Chapter 69 Separate and Lost

Ash, Aya, Cain, and Hardy are now walking on Route 3, but a Draco Meteor is about to land on them, and they quickly dodge, with Ash and Aya dodging from one side and Cain and Hardy to another.

Hardy: Hang on, mate!

Aya: Hardy! Cain!

Ash and Aya notice that the bridge falls, and both Cain and Hardy are now landing on the ground that is on the lower level.

Ash: Are you both all right?!

Hardy: Uggh... I'm good. Splitting headache tho. That rail hurts. We're solid, but give me a minute.

Cain: Geez, first Terra, and now you slam into the rail? You've really taken a beating, and not in a good way.

Hardy: (Looks at Cain) There's a good way to get beat?

Cain: I'll have to show you some time~

Aya: Don't you dare!

Cain: Sorry, Sis! Didn't mean to make you jealous!

Aya: I'm NOT jealous! You- Ugh! I hope you get crushed under the bridge next time!

Hardy: Whoa, take it easy there. Look, we're fine. Even though one of the stray blasts took the bridge out while we were on it, we're all still in one piece! We'll get through this!

Aya: So much for a straight shot...

Hardy: No worries, we got this.

Ash: But because of Team Meteor, this area does seem to be a bit dangerous...

Hardy: Aye. Let's stay close and move quickly.

Cain: Ash, take care of Aya for me, will you?

Ash: No problem.

Aya: I can take care of myself.

Hardy: 'Course you can. Aite then, Aya, take care of Ash for me. We'll go on ahead. Peace! (Leaves)

Cain: Catch up with us as soon as you can! And don't worry- I'll be gentle with your boyfriend~

Aya: (Blushes) He's NOT my boyfriend! Wait, just what are you planning to do to him?! (Seeing Cain already leaves) Ugh... So I'm with you, huh? Sorry, I didn't mean for that to sound mean. Look, I'll try not to bother you too much. Let's just go find them, okay?

Ash: Sure.

Then Ash has to stop and capture some Pokemon while they are walking towards Calcenon City, they also go inside caves and navigate through them.

Ash's New Capture at Route 3: Druddigon, Magneton (Cave)

As they continue, they watch another bridge fall down because of the Draco Meteor, assuming that it is actually from the PULSE Clawitzer.

Aya: Again? If this bridge only just went down, then the others probably got across safely. Which means we'll be even further behind. Great...

Ash: But we still have to get there as soon as possible.

And when they enter the cave again, they find Team Meteor Grunts who are waiting for them. Ash recognizes them as the ones who disguised themselves as Day Care Couples, and he swiftly defeats them with Aya's help. But just as they knock them out, they find themselves in a place called LCCC.

Aya: This place is weird. I thought this was supposed to just be a random cave.

Ash: I don't know...this is my first time here...

But after getting out of the cave and walking towards the next bridge, much to their relief, it wasn't destroyed, but Ash sees an Absol running past. He has been wondering whose Absol is that since this is the 5th or 6th time that he saw it. And after continuing walking into the room, he finds a healing machine and he knows something is going to go wrong once they step into the door.

Aya: We're totally off track and there's no sign of Hardy or Cain. Where even are we?

Ash: (Notices Aster and Eclipse) Aster and Eclipse?

Eclipse: Oh, good. It's you.

Aster: Huh? (Notices Ash) Well, well! Look who showed up! (Turns to the grunt) Hey, grunt! Go call for backup! Tell 'em we got a good catch down here!

The grunt just leaves, and Ash groans as they might be calling Solaris or Sirius here and they don't want it to happen.

Eclipse: Is that really necessary?

Aster: Heh, I know what you mean, Eclipse. We'll pound these guys into the ground ourselves!

Eclipse: I don't think you know what I mean at all. Let's get this over with.

Then both of them send out Solrock and Lunatone again, and Ash goes for Decidueye while Aya goes for Dragalge. Because Dragalge is the Poison Type, Solrock and Lunatone decide to attack it first as they go for Blizzard and Rock Slide, but Dragalge dodge the attack and goes for Hydro Pump, and Decidueye also goes for Leaf Blade, eventually knocking out Lunatone first. As for Solrock, it is also defeated by Aya's Dragalge's Dragon Pulse.

The second Pokemon they are using are Golurk and Vileplume. And Golurk uses Shadow Punch on Decidueye, only to be struck back by Decidueye's Spirit Shackle. And Vileplume is also hit by Dragalge's Poison Tail.

Ash: I have never tried this before...but I should try it out.

Ash uses the Ghostium Z and does the Ghost pose, and shadowy hands start to appear from the ground and trap Golurk, causing it to faint in the end. As for Vileplume, it tries to go with Sleep Powder to make Dragalge sleep, but Dragalge dodges the attack and also lands a Dragon Pulse, knocking it out.

Their third Pokemon are Oranguru and Passimian, and Decidueye is defeated when Oranguru goes for Instruct for Crunch attack, and Dragalge is defeated by Passimian's Throat Chop. So Ash and Aya send out both Lycanroc.

Ash: (Notices the Lycanroc) Wait, you have a Dusk Form Lycanroc as well?

Aya: Yeah, it was a gift from Hardy, he told me that someone in Alola discovered this form and he started to use it.

Ash knows that Hardy is talking about him, but he has the battle to finish and both of them go for Rock Slide, eventually knocking out both Pokemon. Their fourth Pokemon is Krookodile and Milotic, and they both use Hydro Pump and Bulldoze to knock them out. Ash goes for Venusaur and Aya also does the same, and they all use Petal Dance and Petal Blizzard to knock them out.

And their final Pokemon is Lycanroc, Day form, and Night form. Both Venusaur goes with the Grass attacks and they are also defeated with ease.

Aster: (Seeing how they lose so easily) Dammit! Eclipse, are you even trying?!

Eclipse: Not really, no. I'm done. You win.

Aster: Don't give up! We fight to the end! For Team Meteor!

Eclipse: I'm not giving up. I'm quitting.

Ash and Aya are surprised to hear what Eclipse has said, and Aster is also equally shocked.

Eclipse: And look, I'll even power off the PULSE Clawitzer for you. Here.

Eclipse walks towards the computer and turns off the PULSE, much to their shock.

Eclipse: That's what you wanted, right? That's why you came here.

Aya: Uh, about that... We just got lost and wandered in here.

Eclipse: ...Oh. Well, that's what I wanted. So thanks for wandering in.

Aster: Eclipse, what the hell do you think you're doing?

Eclipse: I literally just said like three different times. Were you not listening or are you actually that stupid?

Aster: Wait, Eclipse, why?! I thought we were going to change the world together!

Eclipse: Yeah, I'm backing out on that. This isn't the change I wanted. Since we joined, we've done nothing but help Team Meteor hurt more and more people.

Aster: But in the end-

Eclipse: This isn't WORTH the end! What good is a New World if the people we care about aren't in it?

Aster: I don't understand...

Eclipse: Yeah, you don't. You never had a family. You grew up on the street and the only one you ever had to look out for was yourself. That's not a luxury everyone has.

Aster: Team Meteor gave me a home. I will repay them with my life!

Eclipse: Great, do it. I don't care. My father lives in Calcenon City. If one of the Clawitzer's attacks hits his house, that's it. Game over. End of line. We were assigned to guard the power station for it, but I can't just sit here and bite my nails wondering if the last blast did him in.

Aster: Did him in what?

Eclipse: And I'm pretty sure I've actually lost IQ points from being partnered with you.

Aya: (Turns to Ash) Uhh, sooo, Ash... Do we just let these two duke it out or...?

Ash: I don't know...but I think it will be better if we let them do what they want...

Eclipse: (Turns to Ash and Aya) Sorry for the trouble. Look, if you're going to fight Team Meteor, there's something you should know. Team Meteor itself wasn't always bad.

Ash notices that Sirius is actually walking towards them, and from the looks of it, he has already heard of everything and he's going to take action.

Eclipse: When Solaris led us, we had one strict goal: Cleanse the city. We wanted Reborn to be pure again, but the people had to leave for that to happen. So we started doing things to make them leave. But then, everything changed. Even before Lin started shooting through the ranks, Sirius-

Just then, Eclipse suddenly falls to the ground groaning in pain, and they realize a Chandelure was behind her, much to their horror.

Aster: (Gasps) Eclipse!

Sirius: Good girls should know their place and stay in it, or it will make itself known to them.

Eclipse: Augh...gugugughugh..ugh...

Aya: What's happening to her?!

Ash knows what is going on, the Chandelure is sucking Eclipse's life force, as the flames getting bigger and bigger.

Sirius: Didn't you know? Chandelure's flames burn away the soul. The body remains even after the spirit is lost forever.

And now Eclipse is nothing but a dead body, much to their horror.

Aster: (Glares at Eclipse's body) Why would you do that?!

Sirius: Stones must be cut to be shaped. People are the same. And sometimes, should the stone break, it must simply be thrown away. (Turns to Ash) Now for the next target...

Ash widens his eyes as the Chandelure is charging at him, but Aya pushes him away as the Chandelure grabs Aya.

Ash: Aya!

Sirius: (Grits his teeth as he misses the target, but he turns to Aya) Fine, then I'll take you instead! (Recalls Chandelure and grabs Aya by the collar)

Aya: (In pain) Ow-ow-ow! Let go of me!

Sirius: You have friends headed to Calcenon, correct? Change of plans. You'll make a fine hostage. Let's move. Aster, destroy the exit.

Aster: I'm not leaving Eclipse.

Sirius: Do whatever you want with the traitor. She's already gone. Team Meteor, retreat.

Ash grits his teeth as he sees how weak he is, to be unable to stop them from taking Aya away. He punches the ground and lets out a scream.

Ash: Damn it!


In the Chrysolia Forest, a certain blue frog suddenly stops as it feels the sadness coming from Ash, and he knows where he has to go, so he rushes towards Route 1 and hopes to get to Ash as soon as possible.


And here is a new chapter, Eclipse is dead because of Sirius. Aya also gets captured by Team Meteor as a hostage. Ash is feeling helpless as he can't stop Team Meteor from doing whatever they want, but he still has to get to Calcenon City. I hope you like this chapter and the next chapter will be arriving at Calcenon City.