#bw2 arc

Divine dragons of Truth and Ideals, heed the prayers of a foolish heart.

Before we embark on this dangerous quest, shower us with your grace so that we may have a safe journey.

...

The coming of spring is where many dreams would blossom alongside the flowers- following a harsh winter, the people of Flocessy wasted no time in tending to their lands and ranches, eager to see what the rest of the year will bring.

"February was colder than other years," Muses the town mayor. "I hear it was as cold as Sinnoh on a hot day."

From behind her teacup, a blonde laughs.

"Yes! That's what I've been telling Professor Juniper! We're experiencing temperatures never before seen in Unova- I wonder why that is?"

"It's easy to chalk it up to the times, little lass-"

He leans over to refill her teacup.

"-but the youth of today isn't gonna take that for an answer."

"And why would we? If something's up, we ought to be the ones to figure out why; not when you old folks are sitting about."

The blonde's companion, a girl with a massive ponytail, speaks from the window- she does not join the other two in their warm conversation, content with merely listening and occasionally quipping in every now and then.

"You have a point there,"

The mayor laughs.

"Ah, it's good to see you haven't lost your spark, Hilda. Still as abrasive as ever- it's a shame you've taken a break from the subway, Emmet thinks you're a wildcard."

Hilda rolls her eyes- but her companion smiles even brighter.

"Oh, she's been a delight to have around! I make sure she gets plenty of training done even while she's acting as my bodyguard in the field,"

"Bianca,"

"Sorry, sorry- that's for another time!"

Bianca giggles, setting down her teacup and tapping her fingers against the book on her lap.

"It's really nice to catch up with you, Mr. Alder. It's been, um, two years?"

"Two years."

Though the hue of the leaves remain the same, the winds have changed- his guests remain as they have, but the light in their eyes are different.

And speaking of guests.

"Where's your other friend? He was here a few minutes ago, wasn't he?"

"He went out for some fresh air," Hilda replies. "He's taking his Pokemon for a walk."

"The ranch outside of town is lovely- he told me he spent a good quarter of last year's spring season over there."

Alder's mouth makes an "o" shape as he recalls.

"He did, he did- how has he been, by the way?"

For all that she's chatted about today, Bianca finds herself unsure of what to say.

Finally, she picks a word.

"Different-"

And as predicted, Hilda immediately adds "-but better than before."

That's all Alder could ask for- and it was far better news than what he was expecting.

"Okay, that's good. I admit, I wasn't sure what they were thinking when they told me they wanted him in this position, but-"

He glances at the framed picture on the wall- one of him with a group of four youths, wide-eyed and brimming with potential.

"Perhaps you kids can dream of things us grown-ups can't."

He himself hadn't lost the will to dream- but with the reality before him, he had to set aside certain expectations.

That's what it meant to be the Pokemon Champion after all.

An air of melancholy hovers over them as the conversation takes a more somber route- Bianca looks down at her teacup, smile still present, but stiffer than what it usually was.

And Hilda, looking outside the window, speaks up again.

"Guess we're gonna lose that ability soon in a couple of years, huh, Beebs?"

"Oh, hopefully not, Hilly- not with the research I've been doing."

Alder spots an opportunity to talk about something else- this quiet, tense atmosphere was something he didn't want in his house after all.

"Oh? Working hard with Fennel too?"

"You bet! Say, do you wanna know about the effects of Dream Mist- beyond what we know now?"

As the conversation picks up again, Hilda sighs, back leaned against the wall as she gazes out into the blue sky.

They had a few more hours to kill before they were expected to head to Aspertia- and it wasn't like she hated hearing Bianca's voice anyway.

...

"I'm all set, mom!"

She hears the excited footsteps clamoring downstairs, the clicking of plastic and jingling of bells- a collection of keychains.

She exits from her chores in the bathroom, removing her rubber gloves- and is horrified to see the atrocity standing before her.

"Bye bye! I'll make sure to give you a call!"

"Now, wait just a minute!"

She grabs him by the scruff of his jacket, just as he's about to pass by her- and stares incredulously.

In the home of Marianne Blake, things were in an uproar- the day had finally arrived, when her only son would receive a Pokemon of his own from an esteemed professor.

Or at least, the professor's assistant- she was quite a busy woman, she could not be blamed.

Such should be a cause for celebration- but here she was, arguing with her child before he even stepped foot outside.

"Anak, you can't be serious," Marianne takes a good look at him, head to toe.

"Why? What's wrong with it?"

"What- anak,"

She rubs her temples, sighing deeply.

"What even are you wearing? There's a spare backpack for you to use, a much more protective cap- and is that a rash guard you're wearing under your clothes?!"

"I might want to take a dip! You never know!"

"Nathaniel, you better not be leaving the house like that!"

Through the argument, the small boy grinned mischievously at his mother's exasperation, his little cat-smile never leaving his face.

"Crazy, because that's exactly what I'm going to do!"

"Nathaniel!"

"Mamaaaa, who cares what I wear out there? This classifies as acceptable travel gear, you know!"

"Just because it's acceptable- go change into something else before you're late!"

Now came his whine- and his Lillipup eyes.

"You're making me run late here! What will Ms. Alabaster say? That I kept my future partner waiting because I was busy coordinating my outfit?"

She opens her mouth to argue- but groans.

"Ugh, fine, fine. Do whatever you like. I suppose if you think that's fit for travel-"

She looks down at the worn pair of crocs.

"-but at the very least, take these."

Her son tilts his head like a confused dog, wondering what else she has to give besides an additional scolding- but to his surprise, she digs out a box from underneath the staircase.

"I was saving this for your birthday, but since your journey is starting today, you might as well make use of it now."

Opening the box, she reveals a pair of red running shoes, ankle-length- the same ones she knew her son had been eyeing.

"Happy early birthday, Nathaniel- now put these on and go look for Ms. Alabaster."

"Mamaaaaa, thank you!"

He wasted no time settling into his shoes, tapping them against the floor as he felt himself almost standing in the air.

They were a perfect fit.

"Now, remember what I taught you-"

"Yeah, yeah! I get it!"

He opens the screen door with a bang- and promptly terrifies his family's pet Delcatty and her Skitty, awakening them from their slumber.

"Be wise with money, avoid shady characters- and have fun!"

"And come home when you're lost," She reminds him. "If you can't find your way forward-"

"Then I'll retrace my steps back from square one!"

Looking up at the big blue sky, he felt the first page of his journey being written for historians to see.

"Just my style!"

Sprinting out of his house with a loud cheer, Marianne leans against the doorframe with a look of worry- one that quickly melts once she realizes who exactly she is being fussy over.

Still.

From the distance, she hears him yelling.

"Look out, world! Nate's gonna take you by surprise!"

"Dragons,"

She shakes her head.

"Please make sure he doesn't get himself in trouble."

...

The bell of Floccesy Town tolls, it's chimes echoing throughout the area.

The Mareep bleat at the sound, and nearby Riolu peer front underneath the tall grass.

From within a hidden grotto, a figure wrapped in a gray cardigan prays in the shade of the trees-

And a gust of wind overtakes them, as the nests of Pidove and Tranquil resting on the branches soar to the skies.

They cover their face, steadying their ground,

Divine dragons of Truth and Ideals, heed the prayers of a foolish heart.

Give us the strength to seek hope in despair, to unite when divided.

...

It was already nearing noon- but Bianca knew that she would have a long day ahead of her regardless, so she took what little rest she could in-between, savoring the quietness of the Pokemon Center; even in a far-away place like this, far from her home of Nuvema, there was at least someplace familiar.

The quietness doesn't last long, however- not when the shrill voice of a young girl rings through the air, disrupting the rest of the patrons.

"Hey, hey! You're miss Bianca Alabaster, aren't you?!"

Bianca readies herself mentally with a sip of her hot chocolate- this conversation could go two ways.

Either this was a young girl who had seen her league challenge two years ago, or she was one of those studious children that had taken note of Bianca's recent appearances in television as she climbed her way into the ranks of the scientific community for her recent discoveries.

No matter what, Bianca remained cordial- and forced a sweet smile on her lips as she lifted her head. "Oh, what can I do for-"

A hand is lifted out in front of her.

"You gave Natey a Pokedex, didn't you? I want one too!"

..or perhaps, it could go a third way.

"Rosa!"

A boy comes running in through the doors, bowing his head and apologizing to those he meets- and grabs the feisty girl by the ear, cheeks flushed red.

"Rosa, that's rude! I told you to wait until she came out!"

"Ugh, but she's taking forever! Hugh-"

Quickly, she assesses the scene happening before her; a girl with a pair of buns atop her head, a shiny new Xtransceiver on her wrist, and a hastily clasped Pokeball strap around the handle of her bag. The boy behind her, slightly taller but just as baby-faced, had hair like a Qwilfish and eyes as piercing as a Gigalith's.

Seeing their muddied shoes and matching jackets- one from an outdoor brand, she recalls from one of Hilda's magazine, she comes to a conclusion.

"Oh! You two- are you Pokemon Trainers?"

The boy- Hugh, was caught off guard by her question. Rosa, however, shoves him off of her and squeals in excitement, her eyes sparkling.

"Yes we are! Well, we just got our licenses last winter, but-"

Now she holds both of her palms out.

"We heard you were coming to give our friend his first Pokemon and a Pokedex! We figured you'd be willing to give us some too! The professor needs all the help she can get, right?"

Straight to the point; so unlike Bianca when she was her age.

She liked this girl.

"Rosa!"

"Come on, Hughy! It's not that bad to ask!"

"We can just share Nate's-!"

"Is that all you need?" Bianca interrupts. "If that's the case, I can just ask the professor. She's not really too strict about who gets one and who doesn't- truthfully, it's rare when trainers approach us, so we'd really appreciate all the help we can get when completing the Pokedex-"

"Oh, I don't really care about that part."

"Rosa!"

Bianca blinks.

"Maybe Natey does, and so does everyone- but I wanna use the Pokedex to, you know, learn about Pokemon and their moves. And Hughy here wants to-"

"That's enough!"

Covering her mouth with a gloved hand, he locks her head in his arm and tries to drag her out of Bianca's sight.

"Wait, wait, wait-"

And obediently, Hugh stops in his tracks, while Rosa struggles to break free from his grip.

"It's- it's alright, Hugh was it? It's fine, I promise! It's true the professor markets the role of a Pokedex holder for data completion, but-"

She digs out her own Pokedex from her bag- an older model from two years ago, with a cracked screen and a few bumps and bruises.

What stood out to the two kids, however, was the lower part of the Pokedex- slightly charred, and not from a simple fire-type move.

"-really, it's.. more of the professor's own way of getting kids to set out on a journey, especially those who don't plan on taking the league challenge."

The two kids look at each other for a bit.

"Oh! But of course, it's for learning too! You don't need to complete the Pokedex if you don't want to, but-"

"Then that settles it!"

With a wide grin, Rosa closes the space between her and Bianca, pushing herself up on the coffee table as Hugh tried to yank her off by the hood of her jacket.

"Please, please, pleaaaaaase Miss Bianca! I'd really like a Pokedex of my own, and Hughy does too-"

"Shut up!"

"-so can we please have one? We'll make sure Natey completes his, I promise!"

Most of the patrons seemed to have gone back to doing their own thing. Bianca could only assume that whatever was going on, and who these two kids were, it was a normal occurrence in the city of Aspertia.

She couldn't help but laugh at the familiarity- almost two years ago, she had done the same over Professor Juniper's desk, as her friends tried to pull her away and apologize for her enthusiasm.

"Well, as the professor says,"

She takes out a couple papers from her briefcase, where two of the remaining Pokeballs resided.

"The more the merrier!"

...

Another Lillipup falls to the power of his starter's Ember, something that Nate had been cheering over a few battles earlier.

But, as his Tepig gets stronger and learns more moves, Nate finds himself in a dilemma in the midst of his training in Floccesy Ranch, something that Bianca recommended he do first as a bonding exercise with his starter.

"Hey, Tepig,"

The little Pokemon snorts up at him curiously, wondering why it was no longer basking in praise as it was over an hour ago.

"I don't think we're gonna catch any Pokemon like this."

It doesn't seem to particularly care, however- it's too busy celebrating its consecutive victory, and Nate would too, if he could use any of the Pokeballs that he had been given.

..well, he had, but-

"Missed shots. And if they did land, the Pokemon would break free," He groaned. "And when we try to weaken 'em up, you end up going all out!"

Tepig raises its nose out at him.

"Don't sass me! Miss Bianca asked us to catch Pokemon too, you know! Winning battles ain't the only thing a trainer can do!"

"Bwark!"

Both trainer and Pokemon turn their heads to the sudden noise, much bigger than the cries of other Pokemon they've heard in the ranch.

Not too far from where they were was a Herdier, its posture alert, but not quite hostile.

"Wait, a Herdier?"

He glances at his Pokedex's habitat feature for a second.

"They're not common 'round here. You're not a wild Pokemon, are you?"

The Herdier glances at him almost expectantly. Nate would know if it was expecting a treat, or even a pat.

But with the way it was waiting, it seemed to be calling Nate over for something.

Nate and his Tepig glanced at each other for a moment with the same dumbfounded expression- but Tepig returned to sniffing the tall grass for more opponents to fight, eager to stroke its ego.

With a sigh, Nate rose from his spot on the grass.

"Alright, you stay there. I'll go help this little guy out, alright?"

And as expected, as soon as Nate started making his way to the Herdier, it turned around and started trotting deeper into the ranch.

...

Somewhere in the ranch, a figure clad in black- a shadow with no vessel, stands before a sleeping body in the grass.

Hands on their chest, their skin deathly pale, a red ribbon on their collar blowing in the wind- they looked like a corpse.

The shadow crouches before them, eyeing the pin they wore on their cardigan- the pin of a league member, specifically, a gym leader.

"It would be easy to just grab you like this, but-"

Almost on cue, their Xtransceiver begins to ring- and he hears the sound of a ship from the distance, all the way at Virbank City.

Glancing at the body one more time, they sneer as they disappear in a puff of smoke.

Divine dragons of Truth and Ideals, heed the prayers of a foolish heart.

As we leave the sanctity of your temple, guide us through the darkest night with your brightest of stars.

...

The afternoon chatter of Aspertia City is lively- small shops and stalls open to welcome locals and tourists alike, as children run down the streets with toys in hand, accompanied by their Pokemon.

In the corner of the newly renovated trainer school, a dark-haired boy gazes at the presence of a man in a spiffy white suit and a pair of sunglasses standing in front of the entrance, head held high.

But, the most striking part of his outfit had to be the brooch he wore on the collar of his blazer, gleaming gold.

"Which means-"

He lifts up his goggles, resting them on his head of spiky hair.

By his side, a smaller girl with a similiar, albeit fluffier hairstyle looks up at him eagerly.

"-this is going to be the new gym, and that guy is the new gym guide."

"No way! In our neighborhood?"

"Right on," He grins. "It's perfect. That means a lot of trainers here in Aspertia City will finally be able to properly train for themselves- and not just any kind of training,"

Taking his Lure Ball from his belt, he fiddles with it in his gloved hands, eager to send out his partner and test out his skills.

"All regional leagues are competitive, but Unova is something else entirely- it's such a massive competitive scene that they have to keep honing their skills, or they'll get replaced by up and coming trainers."

He spins the ball in one finger.

"Did you know that the gym leader who's held the position the longest is Drayden of Opelucid City?"

"He's the,"

The little girl tilts her head.

"Umm, the grandpa with the big beard?"

"Yeah! He's been around since before you were born!"

"He's that old?"

She tilts her head to the other side, finger placed on her bottom lip.

"Hey, big brother, how old is Mr. Drayden?"

"He's-"

"Didn't you know, Aya? He's like reaaaaaaally old."

Hugh turns around.

What greets him are blue eyes barely concealed by the rim of a pink and white visor, a catty smile, and a pair of buns atop someone's head, perfectly circular- like the lumps of a Seismitoad.

Atop her shoulder is a thoughtless, preening Ducklett, blankly staring at Hugh and Aya- before flapping its wings and gently landing in Aya's arms with a pleased quack.

"Rosa!"

"Hey, Hughy!" She grins. "I had some time to kill, so I thought I'd drop by!"

"But big sister," Aya looks up, her hand gently stroking Ducklett's head. "You're always free."

"Yeah," Hugh snorts. "It's not like you actually do anything."

"Hey, I'm getting there! Honestly," She puffs her cheeks. "I trek all the way here from Virbank, and this is the thanks I get?"

"It's not that difficult for you, isn't it? You have a party already."

"Three Pokemon barely counts as a party, Hughy! Lively company shortens the miles-"

She snaps her fingers.

Ducklett squawks, squirming out of Aya's arms and flapping its wings back to settle onto Rosa's head.

"-and I'm dying to see what Pokemon is out there!"

Hugh nods, hand gripping onto his Lure Ball.

He understood that sentiment far too well.

Despite him and Rosa already having Pokemon of their own, fully capable of venturing into the world, they stay in the southwest part of Unova, separated from the rest of the mainland.

They could have left earlier on, but-

"Now that it's all three of us with Pokemon," Hugh tucks the Pokeball back into his belt. "Unova won't be so scary."

"Definitely. Two years ago was such a mess, big sis and I had a bad fight about going on a journey in the first place!"

"Who won?"

"Definitely not pops," She twirls a strand of her hair. "But, with big sis being a new gym leader and all, she has a little more insight on the stuff ongoing at the league- hopefully, that eases her nerves."

Hugh hoped so too.

It would be a shame if they missed out on adventuring like the rest of the kids their age had experienced, all because of some crooks terrorizing the streets of the region.

That didn't sit right with him at all- to remain sheltered, terrified, all because of petty Pokemon thieves.

"And speaking of journey,"

Rosa tilts her head playfully, arms behind her back.

"Where on earth is Natey?"

...

Bianca rushed headfirst into the city as soon as she glanced down at the time on her Xtransceiver- and realized she'd been talking Alder's ear off for more than just an hour.

"Ohhh, Bianca, why now of all days?!"

She curses herself, nearly tripping to her face as she tried to navigate around the streets. She swings around the briefcase in her hands, apologizing repeatedly to the poor Pokemon inside, as she tries to look for a sign, a person- anything, to guide her.

Then she spots a familiar head of white hair- right in front of the local trainer school no less.

"Oh, oh! Clyde!"

"Miss Bianca?"

She takes a few steps in front of him, sighing in relief. "You are here! I thought you weren't assigned to come here until next week!"

The man grins, adjusting his pair of sunglasses- he hasn't aged a bit.

"Well, I couldn't sleep a wink- not when I'm being stationed somewhere new. The sights at Castelia have been getting boring these past few years, so I thought there was no harm in coming early-"

He glances proudly up at the sign.

"And I must admit, this seems like a fresh start for all of you kids. Especially the new gym leader. I just had to come and assist him as soon as I could."

Gym leader- it was still amazing for Bianca to hear about how far her friend has come.

"But, ah, I think he's busied himself in the ranch?"

"Oh, yeah! We all went to Alder's place together, he left not long after he had some tea with us, and-"

She remembers why she approached him.

"Oh, oh! Right! The lookout- do you know where it is?"

"Lookout?"

"Yes! The professor asked me to deliver a Pokemon and Pokedex for a little boy-"

"A little boy!" Clyde doesn't take long to tap into his memory. "Hm, how little are we talking about?"

"Wuh-? Um, the professor said her friend said her kid is quite small-"

"Then he just passed by me,"

He points to a street on his left.

"You must have missed it, but just before the gate, there will be steps leading you to the lookout. It's not too far from the school."

He flashes her a charming grin.

"I saw quite a little boy earlier, cheering about how he was going to get his first Pokemon today! The locals seemed to know him very well."

Not a single one passed by without greeting him after all.

"So he's already there- shoot, I must have kept him waiting," She adjusts her grip on the suitcase with one hand, fixing her glasses with the other. "Oh, we've got to chat over tea sometimes, Clyde!"

"No worries, Miss Bianca!"

He waves as she begins to run to her destination; though others may see her as flighty and airheaded, she was just as hardworking as ever.

Perhaps even more so than he last saw her- all of these kids were.

"Ah, to see them grow into such responsible teenagers,"

Suddenly, he felt like he had two years ago, seeing a peculiar trio standing in front of his boss Burgh's gym- a girl with a green hat, a boy with red glasses, and-

"Hero of Truth, are you seeing this now, I wonder?"

The boy with the red cap- he looked an awful lot like that little boy that passed by him.

...

Something about the spring breeze was different this year.

Granted, it wasn't the same last year either- the chaos at the mainland due to Team Plasma was an event that rocked Unova to its core, shattering a truth that had guided the region and its citizens for many years.

Of course Nate knew they were scum- it wasn't as if Aspertia City was left forgotten in the wake of their terror.

Though they've disbanded with the disappearance of their king, their message lives on in the mouths of many- and there were few who chose to live by their ideals, releasing their Pokemon into the wild.

Nate lets out a deep breath- one he hadn't been aware he was holding.

"Doesn't matter where they are now, I guess- because worrying isn't my style!"

He pumps his fist into the air.

Atop Aspertia's lookout, he felt on top of the world- and nothing was going to bring him down, even with the thought of what had transpired two years ago weighing in his mind.

"I'll be picking daisies! I'll have a trusty Pokemon partner with me, a cool new Pokedex, Hugh and Rosa-"

"Heyyyyyyy!"

His monologue is interrupted by the presence of a stranger.

Blonde hair, a white ribbon in front of her cardigan- and a striking, big green hat.

Big green hat!

"I am so so so sorry for running late, little one,"

Bianca isn't even looking at him as she pants, stumbling from the stairs and onto the ground.

"But I was in the middle of a very important discussion with Mr. Alder about Dream Mist, and then I got sidetracked by Clyde, and-"

She stops her talking, straightening her back- and takes a deep breath.

All Nate could do was watch her in awe, eyes fixated on the briefcase she had in her hands.

"Let's um, do it from the top. My name is-"

She raises her head, meeting the gaze of the newbie trainer-