Chapter 32 Arriving at Apophyll
The next day, Ash wakes up to find all three girls hugging him for tonight, and he blushes a little as to how close they are. After a while to wait for them to wake up, they are having breakfast from Delia's cooking.
Julia: Your mom is a great cook, Ash.
Ash: (Smiles) Thanks, her cooking is the best.
Amaria: By the way, Ash, you're going to Apophyll Academy today, right? If that's the case, can you please take care of this for me?
Ash widens his eyes as Amaria gives him one of the two Sapphire Bracelets.
Ash: Why are you giving this to me?
Amaria: Solaris only wants the full Sapphire Bracelets, I don't think he would want to have only 1 instead of 2. So I think it would be better that we split this to deceive them.
Ash: (Nods and takes one of the bracelets) Thank you, Amaria. And I promise that I won't let Team Meteor get their hands on it.
After bidding farewell once the breakfast is over, Julia and Florinia decide to bring Amaria back to Fiore Mansion in the Ametrine Region, as for Ash, he quickly goes to Coral Ward to use Amaria's boat to Apophyll Beach. Before going there, he goes to Lapis Ward to capture a Murkrow.
Ash's New Capture in Lapis Ward: Murkrow (Event)
While on the boat, Arceus suddenly appears once again, and he is here to talk about something else.
Arceus: How is your sleep with the girls, Ash? Feeling great?
Ash: (Blushes) Are you here just to tell me this? Or is there a mission that I need to do?
Arceus: As a matter of fact, you finished your battle against the Ghost-Type Leader, that means you have seen those deaths firsthand, right?
Ash frowns as he has been trying to forget all of them but in vain.
Arceus: There is actually more to it, scared of you to be mad after the whole thing with Team Meteor, you would need some girls to support you. That means, a harem.
Ash: What? A harem? That's why you're asking me about the three girls that I slept with last night?
Arceus: There would be 18 girls who will support you with your mission no matter what. Nine in Reborn, and nine more in other regions. And right now, two of them in the other regions are trying to find the ones who are supporting you.
Ash: (Surprised) 18 girls that want to be my wife? I never knew it was a big deal...But you said the two in the other regions, are they Serena and Lillie? Does that mean Serena was not at Kanto at that time?
Arceus: (Frowns) Sad to say, she was forced to go there or else those people are going to hurt her. And she has been trying to avoid your eyesight back at the time so that you wouldn't find her with them.
Ash: (Feeling angry) They are going to pay for hurting Serena, but right now, I have to stop the PULSE in Apophyll Academy.
Arceus: I see...but you have to be prepared for this one as well. (Leaves)
Ash is confused a little, but he realizes that he is now on the beach, the beach is clean, but the water isn't, and Ash feels weird about this, but he still tries to find some Pokemon to capture.
Ash's New Capture in Apophyll Beach: Binacle, Shuckle (Rock Smash), Corsola, Pyukumuku (Event) Palossand (Beach)
Ash notices the academy in front of him and he is surprised, he knows that Victoria goes to this place and he can see a lot of them are training with their minds and body. Some of the students are nice to him because he is new, some want to battle him, and even one decides to give him a Meditite as a present.
Ash's New Capture in Apophyll Academy: Meditite (Gift)
After getting to the back, he finds Kiki's room being guarded by a girl.
Girl: This is Kiki's room. But she's out at the moment.
Ash: Do you know where she is? I'm looking for her.
Girl: Hm, well, she went down to teach a class in the Training Grounds. You could probably try and catch her after the lecture. They're basically right out the front door; can't miss them.
Ash nods as he walks towards the training grounds, and he notices a group of people sitting in a circle, in the center of it is a woman and Ash widens his eyes, she is the one in the vision where she was killed by a Garchomp...maybe that's Solaris' Garchomp.
Kiki: Greetings. Are you a new student?
Ash: (Notices the familiarity of the teacher) I guess, but I haven't done the applications just yet.
Kiki: I see. Welcome. Please, have a seat.
Ash nods as the students decide to let him a seat for Ash to sit.
Kiki: Now, for today's lecture. We will be reviewing the final principle for this curriculum, the art of void. Void is the acknowledgment of that which cannot be known. It is the understanding that all ideas are in themselves fallible. For that reason, this principle cannot be taught; only considered. Many people believe that some things are "right" and "correct" and others are not. But these are not the laws of the world. Concepts such as "virtues" or "evil" must not be given way to exist, for this is not the true void. By perceiving that which exists, learn to perceive that which does not. All things, even this instruction, must be questioned. Thank you.
After hearing the lecture, Ash is thinking about her words, and he is also thinking about his past. When he thought that those people are wanting him to give up his dream to become a Pokemon Master, he didn't think about what will happen if he listened to them? What happened if he didn't come to Reborn.
Kiki: (Walks towards Ash) Hello again. Please allow me now to formally welcome you as a student of Apophyll Academy. We are honored to have earned your faith, and I look forward to observing your diligence and growth in the coming weeks. I'll assign you a dormitory and schedule as soon as we return to the Academy. By the way, what are you thinking?
Ash: (Turns to Kiki) Sorry about that, Ms. Kiki. I was just thinking about your lecture, and how to use it in my past actions.
Kiki is interested as she listens to Ash's problems, and she learns about the betrayal of his friends to give up his dream.
Kiki: I see, then let me ask you something, do you desire revenge on them?
Ash: (Widens his eyes) I don't know. I mean, I just want to prove them wrong by challenging the Reborn League, but after getting back here, I found some of my missing past and I want to correct my mistakes. I don't want to hate them for what they think was best for me, but I don't think I can trust them ever again after hearing what they are trying to do and how they threaten my other friends to be in this event.
Kiki: I see. Then let me ask you this question: Is your heart in the right place?
Ash: (Stops and thinks, before replying) My heart? My heart is telling me...that I should keep going and don't stop no matter what, and give up on what I love.
Kiki: (Smiles) And there you have it. Focus on what you want, and I'm sure you can do it.
Ash: (Nods, then realizes something) Kiki sensei. I have some things that I need to tell you, there is a threat to Apophyll thanks to Team Meteor, and I also want to have the TMX for Strength so I can save the kids that are kidnapped by Team Meteor.
Kiki: (Confused) Oh? There is a threat to Apophyll? This sounds quite serious. And the Machine Strength...Yes, we should have it. But it sounds like there is much to discuss. Everything is in due time. For now, please meet me in my room at the Academy, and we will officially enroll you. It is the furthest back from the main entrance.
Ash nods as they all walk back to the back room of the academy, and when they are there, they decide to have a conversation.
Kiki: Thank you for speaking with me. It sounds like there is much to be done, but first, as a new student, I'd like you to meet my apprentice. (Calls out the door) Victoria?
Victoria: (Walks in) What?
Kiki: We have a new student. Would you please walk them through enrollment and introduce them to the basic facilities I previously showed you?
Victoria: (Notices Ash and hugs him) Ash! You're here!
Ash: (Hugs back) Hello, Victoria. I told you I'll come here.
Kiki: Oh? So the both of you have met.
Victoria: Sensei, Ash and I already met in Reborn City! He's the one I told you about who rescued me!
Kiki: I see... I confess a part of me had hoped that the ill portents he brings might be baseless. But in that case, I suppose it is fortunate that we need not waste time doubting their credibility.
Victoria: Wait, is there something wrong?
Ash: Please let me explain everything. It turns out that Dr. Sigmund Connal is now working with Team Meteor, Cain, Shelly, Heather, and the other children from the orphanage are held captive. Not only that, Amaria and I found out that there is a new PULSE Team Meteor that is going to be set up in Apophyll Beach.
Victoria is shocked to hear the news, and Kiki just closes her eyes.
Kiki: I have built our home here up from sand and ashes in equal parts. I will not let it return to them. You may rest assured that I will defend this place to my final breath.
Victoria: So, it's another PULSE...?
Ash: But we don't know what is it. We just stopped a PULSE Muk back at Blackstream Factory, but I don't think it would be the same one.
Kiki: We will issue a bulletin to all of the students. Any suspicious machinery or activity anywhere on the beach should be reported to us at once.
Victoria: (Nods) I'll have Lettie send out the word; it'll spread like wildfire.
Kiki: Then we need only wait for news to come in. That leaves the matter of the children.
Victoria: You mentioned Cain and Shelly as well. How did this happen...?
Ash: Cain is a different case, he was captured when we tried to stop PULSE Muk. As for Shelly and the others, let's say that Dr. Sigmun Connal was not a good man, to begin with, he uses electricity to shock his patients and orphanage children. After I informed the police about this, he decided to join Team Meteor and escape, and he is the one that leaks information so Team Meteor could capture them. I need the TMX for Strength so I can break through the debris and reach their hideout to save them.
Victoria: Well, what's important is saving them! If it's just a bit of debris in the way, then we can definitely help! Sensei, you'll let Ash take the Machine Strength, right?
Kiki: It's true that Strength is typically bestowed on the graduates of our Academy, yet, to give it freely without meeting the same measures of achievement... It is intrinsically disrespectful to those who have properly completed the program. One must attain inner strength before acquiring worldly power.
Victoria: But Sensei, this is an emergency! Surely you can-
Kiki: (Stern tone) Victoria. Please, even in the most pressing of circumstances, we must remain calm and in control. Indeed, these cases are when it is most necessary to do so. Strife gives way to panic. Panic, to chaos. Yet it is order that will save the day.
Victoria: (Lower her head) Yes, Sensei.
Kiki: ...And in any case, I was going to continue, that disrespect must be weighed carefully against the immediacy of our circumstances. Discretion is the better part of law. Allow me to bend our customs to our current needs. If you can prove that your power is equal to that of our top representatives, no one will be in a position to protest the requisition of Strength. I believe this is the fairest way to expedite the usual process.
Victoria: Understood. In other words, Ash just has to defeat me in battle, correct?
Kiki: (Sighs) Correct, although... Our other newest student would suffice as well. You are both exceptionally skilled.
Victoria: Oh, Ash has actually defeated Cal before!
Kiki: Is that so? But he has taken to our program like fish to water. I believe it would be quite beneficial for him to have a rematch now that he has regained some control over himself.
Victoria: Admittedly, I am curious how he would do now...
Kiki: But he is on a retreat atop Pyrous Mountain, and time is of the essence. I believe it is most prudent to let Ash decide. You may face my apprentice, Victoria, or our newest ace, Cal. After you defeat one of them, you may apply for expedient graduation. The choice is yours.
Ash: Okay, but to prove myself. I'll battle both, is that fine?
Kiki: (Surprised) I see. Then it will be fine as well.
Then both Ash and Victoria decide to go out to the courtyard so they can have a battle.
Here is a new chapter, and as you can see, Ash gets to Apophyll Academy and meet up with Victoria once again. And he also learns the truth about Serena and the harem. I hope you like this chapter and the next chapter will be the two battles.
