Chapter 625: N's Second Battle
~N H. POV~
[Unova Region, Nacrene City – Nacrene Museum]
*Thud*
The heavy wooden doors of the Nacrene Museum groaned shut behind me, sealing away the whispers of ancient fossils and the clinking armor of knights long turned to dust. I stood on the broad stone steps, the damp Unova air clinging to my skin, tasting of the nearby Pinwheel Forest's damp moss and the dry parchment of Lenora's library.
The weight of the Basic Badge in my pocket felt less like a trophy and more like a leaden shackle. This badge is merely a cold reminder of a victory built on a foundation I loathed. Earning it felt dirty, a compromise with a system I had sworn to tear down. Yet, deep inside the complicated maze of my mind, I knew the bitter truth.
To summon one of the Dragons of Legends—Reshiram, the embodiment of Truth, or Zekrom, the fiery pulse of Ideals—I needed to prove myself a hero worthy of their gaze. More than that, I needed to understand the enigma that was Azure Sky.
*Rustle—Scuffle*
Snivy shifted on my left shoulder, her green leaves brushing against my cheek, while Zorua trotted faithfully by my heels, his illusory disguise momentarily dropped to reveal his true, soot-colored form. They were my anchors, the few creatures I truly believed trusted me without the artificial barrier of a Poké Ball.
As I stepped out of the Nacrene Museum, the crisp, salt-tinged air of the harbor city filled my lungs, but it brought no clarity. The sunlight glinted off the cobblestone streets, reflecting against the ancient, repurposed warehouses that gave this city its soul. To the world, I was a Trainer who had just bested Lenora.
To myself, I was a hypocrite.
Why must the liberation of my friends be paved with the very thing that imprisons them?
The question felt like an unsolvable equation, a recursive loop of logic that gnawed at my mind. To reach a future where Pokémon are perfect, where they are no longer tools for human ambition, I needed the strength of the Dragons of Legend. Truth or Ideals—one of them had to see the purity of my heart. But the journey there required these battles. It required the very thing I despised.
But my mind was haunted by the memory of our first battle in Accumula Town. My first encounter with him—Azure Sky.
He was a variable I hadn't accounted for. My Purrloin, Gurdurr, and Snivy had been defeated, yet he hadn't gloated. Instead, he had offered me healing items. He had looked at my fainting friends with a compassion that seemed... genuine?
But how could it be?
He kept them in those suffocating spheres.
He commanded them.
And yet, their voices...
He hadn't sneered. He hadn't preached. He had just listened to the voices of his Zweilous, Axew, and Zorua, moving with a terrifying, effortless synchronicity that left me questioning every puzzle piece of my philosophy.
I had sought out the Gym Leaders across Unova to find answers...
The Striaton trio had babbled on about their own perspectives, and Lenora had spoken of happiness found in cooperation.
None of it fit.
None of it solved the equation.
And then, as if summoned by my turbulent thoughts, he was standing right there at the museum entrance. I stopped at the entrance of the museum gates. The city hummed around me—the distant clack-clack of a cart, the cries of Pidoves overhead.
And then, I saw him... Azure.
I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil in my chest, "You're here."
Azure looked up, seemingly surprised to see me. He replied in a friendly tone, "N. You've been busy."
My eyes narrowed. I needed to know…
*Tmp-tmp-tmp*
I needed to solve the puzzle that was this man. I stepped forward, each footfall echoing against the stone.
I began, the words tumbling out as I tried to bridge the gap between our worlds, "I... I want to see things no one can see. The ideals of Pokémon inside Poké Balls. The truth of how Trainers should be. And a future where Pokémon have become perfect... do you feel the same?"
I watched his face. I expected hesitation.
I expected a long-winded explanation of 'friendship' and 'partnership' that humans use to justify their dominance...
But instead…
Azure said firmly, "No."
The word was a guillotine blade. Fast. Firm. Absolute.
I paused, the air leaving my lungs in a sharp hiss. A flicker of disappointment, sharp as a needle, pierced me. I eyed him in a disappointed tone, not expecting that answer. I muttered sadly, "Huh. I expected more from you."
I felt the shifting of the air beside me. My closest companions, Snivy and Zorua, materialized at my sides. Zorua's Fur was ruffled, his eyes gleaming with a mischievous but protective light. I said firmly, my voice hardening in a resolute tone, "Now pay attention… My friends and I will test you to see if you can see this future too."
Zorua let out a low growl. He barked aloud, but only I could hear his voice vibrate in my mind, "Zorua!! (Let's see if his heart matches his words, N!)."
*Whoosh*
With a shimmer of purple light, Zorua's Illusion flickered and died, revealing the three friends who had volunteered to stand by me today: a Sigilyph, its ancient eyes swirling with psychic energy; a Shiftry, its leafy fans twitching in the breeze; and a Boldore, its orange crystals humming with subterranean power.
Azure didn't flinch. He reached for three Poké Balls at his belt. He smiled as he saw my challenge and responded with a confident grin, "If a test is what you want, N, then a test is what you'll get. Let's go, team!"
*Click—Pop—Vwoom*
In three flashes of light, his team appeared. A Braviary, its feathers pristine and chest puffed out; a Larvesta, its white fuzz shimmering like heat haze; and a Pawniard, its twin blades glinting with a lethal, silver sheen.
The atmosphere shifted instantly. The Triple Battle was set.
I commanded, "Sigilyph, take to the sky!"
Sigilyph rose, its cry a haunting, melodious whistle. It dove toward the Braviary, its psychic energies coiling like serpents, "SCREEEEE-EEEE!"
But Azure was faster.
Azure shouted, "Braviary, use Brave Bird! Strong Style!"
The great bird let out a deafening, "SCREEE-AWW!"
*Fwp-Fwp—BOOOM*
Its body became enveloped in a blue, flickering aura of pure kinetic force. It didn't just fly; it tore through the air, shattering Sigilyph's psychic shields as if they were glass. The impact was a dull thud that vibrated in my teeth.
*THUD*
As they clashed, I leaned in.
I didn't watch the moves; I listened to the voice.
The Braviary's heart was a drum of duty. The bird's spirit bellowed, 'I will not falter! Master raised me from a cold shell. He is the father I chose. I am the Alpha of this pack, and I will not disappoint the one who gave me the sky!'
*Thud*
Sigilyph fell, its ancient form unable to withstand the sheer physical resolve of a creature that fought for more than just victory—it fought for a debt of love. I couldn't understand this puzzle, but my focus shifted to the next battle.
I shouted, "Shiftry, Leaf Tornado!"
But Azure countered, "Larvesta, Fire Spin! Strong Style!"
*Fwooosh*
Shiftry whipped up a violent gale of razor-sharp leaves, a green vortex that threatened to swallow the small bug Pokémon. But Larvesta didn't retreat. She planted her small feet into the cobblestones.
*FWOOOOSH*
A ring of white-hot fire erupted, spiraling upward to meet the leaves. The smell of burning ozone and scorched earth filled the plaza. Larvesta followed up with a torrent of Flamethrower, her flames turning blue at the edges.
I closed my eyes, focusing on the Larvesta. Her voice was a warm, golden hum. I heard her resolute voice, 'The desert was cold at night... we were starving. The hive was dying. Then he came. He brought the sun back to us. No more hunger. No more struggling for a single scrap of moss. I was a Queen without a kingdom, and he gave me a world. I will shine for him until I become the sun itself!'
*HISSSS*
Larvesta lunged forward, her body a streak of crimson. Azure commanded, "Larvesta! Strong Style Flare Blitz!"
*BOOOM*
Shiftry was eclipsed by the brilliance. The fire was overwhelming, not because of its heat, but because of the gratitude fueling it. Shiftry collapsed, his wooden fans charred. Only Boldore remained. He faced the Pawniard.
Boldore rumbled, his voice a deep, tectonic vibration. He asked the metallic Pokémon, 'Why? Why do you serve? You are a warrior. You could be free. You could rule the mountains. Do you not wish for your own happiness?'
The Pawniard didn't answer with words at first. He narrowed his eyes, his bladed arms crossing in a defensive "X."
Azure commanded, "Pawniard, Iron Head! Strong Style!"
*CLANG*
The Pawniard launched himself like a silver bolt. He didn't just strike; he drove his head into Boldore's rocky face with a sickening CRUNCH!
*CRUNCH*
But they didn't relent; Azure followed up, "Metal Claw!"
*SHRING*
The Pawniard's blades glowed with a cold, steely light. He carved a deep gash into Boldore's side. Boldore tried to retreat, to find footing, but the Pawniard was relentless. Azure commanded, "Pursuit!"
*Zoooom—BASH*
As Boldore turned, the Pawniard vanished into a shadow, reappearing behind the rock-type and delivering a brutal, punishing blow that sent Boldore skidding across the pavement to stop at my feet.
*Thud*
Boldore lay still, its core flickering out.
I froze, the breath trapped in my throat. I didn't just see the defeat; I felt Pawniard's mind. There was no fear there. No Stockholm syndrome. Only a terrifying, razor-sharp loyalty born of absolute awe.
The Pawniard stood over the fainted Boldore, his expression devoid of mercy. Finally, his voice reached me—cold, sharp, and utterly certain. Pawniard crossed its blade-arms, its eyes fixing on me with undisguised contempt.
The Pawniard spat, his thoughts like ice shards as I listened intently to his voice, cold and confident, 'Liberate me? Save such rubbish for those that give a damn. I followed the 'Master' because he showed me a path to the peak. He showed me that even an ordinary blade can cut through the heavens if forged correctly. I didn't get 'liberated' by you humans. I freed myself by choosing a Master worth my time. Keep your preaching to yourself, boy, or I'll cut you down where you stand!'
My mind reeled. Freed itself... by choosing?
The Pawniard's eyes drifted toward Azure's Pikachu and Eevee. There was no resentment there—only a fierce, burning ambition to reach their level. To be a legend. I stood frozen. The silence that followed the battle was heavier than the noise.
Azure said proudly, his voice warm as he recalled his team, "Good job, everyone! Glad to see the training paid off!"
The Braviary landed softly, nuzzling Azure's hand before disappearing into the red light of the sphere. I looked down at my three fallen friends...
Zorua stepped forward, his form shimmering as an Audino appeared beside him—a hidden ally I had kept in reserve to heal our wounds. Something I learned from my last encounter needing a healer for my friends after my first encounter…
I whispered, "Heal Pulse…"
*Hummm*
The Audino hummed, a soothing pink light bathing the fainted Pokémon. They stirred, their pains ebbing away, but their spirits remained troubled by the words they had heard. I looked at Azure. He was watching me, his arms crossed as he said firmly, "You're trying to solve the world like it's a math problem, N. But Pokémon aren't numbers. They're alive. And living beings. They don't always want what you think they should."
I gritted my teeth. The puzzle was becoming more complex, not less. The voices of his Pokémon... they weren't the voices of slaves. They were the voices of zealots. Of partners who had found a purpose I couldn't understand.
I said, my voice trembling with a mixture of frustration and newfound resolve, "Right now, my friends aren't strong enough to save all Pokémon. Maybe I can't solve the equation that will change the world yet."
I looked at my hands, then back at Azure. I stared directly into Azure's unreadable eyes, declaring in a determined tone, "So, I need power... power powerful enough to make anyone agree with me. You included, Azure."
I turned to leave, my cloak billowing in the wind. I didn't need to see his face to know he was smiling. Azure's voice trailed after me, light and challenging. He said in a confident tone, "Sure thing, N! Just try your best."
I walked away from the museum, the cobblestones feeling harder under my boots. I needed the Dragon. I needed the ultimate authority. If the truth was this messy, I would create a new truth. I would become the hero, and then—only then—would the voices finally harmonize.
/////
~N's Snivy POV~
[Unova Region, Nacrene City – Outskirts]
The grass was cool beneath my belly, but it provided no comfort.
I watched N. I had been with him for a long time, longer than most. I saw the way he looked at the world—with a pained, desperate love that most humans couldn't even fathom. He was kind. He was gentle.
But as we walked toward the edge of the city, away from the man called Azure, a familiar routine began. One that made my leaves curl with a bitterness I couldn't name. Since we left the city, I had watched him.
He had taken care of our friends—Audino had used her gentle healing touch on Boldore, and Zorua had nuzzled the stone-type back into a semblance of comfort. But as soon as we crossed the city limits, away from prying human eyes, N had done something that made my stomach turn into a knot of cold iron.
N stopped in a small clearing near the forest's edge. He knelt before the Sigilyph, the Shiftry, and the Boldore. N whispered, his voice thick with emotion, "Thank you, my friends, for being with me…"
He reached out and stroked Boldore's rough hide. But then said sadly, "You fought bravely. But I cannot keep you bound to me. Go. Find your happiness in the wild. Be free from the meddling of humans."
The three Pokémon looked at each other. The Boldore let out a low, mournful rumble. The Shiftry's fans drooped. They didn't run. They didn't leap for joy. They stood there, looking at N with eyes that asked, 'Why?'
They had fought for him. They had bled for him. And now, he was casting them aside in the name of a 'freedom' they hadn't asked for.
N turned away, his shoulders slumped. He muttered, "Go on. Please."
Reluctantly, the trio began to shuffle into the woods. They looked back once, twice, their silhouettes disappearing into the thickening shadows of the trees. I stood beside Zorua and the Audino, watching them go. My narrow eyes followed their retreating forms, and then I looked at N's back.
Selfish, I thought. The word was a sharp thorn in my mind.
He thinks he is being kind. He thinks he is 'saving' them.
But he never asked if they wanted to stay. He never asked if they wanted to see the end of this journey with him. He treats them like temporary tools, used for a battle and then discarded to keep his conscience clean.
He claims to hate the humans who use Pokémon, but isn't this its own kind of usage? To take their loyalty and then throw it away?
I looked at my own small, green claws. I respected N. I truly did. He was the only human who bothered to listen. But my patience was a finite resource, a vine that could only stretch so far before it snapped.
I thought of the Pawniard back at the museum. His words resonated with me: 'I freed myself by choosing a Master worth my time.'
The words haunted me.
I am a Snivy. I have pride. I have standards. I follow N because I believe in his heart, but if his heart continues to be blinded by this narrow 'truth' of his... if he continues to abandon those who give him their all...
I looked at Zorua. He seemed content, his loyalty to N absolute. He was the favorite. He was the one N would never release.
But I? I was just another 'friend' in the sequence.
I followed N as he began to walk again, my head held high, my expression unreadable. I would stay for now. I would see if he could truly become the hero he claimed to be. But the moment he tried to 'liberate' me against my will—or the moment his hypocrisy became too heavy to bear—I would find my own path.
Perhaps I would go back to the wild...
Or perhaps I would find a Trainer like Azure—someone who didn't just listen to voices, but understood the weight of the partners and friends behind them.
For now, I walked in his shadow. But my eyes were no longer looking at the horizon N pointed toward. They were looking at him, waiting for the moment the hero would finally fail the friend standing right beside him.
Hmph, I puffed a small breath of air through my nose, my tail flicking with a sharp, decisive motion. Don't disappoint me, N. Because unlike the others... I won't just walk into the woods quietly.
/////
A/N: Hope you like the chapter!
Also, side note: I have a question for you guys. DO you guys want Iris to be Azure's traveling companion or not?