Chapter 72 Lake Valor
Ash, Serena, Irida, and Volo arrive at Lake Valor, which is located at Crimson Mirelands. Ash takes a breath and says, "I can't believe I'm going to see Azelf again."
"Azelf is the one that chooses you back in your journey in the Sinnoh region, right?" Serena asks.
"Yeah." Ash smiles. "He sure is an old friend of mine. And it is also the leader of all three of them, that's why Team Galactic tried to blast the whole Lake Valor back at that time..."
Once they are in the middle of the lake, Volo asks, "Do you know about Lake Valor? It is said to have been formed by a volcanic eruption, much like Lake Verity. Though there are also theories that say it was carved out in the midst of a Pokemon battle."
"I know, the lake is protected by the Pokemon Azelf. When Azelf took flight, the will to do what needs doing was born in people's hearts...or that is what legend would have us believe." Ash says.
Then the Arc Phone glows for the third time and opens the entrance of the lake for the third time as well. Volo says, "Ho! A cave appears where there was none - as if just for Ash and Serena!"
"Let's head in, Ash and Serena." Irida says.
"I imagine strong Pokemon could wait inside, protecting the Pokemon of the lake. Take care!" Volo says as the three of them enter the cave.
After getting inside, Irida looks around and says, "What an eerie space...Why would there be columns inside a cave, anyway?"
"That sure is a good question...does it have to do with the Ancient Hero?" Serena asks with confusion.
Just then, a Dark Pulse is about to hit them as they quickly dodge the attack. In front of them is no other than an Alpha Overqwil.
"Just great...another Pokemon with only one weakness..." Ash mutters.
"Watch yourself, Ash, Serena! Those quills look vicious!" Irida says.
Ash goes for Garchomp to battle, and Garchomp starts with the Earth Power, which deals a lot of damage. Overqwil goes for Double-Edge, slamming the Pokemon into the wall.
"Garchomp. Hang in there and I know you can do it. Draco Meteor!" Ash yells, and Garchomp shoots out a lot of meteors and some of them manage to hit Overqwil, but it goes for Barb Barrage, poisoning Garchomp.
"Now it gets poisoned..." Serena says with concern.
Ash looks at Garchomp and then he takes out an Ultra Ball, "I can't let Garchomp battle further." He throws a Poke Ball at the Overqwil, and much to their surprise, Overqwil is captured in the end.
"Well, that's nice." Serena says. "You caught it in one go."
"Yeah." Ash says with a sigh.
"I knew you can do it, Ash!" Irida says.
Just then, Azelf teleports itself into the cave, and he floats towards Ash and nuzzles him. "It's good to see you as well, Azelf."
"Compared to Uxie and Mesprit, Azelf seems really close to you." Serena says.
"Yeah. We've been good friends." Ash says. "Azelf, I assume you know why we are here, right?"
Azelf nods and he also uses Telepathy. "Show to me unyielding will like you always did. Strike me, if you can."
Just then, he manages to get a basket of balms, much to their surprise, Irida asks, "Wait...balms?! Are you meant to try to hit Azelf with them, then?"
Ash turns to Serena, "Help me, Serena. Just like what we did with those Noble Frenzied Pokemon."
Serena nods as they throw balms at Azelf, but it just teleports out of the way with ease. "Hey! It keeps using Teleport..." Serena says.
"I know, he can just dodge all the balms with ease." Ash says.
Azelf stands in front of them with a taunt, "Will you abandon this folly?"
"As if we will give up." Ash says as Serena tries to throw one at Azelf, but it manages to dodge again, they also waste more balms to fail.
"It seems you had best give up. Will you continue regardless?" Azelf asks.
"Our motto is never giving up until it is over. So we are still going!" Ash says as they continue to throw the balms, and Azelf continues to dodge. Even Pikachu joining the fight doesn't help at all.
"Give up. You struggle in vain. Will you yet press on?" Azelf adds.
"You know us very well, Azelf. Nothing is in vain, we will definitely hit you in the end!" Ash says as he takes the last balm and throws it at Azelf, and this time, Azelf just takes the hit.
"That hurts more than I've expected." Azelf mutters. "But I'm glad to see your will never change. Take this piece of the spirit to bind the world once more."
He gives them his Fang, much to their surprise. Azelf says, "Now do what you must do, we'll be waiting for you."
After Azelf teleports away, Irida says, "That looked exhausting...But now we've journeyed to all three lakes!"
"Yeah, let's go to the Shrouded Ruins." Ash says as they head outside. Volo greets them and says, "It seems we've finished the three lake trials! If I remember correctly, we were told to then head for the Shrouded Ruins...I don't know what could await us there, but I'm always excited to explore some ancient ruins! Let us be on our way!"
After arriving at the Shrouded Ruins, Ash, Serena, and Irida remember how they get a Spiritomb here before the whole red sky happened. Volo looks at a destroyed mural and says, "The Shrouded Ruins...Mist is so very good at obscuring things. It's long been said to blur boundaries...If we're to somehow bring together the world of humans, the world of Pokemon, and the world of myth...then maybe we need a setting such as this. That being said...what are we meant to do now?"
"Seems we've made it in time." They turn around to see Delia and Cogita arriving at the ruins. Ash asks, "Mom? Miss Cogita?"
"You arrived just when we'd assembled all three gifts...Did you somehow see our progress across the distance dividing us?" Irida asks.
"We had the aid of a rather remarkable Pokemon, if you really wish to know." Cogita says.
"Could you mean...that Pokemon that flits about the Hisui region?" Irida asks. "Ah, but never mind that now. What about the Red Chain? How are we to forge it?"
"I would hardly know." Cogita frowns. "We speak of a divine instrument - one said to be capable of binding the very world. Do you really imagine it can be forged by mortal hands?"
"Then what are we to do? Search the entire vastness of Hisui for the answer?" Irida asks.
Delia turns to Ash and asks, "Ash, do you know anything?"
Ash says, "If I remember from my battle with Team Galactic...Cyrus forced Azelf, Mesprit, and Uxie to create them..."
"So we are the ones that can make them." Ash and Serena hear the voices as they look up, Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf are floating in front of them.
"Ah...The Pokemon of the lakes!" Cogita says.
The three of them glow and suddenly, the three items that they gained from the lake guardians start to glow and merge, once the glow is done, a circle of Red Chain formed in front of them as Ash holds it in his hands.
"So this is the Red Chain..." Ash says in awe at the item in his hands. "The same one Cyrus used to control Dialga and Palkia..."
"So it was true...The pact our people have passed down for all these generations has been kept." Cogita says. "At last, I can set this burden aside!"
"You've succeeded once again, Ash and Serena!" Volo says. "Yet...things do not seem to be going so well for the rest of the world."
"What have you heard now?" Irida asks.
"I've had some news from my fellow merchants in the Ginkgo Guild...It seems that the commander is going to forgo waiting for our investigation to finish. He plans to climb Mount Coronet himself." Volo says.
"Has he lost his senses?" Irida gasps. "He plans to get close to the rift? To study it himself?"
"Well, he doesn't yet know that our Ash and Serena managed to get the Red Chain, now, does he?" Volo asks.
"That's true! There's no way he could." Irida says. "We need to tell him about the chain - and about everything Ash and Serena have achieved - before he sets out."
Back at the Jubilife Village, Akari is watching how the Security Corps rush out of the Jubilife Village with Commander Kamado, she is very worried that something might happen. But while she is thinking, she notices Ash and Serena rush into the village and head towards the Galaxy Hall.
"Ash and Serena?!" Akari gasps as she rushes towards them. "Welcome back. It's been grim here. We in the Survey Corps hardly even speak to one another lately...But with you back, maybe Captain Cyllene's appetite for potato mochi will return!"
Ash says, "Really. Nice knowing that she cares for us a lot."
"Anyway, wait here a minute, will you? I'll go and let the captain know you're back." Akari says as she rushes first, and after a while, Akari comes back with Laventon.
"Oh, my dear Ash and Serena..." Laventon says as he hugs both of them.
"The professor has been awfully worried about you, Ash and Serena." Akari says.
"Of course I was worried! But I don't think I could hold a candle to the distress you showed, Akari." Laventon says.
"Th-that's blowing it out of proportion!" Akari frowns. "I don't think it's appropriate for an adult to make things up just to hide their embarrassment. But, um, where is the captain? Wasn't she coming along with you, Professor?"
"She's buried under a mound of work, I'm afraid. We're to join her in the Survey Corps office." Laventon says. "It seems her hands are more than full now that Commander Kamado's gone."
"So he has already set off, huh..." Ash asks.
"Well, he set out for Mount Coronet with the Security Corps in tow." Laventon says. "He's determined to handle this whole space-time rift business himself...including dealing with the Pokemon that's been spotted on the other side."
"That's why I was filling in for the regular guards, with Pikachu at the ready." Akari says.
"Well, we aren't getting anywhere out here. Let's head inside and report to the captain." Laventon adds as they all head to the Galaxy Hall.
Back in the modern world, while Dawn and the others are still at Professor Oak's lab trying to figure out a way to distract the press, they accidentally turn on the television to see something disturbing. The news is about the red sky in the Sinnoh region and how it is starting to spread out, so they quickly rush outside.
"That direction is really the Sinnoh Region! What in the world..." Brock gasps.
"Could it be related to Ash and Serena being in the past?" Lillie questions. "But that sky...it is spreading..."
"Just what is going on here?" Professor Oak mutters as well. "For some reason, this Red Sky is something we should be worrying right now."
I'll end the chapter right here, as you can see, the red sky is also starting to affect the modern world, and it is up to Ash and Serena to stop this mess. I hope you like this chapter and the next chapter will be a battle against someone who is good at making Potato mochi.