The team quickly made it back to the Desert Resort. Where Alder said the Relic Castle was located. The sun had now disappeared beneath the horizon line, and it was a new moon.

"Geez it is so dark!" Hilda stated, "It's amazing how much of a difference the moon makes. Or lack thereof."

"The day certainly went by fast." Cheren noticed.

"Indeed, a lot is happening. We can't afford to wait though, we must hurry." Alder hurried the group.

"Of course." Cheren studied the sand coated area carefully, "Honestly how do they call this a resort?"

"Yeah, where's the shimmering ocean with the fancy hotel on the beach?"

Cheren glanced at Hilda, "Hilda, honestly? Geez."

"What were you expecting Cheren?" She continued to tease, "They call this place a desert for a reason."

"But why do they have to call it a resort?"

"Both of you! Focus!" Alder cautioned, "With what's going on we need to stay alert!"

Hilda immediately replied, "Sorry, it was my fault."

"No, I'm the one that asked." Cheren interjected, "Hilda, I should know you'd be the one to make a remark like that."

The serious tone that he used to say that caused Hilda to feel a small sting in her heart. It only added to the notion she might have feelings for him. Regardless, the group hiked several feet, the sand that the harsh wind carried buffeted them as they went along.

"Alder, where are we going to find the Relic Castle in this desert?" Hilda asked.

"It should be located right in the center." He answered, "We can't miss it, it's an entrance in the ground! The castle has been around for over two thousand years; it is all that remains of an ancient civilization."

"So the castle is buried in the sand. That makes sense even if the idea seems a little overused."

"Hilda, this isn't like the TV shows or manga that we would watch and read as kids." Cheren reminded.

She looked at him, her mood brightened somewhat at the sight of those serious eyes, "I know that Cheren."

Eventually the heroes came across a hill that had seemed to have never ending trains of sand running down the slope.

"Geez, it's crazy how sand can pile up like this!" Hilda commented.

Cheren looked up, "Hey look! Cedric and Brycen are up there!"

At that moment, Brycen noticed them, "Hey everyone! Look! The entrance to the castle is right up here!"

Alder, Hilda, and Cheren caught up and Cedric began to explain, "Something unusual is happening here. We've glanced inside and saw a man wearing strange robes. Some other members of Team Plasma too."

"It was definitely them." Brycen confirmed.

"This is the place. All right everyone, listen up." Alder quickly directed, "Brycen and Cedric. Thank you for finding this place. I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you two to remain out here. The three of us will have to handle this from this point on."

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Brycen was concerned.

"Indeed, this is a potentially dangerous mission. I would hate to leave you guys alone." Cedric explained.

"We're never alone!" Hilda answered, "Not only do we have each other, but we have our Pokémon too!"

Brycen and Cedric exchanged an assured look before Cedric spoke, "All right, I believe in you guys. Hilda, Cheren, I can see why my daughter chose you to go on a Pokémon adventure. If she saw you now, no doubt she would be incredibly proud."

"It's amazing, I wasn't expecting the journey to go like this. But… I feel like, I'm not upset I'm actually…" Hilda felt like at that moment she was searching her heart for words, "I'm amazed."

Cedric nodded, "This is a truly amazing event."

Alder reminded, "I'd hate to interrupt, but we better go inside to see what Team Plasma is up too."

Hilda agreed, "Right, it'd be rude to keep them waiting. Let's go."

The trio cautiously entered buried castle. Inside, there was debris that was barely visible under the sand with more leaking in like an hourglass from holes in the celling. There was nothing beyond that.

"What's going on?" Hilda questioned, "They said they saw Team Plasma in here. It's just a small room full of sand and bricks…"

Cheren studied his surroundings, brushing the dust off the walls he found a few scribbles, "Huh… this is interesting. What could this mean?"

"Perhaps there is more than what meets the eye." Alder suggested, he took a few steps back to check out the entrance area.

As Hilda glanced around the room she continued walking forward. She briefly noticed the sand pit in front of her but she didn't think twice about stepping on it. The second she did, her body jerked downward.

She grunted from shock, "Ugh! What!?" She noticed the sand was now up to her knees and appeared to be getting higher. She screamed, snagging the attention of Cheren and Alder. They looked up to the startling sight of Hilda sinking into the ground.

"Hilda!" Cheren dashed to her without hesitation and grabbed her hand. Trying to pull her out appeared futile as she was still sinking fast and he struggled to keep his feet under him.

"Please! Get me out of here!" Hilda pleaded, "I… I can't feel anything beneath me!"

"I'm trying!" Cheren replied. Suddenly, he was tugged into the sand and started to sink, "Whoa!"

"Hilda!? Cheren!?" Alder rushed back in upon hearing the commotion, by that time the sand was up to Cheren's shoulders and Hilda had vanished under the heaving sand. He too, quickly disappeared.

"No! Guys!" Alder shouted. He tripped rushing to the pit and caught himself on the wall. The brick his hand touched had pressed inward. Before he could contemplate what happened the walls began to shake.

A tunnel with a path leading downward had revealed itself when the wall crumbled next to the pit Hilda and Cheren sank into. Instinctively, he rushed closer to the new entrance.

He could hear Hilda and Cheren's voices echoing from within.

"Hilda! Cheren!" He called, before carefully entering the cave.

Hilda yelled, falling several feet until landing upon a large mound of sand. Cheren was falling close behind, nearly landing on top of her.

"Ouch!" Cheren yelped, he looked over to Hilda lying next to him. He crawled to her, "Hilda! Are you okay?" He touched her shoulder.

She opened her eyes, "I think I'm okay… that hurt." She sat up and adjusted her hat, "Cheren? Oh great, where are we now?"

A single laughing voice reverberated around them. The trainers quickly got to their feet and noticed Team Plasma grunts surrounding them.

"That was hilarious! Ha ha ha!" The laughing grunt bragged, "We heard the whole thing! You sounded so freaked out!"

In a mocking voice he spoke, "Oh no! Please help me! I'm in a sinkhole I'm gonna become the dirt! Ha ha ha haaa!"

Hilda recognized the grunt as the same one grabbed her in Wellspring Cave.

"Shut up." She retorted calmly, "You want me to kick you again?"

"Oh you just had to bring that up didn't you? Well it looks like the tables have been turned. Sorry kids, but the train ride is over!"

The grunts continued to draw in.

"You thieves aren't gonna get away with this!" Cheren warned.

"Heheheh… after we're done with you. That's going to change now is it?"

"STOP!" A booming voice froze everyone in their tracks.

Ghetsis appeared before them, "Remember what we're here to do now you fools! Now's not the time for recreation!"

"Yes sir!" The grunts answered.

"Cheren! Hilda!" Alder appeared in the room, at first paying no mind to Team Plasma. He approached the teens, "Are any of you hurt?"

"No, we aren't hurt." Hilda replied, "But…" She pointed at Ghetsis.

The Plasma leader reacted coolly to Adler's presence, "It looks like everyone is here."

He focused his attention on Hilda, "You are working hard to resurrect Zekrom, aren't you?"

Hilda nodded, affirming that she was.

"Hm. Well, allow me to inform you that the Dark Stone you seek is not here."

"What?" Hilda became puzzled, "Do you…?"

"I must congratulate you Hilda, you were chosen by our king. Now listen, if you truly desire to keep the world as it is, where Pokémon live alongside people, you must bring the other Dragon-type Pokémon spoken of in legend and battle with our king."

"A battle?"

"Otherwise, Team Plasma will steal every Pokémon from every person in the world and release them all!"

Alder spoke up, "Release them, you say? Think about the Pokémon who love their trainers! What is this going to do to them? It's far from a favor! Is the liberation you talk about really just stealing Pokémon from people? Think about what you guys are doing!"

"Champion Alder, even though illness took the Pokémon that had been your partner for many years, and you haven't had a serious battle in all that time... Even you, who ordered the Elite Four to protect the Pokémon League and left to wander the Unova region alone... Even a Champion like you now wants to protect a world where Pokémon and people live together? Team Plasma's king will show the people of Unova that he is stronger than a Champion who keeps Pokémon bound!"

There was brief silence before Ghetsis continued, "And just like the hero who founded Unova, he will be accompanied by the legendary Pokémon. He will give this order! 'Trainers, release your Pokémon!' For this, we have prepared a suitable castle for the legendary Reshiram and our king!"

Unshaken, Alder responded, "I won't lose! I'll fight for all Trainers who love their Pokémon, and for all Pokémon who believe in their Trainers!"

"Our king has no interest in you. He has already determined that victory against you is assured."

"So you stayed behind to just tell me that? Just to make a fool of me?"

"Of course not. I'm doing this out of kindness. Yes, kindness. I'm making sure the Champion doesn't get hurt for no reason."

His blank expression changed to a content one. Not in a kind way, "Granted, the moment when someone loses all hope... I really do love to watch that moment."

Hilda was shocked, "How could… you're crazy…"

"Well then, farewell." Was his only response. When he walked out, his subordinates went with him.

After they were gone, Alder decided, "Hmmm... It seems my only choice is to return to the Pokémon League and battle N. But it bothers me to do exactly what Ghetsis wants... More importantly, what should we do about the Dark Stone?"

Hilda grew concerned, "If it's not here, where are we going to find it? I'm worried…"

"We should probably step outside Alder." Cheren advised.

"That's a great idea, it's getting quite stuffy in here! Let's hurry."

Hilda's Xtransceiver began ringing, she picked up to Professor Juniper's frantic voice, "Hilda! Hilda! Hello? Hilda!"

"Professor Juniper? Professor Juniper I'm here!"

She calmed down, "Oh! You picked up! Hey, Hilda. Come to the museum in Nacrene City immediately! Right away, got it? I mean right now!"

"Why what's-?" Before Hilda could respond, the Professor hung up. She looked at Cheren, confused and worried.

"That was the Professor. What's going on?" Cheren asked.

"I was about to ask but then she hung up."

"We'd better get going! It sounded pretty serious." Alder said, "This way, I found a tunnel that led from the entrance down to here."

Back outside into the desert, Cheren spoke, "It's hard to put into words… but I'll never forgive them for this!" He clenched his hands into fists.

"What could that guy called N possibly want? Could he be trying to prove he is right by winning the battle of the two dragons?" Alder questioned, "Regardless, seems like something big is happening at the museum in Nacrene City. I'll go on ahead!" Alder sprinted ahead and out of sight without waiting for an answer.

"Let's leave too Hilda." Cheren advised, "This sand is driving me crazy."

She nodded.

When the two arrived at Nacrene City, Hilda looked around slowly, "I… I feel like I haven't been here in a hundred years."

Cheren was understanding, "It does seem like that."

"Hilda? Cheren?"

She looked up to see Professor Juniper standing in front of the museum with Alder and Lenora.

"Professor Juniper, it's been a while." Cheren greeted her.

"It has been! It's great to see you both!" She then focused on Hilda, "Alder told me what's going on. Hilda, you got caught up in something serious, it seems…"

Hilda replied, "Serious seems like too light of a word to describe this. And that's saying something."

Lenora was as energetic as ever, "Hilda, Cheren! It's been some time. I've been listening to this whole story and I couldn't believe something like this would happen now."

Alder spoke, "That stone in the museum. We need it."

"Of course." Lenora rushed into the museum and came back moments later with a stone, "Is this it? Is this really a Dragon-type Pokémon?"

"That's it. That's exactly right." Alder confirmed.

"That stone is similar to the one that N had." Hilda added, "The stone that was Reshiram."

Cheren added, "I remember seeing that stone when I first came here. I thought it was just an ordinary stone."

Alder handed it to Hilda, "Here's the Dark Stone Hilda. For now, I'll go meet with N and battle him, and I'll stall him as long as I can. If I can't stop him or if anything happens to me, you'll be the one to battle him."

Hilda gazed at the stone in awe.

"Are you okay with that?" Alder inquired.

She looked up, "I am. I can't let N separate trainers and Pokémon."

All this time, Hilda was trying to distract herself from a growing pain within her heart. N had told her his intentions from practically the beginning of her journey! If she had just told her friends, or anyone about his plans would he have been stopped before it got this far? The reality of what was about to happen sank in, and there was no way out. She knew that she was headed for a battle that the fate of the world depended on.

He paused for a moment before answering, "I understand. You are determined to take on this duty. Then, here it is. Prepare yourself. Be strong."

"Be strong."

Those words rang in Hilda's mind while he left.

"Wait… why do I feel so… unsettled hearing those words? I've been strong for so long. It shouldn't bother me."

"Hilda?"

"Hm? Yeah, Lenora?"

"If things don't go as planned, you'll use the Dark Stone. You'll protect the ideal future for us and Pokémon."

"I have to. We can't let N fulfill his plans."

Lenora had a caring and resolute look in her eyes, "Hilda, we're counting on you. Please take care of yourself."

Hilda continued to look worried, and Lenora reassured her, "Don't worry! If we have something for you, we'll come running to find you!"

The young trainer forced a smile, "All right then, I'll just be going." She took a few steps backward before turning around and taking off running.

Visibly concerned, Cheren lifted his arm slightly and took a step after her.

Professor Juniper added, "I'm going to head back to the lab and do some research… I'll see if I can uncover what kinds of being these legendary Dragon-type Pokémon are and if there is any way to awaken them… Cheren?"

He turned around, "Yes Professor?"

"Are you going after Hilda?"

Without hesitation, he answered, "Of course I am, but I'm going to find Bianca first."

"Sounds good, tell her what's happened here."

"I will." Cheren assured, before running off.

Hilda dashed through the familiar route, the cool wind brushing her face. After several feet she stopped and took a seat on a stray log, catching her breath.

"This is it, it's all coming down. I have to be ready, and I know what I must do. Brycen, I'm coming back to challenge you. I hope you're ready."