Chapter 37
Back at the island, everyone has been celebrating Ash being the Champion of seven regions, they have been playing a lot of games and chatting a lot of stuff. Not to mention that they have also done a lot of Pokemon battles.
As for the regrets who woke up from Mewtwo's Hypnosis, they find that Ash's house is empty, meaning Ash is gone again. They can only go back to their regions to find Ash, but Lillie and Gladion stayed, as they want to wait until Ash comes back.
(Flashback)
Lusamine is still lying on the bed with Lillie and Gladion sitting beside her, she is being helped with the life supporter, and both people look at each other with an uneasy feeling.
"Why of all times that this has to be happening?" Lillie bursts out tears and Gladion hugs her.
Gladion frowns and says, "I don't want to believe it as well...but what can we even do now?"
Lillie says, "It must be the punishment that we got for forcing Ash to drown himself...Just why do we think about those that make Ash hurt?"
"I don't know, I feel like it is just like the time when Faba tried to control me to hand over Silvally, who was just Type: Null...perhaps we have been under some sort of control...whoever did this to us must be hating Ash..."
"And he made us kill Ash..." Lillie sniffs a little. Just then, Wicke walks in and she says, "Miss Lillie, Master Gladion. I have some good news."
This causes them to look at her with confusion. Wicke says, "I managed to contact the famous doctors, Dr. Eason, Dr. Gus, and Dr. Tox, to come. With their help, Lusamine might be healed."
This causes them to be happier, and they go to greet the doctors. Gladion says, "I am so glad you are here. We need you to help our mother."
Eason nods and says, "I was a doctor that helps to treat Pokemon, and Gus is a doctor that treats humans. As for Tox, let's say that he does both." Ash says, "Which means that Gus and Tox working together can save your mother."
"Really? You are going to save our mother?" Lillie asks in delight, and Gus says, "Yes, take us to your mother, so we can heal her."
Once they go there, they see Lusamine sweating and breathing heavily. Tox touches her head and says, "The temperature is low...it must be the effects of the Nihilego Toxins."
"You are right." Gus says. "The Toxins are now in her blood, the only way to heal her is to extract the toxins in her blood."
She turns to Lillie and Gladion. "I know that it is a sudden request, but if you want your mother to be healed, we have to perform surgery. Is that okay with you?"
"Surgery?" Lillie and Gladion pale at the mention of the word, as they know that if the surgery failed, their mother might be dead. Eason says, "If you worried about Dr. Gus, let's say that she is good at doing surgeries, she hasn't failed once."
Lillie touches Gus' shoulder and she says, "Please, just do anything to heal my mother...we already lost our father and we don't want to lose our mother as well..."
Gus smiles as she says, "Don't worry, I'll do my best." But before they can go take some tools, Lusamine's weak voice stops them.
"No..." Lusamine says.
"Mother? What do you mean no? You will be fine after Dr. Tox and Dr. Gus, two of the best doctors for human problems, heal you up." Gladion says.
"There is no need to heal me..." This causes them to be surprised. Tox asks, "What are you talking about?"
"I know my time in the world...is about to end soon...just, please...stop wasting time on a dying person like me..." Lusamine says with a weak voice.
Eason rushes towards the bed and he says, "Ms. Lusamine, what are you talking about? If you are gone, what about your children? Are you going to leave them alone? How could you do that?"
"I know I am selfish...but I don't think I can stay in this meaningless world..." Lusamine replies.
"The world is not meaningless, Lusamine." Eason says, and then Lillie and Gladion start to cry out as they don't want their mother to go.
"The toxins in my body...not even the best doctors can remove them...please don't waste your time on me..." Lusamine says as she turns to her two children. "Lillie, Gladion...promise me that you'll find Ash...I know he is still alive..."
Eason is a little surprised that Lusamine knows that he is still alive even though he lied to them that he drowned. Lillie says, "But...isn't he dead?"
"He is not the kind of person who would give up like that." Lusamine says. "I know he is still alive...promise me you will find him and earn his forgiveness."
Lillie and Gladion nod, and then not long after, Lusamine's heart stops beating and all the people in the room are now crying.
"Mom...why?" Lillie cries out loud as Eason is the one that hugs her tight, feeling sad for her losing her mother. As for Gladion, he just punches the wall, causing blood to drip from his hand, he is also furious at how it happened. As for the others, they aren't as sad as Lillie and Gladion, but they also shed some tears for a person's passing.
After that, Eason, Gus, and Tox leave without saying anything, and Ash is a little concerned if he should forgive Lillie and Gladion.
(Flashback Ends)
"Mom was right all along, Red is Ash...he lied to us because his heart is still hurt..." Gladion says.
Lillie says, "Don't remind me again...I don't care about it anymore. I only want to find Ash and that is all. I am sure he will be back..."
"What are you two doing here?" They turn around and see a girl standing in front of them, Lillie asks, "Are you Ash's sister? Golly, I assume?"
"No, I'm Insey, you probably heard me as a dessert baker and a Bug Type Specialist, and the one you mentioned is my sister, though that is not the point for now."
"Wait, you are that Insey who owned the Honey Cafe? I really liked the honey cakes there." Lillie says. "But what are you doing here?"
"I was asked by my brother to pick some stuff. But I guess I let myself exposed." Insey shrugs.
"Is your brother, Ash Ketchum?" Lillie asks.
Insey says, "Let me tell you my story before you make any conclusions. I like Bug Types. So I try to study them as well as play with them. And because I know how to make desserts that attract bug types. The ones in the Viridian Forest follow me to my house. But do you know what the townspeople do? They think of me as a witch and they ban me from entering the Pallet Town again."
This causes them to gasp, she says, "My family disowned me and I was forced to live alone in the woods. For three years, only Bug Type Pokemon are willing to help me. It is until that day I meet him."
"Him?" She asks. "Do you mean Ash?"
"Yes. He found me in the forest and learned what happened to me. He told me that he was also betrayed and the whole world hated him. But that is not the worst, the worst is that the two girls he loved also betray him." Insey says, which causes them to feel something different. "After that, he takes me to a castle in a faraway region. There, he changes my appearance and my hair color, as well as my eye color, but that is not important. What makes me moved is that he and his mother adopted me, making me one of his siblings and a princess."
She takes out the Ketchum Gem and says, "This gem in my hand is a sign that I am a member of the Ketchum Family. And because I have it, my full name has become Insey Ketchum."
"I see...then can you tell us where your brother is?" Gladion asks.
"Don't worry about it, he will be coming soon. But you are one of the two girls that break his heart, I find it very disturbing. He saved me from loneliness and helps me a lot, how could you say something like because of Ash that your mother suffered? Just what are you actually thinking? Do you or do you not brother's friends?"
With the question and the glare, Lillie feels more guilty and she breaks down and cries in Gladion's arm.
"We have been thinking the same question after that day, we realized that we were controlled and we were not ourselves. And that is why we are here to show him that we regret our actions and we want to atone for our mistake." Gladion says.
Insey says, "It is too late for you, those words you said to him have already given pain to my brother's fragile heart. Whenever he thinks of the incident back that day, he will be depressed just like you are doing now. Right now it is getting a little better after his mother and his Pokemon are forgiven, but that's not enough."
Lillie says, "I am really sorry..." She cries much harder as she kneels on the ground. Just then, the transporter suddenly opens and Ash walks out from it.
"Insey, I got your call." Ash says as Insey hugs him. "Brother, you finally arrive."
Lillie hears it and slowly looks at Ash, he looks different, much handsome, and much mature. Not to mention he wears just like a prince. Gladion says, "Ash? Is that you?"
Ash notices them and says, "Lillie, Gladion." His face turns to anger that can even scare a Gyarados. He turns to Insey and asks, "I assume you meet these two...traitors?"
It feels like a stab to the heart for Lillie after hearing how Ash calls her a traitor, but she can't blame him since she did betray him when he needs them the most.
"Yes, and they have regretted their actions." Insey says. "So what are you going to do?"
Ash says, "I have heard everything, including their mother's demise. I can't forget those words that you said to me, especially the fact that you told me that if I weren't there, maybe your mother won't be taken away by Nihilego."
Lillie yells at Ash, "Ash, I am sorry, it is not your fault that our mother suffered! You are my friend and I want to fix it!"
"Fix what?" Ash asks coldly, "It is too late, I don't care anymore."
Because the atmosphere is cold, Insey decides to asks, "Um...Brother... Where is Pikachu? Isn't he with you?"
"About that, Alice is taking care of it." Ash says. Insey says, "You know, I can't wait for you and Alice to get married. Pikachu really likes Alice, huh?"
"Don't worry, I am sure that the marriage will be happening soon." Ash says, and the news causes Lillie to break down even more.
"You have...a girlfriend?" Lillie asks with sobs, even though she has seen it firsthand, it is still hurt as she doesn't want to believe it.
Ash says, "Why do you care about it? After all, I am just a bad luck bringer in your eyes. But if you really want to know, I have a girlfriend and she is my angel. She stayed by my side when I was betrayed by the whole world, not to mention that we have a lot in common, it is no wonder that I will choose her as my girlfriend."
The more Lillie hears about Ash's girlfriend, the more pain she is. Ash continues, "But I am not that heartless, you know. I know it is hard for you to lose your mother, that is why we are going to adopt you as our new siblings."
This causes the two to get surprised and Lillie stops crying. "You are going to adopt us?" Lillie asks.
"There is a reason why I asked Insey to spy on you. I want to know if you really regret your actions. You two are leaders of the Aether Foundation, not to mention you have been finding me during these months to atone for your mistake. So I will forgive you." Ash says as Lillie hugs him.
"Thank you.., thank you Ash..." She now cries on his shoulder as Ash slowly smiles and pats her back. "But one thing, your words have been scarred my heart, you'll have to try hard to fix it." Ash says as both Gladion and Lillie nod.
Here is a new chapter, and I did mention that this will be a combination of the normal and the darker, but the plot will be preferred to the Darker Version. I hope you like it.