"I just want to reason with you," Caleb said, "I hope you understand what you're really doing."
At this point, Kyurem had calmed down too. Continuing the battle would be meaningless.
It fell silent, its golden, regal eyes fixed on Caleb. After a moment, Caleb felt the air around him grow warmer.
The white mist swirled back into Kyurem's body like it had a will of its own, revealing the ruined streets and shattered ground beneath.
It had withdrawn its Frost Aura...
Caleb let out a quiet sigh of relief. That massive battle had drained his Viridian aura heavily. And since the Viridian Power was tied to his own stamina, he now felt utterly exhausted.
Kyurem noticed and said: >..You're out of energy..<
Caleb's expression didn't waver as he replied, "But my Pokémon still have plenty."
Kyurem's gaze swept over the two Mewtwos. It let out a low huff, neither agreeing nor denying.
Just then, Caitlin and the others finally arrived with their Pokémon.
"Is it over?" Caitlin asked, surprised.
"Yes, it is," Cynthia replied.
The townspeople stared at the rubble around them, faces heavy with sorrow:
"Our home…"
A few Electrodes sparked with electricity, glaring angrily at the one responsible for all this..
Kyurem: "…"
For the first time, the mighty and proud dragon felt a pang of guilt.
But its pride wouldn't let it apologize. So it just threw up its claws and growled: >..Fine. What do you want me to do?..<
It knew it wouldn't be allowed to leave easily today...
Caitlin heard the telepathic words and instinctively looked to Caleb, who stood at the front.
So did the townspeople.
Caleb suddenly felt a headache coming on.
Kyurem had caused massive damage to the Unova League. But it was still a Pokémon; it had no money, no assets. Expecting compensation was pointless.
If it couldn't pay, then the only option was servitude.
But who would it serve?
And in this situation, saying something like "As compensation, you must let me capture you" would be wildly inappropriate.
Yet every Trainer dreamed of bonding with a powerful Pokémon. Letting this chance slip felt regretful.
"…"
After a long pause, Caleb finally let go of the idea of catching it. Instead, he spoke firmly, "As reparation, I ask that from this day forward, you protect this land and every human and Pokémon who lives upon it."
His words echoed through the falling snow like an ancient vow.
Kyurem froze for a moment, then looked deeply at the young man standing tall in the snowstorm.
In that moment, the dragon who had pierced chaos, severed dimensions, and walked the world alone gave humanity its most solemn promise: >..I will..<
As it spoke, brilliant white light enveloped its body.
From within that glow, the summoned Reshiram and Zekrom separated from Kyurem, then dissolved into starlight and returned to their original worlds.
A pact between dragon and human was forged.
Perhaps far in the future, the tale of what happened in Icirrus City would become legend. Countless trainers would journey to Unova, searching through forests and mountains for traces of this forgotten history...
"Is it really over?" Caitlin murmured, watching Kyurem vanish into the horizon.
*Ding!*
[Main quest completed!]
[Rewards and points will be issued upon leaving the Instance!]
[Return to Infinite World now? If not, you will be returned automatically in 24 hours.]
Caleb looked at the floating panel and nodded, "Yes. It's over."
The gloomy sky finally began to clear.
Caitlin dramatically exhaled, "Finally…"
Sunlight broke through the clouds, shining down on the ruins and bathing the survivors in warmth.
Smiles returned to the faces of humans and Pokémon alike.
The storm had passed. The living would carry their fallen comrades' wills into the dawn of a new future...
...
On a rooftop beyond the crowd, N watched the scene below. His cold lips finally curved into a gentle smile.
Yes.
This is the future humans and Pokémon should share.
The path to a world of Truth and Ideals…
He had found it.
That man is Caleb, is he?
…
Mewtwo's telepathy echoed in Caleb's mind: >..Someone is watching you. Upper right. Rooftop..<
Caleb frowned inwardly. He looked up and saw a figure in a cap with green hair. One name flashed in his mind: N.
N didn't panic at being discovered. He simply nodded gratefully at Caleb from afar, then released Reshiram and rode off into the sky.
"Come on, Caleb-chan! The townspeople are throwing us a celebration party tonight! It's still early, we should help out!" Caitlin and Cynthia called from ahead, already a good distance away.
Caleb turned back and jogged to catch up. He grumbled, "Don't call me that. It sounds weird."
"Why not?" Caitlin asked curiously, her head tilted.
Caleb shot her a look, "Then I'll call you Caitlin-chan, or Caitlin-kun, or maybe Caitlin-tan."
Caitlin: "…"
She imagined it and shuddered, "Yeah… never mind."
Beside them, Cynthia listened to their banter, a soft smile playing on her lips. Her mood was clearly light.
…
And so, the Unova crisis came to a close.
Caleb hadn't even participated in the main battlefield, the 'Awakening of Kyurem' clash. But players from both factions suffered heavy losses due to Kyurem's chaotic emergence.
Alder and the others recovered quickly thanks to top-tier medical resources.
The Dragon-type Pokémon Yamamoto Takashi had captured were returned to their Trainers. The crimes of the noble families he led were made public.
The people of Unova delivered their final judgment.
The only regret was that Ghetsis, leader of Team Plasma, remained missing.
But since the main quest was complete, and Caleb still had all three chances of the Book of Answers unused, he took the chance to ask for Team Plasma's base location and Ghetsis's whereabouts.
He handed that intel to Alder and the League to deal with.
As for himself? After the victory feast, he bid farewell to Caitlin and traveled back to Johto with Cynthia to visit Lily...