to show off herself as an easy meal. All her friends believed she would not return. Her family was none the wiser of what was going down. For they all believed in the monster, and the girl did not.
So off she went, into the cold of night. She circled the town, daring the monster she refused to believe in to show itself. When it did not emerge, she huffed and made her way back to town. Then the wind picked up with a ferocious howl, a blizzard descending and making her lose her way.
In a panic, she ran through the snow covered forest, able to only see a mere few feet in front of her. Then a roar sounded through the forest, causing her such a fright that she got caught by a low branch. The sound of heavy footsteps nearby made her panic even more and in the rush that she was to get away, she lost her cloak. Tripping in the snow now, she lost her shoes, but the sound of the huge monster approaching from behind forced her to carry on without them. Frozen to the bone and exhaustion closing in, she soon found herself in a clearing. Taking a moment to catch her breath, she scanned the forest around her. She had no idea where to go. And the sound of the monster seemed to be coming from all sides.
Then following a huge roar, it appeared. A misshapen beast of scales and ice emerged from the forest. Terrified, the girl was now faced with the very monster she swore hadn't existed. In face of this fact, she fainted. When morning came, she found herself back in her bed, sick with a fever. For a while she questioned if what she'd experienced had even happened, but she was told that the Town Watch had found her outside the gates, half frozen to death. Because of these events she came to believe. But conversely, because of her survival, the townsfolk came to believe that the monster did in fact not exist.
For a year she tried to tell those who would listen of its existence, but the situation had now been reversed with she the sole believer. When winter came again, she set out more prepared than before, intent on finding the monster. And when a blizzard came once again, she waited and was not disappointed. The monster found her, and after an attempt to scare her off, she approached it. In him she realized something. He desired blood nor violence. No, if anything, he seemed... lonely. Oh so lonely.
She stayed with him for the night her heart aching for him. When morning approached, she chose to stay with him. For a time she lived with him in his cave. He would bring her food and she would tell him stories. It mattered not what she spoke of, it was her voice and her emotions that soothed his soul. But this life wasn't to be. For the townsfolk came looking, and fearing for the monster's safety, she was forced to leave to allow him to remain hidden, for she knew the world would not accept him. But she left with him a promise. A promise to return whenever she could to visit him. But when she left, his heart had been broken.
The monster never once set foot near the town again, choosing to shroud the chasm in which he lived in a blizzard every winter in an attempt to ward off any visitors. Trying and failing to find him in the following years, the girl would dedicate her life to telling the story of not of a ferocious monster who preyed on those of the town, but of the gentle creature who resided alone in a cave filled with loneliness.
The girl would go on to marry and have a son who would also marry and have a son of his own. This grandchild could be found many a evening on the knee of his grandmother by the fire, sipping on hot cocoa as she told him many stories, just like she'd done in that cave. And those days she spent in the cave were the stories she told most often to her grandchild. For years she prayed that she'd be able to see the gentle monster again, but with her tired old bones, she knew the chances of that had become almost nothing. So, looking down at the child who bore the same blond hair as her own, she wondered if he might one day do what she could not, and help him escape his loneliness...
"It feels like such a long time ago now," Robert spoke softly as he rubbed Kyurem's head. "But I bet it's felt much longer for you. I've come to fulfill the promise my grandmother could not. So please allow me to ease you of your loneliness."
Kyurem regarded him with his empty yellow gaze before slowly closing them.
"I get it." Robert lowered his head. "Not knowing what my purpose is. I thought I knew, but for a while now, I just have no idea. You, who were once a mighty dragon, found yourself split apart, your ideals and truths leaving you behind an empty husk with no purpose. You've no idea what you're supposed to do or be for that matter. All you know is that you are lonely. But when you found my grandmother and she gave you the one thing you desired, the company of a friend, and she left, you probably feared losing even more should you allow more in. So you closed yourself off from the world, but now the world has come to you. No longer can you hide."
"I know not of your purpose, or what you should do." Robert stood, head still lowered. "But here's a little clarity for you. It doesn't matter. Not in the slightest." Kyurem's eyes had cracked open a little, staring at him as he turned around. "Cause I for sure as heck don't know what I want to do still. And that's okay. So long as I continue to look for meaning in my life, that means I haven't given up. So don't give up, Kyurem. Do that and you'll never get anywhere. And maybe we are both two nobodies with no idea of who we really are." He cracked a grin. "But I say this again: It doesn't matter."
"What are you doing?" Ghetsis looked bored as he retrieved one of his pokeballs. "You couldn't even keep up the act? All you did was buy meaningless time for nothing."
"Kyurem," Robert said as he grabbed his own pokeball. "Truth, ideals, none of it matters if you don't have any clarity. Without clarity, you're just running through life blind. So once you see that, then it doesn't matter if you're starting out with nothing. Cause at that point, you can only gain."
"Oh just shut up already!" Ghetsis yelled, heaving out his Cofagrigus. "Kill him!"
"Swampert!" Robert yelled, sending out his Pokemon, who quickly blocked the incoming Shadow Ball with the back of her hand. "Let's show Kyurem that even when everything is at its darkest, there's still light to behold!"