The hooded white-clothed young man slowly walks in, eyes gaping with emptiness, hidden beneath the shadow of his hat brim.
"Dude, I didn't expect you to come in person."
Colress slowly turns to face N as he approaches.
N, the King of Team Plasma, a puppet put on the throne by Ghetsis.
At least Colress knows well that Ghetsis, that cold-blooded guy, has no affection for N; he treats N as a tool.
Yet laughably, this Hero of Ideals endorsed by Zekrom sincerely trusts Ghetsis.
Colress can't quite understand, but he won't speak up; he considers it spectators' theater.
"Colress, Father asked me to come pick you up."
N's tone is a still pool of water, not a trace of emotion.
"I understand, but I still need to tidy up the experiment data and records, so you'll have to handle these folks for me."
Colress smiles and speaks smoothly.
N glances at Colress intently, but makes no rebuke.
"Hurry up."
N says indifferently; his impression of Colress isn't good, because make no mistake, a mind as brilliant as Colress can be hard to control.
Moreover, Colress shows neither respect for him nor for Ghetsis.
Yet Colress's talent is indeed superior, and Ghetsis values Colress highly, so N remains silent.
"Okay." Colress turns back into the base.
"Is this guy the king of Team Plasma?"
Officer Jenny's expression is stern as she regards the handsome green-haired youth—the appearance wouldn't reveal much about a person's character.
By appearance alone, you can't tell good from bad.
That's like Colress, isn't it?
The king of Team Plasma has always been a mysterious figure only learned about from Team Plasma members' tongues; today this mysterious "king" arrives with such a surprise.
"Officer Jenny, how do we handle this now?"
Elesa's delicate features turn grave as she asks Officer Jenny.
No matter how you slice it, this opponent is a bit beyond the ordinary.
Elesa, after all, is one of the Unova Region's official Gym Leaders and carries confidence.
But Ace Zebstrika was just defeated by Colress's Genesect, which undoubtedly crushed her confidence.
To be honest, the Blueberry Academy students' performance isn't worse than hers, especially that Dragon-type boy.
Now Colress enters the base, and a stronger Team Plasma "king" has arrived.
"I've noticed the League; they'll deploy reinforcements at the fastest speed."
Officer Jenny lowers her voice.
"We just need to stall them."
"Reinforcements?"
Elesa suddenly realizes something: "Are they here?"
"Ah?" Officer Jenny freezes—reinforcements this quick? No way.
She follows Elesa's gaze and sees three silhouettes approaching.
"They shouldn't be…," Officer Jenny can't tell for sure; clearly she doesn't recognize Damian and the trio.
N also notices the approaching figures; his dead eyes shimmer slightly as they land in the middle on the boy.
He senses something special about this boy.
"Ahahaha— luck's on our side today, for sure."
Damian grins broadly, eyes fixed on the elegant young man's face.
"The Team Plasma lead, N. I've heard of you for a long time."
"Who are you?"
N eyes Damian with a questioning look.
The sky above is clouded by a black thunderstorm; dark storm clouds swirl ominously overhead, pressing down with oppressive air.
"Damian, the Team Rocket Damian."
Damian's smile is sunny.
Hearing Damian's name, Officer Jenny and Elesa are startled.
Team Rocket?!
"I heard of you from Father." N tilts his head—Damian's name isn't unfamiliar to him.
"Ghetsis, that petty man—he's nothing, but you're different."
Damian studies N; his gaze is unusual, a mixture of certainty, disdain, and pity.
"But alas, you're now fully led astray by Ghetsis, trying to correct you won't be easy," Damian shrugs.
"I don't understand what you're saying," N replies flatly.
"I have an unshakable Ideals, and there's no problem with my thoughts being skewed." N is a precise, numbers-and-physics-minded person, sometimes called the "math magician."
"But your Ideals aren't truth." Damian can't help but laugh.
Indeed, N holds firm Ideals, sometimes sacrificing everything for them, which is why Zekrom recognizes the Hero of Ideals.
But now his Ideals are artificially guided by Ghetsis, an ideal that's vague and hollow.
That's the sadly pitiable thing about N.
He possesses sincere ideals, and he can also perceive what is considered truth. Therefore, in reality, N is capable of awakening both "Ideals" and "Truth," represented by "Zekrom" and "Reshiram" respectively.
But the key is that all this is what Ghetsis wants him to see.
N was adopted by Ghetsis since childhood, deliberately separated from ordinary people.
Then Ghetsis brings humans who betrayed and abused Pokémon to N, allowing the innate ability to sense Pokémon emotions to remain keen in N.
Thus, what kind of values and beliefs would he form? He's a being who can truly sense Pokémon emotions!
Truthfully, in such an environment, N isn't angry at humans per se; his kind personality makes him gentle by nature.
And because he grew up this way, he naturally believes that living with humans and Pokémon together cannot bring true happiness.
His Ideals are to split humans from Pokémon, as cleanly as black and white, letting liberated Pokémon be whole.
To ordinary people this sounds like a ridiculous ideology, but it's N's sincere Ideals, earning him the endorsement of Zekrom.
"My Ideals are correct."
N's eyes narrow as he stares at Damian.
"What you see is only one side, N. This world is big; it cannot be represented by your little Castle alone."
Damian says calmly.
"You should have stepped out of your Castle and met many kinds of people and Pokémon."
"Indeed, but I still see many Pokémon harmed by humans."
N replies calmly, not denying that many Pokémon do find happiness with humans, but also many do suffer.
"That's true; this is something we must slowly alter."
Damian nods; the world's evil isn't entirely preventable, and there are many Trainers who choose strength first.
Much like Paul in the anime's early-mid arc—strength-first Trainers who use brutal methods to push Pokémon to their potential.
To outsiders, it may look like abuse.
Would you call a strength-first trainer's Ideals right?
To Ash, who values bonds and understanding, Paul-like power-hungry people are extreme and nasty.
Yet there are many such Trainers.
So abandoning or brutal training won't end; it's a cycle.
"No need to change, nor can we fully change it; as long as we separate Pokémon from humans."
N speaks calmly.
"I've seen it all already—the Pokémon's future can only achieve true freedom this way."
"That's just arrogance, N. Do you think you're a savior?"
Damian raises a brow.
"I've never thought of being a savior; I'm simply walking my own path of Ideals."
N's gaze darkens again; since the moment he first laid eyes on Damian, he felt that Damian, like him, is special.
They're both people who can understand Pokémon emotions and ideologies; they're the same.
But now it seems they're actually different.
"Why would I endorse a person whose Ideals are clouded by partial reality? N, I told you, your Ideals aren't real."
Damian can't help but laugh.
"Because with those partial truths, you're only seeing one path toward an utterly unattainable Ideal; you will not succeed, that's inevitable."
N's devotion to Ideals is strong, but this Ideals engineered by others is doomed to fail.
Ideals are, after all, just Ideals; because they're hard to realize, that's why they're called Ideals.
The world needs Ideals, but this world is more real; ultimately, Ideals by themselves cannot surpass reality.
So, perhaps I should try applying to be a hero of truth?
Damian suddenly ponders this, after all the true Reshiram is quite appealing.
"Ah, I see." N falls silent.
He doesn't press on with Damian any further; this quibble is meaningless.
He cannot persuade Damian, and Damian's sneer cannot affect his pursuit of Ideals.
"In that case, beat you then."
N slowly raises an arm; beneath the hat brim, those lifeless eyes brighten with resolve.
"Then support my Ideals and be willing to help me realize them too…"
Boom!
A massive bolt of lightning descends from the heavens, striking behind N, a thick plume of smoke billowing up.
"Zekrom!"
From the smoke, red eyes glow and a towering black dragon Pokémon gradually reveals itself.
A colossal Dragon aura fills the air; this is the Ideals Dragon Zekrom from Unova myths and legends!!
"Tsk—" Damian can't help but click his tongue, eyeing the Zekrom.
"Zekrom!"
Zinnia and Caitlin stare in astonishment at the aura-wreathed Legendary Pokémon.
Gosh, is the Unova region's evil organization so formidable? It's already pressing hard!
"Team Rocket, an evil chaotic force that would upset the balance of this world."
N's eyes glow as he fixes Damian with a deep, resonant voice that reaches everyone present.
"Right here I will strike you down to lay the cornerstone of my Ideals world!"
~~~
Get early access to 90+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
patreon.com/PokemonStoryWeaver
~~~
Every 100 Power Stones = 2 extra chapter