Chapter 304: N's Harvest
Sandalwood Town, Unova Region. A new day had dawned, and N stepped out of his modest wooden cabin, breathing in the crisp morning air. After spending so much time here, he was more certain than ever that leaving Unova behind for a while had been the right call.
A Pichu scrambled out of the cabin after him, scurried up his leg, and perched on his shoulder, nuzzling against his cheek before settling in. N smiled and offered the little one some Pokémon food, which Pichu devoured happily. He gave it an affectionate pat on the head. This Pichu had been the first Pokémon he'd encountered after arriving in the region — injured and alone when he found it. After nursing it back to health, Pichu had simply refused to leave his side, and honestly, N hadn't minded at all.
Just as N was quietly taking in the beauty of the morning, a small black speck appeared far off on the horizon. It grew rapidly, hurtling straight toward him with purpose.
N exhaled slowly, watching it approach. "Well," he said to himself, "I suppose the quiet days are finally over."
Pichu looked up at him mid-bite, tilting its head in confusion. N just smiled and patted it gently.
Moments later, the dragon pulled up and hovered in the air above him, Ryan sitting astride its back. Ryan looked down at N with an expression caught somewhere between relief and exasperation. He'd come straight here the moment he'd finished clearing his backlog of paperwork. "N," he called down, "come on. You've been out here long enough."
N studied the dragon with genuine curiosity. "Wait — is that your old White Kyurem? It looks... different."
Ryan crossed his arms. "It fully reverted to its base form after I had it absorb the Black Kyurem. The two fused back together into something original — something beyond either one. I'm calling it Ryusei for now. But that's not why I'm here. You need to come back. The Guild is stretched thin on high-level combat power, and I confirmed everything with Arceus. A war could break out in as little as two or three years. You're sitting out here enjoying the scenery while a clock is ticking."
N went quiet for a moment, taking that in. Not only had the three dragons returned to their true forms — but the threat had actually been confirmed? He looked at Ryan with a steady gaze. "It sounds like the past year has been a lot for you."
"You know it's been a year and that's your response?!" Ryan said, dropping down from the dragon as it landed. "What have you even been doing out here, N? Were you planning to just... live here forever?"
"Relax." N held up a hand calmly. "There was a reason I needed to step away. With me gone, Team Plasma had no figurehead to rally behind. The members have been fully integrated into the Guild by now — they've built new lives, new routines. If I'd stayed nearby, could you honestly say there'd be zero risk of them trying to revive the old order? The distance was intentional. And besides, I needed the time for myself. To think. To settle some things I'd been carrying around for a long time."
Ryan landed and faced him directly, his tone shifting. "Looker filled me in on the Team Plasma stuff, so I'll let that go. But what I actually came here to talk about is Rosa. I know it's between you two and it's not really my place — but she deserves an answer, N. A real one. Dragging it out isn't fair to her."
N was quiet. Then he nodded. "I know. I've spent a long time thinking about it. I care about Rosa, but only the way you care about a little sister. There's no romantic future between us, and I've accepted that. When I get back, I'll talk to her honestly. I just hope she finds someone who can give her what she's actually looking for."
Ryan sighed. He'd already half-expected this answer. Rosa had first met N during the Team Plasma days, and somewhere along the way his quiet, gentle way of looking out for her had turned into something more on her end. Unfortunately, it had only ever gone one direction.
Ryan shook his head, then couldn't help himself. "Okay, different topic — you and Anthea and Concordia. You three basically grew up together, right?"
"Yes," N said simply. "I'm going to marry them both someday."
Ryan stared at him. His mouth opened, then closed. Both of them. At the same time. N had said it like he was commenting on the weather.
"You can be my best man if you want," N added. "I was thinking you and Hilbert could both do it."
"I'm declining. And stop changing the subject." Ryan folded his arms. "What have you actually been doing out here for a year? You didn't send a single message."
"Don't rush." N smiled. "Keldeo! Dinner time!"
Ryan blinked. "Keldeo? Here?"
He remembered that Manaphy eggs had apparently originated from a remote coastal region far from Unova — so legendary Pokémon appearing in unexpected places wasn't unheard of. Still, Keldeo was one of the Swords of Justice. Seeing it out here was a surprise.
A figure burst from the tree line at the edge of the forest — and it was unmistakably Keldeo, though not in the form most Trainers knew.
This was Keldeo in its Resolute Form.
It moved like flowing water and sharp steel at once. Its cream-colored coat caught the morning light, its sky-blue mane swept back with a handful of vivid, multicolored feathers woven through it. The horn that had once been small and unassuming had transformed entirely — long, layered, and deep blue, segmented like the blade of a master swordsman, carrying the unmistakable edge of a Pokémon that had truly learned to harness its power. The two angular fins flanking the horn gave it a regal, almost knightly silhouette.
Keldeo trotted straight to N and pressed its nose against his shoulder affectionately. N scratched behind its ear, then turned to Ryan with a quiet, satisfied look.
"That's what I've been doing," N said. "For years, I've been working with Keldeo — helping it understand the Sacred Sword, guiding it toward what it needed to reach its Resolute Form. We finally got there."
Ryan looked at Keldeo for a long moment, then back at N.
He didn't have a comeback for that.
(End of Chapter)
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