Chapter 50: Gym Battle and Saving Lillie
Ash and Nora are now standing at the other side of the field while they are facing their father, the final gym leader of the Torren Region, who is stuck inside the Dream Realm of Ash's.
"Greninja, Bisharp, come on out." As the two Pokemon appear, Ash sends out Salamence while Nora sends out Darmanitan.
"Nora, since you have a disadvantage, let me shield you while you just attack Bisharp." Ash says as Nora nods.
"But don't you think that you can win easily against me." Adam says as he raises his hand, causing Greninja to change his form, much to their shock.
"No way...Dad? Your Greninja?" Ash asks.
"Yes, I can change its form as well." Adam says.
With Greninja changing forms, Salamence isn't fast enough to make quicker attacks than it, and once Bisharp is defeated by the Fire Blast, Greninja uses Mega Shuriken to defeat Darmanitan.
Then Adam sends out Tyranitar while Nora sends out Aegislash. Aegislash uses King Shield before Greninja's Night Slash hits, and it gives Salamence a chance to defeat it using Thunder Punch. Adam's fourth Pokemon is Drapion. Tyranitar defeats Salamence with an Earthquake, forcing Ash to send out Trevenant. Trevenant uses Dazzling Gleam, which defeats Tyranitar. And both Aegislash and Drapion have a draw since Drapion uses Corride, which deals with Steel Type. And also the Night Slash.
Adam's fifth Pokemon is Spiritomb while his sixth Pokemon is Hydreigon. Nora uses Floges as her last Pokemon. Ash's Trevenant has been defeated thanks to the Sucker Punch and tiredness. So Ash's final Pokemon is Venusaur.
"Venusaur, Mega Evolve." As Ash presses his Key Stone, then Venusaur changes its form. In the end, with Misty Terrain from Florges and the Moonblast, Spiritomb faints.
"Well done, Ash, now it is time to show you the hard way." He takes out the Key Stone and says, "Mega Evolve."
Ash and Nora have never seen a Mega Hydreigon before, and they are shocked that it has five heads.
"Dark Matter!" Adam says as all five heads start to shoot out 5 beams.
"Oh no, look out!" Florges and Venusaur dodge the attacks, but they still managed to get hit.
"Are you guys alright?" Nora asks as the two Pokemon nods. But then, they see Hydreigon's head starts to pop out of its body, causing three more to appear.
Alice says, "That is really disgusting..."
"Yeah, now there are 8 heads and 8 moves..." Emily says.
Ash says, "Nora, I have a plan, can you help me?"
"Sure." Nora says.
Much to Adam's shock, the two Pokemon rush to their sides, causing the heads to hit by each other's attacks, and then they give the Pokemon a giant Fairy Wind, causing it to return to three heads and fainted.
"Hydreigon is unable to battle, which means the winner goes to Ash and Nora."
"We won!" Ash and Nora cheer. Adam says, "Congratulations, you have surpassed me. You deserve this more than anyone else I know."
They get the Tartarus Badge, after the friends cheering for them, Delia says, "Okay, guys, listen. Behind the Gym, there is a small cave with an insignia on the wall. These are the insignias marking closed portals- Hoopa can use these to travel from place to place. We can use that to get back to the real world."
"Can't we stay for a little longer?" Emily asks, "This place looks amazing."
"Well, we need to get going. We have so much to discuss, but we'll need to save it for another time. Time passes differently in the Dream Realm, who knows what you could have missed? You need to get the rest of the shards of that crystal! You can't let those Giratina creeps get what they want!"
"But even if they get two pieces, they can't do anything since we have three pieces." Ash says.
"You're right." Delia says. "Adam, how about we stay for a while then we go out?"
"I guess it is no big deal for now..." Adam says. "But only a night."
As the others nod, they hear a commotion outside. As they go check out, they see people fighting Darkrai Cultists, who have the Deoxys tentacles on them.
"What is going on here?" Damian says. "Don't tell me that freaky Old man changes them as well..."
"Erebus City is a mess right now. That Deoxys virus that followed us down here... Well, remember all of Persephone's cultists that Darkrai sent down? They've all gotten... changed. They're all part of that old guy's side now. I'm not exactly sure how it works." Adam says.
"We need... we need a trump card. I'm not sure how much we know about how the Dream Realm works. Obviously, it exists in Ash's mind, all of this. But, humanity's Dream Realm is all one land- there aren't separate realms for each person. The parts of the Dream Realm for each person are separated by dangerous Badlands." Nora says.
"In theory, we can travel to the badlands to other people's Dream Realm?" Taen asks.
"It's dangerous- nobody's really ever tried. But somewhere in the center of it all, connecting the realms... is Rem Village. According to legends, it is the place where Darkrai rests. We need to convince it to join us." Delia ays.
"But Darkrai is in the real world, why will it be here?" Zachary asks.
"Well...it might be his dream, which means that you will encounter his dream self, like you are one, Ash." Adam says.
"Okay." Ash replies as they rush towards the Nightmare Badlands.
As they manage to escape the virus-controlled Cultists, they manage to go to RAM Village, but they are stopped by a voice. "You are not going there this easily."
They see Persephone here, she looks tired and says, "You are not beating me to REM Village. I don't even have any assistants anymore. That virus turned all the members of my group into weird Deoxys things. You've already trapped me down here in this miserable hole. And then I learn that Darkrai lives here? My hope of light and a chance of escaping? You are not going to beat me here!"
Diana says, "Persephone, this is not the time."
"Why do you care? You and Brother abandoned me!" Persephone says. "And my life is ruined now thanks to you guys."
"We really don't want to do this as well, we are really sorry..." As Diana is about to cry, something falls off of her hands, Persephone grabs it and says, "Before Cresselia chose her. Before the Infernal Cult ruined our lives. ...This doesn't change what you did. What you did to me was unforgivable. I won't- no, I can't forget it. You ruined my past. Every rotten speck of my life has been because of you."
Persephone also goes into a breakdown, much to their shock. "I really don't want to hate you...but I can't...I don't want to do this..."
Just then, Diana hugs her sister, much to everyone's surprise. Persephone didn't resist the hug. Just then, Darkrai appears in front of her.
"Darkrai?" Adam mutters as the others are surprised.
"I have been watching you, Persephone." Persephone looks at Darkrai in confusion. Darkrai says, "Deep down in your heart, you don't want to be evil. The Cresselia that you broke is the fake one, right?"
As the others are surprised. Persephone nods. "I just want to know why you have chosen my brother and sister, to help them leave the Infernal Base except me? But it doesn't matter now..."
Darkrai says, "It is true that we have fault for leaving you and make you into the Dark Path. Which is why your brother and I have an agreement. After he retires, you are going to be my chosen."
This causes surprise to them, even Persephone herself. "Me? But I am a Cult Leader? How can I atone what I have done?"
Adam then walks towards her, he says, "Even though you kidnapped my son and my wife to use me, I really don't want grudges to hold. If Darkrai says that you can do it, then you don't have to give up. I know deep down you are a nice person."
Persephone is surprised that Adam is forgiven her, she lowers her head and says, "I am sorry...for every mess I caused...especially you...Dia..."
Then the others decide to forgive her, then Darkrai says, "Now we have something to stop, we have to go."
"Right, we have to stop Grandfather." Taen says.
After returning, they see that all the people are corrupted. "No..." Adam and Delia are in horror.
Malde and Lillie appear in front of them, and then Malde says, "You can't hold out forever, Adam. Muahahaha... would it really be so bad? We can promise you peace. We can promise you tranquility! We can promise you immortality. That's nothing to laugh at."
"A long life like yours isn't a life worth living. We're not going down easy." Adam says.
"Yeah, we can stop you." Ash says.
"Well, isn't this cute? Lillie, deal with them. Maybe this will redeem you for giving them that crystal piece- the one thing we had down here."
"Oh no you don't. Darkrai, use Dark Void!" Persephone yells as then Lillie falls asleep. Malde sees Persephone and says, "I have never expected that you control Darkrai again.
"I didn't control it." Persephone says, "It helped me realize my errors, and this time I am atoning my mistakes."
"It's over. We've beaten you both. Persephone's caught and partnered up with Darkrai, the ruler of this realm." Delia says.
"So? I'm invulnerable, undefeatable!" Malde yells to him.
"So? I was too until they sent me here and tried to wipe Ash's memory. It was a clever munchkin around immortality, I'll give them that... but now that we have Darkrai, we can do the same to you. It's over. You're done. You need to leave." Adam says.
"What?" Malde is surprised.
"Here's what you're going to do. You're going to free my son's friend. I want her normal, got it? Safe and healthy... just as she was before. After that, you're to leave forever. Scramble off to the Badlands, I don't care. It doesn't matter to me. And I want these cultists here cured, too." Delia says to him.
"And why do you think I will do that? They are happy in this form." Malde says.
"We know you will do that, now!" Nora yells and then Ash suddenly comes behind him and grabs him.
"What are you?" Just then, Ash injects Malde with the viral, causing it to yell, "Stop it!"
But it is too late, the viral is deep inside him and Malde starts to scream in pain. Ash jumps out of the way and sees that the tentacles on Malde start to fade away, causing the old man to fall. At the same time, all the others who are controlled lose their virus, including Lillie, much to the happiness of Ash and Gladion.
"Lillie!" Ash beats Gladion to her as she is starting to wake up.
"Huh? As-" After Lillie wakes up, she is suddenly meet by Ash's kiss, much to the shock of everyone, Gladion as well. Lillie didn't resist the kiss, as she embraces Ash.
After the kiss ends, Ash says, "Lillie, I finally have you back, I love you so much, so I don't want to lose you again."
Lillie is shocked that Ash is confessing to her, she smiles at him and says, "I love you as well...can you kiss me again?" Then they share the kiss once more until a cough from Gladion stops them.
"Brother?" Lillie is sweating as his brother is watching them.
"Don't worry. I approve of your relationship. I am sure that Mother will agree as well." Gladion says. Lillie is shocked that her brother changes, and she also hugs him.
At the same time, Taen rushes towards his grandfather, who is now unconscious. "He will be fine." They hear the voice and Deoxys is above them. "Thank you, for making me whole again."
"Deoxys?" Taen asks.
"You see, I was trapped inside this man's body. I am doing things that I don't like...so thank you all... I must return to the real world for my chosen. If you don't mind, I will send this man back to your mother."
Taen nods and then both Malde and Deoxys disappear. The City returns to normal and everyone is cheering for them.
Here is it, not only the 8th gym but also the plot that Persephone changes from evil to good, as well as the cure of Lillie. Now in the next chapter will finally be the lemon you are waiting for.
