Just picked up both magazines.
Ichiban:
Black and Cheren start battling each other before their official match starts, but since both trainers are ok with it, Drayden decides to make it official. With rage, Black is determined to show Cheren what 'strong' means, but Cheren retorts that he should perhaps be the one to teach Black about it. He claims being 'strong' means knowing a Pokemon's attack, defense, and other abilities, as well as those of the opponent's, giving the trainer knowledge to make proper judgment and the right command. Black says it isn't true, and at the moment, Boar cringes in pain, much to Black's shock since Gigalith has barely used any attacks. However, he realizes that while Boar was hammering it with fighting type attacks, Gigalith was making small stomps, which was in fact the move Bulldoze, dealing super effective hits on Boar. Cheren reiterates that strength is equal to ability and technique, and Black is honestly shocked by how much his childhood friend has changed.
Watching from the audience stand, Zinzolin senses the coldness in Cheren's tone and is elated about it. The Hoodman shows up next to him, and can see that Zinzolin believes that a cold heart can bring out the strength in a Pokemon.
Meanwhile, White is still scouting the area, and Unibo alerts her to Zinzolin and the Hoodman. White sneaks over to eavesdrop, and overhears that the Hoodman has seen how diferent trainers bring out the strength in their Pokemon, including the cold heart theory, which Zinzolin manipulated Cheren to prove. White is shocked to hear that, but gets spotted and strangled by Cryogonal at that moment. Zinzolin reveals his true face to White, and claims that he has successfully instilled the ideation of Team Plasma deep into Cheren's thoughts. Getting proof that Team Plasma is involved, Looker shows himself and gets Croagunk to arrest Zinzolin with the Gadget 10, the super hard tape.
Back on the battle arena, Gigalith hits Boar with a Power Gem, and Black reads from the Pokedex that it attacks by absorbing light into its body gems. Cheren is surprised that Black is still using the Pokedex, and Black is horrified when Cheren states that he does not need the device, and in fact thinks it shouldn't exist because it causes people to trap Pokemon into Pokeballs, something reminiscent of N's speech. An attack breaks out from Zinzolin's Cryogonal when it gets apprehended, and the entire room's attention to drawn to the corner. White rushes out to warn Black of the presence of Team Plasma, but just as she wants to tell Black about Cheren, the Hoodman uses Teleport to take her away.
Drayden wants to halt the match to make sure things are alright, but Cheren refuses, and uses Unfezant to grab Black, then breaking through the ceiling glass to gain access to the roof top to continue the battle, where they will not be disturbed. Black believes that Cheren must be under the mind control of Team Plasma, but Cheren states otherwise and says he acts on his own will. He recalls their collaboration at the Cold Storage, and it turns out that Cheren wasn't that antagonistic towards Team Plasma all along despite having heard different things about them. In fact, he felt curious as to what they really are, and why they are getting people to liberate their Pokemon. He returned to the Cold Storage, and there, he found Zinzolin waiting for him. Zinzolin knew Cheren would return, because unlike Black who straight away deemed Team Plasma as evil, he saw the need for truth in Cheren's eyes, and knew he would be willing to listen to their cause before judgment.
Black calls Cheren a fool for letting Zinzolin poison him with his words, but Cheren retorts that since young, Black has always been someone who would sacrifice and neglect everything around him just to get to his goal. But Cheren himself is different. He wants to feel truly alive and truly attached, and when Zinzolin showed him how N connected to Zekrom, for the first time in his life, he saw what 'power' truly means. That said, Cheren thinks Black is weak, and the departure of Musha was a proof.
Black finally sees that Cheren is really acting on his own will, and thanks him for being the one to lecture him on things since they were young. However, he cannot agree with what Cheren said this time, and challenges Cheren to prove his point by beating him. This ticked off Cheren and he orders another Power Gem, but Gigalith fails to attack, and Cheren notices the sky being clouded by a pink smoke, disabling it from absorbing light. He switches Unfezant in, and Black does the same for Brav. The two birds attack each other with Sky Attack, and when the Announcer climbs onto the roof top, he finds Unfezant fainted while Brav was still standing. Yet, both Black and Cheren have fallen asleep.
In their sleep, Black and Cheren meet in the same dream, and they both see themselves while they were kids 9 years ago. Cheren finds it mysterious that they are both having the same dream, and sees young Black writing on his notebook about his dream, which is to conquer the Pokemon League. Young Cheren grins, and writes his own dream on the notebook too.
Black wakes up, and sees that Cheren is still asleep. He puts on a slightly sad look, but states that no matter what Cheren becomes, even if he will not change back to the person he was, he will forever be his friend. That, he says, is the one 'Truth' that will never change. He takes out the notebook which he is still carrying with him, and turns to that particular old page. Next to his own writing of his dream to conquer the Pokemon League, Cheren wrote that his dream was to support and cheer for Black's dream.
At that moment, Musha returns as a Musharna, and Black welcomes it back. Black then turns his grudge towards Team Plasma, and finds it no longer acceptable that they are using his friend and even kidnapping White. As his rage escalates, the Light Stone glows and turns into Reshiram...
Fan:
The scene skips to the final battle between Black and N, who each ride on their respective Unova dragon. However, Black is still trembling with anxiety, and isn't really prepared to battle alongside Reshiram. N spots this, and points out that Black still has not heard the voice of Reshiram. Black keeps questioning why Reshiram picked him out of so many to be its next hero, and while he ponders on that, Reshiram battles on its own will, though not doing much damage to Zekrom.
Cedric Juniper watches the battle, troubled that he could not render help in the midair battle, and Looker appears with his Croagunk. He continues to wear his disguise for some reason, but when he calls out his Drifblim like airballoon, which is the Mimic Balloon Type F, gadget 13 (yes, it's the same number as his disguise gadget, not sure if it's a typo, or the writers are retconning some to replace the missing gadget 11). Of course, when Looker mentions the term 'International Police Arms', Cedric Juniper is shocked that the international police are involved too, but Looker quickly denies and says Cedric heard it wrong. Anyway, just before the go airborne, Petashi comes running along and wants to join, stating that he wishes to cheer for Black, who has beaten Cheren, the one who beat him.
Looker, Cedric and Petashi send out Croagunk, Samurott and Deino to fight Zekrom, but Samurott's seamitar shatters, and Zekrom easily knocks them back. Zekrom then zaps Reshiram, and Black tumbles to its tail, nearly scorching himself by the flames. Cedric sees the confusion of Black, and offers to update his Pokedex with the latest data he collected on the two dragons. Black finds out that apart from being dragons, Zekrom and Reshiram also possess the electric and fire types. He also realizes that Reshiram chose him because he builds his bonds with his Pokemon through the Pokedex and repeated battles with them, which is the exact opposite of what Team Plasma and N do. However, unlike N who was clear about his 'Ideals' all along, he does not know his 'Truth', which is why Zekrom showed itself to N right away, and Reshiram remained dormant as the Light Stone, waiting for him to come to his senses. Black realizes that he does not really need to know how he should fight and why he was chosen, he simply needs to understand that he must give his best in this fateful battle, and work alongside Reshiram to defeat Zekrom. With that, Black becomes determined, and N sees that Black has finally become the Hero of Truth which Reshiram sought.
Zekrom goes into its overdrive mode to hit Reshiram with Fusion Bolt, and Black knows that Reshiram will not stand long if it gets hit again. He learns from his Pokedex that Reshiram can also go into its overdrive form for the move Fusion Flare, and also knows that if both moves are used at the same time, the one that hits later will do bigger damage. Black synchronizes his senses with Reshiram, and just when he notices that Zekrom is firing a Fusion Bolt again, he gets Reshiram to attack a split second later, which causes a powered up Fusion Flare to hit Zekrom, toppling it over. The chapter ends with the claim that Reshiram has finally found its new owner...
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Very exciting chapters I must say. It didn't really explain why Musha came back, but I find the scene between Black and Cheren touching. I also like how the writers utilized the nature of Fusion Bolt and Fusion Flare to determine the victory of the battle. Til next month.
Coronis~
