Notes: So I had this piece sitting on my laptop since 2012. Figured now would be a good time to upload it what with the 20th anniversary of the series happening and before Pokémon Sun and Moon are released. Time certainly flies!

She was finally returning home after two years. Hilda could hardly imagine what changes awaited her once she stepped foot back on Unova.

Leaning her back against the railing of the boat, she watched as passing Wingull flew overhead. Her pokémon consisting of Serperior, Krookodile, Galvantula, Chandelure and Carracosta were out of their pokéballs minding their own business. She chuckled as a particular Wingull swooped down to steal a berry from Galvantula, not caring whether it would be shocked by the spider. Suddenly her mind started drifting to the past two years.

After the Team Plasma incident in the Pokémon League, Hilda decided to explore the eastern portion of Unova to train her team even further before re-challenging the Elite Four. She overcame the four powerful trainers and succeeded in claiming victory against Alder, now becoming the new champion. Except she was left with an empty feeling inside herself.

To her surprise, she learned N's castle had all but completely vanished when she returned to the Pokémon League. She had hoped it remained a little longer so she could venture and admire the structure which had been built in secret. Most of all she wanted to revisit the very throne room where the fated battle had taken place.

Having caught the six Plasma Sages and becoming champion, Hilda had to admit she was getting bored. What N had said to her before he left had been stuck on her mind for some time. She deeply regretted having only said goodbye to him as he departed on Zekrom. It was then she came to a decision. Rather than stay in Unova Hilda decided to go on a journey; meet different people and pokémon and perhaps even find N along the way.

The following day she gave her farewells to her mother and her friends Bianca and Cheren who had wished her good fortune on her travels. Unfezant had been left with her mother to keep her company while Hilda was gone. The empty slot in her party had gone to Reshiram as she planned to ride on the dragon's back.

Her hometown had gotten smaller the further Reshiram had flown away, leaving Hilda a bit saddened as she wasn't sure how long she would be away. The first stop on her itinerary was the Hoenn region. Its tropical climate and native pokémon had been Professor Juniper's recent topic so Hilda figured she would capture a few of the species for the professor to observe as well as enjoy the sights.

She had taken on the local gyms, obtaining a few badges but never seriously wanting to challenge the Hoenn's Elite Four and champion despite the praises she received from the gym leaders. Rarely did she ever use Reshiram during her battles, opting to keep a low profile in the event some evil group would want to steal it. She had heard tales from the desert region of Orre of such an organization that would do just that, a destination that was not on her list.

The next region she had in mind was Johto. Hilda landed Reshiram on the outskirts of the Bell Tower in Ecruteak City, cautious to not alert the monks who forbade tourists from entering the Bellchime Trail and the tower itself. When Hilda saw the tower she was left breathless. Dragonspiral Tower had nothing against the Bell Tower's beauty as the sun's rays gleamed off the rooftops and the autumn leaves blowing in the breeze.

Suddenly she felt she wasn't quite alone as she thought. Reshiram noticed the presence, slowly taking a few steps beside its trainer in order to protect her. A flash of colors erupted from the trees and flew wildly toward the sky, the creature cawing angrily at the white dragon who returned a roar of its own.

Hilda narrowed her eyes to get a better glimpse, realizing it was a Ho-Oh. She nearly ordered her pokémon to attack before a voice called out and the Ho-Oh relaxed from its defensive position. A boy emerged from the bushes, rushing up to Hilda and stopping to take a deep breath. He was followed by another person, a young man wearing a purple headband and scarf.

Morty stared in awe at Reshiram, then turning to Hilda. He introduced himself to her, revealing he was the Ecruteak gym leader, and the boy named Ethan who was currently ordering his Ho-Oh to land.

Hilda followed up by giving her name and softly patting Reshiram to reassure no harm was to come to them. She saw Morty muttering under his breath, but she heard him spoke "the other dragon" until he met her gaze.

"Wait, so this is the dragon of truth that N guy was talking about?" Ethan questioned. Ho-Oh gave an approving nod as if to confirm his suspicions.

"You've seen Zekrom?" Hilda was in disbelief for a moment. If N had been through Johto, she might have found a lead to his whereabouts.

"Yes, the dragon and his trainer have been through here. Unfortunately they are long gone," Morty said. He took in Hilda's frown. No doubt the news had hit her with a heavy heart. "I assume you two are friends."

The brunette sighed softly. Now that she thought about it, did she really consider herself friends with N? They seemed more like rivals destined to fight over whose dream would benefit the most for Unova. In fact she hardly imagined the mess she had gotten herself into, but never once had she blamed N for the burden she was given. Sure the guy freaked her out a couple of times, especially during their Ferris wheel ride where he confessed he was Team Plasma's King, although she honestly believed at first he was going to admit his feelings for her. Hilda was more than happy to jump out regardless of how high they were if it had come to that.

When she arrived at his castle, it was there she learned of his upbringing from the Shadow Triad and N's caretakers, Anthea and Concordia. N never once had a human friend unlike Hilda who had both Cheren and Bianca since childhood. As she stood in N's room she began to think about how lonely he must have felt, only tending to the abused pokémon Ghetsis brought in.

Realization dawned on her. Being Reshiram's trainer she represented truth while N pursued his ideals with Zekrom. Defeating N had forced Ghetsis to admit the truth behind Team Plasma and worst of all admit he was manipulating N the entire time. Hilda cringed when Ghetsis called his son a freak to which N held no reaction whatsoever. She could feel the pokéballs in her belt shaking with rage just like their trainer and she did not hesitate in battling Ghetsis.

The older Harmonia was a tough opponent but she managed to beat him despite the cuts and bruises she had gotten during the fight. The man knew how to play dirty. With Ghetsis arrested by Alder and Cheren, N spoke to her, urging her to follow her dreams before leaving the castle.

Even now she regretted not saying anything aside from a farewell. Her memories lingered around N's smile, so full of innocence despite all that had taken place.

A cough brought Hilda out of her thoughts as she realized both Morty and Ethan looking at her curiously. She waved her hand to signal she was fine, sighing afterward.

For the rest of the day she hung around the two, venturing Ecruteak City and taking in the marvelous sights. The old style of the houses and buildings held a certain charm unlike any she had seen back in Unova. Morty had even given her a lecture about the legendary pokémon that once lived in the city, one of which had now found a trainer in Ethan.

Hilda stared at Ho-Oh as it closely followed Ethan, drifting in the air. The boy explained how he encountered the bird, having been chosen to battle and capture it. He showed her the Rainbow Wing and Clear Bell, the items necessary to summon Ho-Oh. Holding the feather in her hand, Hilda could feel some warmth, reminding her of the time she first held the Light Stone. To think an artifact on display in the Nacrene Museum would serve a purpose in her quest to stop N had been in front of her since the beginning.

The three came to a stop at a building in the middle of the city. It didn't take long for Hilda to know this was Morty's gym as the blond unlocked the door. "My break is over so I can take challenges in the meantime," Morty said. He didn't wait for an answer as he entered, leaving Hilda and Ethan outside.

Without needing any motivation, Hilda rushed in as Ethan recalled Ho-Oh into its pokéball and followed her. They navigated through the dimly-lit gym, encountering the junior trainers along the way. Hilda had no trouble beating them with her Krookodile and Chandelure until she finally made it to Morty, still feeling prepped for their battle.

Later Ethan and Hilda emerged from the gym, with the latter looking at her new Fog Badge in her hand. Chandelure twirled in the air in a sort of victory dance, its flames igniting brilliantly in the sunset. Ethan began remembering his win, his newly-evolved Espeon and Umbreon having fought hard against Morty's Ghost pokémon before being awarded his badge.

He chuckled as Chandelure tugged his Typholosion to join in the dance. The Volcano pokémon had gotten dizzy from the spinning and collapsed to the ground. Despite its current state, the Chandelure looked on happily.

"Um, you wouldn't happen to need a guide, do you?" Ethan suddenly asked.

Hilda tucked her badge in her case, looking up at him. She had gotten lost in Hoenn, never bothering to get a map. At one point she regretted that decision once she surfed on Carracosta to reach Mossdeep City and Sootopolis City, having to ask for directions from nearby swimmers. The multiple Tentacool she found didn't ease her frustration.

"That would be great! Perhaps you know the best route to reach Kanto? That's the next region I want to visit."

Ethan's face lit up. He really wanted to see more of Hilda's pokémon, having never seen any Unova pokémon. "The fastest way would be to take the Magnet Train. We'd be at Saffron City in a matter of seconds."

Pausing to think, Hilda didn't want to leave Johto too soon without exploring the region.

Ethan could tell she was weighing that option carefully. "Well we could take a ship from Olivine City or we could go through New Bark Town to scale Tohjo Falls. Your choice."

Hilda smiled nervously at the thought of crossing the sea. She would rather not take that option again even if it was on a ship. "To New Bark Town then!"

It had taken them over two weeks for them to reach Ethan's hometown. They made a few stops, going through Goldenrod City as Hilda heard it was the biggest city in the region. However, she was unimpressed. Compared to Castelia City, Goldenrod City was nowhere near as impressive. Of course if it hadn't been for Ethan, she'd probably still be wandering around. Both Castelia City and Goldenrod City at least shared how easily one could get lost.

What excited her even more was their stop to Blackthorn City. Hilda wanted to challenge Clair after Ethan mentioned that there was a Dragon type gym leader in Johto. While she found Clair's cape and outfit to be ridiculous, Hilda didn't underestimate the woman's skill. Her Kingdra was a force to be reckoned with, almost evenly matching Drayden's Haxorus. Now with the Rising Badge in her possession, Ethan commented on how he had to pass some test before Clair relinquished the badge, to which Hilda snorted in disgust over the gym leader's stubbornness.

They trekked Tohjo Falls, making their way through Route 27 and 26 to the Pokémon League Reception Gate. Since Hilda couldn't take the northern path to Victory Road without the eight badges from either connecting regions, Ethan pointed to the eastern path which would take her to Viridian City. The two would depart here as Ethan had wanted to climb Mt. Silver. Before he left he gave Hilda a map of Kanto, marking Pallet Town so she could visit Professor Oak.

Ethan's last words to her were, "I hope you find your friend."

Hilda would soon learn how peaceful Pallet Town was. It reminded her of Nuvema Town, the sea breeze blowing softly just as she felt back home. The laboratory wasn't too difficult to spot among the small houses and she shortly found herself standing at the front door.

She stopped her hand from knocking, trying to figure out what to say to the very professor who had created the pokédex. Various sentences ran through her thoughts, each sounding sillier than the last. Unbeknownst, her hand pounded on the door and soon it flew open, revealing an elderly man.

Professor Oak puzzled at his visitor until he smiled. "You must be Hilda. I received a call from Ethan that I would be expecting you," he said. "Please come in."

Hilda took a deep breath to calm her nervousness. She then nodded and proceeded to enter.

The laboratory was no different from Juniper's, containing machinery she wasn't familiar with. Hilda sat down on a chair Oak had brought out and offered her something to drink. Moments later the professor returned with a glass of water to which Hilda had thanked. She handed him her pokédex, taking a few gulps of water as he scanned the device using the computer.

"Simply amazing," he muttered. Oak saved the data on the Unova pokémon, hoping to examine the different species he had yet to see. Needless to say, he was thrilled that his life's work wasn't going to waste. After all he entrusted the professors of Hoenn, Sinnoh and Unova to find trainers that would accomplish such a daunting task.

Hilda finished the remainder of her water, setting the glass on the table. An idea crossed her mind. She took out Serperior's pokéball, calling it out. The Snake pokémon hissed at its unknown surrounding, coiling around Hilda protectively. She patted her starter, acknowledging there was no danger. Serperior untangled from her, but leered at the professor.

Oak simply smiled, turning back to the monitor to look up Serperior's data. He made a mental note to visit Juniper to personally deliver more pokédexes to hand out to new trainers as well as explore Unova as he had done in Sinnoh. When Ethan called him earlier to expect a visitor, Oak wasn't quite anticipating someone from Unova. Then again Hilda was not the first trainer he encountered from the region.

He figured it wouldn't hurt asking her. "By the way I had an odd fellow come to me over a month ago." Oak noticed Hilda instantly locking eyes with him. "Hmm, what was his name? Ah yes, he called himself N. He demanded to know my reasoning behind creating the pokédex."

Hilda sighed, looking to Serperior who also shared its displeasure. As she remembered on their first meeting, N didn't think too fondly on the pokédex, claiming all it did was imprison pokémon just for the sake of collecting information. He was right to a fault but Hilda knew there was more to it. Researching the various creatures, their environment and interactions with humans was the key to better understanding them. Not everyone had the same gift as N.

Shaking her head, she swore she would knock some sense into N should they ever see each other again. "You could say we're both rivals." Hilda cringed in her seat, unsure if that was the best way to refer to N. "I mean we were at first and well... things kinda got difficult."

The professor chuckled. "As long as neither of you weren't bitter toward each other like my grandson was to his rival. They've since settled their differences with Blue having become a gym leader and Red off training in Mt. Silver."

"Hey, that's where Ethan was going!" Hilda assumed he was off to catch some new pokémon, never bothering to ask him.

"I see," Oak said, leaning back in his chair. "Hopefully Ethan won't be too disappointed if he expected to get so much as three words out of Red. He wasn't much of a talker."

"Unlike N who would seemingly talk non-stop," Hilda muttered. Half the time she had a hard time trying to understand what he was saying to her. Rather than ask him to slow down, she simply nodded.

She noticed Oak outstretching his hand to give her back the pokédex, now completely finished transferring the data. One particularly entry on the monitor caught her attention, it was of Zekrom. Straightening herself, she watched as Oak pulled up something on another monitor next to him.

Turning back to her, the professor moved a bit to give Hilda a better view. It was a photo of Zekrom flying in some unknown location. "A young photographer by the name of Todd Snap took this picture a few weeks ago while he was on Pokémon Island. On further inspection," Oak motioned the mouse to zoom in on a curious green speck, "there appears to be someone riding on the dragon's back. I see N hadn't trust me enough to let me see Zekrom."

Of course he wouldn't, Hilda thought. With people like Looker after him, he had to try to avoid drawing any unwanted attention.

The rest of the afternoon was spent with Hilda explaining to Oak about her adventure and how she got dragged into the mess involving Team Plasma. The professor listened intently, almost feeling apologetic that she wound up entangled in the whole hero stuff. He feared the result of her ever losing to N, wondering if the former king would set his ambitions to the other regions. With organizations such as Team Rocket, he would have the fuel necessary to back up his claims to separate humans and pokémon.

Once Hilda finished, Oak closed his eyes, trying to wrap his mind around such a world. To think N had such power to enforce his ideals that the professor hadn't known until now. The sound of Hilda recalling her Serperior back to its pokéball awoken him from his reverie.

She stood up, beginning to head for the door. "It's been nice meeting you."

"If you think you'll find N at that island I'm sorry to say but he's long gone," Oak said. Hilda frowned at the news. "Except I know the direction he may have been going, it's Sinnoh."

Hilda tilted her head. Sinnoh was to the north, quite far from Kanto. She wasn't sure whether Reshiram could make the trip without getting tired.

As if understanding her confusion, the professor continued, "Go to Vermillion City. One of the ships should take you to the region." The door slammed shut but not before Oak heard her say a quick thank you to him. Despite her brief departure, he couldn't help smiling about today's youth.

Hilda wasted no time running along Route 1 until she arrived at Viridian City. Unfortunately the night came and she decided to rest at the local Pokémon Center. As she reached the door, she bumped against someone who was just exiting.

"Watch where you're going!" the young man yelled. He dusted off his black jacket, glaring at her. Noticing that she was a trainer, he smirked. "Hmph, so you came to challenge me?"

Pulling herself off the ground, Hilda shot back her own glare. "What makes you think you're so important suddenly?"

"For one thing I'm the gym leader here. The name's Blue," he said, scoffing at her. "Unless you're a beginning trainer I suggest you move on to Pewter City. You don't look like you're in my league, and worth my time."

That remark had angered Hilda. She unclasped a pokéball from her belt, ready to prove him wrong. "You're going to eat those words!" Blue took out his pokéball and the battle was on.

His sixth pokémon had been knocked out, with Blue conceding defeat. He watched as Hilda jumped in joy, her Galvantula mimicking the excitement. "You're pretty good. I hadn't broke out in a sweat since I battled Red and Ethan." He dug into his pocket, revealing the Earth Badge. "Well you earned this. Smell ya later!"

Hilda caught the badge he tossed to her. "So that was Professor Oak's grandson," she said absentmindedly. "What a prick." With that done, she went inside the Center to heal up her team.

The next few days Hilda traversed the shady Viridian Forest, making her way to Diglett's Cave to use as a shortcut to reach Vermillion City. Unfortunately the cave had been temporarily closed due to a collapse and the workers were actively trying to find ways to clean up while not disturbing the Diglett and Dugtrio population. Hilda had no choice but to take the long way, heading straight for Pewter City. Flying on Reshiram would have been faster except she was overly cautious of Team Rocket activity after Ethan had warned her of possible rogue grunts.

She made the best of her time in Pewter City visiting the museum and taking on the gym leader, Brock, winning herself the Boulder Badge. Mt. Moon was the next destination as Hilda took note that she hated running into the numerous Zubat and Geodude, seeing them as the equivalent to the Woobat and Boldore in Unova. Regardless of the annoyance, she was intrigued by the diversity of pokémon species found in different regions.

As she finally made it to Vermillion City, Hilda stared at her newly-earned Thunder Badge, pinning it along with the Cascade and Marsh Badges she had won in the badge case. She could hardly wait to show the badges to Bianca and Cheren, hoping to return someday to attain the remaining ones.

The S.S. Anne was just as luxurious as the Royal Unova, Hilda saw. The fancy décor to the plush red carpeting made her feel awkward in her current clothes; her favorite tank top covered over a black vest and a pair of denim shorts. Still she was amazed at how she gotten the ticket, knowing she wouldn't been able to afford them.

By the Pokémon Fan Club she met a man with light blue hair wearing a black suit, his fingers adorned in a few rings. He had asked her for a quick one-on-one battle: her Serperior against his Aggron. Serperior had won, and as her reward, the man handed her a ticket for the S.S. Anne. Dumbfounded, Hilda tried to give it back before the man explained he didn't need it. Before he took his leave, he mentioned his name was Steven Stone. Hilda had sworn she heard the name somewhere.

The ship made its stop in Canalave City. A cold chill swept around Hilda as she stepped off, causing her to shiver and run to the nearest clothing store. She hated winters in Unova and learning that Sinnoh had a cold climate, she was taking no chances. Now in proper winter gear, Hilda had her sights set on the library. She had heard Shauntal blather on about Giratina and the Distortion World, thinking she could learn more on Sinnoh myths while she was in the region.

Hilda picked up a couple of books and sat down beside a table. One of the myths she read fascinated her as it explained the reason why pokémon appeared in tall grass. She moved on to the folk stories, the third in particular leaving her puzzled. Was there some point in time when humans and pokémon were considered the same species? Her thoughts wandered back to N and his ability to communicate with pokémon. Maybe there was some truth to the tale...

Peering toward the window, the sky had begun to darken, and Hilda gathered the books to return to their shelves. She exited the library, deciding to rest at the Pokémon Center for the night. She walked across the bridge and soon paused at an abandoned hotel. Hilda felt chills run down her spine, wrapping the scarf around her neck tighter. She quickly walked passed the building, never looking back.

Hilda stared out to the beach of Sandgem Town. A map in her hand, she examined it to plot out her next course after paying a visit to Professor Rowan. She easily spotted the laboratory across the small houses. Just as she was about to knock on the door, it opened revealing a boy with a Starly perched on his shoulder.

"Huh. The professor wasn't expecting a new trainer," he said. Hilda blinked, her mouth slightly agape. The boy smiled warmly. "Oh my manners. My name is Lucas, I'm the professor's assistant."

He raised his hand in an attempt to shake hands with Hilda. She followed the action and then instantly dropped her hand. "Hilda," she replied. "Actually I'm a trainer from Unova."

"Hmm! You've come a long way from home," a voice called out. Lucas leaned away from the door as Professor Rowan appeared. He looked at Hilda from head to toe before letting her inside. "So what do I owe the honor of your presence?"

"You see I left Unova to explore the world," Hilda explained. "I thought I'd stop by and meet up with the local professor of this region. I heard your expertise is in pokémon evolution."

Rowan rubbed his chin. "You are correct. But something in your eyes tells me there is more to this journey."

Lucas motioned to Hilda, whispering to her ear, "He's a very keen person."

Sighing in defeat, Hilda glanced at the professor. "I've also been searching for someone. I don't know whether to call him a rival or friend but I'm... worried." She proceeded to narrate the whole story to Rowan and Lucas, both listening intently. As she finished she felt a huge weight had been lifted.

"This dragon you speak of may still be wandering Sinnoh. Witnesses have reported seeing a black dragon flying over Lake Verity but that was over a week ago," Rowan said.

Hilda abruptly stood up, her eyes widening in disbelief. If only she had gotten to Sandgem sooner, she could have found N. "He must be long gone by now..."

"I may have a fair idea of its next destination," Lucas said. He grabbed the map from Hilda's hands, glossing it over a few times. He laid the map on the coffee table, pointing his finger to Lake Valor. "You'd have to climb Mt. Coronet to reach the lake and then there's Lake Acuity. It could be at either of them."

Pondering to herself, it was worth knowing she'd be taking a risk with either locations. Her determination wasn't going to stop her though.

"Let's do it this way." Lucas's eyes shone as an idea popped up in his head. "I'll help you. I'll go to Lake Valor and you head to Lake Acuity. That way would be easier and less stressful."

Hilda stared at the map, realizing she would be trekking through not only a mountain but snow-bound routes as well. She nodded, thanking Lucas for his assistance.

"Mt. Coronet has been the epicenter of a near major disaster due to Team Galactic's involvement. Something about using Dialga's and Palkia's powers to create a new universe in their vision," Rowan said suddenly.

Hilda crossed her arms. Nearly every region she visited had their share of problems and somehow a kid from a small town managed to thwart these organizations. She amused herself, thinking she should give a call to Ethan and locate the other trainers to have a meeting to discuss what forces were at work to give them such arduous tasks.

The one thing Hilda didn't count on was a blizzard. The deep snow slowed her down to the point she nearly called out Reshiram to help her but went against it, dreading a terrible fate should occur if she had flown on the dragon. She stopped at a rest house along the route, waiting until the blizzard died down before moving on.

With the sun beaming brightly, Hilda plodded through the snow again. The fact that trainers had to come through here to get their seventh badge in Snowpoint City made her glad she didn't grow up in Sinnoh. She paused at a cliffside, looking at her map to check where Lake Acuity was. Seconds later a light appeared and Reshiram roared in excitement. Hilda climbed on the white dragon, ordering it to fly above the cliff to reach the lake.

Her eyes seemingly glittered at the sight of the crystal-clear water. Reshiram lowered its head for its trainer to get off. It sniffed the air, sensing Zekrom had indeed been here. A low rumble from Reshiram's throat, it gazed at the water just as Hilda was doing.

"It's so peaceful here," Hilda said. A quick glance around the area, she laid her eyes on a lone cave in the center of the lake. She remembered reading back in Canalave Library of three legendary pokémon said to rest at the three lakes. While curiosity nearly got the better of her, she decided not to investigate the cave, also recalling the horrific story behind the three sprites.

Leaving Lake Acuity after making a thorough search, Hilda made it to Snowpoint City. She battled Candice to keep her mind off N for awhile, soon earning the Icicle Badge. Aside from a short visit to the Snowpoint Temple, there wasn't much else to do in the city.

In the Pokémon Center, Hilda called Professor Rowan to ask if Lucas had any luck. The news he had wasn't any better. Apparently there had been signs of Zekrom at Lake Valor, but it too led to a dead end. She thanked the professor and nearly hung up before he stopped her.

"Child, do you know Cynthia?" he asked.

Hilda nearly fell off her chair. How could she forget the woman was the Sinnoh champion?

Rowan continued, "I've spoken to her actually and mentioned you. She requests your presence over at the Resort Area in the Battle Zone. Luckily you're in Snowpoint, so you just need to take a boat to get there."

"Tell her I'm on my way!" Hilda quickly hung up, leaving Rowan on the other end muttering how impatient trainers were these days.

As the boat docked at the Fight Area, Hilda quickly plotted a quick route to reach the Resort Area using a map posted on a bulletin board. She practically dashed to Route 230, summoning out Carracosta to swim across the water. Reaching dry land, Hilda got off her pokémon and discovered she was on Route 229. The Resort Area wasn't too far from her current location.

Hilda brushed passed the throng of trees, nearly smacking her face against a few branches in her path. When she emerged from the forest, her beloved ponytail was covered in twigs and her arms bore scratches. She continued walking, noticing a small lake in the distance. Nearly cringing at the sight in the water's surface, Hilda removed the twigs and fixed up her ponytail. She didn't want to look like a disaster in front of Cynthia.

Once that was finished, she strolled across the bridge, observing an occasional Magikarp splashing out of the lake. She came across the Pokémon Center on one side and a villa on the other.

Suddenly she slapped her forehead. "I didn't ask where we're supposed to meet up!" Over by the villa she noticed a girl and her Empoleon tending to several berry patches, figuring someone would know where the champion was. She paused beside the girl, coughing to get her attention. "Sorry to bother but have you seen Cynthia around here?"

The girl stopped watering her plants to look up at Hilda. She smiled warmly, dusting off her skirt. Hilda wondered briefly how she could stand the cold weather wearing such attire.

"You must be the trainer from Unova she was talking about," the girl said. "Come inside. She's in my villa." Gesturing toward the villa, the girl proceeded to walk with Hilda following behind. Empoleon stayed outside watering the remaining berry plants.

Hilda marveled at the luxurious furniture once they were inside. She could hardly dream ever affording any of it with her winnings. Music was playing as they entered, Hilda noted it coming from the piano.

Cynthia appeared entranced by the melody, her fingers pressing upon the black and white keys on the piano. Too focused on the music, she hadn't noticed the two girls until she finished the dramatic song. She bore a grin as her small audience applauded. "So you took my advice after all, Hilda."

Remembering one of their conversations back in Undella Town, Hilda simply nodded.

The champion stood up, seating herself on a small sofa while Hilda and the girl sat on the bigger one. They remained in silence, only the wall clock making a sound with its pendulum.

"How rude of me!" the girl shrieked, stunning Hilda. "My name is Dawn. Cynthia spoke rather highly of you when she came to visit me here. Said you reminded her of me."

Hilda took a few moments to process what Dawn said. "You're the one who battled Giratina?" Her answer came in the form of a nod. She couldn't help but flash a toothy grin. "So does that mean you could even take on Arceus?"

Dawn chuckled. "I may have beaten Giratina and Cynthia but by no means am I capable of taking on Arceus. Actually I doubt Cynthia herself could." She earned a playful scowl from the champion.

The whole afternoon was spent with the three chatting on different subjects. Hilda got to know Dawn better, learning she was a trainer from Twinleaf Town who got wound up in Team Galactic affairs. She definitely was going to make that meeting happen, especially if she ever found the trainer responsible for stopping Groudon and Kyogre's rampage in Hoenn.

Then something Cynthia said drew Hilda's attention. "You're a champion now, aren't you, Hilda?" she asked. "You're welcome to participate in the champion's gathering that we hold every few years as well as you, Dawn. You will get the chance to meet many amazing people from each of the regions."

Dawn grabbed a flyer from the coffee table, showing it to Hilda. "Have you heard of this?" She showed Hilda the flyer, describing a world tournament taking place in Driftveil City.

"No I haven't," Hilda said. Her shoulders slumped once she realized how long she'd been away from home. "It's been over two years since I left..."

"I probably shouldn't be the one to tell you this but when I visited Unova two months ago I heard word that Team Plasma had been active again." Cynthia crossed her arms, preparing for Hilda's outburst.

Hilda just sat there, completely in shock. She should have known Ghetsis would be up to something since he escaped from prison. All the years he spent manipulating the people around him, especially N, had been destroyed thanks to her in one day. Would he had wanted revenge against her? Were her mother and her friends safe? Worse of all, did N rejoin Ghetsis?

The thoughts continued to swirl around in her head until she felt a hand on her shoulder. Opening her eyes, she saw Dawn looking on worriedly.

"I apologize. I didn't mean to scare you with the news," Cynthia said. "Fortunately their plans were halted by a young trainer with the aid of former Team Plasma members."

Former Team Plasma members, Hilda thought. The fact a massive cult had their own reforming their ways didn't really surprise her. She recalled hearing several grunts unsure of the whole pokémon liberation. Relief washed over her with the knowledge that someone had stopped Ghetsis, Hilda took a deep breath. If one trainer fell, another would take their place.

Still N was on her mind. He was practically a wanted criminal, and she was unsure whether or not he changed for the better. Would he be mad at her for ruining his sheltered life? Maybe looking for him was starting to look like a bad idea...

She let her eyes wander the room. She saw a music box sitting beside the corner, reminding her of the one she found in N's room. The childlike tune remained etched in her memory, almost haunting her. In a way N had been forced to grow up. He was groomed to become the hero for many years, while in the short amount of time he had known her, Hilda also became one. It seemed inevitable that N's ideals would win but it was Hilda who prevailed.

Hilda could barely sleep much that night. She stayed in Dawn's villa, tossing and turning in the guest bed. N's final words to her repeated over and over in her thoughts. What dreams? She just wanted to get out of Nuvema Town, not desiring to be a serious trainer, and yet she fought her way through the gym leaders, then the Elite Four until finally she reached Alder only to find N had defeated him first. She had the misfortune of becoming part of a bigger scheme that would reshape Unova.

A sudden glow caught her attention. By the nightstand sat her bag holding her pokéballs, the source of the glow coming from Reshiram's pokéball.

She stood up, grabbing the item. An intense heat warmed her hand as a prickling sensation tickled her mind. Her eyes closed, only opening them once she realized she was no longer inside the villa. The area was nearly pitch-black with flames surrounding the outside.

"Be not afraid, my hero," a voice called out.

Hilda looked around to search for the voice. She was met with piercing blue eyes and stumbled back.

Reshiram emitted a soft rumble in a sort of chuckle. It lowered its head, allowing Hilda to gently pet her pokémon. "I sense that you are troubled."

"Why did you choose me?" Hilda asked. "Was it destiny? I was nothing more than some two-bit trainer from a small town. Sure I've learned about the legend of the twin heroes and the two dragons, but never did I imagine myself becoming involved in the fate of all Unova. Of course obviously I didn't want N to separate humans and pokémon although I felt like I had no choice."

The dragon stayed silent, carefully thinking over its answer. "Zekrom was easily swayed to join its master's side," it began. "The boy's ideals were strong. You, on the other hand, had to prove yourself which is why it had taken me longer to emerge. Your journeys in Unova and in the other regions have shown you something valuable. Do you realize what that is?"

Hilda ceased petting Reshiram, piecing together the memories of her recent adventures. While she was actively looking for N, she encountered many different people and pokémon and the way they interacted with each other. No doubt N also observed these interactions, drawing his own conclusions.

"The bonds we share. My pokémon and I have gone through challenges in our way, overcoming them together," Hilda said. "That's something Team Plasma or anyone else can never take away from us."

Reshiram nodded its head. It playfully nuzzled Hilda's side, almost causing her to fall over. "Indeed the truth you were holding dear to your heart. The strong bond you formed with your own pokémon along with your determination were enough proof that you earned the title of hero."

One thing still lingered in Hilda's thoughts. "What if... what if N hates me?" she whispered.

This question surprised Reshiram. "If he despises you, then there is nothing more that you can do." The dragon slowly wrapped Hilda around its wings, dreading the next piece of information to say. "Except now I sense his connection with Zekrom has been severed."

"Something must have happened to him!" Hilda wanted to crawl out of Reshiram's hold, but the dragon wouldn't allow it. Admitting defeat, she turned in its direction.

"We must return to Unova at once," Reshiram said, not refusing its trainer's wishes. "That is the location where I last sensed Zekrom." Its voice started echoing as the area started blurring, bringing Hilda back to the villa.

Looking out the window, Hilda saw the sun beginning to rise. She still held on to Reshiram's pokéball, clutching it to her chest.

"It was nice meeting you," Dawn said. Hilda along with Dawn and Cynthia traveled together to the Fight Area to bid farewell to the Unova trainer. Both had understood Hilda's worry, quickly getting her a boat that would take her back home.

Hilda wished she stayed longer in Sinnoh, but her worry was nearly chewing at her. Cynthia promised she'd return to Unova next month in spring, hoping for a rematch. She even invited Dawn to come, with the blue-haired trainer exclaiming her excitement.

Before long Hilda found herself waving at her friends from the boat. A heavy feeling descended over her. It was the same feeling she felt when she first left Unova, she was starting to miss her new friends. Not only that, she wondered how much had changed. What were Cheren and Bianca doing? What about her mother?

She was stirred from her thoughts by a gentle nudging. Her pokémon looked solemnly at her, the culprit behind the nudge being Serperior. Despite smiling, it didn't stop the tears from falling. The pokémon crowded around their trainer in an attempt of a group hug.

Krookodile leaned over the deck, noticing something over the horizon. It alerted everyone as they untangled themselves to check.

Hilda could make out what was in the distance. The Castelia City skyline seemed to shine brightly in the late afternoon sun. It wouldn't be long until the boat docked at the pier.

Rushing off the boat, Hilda didn't want to waste any time. Suddenly she crashed into someone, falling alongside them on the pier.

"Ow! I didn't think you'd miss me that badly!" a familiar voice cried out in annoyance.

Hilda opened her eyes to see her face planted in bushy purple hair. Leaning back, she noticed who she landed on. "Iris! I'm so sorry!" She stood up, holding out her hand to help the dragon trainer.

Iris pouted. "I'm not the only one who came," she said, pointing to two other people near them.

It took a few moments for Hilda to realize she was staring at her childhood friends. "Cheren! Bianca! You two look... different." She quickly noted that Cheren ditched his glasses and somehow Bianca was wearing a pair of her own.

"Oh Hilda!" Bianca ran over, embracing her friend. "I know it's only been two years but it feels like forever!"

Cheren calmly walked over, watching as Bianca removed her hold on Hilda. "Yes, we really did miss you," he said. "You know, it wouldn't hurt to call us once in awhile."

Hilda gritted her teeth. He didn't seem to change much. "Well I've been kinda busy. But it's nice to finally be home again." She smiled at him, receiving a blush in return.

An arm wrapped itself around her shoulders. "Boy do we have so much to tell you!" Iris declared.

"And I want to know all of it."

Her friends immersed her in a ton of information over the past two years. She learned Cheren had become the gym leader of Aspertia City, replacing Lenora, while saddened that the Striaton triplets resigned their position. She hoped it didn't have anything to do with their failure to appear at N's castle. It was no surprise Bianca continued working for Professor Juniper.

The biggest surprise, however, came in the form of Iris, who was now the Unova champion. Hilda remembered Alder actually wanting her to take over for him, but she declined his offer, preferring to become a wandering trainer.

Hilda said her goodbyes to her friends as they reached Nuvema Town. The trip back had exhausted her and she wanted nothing more than to collapse on her bed.

Her house's lights were still on, meaning her mother was still awake. She started running, excitement coursing through her to see her mother again. When she opened the front door, she found her mother wasn't alone.

A young girl in long pigtails was chatting contently, holding a teacup in her hands. They both sat at the living room table until the girl gasped at Hilda's presence.

"Hilda!" her mother cried. She rushed to her daughter, hugging her tightly. She proceeded to place both her hands at her sides, looking somewhat flustered. "Young lady, you had me worried."

"I know," Hilda said. Her mother motioned to the table and they soon seated themselves.

"Did you find your friend? N, right?" her mother asked suddenly.

Hilda shook her head. Her eyes turned to the girl across from her, wondering when she would be introduced.

Her mother caught her daughter's gaze, sighing. "This is Rosa, a trainer from Aspertia City."

"That means you challenged Cheren?" Hilda inquired.

Rosa nodded. Her Oshawott was so eager to fight in its first gym battle, managing to knock out Cheren's two pokémon. It had since evolved into a powerful Samurott, becoming a valued member of her team.

Hilda's mother smiled at their exchange. She scooted her chair back, now standing. "I'll leave you two alone." Putting on her shoes, she waved goodbye to the girls and exited the house.

The duration of their conversation had both Hilda and Rosa going back and forth about their adventures. Rosa explained to Hilda that she was responsible for taking down the new Team Plasma. It would be an hour until Rosa started to shift uncomfortably in her seat.

"Let's go outside," Rosa said. Hilda stared at her curiously. "I have something to show you."

Both girls left the house, the moon rising high in the sky as the stars twinkled brightly. Rosa led Hilda to the water next to the town. A soft winter breeze blew, causing Hilda to think about what Unova would look like if Ghetsis had succeeded.

The sound of a pop coupled with a flash made Hilda look in the direction of the source. Standing beside Rosa was the great black dragon of lightning, Zekrom. Reshiram's words echoed in her mind. What happened to N?

Rosa noticed the brunette's concerned look. "I was saved by someone named N. Ghetsis forced Kyurem and Zekrom to merge together, forming Black Kyurem. In turn, I stopped him and freed the pokémon."

"But how did you get Zekrom?" Hilda asked. As she recalled, Reshiram and Zekrom only responded to the true heroes who persevered in seeking truth and ideals respectively.

"N gave it to me after we battled."

Zekrom gave a loud roar as Reshiram emerged from its pokéball. The two dragons bared their teeth at each other, only calming themselves when they realized no harm would come to their trainers.

Rosa went on to say she found the ruins of N's castle hidden beneath Victory Road. Surprised, Hilda assumed it was torn down. The look in her eyes told Rosa all she needed to know.

The next morning the girls left Nuvema Town, flying on their dragons to reach Victory Road. From their great height Hilda could see workers clearing up the debris from the landslide. How Rosa managed to even find the ruins was beyond her, but so far she trusted the young trainer as she was the last person to have seen N.

They landed near a cave entrance, both calling back Reshiram and Zekrom. Rosa examined the area, muttering something about being led by a Zoroark the first time she came by. Entering the cave, Hilda saw some light filtering down from the openings in the rocky ceiling. They entered in a few double battles with the wild pokémon inhabiting the cave until Rosa pointed out a suspicious object from the distance.

Hilda couldn't believe what she saw in front of her. The castle lost its majestic appearance, having no one to care for its maintenance. A black stairway emerged from the castle's side, reminding Hilda of a similar path she took to enter the castle. They crossed in silence. Once they were inside, Hilda took in the full extent of the castle ruins.

The once polished floor no longer gleamed and was now cracked. Several pillars had fallen and the water was no longer flowing. Hilda paused at a large doorway, trying to remember what room it led. Rosa took her hand, assuring her it was safe.

Within the dim lighting from the outside, Hilda felt a great sadness in her heart. They were in N's room. Toys were strewn carelessly on the floor and the basketball hoop was resting beside the half-pipe. She picked up the lone basketball in the corner, reading the word "Harmonia" written on it.

Rosa shrieked, clumsily falling on her behind. Hilda turned, discovering what scared the girl. The same music box sat on a shelf, except now it played a continuous broken loop from lack of proper care. The sound it made almost seemed sinister as if the childlike tone had become twisted over time.

Hilda shook her head. There was no way this was a sign for the two girls to leave the castle before something bad could happen. She had come too far to stop now.

"Perhaps we should go?" Rosa began leering at the music box.

Continuing their exploration of the castle, they finally came across the large staircase, which Hilda recalled, went straight to the throne room. As they climbed, Hilda's thoughts became jumbled with what she would say if they did find N. She lingered back to her fear of N possibly hating her. Two years was enough to harbor that hate.

She stopped walking when they got to the top of the stairs. She could turn back now, there was still time. Or maybe he wasn't in the castle anymore so their trip would prove fruitless. Her heart pounded heavily in her chest. No, she wouldn't run away. Either confront that fear or dwell in what would have been. Hilda clenched her fists, taking a deep breath of relief.

Rosa waited patiently by the doorway for her, thinking the older girl was getting nervous. "This is where he led me the first time I came here," she said, motioning to the doorway.

Hilda went in first with Rosa closely following behind. They looked every inch of the room but found no one else there. Equally sharing disappointed looks, they both sat along the edge of the platform.

"Maybe he doesn't want me to find him," Hilda said, a crestfallen look crossing her face. "I don't blame him. I pretty much ruined his life."

"Don't say that!" Rosa yelled.

Holding up her hand, Hilda continued, "No, it's the truth. Why would he want to be friends with someone like that? Honestly I don't care if he hates me."

"B-but I don't hate you, Hilda," a meek voice said.

Rosa was the first to look, her eyes widening. She observed Hilda turning around, the older trainer's frown curving upright at the sight before them.

Standing along the doorway was the very person Hilda had been searching for over two years. N looked puzzled at the two girls. He noticed tears falling on Hilda's face. "Is there something wro‒"

Before he knew it, he was tackled to the floor by Hilda. "You fool!" she cried into his chest. "I was so worried about you."

N held her awkwardly, blinking several times. He lifted her off him, unsure what to make of the situation. For the past two years he left Unova to go on a journey with Zekrom to learn more about their world. The people he met along the way made him rethink his old ideals, resolving to use his ability to help bridge the gap between humans and pokémon. What amazed him even more was to learn they were both looking for each other.

There was only one thing on his mind he wanted to say to Hilda. "Thank you."

Hilda looked at him in confusion. "For what?" She hoped he hadn't picked up sarcasm during their time apart.

"For setting me on the right path and opening up my eyes to the truth. Ghetsis was using me to further his goals while I remained oblivious. If it weren't for you, I would probably become the very monster like he was."

Thinking to herself, Hilda smiled at the images of the various people she saw on her journey. Even if they hadn't known, they helped her in their own ways to continue forward in her search. Not only that, like N, she discovered what life was like outside Unova. Each region had their share of trouble, but there was always someone, a hero, who would arise to the challenge.

Hilda picked up N's hat which had fallen from their sudden embrace, handing it back to its owner. "So, uh, how about we leave this crappy place? Get some fresh air?" She was taken aback when N motioned his head downward.

"I suppose the castle is quite lacking in hospitality," N said, unperturbed by her remark of his former home. "But I have one request to make."

"What is it?"

N fiddled with the cube resting beside his leg, meeting the brunette's eyes. "Let's start over as friends, not enemies."

Hilda smiled. She took his hand and almost dragged him out of the room. In her mind she already knew of the perfect place to take him: the Ferris wheel in Nimbasa City. This time she was certain she wouldn't attempt to jump out of the moving car.

Rosa was long gone, having left them for some privacy. As she made her way to the cave entrance, with the sun beaming down, she couldn't help the smile forming on her face. "It's good to reunite old friends."