Pokemon: Gym Leader

"At some point, come to Kanto and try out the spinning attraction at my gym. It's different from the ones outside."

At the entrance, Dylan smiled and said goodbye to the two girls.

"Sure, if we get the chance, we'll definitely give it a try."

Hilda responded politely. Truth be told, she was genuinely intrigued by the spinning attraction at the Rota Gym.

It randomly selected an attribute, and Dylan would use whatever type was chosen. Pretty interesting, right?

Meanwhile, the girl with the bun hairstyle beside Hilda was glaring at Dylan.

Stare...

"Rosa, no need to stare at me like that. If fate allows, next time we battle, I won't use a Ghost-type team against you."

Dylan chuckled. Rosa really was an adorably stubborn one.

"Tch! You talk like I was scared of them! They're just inherently evil Ghost-types," Rosa pouted with disdain, but then quickly changed her tone.

"Are you serious though? A real man keeps his word!"

"Of course. An unbreakable promise, as solid as a four-horse chariot," Dylan said with a faint smile.

"Yay~! Ahem, then next time, you must witness my true strength!" Rosa cheered excitedly but quickly regained her composure, coughing and addressing Dylan seriously.

"Alright, see you next time."

Dylan smiled, waved goodbye to the two girls, and left with Lillie.

"He's quite the impressive person~"

Watching Dylan and Lillie's figures disappear from view, Hilda couldn't help but sigh.

"Tch~ Next time, I'll definitely defeat him! No way am I leaving without a gym badge," Rosa huffed indignantly.

"And you, Hilda! You were terrible! You gave up without even trying—I'm so disappointed in you!"

"Oh, go on! Do you think I'm as brainless as you are with that big chest of yours? Challenges require caution."

Hilda rolled her eyes.

"Hey?! Did you just insult me? You totally insulted me!"

"No, I was complimenting your figure," Hilda said nonchalantly, changing the subject.

"After we finish challenging all the gyms in Unova, what do you say we take a trip to Kanto?"

"Yes! I've been dying to see Kanto!" Rosa's eyes lit up, easily distracted.

"Then let's pick up the pace. I only need two more badges to qualify for the Vertress Conference."

"Hehe~ What a coincidence, bestie! I need just two more as well. Once the Vertress Conference begins, I'll personally make sure you're knocked out! You can sit in the audience and watch me take on the Elite Four and Champion Alder."

"Hahaha~ Thanks a lot?"

The two girls continued chatting as they walked away, the epitome of rivals and close friends.

…

The next day, Dylan and Lillie woke up early and flew to Icirrus City.

Icirrus City is located in the northwest of the Unova region, where the seasons change drastically. During the winter, thick snow blankets the city, transforming it into a white wonderland.

Of course, Dylan didn't come to Icirrus City for sightseeing, especially since it wasn't winter.

He was here because this city is the closest to the Dragonspiral Tower.

After leaving Icirrus City, Dylan and Lillie flew north on Articuno. Before long, they spotted the ancient tower.

"We've arrived."

Articuno landed as Dylan gazed at the ancient tower ahead, his eyes flickering with determination.

"Is this the place, big brother? The place where Reshiram slumbers?" Lillie curiously looked around.

"Yes, this is it." Dylan seemed to hear the call even more clearly now.

'Come… I've been waiting for you…'

This white dragon would make a great fortune-teller.

"Let's go, Lillie. We're heading inside."

Dylan and Lillie crossed the bridge to the entrance of Dragonspiral Tower and went inside.

Dragonspiral Tower is the oldest tower in the Unova region. No one knows who built it, but it's the most ancient structure in the region.

The interior of the tower was filled with the weight of centuries, with collapsed pillars visible everywhere. Dylan paid little attention to this as he and Lillie made their way toward the top.

"Lillie, do you know the legend of Unova's founding?" Dylan asked, perhaps to lighten the quiet atmosphere.

"Um~ Does big brother know?" Lillie thought for a moment. She had read up on some of it, but her knowledge wasn't complete.

But that didn't matter. Her brother was knowledgeable and well-versed in the myths and legends of every region.

"Zekrom and Reshiram, the 'Legendary Dragon Pokémon,' were once one being," Dylan began.

"According to legend, around 2,500 years ago, Unova was founded by twin brothers and a single dragon. The older brother sought truth, while the younger brother pursued ideals."

"As their goals diverged, so did their relationship, eventually leading to war. The dragon split into Reshiram, representing truth, and Zekrom, representing ideals."

Hearing this, Lillie couldn't help but feel sorrow. Differences in ideals had led to such a tragic outcome.

"But the war couldn't be won. Neither Reshiram nor Zekrom could defeat the other, and both exhausted themselves. The twin brothers, realizing their mistake, ended the conflict and restored peace."

"However, after the brothers passed away, their sons reignited the war. Enraged, Reshiram and Zekrom burned the country with fire and lightning, destroying their physical forms and turning into the Light Stone and the Dark Stone."

By this time, Dylan and Lillie had reached the top of the tower. Dylan looked around and continued.

"And according to legend, the Light Stone and Dark Stone rested here after that war. N awoke the black dragon, Zekrom, from this very place and took it with him."

Dylan gently ran his hand along the tower's ancient walls, feeling the dust of time and the marks of history.

Yes, N had awakened Zekrom here and taken it away. And today...

It was Dylan's turn!

"Truth~ What is your truth?"

A voice, neither male nor female, echoed clearly in Dylan's mind as the gaze of the truth dragon, Reshiram, focused on him.

"My truth?"

Dylan chuckled softly.

"Reshiram, don't you think you should come and experience it for yourself?"

Reshiram?

Lillie blinked in confusion, glancing around. Where was the white dragon? Why hadn't she heard it?

"The world is the world. This world, as it stands now, is undeniably real. I've always been able to clearly feel its existence. Its weight... I can carry it! Reshiram~"

"The world is the world. This world, as it stands now, is undeniably real. I've always been able to clearly feel its existence. Its weight... I can carry it! Reshiram~"

Dylan's eyes scanned the surroundings. He didn't know exactly where Reshiram was at the moment, but there was no doubt Reshiram was here, somewhere in the tower.

"You brought me here, but can't you sense this? N's ideals, the things he pursues, are easily shattered."

Dylan's voice echoed through the Dragonspiral Tower.

"Come with me, Reshiram. We'll be the best partners. I'll lead you to defeat the Black Dragon and its hero."

"We can show them clearly that their ideals can't surpass our reality!"

The tower remained silent. Besides the sound of Dylan's and Lillie's breathing, nothing stirred.

One minute, two minutes, three minutes...

"Big brother..."

Still no response. Lillie tightly pressed her lips together, her eyes filled with concern as she gazed at Dylan. It seemed like... he hadn't awakened the White Dragon. This... the White Dragon had no taste!

"Did I fail?"

Dylan furrowed his brow slightly. If he couldn't earn the White Dragon's favor, then so be it. Time for Plan B.

"Necrozma, can you sense Reshiram's presence?"

"I can."

A deep, raspy telepathic voice echoed in Dylan's mind—it was Necrozma.

"Alright then, if it doesn't want to do this the easy way, we'll help it."

Dylan smiled faintly. Initially, he'd planned to take Reshiram in a gentler manner, but if Reshiram was unwilling, it would just have to bear a bit of pain.

"Necro..."

Dylan took out the shrunken Ultra Ball hanging from his chest, preparing to let Necrozma bring Reshiram out.

Suddenly, the entire Dragonspiral Tower began to shake violently.

"Big brother?"

"Let's get out of here."

Lillie quickly grabbed onto Dylan's arm to keep herself from falling—the tremors were intense.

"Necrozma."

Dylan opened the Ultra Ball towards the nearby window, and the deep-blue Necrozma appeared, tearing through the wall with a single claw. It then used its psychic powers to lift Dylan and Lillie out of the tower.

"What's going on?"

Once they were on the ground, Dylan looked across the lake at the violently shaking tower. This was strange.

"It's beginning to awaken."

The deep telepathic voice came again as the colorful parts on Necrozma's head began to flash.

"Awaken?" Dylan raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. Could it be that things weren't going as he had thought?

The tower continued to tremble, causing a large amount of dust to fall, making it seem as though the ancient structure was on the verge of collapse.

Amid the dust, a bright red Dragon energy shot straight up from the base of the tower, coming to rest above its peak.

"The Light Stone."

Dylan stared at the radiant Dragon Stone. This was the form Reshiram had taken after its body was destroyed long ago.

But now, its dragon body was beginning to reassemble!

"Roar~!"

A clear and melodious dragon cry echoed through the sky as the Light Stone expanded and transformed in flames.

In the blink of an eye, a magnificent white dragon spread its wings and soared high.

"This is... the legendary dragon god of truth, Reshiram!"

Lillie stood in awe, staring at the snow-white dragon. My goodness, it was... so beautiful!

Its overall appearance was white, a fusion of a white bird and a large, winged western dragon. Its brilliant blue eyes were stunning, with long, flowing fur like clouds trailing behind its head.

The entire body was covered in soft, feather-like white fur. Its face resembled that of a white wolf, with massive white wing claws extending from its sides—holy and divine!

If the Black Dragon Zekrom was imposing and cool, then the White Dragon Reshiram was elegant, noble, and grand.

Lillie had imagined what the White Dragon might look like, but she never thought that the legendary Reshiram would be this breathtaking!

This was a Dragon-type legend, the dragon god of truth that had once burned kingdoms to ash with its flames!

Reshiram's cry rang out once more. Its dragon cry was different from the fierce, rough cries of other Dragon Pokémon—it was much more graceful and delicate.

Reshiram's brilliant blue eyes turned toward Dylan on the ground, and with a single flap of its white wings, it was hovering above Dylan and Lillie in an instant.

At that moment, Reshiram's gaze was fixed solely on Dylan.

Thud~!

The White Dragon landed in front of Dylan.

"I have sensed your truth~"

A soft, androgynous telepathic voice rang out as the legendary White Dragon gradually approached the boy in front of it.

"Dylan~ I will ignite the path you build toward the real world, and I will... give it my all!"

Reshiram stood in front of Dylan, lowering its head slightly, its brilliant blue eyes reflecting the image of the young man before it.

One person and one dragon stared at each other, standing on the green grass, beside the blue lake, with the ancient Dragonspiral Tower in the background, forming a scene of perfect harmony.

Lillie covered her mouth, her eyes brimming with excitement as she gazed at the pair. She had known it all along!

She had known that her brother wouldn't be rejected by the White Dragon!

Her brother had successfully awakened the true Reshiram! The world would change because of this day!