Colress never found a trace of Genesect in Chargestone Cave. Whatever that dangerous Pokémon on the news was, it was long gone by the time he got there. But instead of feeling dejected, Colress was now more motivated than ever.
Battling Annie again for the first time since Blueberry Academy, seeing her bond with Ariados and how powerful it had become, it had rekindled his interest in the ultimate conundrum... What brings out the true strength of Pokémon?
When Colress returned to the castle, he still kept an eye on the news, but Genesect no longer felt so important. Annie had a bond with Ariados, that much was obvious, but was it the sole reason behind Ariados' power increase? It was also obvious that Annie disliked him, maybe even hated him, a fact that didn't sit comfortably within him but opened up new possibilities all the same. He now resumed obsessing over the question he had poured so many hours of his life into researching: What was more potent – Love and a trainer bond? Or hate and fear?
Colress didn't like to think of himself as somebody who chose the easy option, but in this case, he had. The EMWT was a machine that explored the concept of hate and fear, bringing out a Pokémon's power by tapping into its aggression. Love and a trainer bond had been almost impossible to replicate under lab conditions. He could increase production of hormones like dopamine or oxytocin, but they created feelings of happiness or contentment in Pokémon, which was effectively useless in battle. So, for that reason, Colress was biased. He hoped that the answer to his question was hate and fear, because that was the basket in which he'd placed his eggs.
He finished the EMWT 2.0 in a single night, his whirring thoughts drowning out the news channel as he worked. This newer model was better in every way – more range, more potency, better outcomes. These upgrades had turned it into quite a bulky unit, around the size of a shopping cart, with castors for added mobility. It also had a built-in shield that would resist the most powerful Pokémon attacks. 'Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.'
In his fervour to return to the castle and finish the machine, Colress had forgotten to buy a clock, so he had no idea what time it was when Ghetsis let himself into the lab.
"Your timing is impeccable. I'm just putting the final touches on the EMWT." Colress said, looking up from the panel he was screwing into place.
"Good. The final preparations have been made for next week. N will awaken Zekrom on the first night of December, as planned." Ghetsis took a seat on Colress' desk chair, wincing ever so slightly as he did so. It was easy to forget Ghetsis' injury, the way he marched around like a god amongst men, but every now and then, Colress noticed the cracks. The way he'd favour his left hand, hiding his right in the folds of his cloak. The way he'd always walk to the right of people, so that they remained in the peripherals of his good eye.
"It's a shame I won't be present for Zekrom's awakening. To observe such raw power firsthand... The data I could have collected would have been invaluable." Colress said ruefully.
"What are you talking about?" Ghetsis scowled at him. "Why wouldn't you be there?"
"I've been fired, have I not?" Colress placed down his tools, bewildered. "I think N may realise I haven't taken my leave when I show up at Dragonspiral Tower."
"Nonsense," Ghetsis scoffed, "You'll be wearing a disguise. A hood, a mask or something. I need you there, Colress, to operate the EMWT. If Zekrom doesn't comply, you're our only hope."
Ghetsis spoke bluntly, like this had always been the plan. Colress snickered.
"So, N fires me, then Hood Man just happens to be hired immediately after... 'Don't mind him, he's just the same height and build as Colress, knows how to operate the machine Colress built and won't be talking to anybody... But don't worry, he's definitely a different person!' Ghetsis, have you thought this through?"
Ghetsis rolled his eye. "You're overthinking it, Colress. We will be witnessing Zekrom, the legendary dragon of Unova, recognising N as a hero. Nobody will be thinking about you."
"I suppose I am glad I'll get to see it," Colress sighed, shelving his reservations about his new hooded persona. "Although I don't know if you recall how many stairs there were in that tower, but it has occurred to me that getting the EMWT to the top may present an issue."
Colress gave the EMWT a push along the floor and the heavy machine rumbled along on its wheels. Ghetsis watched, before giving a brief nod.
"I will have the Shadow Triad transport it to the top. Just worry about getting yourself up there with it."
One week later, Colress was worrying very much about getting himself up those stairs. However many stairs there had been when he was seventeen, he could have sworn they had doubled. Of course, his terrible lifestyle choices couldn't have been helping, but were there really so many before?
Aside from the endless stairs, Dragonspiral Tower looked exactly as he remembered it. A foreboding tower, deep in the woods, that seemed to be crumbling before his very eyes. When he and Ghetsis had visited all those years ago, it had been empty, aside from the enigmatic Shadow Triad waiting in the very top room. Tonight was very different. The spiral stairwells and cavernous gaps in the floor echoed with the excited chatter of hundreds of Team Plasma grunts, all wearing those ridiculous knight costumes. Colress rarely thought of the scale of Ghetsis' operation, but seeing so many of his followers in one place was a shocking reminder of the power that Ghetsis had amassed since that fateful day in history class.
Colress was in no position to be critiquing their fashion choices, however, as he was perhaps the most bizarrely dressed in the entire tower. He wore a floor-length black cloak with a hood that obscured most of his face. What wasn't obscured by the hood was covered by a black knight's helmet with the visor pulled down. He wore black leather gloves and boots. The only part of him that could be seen were his eyes. He had even branched out into the exciting world of contact lenses for the occasion. He didn't want to miss Zekrom's awakening on account of his poor eyesight.
When Colress reached the top, he crumpled to the floor with a dramatic gasp. He had a distant memory of doing the same thing last time he was here. As he slumped against a pile of rubble, he scanned the circular room.
It was as if he and Ghetsis had been here moments ago. The old throne lay in pieces on the ground, where Golurk had destroyed it. Golurk itself was mercifully absent, but the remnants of their battle lay all around them. There was a dark stain on the floor in the spot Ghetsis had been struck by the Shadow Ball.
The Shadow Triad were suddenly beside him, appearing as if from thin air. Wordlessly, they pushed the EMWT over to where he lay. He hadn't yet caught his breath, so he simply nodded gratefully.
Ghetsis and N were talking in hushed tones on the far side of the room. Colress caught Ghetsis' eye and the man's lip curled into a sneer. Colress felt a chill run down his spine. Very soon, Ghetsis would have the powerful Pokémon he'd always dreamed of. Maybe he was imagining it, but for a second it felt like all of Unova shuddered.
"The grunts are in position. We are ready." Ryoku appeared at the top of the stairs, his face resolute.
"Then we will begin." Ghetsis replied. "N, awaken Zekrom."
N looked down at the unassuming stone sphere that lay in his cupped hands, before setting it on the ground. The tower had grown eerily silent, as if even the wind outside had been commanded to still in anticipation. He lowered himself to one knee before the stone, speaking in his soft, hurried way, his voice barely louder than a whisper but carrying the weight of his convictions.
"Zekrom, mighty dragon of ideals, I call upon you now. Our world is drowning in conflict - humans and Pokémon trapped in endless cycles of misunderstanding and suffering. I am the one who seeks the ideal future, where Pokémon are liberated and free from human cruelty. Accept me as your hero. Grant me your strength, so together, we may lead Unova to a new dawn... a perfect world."
For a moment, nothing happened. N remained kneeling, every onlooker holding their breath. Then, a low, deep rumble emanated from the Dark Stone. The stone began to pulse, glowing faintly, as cracks formed across its surface. N stepped back, eyes wide.
Suddenly, the stone shattered. Colress covered his eyes as a blinding flash filled the room. Out of the light emerged Zekrom, a colossal black silhouette in the brightness. The air around it crackled with electricity, the smell of ozone filling his nose. Its wings unfurled, dark and jagged, and its eyes glowed fluorescent red.
Zekrom let out an earth-shaking roar and the walls of Dragonspiral Tower groaned in protest. The dragon's immense body shifted, and with a single sweep of its claws, it tore through the ancient stone, ripping the roof clean off the tower. Colress let out a yelp of surprise, the idea dawning on him for the first time that he could actually die here. Chunks of debris rained down around them and Colress clung to what was left of the wall, trying not to look over the edge at the heady drop below.
"Zekrom!" N called out, his voice louder now but still carrying the strange way he paced his sentences, "I am your hero! Together, we can reshape the future, we can create a world where Pokémon and humans no longer suffer! Listen to me!"
But Zekrom's response was another enraged roar, its energy manifesting in a powerful bolt of lightning that shot toward the heavens. Colress shielded his face as the tower crumbled further, the dragon's power spiralling out of control. It wasn't listening.
Ghetsis hobbled to Colress' side, not bothering to disguise his limp. His hand shot out from his robes and grasped Colress' arm tightly, tight enough to bruise.
"Colress, the machine." He hissed. Desperation laced his voice.
For a moment... just a moment... Colress imagined himself saying 'no'. He imagined relishing the look on Ghetsis' face as he realised he'd lost. And he imagined himself smiling as the tower was turned to dust, sending them all plummeting to their untimely ends.
"Colress!" Ghetsis shook him again.
"Yes," Colress nodded, hastily booting up the EMWT.
The large machine took a few minutes to turn on, a factor he hadn't worried about back in the lab. If he'd had time to field test the 2.0, he likely would have realised and rectified this. But as it stood, they would have to survive Zekrom's wrath for a little longer before he was able to intervene.
"I understand your anger... Your pain. The world is broken, but I will fix it! Together, we will bring about a world of perfect ideals!" N was still trying to reach Zekrom over its angry roaring and thrashing. Zekrom's glowing eyes locked onto N, its energy swirling dangerously, as if it was still testing him, still deciding. N took a cautious step forward, raising a hand toward the mighty dragon. "Please... trust me."
Colress and Ghetsis watched intently as Zekrom approached N with thunderous steps that seemed to make the whole tower sway. N's outstretched hand never wavered.
In a slow, deliberate motion, Zekrom lowered its massive head. The crackling energy that surrounded its body began to quiet, its violent aura fading into a more controlled hum of power. The winds died down, and the tower, now exposed to the open sky, fell silent.
N let out a shaky breath, his outstretched hand still raised. "Thank you, Zekrom," he whispered, his voice thick with relief. He stepped closer, standing just beneath the mighty dragon, whose eyes now glowed not with anger, but with understanding. The connection had been forged.
Zekrom had accepted him. N was its chosen hero.
Colress watched the tension fall from Ghetsis like water. His posture relaxed and straightened, his lopsided face regained its colour and his one visible eye closed as the terror faded away.
N turned to Ghetsis, his face lit up in a smile. He looked like a child in that moment, he wanted to see the pride on his father's face.
Colress turned back to the ruined wall, more of a balustrade at this point, and looked out at the dark sky as he regained his own composure. The stars twinkled comfortingly, hung in the inky blue sky.
"We've got a problem downstairs," Ryoku's voice interrupted their quiet moment of relief. "The Champion is here."