• “You useless boy!” Ghetsis screamed at the top of his lungs. N gazed at him, shocked, and confused. He was the king of Team Plasma, the hero chosen by Reshiram, one of the legendary dragon Pokémon, and his father was calling him useless? Granted, he did just lose to a peculiar trainer who just happened to be the other chosen hero by none other than the legendary dragon Zekrom.

    “You are pathetic!” Ghetsis screamed again, slapping N across the face. “You have ruined my plans!”

    N fell to the floor, unsure of weather to respond or back away from his father. Why was he acting so strangely? Why was he talking about HIS plans? He made N the king of Team Plasma so that he could liberate Pokémon from foolish humans and create a world for Pokémon alone. That was N’s plan. If N succeeded in defeating Star, that would’ve become a reality.

    But Star… Why was she so opposed to this new world? Why were Pokémon so loyal and loving towards her? From day one, when N first met her in Accumula Town, her Pokémon wanted to be with her. He couldn’t understand it. Why was she so special? Why did N himself, find himself looking for her, and battling her on multiple occasions, just to see her and discover the truth? Why was it her in the first place?

    “I had N become the king of Team Plasma so that he would get all the trainers of the world to release their Pokémon, so that I alone could use Pokémon to rule the world!” Ghetsis was in a rage. He was completely infuriated and he didn’t care who knew his plans at this point.

    N’s eyes began to water, but still, he could see Star’s eyes narrow into a hateful glare towards Ghetsis. “Y…you don’t care about the Pokémon?!”

    “You fool!” Ghetsis spat at N. “Don’t you get it? I needed someone who truly believed in what they were doing, so they could use the power of the legendary dragon! I can’t very well take control of the world with no power, now can I?”

    “You selfish p****!” Star shouted. “How could you do that to someone? How could you USE your own son?” Star’s eyes began to water in both sadness and fury as she continued. “What makes you think you can get away with that?!”

    A green snake like Pokémon beside Star glared at Ghetsis, as though it mirrored Star’s feelings. It, Serperior, brought it’s piercing red eyed gaze down on Ghetsis, but somehow, Ghetsis seemed unaffected. This caught Serperior by surprise, and it only glared more fiercely.

    It spoke in a way only N could understand, but to everyone ells, it sounded like a menacing hiss. “You’re the fool! If I wasn’t so against killing, I’d rip your throat out!”

    “Oh, but you misunderstand,” Ghetsis said. “I CAN get away with it! I already have! I raised N completely separated from humans! He has only seen Pokémon that have been used and manipulated by humans, and as a result, he understands nothing but Pokémon!”

    “I know what you did!” Star shouted. “I saw the room you kept him in!”

    “Yes.” Ghetsis said, pondering something for a moment. “N has actually been useful to me. The one thing he couldn’t do was eliminate you!” He faced Star directly and brought his evil glare to look into her eyes.

    “No!” N shouted instinctively. “Star!” Why did he care what happened to her? Why, in the midst of all this confusion, was Star the only one he was somewhat sure of? Why her?

    “I aint goin’ down without a fight!” Star shouted. “Serperior, we can’t let him get away with this!”

    Serperior nodded and quickly moved in front of Star to protect her. “I won’t let you touch her!” He screamed, knowing that N was the only one who understood.

    “Seismitoad, Conkeldurr, Cofagrigus, kill her!”

    Ghetsis threw three pokeballs and three creatures that would otherwise be described as mutants appeared. The first, Seismitoad, was a large blue bull frog like creature that was as big as a small child, and sported large muscles. Conkeldurr, the second creature was just that: a creature which seemed to be made of raw muscle. It held two giant pillars of concrete, one in each hand that it could lift with no effort. The third, Cofagrigous, was nothing but an animated sarcophagus with four ghostly arms protruding from it.

    Star, in response, threw two pokeballs and two creatures known as Zebstrika the electrified zebra, and Simipor, the water monkey appeared.

    Without a single word from their human master, Zebstrika and Simipor teamed up with Serperior and charged their enemies. Serperior wasted no time in using its Giga drain ability to drain Seismitoad of its energy, Zebstrika, being true to its violent nature, perseud Cofagrigous, and Simipor used its powers over water to keep Conkeldurr at bay.

    The enemy Pokémon responded by using poison and various counter attacks to inflict damage on Serperior and his team.

    Leif Blade against Poison Jab, Shadow Ball against a powerful Flame Charge, and a powerful Scald attack against a powerful barrage of sharp stones officially known as Stone Edge. Quickly, the battle left control of the humans and the six Pokémon fought vigorously, with no end in sight.

    Hours went by, and the battle was still going on. Neither Star nor Ghetsis could say a word as their Pokémon seemed to know what their trainers wanted them to do. Finally, Cofagrigous bested Zebstrika, and Serperior had beaten Seismitoad. Conkeldurr too, had met its match at the hands of Simipor, who looked much weaker then he actually was. Now, it was Star’s two remaining Pokémon against a tired Cofagrigous.

    The finale of the fight was nothing short of predictable. Star, or rather, Star’s Pokémon, defeated Ghetsis. Simipor and Serperior however, didn’t escape the fight unscathed. They were battered, bleading, and completely exhausted. If the battle were to continue, they would die.

    N watched dumbstruck as the battle flew its course and came to its painful conclusion. Star had paid a heavy price. A price that N himself would NEVER force upon any of his Pokémon. But… Star’s Pokémon were the ones to choose this price. Star, somehow, hadn’t given a single command during the entire battle, and she looked pained when Zebstrika was rendered unable to fight.

    From day one, N had considered every single trainer to be cruel, selfish people who couldn’t care less about the Pokémon they sent into battle, Star included. But what he saw from the very beginning, was a kind person, who cared about Pokémon and their feelings. He saw Star return her remaining Pokémon to their pokeballs. He was originally against the use of pokeballs, but, seeing Star’s Pokémon, he was thankful that they existed. Pokeballs would preserve the physical condition of any Pokémon for any length of time, which meant that Star could get them to professional doctors to help them.

    “This is impossible!” Ghetsis shouted. “I can NEVER lose! I started this perfect Team Plasma! I came up with the perfect plan! I AM PERFECTION!”

    “You’re wrong!” Star shouted. “You’re a sick, twisted a******!”

    At that moment, a man with wild red hair and a younger teenager with glasses entered the room, and saw Ghetsis in his pitiful state.

    The man, Alder, and the boy, Cheren, wasted no time in arresting Ghetsis and removing him from the room. After ensuring that Ghetsis was securely in custody, Alder returned to the room and confronted N.

    “I’m sorry about all of this,” Alder said. “Team Plasma was all you knew, wasn’t it?”

    “All I ever thought I knew.” N said making an effort to hide tears. “He lied to me… For my entire life! He made me believe that I was doing something good! I don’t understand why I was chosen by Reshiram to be the hero…”

    “Reshiram chooses the hero who seeks the truth of the world. You were honestly looking for the truth… That’s why you were chosen.”

    “Truth…” N lowered his head. “I don’t know what’s true anymore… I don’t know if my dream was the right thing… Maybe Star and I… Maybe we’re both right… I don’t know anymore…”

    Star felt a heavy twinge of pain, as though she was stabbed in the heart. Why did she feel this way? Why did she feel as though this was somehow her fault? She ruined his dream… But if she didn’t do it, Ghetsis would. It would have happened anyway. Now, all of N’s beliefs, the very purpose of his life, everything he thought he understood, were thrown into question.

    Alder continued to speak to N, but Star was too focused on her thoughts to hear what they were saying. Did she do the right thing?

    “Star, I… I want to talk to you…” N’s voice cut into her thoughts. She looked around briefly. Alder had left, and she and N were the only ones left in the room.

    Star nodded at N, unable to speak. She followed him across the large room and listened to him.

    “You know,” he started awkwardly. “I kind of… like you… All those battles we had throughout our journeys… Are you the only one I can be sure of?”

    That question hit a nerve. Was she the only one he could be sure of? Was she even sure of herself at this point?

    “I’m confused,” he said changing the subject slightly. “From the moment we met, your Pokémon threw me into doubt. During that first battle, your Pokémon were willing to fight for you… They told me something that I never thought I’d hear from any Pokémon…” N stopped and seemed to stare at the wall in brief thought.

    “You mean Serperior?” Star asked quietly. “What did he say to you?”

    “He said… He said he liked you. He said he wanted to be with you, and he would put his life on the line to keep it that way…”

    Star was stunned. She knew that Serperior cared for her, but she had no idea that there was an instant attachment to her.

    “That confused me, Star.” He continued. “It confused me because, before that day, I had never met a Pokémon that loved a human. I was raised with Pokémon who hated humans because of what they did to them… And when I was traveling through the region… I found more of them… Even some wild Pokémon cared for humans…”

    Star had no idea how to respond. She wanted to comfort him. She wanted to help him. But, what could she do?

    “You know something?” N asked looking Star right in the eye, tears forming in his own eyes. “You’re lucky. Really lucky. You spent your life with people who actually care about you… You started your journey surrounded by friends… You spent your life being… normal…”

    At that point, the tears came. They were pouring down N’s face like waterfalls, but still, he spoke.

    “That’s why I have to leave… I have to find my own truth… My own life…”

    Star couldn’t say anything in response. She realized at that moment that she wanted him to stay with her. She wanted to be his shoulder to cry on, his friend. It was at that moment that she realized that she truly loved him.

    N saw Star’s expression change from saddened to pained and heartbroken. He could see tears in her eyes, fighting to fall down her face like his. He to, cared for her, but he knew that he would find no answers of his own with her. He needed to leave and gain his own understanding of truth. He needed to take control of his life and become his own master for once.

    N walked to the end of the room, which was open to the sky and released Reshiram from its pokeball. Its huge white draconian form flew for a moment before allowing N to get onto it’s back.

    “N!” Star managed to say. “I…I…” The tears finally broke free of her control, and her self control along with it. She embraced him tightly for what seemed like hours, and the two of them cried together.

    N finally pulled away from her and looked into her eyes. “Star,” he said. “You told me a long time ago that you had a dream… Work hard to make it come true!”

    With that, he leaped onto the great dragon’s back and it flew, leaving Star to watch through teary eyes as N, the person she loved, flew into the distance…