Chapter 20
After passing the Paniola Ranch, they go to the Nursery, only to see Lusamine there, the good one, not the evil one, as Lillie manages to calm down and she asks, "Mother? What are you doing here?"
Lusamine turns around and sees her, Lusamine says, "Well hello to you two again, Ash, Lillie. How are your travels going?"
After telling her about the progress, with the Island Festival and the fact that Ash has the chance to face the Kalos Elite 4 as the League winner, she is quite surprised. "I see, I was here since I was trying to get an Eevee."
"Eevee? Why is that?" Ash asks in confusion, as Lusamine says, "Well, right now your brother doesn't know that I have split myself into two personalities, so I want to give him this Pokemon in order to tell him how sorry I am."
"I see, that sure is nice of you, Mother." Lillie says, happy to know that the same kind mother she had is still here.
"But since the egg hasn't hatched, how about we have a Rhyhorn race with the two of us? Lillie?" Lusamine says, as Lillie pales. She manages to gain the memories about how she hated Rhyhorn Racing, and she says, "Can we not? Mother? I still hate the trainings that you gave me before I met Ash."
"Sounds like the memory healing is really in progress, how many did she remember now, Ash?" Lusamine asks.
"Since she manages to remember the time when we first met Korrina, the third Gym Leader who has a Mega Lucario, I think that it is in a great progress."
"I see. I hope that she can remember more of the memory." Lusamine sighs, "How about you guys go ahead to Route 5? I can deliver the Eevee to Gladion myself."
Ash and Lillie nod as they bid farewell, then they head to the Route 5.
When they arrive at the route, they see Hau battling a boy, who turns out to be Gladion, and Golly is by his side, much to Ash and Lillie's surprise.
"Ha ha ha! Man, I lost again!" Hau says while putting his hands behind his head.
Gladion frowns and he says, "Are you even taking this seriously?"
"I am! So seriously! I'm seriously enjoying it!" Hau says.
"...Enjoying it?" Golly says, "You can enjoy Pokémon battling when you put everything you have into it... which clearly you haven't."
"Brother?" Gladion freezes as he hears the voice, and the same goes to Golly and Hau as they finally notice Ash and Lillie.
"Whoa! Hey, Ash, Lillie! This guy is plenny scary!" Hau says, but then Gladion decides to walk towards Lillie and asks, "What are you doing here? Lillie?"
Lillie says with an angry tone, "Really? That is what you are saying to me ever since you abandoned me in mother's place?"
"I..." Gladion doesn't know how to say, and he also notices the Sylveon and Vulpix besides her. "Don't tell me you are now a Pokemon Trainer?"
"Of course I am, thanks to Ash, I find passion in battling. Not to mention that I also completed the trials in Melemele Island as well." Lillie says as she shows him the Z Ring with the Fightinium Z on it.
Gladion can't believe that his sister is now being serious about training, and he finally notices Ash, "So you are Ash? Golly's brother and the one who is traveling with Lillie?"
"Yeah, that's me." Ash says, but he and Pikachu are still cautious about him even though he might be Lillie's brother.
"Hmm. So you have enough sense to be wary. Not bad..." Gladion says. "I'm Gladion. I battle for my partner, Null, to make it strong. Though most of our time gets used up doing small jobs for Team Skull."
"What? You are working with Team Skull? How could you?" Lillie gasps in shock.
Golly says, "That is what I said to him most of the time, but he didn't listen even I am his girlfriend..."
"Wait, so you are Golly's boyfriend?" Ash asks as he feels more curious about the person in front of him.
"What if I am?" Gladion says as he takes out a Pokeball. "Battle me. I won't take no for an answer."
"Okay, two on two?" Ash asks as he sends out a Zubat. Ash sends out his Abra to battle, and with the help of the Confusion as well as the Psychic, it manages to evolve into a Kadabra and eventually defeat the Zubat.
Gladion doesn't say anything as he sends out his next Pokemon, which is something that Ash doesn't know despite being an Arceus. Rotom tries to scan the Pokemon, but he says, "No data! No data!"
Lillie asks, "What is that Pokemon? How come Rotom can't scan it?"
Golly says, "That Pokemon is Null, Type: Null. He is the reason why he ran away from home. It is an artificial Pokemon just like Mewtwo or Genesect."
Ash says, "So a Pokemon that is man-made..." Ash decides to use Pikachu to battle the Pokemon, the Pokemon seems want to get free from the helmet, as it uses Tackle on Pikachu, but Pikachu manages to stay still as it uses Thunderbolt, but Type: Null manages to dodge the attack as he uses X Scissor.
"This Pokemon seems stronger than I thought..." Ash says. "But I guess it is a Normal Type."
Then he takes out the Z Crystal for Fighting Type as he places it in the Z Ring, then he starts to do the dance and says, "Use All Out Pummeling!"
Pikachu starts to use all kinds of punches as it manages to hit Type: Null, in the end, it is defeated by the Super Effective move as Gladion just looks at the fallen Pokemon with shock.
"How annoying!" Gladion gives the Pokemon a Revive as to heal him up.
"Hmph... It's not like me to slip up like that. I've got to keep fighting stronger opponents. Looks like I'm still not ready..." Gladion mutters.
"What do you mean strong opponents?" Lillie asks, "Just by watching your battle, you are really strong."
"But it is not enough." Gladion says as he turns to Hau, "That kid there. His Pokémon aren't weak. And sure, it's fine to enjoy battling...But this brat... he's just using that as an excuse not to try hard because he can't beat the kahuna. Because he can't beat Hala when he's serious!"
"Wait, you didn't beat Hala? That is why you didn't have the Fightinium Z yet?" Ash asks Hau, but he just keeps smiling and says, "You know my gramps? Wait. So you think I'm strong?"
"It is not like that..." Golly sighs as Hau's relaxed nature.
"Awww, look at you, little Gladion! Aren't you just a real cool guy? Heh heh heh..." Just then, they turn around and see Team Skull approaching them. This time the two people that appear is Tupp, the same one that tries to stop Ash and Lillie back in the Berry fields, Verdant Cavern, and even in the harbor in Melemele Island, along with a female grunt, whose name is Rapp.
"Great, as if our problems aren't enough..." Ash mutters with a little curse under the words.
"I guess it's no surprise a homeless kid would turn out spineless, too, huh?" Rapp says. "No worries! We've got enough backbone to cover for you!"
Just as Ash is preparing to send out a Pokemon after seeing Tupp is walking towards them, Gladion says, "Just give it up already."
"Huh?" Tupp turns at him and asks.
"You know you can't beat me. You'll just get your Pokémon hurt for no reason. They're good Pokémon." Gladion says.
Rapp seems to be lost of interest as she says, "We came all this way, and for what? For a big fast waste of our time, thanks to you. If you hadn't gotten in our way, we could've stolen the Totem Pokemon from Brooklet Hill! Let's get out of here. Look, the Murkrow are crying, and it's time we should be flying."
As Rapp leaves, Tupp says, "Listen up good, Gladion...the boss does like you. That's true. But you're just some hired help we keep around for when we need you. You aren't part of Team Skull, not really. And you never will be. Got it? You better get it."
Gladion just angrily glares at Tupp, causing him to run away for fear that he might beat him up. After the grunts leave, Lillie says, "Gladion, what is mother going to think if she knows that you are working with Team Skull?"
"I don't care what she thinks, she is so obsessed with her work that she barely show us the love and care as a mother." Gladion mutters.
"You do know that I am here, right?" This causes him to freeze as they turn around, they see Lusamine standing there with her arms folding. Lillie smiles and she says, "Mother, you're finally here."
"Wait, what? But..." Gladion doesn't know how to say. When Lillie hugs her, she shows the kindness and love that she had never given to both of them before. Golly says, "Thank goodness you arrived, Ms. Aether."
"Just call me Lusamine, Golly." Lusamine says as she turns to Gladion. "You know, I am very disappointed that you would help Team Skull out, but then again, I have some fault for it."
Gladion says, "What? Are you really my mother? Why did you act different from before? What is even going on here?"
Ash and Lillie decide to explain everything, about how Lillie and Serena was a same person, and how Lusamine has two different personalities, and Gladion has a hard time progressing everything since it feels so unreal.
"So you mean...you are the real mother that cares for us the most?" Gladion says as Lusamine gives him a hug and nods. Gladion feels warm at his mother's embrace, and then Lusamine says, "I am sorry for what my evil self do to you and what Pokemon is that again? Type Null?"
Gladion nods and then she says, "In order to make up for the time that I wasn't there. Gladion, I will need you to accept this."
Gladion is surprised that his mother is giving him an Eevee, he promises to take good care of it. After that, they all decide to go to the Pokemon Center to rest up.
Here is a new chapter, and Ash and Gladion manage to have their own battle. I hope you like this chapter and the next one will be training and capturing new Pokemon.
Ash and Lillie's Pokemon:
Alola Dex: Rowlet, Litten, Popplio, Trumbeak, Yungoos, Rattata (A), Butterfree, Ledyba, Spinarak, Pikachu, Raichu (A), Grubbin, Bonsly, Blissey, Snorlax, Slowpoke, Wingull, Kadabra, Meowth, Magnemite, Grimer (A), Growlithe, Drowzee, Makuhita, Smeargle, Crabrawler, Gengar, Misdreavus, Drifloon, Crobat, Diglett, Noivern, Spearow, Rufflet, Vullaby, Primeape, Delibird, Hawlucha, Oricorio, Cutiefly, Cottonee, Petilil, Psyduck, Gyarados, Barboach, Machop, Gigalith, Carbink, Rockruff, Tentacool, Finneon, Wishiwashi, Corsola, Mareanie, Shellder, Bagon, Lillipup, Eevee x5, Espeon, Umbreon, Sylveon, Mudbray, Jigglypuff, Tauros, Miltank, Milotic, Talonflame, Noctowl, Goodra, Tyranitar, Trevenant, Zygarde, Metagross, Pangoro, Torkoal, Krookodile, Garchomp, Glalie, Vulpix (A), Scrafty, Clawitzer, Lapras, Crawdaunt, Scizor, Heracross, Dragonite, Aerodactyl, Cosmog
Kanto Dex: Venusaur, Charizard, Blastoise, Pidgeot, Raichu, Sandshrew, Nidoran(F), Nidoran(M), Vulpix, Oddish, Venonat, Diglett, Meowth, Geodude, Rapidash, Farfetch'd, Doduo, Kingler
Johto Dex: Meganium, Typhlosion, Feraligatr, Bellossom, Steelix, Donphan
Hoenn Dex: Sceptile, Blaziken, Swampert, Swellow, Gardevoir
Sinnoh Dex: Torterra, Infernape, Empoleon, Staraptor, Floatzel, Rhyperior, Yanmega, Gliscor, Gallade, Dusknoir
Unova Dex: Serperior, Emboar, Samurott, Liepard, Unfezant, Zebstrika, Seismitoad, Leavanny, Gothitelle, Ferrothorn, Hydreigon
Kalos Dex: Chesnaught, Delphox, Meowstic, Aegislash