Zekrom lay on its stomach in the crater, badly wounded and exhausted.
It looked up at Reshiram standing tall in the distance. To be frank... Zekrom was jealous.
It had taken the first step years ago, choosing to follow Team Plasma's King, N, believing the boy could implement true Ideals.
But in the end, N was powerless. He was manipulated by Ghetsis, and Zekrom itself had been forced into a humiliating, mindless fusion.
Following such a "Hero" had been an absolute disaster.
On the other hand, Reshiram had chosen Sam.
The White Dragon's life was infinitely better.
Warmed and nourished by Sam's three Divine Powers, Reshiram was already showing signs of breaking through its limits, trending toward the absolute peak of its Legendaryly tier.
Same origins, different fates, Zekrom thought bitterly.
If given the choice, Zekrom naturally hoped to be subdued by Sam.
But judging from the current situation, the man had no interest in hoarding both dragons.
Zekrom put away the grudge in its heart and focused its glowing red eyes on the blonde woman standing before it. Cynthia.
In Zekrom's perception, this Heroine had an incredibly close, unbreakable bond with the man who possessed the Divine Powers.
Perhaps being subdued by this woman was the next best choice. At the very least, Sam would probably heal it by association.
And regarding the "Ideal" Cynthia had just declared...
'Defeat Sam.'
To defeat the man who commanded the Sky High Pokémon and the Dragon of Truth.
'How amusing', Zekrom thought.
'What a delightfully arrogant, impossible ideal.'
Following such a fierce Trainer seemed to perfectly meet its expectations.
Using its telepathy, Zekrom projected its deep, echoing voice into the minds of Sam and Cynthia.
"Human... your Ideal is highly amusing. It burns with a fierce, blinding light."
"I accept. I shall follow your will, and together, we shall accomplish your grand Ideal."
Zekrom's weak but resolute voice rang in their ears.
Hearing the dragon's acceptance, Cynthia's face lit up with absolute euphoria.
She proudly tilted her chin up, giving Sam a smug, triumphant look.
It seemed the Legendary Dragon was truly moved by her lofty ambitions!
Sam just smiled dotingly. Although Zekrom wasn't exactly his aesthetic, it was still a powerful Legend.
Having his fiancée subdue it was a fantastic outcome.
"As long as you follow me, I will treat you well," Cynthia promised fiercely.
"Come on! Let's make it official!"
"ROOOAAAR!"
Zekrom didn't hesitate. With a low growl, its massive body began to shrink.
The black light condensed rapidly, folding inward until the giant dragon transformed into a single, heavy artifact: The Dark Stone.
It floated gently into Cynthia's waiting hands.
The moment her fingers closed around the warm surface of the Dark Stone, an unbreakable bond formed between her and Zekrom.
"YES!!!"
"I caught Zekrom!"
"I have a Legendary Pokémon!"
Cynthia, holding the Dark Stone high in the air, jumped straight into Sam's arms with a joyous squeal.
Her excitement was threefold. First, she had just caught a Legendary.
With Zekrom's power, she would be completely unstoppable in the upcoming World Coronation Series.
Second, she had felt unprecedented pressure from Sabrina's bold declarations.
But now? Now she had a Dragon Legendary. She had absolute authority.
She could firmly crush any illusions that psychic had of taking her place, securing her throne as Sam's one and only fiancée.
Third, and most importantly, Cynthia was a warrior in her bones.
Every time Sam faced a world-ending threat, she hated having to stand back and watch. She wanted to fight with him.
Now, with Zekrom, she could stand by his side against anything.
Sam didn't know all the thoughts racing through the excited little girl's head.
He just wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her tight so she wouldn't fall over.
"Oh! Wait!" Cynthia suddenly shouted, looking down at the crater.
"We can't forget the DNA Splicers!"
She looked at Sam with a wicked grin.
"Through the Splicers, it's possible to fuse Zekrom and Kyurem. Since we caught both of them, they're a perfect match!"
"If we ever encounter an annoying Rival in the future, we can just fuse the two dragons into Black Kyurem and beat them up!"
Sam chuckled at her violent enthusiasm. He leaned in close, his voice dropping to a teasing, flirtatious whisper.
"Since we are the Trainers of the two dragons... does that mean we should merge together too?"
Cynthia's face instantly turned bright red.
She gave Sam a playful glare, but a sweet smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
"Yes~"
"Oh?" Sam's eyes lit up.
"What about your special training for the Championship Ranking Match? Don't you need to grind?"
Holding the Dark Stone securely against her chest, Cynthia tossed her blonde hair confidently.
"With Zekrom, facing Leon is a joke! One Bolt Strike and his Charizard is toast! What 'Unbeatable Champion'? In front of me, he's just a stepping stone!"
Cynthia was ecstatic, and Sam's mood was equally fantastic.
She no longer had to ignore her own needs to grind in the wilderness.
And thinking of the romantic plans they had left on hold back at their villa, Sam's heart grew hot.
"Well then," Sam said, waving his hand toward the horizon.
"Honey, let's go home!"
"Mmhmm!" Cynthia hooked her arms around his neck, agreeing with a brilliant smile.
With that, the crisis in Unova was resolved.
All three dragons of the Trio had been claimed by Sam and Cynthia.
Team Plasma was shattered, Ghetsis was defeated, and the region was safe.
Sam prepared to return to the Sinnoh Region to rest.
The journey home had just become a lot more interesting.