Arceus Decides That Putting N Who Wants To Liberate Pokemon Into The Past Where People Fear Pokemon Is A Good Idea (Spoilers, It's A Terrible Idea, Especially with God Seeking Volo) - The Fic.
Note that this is an absolute crack idea where being such an N and Volo fan, who only watched YouTube moments where they star in and bop to their music and ofc have more reedemable characteristics for such characters because I admit on my bias... Without fully knowing pokemon lore nor actually wanting to deep dive into it when I just want to give the vibe, the aesthetic, the dream of putting my two characters together and see the dynamic, the chaos, the craziness.
So here's the deal, the idea. That while I do like N after he figured out Ghetsis manipulated him and turned to a grayer thinking to thus become the sweet character we love that wants to hear our pokemons' voice through battle and become a great ally... I also want to explore what he was before, with the manipulation of Ghetsis when he wholeheartedly believed in the liberation of Pokemon, before the canonical events of Black & White and say just after being let out of the castle to explore the world in a brief period of time as Ghetsis might allow, to understand being King of Team Plasma and honestly doing God knows what. So N, our protag who wants to help Pokemon, understand the world, learn to become King with an idea about the Pokemon League and in search to find the Dragons of Truth / Ideals (leaning to either one, who knows).
Then one day, a rift suddenly popped up to him, sucked him in and he fell to the sky to Hisui, where P:LA happens and that N has some understanding towards because while Unova is his hometown, he was educated as the best as King (biased knowledge tho because if he was taught well, he wouldn't be so black and white about people and Pokemon, seriously Ghetsis...) so he was aware of the other regions, and with his smart curiosity with a thirst of knowledge because he is a smart chara coz remember that cube, and his philosophical rambles etc that being in Hisui meant he was in Sinnoh's past. Combined with the Arc phone and about the deity to seek out all Pokemon, plus the fact that in this era where people surprisingly feared Pokemon which N had no idea of... as King, with the idea to liberate Pokemon from people, even in such situations, he knew what can be done:
Find a way to present time. The Arc phone is related to that, so he would follow Arceus' will to seek out pokemon and learn what he needed for the path needed.
Check out the current state of the legends in Unova, whether they were still Kyurem or split into Reshiram and Zekrom because finding out what happened to those Pokemon in real time might help him locate whatever happened to them in present time. Also leaving an impression in the past might help to be recognized in the present, as long as he doesn't overdo it.
Plant seeds of separating Pokemon from people in the past. Although there was the paradox of chaing past and messing up with the future, if people can only fear and abuse Pokemon, if that was what the world of people and Pokemon together amounted to, then N is determined as heck to stop whatever happened with those newfound Pokeballs and at least made sure people stay far away from Pokemon and that they should be separated. Pokemon suffered enough.
Because I don't know lore enough, P:LA kinda runs about the same way it usually would but more emphasis on N and Volo dynamic because that's what happens as a sucker to both characters. But it would also largely change, because N can talk to Pokemon. N will obviously keep it a secret that he can talk to Pokemon if people fear Pokemon so what would people think about someone who can talk to them and he didn't want any trouble in an unknown timeline. So let's see what points I can make of the aesthetic, the vibe, the insanity...
N brought Zorua with him, who had disguised as a small Joltik to nestle in N's hair because they are BFFs for life, your Honour. Don't @ me
N refuses to catch the three starter Pokemon into Pokeballs, but went along with it for the Professor when he realized he was in the past and he needed more information and a place to live. He was about to make excuses that he was unable to catch the Pokemon after finding them himself, to urge them to freedom but see it go sideways because they were fascinated about a person who can actually talk to Pokemon and ended up with the Professor anyway. Also, when asked why N didn't catch them in Pokeballs, N stated his dislike reluctantly and yet firmly and the Professor decided to accept it thinking he had the same mentality as the Clans
Still since N was somehow good with Pokemon and he fell out of the sky to bring him into Jubilife Village, meeting Akari and Rei the twins. Getting an Oshawott because felt connected Unovan style... recruited into the Survey Corps because even though he refused to catch them, he somehow worked well with the starter Pokemon and the affinity might help surveying although it was a little tentative because the moment he was in danger...
He was tasked to help complete the Pokedex, which disgusts him. But then he hears that Akari and Rei were among the few Survey Corps people entrusted to the task and if there was one thing to be learned about young kids (or young trainers in his present) that they could be menaces to people and Pokemon alike (caring more for the latter obviously) with that curiosity and crazy wonder that spoke of foolhardiness, recklessness and if he wanted to plant the idea of liberation between people and pokemon... start with young minds (and secretly find his 20 y/o a- being a bit of a father to two young kids because by Kyurem, he might not have lived with people for that long opposed to Pokemon but even he wouldn't wish anything to happen to two children just because of short manpower by the people responsible for them.)
In other words, N will just *pretend* to help with the Pokedex but honestly, he was busy with other things. Anything to further his own goals though.
Kamado doesn't necessarily trust N because from what I kinda figured out about his character, because of fear of Pokemon that anyone who is close to Pokemon like that could be a little red flag although I know that might not the entire thing. N vowed even more to never say a thing about how he can talk to Pokemon.
In exchange for all that, N would have access to what the people in this village know about Hisui and potential access to records so he could know more about the legends, the nations outside etc. Or whatever he can find.
Moving on from that, N meets Volo. N will meet the totally not suspicious merchant who expresses complete interest for someone who fell from the sky and since N has an Oshawott, why not a friendly battle? The Pokeball revolts him so he refuses, hugging Oshawott closer and Volo berates with what's wrong with friendly competition as he summons out his Togepi who looks eager.
N, though revolted, was astounded by Togepi's love for Volo (which evolved into Togetic through friendship so honestly I do want to believe that Volo takes good care of Pokemon in his passion to learn and understand them more) and even when battles still repulsed him, N also can't ignore Togepi's voice, is curious about how a Pokemon who was caught in the first ever Pokeball feel and with Oshawott also surprisingly raring to go, N could only respect Pokemons' wishes. And intervene if things go too far.
It was a close battle and will end up in a tie, because I say so XD Volo will heal both Pokemon, gift N a Potion and offer parting words. N decided that it was because he was a merchant supplying for Pokemon battles that he was like this and thus didn't think highly of him. And yet his interest was piqued at the love Togepi had for Volo, ask whether it is worth for friends to get stronger, to get contained in Pokeballs. All that philosophy, even when the world now was at fear of Pokemon in this era but Volo was among few as N noticed to have a Pokeball and the first to ask for battle. Volo wondered aloud whether a person from the sky had some different mindset but could only offer an answer about curiosity, of 'don't you want to know more about Pokemon' and also at the very fact why wouldn't anyone not want their partner Pokemon to get stronger when wild Pokemon are more likely to attack people for dead. Which causes N to short circuit because it ends up people attacking Pokemon for dead, the abuse that he could not stand for friends. But if it were Pokemon attacking...
At first, he didn't believe but when you somehow find yourself attacked by an Alpha Rapidash and saving two kids who thought it was a good idea to face it in battle just because they got starter Pokemon... N who had lived a long time in the wild with Pokemon and despite very little with human civilization knew it all screamed bad idea and was thankful he befriended enough Pokemon along the way that helped provide a diversion for escape.
Interestingly enough, would that be enough for N to start questioning about the relationships between people and Pokemon, but honestly N lives in the wild before so he knew Pokemon could be aggressive but that was also because of people so his thoughts largely remained unchanged. Reluctantly tho he can see why people would train up their Pokemon to be strong just to survive that. It made the idea of separating Pokemon and people even more urgent than ever, but as circumstances allowed it, he had an understanding of Volo's view. But at the same time, wondered how someone who directs Pokemon in order for survival would have such a tight bond, the love a Pokemon has for who caught them. Something that the very few who owned Pokemon in Pokeballs didn't really have, say a stubborn Pikachu with one of the twins.
That kind of makes meeting the Clan members who ask help for the Nobles thanks to the space-time rift just propel N's curiosity even further because look, the Clans dislike Pokeballs (immediate approval) and just have their Pokemon by their side (what N does so hello kindred spirits) so this makes him eager to accept helping the Clans quell the Nobles' wrath and figure out what happen to propel them to a present with the disgusting Pokeballs and how people who could live alongside Pokemon would end up abusing the very Pokemon that were there with them. It wouldn't change his end goal, but the more he learned, the more he can pinpoint and for the sake of his friends, the less hurt he would let the world inflict on them. Maybe.
Volo appearing out of nowhere that could have scared N out, if not for Zorua always with him to say whoever's approaching, taught the Back-Strike technique which N refuses because he would never use Pokeballs, unusual for a Survey Corp member but reminiscent of the clans. Which piques Volo's interest and left with N's huffed disinterest.
N uses Zorua as some Noble whisperer as an ever changing Pokemon (not that anyone else will know at the time) to calm down Nobles when it was actually N's expertise and somehow summoning friends out of thin air that made him worthy to get the Plates.
Volo 100% freaking out on the Plates, expressed himself as interested in Hisuian ruins and N, despite having somewhat mixed impressions on Volo, knew that this person might be one of the only ones to have any idea about the histories and of legendaries (especially if the clans are arguing about who the Almighty Sinnoh is, when they are just talking about Palkia and Dialgia who cannot match Arceus) and started asking about Unovan legends.
This is how two nerds (kinda) bond with each other, hold interest with each other and can be terrible to each other regardless.
Because I honestly do not know how anyone can change the mind of a Mr. even if it will take me years, decades, centuries to meet Arceus so I land on them sadly enough being terrible menaces together. Or maybe Volo might not change his mind about meeting Arceus, coz why can't we mere mortals have questions about the universe but about changing the world to a happier place with Arceus power just like how N wanted to change a world separated of people and Pokemon, in black and white for happiness.
Actually, those two will clash because I think Volo likes Pokemon enough, curious enough about them and wanted the Pokedex completion to refuse N's vision of a black and white world but N wouldn't budge either.
And yet, maybe it's a little easier for N's worldview to shake a bit, because honestly, the more Nobles N meet, the more of the Clan side by side with Pokemon in happiness and also Legendaries who might not really have problem with people, even if its indifference. Yeah, N needed to find Kyurem just to become a hero and dispel those doubts. Will that be a pretty picture? Nope, but it will be funny.
Time skipping to basically Kamado exiling N out of Jubilife Village, for a lot of reasons from the space time rift and being caught talking to Zorua and understanding him which no one believed even if it is true which makes people think Kamado is just determinely deluded to heap anything against N to bring him into exile and THIS might be when Volo will have something changed by N, in actually speaking with Pokemon.
Because N was in a bad place, even if he could live in the wild, he was shocked by Volo's kindness, was thankful enough, asked to hear Volo's Pokemon voices which he had twice now after yet another battle that led to learning more about a stolen wall fragment few Nobles ago and wanted to hear a third time, not necessarily through battle. Because Volo, despite being something N would inherently despise, from those Pokeballs to the interest in the Pokedex and also using those mercantile needs to fuel Pokemon battles because apparently Survey Corps being what would bring his present was something that would make business boom... and yet despite all that, Volo's Pokemon trusted, respected and dare he say it, even love him. Not any differently than how N and his own friends love each other. Clan members who do not confine their Pokemon in Pokeballs were one thing, even if maybe forced to be stuck with their *owners* regardless but someone like Volo... the closest thing to the Poketrainer he knew of the present.
He listened to Togetic, confirmed he could hear Pokemon's voices by relaying what Togetic had said, all good things from knowing Volo since hatching from an Egg, partnering up together as a Gingko Guild Merchant using Togepi's cheeriness to soothe customers and showing out and yet protecting the very young Togepi in the world that they promised to do the same for Volo...
It left Volo stunned, for more reasons than one, and also he definitely asked N whether he can talk to a deity. The answer is maybe because he would like to talk to Legendaries (cough Kyurem cough)
Their interests was piqued by one another and an exchange was made, with a trust somewhat forged between them after N's secret was out and Volo was the only one to lend a helping hand. N expressed his desire to find Kyurem and Volo would like to know more about Hisuian legends but he would see what he could do.
I'm not making a full fic of this, because first of all, this is a vibe and aesthetic SO SKIP ENTIRELY TO THE POKE WIELDER VOLO VS TEAM PLASMA KING N because imagine how N feels about Volo when he has the Spooky Plate all along, was the reason why the space time rift existed which led to N being here in the first place and finally that he was leading N on to get the plates thanks to his success when Volo hadn't as much luck as N...
Yet Volo's monologue was something N understood as a somewhat nerd with a burning curiosity and passion about the questions left blank, which is why he was eager to seek out Truth and Ideals when Volo wanted to reach out to the Creator, even about a happier world because it was similar to how N wanted to do it even if Volo phrases it in a way that unnerves N and he now wonders about his own consequences...
Still, because Volo felt that N understood him more than anyone else, especially considering the fact that he got a bit of his life story out of Togetic and all that, also them being nerds together. He offered N that they could change the world together but N was wavering and while he did say he agree, they may differ on the ways that the world be remade. Because will Volo's world still have Pokemon or will they be separated as intended to?
They battle, only for their ideas of a different world. It was different than how N would envision because present wise, this might be the equivalent to hero vs hero, Reshiram vs Zekrom and for Volo, it felt different only because even when N was Arceus chosen with the Arc phone and all, N had similar ideals where he can't let questions go unanswered, with the burning drive and passion and it was easy enough to hate when someone so similar was chosen when he was not and rather chase a lesser legend but at the same time, N was an interesting character that fueled his own curiosity being the only person who can talk to Pokemon, who can understand and could even help him talk to a deity.
There was less ill will, more stake to the world but not to them despite their own personal stakes, not really duelling to the death but more like duelling each other for N to understand Pokemons' voices between each other and to see who's convictions were strong in battle while Volo wanted to understand the Arceus' chosen might, why he wanted to separate the black and white when he so obviously bonded with Pokemon like his own team who had his back in the harsh world of Hisui and so forth.
So we know Volo will have something like Cynthia's theme and also Girantina with Origin so it's like 8 Pokemon. So what does N have, that he can somehow summon because he straight up refuses Pokeballs, something he didn't do in B&W games I know but still somewhat canonical to his character. CALL IT ABUSING GAME MECHS ANYWAY AND SUMMON NOBLES USING ITEMS THAT COULD SUMMON TO BATTLE INSTEAD OF GETTING A RIDE.
Also, I'm going to throw in Kyurem for N because the time shennanigan stated in this, to look for Reshiram and Zekrom in his present, he... might have messed up with Unovan's past lore when he wanted to meet and understand Kyurem (DESPITE BEING IN HISUI BUT TELEPORT EXISTS AND HE WILL PRIOIRITZE) that ended up N hijacking a hero role somehow, able to summon Kyurem later and so forth. (I know this is in no way accurate but it makes the N vs Volo battle even more chaotic)
ALSO, N would be able to hear all of Volo's Pokemon team who somewhat knew about Volo's plan, understand the desire of a happier world but believe him going the wrong way about it and pleaded N to change both of their minds because when N wanted to battle for Pokemon liberation, the Pokemon steadfastly refused that notion and battled their hardest against it. Which led to an even battle to be honest.
And then there is GIRANTINA, when N somehow beat all of Volo's Pokemon down to their last HP that they struggle to hold on. And to hear confirmation from the PokeSatan themselves that Volo is indeed responsible in collaboration about the space time rift, agreeing with vengeance about kicking Arceus' ass and wanting to know what the Creator was thinking about this world...
From here, I'm going to make it a tiny bit anticlimatic when it is two legendaries Kyurem and Girantina who even through battle acted as the mediator between both Volo and N to reach a compromise because somehow they will end up as a tie, to the bitter end when both Pokemon refused to deal the final blow which both N and Volo knew what it meant.
N's convictions were not enough with a wavering heart that had met Legendaries and Pokemon like Volo who did not want the black and white world he envisioned which was something he respected out of Pokemon because they were friends and the journey proved that a mixture of gray, such a chemical reaction might not be such a bad thing after all.
Meanwhile, Volo still rather have the world a better place, but with N, he realized such a definition could differ for anyone. He realized what his Pokemon battling so hard for N meant, with the idea of what world recreation meant to his fellow partners that tried so hard for him but he honestly still wanted to win because he was kinda petty against the Arceus' chosen, about what makes one so special. It just meant PRIMARILY, he just wanted to seek out Arceus, wanted to know everything by solving Hisui's riddle to reach the end goal of a meeting and because he wished to be chosen as much as N was, to wield Arceus' power which he wished could also be right. And yet... despite everything sad and painful going through, a passion can cool even if curiosity could not and when everything just didn't seem to work in seeking out Arceus, to the point he would do anything, maybe now there will be a less destructive way. As for the world itself to making it a better place, maybe... that could be done by themselves, especially when nerding out with N and everything that happened by his own doing did make his world a better place. At least a little.
Girantina and Kyurem for their chosens, as they felt like they had words for the Creator themselves, realized the impasse enough to find out that both might have a goal they could compromise on and work together in the end. Seek out Arceus, kick their ass and get their questions answered.
For Volo and N's curiosity, whether it be for why this world, why people and pokemon are not separated, why do sad and painful things happen, it was something they can mutually agree upon.
In conclusion, if this fic ever be made because I cannot be bothered to look up B&W or P:LA or Pokemon lore in general to get this story done right, N and Volo will be somewhat semi-redeemed while being menaces together to search upon Arceus more as rabid researches than world destroying villains. Yeah, they can be redeemed AND be menaces together. Shoutout to the villains who had Legendaries on their side through friendship and partnership instead of being forced <33
Also, note in every way that because I'm practically biased to N and Volo in interpretation that it might not be completely accurate but I'm just letting out my crazy. As for plenty other charas who might make it to this fic such as Ingo, Cogita, Ghetsis to name a few, I wanted to focus on N and Volo BECAUSE I had too much thoughts about them. Also, imagining N breaking game mechs that no other Pokemon protag would do with how he's friends with every Pokemon while Volo already broke the 6 pokemon rule as a Pokemon antag... Glad to put this out here. Salute~
