Ash slowly opened his eyes and was shocked to find himself traveling through the rift once again. He looked around in utter shock and confusion as he tried to piece together what was going on.
"Arceus?! What's going on?!" Ash tried to call out.
"Ash...!" a familiar voice called out to him. Ash's eyes widened in shock at the sound of her voice and he quickly turned towards her, now able to see May gripping his hand tightly as the turbulent tunnel tried once again to tear them apart.
"May!" he gasped as he gripped her hand tightly, desperate not to lose her again. Despite his best efforts, however, May's hand still started slipping out of his grip as the familiar look of fear painted her eyes.
"I'm losing my grip...!" she whimpered in fear.
"Hold on...! I'll protect you…!" he promised her as he did everything in his power to keep her hand in his. Despite it all though, she continued to slip further from his grasp.
"Ash...!" she panicked. Ash summoned all the strength he had to try and keep a hold of her, but his efforts proved to be all in vain. May lost her grip on him and was quickly ripped away from him as she screamed in terror.
"May no!" he cried out as he tried to go after her. Her scream filled his ears as she fell faster than he could move toward her. But this time, instead of disappearing into the tunnel, Ash suddenly saw a shadow with yellow glowing eyes and flaming teeth lurking below her. Ash's eyes widened in horror as May fell towards the creature, who seemed to suddenly fixate on her with an evil look in its eye. As May's body drew nearer, the creature opened up its flaming mouth and swallowed her whole right in front of his eyes, leaving nothing left. "MAY!"
Ash suddenly jolted awake in his barracks, quickly sitting up in bed and panting in a cold sweat. He put a hand over his chest to try and steady his breathing, reminding himself over and over again that it was just a dream. He couldn't let his fears get to him. May was ok somewhere and he was going to find her. His ragged breathing eventually woke up Pikachu, who turned towards his trainer with a worried expression.
"Ash...? You ok?" he asked.
"Yeah...yeah, I'm fine..." he answered as his body seemed to finally calm down.
"You sure? You look pretty rattled." His friend observed.
"I just...I just had a bad dream…"
"About?"
"I…I dreamt of May getting…eaten by something in the rift..." he admitted sheepishly.
"Eaten?" Pikachu blinked.
"Yeah...it's stupid I know..." he sighed.
"It's not stupid…you're just really stressed...and who could blame you for missing her so much...? This place is dangerous enough without having to worry about them…" the Electric type reminded him.
"Yeah...yeah you're right…" he agreed with a deep breath. Pikachu crawled into Ash's lap and hugged him with any kind of comfort he could give.
"We'll find them..." Pikachu assured him. Ash hugged him back, thankful to have his friend there to listen and comfort him.
"I know…I just hope it's soon…" he replied. The moment between them was interrupted when a knock sounded at his door followed by a familiar voice.
"Ash?" Ash looked towards the door and quickly dried his remaining tears.
"Yeah Akari?" he answered.
"Captain Cyllene wants to see us right away. Hopefully, you're ready to go?" she informed him.
"Oh yeah. Uh, just give me a moment." He replied as he got up and quickly got himself cleaned up and dressed. Pikachu hopped onto his shoulder and Ash walked out to meet up with Akari, who smiled at the sight of him and seemed to not notice whatever leftover emotion was left on Ash's face after his nightmare.
"Good morning." She greeted him.
"Morning." He echoed with the best smile he could muster at the moment.
"Ready to go?"
"Sure am." Akari nodded in approval and headed towards headquarters as Ash followed her inside. The two of them walked across the lobby and right into the Captain's office.
"You wanted to see us, Captain?" Akari asked.
"Yes. Both of you are to report to Commander Kamado's office right away. Irida has requested help in the Cobalt Coastlands." She explained, getting straight to the point.
"Understood." Ash replied.
"Yes madam."
"Dismissed." Cyllene excused them, getting back to her work as the two trainers took their leave and headed to the commander's office on the third floor. As they arrived, they found Commander Kamado and Irida already present and waiting for them.
"Thank you both for coming." The Commander greeted them.
"Of course. Is another Lord in a Frenzy?" Ash guessed.
"Not exactly..." Irida answered. "You see, the Cobalt Coastlands don't have a Lord at present..."
"It doesn't? How come?" he wondered.
"Our Lord passed away nearly two years ago..." she replied quietly, surprising Ash.
"Oh no...what happened...?" he carefully asked.
"He was swallowed by the sea..." she explained, making Ash and Pikachu understand quickly.
"Pika..." Pikachu whispered sadly.
"That's awful..." Ash said, genuinely heartbroken at the thought.
"But recently, we've been getting reports of people seeing shadows and other spooky elements at his home on Firespit Island. And we're growing concerned that something is wrong." Irida explained.
"That's where you two come in. Your mission is to go to Firespit Island and find out what's going on over there." Kamado added.
"Yes, Commander." Ash answered.
"Understood." Akari echoed him.
"When you get to the Cobalt Coastlands, you should look for a woman named Palina. She was the Warden to our previous Lord and knows the island quite well. She'll be able to help you out." Irida elaborated.
"We'll get it done Irida don't worry." Akari promised her.
"She's right. Leave it to us." Ash nodded.
"Good. You're both dismissed." The Commander informed them. With a nod of acknowledgment, Akari and Ash walked out of the office and headed back to the lower levels of the building.
Soon after a long trip across the region, the duo arrived at the base camp near the entrance to the Cobalt Coastlands, allowing them to see the ocean in the cove, surrounded by tall cliffs.
"And here we are." Akari announced.
"Whoa...this place is amazing…" Ash marveled.
"Isn't it?" she smiled. "The ocean is just lovely."
"Sure is." Ash said with a small smile. As they prepared at the camp for their hike into the coastlands, Irida walked into the camp and greeted them.
"Thank you both for coming." She smiled tiredly.
"Everything ok Irida?" Ash wondered, surprised to see her looking quite tired all of a sudden.
"Oh I'm fine…" she sighed as she began to fan herself with her hand. "It's just far too hot here for my tastes."
"It is? It doesn't feel too hot." He commented.
"I suppose it may be a little humid but it's not too bad." Akari agreed.
"I'm just not a fan of warmer weather." Irida answered.
"To each their own I suppose." Akari shrugged. "Anyway, how do we find Palina?"
"She'll most likely be at the Veilstone Cliffs." The Clan Leader explained as she pointed to the far-off cliffs to the north of their current position.
"Up there?" Ash asked warily.
"Oh boy..." Akari mumbled. "Guess we'd better get to hiking up the path…"
"Actually before you go all go, could we have another battle Ash? I'd like to test my strength against you once again." Irida suddenly requested.
"Oh. Sure thing." He nodded.
"Excellent. Ready Glaceon?" she asked her partner. Glaceon nodded and ran onto the path to face Ash. The trainer looked briefly at Pikachu but knew his partner still couldn't battle with one shake of his head. So he once again grabbed Rowlet's pokeball and let him out.
"Ready Irida!" he called.
"Quick Attack Glaceon!" Irida called, prompting Glaceon to run in with a burst of white energy.
"Counter with Tackle!" Ash yelled. Rowlet obeyed the command and flew at Glaceon, causing them to collide head-on. Both opponents tried to push through the other with their power, but Glaceon had the weight advantage and was able to push through his attack with her own. Rowlet was thrown back, but he flew back up quickly, ready for more.
"Follow up with Ice Beam!" Irida ordered her partner. Glaceon fired Ice Beam from her mouth and hit Rowlet with the super effective move, causing Rowlet to screech in pain.
"Rowlet!" Ash gasped.
"Nice shot Glaceon!" Irida smiled. Glaceon smirked at her opponent as he struggled to get up.
"Rowlet you can do it! I know you can!" Ash encouraged his pokemon.
"Don't give up!" Pikachu cheered. Their cheering reached Rowlet's ears and seemed to give him strength. Everyone gasped when Rowlet not only got up but also started glowing a brilliant white.
"Rowlet?!" Ash gasped.
"He's evolving...?!" Irida asked in disbelief. Akari too was stunned as they all watched Rowlet start to change shape and grow bigger. Finally, the light faded and a new Pokemon was standing in Rowlet's place.
"Dartrix!" the new Pokemon announced himself.
"Whoa..." Akari whispered.
"Awesome! Rowlet evolved into Dartrix!" Ash cheered.
"Way to go!" Pikachu cheered as Dartrix smiled at them.
"Let's finish this before they can regroup Glaceon. Another Ice Beam!" Irida suddenly ordered. Glaceon heeded her command and fired Ice Beam at Dartrix, but Ash and Dartrix were ready for them.
"Dodge it!" Ash countered. Dartrix quickly flew up into the air and dodged, much faster now in his evolved form.
"Chase them down with Quick Attack!" Irida tried. Glaceon jumped into the air, then used Quick Attack to propel herself towards Dartrix.
"Now's your chance! Use Razor Leaf!" Ash commanded. Dartrix flapped his wings hard and fired Razor Leaf at his incoming opponent. Glaceon had nowhere to go while in the air and was hit hard by the attack, which sent her crashing to the ground.
"Glaceon!" Irida gasped as Dartrix landed on the ground across from them. Glaceon struggled to get up but was able to rise to her feet. But it was still apparent that she didn't have much energy left. "Try Quick Attack one more time!"
"Eon!" Glaceon yelled as she charged toward Dartrix again.
"Intercept with Aerial Ace!" Ash called for the counter.
"Dar!" Dartrix obeyed as he quickly dove into an Aerial Ace, flying right towards the incoming Glaceon. The two attacks collided head-on and both Pokemon once again tried to push through the other. However thanks to his evolution, Dartrix had enough power to win the pushing match this time. He overpowered Glaceon and knocked her backward. Glaceon landed on the ground and fainted, earning Ash the victory.
"Alright!" Ash cheered.
"That was amazing!" Akari smiled as she ran over to them.
"Heh. Thanks." He grinned as he recalled Dartrix to his pokeball. Irida fed Glaceon an Oran Berry to recover her strength before the two of them walked over to their opponent.
"Akari is right Ash. Palina will accept your help I'm sure with that kind of strength." She agreed.
"You think so?" he asked sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head.
"Oh yes." She nodded. "We grew up together as children. I know how important strength is to her."
"That's great then." He replied with a small smile.
"Ash we should get up there then." Akari reminded them.
"Good luck you two. And thank you." Irida smiled.
"We're happy to help Irida. We'll be back soon." Ash assured her. The Clan Leader smiled as the two Galaxy Team members headed off towards the cliffs.
After a bit of trekking through some trees near the base of the cliffs, the duo came across a steep path that seemed to lead up toward the tops of the cliffs.
"I think that's the path Irida told us about." Akari commented.
"Must be but that looks really steep..." Ash sighed. "Looks like we should've considered bringing some hiking gear…"
"Guess we'll have to make do without…" she replied before she started up the path. Ash was about to start climbing as well when they both suddenly heard a howl of pain below them on the beach.
"Huh? What was that?" Ash wondered as he looked towards the beach. There he could see two Sealeo attacking a Pokémon that looked very similar to a Growlithe with Water Gun.
"GROOOWWWLLL!" the Pokemon cried out in excruciating pain.
"Oh no! That Pokemon is in trouble!" Ash gasped as he ran towards the beach.
"Oh no!" Akari echoed his concern as she ran after him. The Growlithe ahead collapsed into the sand, barely conscious as he was continuously blasted with Water Gun by the Sealeo.
"Leave him alone!" Ash screamed as he charged into the situation. Both Sealeo finally noticed him coming and stopped their attack on Growlithe.
"Sealeo seal!" they both barked at him.
"Go Pikachu!" Ash ordered.
"I'm on it!" Pikachu nodded as he jumped off Ash's shoulder and faced the two Sealeo. Both Sealeo fired Icy Wind attacks at Pikachu, but Ash was ready.
"Dodge and use Thunderbolt!" he ordered. Pikachu jumped out of the path of Icy Wind and then fired Thunderbolt at the two Sealeo. The Thunderbolt hit both Sealeo for massive damage, causing them to flee into the ocean and leave the Growlithe behind. Ash wasted no time in running over to the injured Pokemon, gently picking him up in his arms. Growlithe whimpered weakly in pain as Akari and Pikachu soon joined him. "You poor thing..."
"He needs some medicine right away..." Akari informed him as she quickly dugs through her bag. After a moment of searching, she pulled out a jar of gel and handed it over to Ash. "Here, use this Potion. It should help."
"Good...thanks Akari." Ash nodded. He opened the jar and took out a bit of the gel on his fingers and began to apply it to Growlithe's wounds.
"Grow…?" Growlithe weakly asked as he looked up at Ash.
"It's going to be alright...we just want to help you..." Ash assured him in a soft and soothing voice. Growlithe seemed to hesitate for a moment, but eventually gave a small nod and didn't resist as Ash continued to rub the gel gently. As he continued, Growlithe's wounds slowly began to heal and his energy seemed to return.
"Lithe…" the Fire type softly smiled.
"That's great." Ash smiled back.
"It's odd though…" Akari suddenly commented.
"What is?" Ash wondered.
"It's odd to see a Growlithe all the way down here...and all on his own..." she clarified.
"Really? How come?" he asked.
"Growlithe typically live up on the cliffs. And they always travel in pairs." She explained.
"I see...he and his partner must have gotten separated then..." Ash realized. Growlithe drooped his ears at Ash's remark, drawing Ash's attention. "Hey don't worry. We'll get you back to the cliff. Your friend must be worried about you."
"Growlithe…" Growlithe whimpered sadly as he shook his head.
"Huh? Why not?" Ash asked with a tilt of the head.
"Growl…" the Scout Pokemon replied as he sadly looked at the water. Akari and Ash followed his gaze and gasped in horror at what they saw. Out in the ocean near the cliffs, they could see the body of another Growlithe laying unmoving out at sea.
"Oh no...his companion must've fallen from the cliff...and landed in the ocean..." Akari realized. Ash grit his teeth and was about to run into the ocean, but Akari realized what he was going to do and quickly grabbed his arm. "Ash don't!"
"There may still be a chance to help him…!" he yelled at her.
"We can't...Growlithe are Fire and Rock type Pokemon...they can't survive in the ocean…he's..." she tried to explain. Ash grit his teeth and looked at the body in the water, knowing that she was right, but he didn't like it one bit. Growlithe and Pikachu teared up at the realization and Growlithe began to cry softly for his fallen friend.
"Growlithe I'm so sorry…" Ash looked at him with great sadness.
"Growlithe are sent away by their parents at a young age...it's why they pair up with a companion...so without his he really doesn't have anyone now..." Akari explained.
"He must've come down the cliff to try to help, but was in the Sealeo's territory and was attacked when he tried to get to his friend..." Ash deduced. The pair of trainers watched as Growlithe continued to cry, wishing there was something they could do to help. It was that wish that suddenly struck Ash with an idea. He knelt down to Growlithe's level, drawing the Pokemon's attention.
"Growl…?"
"Hey, Growlithe. Why don't you come with me and my friends?" he offered, surprising everyone.
"Lithe growl…?" Growlithe asked as he looked up at Ash through his tears.
"We can't replace your companion, but at least with us, you won't be alone. What do you say?" Ash offered again gently. Growlithe looked to be considering his offer as he slowly approached Ash. He smiled at the little Pokemon and after a moment, Growlithe smiled softly back at him before nodding his head.
"Lithe!"
"That's great." Ash smiled. He then took out a pokéball and tapped Growlithe's head, sending him inside. Ash set the ball on the ground as it shook, then shot off a firework before he picked it up again and posed with it. "Alright! I just got a Growlithe!"
"We did it!" Pikachu cheered.
"That was really nice of you Ash." Akari smiled, holding her heart.
"Thanks, Akari. We'll be sure to introduce everyone to him later." He nodded.
"Right. For now, we still have to hike up those cliffs." She remembered. "Ready?"
"You bet." he nodded. With that decided, the two trainers heads back to the path and began hiking up the steep cliffs.
To be Continued...