Chapter 36 Rise and Fall

When Ash chases Cain to the Pyrous Mountain, Victoria is already there and all of them are facing a Team Meteor Grunt.

Cain: So you're really not gonna move?

Grunt: No, sir. Them's my orders. No entry. No battle.

Ash: And so you're not gonna send out your Pokémon either. You're just gonna stand there?

Grunt: Yes, sir. And you aren't going to pass. Because that's what I'm here for!

Victoria: (Groans) Ugh, we don't have time for this! Incineroar!

Victoria sends out Incineroar and pushes the grunt off the mountain path, even though they are not on a higher level, but the grunt groans in pain after being pushed off some meters.

Cain: ... 'Kay.

Victoria: Let's hurry! Our only hope right now is that Cal can hold them off for long enough!

Both boys nod as they rush into the mountain, but they are surrounded by some grunts.

Grunts: More of them!?

Victoria: Cain, Ash and I have this, but Cal needs help on the double!

Cain: (Nods) Got it, I'll break through~

After Cain rushes away, some of the grunts are chasing after him, leaving only two left.

Grunt: Orders were clear- no entry, no mercy!

Victoria: And what right do you have to keep us out of here? This is OUR home! We'll fight to protect it to our last!

Then both of them team up together as they rush through the mountain while defeating the guards on the way, while they reach the top, they notice an Absol jumping over them.

Victoria: What was that Absol doing just now?

Ash: The last time I saw it was before Corey commits suicide...don't tell me this time...

Victoria: ...You don't think something could have happened to Cal? You know, it's been nice having him around the Academy. For as rough as he seemed at first, he really mellowed out fast. And he was eager to chip in and take personal responsibility in a way that most students aren't... Sometimes he's a little withdrawn, but like, in a cute way? I hope he's all right...

Ash feels that it isn't Cal that they should worry about, but rather Kiki, because they find Solaris and Taka standing in front of Cain and Cal.

Victoria: Cal!

Cal: (Surprised to see her) Victoria?

Victoria: Were you defeated already?

Cal: Uh, about that...

Ash: Cain, are you okay?

Cain: Ugh, I couldn't take both of them at once...

Victoria: You did enough, Cain, thank you. Now the cavalry's come in! (Turns to Solaris) I'm not letting you lay a finger on Cain, Cal, or anyone else in Apophyll!

Solaris: How amusing. And Ash is here, too. I writhe in fear at what you yapping pups could possibly do.

Cain: Hey, we don't have a whole lot of time here. Look!

Ash and Victoria notice the PULSE Camerupt on the machine and they widen their eyes.

Cain: As soon as that machine builds up enough energy in Camerupt, the whole place is gonna blow!

Solaris: And you are not permitted to interfere. (Turns to Taka) Taka, deal with the girl.

Taka: (Nods) Yes, Father.

Ash: (Widens his eyes) Hold on, you two are related?

Taka: Seems so.

Solaris: I have failed to kill Ash Ketchum once, but it won't take me more than a single Pokémon to delete them.

Solaris sends out his Garchomp, much to Ash's shock. He was killed by the same Garchomp along with his mother, but he is not going to let it stop them.

Ash: Pikachu! I choose you!

As Ash sends out his own Pikachu, everyone is shocked at his choice.

Solaris: You're a fool, do you merely think a mere Electric Type Pokemon can stop me?

Ash: I trust that Pikachu can stop you! And I'm going to show you! Pikachu, even though Garchomp is a Ground Type, don't let that affect you! Use Quick Attack!

Pikachu charges at Solaris, but Garchomp has the ability Rough Skin, which gets Pikachu a lot of damage. Pikachu goes for two more Quick Attacks, even though it might hurt him.

Solaris: Teach that mouse a lesson by using Earthquake!"

Pikachu is forced to jump into the air, but he realizes that besides is a Lava Pit as he is holding the edge tight.

Ash: Pikachu! Grass Knot! Get out of there!

Pikachu uses the Grass Type attack and gets itself out of the lava pit, but Garchomp rushes and goes for Fire Fang, and Pikachu is bitten and gets burned.

Solaris: Why don't you give up right now? Your Quick Attacks don't do that much damage to me, and my Garchomp has Leftovers to heal every turn.

Ash: I won't give up until it's over! Pikachu! Let's try out our new move! Endeavor!

Solaris widens his eyes, as Pikachu has already taken a lot of damage from Garchomp, and it goes for the attack that causes Garchomp to quickly lowers its health.

Solaris: Don't blame me if I kill him. Garchomp. Dragon Rush!

Garchomp is charging at Pikachu, and behind Pikachu is the lava. Ash realizes that he is going to have Garchomp slam Pikachu into the volcano.

Ash: Pikachu! Watch out! Use Agility and dodge the attack!

Pikachu quickly dodges the attack and Garchomp flies itself out of the pit before being drowned by the lava.

Ash: (Takes out the Z Ring) Pikachu, let's do this together!

Solaris widens his eyes to see Pikachu and Ash going for a Z Move.

Ash: Let's do this together! Corkscrew Crash!

Pikachu turns into a Corkscrew and charges at Garchomp, even though it might damage himself, but Garchomp is being slammed to the ground. But much to Ash's surprise, Garchomp is still standing after the attack, and Pikachu is also surprised.

Ash: (Gasps) It takes a Z Move and it is still not down?

Solaris: So that's how it is. (Steps in front of Garchomp) Hmph. There's no point in continuing.

Cain: What do you mean, "no point"? It's a battle!

Solaris: No, it's a massacre. Ash's part in it is merely of a powerless child protesting. Even for all their effort, it's nothing an item or two won't patch over.

Kiki: Please stand aside.

Ash and the others turn around to see Kiki holding her chest and walking toward them.

Victoria: Sensei? You should be resting at the Academy! This is too much for you!

Kiki: I will decide what is too much for me. There are moments weakness can be permitted. This isn't one of them. Stand back.

Ash and the others stand back as she sends out her own Medicham. Ash is now in a struggle, he wants to stop Kiki from getting killed, but he also remembers what Shade and Arceus warned him. If he interferes with what is going to happen, the outcome for this region will be worse.

Solaris: The PULSE will reach its full capacity any second now. No matter how many of you there are, you cannot stop justice.

Kiki: I grow tired of daily reminders of all the things I cannot do. Despite our success and comfort, I have never lived up to my own expectations. I have always been far from perfect. My teachings were my ideal; not my standard. In spite of that, they still made a difference for many people. Weak, imperfect, and powerless as I may be, I can still make a difference. (Turns to the PULSE Machine) Medicham, destroy that infernal machine!

Solaris: Canis- stop her!

As Medicham goes for a High Jump Kick towards the machine, suddenly, Magmortar grabs Medicham's left leg. Everyone turns to see that the one who uses the move is no other than Cal.

Victoria: Cal, what are you doing!? What is- "Canis"?

Solaris: Canis Minor. The lesser half of a greater whole.

Cal: You can drop that already.

Victoria: Cal, I don't understand-

Kiki: (Narrows her eyes) So you are betraying us.

Solaris lets out a laugh, much to everyone's confusion.

Ash: What's so funny?

Solaris: To betray implies that he was ever on your side, to begin with. He was all too eager to join up with us ages ago. You inviting him to your little academy just proved the perfect excuse for him to carry out our operation.

The words cause Ash, Cain, Victoria, and Kiki to be surprised and hurt, they can't believe Cal was actually a Team Meteor member, to begin with.

Victoria: (Tears and anger in her eyes) So... everything you said about appreciating this place and wanting to be part of it...That was a lie?

Cal just turns away, he tries to avoid the glares from others, and he decides to explain everything.

Cal: Sorry. I know this isn't what you hoped for. But then, I have a habit of not really being what people want me to be.

Solaris: Dispose of that Medicham. Now!

Before Kiki can stop Cal, Magmortar throws the Medicham into the lava, and they hopelessly see the Medicham sinking inside until there is nothing left.

Cal: Sorry, Sensei...

Kiki: (Trembling) After everything, you dare apologize?

Solaris: You should listen to her. You've always been all rage and no spine. The second you strike, you recoil. We cannot complete our charge like that. All who oppose Team Meteor must be silenced. As such, Garchomp, execute!

Ash widens his eyes as he starts to rush forward, but it is too late, Kiki is being slashed by Garchomp to the chest, causing the woman to cough out blood before falling limp to the ground, dead. Victoria, Cain, and Ash rush toward the body, and they realize Kiki doesn't have any breath inside her anymore. Tears start to form in their eyes as the former Fighting Type Gym Leader is now dead.

Cal: (Turns to Solaris with a glare) Solaris! This was NOT part of the plan!

Solaris: She would have died in the ensuing eruption regardless. You have no reason to be upset. Did you not know this would happen?

Cal: (Clench his fists) No, I didn't want this!

Solaris: It seems you're as weak as your brother cautioned.

Cal: (Lowers his head) Yes, I am. (Starts to have flashbacks of how he has suffered, until how he meets Kiki) I am weak. I'm pathetic. I always have been. Kiki helped me realize that. And she helped me accept it. Accepting one's flaws is a kind of strength on its own! Real weakness is standing by, not doing anything to protect what you care about!

When the flashback's over, Cal is now having fury in his eyes as he turns to his Magmortar.

Cal: I'll stop that right now. Magmortar. The PULSE!

Magmortar roars as it fires the Toxic attack, causing Camerupt to get poisoned and disappear. Everyone realizes that Cal stops the whole Academy from the lava, and Solaris just shakes his head.

Solaris: Canis Major was correct. You are insufferably useless. You've betrayed us, killed your own precious teacher... What do you have now? (Turns away) Nevertheless, the operation is kaput. Taka, let us retreat. Leave these failures to their misery.

Taka: (Feels bad for Ash and the others) Yes, Father.

Cal: (Walk toward Victoria with a frown) Victoria, I'm so sorry. I never meant for this to happen...

Victoria: (Glares and slaps Cal on the cheek, causing him to fall to the ground) Then just what did you mean to happen, Cal? You meant to destroy all of Apophyll?

Cal: (Struggles to get up) I wasn't-

Victoria: Did you want me dead, too?

Cal tries to retort that he wasn't going to try to kill them, but Victoria already drags him up by his collar.

Victoria: What the hell were you thinking?! Did you EVER say a genuine word here?!

Cal: Victoria, I-

Victoria: (Throws him to the ground again) No! Don't even talk to me! Or you'll be joining that poor Medicham you just dispatched!

Cal: The Medicham is- (Looking at the lava, Ash notices that something is not right)

Victoria: Go AWAY!

Cal looks at Ash and Cain, who gives him a disappointed look, and he just mutters "I'm sorry" before leaving.

Cain: Hey, you okay?

Victoria: I'm fine. Just fine- But Kiki is- Kiki -

Ash: The truth is...Shade has shown me four visions...all of them are deaths that have to happen or else Team Meteor is going to win...one of the visions is Kiki sensei...

Victoria: (Glares at Ash) Why didn't you tell me?! If you have said so then we have the chance to stop it!

Ash: Do you think I don't want to save her as well? I have a hard time when Corey was dead! And I was killed by the same Garchomp before! (Realizes that his outburst scares Victoria) I'm sorry, Victoria. But Apophyll is safe, thanks to her.

Victoria: (Realizes that Ash was right) ...That's right. She protected the place she loved. It was her home. Everyone there was her family. She gave her life to it. And for it, too. (Hugs the lifeless body, not caring about the blood ruining her clothes) Oh, Kiki... I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry...


After several hours of Kiki's funeral, everyone in the school has returned to their dorms, as for Cain, Victoria, and Ash, they are in Kiki's room.

Victoria: So, that's it. Apophyll is safe, and empty.

Cain: Hey, we did everything we could...

Victoria: Like that's some kind of justification or reassurance? We did everything we could- and it still wasn't enough! Luckily we can take comfort in knowing it wasn't our negligence that ended her life, just our incompetence. But maybe it was the first thing too. I was the one who brought Cal here- I should've known he was one of them!

Ash: How could you have known?

Victoria: Oh, I don't know, maybe a hair-trigger temper might have been something of a red flag. I was stupid.

Cain: Hey, blaming yourself isn't going to help.

Ash: Indeed. It is better to blame the true culprits: Team Meteor. Better to do what we can to make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else.

Victoria: (Nods) There was another PULSE- somewhere in Byxbysion Wasteland. And that's where your family is. Do I have that right?

Cain: (Lowers his head) Um, yeah, but... My family and I aren't really...

Ash: What? So you're not on great terms, and you're just going to let them become the next victims?

Cain: I didn't say that...

Victoria: You didn't have to. You have a chance to save them, and you're hesitating. Maybe this is why you have to tell yourself things like "You did everything you could."

Ash: Victoria! Just stop it! Hurting Cain is not going to help.

Cain: Okay, I'm... just gonna go. (Leaves)

Victoria: (Realizes her mistake) Wait, I'm sorry, I didn't mean- (Lowers her head) I'm sorry, that was uncalled for. I... have a lot of work to do. On myself, and... Well, someone needs to lead the academy now. Kiki chose me. She expected that she was on her way out, but... Not like this.

She tries her best to show her smile, but Ash knows that seeing how their teacher was killed is not going to make them smile.

Victoria: I'm grateful that I had the chance to fight alongside you. But this is where our adventure ends. At least, my part of it. Someone is going to have to tell the other students. And I have no intention of keeping secrets. And then class schedules, lectures, maintenance, paperwork, intake... (Lowers her head) There's so much to do...

Ash: Don't worry, I'll keep fighting Team Meteor. I'll save those kids no matter what.

Victoria: Byxbysion Wasteland... The entrance is from a large door in South Obsidia. Someone has to go there and make sure they can't hurt anyone else. Cain evidently won't do it, so... It falls to you. We're all behind you, Ash. Make sure they pay for what they did.

Ash nods as they share a hug and a small kiss, even though they have never confessed their feelings to each other, and Ash leaves Victoria as he heads back to Reborn City.


And here is a sad chapter, as you can see, Kiki is killed by Solaris, and Ash still hasn't gotten the TMX for Strength to save his family and the others. The next chapter will be Byxbysion Wasteland, where the fifth gym is located. I hope you like this chapter.