The New Normal - 15-8 - Interlude - N

The New Normal – 15-8 – Interlude – N

“SO ARE YOU MY ENEMY, N?”

Ever since their fateful conversation, those final parting words from John’s Slaking continued to echo around his head. He agonised over them, spending many sleepless nights mentally debating with himself as to whether the path that he had followed – the path that Ghetsis had promised him was for the betterment of the wider world – was truly right.

For he could see that John’s Pokémon were truly happy to be with their trainer. So did that mean Ghetsis was wrong? Or was John and a few others merely the exception, not the rule?

In the end, he wasn’t able to make up his mind, so he decided to approach Ghetsis and ask him for advice.

“What do you want, N?” Ghetsis never liked it when N bothered him while he was doing something important, but he couldn’t wait any longer.

“I have a question – about the cause that we’ve dedicated ourselves to.” He stated.

“What about it?” Ghetsis still wasn’t looking his way as he continued to scan over several documents laid out in front of him.

“It’s just that… are we on the right path?” He asked tentatively, “I mean… are we doing the right thing? Truly?”

Ghetsis’ head whipped upwards, and the man he saw as a father figure glared at him, “And what makes you think that?! What kind of corruption has been spreading around in your head, N? Is this from the time that you ventured outside? I warned you that the outside world was nothing but poison. This is why you need to listen to me.”

“It was.” He said, “But that’s not the point—"

“No, the point was that you DID NOT LISTEN TO ME!” Ghetsis roared out, and N flinched away from his tone, “What have I told you multiple times over? That you shall be our saviour, and guide all Pokémon into a paradise of our own creation. But that is your role. My role is to make sure that the message is spread to as many people as possible and for you to actually be able to be in a position to save all of us. Do you know how HARD that is?”

N shook his head.

“Exactly.” Ghetsis scoffed, “So leave the thinking to me, N. You’re still young. So you can still sit around and dream about your naïve thoughts. But leave dealing with reality to me.”

Normally, being told off like that by Ghetsis would be the end of their conversation. As much as he loved Ghetsis for raising and teaching him about the world, he knew that Ghetsis never liked it whenever he talked back. It was disrespectful to do so, he was told, and he never liked seeing Ghetsis upset. Especially not at him.

So usually, whenever Ghetsis got upset at him like this, he knew it would be best to back off. But today… he didn’t know why, but he wanted to push for more – he wanted a better answer from Ghetsis. So he pushed through the spike of fear that shot up his spine and asked the question once more.

“…But are you sure that what we’re doing is the right thing?” He asked slowly, already bracing for the wrath that he knew was coming but pushing forwards regardless, “I spoke to a few Pokémon when I went outside… and all they tell me is that they love being with their trainer and fighting alongside them. They tell me of the unbreakable bonds between them, and how they would never separate themselves from their trainer. After hearing all of this, how can I believe that what we’re doing is right?”

His questions were met with silence from Ghetsis, who simply stared down at N with a stern and disappointed frown on his face. N instinctively retreated into himself as he failed to meet Ghetsis’ glare, feeling his father’s eyes boring a hole straight through his heart.

“…Are you done spouting your nonsense?” Ghetsis demanded after he allowed the silence to stretch out, “Did you not listen to a single word I just said? You must not have – if you are able to vomit such filth in my face. I taught you better than this, N.”

“The world is a cruel and harsh place, made even worse due to the sick and disgusting treatment of Pokémon perpetrated by human beings.” Ghetsis stated, “Pokémon ‘battling’ and ‘training’ are nothing less than servitude disguised as kindness. But I was able to see through these lies – to see the horrible truth of the world that the masses ignored. I was the one to teach you to see through that as well. I was the one to build you this safe environment, where you were safe from the corruption of the outside world.”

“And yet, by asking this very question – I know that you have betrayed ALL that I have done for you.” He growled, “You proved that you have been tainted. You have proved to be a disappointment. So I will say it again – do NOT listen to anything else but what I tell you. You may be able to understand what Pokémon are saying, but you do not have the wisdom like I do to understand the pain and suffering that they hide from you. You simply take their words at face value. Their words may sound beautiful, but underneath that they are secretly crying for help – to finally be given their freedom away from their cruel masters. And you were too blind to see it, N. You utter fool.”

Despite bracing for it, N’s head drooped to the ground despondently at the verbal tongue lashing that he was getting – feeling the full weight of Ghetsis’ crushing disappointment fall upon his shoulders. It was why he had hesitated to approach him in the first place.

He supposed he was a fool like Ghestsis said. He shouldn’t have brought up such a stupid topic when Ghetsis was so busy thinking about how to alter the plan to take into account of the New Regions.

He felt bad for wasting Ghetsis’ time.

Ghetsis must have caught onto his unhappiness, as the man let out a frustrated sigh. “Listen, N. You made a mistake. But it’s important to not let your mistakes affect your actions. So do away with those stupid and nonsensical thoughts and put your trust in me. Trust in my judgment, for unlike the rest of you, I do not make mistakes. I can see clearly. So I shall guide the world, and shape it to my vision. You just need to play your part, N.”

N nodded dutifully, and before Ghetsis’ mood worsened again, he bade a quick retreat back into his room before throwing himself onto the bed. He wiped the moisture out of his eyes and rolled over to try to get some sleep.

But sleep wouldn’t come for him, as he repeatedly replayed Ghetsis’ words in his head, trying to convince himself that all was right as long as he continued to keep faith with Ghetsis. After all, Ghetsis could do no wrong, right?

Right?

A.N. After that conversation with John, N is stating to think and see through Ghetsis’ lies. Of course, he isn’t going to be convinced by one conversation alone, and Ghetsis has such a firm chokehold around N that it won’t be so easy to break through that brainwashing.

Also, and this was pretty difficult to write because of how unpleasant the subject matter is, I wanted to portray N and Ghetsis’ relationship properly. As you saw, it isn’t a healthy one. N might THINK of Ghetsis as a father figure, but he certainly isn’t a good one. Nor a healthy one. Ultimately, Ghetsis is a terrible and horrible man, in a completely different way to what Cyrus was. Both are monsters, but I think Ghetsis is more despicable.