Chapter Text
“It's been years since I was last home.”
“Why don't you want to go back?”
“I'm scared. Scared to face the past. Scared of acknowledging that I left everyone behind.”
Hilda looked away, avoiding Cynthia's inquisitive gaze.
It had been 3 years since Hilda left Unova. She didn't have a destination in mind when she left, but ended up in Sinnoh. A cold escape, or her own frigid prison of her own making? Sinnoh was comforting. New. No one knew who she was. She wasn't some destined hero who saved the world. A title she never wanted.
She could still remember those last moments at home like it had just happened. The battles she fought against Team Plasma- against him. Her dreams wouldn't let her forget, even if she desperately wanted to.
Hilda didn't regret her choice to stop Team Plasma. She knew it was up to her to stop their plans. After all, she was the only one who truly understood him, enough to see that he trusted her. Her truth was what swayed his ideals.
After everything was said and done, he left. With a short goodbye and an ask that she live and see her dreams through… A memory that twisted at her heart.
What dreams did she even have to accomplish anyway? She had become the strongest trainer in Unova already. She never challenged Alder officially for the champion title, but she didn't feel worthy of it anyway. Sinnoh was supposed to be her do-over, and yet she still felt hollow inside. Unfulfilled.
“Hilda, you're running away from your own life. You're never going to feel better if you don't face your fears.”
Cynthia was right and Hilda knew it. She wanted to protest, arguing back that this was her home now. But it was wrong. Cynthia had become her closest mentor and friend over the last two years. Cynthia took her in, taught her about Sinnoh, and gave her shelter. Something she could never repay. But trusting another person meant that they could read you like a book.
“Who is it you're afraid of?” Cynthia asked, softening her tone.
Everyone? She hasn't talked to anyone back home since she left. Her mom is probably worried sick, if not outright disappointed. She abandoned her closest friends, Cheren and Bianca. All the new allies she met along the way, such as Alder and the gym leaders. But her mind still focused on the one person who could never escape her thoughts… N.
To even say it out loud was like climbing Mt. Coronet. Her pulse quickened, and she felt anxious. She never shared much of her past with Cynthia. To be pitied or judged was already a scary thought. But to admit that you had kept it a secret for the last two years was worse.
“...My friends. My mom. I wonder if they really miss me.” Hilda finally spoke.
“Hilda, I can see that you're hiding something. I think you want to share, but you feel like you can't. I'm not here to judge you- I just want to help. I can see how much this is weighing on you.”
“Fine! Fine…” Hilda didn't mean to shout, but the words practically threw themselves out before she could stop herself, “I never really mentioned it, but there was someone else.”
What was N to her? How could she even describe him? A rival? Technically. A friend? Well they clashed a lot in their sort of friendship. The person she somehow understood more than anyone else, who she found herself unequivocally trusting for some reason? The person who haunts her dreams. A lingering memory.
“I had a… friend. A rival of sorts. We disagreed a lot, but we changed each other's minds on certain things. He believed his way was correct, but he realized he was wrong. We traveled through Unova together, separately, but I still wonder what his experience was like actually seeing the world for the first time… The last time I saw him, he also left Unova. I never saw him again….” Her eyes stung a little as she pushed back the tears that threatened to form.
“You miss him. What was he like?” Cynthia asked with a comforting tone.
“He was so different from everyone I had met before. He was smart, but naive. Sheltered to the world around him, but he took it all in as he saw things for the first time. We may have disagreed, but he was still so… kind. I don't know where that kindness came from considering his upbringing. He was good deep down, just misguided. Too good.” Hilda turned away from Cynthia, protecting her own vulnerability, “We fought but he still told me that I deserved to live my life and see my dreams come true. I crushed his dream, but he still wanted the best for me. I didn't deserve that kindness.”
Hilda couldn't fight back those tears anymore. For the first time since she left Unova, she let her emotions out. Cynthia pulled her into a gentle hug as she sobbed, offering some comfort.
“I wanted to see him again! Some stupid part of me wanted to find him, show him the world now that he was free. But I couldn't find him… I felt empty, like I needed to be away from everyone. They wanted me to be something I couldn't be. So I left. And I've never gone back.” Hilda admitted. She had hoped it might feel like a weight lifted off her shoulder to open up and share her deepest secrets and fears, but she didn't feel any better. She felt worse. Like she had just relived every one of those moments again.
“Hilda, I can't pretend like I know what you're going through, but I can see how much it's been hurting you. Thank you for telling me everything.” Cynthia didn't need to be so nice to her, but Hilda still appreciated it. “Do you think you'll never see him again?”
Hilda shook her head. She assumed he was long gone, probably would never return to the region that treated him like a monster.
“Why do you think that? You can look for him again.” Cynthia pointed out.
“How? There's so many regions… Who even knows where he could be right now!” Hilda didn't want false hope. She had accepted that that dream was dead long ago.
“You once told me that your legendary Pokemon, Reshiram, was linked to another legendary Pokemon. I study myths and legends, Hilda. I researched Reshiram and learned that it was deeply connected to its counterpart Zekrom. Surely the two of them can establish a link and find each other.”
“H-how did you know he had Zekrom?” Hilda was seconds away from insinuating that Cynthia was psychic.
“I researched. I saw articles related back to Unova. Some of which did include a few articles that mentioned you and another trainer. You confirmed it with your story today. I didn't mean to pry or sneak around you, which is why I never brought it up. But now I understand things a little clearer.” Cynthia looked over at her shelves full of books and grabbed one.
The Legend of the Twin Dragons was printed on the front of the book. Cynthia flipped through the pages, “Here. Studies suggest that the twin dragons may only reveal themselves for pairs of trainers who are connected in some way.”
Cynthia shut the book again and met Hilda’s gaze, “Soulmates. You two are linked together for eternity.”
What in the world is Cynthia talking about??
Hilda must've been making a face because Cynthia clarified, “Soulmates can mean any number of things- a friendship that transcends words, or even romantic love. But what matters is that you two are connected and care about each other in some way. I think you can reconnect.”
“Reconnect…” the thought echoed in her mind. It was a scary thought. It was probably possible, but how could she confront him after all these years? Admit that she hadn't done anything significant the last 3 years and abandoned everyone?
“What's the worst that could happen?” Cynthia asked. “Sounds like you both like each other. But if it really does crash and burn you can always come back here.”
The worst outcome? He doesn't want to see her, or he hates her now. Something like that.
“I'm not saying you need to leave right now. Just something to think on. Now try to relax and get some sleep.” Cynthia left the room.
Unfortunately Hilda couldn't just not think about everything that just happened. Would it really be that easy to find him again? What would she say to him? Hilda hurried towards the balcony, needing fresh air. She grabbed one of the Pokeballs from her bag.
“Reshiram. Please. I have a question.” She released the elegant white dragon from its Pokeball, “Tell me, can you find Zekrom?”
Reshiram nodded.
Hilda’s heart felt like it stopped for a moment. “Is he- are they okay?”
Reshiram nodded once again.
Was it truly okay for her to be thinking that this was a real possibility now? Her thoughts were screaming at her to go, yet she still hesitated. It was late. But she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep anyway.
“Are they far away from here?” Hilda asked.
Another nod.
Perhaps they could get there by the morning so it wouldn't be too late still. She couldn't just leave suddenly- she had to tell Cynthia. She wouldn't abandon her friends again.
Hilda turned heel and ran back inside. As she hurried out of the room, she saw Cynthia sitting in her library, reading a book.
“Cynthia! I-”
“I know, Hilda. Go for it. You can do it.” Cynthia said with a smile.
“Thank you! I'll be back, I promise!”
…
Hilda got her stuff ready and met with Reshiram again. “You know what to do, my friend.”
Atop Reshiram, they soared towards the moonlit sky. She waved goodbye to Cynthia. She would never be able to repay her kindness for taking in a foreign stranger who she battled once. She'd try to find a way, someday.
The flight was long, yet calming. Living in Sinnoh for the last 3 years meant that Hilda had adapted to the cold easily, and had many clothes to keep her warm now. Along with Reshiram’s body warmth, she felt herself drifting off into sleep. The best sleep she’d had in a long time.
She awoke as the sun began to rise, but found that they still flew over the vast ocean. With a yawn, she sat up and tried to make note of anything on the horizon. Nothing but ocean. It was notably warmer than Sinnoh’s cold temperature, though. She unzipped her jacket and folded it into her bag.
“Any clue on how much longer?” She asked Reshiram, not really expecting a response.
Reshiram let out a loud cry, which Hilda didn’t really understand. She just assumed it was Reshiram’s way of getting her to shut up.
She sighed and looked at her bag again, finding her other Pokeballs looking back at her. She wished she could let them out for a moment, but she really had no clue how long it would be until they even found land again.
The last time she had been on a long trip like this was when she flew to Sinnoh. She left in the night that time as well, leaving a note behind for her mom and sneaking out on her own so as to not be noticed. She didn’t like remembering that night much. It brought back a lot of feelings she had tried to forget. Deep sadness, which turned into numbness as she turned her back on everything she knew.
But things could be different now. At least they could be if Hilda allowed it to be different. As anxious as the idea made her, this was her first step. She had to see him again. Tell him all the words she wanted to say over the last 3 years.
Her thoughts wandered off, wondering what he had done this whole time. Perhaps he got out of Unova and also settled into some other far off region. Or maybe he was exploring every inch of every region, seeing everything he could. Did he miss her? Did he miss Unova? The idea of swapping stories made her smile- a real, genuine smile.
She wished that they had more opportunities to talk during their rivalry. Their conversations were usually cut short due to their battles. He always would tell her about Team Plasma plans, which seemed strange at the time. Why would someone tell their greatest rival- the one person who might be able to stop you- about all your plans? It had taken a long time for Hilda to truly understand that he wanted her to challenge him and his ideals. He wanted her to prove him wrong after he saw that his world view was wrong. She had proved him wrong long before he could admit it. He was testing her resolve- a test she passed with flying colors.
Back then, Hilda was just so focused. Focused on a role she had been given by everyone around her. N set her on the path, called her to be the destined one to wake Reshiram. Everyone else was so sure she would be the one to fight back and stop Team Plasma. She couldn’t let them all down. All she wanted out of her journey originally was just to see the world and take on the Pokemon League. Sure, she did accomplish both of those things- but they weren’t on her own terms.
Immediately after Team Plasma was disbanded, everyone was keen on calling her “The Hero of Unova”. What a terrible title. She didn’t deserve that praise. She didn’t do it to be a hero. It had to be done. She wouldn’t allow Team Plasma to force people and Pokemon apart. She did what was right- not to be crowned a savior or anything like that. She didn’t want fame or fortune. She hated the spotlight. The extra attention was exhausting. Hilda went from a regular girl to the local celebrity and it was horrible.
Article after article was written about the Team Plasma conflict, and the “brave soul” who challenged them- just like the ones Cynthia had read about. She cringed thinking about the fact that these tabloid articles had made news around the globe. She was so thankful that no one in Sinnoh recognized her. Apparently Sinnoh doesn’t get much tourism due to the extreme cold weather most of the year, so the locals keep to themselves. Some enjoy the pop culture of other regions, but mostly only close by regions, such as Hoenn, Kanto, or Johto. Unova is quite far from Sinnoh, so no one would know who she was.
Instead, Hilda was able to make her own name for herself in Sinnoh. She took on the Sinnoh Pokemon League all on her own. She traveled town-to-town, taking things at her own pace. Studying the environments and the Pokemon she came across. The region required some adapting to, but she came to really love the nature of Sinnoh. Eventually, she had earned all 8 gym badges and challenged the Elite 4 and Champion. That was when she first met Cynthia.
Hilda declined to be written in the records of Sinnoh Champions- it just didn’t feel necessary to her. This was more to prove to herself that she could do it over some title or acclaim. Cynthia took much interest in her, asking many questions about where she was from. Cynthia had been to Unova before, so she understood much of what Hilda would share with her. Cynthia would invite Hilda to stay with her and teach her more about Sinnoh- its culture, Pokemon, and legends. They would battle often to practice new strategies, and the two formed a close friendship- one Hilda would always treasure. If it wasn’t for Cynthia, she would still feel alone in this world.
Hilda snapped out of her daydream when Reshiram let out another loud cry.
“Everything okay, Reshiram?” Hilda asked.
Reshiram made a slight nod, which she trusted. Perhaps they were getting close? There seemed to be land on the horizon now. Where were they?
They flew closer and closer, but Hilda did not recognize this environment. They flew past the coast line, going further into this region. Wherever they were, it seemed nice. They flew past towns, fields full of colorful flowers, and big cities. It was a beautiful place- somewhere Hilda would love to explore.
Reshiram stopped over a forest, letting out another cry. Hilda held her breath- was this it? Was it time? Was he here?
A powerful Pokemon cry could be heard in the distance. She recognized that cry. She couldn’t forget it… Zekrom.
Reshiram descended into the forest, finding a clear spot to land. Hilda jumped down off of Reshiram, and upon grounding herself her eyes darted around. There had to be something around, a landmark, a path. Someway to lead her to him.
“Reshiram, which way do I go?” Hilda asked. She needed guidance. Yet Reshiram did not respond or make any indication. Instead, Reshiram looked up to the sky.
It wasn’t long before the sky grew dark, and above her she could see the dark dragon, Zekrom.
“Zekrom! It’s really you!” Hilda called out. Zekrom stayed in the sky, but cried out to them. She figured she should maybe just wait here, like Reshiram said. But the wait made her even more restless. Her heart was beating way faster than normal, and she just wanted to run and find him herself. Hilda wasn’t the most patient girl. She still looked around, but this forest was thick. She could barely see past the trees.
“Hilda…? Is it really you?”
Hilda whipped around. Behind her, from the forest path she could see him. The same N she knew before. Her legs moved on their own as she sprinted towards him.
Was this a dream? Would she wake up any moment now, tormented by memories of him?
No, this was very real. Her arms wrapped around his torso as she finally reached him. He was real. He was here.
“N… I…” her words failed her. She felt his arms around her and he pulled her into a tight embrace.
“You’re really here, Hilda. I thought I’d never see you again.” He said quietly. Did he dream of this day too?
She finally looked up at him, “It’s been a while, huh?” She laughed. Suddenly, she felt like she could joke around about the situation.
“Indeed. Three years, am I correct?” he asked.
“Yeah… Three.” She responded.
“Where have you been all this time? I had heard you left Unova a while back.” He asked, his smile faded into a more worried expression.
“Me? I wondered where you had gone! Well, I ended up in Sinnoh for the last 3 years.” She didn’t want to ruin the moment by explaining why she left and why she stayed for so long.
“Oh, Sinnoh!” His face lit up, “I haven’t been there yet. I had been exploring some of the other regions the last few years. I’ve seen so many things, Hilda. So many things I wished you could see as well.”
She felt a bit bashful at the idea, and she tried to suppress a blush. “Speaking of, where are we right now? I don’t recognize this region.”
“The lovely Kalos region! It’s been such a joy to explore. So many fascinating pokemon and landscapes. This forest is nicknamed the Pokemon Village. I had heard some legends that most people didn’t know how to navigate the forest to find the Pokemon here, but I found my way through quite easily. I’ve met so many Pokemon here that helped guide me. Zekrom and I have been here for a while.” N said.
“Kalos… I don’t really know much about it, but it did seem nice when we flew over it.” Hilda commented.
“Zekrom told me that he could sense Reshiram getting closer and closer all morning. He heard her cry and we waited and waited. I was so surprised, honestly. I never thought we would cross paths again.” N’s voice seemed a bit sad.
“Why? I… I wanted to see you sooner, but I didn’t know how to find you. A friend who studies legendary Pokemon told me that Reshiram and Zekrom could find each other, no matter the distance. So… I had to test that out.” Hilda felt a little embarrassed opening up, but she couldn’t hide anything from him.
“I had gone back to Unova, about a year after I had set out on my own. I stayed in the shadows- I didn’t want others to recognize me and think I was back to cause problems. I know how bad my actions affected everyone back then. But I felt like I wanted to see you then- to see what you had been doing. I listened around, but your friends spoke about you like you had gone. I overheard that you had left Unova suddenly…” He paused, thinking about how he wanted to word things, “I assumed that you didn’t want to be there anymore. It was my fault that you felt that way. I ruined your life, and I fear I will never be able to do anything to make it up to you.”
She was stunned. In no universe could she be mad at him. It wasn’t his fault he was put into a role his “father” assigned him.
“No! You didn’t ruin my life, N. It was all on me. I left because I was scared and I felt alone.” She looked away, avoiding all eye contact, “I didn’t know what to do after everything that happened. Everyone kept calling me some kind of hero and wanted me to be a public celebrity. I just couldn’t handle it so I left. It wasn’t your fault- we both were put in this tough situation.”
“But I chose you to be my rival, my counterpart. I set you on my warped path.”
“Reshiram wouldn’t have revived for anyone- only the chosen hero. It would have always been me. We always would have been in this position- no matter what. My friend said we will always be linked together- like some kind of soul link.” Hilda said.
“Soul link? Is that why I trusted you, even when I wanted to see my ideals win out?” N asked.
“Maybe? I don’t exactly know how it works. But I do know that it means that we would’ve always found each other again. I spent the last 3 years thinking about when I’d see you again, but I was too scared to go out and find you. I-I’m quite the disappointment.” Hilda said with a self-depricating little laugh.
“What are you talking about? You could never be a disappointment! You are still the same as you were then- I still see the fire in your eyes. Reshiram still speaks highly of you. You are the same person. What did you do during your time in Sinnoh?” He asked, earnestly.
“I journeyed around, and I completed the Pokemon League.” She grabbed her badge case from her bag, showing the 8 Sinnoh gym badges, and a special badge given to her by Cynthia, showcasing her as a Champion-level trainer.
“See- you’re still incredible. The best trainer I’ve seen.” He smiled.
“N-no, I'm sure there’s plenty of stronger trainers out there. You were a Champion-level trainer as well. You were equally as skilled.” She pointed out.
“I could never beat you. You always did outmatch me. Besides, I don’t battle anymore. I put that behind me. I set my other Pokemon free. They deserved better. It's just me and Zekrom now.” He looked towards the dark dragon, “I used to not understand why a Pokemon would choose to stay with a trainer, but you showed me why. I now understand the trust and the bond a human and a Pokemon can have together.”
He has grown so much, but he still has that kindness within him. He still is the same boy she met back then.
“Come, follow me! Let me show you some of the Pokemon around here!” He grabbed her hand and dragged her off.
“Oh- okay! Let’s go!” Hilda was caught off-guard, but couldn’t find herself complaining.
The forest was full of Pokemon within its trees- many of which she had never seen before. She used her free hand to grab her Pokedex to try to scan as many as she could. She was sure Professor Juniper would forgive her absence with all this Pokemon data from other regions.
N introduced her to some of the Pokemon in the area, and Hilda had let her Pokemon out of their Pokeballs so they could explore and see the new environment.
“This place… it’s beautiful.” Hilda commented.
“It really is. I was lucky to have found it. I had visited a few regions the last few years. I saw Alola, Galar, and Paldea before landing here.” He looked up at the sky, “Each one equally intriguing and exhilarating to explore. I think you’d like them all.”
“We really were on quite different parts of the planet,” she laughed. “But I trust your judgement. I’m sure I would love them all. I think you’d like Sinnoh too. It’s rich with old, traditional culture and mythology. My friend, Cynthia, studies the mythology of Sinnoh. It’s a very cold region, with a huge mountain splitting it in half. It’s also close to Johto, Kanto, and Hoenn, so they share a lot of culture.”
“Hilda…. We should see the world together.”
She thought it might’ve been a fun idea, but as she turned towards him, she could see he was taking this seriously. “R-really?” She asked.
“Yes! We both want to, I can show you the places I’ve seen, and you can show me Sinnoh. Plus, we’ll get to stay together- we won’t have to be apart.” His naivety was cute.
“N… I would love to.” She felt a huge grin on her face. “But there’s some things I need to do first.”
“You want to go home first.”
“Yeah. I need to make sure that everyone knows I’m okay. I owe it to them after leaving them all suddenly. I understand if you don’t want to go back either. I can make it quick, and I’ll meet you-”
“No, I’ll go too. It’ll be a fresh start for both of us back home.” He interrupted.
“Are you sure?” She couldn’t help but ask. She wasn’t sure how kind people would be to him if the citizens of Unova still remembered the Team Plasma conflict.
“I’m positive. We’ll face it together. I don’t expect people to want me there, but I deserve it for what I tried to do back then.” He meant every word he spoke. Hilda didn’t like the idea of people potentially being rude to him. She was sure most people didn’t understand the true story behind Team Plasma, and that Ghetsis was the true evil behind it all. N wasn’t innocent, but he wasn’t malicious.
“I’ll be there too, so we’ll deal with all that gossip that will come up- together.” She reached for his hand.
“Yes…” He took her hand and the two fell silent.
This is what she wanted all this time. She was still afraid she would wake up and be reminded that it was all a dream. But her hand in his was the very real reminder that this was reality.
This was the start of something new. They could live out their hopes and dreams, together.
First off, they had to confront the past. See the faces Hilda had tried to forget for the last 3 years. She was scared to see them again, but he gave her strength. No matter what, they would have each other. Tonight, they enjoyed their reunion, tomorrow morning, they set off for home.