Colress didn't much appreciate his luxurious overnight stay at the castle. He hadn't been able to bring nearly enough books or equipment to keep his brain engaged all night, so he had spent several hours traipsing around the many long hallways, mapping it out in his mind. Sleep was a concept that seemed to grow more obscure the older he got. These days he only slept when his eyes refused to stay open any longer.
He was looking forward to seeing the P2 Laboratory in person for the first time, but Ghetsis had insisted that now he was finished at university, he had to attend the King's Council. These would presumably be banal meetings, where Ghetsis could rave on about his latest schemes and nag Colress for updates about his research without having to wait six months for a letter.
Before the meeting, Colress hid the sphere – Reshiram – under the mattress in his room. He couldn't risk N hearing it again. He then made his way down to the dining room. It was almost identical to the one at the Harmonia mansion, with a long wooden table and tall chairs. A suit of armour stood in each corner of the room and a chandelier glittered above them.
Ghetsis and N took the head seat at either end of the table and the sages filed in behind them. Colress took a seat across from Rood, offering him a 'would you look at all this?' smile. He did not return it.
"Welcome, Seven Sages... And Dr. Achroma." N spoke first. He had an odd way of talking. The pacing of his sentences was all wrong and his words seemed to trip over each other.
"Yes, welcome," Ghetsis said, his voice louder, instantly overshadowing N, "To our first King's Council. And welcome, Colress. I am pleased to have you back with us after all these years."
"Good of you to join us, Colress." said Rood, but his smile didn't reach his eyes. Out of all the sages, Rood had changed the most since Blueberry Academy. He now held himself with a graceful confidence. Colress had once thought he looked like a Teddiursa... Now he had evolved into an Ursaring.
Colress shrugged, chuckling lightly. "Well, I had a free weekend, so I thought I'd drop in."
The atmosphere in the room suddenly nosedived. Rood stood up, slamming his palms on the table.
"This is exactly what I was talking about. He doesn't take our mission seriously, he never has!"
"I stand with Lord Rood, I don't see what value Achroma could possibly bring that excuses his cavalier attitude." Giallo agreed haughtily.
"I'm sure he is useful, Lord Ghetsis, but I share my fellow sages hesitation at allowing him into Team Plasma's inner circle so easily." Zinzolin chimed in, wearing a slimy smile.
Colress rolled his eyes. "Should I have gone through an initiation ceremony first, perhaps? Does the Lord Zinzolin require me to sacrifice a Gogoat for the pleasure of your company?"
"My King," Rood turned to N. "Please understand, he is not a fitting choice for your council! I have heard about his scientific research, he has a reputation for cruel experiments on Pokémon."
"I agree, I do not trust him." N nodded, his eyes fixed on Colress.
Colress gave a dramatic sigh. "I'm wounded King N. You'd believe these slanderous rumours about my research?"
"Then it isn't true?" asked Rood, narrowing his eyes.
"Oh, it is true," Colress replied in a goading voice. "But I get no pleasure from it. It is simply the most efficient way to collect data."
"Why, you!" Rood launched himself over the table, grabbing Colress by the front of his shirt.
"ENOUGH." Ghetsis finally spoke, his voice shaking the room into silence. "Be seated, all of you."
Colress smirked as Rood reluctantly let go and returned to his seat.
"You just can't get the sages these days," Colress chuckled quietly, enjoying the looks of disdain cast his way.
"I will not tolerate petty squabbling amongst ourselves. Team Plasma must be a united front if we hope to change the world." Ghetsis fixed his ruby eye on each man in turn. "Dr. Achroma is a founding member, just as each of you are. You will treat him as such."
"Father," N spoke, his voice level. "Why do you defend this man?"
"That's Dr. 'This Man' to you." Colress muttered. N glared at him before continuing.
"He is a threat to the purity of Team Plasma's mission."
Ghetsis scowled at N.
"Dr. Achroma will be conducting highly classified research for Team Plasma. His knowledge will be instrumental in controlling the legendary dragons when we find them."
"I will befriend them. We don't need to control them by force." N retorted.
Ghetsis' lips pulled up into a strained smile. "Of course, my king. However, it is wise to have a backup plan, should your attempts fail."
"I will not fail."
Colress watched the exchange with mild amusement. N was indeed a puppet, just like Ghetsis had planned. Neither the king nor the sages wanted Colress here, and yet, here he sat. Colress' mere presence was proof of Ghetsis' total control over Team Plasma.
As long as Colress continued to be useful, he was invincible.
"Be that as it may, Dr. Achroma is invaluable to Team Plasma. He will continue to be a part of your council and that is final." Ghetsis said, his nostrils flaring in irritation.
"As you wish, Father." N nodded, but his expression was thunderous.
"Now that we have our greetings out of the way, perhaps we might move onto the first order of business." said Ghetsis, his tone clipped. He opened the large leatherbound tome on the table in front of him to show a page crammed with his messy chicken scratch.
'New book, same old Ghetsis.'
"Lord Ryoku, I first wish to discuss the intelligence you've gathered." Ghetsis looked up at the dark-haired man who had remained silent until now.
"Yes, Lord Ghetsis. Professor Cedric Juniper led an expedition to Relic Castle, just months before your own. I have found records that something was recovered from the ruins and is now being kept at Nacrene Museum." he said, his head bowed.
"Yes? What was recovered?" asked Ghetsis, his eye lighting up.
"I- I don't know, my Lord. But there is a good chance that it is related to Zekrom as that was the last known sighting of the dragon."
"Fool!" Ghetsis shouted. Ryoku shrank in his seat. "I could have told you that myself! We must find it... Whatever they recovered."
"At least we know where to look." Bronius grinned. "I think we'll have to pay Nacrene Musuem a visit soon."
"Yes. Lord Zinzolin, make the preparations."
"Consider it done, my Lord."
Colress let his mind wander as the meeting continued. There was only so much 'Yes, my Lord', 'Of course, my Lord' he could stomach. He was counting down the minutes before he could leave and see his new lab.
His possessions should have arrived by now, he mused. He hadn't realised how much stuff he'd accumulated over the years, but his books and equipment had ended up filling several cases. And of course, there was Genesect.
Genesect was nothing more than a husk currently. An empty steel casing, waiting to be brought to life. He drummed his fingers on the table as he thought of it sitting there in his new laboratory, just waiting to be completed.
When the meeting came to a merciful end, Colress was the first one to his feet.
"Dr. Achroma, a word?" Ghetsis said before he could escape.
Colress sighed and gave him a placating smile.
"Of course."
Ghetsis led him to a balcony, where they stood side-by-side looking out at the inky blackness of the chasm outside.
"I would appreciate if you could refrain from provoking the council." Ghetsis said stonily.
"Oh, but where is the fun in that?" Colress chortled. Ghetsis did not look amused.
"In case you haven't noticed, Colress, we are not here to have fun. Do not make my job more difficult than it needs to be. I do not want to spend every council meeting defending your impertinent behaviour." Ghetsis snapped.
"Fine, fine," Colress waved him off cooly. "I will behave."
"Good. Now, tell me about your progress on the Genesect project." Ghetsis asked eagerly.
"You aren't sharing information about Genesect with the council?" Colress observed.
"No. It's too soon. They already dislike you and your performance tonight didn't help matters." Ghetsis fixed Colress with another scowl.
"It's because they haven't gotten to know me." Colress said in a sing-song voice.
"They know you perfectly well, that's the problem. Now, the Genesect project, are we nearing completion?"
"We are." Colress' voice grew serious. "The exoskeleton is complete. It has been for a while, but we were unable to move onto the next phase whilst adhering to the university's Pokémon Welfare Regulations. Now that Dudley and I have our own premises, we can proceed to live testing."
"Good. When can I expect it to be ready?"
"It's hard to say. There is only one cloned Pokémon on record that matched Genesect's power level and it escaped before they could fine-tune it. It could still be months or years before we can have Genesect to the point where it is both strong and obedient."
Ghetsis' face scrunched into an impatient frown. Men like him were probably the reason that Mewtwo escaped. Colress wouldn't allow his eagerness to jeopardise the project.
"Very well," Ghetsis said finally. "We will soon be one step closer to Zekrom, once we possess whatever is in that museum."
'Could it be the other stone – the one containing Zekrom? I may not have much time left to create a device capable of controlling a legendary Pokémon.'
"Do you truly intend to let N wield the dragon?" Colress asked curiously.
"Unfortunately, yes. Giallo managed to decipher some ancient text we found on the walls in Relic Castle. It says something to the effect of 'they will only respond to a hero who is pure of heart'. If that's true, then Zekrom will not respond to either of us."
Colress' eyes widened as he processed the information.
'The stone glowed in N's presence. That text may not be about the dragons themselves, but the stones they are sealed inside. That would explain why I have never managed to cause a reaction in the stone myself. Only a hero with a pure heart can unleash the dragons. Perhaps that is a safety mechanism put in place by the ancient people to prevent another catastrophe from happening... Unfortunately, nobody could have prepared for a man like Ghetsis.'
"How fortunate that you already have a pure-hearted hero to hand." Colress replied dryly.
"Yes. And now you see why it is so important that you do not antagonise N. If he decides to let Zekrom eat you, there is little I can do to stop him." Ghetsis said with an amused sneer.
Colress let out a surprised laugh. "Yes, that would be troublesome."
"It is good to see you again, my friend." Ghetsis said, his tone bordering on warm, "Team Plasma is only as good as its most valuable asset."
Colress chuckled, "I have returned, as promised. There's no need for flattery."
"And I'm glad for it," Ghetsis' good hand emerged from his cloak, seizing Colress' shoulder with surprising strength, "You know what to do. Do not disappoint me."
Ghetsis gave his shoulder a bony-fingered squeeze, before sweeping back into the castle, his golden robes billowing behind him.
'Yes, I know what to do.' Colress thought, rolling his shoulder as it stung from Ghetsis' grip, 'I now know the location of both stones. I will ensure that Team Plasma cannot unleash either of the legendary dragons until I am ready. I just need to get to Nacrene Museum before Viomare does...'