The Light Stone wasn't nearly as impressive as it sounded. It was a small, spherical stone not much larger than a Poké Ball. It now lay on the table in front of her. She felt a little sick just looking at it.
Around the table sat some of the most famous people in Unova: Alder, Brycen, Burgh, Lenora, even her old history teacher Professor Cedric Juniper and his daughter, who had become just as beloved a professor as her father. As they sat in the back room of Nacrene Museum, Annie couldn't help but feel like a fraud. Any of these people could probably do a better job of saving Unova than her. Annie sat pasty-faced as the conversation happened around her.
"Could this really be Reshiram?" Lenora raised an eyebrow at the unassuming artifact.
"When I investigated Dragonspiral Tower, I found elements that were dated to the same era as this stone... Although something curious does seemed to have happened to it since then." Professor Juniper replied.
"Yes, that's right. I remember it being darker in colour when I saw it last." Professor Juniper – the other one – nodded. "And if you listen closely, it is emitting a sound."
"Maybe it's reacting to Zekrom being awakened." said Brycen. The others nodded in agreement.
"We're lucky that Team Plasma didn't notice this old stone when they robbed the museum." Burgh pointed out.
"That's a good point. It's clear to me that they were trying to steal the dragon skull so they could revive the legendary dragon-type Pokémon." Lenora nodded sagely. She then picked up the stone and held it out to Annie. "If you would, Annie, take this."
Annie looked at it with wide eyes, frozen to the spot.
"N chose you, did he not?" Burgh asked softly.
Annie hesitated, meeting the expectant gazes of the gym leaders.
Finally, Cedric Juniper voiced her thoughts out loud. "Is it wise to give such a powerful artifact to a mere trainer?" he caught her eye apologetically, "No offense to you, Miss Foxglove, but surely this would be safer in the hands of a Gym Leader? Or the Champion?"
"Yeah, I'm not sure about this..." Annie agreed meekly, not taking the stone from Lenora's outstretched hand. Alder took it instead, but instead of keeping it, now he held it out to Annie. She shrank back in her chair.
"So, you're just going to allow N to fulfil his plans for a new world? A world where Pokémon and trainers are separated?" he asked, disappointment etched into his features. Annie looked down at her hands.
"I just..." she didn't have the words. In the tower she'd imagined being the hero to oppose N, but here, surrounded by superior trainers, she felt her ambitions sag.
"Annie," Alder reached his other hand across the table and placed it on her shoulder, holding the stone between them. "I am deeply sorry. I wish I didn't have to burden you. This world of ours, where Pokémon and people live together... Please... If anything happens to me, protect it!"
Annie looked up at him, tears welling in her eyes as she gently took the stone. It was lighter than she expected it to be, but the weight of it manifested in responsibility. Alder was right. N wanted to face her. She wanted to stop Team Plasma and she needed this stone to do it. She wouldn't give up on this dream.
"Okay," she nodded faintly. "I will do my best..."
Annie didn't go back to her apartment after that. She couldn't just sit still while N was in a castle, preparing for his new world. She had been chosen, not just by N now, but by Alder. The Gym Leaders had accepted his decision. The fate of Unova rested on her shoulders.
It was risky to walk into Pinwheel Forest alone while her Pokémon were recovering in the Pokémon Center, but she had to walk somewhere. She still had Venonat, who hadn't been involved in any of the fighting. The little bug toddled cheerily next to her as she paced around the footpaths. She picked berries from the trees as she walked, feeding some to Venonat and putting some in her bag to give to the rest of her friends later.
Night was nearly over and the sky was beginning to turn a dusky pink. The bird Pokémon hadn't woken up yet, but soon the air would be filled with chirping and the joggers would be pounding the pavements. But for now, the forest was quiet and still. Annie was alone with her thoughts.
As she walked deeper into the trees, she held the Light Stone out in front of her. Nobody knew how she was supposed to awaken the dragon inside. It may not happen until she was face-to-face with N. She would be battling alongside a Pokémon she'd never met in the most important fight of her life. The thought made her legs shake.
Venonat chirped softly at her side, its large eyes homed in on a rustling bush up ahead. Annie froze. At first, she thought it might be a wild Pokémon, maybe a Pidove or a Patrat. But the sound wasn't like the light scurrying of small forest creatures. It was heavier, like metal scraping against wood.
Venonat stiffened beside her, its radar eyes glowing faintly as it watched something she couldn't yet see.
A shadow emerged from the undergrowth, moving slowly and cautiously. In the dim light of dawn, Annie could only make out a dark, unfamiliar shape. It was unlike any Pokémon she had ever seen. Its body was sleek and metallic, its legs spindly and insect-like, with an angular head that gleamed like polished steel. Atop its back was something that resembled a cannon.
Annie instinctively took a step back, her breath catching in her chest. 'What is that?' she thought, her mind racing. This Pokémon looked like a machine, something out of place in the wild.
The creature froze as soon as it saw her. It hunched down low, its legs folding inward until it was almost flat against the forest floor. Its body seemed to lock into place, like a disc-shaped shield, and its eyes - red and glowing - watched her warily.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Adrenaline coursed through her as they watched each other. She suddenly felt acutely aware of Ariados' absence. The creature looked powerful and she couldn't risk startling it by running. 'It has a cannon on its back, one wrong move and I'm a goner!'
She noticed something odd then. Where it lay flat on the floor, its head was dipped down, mouthpiece scraping at the ground as it chewed on a small stick. The stick snapped in its metallic jaws and it let out what could only be described as a frustrated series of beeps.
Annie blinked in confusion. 'Is it… hungry?'
She cautiously reached into her bag, her fingers brushing against the smooth skins of the berries she had picked earlier. Without taking her eyes off the creature, she slowly pulled out a soft, ripe berry.
"Hey…" she murmured, her voice gentle. "Are you looking for this?"
The creature's eyes flicked up to her, flashing faintly. It didn't move, its body still pressed tightly to the ground.
Annie took a slow step forward, her hand outstretched. "It's okay," she whispered. "I'm not going to hurt you."
For a long, tense moment, the Pokémon didn't react. Then, its head tilted slightly, its eyes locked on the berry in her hand. It slowly unfolded itself, rising cautiously on its spindly legs, its movements jerky as if unsure whether to flee or stay.
Annie stayed very still as the creature took a tentative step toward her. She held her breath as it inched closer, its gaze never leaving the berry. Then, in a sudden movement, it snatched the berry from her palm. Annie gasped, but the creature didn't seem to notice her surprise. It devoured the berry quickly, its jaws clicking with satisfaction.
It paused, staring at her with those intense, glowing eyes. Then, it edged forward again, this time with less hesitation. Annie smiled softly, reaching into her bag for another berry. She held it out, and once again, the creature eagerly took it from her hand.
"You were just hungry, weren't ya?" she said, her fear melting away. The creature was still strange and quite terrifying to look at, but there was something almost innocent in its movements now, as if it had simply been lost and confused.
It clicked its jaws again, a sharp snapping sound, and its body relaxed slightly. Annie found herself wondering where it had come from. It didn't look like any wild Pokémon she had ever seen. It seemed more like something that had been built.
"Do you want to come with me? We can look for more berries together." Annie asked. It tilted its head.
"Gene-sect." it replied in a robotic voice.
"Is that your name, Genesect?" she asked, grinning. Slowly, she moved over to a nearby tree and plucked a Pecha Berry from a low hanging branch. "Look, the berries are up here, not on the floor."
She held it out to the creature – Genesect – and it snatched the berry from her once again. It didn't follow her gaze to the tree, it just continued to stare at her expectantly.
"Okay, I guess I'll pick them then." she laughed.
After that, she spent a pleasant hour trailing around the forest picking berries for Genesect. It didn't seem remotely inclined to forage for itself, beyond seeing a berry and nudging her roughly in its direction. Venonat watched it warily for a while, hiding behind Annie's legs.
"Venonat, why don't you give Genesect this one?" Annie swiftly handed Venonat a berry, before Genesect was able to snatch it. Venonat looked fearful, but let the creature take it as instructed. Genesect looked overjoyed and promptly picked up the fluffy little Venonat and held him like a stuffed toy as they continued their walk.
As the first chorus of birdsong began, Annie let out a yawn. She hadn't slept since the night before Dragonspiral Tower and exhaustion hit her like a wall. She glanced down at Venonat, who was still nestled in Genesect's mechanical arms, looking surprisingly comfortable despite its initial reluctance. The contrast between the little bug and the tall robotic Pokémon was almost comical and Annie couldn't help but smile. But she knew she couldn't stay out here any longer.
"I think it's time to go back to the Pokémon Center, I think I'm about ready to pass out." she said, stifling another yawn. "It was nice to meet you, Genesect. Maybe I'll come and pick some more berries for you later on?"
Genesect tilted its head, watching her intently, as if trying to decipher her words. Venonat wriggled from its arms and chirped its goodbye.
Annie took a few steps toward the path that would lead her back to Nacrene City, expecting Genesect to stay behind now that it had eaten its fill. But when she looked over her shoulder, she realized it was following her, its eyes glowing softly in the dim light.
"You want to come with me?" Annie asked, surprised.
The creature clicked its jaws softly in response, its legs folding slightly as if it wasn't sure how close to come. It seemed hesitant, almost shy, and Annie realized it might not know what to do now. After all, it had been alone before she found it, trying to eat a stick.
She knelt down, holding out a hand. "You can come with me if you want. But… you'll need to be in a Poké Ball."
Genesect looked back at her blankly, its head tilting again at the unfamiliar word.
Annie reached for Venonat's Friend Ball and held it up. "See? This is where Venonat goes to rest." She gently pressed the button, and with a flash of red light, Venonat disappeared back into the ball. She clipped it onto her belt, then looked up at Genesect. "It's safe. You'll be able to come out whenever you want."
Genesect's eyes flicked toward the Friend Ball, watching the process with something like fascination. It inched closer, cautiously inspecting the now-empty space where Venonat had been. Then it glanced back at Annie, as if considering her offer.
Annie reached into her bag to pull out an empty Friend Ball. She held it out in her palm. "This one's for you. You don't have to come if you don't want to, but if you do, I'll pick all your berries for you."
For a moment, Genesect hesitated. Its eyes glowed brighter for a second, scanning the ball in her hand. Then, with a series of curious beeps, it extended one of its claws and tapped the button.
There was a brief flash of light as the Poké Ball opened, pulling Genesect inside. The ball shook once, twice, then fell still.
Annie gave a surprised laugh. She stared down at the green ball in her hand, honoured that this strange, powerful creature had chosen to come with her.
"Looks like you're my partner now," she said quietly, a tired but giddy smile spread across her face.
With Genesect safely in its Friend Ball, Annie stood up and began the slow walk back to the Pokémon Center. The city was just waking up now, the streets still quiet but starting to stir with life. By the time she reached the Center, she felt like her legs could barely carry her any further. She fell asleep on top of the bed covers, still wearing shoes, with Genesect's ball clutched in her hand.