The Beginning of the N: Chapter 36

Zorua's Dream

It was a dark, cold, windy night in the forest. Zorua was running as fast as his little body could take him, as he was being chased and attacked by a man he had never seen before. Zorua kept running as fast as he could, breathing heavily, until he crashed into a big rock, due to not looking where he was going, and his pursuer finally caught up to him.


“Now I've got you, you damn Pokemon!”
The man picked Zorua up by the fur on his back, then threw him against the bark of a tree.

“Aah!” cried Zorua in pain. “Why...why do humans treat me like this? Is it just because I'm a Pokemon?” he thought, with a tear rolling down his cheek.

The man began running towards Zorua again, to continue attacking him, but before he could reach Zorua, a slender, bipedal, human sized, fox-like Pokemon that looked a lot like Zorua, and long red hair that went down to it's feet appeared seemingly out of nowhere. The Pokemon stood tall in front of Zorua, then, in the blink of an eye, was in front of Zorua's attacker, and slashed her claws into his face, knocking him down.

“Mama!” said Zorua, relieved to see his mother.

“Zorua, run!” said his mother.

“But mama...!” cried Zorua, not wanting to leave his mother.

The man then stood back up, angrily.
“You stupid Zoroark! I'll teach you a lesson! Go, Tornadus!” he said, sending a Tornadus out of it's Pokeball.

The presence of Tornadus created huge, harsh winds, which made it hard to remain standing, and hard to breathe. The wind was so harsh, it knocked many thick branches out of huge trees, and nearly knocked over many trees, while knocking down smaller ones.

“Zorua, I said get out of here!” shouted Zoroark.

Zorua was scared out of his mind, and knew he wasn't strong enough to help his mother fight, so he did what she said, and began running away.

“Tornadus, take her down with Hurricane!” commanded the man.

Tornadus created a hurricane, and sent it spiraling towards Zoroark, but before it could hit her, she became surrounded in crimson energy, then channeled it to her arms, which she slammed into the ground, creating a red dome of destructive energy. Her attack was so powerful, it knocked down every single tree in sight, knocked, Tornadus right out of the air, and sent the man flying through the air.

Before the dome of energy fully disappeared, Zoroark quickly rushed over to Tornadus, with her sharp claws extended, and slashed into Tornadus's neck, severely cutting it, and causing him to bleed rapidly.

“You damned Pokemon! I'll take care of you myself!” shouted the man.

He pulled out a rifle, and pointed it right at Zoroark's chest.

Zorua, who was still trying to run as far away as possible, could hear each shot being fired at his mother, and he could hear her screaming.

“Mama!” cried Zorua, and quickly began running back to find his mother.

When Zorua returned to where his mother was, he found her lying there, unconscious, and blood all over her body.

“No, mama!” cried Zorua, nuzzling his head on her dead body.

“You were a fool to come back here!” said the man, now pointing his rifle at Zorua.

“Hydreigon, Fire Blast.” said a distant voice.

A Hydreigon then flew close to the man and Zorua, and blasted the man with a huge blast of fire, which knocked him far out of sight. Ghetsis then appeared out of the shadows, walking over to Zorua.

“I was saved by a human...?” thought Zorua, puzzled.

Ghetsis picked Zorua up, then got on Hydreigon's back, and Hydreigon then flew off.

“You're coming home with me.” said Ghetsis.

“AAH!!!” screamed Zorua, now awake.

“Zorua?! What's wrong?” asked N.

Zorua looked around, and saw that he was in N's lap, and still in the backstage of the arena.

“I must have fell asleep...” thought Zorua. “But why am I suddenly remembering that now?”

“Zorua, are you okay?” asked N, petting Zorua.

“Yeah, I'm fine...I just had a bad dream, that's all.” replied Zorua.

“All right everybody, it's time for the moment we've all been waiting for! The Junior Cup Finals! N vs Marie! Both are very powerful trainers, but only one can win! Who will it be? We'll find out now!” exclaimed Alder.

“Go easy on me, please, N.” said Marie, with a wink, then she went out to the arena.

“She'll need me to go easy on her in order for her to stand a slim chance, she knows that.” said N confidently, and then walked out the arena.

When he was out in the arena, the crowd started booing him loudly, some even throwing objects towards him, and shouting bad things about Team Plasma.

“These people are just dense minded humans. They are the ones causing the problems, I shouldn't let what they think of me bother me. But if I can't change the way everybody in the world thinks, can I really change the world? What this world needs is a hero...” thought N.

Marie suddenly threw a microphone in N's direction, and, as if he were expecting it, he caught it in his hand, and began singing.

“I'm just a step away
I'm just a breath away
Losin' my faith today
Falling from the edge today"

He continued walking to the battlefield as he sang, but the crowd apparently didn't hear them, since they continued their booing.

"I am just a man
Not superhuman
I'm not superhuman
Someone save me from the hate"!”

He was now on the battlefield, but still being loudly booed by the audience, so he shouted at the top of his lungs to get their attention.

“SOMEONE SAVE ME FROM THE HATE!”

There was a short moment of silence, until Marie then began singing as well.

“It's just another war
Just another family torn
Falling from my faith today
Just a step from the edge
Just another day in the world we live
Just another family torn!”

She pointed at N, making it clear she meant his family.

N quickly cut her off.
“I'll be the hero to save you now
I'll be the hero to save them now
I'll be the hero to save your lives
I will save you just in time!”

This time, he was cut off by Marie.
“I've got to fight today
To live another day
Speaking my mind today
My voice will be heard today!”

N cut her off again.
“NO!
I've got to make a stand
But I am just a man
Not superhuman
I'm not superhuman!
MY VOICE WILL BE HEARD TODAY!”

Marie cut back in again.
“It's just another war
Just another family torn
My voice will be heard today
If we obey your will
The countdown begins to destroy ourselves!”

Once again, N cut in.
“Who's gonna fight for what's right?
Who's gonna help them survive?
We're in the fight of our lives!
And they're not ready to die”

“I'm gonna make 'em believe!
I must be the hero!
I will be that hero!
I've got a hero living in me!
BELIEVE IN ME!”

He seemed to be finished this time, and Marie started again.
“Today I'm speaking my mind
And if it kills me tonight
I will be ready to die!”

N continued again.
“A hero's not afraid to give his life!
I will save them just in time!
“Who's going to fight for what's right?
Who's going to help them survive?

They need a hero
Who's going to fight for the weak?
Who's going to make 'em believe?
They need a hero!
YOU need a hero!”

N and Marie both sang the final line at the same time.

“A hero's going to save them just in time!”

Backstage...

“You still think that I'm acting strange, and he isn't?” asked Anthea.

“You are the one acting strange. N will be the hero, that's his destiny and he knows that.” replied Concordia.

“So you're saying that N singing doesn't take you by surprise, at all?” asked Anthea.

“I'll admit that's quite a surprise, but what really surprises me is that Marie girl acting like she's doing something right.” said Concordia.

“I bet they're just playing the part. That's so cliche, I could do so much better than her.” replied Anthea, crossing her arms.

“What the hell are you talking about...?” asked Concordia, staring at her sister, puzzled.

Back on the battlefield...

“You can't really expect to beat me with such weak Pokemon, can you?” asked Marie, mockingly.

“You can't expect to defeat me with such a weak heart, can you?” asked N, in the same mocking manner.

“Is this really coming from the king of Pokemon abusing thieves?” replied Marie.

“Is this really coming from the girl who literally kicked a defenseless Pokemon, with her own foot, and used a Pokemon to steal a skateboard?' replied N.

“I forgot that it's okay to let all of your loyal subjects run about, stealing people's Pokemon, but hey, as long as you're the king right? Let's not forget that dream of yours, to steal everyones 'friends' away from them, snatching their beloved friends from their arms.”

“Friends...if only that were the case. People do not look at their Pokemon as friends, just mere tools to serve their own selfish desires. I can't just sit around and do nothing, knowing my friends are being treated like this. But you wouldn't understand, you're just another clueless human.”

“Really, N? You think everybody in the world mistreats their Pokemon, N?”

“Humans are all just humans. I've been traveling on my journey long enough to know that you all think Pokemon exist to serve them. Everybody...except one person I've met has been like this, and that one person is not you. Maybe every human in the world doesn't treat their Pokemon as bad as others, but you're all shutting them up in Pokeballs.”

“If all people treated their Pokemon badly, don't you think they would run away?”

“If only they had that option. It isn't possible for them to get away when their trainer can just trap them back inside a Pokeball whenever they want.”

“N, do you believe good always triumphs over evil?”

“Do you believe evil should triumph over good?”

“If I'm evil, then you should win this battle.”

“Victory against you was assured before the day begun. You are nothing more than a stupid, foolish human that uses Pokemon for her own good, that just so happens to keep getting in my way. You are nothing to me.”

“That totally explains why I beat you every time.”

“Do you really think I care about winning a Pokemon battle that has no gain from it? Do you really think I take pride in randomly having Pokemon hurt each other? Only a fool like you would.

“If you don't take pride in letting your Pokemon get hurt, then don't lose this battle! Show me your moves!” exclaimed Marie, sending Raichu out of her Pokeball.

“V is for Victory!” said Victini, flying onto the battlefield.

To be continued...