Pokémon the Movie: White - Victini and Zekrom
Denouement
In the aftermath of Victini's actions, the chaos ravaged by the Dragon Force was subdued and the energy flowing through the Pillars of Protection was extinguished. With a sense of peace befalling the Sword of the Vale, Eindoak Town, and the surrounding area, Damon - with the assistance of Zekrom and Reshiram - could begin setting things right.
Setting a warm cotton blanket over Ash and Misty and their Pokémon, Pikachu and Marill, the young man had walked over to the platform where the miniature Pillars of Protection rested. Fortunately, the lone Sigilyph, the Solosis, and the Duosion that were shaken from their posts as the Sword of the Vale ascended through the atmosphere returned to their previous positions. It helped that Damon had their assistance as well as that of his Gothitelle and Reuniclus.
Whilst he worked to lower the Sword of the Vale into the mountainous landscape that would permanently quell the Dragon Force, the two Legendary Dragon-type Pokémon used their considerable strength to help in such pursuits as they exerted force upon the base of the castle. Not only that, but even Juanita's Golurk helped, both their mighty fists pushing against the base of the Sword of the Vale.
As it descended further past the clouds, Mannes directed his aircraft back to the Sword of the Vale whilst Carlita did the same with her Hydreigon. Right as they land on the exterior of the castle upon the cobblestones, Ash and Misty begin to stir, Pikachu and Marill having awoken a few minutes prior.
"Pikapi!" he cries happily at the sight of his trainer and his best friend opening their eyes. "Pikachupi!"
"Marill!" she cries just as happily, glancing from Misty to Ash and back again. "Marill rill!"
"Pikachu!" Ash cheers at the same time Misty says, "You're okay!"
Each of their Pokémon giving another joyful cry of their names, Pikachu jumps into Ash's arms whilst Marill does the same with Misty. Laughing briefly, Ash and Misty share a closed-mouth smile, grateful that they managed to survive intact.
Mostly.
A few moments later, as Damon glances back at the happy four with a slight smile, a deep growl reverberates throughout the exterior area. The sound serves as a herald of Hydreigon's arrival, Carlita and Iris on her back. The Brutal Pokémon stopping right before the two humans and their two Pokémon, the two humans on her back jump off to reunite with their friends.
Ash and Misty rise to their feet to meet them; Pikachu scurrying up his trainer's person to sit on his shoulder as Marill is content to sit in her trainer's loving arms.
"Ash, Misty!" Iris says, surveying the two humans before their Pokémon. "You're all okay!"
The aspiring Dragon-type Master beams at them, Axew giving a cheerful cry of his name.
Carlita, for her part, smiles at them before running over to her brother.
"Are you alright?" she asks.
At first, Damon's only response is a curt nod. However, as his posture becomes rigid ever so slightly, he speaks, addressing his sister with two simple yet powerful words: "I'm...sorry."
Confronted with the apology, Carlita only gives a curt nod of her own.
Eventually, rising through the air at a decent clip, Mannes' aircraft comes into sight before Damon and Carlita.
"The leading edge of the Dragon Force!" Mannes exclaims, pointing to the chaotic energy as it makes its way to a hilltop. To the ocean. Ash and his friends meet up with the two siblings as the stout man continues. "I can see it up ahead!"
Glancing from Mannes to the ground below, Carlita places her hands on the banister in front of it. Ever so slightly, she leans over it to get a better look. "Is that where the castle goes?"
"Yes, exactly." Damon confirms. "It's the only way to calm down the chaotic Dragon Force!"
From that moment on, the Sword of the Vale continues through the air in relative silence. Before long, as Zekrom, Reshiram, and Golurk turn the castle ninety degrees, the structure finds purchase in the mountainous landscape below. Exerting more pressure upon the miniature Pillars of Protection, as they draw ever closer and shine ever brighter, the three Pokémon release themselves from the structure.
There's a tense moment of anticipation as the Sword of the Vale is plunged into the earth beneath it.
Then, as a loud, draconic cry fills the air - the sound having nothing to do with Zekrom or Reshiram - the chaotic energy of the Dragon Force spikes violently once before undulating in the air like a peaceful mountain stream.
With the Sword of the Vale stabilizing, a certain nefarious trio are more than grateful for it. Jessie and James get to their feet, looking out over the blue waves before them. Meowth, as a groan punctuates the air, jumps up between his two cohorts to look at the water as he lies upon the banister.
"We're alive!" James says.
"And on land." Jessie adds.
"Land is good." Meowth remarks.
"Which means…" Jessie begins, looking to her two allies.
"Together…" James continues, his eyes on Meowth before meeting Jessie's gaze.
"Life is great!" Meowth declares, the two humans echoing his sentiment.
With the Sword of the Vale firmly in the ground, the energy of the Dragon Force, once chaotic and purple, becomes tranquil and green. As Mannes directs his aircraft closer to attain a closer look for himself and his passengers, Juanita and Cilan, Carlita, Damon, Ash, Misty, Iris, Pikachu, Marill, and Axew regard the transformation with joyous and satisfied smiles.
Despite the positive outcome, one of the occupants still inside the Sword of the Vale cannot remain happy for long. His delight is marred by sadness; like a photograph ravaged by flame, dancing on the edges of his consciousness. He's alive. His loved ones are alive.
And yet, Ash cannot help looking up at the clouds. Regarding the shafts of sunlight streaming in through the clearing clouds, a pensive frown on his face, Ash cannot help but think of Victini.
Of how they should be there with them.
The young man is not alone in his melancholy thoughts as Misty observes him. Her mouth parted, no words escape her, frowning at her dear friend.
Standing on the nearby beach, more sunlight streaming down, Ash - and Pikachu from his perch - stare out at the waves. In soothing, repetitive motions, the water washes over the sand, retreats, and repeats. Cilan stands to the right of the young man as Misty and Iris and Marill and Axew stand to their left. Juanita, Carlita, Damon, and Mannes stand a few paces behind them, not wishing to intrude.
"We're at the ocean…" Ash murmurs after an indeterminable amount of time spent in silence. A hushed sigh escaping past his lips, the young man walks toward the inviting waters of the ocean. Crouching down, mindful not to get splashed, Ash runs a hand through the water. He lifts the same hand to his face, staring at it as water droplets fall down it. "Victini…"
Biting at his lower lip, the young man can feel his emotions reaching a breaking point.
Getting to his feet, Ash's voice cracks as he says, "You gave us...every bit of power you had...even so…" He wrenches his eyes shut, hands tightening into fists. "I didn't give you anything!"
"Ash…" Misty murmurs.
"Oh, Ash…" Iris murmurs.
"Victini…" Ash murmurs, opening his eyes. "I'm sorry…"
As he apologizes to the empty space in front of him, a lone tear manages to escape an eye to fall down his face. More than that, the young man can feel an unpleasant pressure building behind his eyes. Lifting the hand he moved through the water to his face to dry his tears, he tries to abate the tears threatening to escape to mild success. Raising his head, Ash stares resolutely at the expanse of blue stretching on before him.
Rummaging around in his jacket pocket, Ash produces a pink macaron from within. His hand trembles, once, at the sight of it.
"Victini!" he shouts, raising the macaron up high. "You love macarons, we've got some left!"
Ash follows up his declaration by winding back his arm before throwing the confection as hard as he can in front of him. As the snack soars through the air, Ash finds his anguish quickly supplanted with complete and utter surprise. Instead of falling into the water like he expected, it freezes in mid-air. As if something - or someone, he dares to hope - caught it.
Whatever the case, after it caught the treat, it began to be devoured.
With suspiciously small teeth marks.
The treat soon disappears entirely.
Their Pokémon are the first to distinguish what it is, offering up joyful cries.
"This has a strangely familiar flavor." Cilan remarks as he, Misty, and Iris walk up to meet Ash and Pikachu.
"Sure does!" Iris agrees with a nod.
"Something that's invisible, can float, and has a taste for Cilan's macarons…" Misty says, a knowing smile on her face as she shares a glance with Ash. "I wonder what that means."
"Unless I'm mistaken…" Cilan murmurs, rummaging around in his backpack. A look of triumph on his face, the young man pulls forth a small, oblong container. A container filled with several macarons, it would seem, as he opens it. "Here's the rest!"
Giving a happy little chuckle, Ash takes one of the proffered few remaining treats. He takes a few steps in the direction of the floating macaron. However, instead of offering it himself, the young man has something different in mind. Holding the green treat above his head, his eyes closed, Ash says, "Guess I'll just have to eat all of these!"
In slow, presumably tantalizing movements, Ash draws the snack closer and closer to his mouth. "And here I go!"
Before the young man can indulge in the deliciousness of the confection, Ash feels something brush against his raised arm. Opening his eyes, bringing the macaron away from his mouth, he finds, to an overwhelming delight, Victini. The Mythical Pokémon in question is scrambling against his arm to get at Cilan's creation.
Closing his mouth on a friendly grin, Ash offers Victini the treat. A treat they are only too happy to accept as they devour it completely just as fast as they got it.
"Aw, Victini!" Ash cries fondly, taking the Pokémon in question into his arms.
The young man hears a strangled, choking sound come from the creature the same time Misty scolds him. "Ash, you're suffocating it!"
"Oh!" Ash exclaims, retroactively realizing the strength of his grip, too wrapped up in the joy of seeing Victini alive to really notice. "Sorry! Are you okay?"
Victini coughs, once, before responding with an encouraging smile. Right as Ash returns the expression, the young man feels a strange jolt run through his entire body. The peculiar sensation precludes a familiar scene: Victini showing Ash something through the use of psychic abilities.
Gray and lifeless mountains appearing before his mind's eye, as Victini flies high above, verdant life blooms across the desolate surface. Not only that, but the nearby crater fills with crystal clear blue water. Giving a happy cry of their name, Victini flies down a waterfall to greet several multitudes of friendly Pokémon. Cottonee, Petilil, Drilbur, and a lone Purrloin smile and wave at the Mythical Pokémon.
Somersaulting through the air twice, Victini moves on to fly high above a beautiful grazing herd of Deerling and Sawsbuck. A nearby Minccino bounds over to wave at the other with both paws. Continuing to soar through the air, Victini passes in front of a flock of flying Swanna, before Ash's vision fades.
The strange sensation returning for but a moment, so too does Ash's vision. When it does, the young man from Pallet Town sees Victini regarding him with bright and expectant eyes.
"Of course." Ash says, notes of understanding in his voice. "I get it! You're gonna head on back to the Vale, aren't you, Victini?"
Victini gives a little happy chirp, nodding in confirmation.
"Go make everyone happy, 'kay?" Ash says, giving a quick nod of his own.
"Pikachu!"
Nodding once again, the Victory Pokémon does a single backwards somersault through the air. Stabilizing, Victini gives the human and his Pokémon two fingers held up for victory. The action elicits a happy little chuckle from Ash and Pikachu. Just then, Cilan, Iris, and Misty run over to join Ash: the young women standing on his left, the young man standing on his right.
"I've still got some macarons!" Cilan admits, opening the small carrying case for Victini's perusal.
Victini is only too happy to oblige Cilan, gravitating toward him.
Whilst Ash, Pikachu, and their friends enjoy Victini's company, each other's, and the last of Cilan's macarons, their four spectators react to the heartwarming scene in various ways. Carlita, her hands clasped together at her chest, regards the interactions with warm eyes and a warmer smile. Juanita has her lips upturned slightly, a kind of satisfaction burning within. Mannes, moved as he is by such tenderness, lifts a gloved hand to wipe at tears bubbling up at the corners of his eyes. As for Damon, he reacts the most passionately out of them all.
Mouth contorting into a grimace, his eyes wrenching shut, the young man falls to his knees. The picture of contrition, he says nothing but an incoherent groan.
"Damon, what?!" Carlita exclaims, she, Juanita, and Mannes turning startled gazes on him.
"Everyone…" he mutters. Voice wracked with sorrow, he slams a fist into the soft sand beneath them. "Please, forgive me."
Her lips briefly in a frown, Juanita grabs her son by the arm. A firm hold on him, she pulls him to his feet. When he does, opening his eyes in shock and puzzlement, a cheerful smile adorns itself upon Juanita's lips. With the same hand, she slaps him once on the back.
"The future's what's important!" she declares. "The truth of the People of the Vale, that's where it lies!"
"Mother…" Damon murmurs. He opens his mouth further, but no words escape. Rendered speechless, he can only listen as his mother continues.
"The Dragon Force has been quelled and Zekrom and Reshiram have been awakened!" she says. "And with the Sword of the Vale firmly in its former place, our people can become reunited after years of separation! It can serve as a beacon of solidarity once again!"
She pauses, her features turning severe. "However, given your actions, you have much to answer for but for now," she pauses again, her features softening. "For now, I'm glad that you've returned to us Damon. All I truly need to be happy is for the three of us to be together again!"
As if to provide further verification of such sentiments, Juanita pulls Damon in close for an embrace. Stiffening, once, at the sudden physical contact, a soft smile finding purchase on his face, its with closed eyes that he returns the embrace.
"I missed you, too!" Carlita adds. Walking to her mother's left, she wraps an arm around Juanita and Damon's torsos.
Mannes feels a flare of embarrassment, as if he intruded on something he shouldn't have. Coughing once, clearing his throat, he turns away from the family to offer them some degree of privacy. The family separating a few moments later, Zekrom and Reshiram - after giving a triumphant animalistic roar - descend from the highest ledges of the Sword of the Vale to meet them. At the sight of the Deep Black and Vast White Pokémon so close, Ash and his friends join Damon and the others. Victini hovers nearby, silent, as Zekrom begins speaking.
"Thank you for awakening me from my long slumber, young one." he intones, his gaze firmly on Ash.
"Ah, it was nothing." Ash says in response.
"Through your actions, the land shall begin to heal." Reshiram adds, glancing between Ash and even Damon both. "And Victini, long held captive by the chains of the past, has been set free."
At that, Ash shares a triumphant glance with the Victory Pokémon.
"I could hear the rampaging Dragon Force long before you arrived." Zekrom admits, turning his gaze unto Damon. "Though you were misguided, perhaps your actions were for the best. I can no longer hear the wailing agony buried deep beneath the earth."
"My actions…" Damon echoes softly, taking to staring thoughtfully at the ground. "Were for the best?"
"It sounds like everything worked out wonderfully!" Cilan remarks.
"Just goes to show you how amazing Dragon Pokémon are!" Iris declares, regarding the two Legendary Pokémon with pride in her eyes.
"In truth, we're here to do much more than express our gratitude." Reshiram admits.
"You are?" Misty prompts.
Although Reshiram nods, it's Zekrom who speaks. "The agonized wails of the Dragon Force are not the only sounds I can hear."
"They're not?" Ash says.
"Indeed." Zekrom confirms before giving Damon, Carlita, Juanita, and Mannes significant looks. "However, such matters are of great import."
With a jolt, Mannes is the first to react to Zekrom's subtle demands.
"Quite right!" he declares, turning to the nearby family. "Just as well, I suppose. In all the excitement, I've neglected to present you with your prize."
He directs the last of his words to Misty.
"Now that you mention it," Cilan muses. "I don't believe it was mentioned what the prize is for winning. What is it?"
"It varies from year to year, but the prize for this year are evolutionary stones!" Mannes answers.
That captures Misty's attention.
"Evolutionary stones?!"
"Indeed." Mannes confirms before beginning to walk away from them, gesturing for Damon and his family to follow. "I shall gather it at once! Once Zekrom and Reshiram are done speaking with you, return to Eindoak Town before you leave!"
Misty opens her mouth to speak only to have her voice swallowed up by a loud growling. She directs a withering stare at the culprit. To his credit, the young man rubs the back of his neck.
"What?" Ash says. "I'm hungry."
"Somehow," Misty says, turning back to Mannes. "I don't think that'll be a problem."
Iris merely sighs, raising her arms in a shrug.
When Mannes, Juanita, Damon, and Carlita leave the area, Zekrom speaks after a moment.
"The cries are distant, but the source is unmistakable." he says. "An old friend of sorts requires our aid."
"Okay." Ash says. "But why are you telling us?"
"Ash!" Misty cries.
"A valid question." Reshiram remarks, interceding on behalf of the young man. "Though we care deeply for our friend, I fear he is of the aggressive and furious type. From what I can recall, the anguish he feels can only magnify such emotions."
"This may not be the last we see of each other." Zekrom adds. "Provided our encounter ends in tragedy, it would be welcoming to know that someone may intervene."
"Intervene…" Cilan echoes, his voice soft. "But how will we know where or when you'll need our help?!"
"Fret not, young one." Reshiram advises. "I have faith that when the time is right, should our encounter end in disaster, you brave souls shall arrive."
The Legendary Pokémon raise their mighty wings, then. Their tails lighting up with fire and electricity, as they raise and lower their wings, as they prepare to take flight, Ash shouts out. The suddenness of his voice, the sheer volume of it, causes the great Pokémon to stop. They stop, regard him curiously.
"Before you guys leave, I have a question Zekrom." he admits.
"A question?" Zekrom parrots. "Very well, you may ask it."
"When I first came here to Unova, there were a bunch of storm clouds over Nuvema Town." Ash says. "Pikachu also got charged with a lot of electricity."
"Pikachu!" the electric rodent offers in confirmation.
"I guess what I'm trying to say is, were you there that day in Nuvema Town?" Ash asks.
"For ages, I have laid dormant beneath the land," Zekrom replies readily. "However, I believe I know of what you seek. I have heard of a legend, once. Long before the land was torn asunder by the folly of the Princes of Ideals and Truth, before even this land was called Unova, a creature fell upon this land from the cosmos."
"Cosmos?" Ash echoes, he and his friends enraptured by the tale.
"Space." Cilan supplies. "I believe I've heard a tale like this before: of a strange Pokémon in the Hoenn region that came from beyond the stars."
"Now that you mention it, I think I remember seeing something like that." Ash admits. "Back when I was travelling in Hoenn."
"In any case, though my recollections are foggy at best," Zekrom continues. "This creature - a Pokémon of sorts - once was whole."
"Once?" Misty echoes.
"What does that mean?" Iris asks.
"It means," Reshiram says. "That despite how the events that precipitated it are clouded in mystery, the fact remains that the creature became separated into three parts."
"Reshiram, Zekrom, and...Kyurem." Zekrom says.
"Kyurem…" Iris murmurs. A fleeting glimmer exists in her eyes.
"These three are said to be the progenitors of several offspring." Reshiram says. "The two you see before you number among them."
"Whoa." Ash breathes.
"This is a lot to take in." Misty remarks.
"Indeed." Zekrom says. "So, to answer your question young one, I was not the one you saw that day in Nuvema Town. However, it's only a matter of time before you come face to face with that you seek."
"Huh." Ash says. "Thanks, I guess."
Zekrom's mouth upturns in an approximation of a smile. "Your gratitude is appreciated."
Neither Zekrom or Reshiram say a single word more. Flapping their mighty wings thrice, their tails lighting up with electricity and fire respectively, the two legendary Pokémon of Unova take flight. Soaring through the sky, a rainbow forming in their wake, it isn't long before the two become but specks on the horizon.
The sight of the grandiose creatures' departure is muddled a bit by a cacophonous sound. This time, however, a second, perhaps even louder sound leds voice to its chorus.
"Looks like I'm not the only one who's hungry, huh?" Ash teases with a smirk.
"Maybe I am!" Iris answers with some degree of indignation, crossing her arms over her chest. "Only a little kid would mention it in the first place!"
At the provocative comment, Ash's face falls. However, right as he opens his mouth and before a confrontation could emerge, Cilan intervenes.
"Now, now," he says. "Although you are both hungry and that can make you irritable, there's no need to fight."
Despite Cilan's efforts, Ash and Iris take to glaring at each other.
The young man sighs only once at the expressed displeasure his friends have with one another.
"Mannes did say return to Eindoak Town before we left." Misty interjects, her eyes gleaming for a moment as she continues. "He said it's to claim the evolutionary stones, but maybe there's some food involved too."
Ash and Iris take off for Eindoak Town with their Pokémon companions, not sparing a backwards glance in their haste. Misty looks after them with fondness and exasperation clearly shown on her face whilst Cilan looks simply dumbfounded.
"Perhaps I should have suggested that." the young man muses before he and Misty begin their journey back to Eindoak Town.
"Here you go Misty."
"Thank you so much!"
Accepting the box of evolutionary stones gratefully, Misty holds the surprisingly lightweight box so close to her face, one could the stones reflecting in her eyes. Investigating the contents, the young woman finds all manner of stones within: Fire, Water, Thunder, Leaf, Moon, Sun, Shiny, Dusk, and Dawn.
It could just be her imagination, but she thinks the most numerous stones are that of Water.
However, confronted with so many evolutionary stones, it brings one thing to the forefront of her mind.
What am I going to do with all of these…?
She'd mull over it further, but Mannes continues talking.
"I must admit," he says. "It's not often than someone outside of our sleepy little town wins our annual competition."
"Yeah." Misty murmurs, entranced by the evolutionary stones for a few moments more before what Mannes said catches up with her. Despite the luster of her prize, they only manage to distract her from a sudden prickling of guilt for a moment.
"Is something wrong?" Mannes asks.
"I'm not sure if I should have these." Misty answers. "Honestly, I think I only won—"
"Because Victini imbued your Pokémon with its power?"
"That's right."
There's a pause.
"Wait, how do you know about that?!"
Mannes smiles then, a certain enigmatic edge to it. "Tales of Victini's magnificent abilities are often told around Eindoak Town. Also, Carlita may have mentioned it to me in passing."
"Oh." Misty says. "Okay."
Misty must've sounded unsure for Mannes speaks again.
"You don't need to worry about your prize." he assures with a wave of his hand. "As far as I'm concerned, you've more than earned the right."
Misty beams at that, gives a nod of her head. "Thank you!"
Mannes merely smiles.
A smile that soon becomes a thoughtful frown.
"By the way, where are the rest of your friends?"
Suddenly, for a brief moment, Misty feels heat creep up the back of her neck.
"They're checking out places to eat." Misty answers. "I don't think we'll stay on the road very long unless they had something."
Mannes lets out a large, full-bellied kind of laugh then. "I see. Given recent events, it's only natural that they would work up one's appetite."
"Definitely." Misty remarks in agreement.
She can recall with perfect clarity and some degree of mortification hers and Cilan's journey back into town. She isn't sure how, but as they were walking along the path, Misty managed to hear the sounds of both Ash and Iris' stomachs crying out in distress.
"Well, you're friends needn't worry." Mannes assures. "I'm positive they'll find something enjoyable. The local cuisine of Eindoak Town's is simply divine; I'd be more surprised if they didn't find anything to eat!"
"That's good to hear." Misty asserts, giving the mayor a warm smile. "I guess I'd better join them."
"Perhaps you should."
Misty nods her head, hefts the boxes in her hands.
"Thanks again for the evolutionary stones!"
"Think nothing of it!" Mannes declares. "The only thanks I need is knowing that you'll use them well."
Misty soon takes her leave, closing the door to Mannes' house and heading for the nearby restaurants.
In her search for her friends, the first person Misty ends up encountering is Cilan. His back to her, Misty doesn't think anything's wrong until she puts a hand to his shoulder and he jumps into the air.
"Cilan?" Misty ventures.
"Oh!" he cries, turning around to face her with a nervous grin. "Hello there, Misty!"
"Where are Ash and Iris?"
Cilan pales at the question. However, instead of answering, he gestures with a hand to the interior of the restaurant in front of them.
Staring at him curiously for but a moment, it doesn't take Misty long to find the source of Cilan's ire: Ash and Iris sitting alone at a table. A table piled on high with mountains upon mountains of food. As they dig in voraciously, the first thing Misty takes note of are the odd - some, even disgusted - stares of the other patrons.
It's quickly supplanted by a sudden feeling that hits her with all the grace and subtlety of the Magnet Train back in Johto. The feeling that something is wrong. Terribly, irrevocably wrong.
The customers all seem normal.
Pikachu and Axew are partaking in the food with much more restrained gusto than their trainers.
From the little she's seen, Iris' appetite appears regular, if a tad worrisome.
Her eyes fall on him, and that puzzle piece that didn't quite fit falls into place.
Ash.
If she had only met the young man recently like Cilan and Iris did, she might not believe anything was amiss. Given their history, she'd have to be foolish to think otherwise. Although she's familiar with Ash's appetite, the way he would devour entire meals all by himself in a matter of minutes, there's something frenetic about the way he's eating.
Something's wrong.
Despite the wellspring of concern such a thought unearths in her heart, Misty decides not to mull over it further.
For now.
As it stands, she's a bit hungry herself.
"C'mon Cilan!" Misty shouts, giving the young man a significant tilt of her head in the direction of their friends. "If we don't hurry, they'll end up eating all the food!"
Cilan jolts in place, as if still frazzled by the consumption of their companions. He recovers, gives the redhead a genial smile.
"You are absolutely correct!" Cilan asserts, already walking over to join Ash, Iris, and their Pokémon. "The idea of letting them eat all the food is a bitter flavor indeed."
Lingering back for a moment, Misty shakes her head before following after him. So focused is she on satisfying her hunger and joining her friends, the sight of magenta and lavender hair as well as a person of considerable short height completely eludes Misty's attention.
As Cilan takes a seat across from Iris, Misty sits across from Ash. Getting comfortable on the chair, she keeps her box of evolutionary stones on her lap. A box she nearly ends up dropping when her eyes catch sight of Ash's in between the spread of food. Even with the way he's smiling around something unidentifiable in his mouth, her heart skips a beat.
"You two have acquired quite the spread." Cilan remarks, concern threatening to overwhelm the amusement in his voice.
Iris merely nods her head emphatically, continuing to shovel food into her mouth. Ash, on the other hand, swallows whatever he's chewing to respond.
"Yeah!" he says in agreement. "It all looked so good that it was hard to choose what to get!"
"That sounds about right." Misty says with a teasing grin. "When it comes to food, you're like an Ursaring before the first snowfall."
"Haha, Misty." Ash says, returning the grin with one of his own. "What can I say? Meeting two legendary Pokémon at once really worked up an appetite! Not to mention Victini; it's so cool!"
Iris nods some more at that, swallowing whatever she's eating before speaking. "It was amazing! To think I got to meet Zekrom and Reshiram in person! If you ask me, they show how amazing Dragon-Types can be!"
"Though I'm sure that comes from an unbiased source." Cilan says, taking a plate of his own. He puts but an almost insubstantial sliver of Ash and Iris' meals onto his plate whilst Misty does the same.
"Dragon-Types are amazing!" Iris reiterates pointedly, even as she smiles broadly. "And to think they asked for my help!"
"Our help." Misty corrects.
"Should the need arise." Cilan adds.
"The thought is still there." Iris says.
"All I know is this has got me hyped up for my next battle!" Ash cheers, nearly sending a chunk of something yellow flying off the table. "I can't wait!"
"Really? I wouldn't have known." Misty says dryly, turning to address Cilan more seriously. "Hopefully we won't get lost again."
"Never fear Misty!" Cilan declares. "Between our Town Maps and my natural sense of direction, it will make for a truly flawless recipe!"
"Natural sense of direction?" Iris says, an eyebrow raised.
Cilan crosses his arms over his chest, lifts his chin up at her expressed doubt. "My sense of direction is second to none!"
Iris shakes her head at the boast. "If you say so."
Cilan merely huffs as he partakes in his dish.
Idle chatter falling upon the table, Ash, Misty, Cilan, and Iris and their Pokémon friends share in laughter and joy and good company whilst managing to finish off the meal two of them had accumulated. And that night, as the four of them sleep in lodgings offered generously by Mannes, each of them snug in their own beds, they all manage a restful night's slumber.
Originally Added: June 26th, 2019.
Author's Notes: I find the little moments of conversation to be the most special. They can help to make relationships stronger and more believable. Hopefully, now that I don't have to contend with something of movie length, I can post these chapters more frequently, but we'll see. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the conclusion to Pokémon the Movie: White - Victini and Zekrom! I'll see all you amazing readers in the next chapter!
And may no matter what comes your way, always remember to follow your star.