I flew back to Icirrus on Fawke's back and made my way over to the moorland around the edges of the city. They were deep and pretty wet, but Pendant let me sit on his back as he waded through the deeper parts and I managed with the rest. Ahead, the Tubeline Bridge loomed, and as I approached it, I heard a shout from behind and Miss Moodkiller, Bianca, showed up. She spouted some nonsense about finding her purpose but being worried about not being able to make it... I wasn't really listening. Then we battled. I won, obviously, and she accepted it with an air of resignation.
Bianca told me that she believed in me. I had to beat Team Plasma, because she remembered when her Musharna, then a Munna, had been captured by them in Castelia City. If that were to happen, but permanently... it would make her so sad. I agreed with her, for once. She left me with added hope, and I made to cross Tubeline Bridge.
It was freaking long. Seriously. And as I was running, my heart nearly stopped because, for the third time, SUDDENLY NINJAS. They shoved me further up the bridge, to where Ghetsis was waiting for me. He didn't seem to understand why N had picked me to revive Zekrom, but saw that I had the Dark Stone with me, and wondered if N wanted to see which dream the two Dragons, so perfectly balanced, would choose to prevail. I told him outright that my dream and N's were nearly identical; the only difference was that while N wanted to separate Pokémon and humans to find peace, I wanted them to find peace together, in the same world. Ghetsis scoffed at this, admitting that he had raised N to be the Hero, and to be pure of purpose.
So... Ghetsis raised N. Was... was Ghetsis N's father?
Ghetsis then announced that his plan diverted from N's. He wanted the only Pokémon to remain to be the ones belonging to Team Plasma! He wanted the idea of owning Pokémon to be seen as a bad thing, so the world will have to face the peer pressure of the onlookers. Eventually leaders, champions, even regular, caring people like Bianca, would be forced to release their Pokémon.
Then he said something that really stung me. I might have the Dark Stone, but that didn't mean the Dragon would accept me as a Hero.
He left me, along with his Ninjas, alone on the bridge. Hmph. Maybe he was right, but I had courage and passion, and the feeling I had when I held the Stone was so reassuring, I felt he had to be wrong. This was what I truly needed to do. I would free N from Ghetsis' manipulation.
As I left Tubeline Bridge, someone threw a TM at me and snapped me out of my thoughts. What the heck!? Then I spotted a mall.
Huh. Well, I
am a girl. SHOPPING TIME!
After a bunch of impulse-purchases, I arrived in Opelucid City, and was greeted by Alder the Stalker. He grabbed me and pulled me over to where a crowd had formed; Ghetsis was already here and causing quite a storm. Ghetsis told everyone about N befriending Reshiram, and how he would create a new world. Everyone should herald the return of the Hero of Unova. He said Pokémon are so different from humans, we have to acknowledge them properly and free them from our oppression. We should release our Pokémon.
I tried to shout something out but Alder hushed me up, since we had snuck into the back of the crowd. Ghetsis couldn't see us to single us out, and he quickly left, but the people of Opelucid in a state of confusion. I talked to a couple of people and they seemed both attracted and repelled to the idea of releasing their friends since, according to Ghetsis, their capture had caused them such suffering.
Alder called me over again, this time accompanied by an old man and a younger girl. I recognised the girl as Iris, who had helped us in Castelia. Alder introduced the older man as Drayden. These were the people to ask about the Dragons. They'd both heard about N bonding with Reshiram and Alder explained that I had been selected by N to raise Zekrom to oppose him. Then Alder left, explaining that he'd have to go hold N off at the Pokémon League. I wished him luck as he left.
Iris escorted me to Drayden's house, where the pair reminded me once more of the legend of the Dragon commanded by two brothers, who split into two and slumbered from then on. Drayden stressed further that the Dragons would be perfectly matched, and in the end, it would be up to the Dragons alone who's dream would come true in the end. Feeling a little more confident, I thanked them and asked about the gym, and Iris explained she would be the one to battle me.
So there it was. The last badge I would have to earn before traversing the League and taking on N.
I approached the gym.