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It was just an other day in Unova. Ash and Pikachu were chatting excitedly about the upcoming gym challenge. Iris was rolling her eyes, muttering how Ash was 'just a kid'. Cilan could see that she wasn't really annoyed but wisely didn't point it out. Instead, he was reciting what he knew about that city's rich history though his companions weren't appreciating it unlike their pokemon who were listening intently with rapt attention. Ash saw a big crowd nearby and started pushing through it, wondering if there was a competition or a battle going on. Iris and Cilan followed grumbling good-naturedly about how he had left without warning.
Unlike Ash's suspicion, the stage nearby was empty. Cilan asked a fellow-crowd-member about why they were crowded in the first place.
"Don't you know, it's Team Plasma!! They are really wonderful people who do their best for pokemon!!" The trainer replied with stars in her eyes and a pidove on her shoulder.
"Team Plasma?" Ash asked, both him and Pikachu narrowing their eyes as it gave off the same vibe as all the other 'Teams' they had encountered before.
Suddenly the stage lit up revealing a person with a microphone.
A few minutes later,
"And thus all pokemon must be liberated!! They must not be trapped by pokeballs!! Team Plasma will make sure of that!!" The spokesperson, apparently a 'sage' of Team Plasma finished his speech. Ash, Iris and Cilan could only watch in horror as all the trainers around them started releasing their pokemon in blue flashes of light including the girl they met earlier. Some of them had tears in their eyes and none of them noticed the greyish blurs running around surrounding the area.
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"Why??Why...Was I a bad trainer? I probably was...I didn't even notice that my own pokemon was uncomfortable with battles...That's why he left! He must hate me a lot! He wouldn't even want to see my face again. I am really bad as a trainer, right? I am being so selfish...All of them are gonna leave me..." Bianca's voice cracked a bit at the end as she cried hysterically.
"Ssh, Bianca, It's okay, no one hates you....you are a really awesome trainer, okay?" Ash tried to console her, patting her awkwardly while she cried into his shoulder.
They sat like that for a while, neither speaking a word till Bianca's cries reduced into little sobs, her shoulder still racking a bit.
"So..." Ash asked cautiously. "Who did he leave with? I don't want to pry but the guy sounds a lot like Team Plasma...."
"Pika-pika" Pikachu nodded in agreement.
Bianca' eyes were widened in shock. "N. That's his name. He called himself the 'King of Team Plasma'. He can apparently hear the voices of pokemon, that's how it happened" She shivered a bit, remembering that incident.
"N, huh?"
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Ash's first meeting with N was nearly normal, a pokemon battle. Pikachu managed to defeat his pokemon though it was difficult. After the battle finished, N approached them asking why Pikachu didn't return inside his pokeball.
"Pikachu hates pokeballs, that's why" Ash replied, used to people asking about it.
"If he really hates it, you could just release him, right?" N asked.
As both Ash and Pikachu tensed, N stroked Pikachu a bit, asking whether he liked battling.
As the pokemon replied in affirmative, N looked suprised. "Thats interesting, he is the first one who actually likes his 'trainer'"
"What do you mean? How can you even understand Pikachu?" Ash asked, starting to get cross.
"I can understand the voices of pokemon-" N started to explain as Ash interrupted him.
"You must be N. 'The king of Team Plasma' huh?" Ash asked, his tone almost mocking.
"Why of course, I am. I didn't know I was that well known" N said, flashing him a smile.
"I don't know whether he is here but Bianca sends her regards and hopes he is well" Ash replied evenly.
Iris and Cilan could feel the tension in the air but didn't know what to do.
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The second time they met N, it was near some ruins. It depicted Reshiram and Zekrom. N explained how he encountered Reshiram as a child and thus was the 'Hero of Truth' according to a legend. Ash listened to him in disbelief as N told about how Reshiram is going to save all pokemon from the humans.
Iris blurted out about how Ash had encountered Zekrom at Nuverma Town.
"Really? Well I suppose you might be the 'Hero of Ideals' from the legends. You are special, different from the other 'trainers' I have met till now...." N murmured almost to himself but Ash heard most of it. He knew that both heroes are supposed to fight each other. And he didn't like the implications, not even a bit.
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"Do you think people deserve to have pokemon? You have travelled through various regions, surely you know how they are being mistreated?"
Ash thought back to his first journey...a Charmander dying in the rain, abandoned by his trainer. He also remembered Tepig, who was abused, tied up and starved by his previous trainer who just didn't care. Bulbasaur, Squirtle squad, Chimchar....All of them were abandoned by their former trainers. Lapras was being beaten up.....All the thieves, poachers, criminal 'Teams'......Pokemon locked in cages, mind-controlled, turned into statues....There were a lot he had encountered during his journey.
Ash's lips twitched but he didn't answer. He didn't want to admit that as annoying as he was, N had a point. He was right. People sometimes misused pokemon a lot...including Team Plasma who recaught all the pokemon the trainers released for themselves. That he wanted to let N know.
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"The world is just black and white...All humans don't deserve to have pokemon at all"
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N had summoned Reshiram through a ceremony. Reshiram unsuprisingly sniffed out Ghetsis and his followers' lies and greed. Colress managed to activate his mind controlling machine, effectively subdueing Reshiram while N was too shocked by his 'father''s betrayal.
Looker and Team Rocket managed to sneak in and chaos ensued. Iris and Cilan sent out their pokemon while most of the Team Plasma grunts and some of the 'sages' did the same resulting in a fierce battle. The mind controlled Reshiram started rampaging around and Ash started battling him with all his pokemon. N was still frozen in shock when lightning struck with a blue flash followed by rumbling thunder. Ash and Pikachu, the only pokemon who had remained conscious during the entire battle, stared at the all too familiar storm as Zekrom descended.
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'Hero of Ideals...'
'Ash, just call me Ash'
'You have a strong conviction that humans and Pokemon can work together no matter what....I admire your Ideal, Ash'
'Thank you. Do we have to fight Reshiram, after we snap him out of the mind control, I mean....'
'Of course not. The battle only happens if the truth and ideals clash. It doesn't happen every time we choose heroes'
'N and I have different opinions though..'
Ash shared his experiences with Zekrom about Team Plasma.
'Pokemon being in danger from humans.....what is your opinion on it, Ash?'
'Bad people exist. There are also an equal amount, if not more nice people too. Officer Jenny, Pokemon Rangers, Grand Champions, G-men....All of them work to stop criminals. They can't catch everyone but they try.'
'That doesn't answer my question, Ash'
'Hmm..... It's like banning everyone from having food just because some steal food and others waste them. Thats just stupid. Food is meant to be eaten, not thrown away'
'Huh?'
'I mean, a bond between a Pokemon and human is complex but precious. Just because some don't appreciate it doesn't mean it has to be cut off from everyone. That's unfair to both people and pokemon sharing a bond. Every bond is unique. I have seen a lot during my journey. Battlers, Gym leaders, Breeders, Coordinators, Performers, Artists, Professors, Police, Healers.....All of them have bonds with their pokemon, each vivid and different from the other and not all even involve battling. N has a point, but he is not entirely right.'
'I can't think of any other solution but I am sure Team Plasma is wrong. They pretty much destroyed many dreams and friendships and also stole pokemon, not to mention mind-control. N might tell the truth but severing our ties with our pokemon isn't the right way to protect them.'
'I like your sense of humour. My other heroes are too.....heroic. I approve. You can be my 'hero of Ideals' if you want to, Ash. The choice is all yours.'
'Of course, Zekrom, as long as we stop Team Plasma together....'
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"The world isn't black and white, afterall...."