Chapter 125 Victory Road Part 6

After heading back to Rini and the gate, they decide to put the stars in the device, there are only seven slots, so they have to choose the correct order. The order is random, so they don't know the order, but they tried a lot of times before the gate finally opens.

Florinia: So you've finished. Very well. The final steps are yours to take.

Ash: Yeah...I can't believe we're about to get to the League...

But as they continue further, they find Fern again, and they really don't want to stay silent at the brat in front of them.

Fern: I know what I said before, but I didn't think YOU, of all people, would actually make it this far. Gotta be honest, it's genuinely impressive, Just how consistently you've cheated and lucked your way forward.

Ash: Cheated? Me? You don't even know what that word means.

Fern: You remember what I said back at school? Someone like you doesn't deserve to move forward here. What've you done, huh? Forget accomplishments- why do YOU deserve it more than anyone else?! Can you really answer that? Can you look me in the eyes and tell me why, No matter how hard anyone tries, YOU get to be the one to step on them?

Ash: Is that really what you think, then you're wrong. You may think I step on you, but that is your naive mind thinking. I deserve it because I actually make an effort to try to do it. What about you?

Fern: If it's gotta be someone, it should be me.

Ash: And what right do you have? All you did is just boast your ego and not actually make an effort that you really cared.

Fern: Fuck off.

Florinia: Fern.

Fern: You stay out of this, Flobot! This is between me and Ash, And no one else. I'll beat you here and take the rest of your badges for myself!

Ash: Like I'll hand over the badge for you!

Then Fern sends out Rhyperior as his first Pokemon, while Ash goes for Gyarados to battle. Gyarados dodges the Rock Tomb and goes for Waterfall, defeating the Pokemon with Aqua Tail. The next Pokemon for Fern is Haxorus, and Ash switches into Hydreigon to battle. Haxorus goes for Outrage, trying to deal a lot of damage to Hydreigon, but Hydreigon dodges the attack and goes for Dragon Rush, slamming into the Haxorus and then knocking it out with an Ice Beam.

The third Pokemon is Scizor, and Fern decides to Mega Evolve the Pokemon. Ash switches out to Pyroar and has it use Noble Roar to lower the stats of Scizor. Scizor goes for Swords Dance and Bug Bite, but Pyroar goes for Flamethrower and Fire Fang to knock the Pokemon out. The fourth Pokemon is Serperior, and Ash continues to use Pyroar as it goes for Fire Fang to make Serperior burned, Serperior goes for Power Gem, also dealing a lot of damage to Pyroar, but it is defeated when Pyroar goes for Hyper Voice.

The fifth Pokemon is Krookodile, and Ash switches to his own Serperior, and Krookodile uses Earthquake to break the Crystal Caves, and Ash has Serperior uses Leaf Storm to raise the speed, when the third Earthquake is used, Ash has Serperior use Protect, so that the ceiling only hits Krookodile and knocking it out. The final Pokemon is Decidueye, and Fern tries to go with the Z Move Sinister Arrow Raid, but Serperior manages to take the hit and goes for Attract, and then finishes it with Poison Tail.

Fern: (Yells) WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE YOU?! It should've been me... It should've been- It should still be... But YOU got in the way!

Florinia: Fern.

Fern: WHAT?! What do you want, you stupid doll?

Florinia: I am not a doll. Nor am I a robot. I have feelings, and I've run from them. And it will take a lot more experimentation and research until I am able to fully receive or understand them. But like fermions, bosons, and everything else, one can be sure they are there.

Fern: Believe me, I care deeply.

Florinia: Your behavior is irrational. It is suggested to withdraw from the present conflict at once.

Fern: That's what I thought. Everyone's just against me. You always have been.

Florinia: Incorrect.

Fern: Where's your fucking evidence, huh? You never cared back then, and even now you're still here trying to stop me! And you just snatched the place right up! You wanna know why I should be the one to finish the league? Because then, maybe- Just fucking maybe- If I were the champion, Maybe someone would actually smile at me. Yeah? Cuz no one ever bothered to. Our parents sure didn't. Anything I did well, she got the credit for. And anything she did wrong, I got the blame for. Flobot would never smile. She actually used to, you know that? You believe it? But not at me. Never at me. The other students- I wasn't always top of the pack. More like the rock bottom of it. But I fixed that. I learned to persevere, To TAKE control. But when you're at the top, then they don't smile for a different reason. They're too afraid. Everyone's a fucking coward. What does it cost, huh? To make another person feel like they aren't just the scum of the earth? That's why even now, I try to face a challenge with a smile! And if I can't- Then I just have to make something worth smiling about! Lin could do that. Better than anyone else can. God knows there's too little in this world that's worth it, Or none of us would even be here right now.

Titania: (Walks in) Oh, shut up already. "Nobody ever smiled at me"? Boo fucking hoo. Here's a novel thought, baby genius: Did you ever do anything worth smiling at?

Fern: Obviously.

Titania: Yeah? What?

Fern: I've done plenty of things.

Titania: And most of them are selfish. When was the last time you went out of your way to actually help someone?

Fern: And why do I have to be the one to help them, huh!? When no one is willing to help me... Why do I always have to be the one to do it?! You think that's fair?

Titania: "Fairness" is just normalized entitlement.

Lin: (Also walks in) That is correct. Fairness does not exist in this world. Men are born without the ability of self-restraint. Women are born without the ability to be well. Children are born without the ability to be loved. You are simply one such child, One more victim, A droplet bathed in a sea of acid.

Fern: Gotta say, I've never been so glad to see you. (Stands besides Lin)

Lin: This is the world once birthed by Arceus of its own will. This is not a world that must be accepted. With a wisdom that both humans and Arceus lacked so long ago, we can guide creation to a world where fairness can finally exist.

Titania: And just who's going to decide what's fair or not?

Fern: We will, obviously!

Florinia: The necessary qualifications maybe lacking.

Titania: There are no qualifications. The fact that you think you're right for that job just proves what I said about entitlement. You don't want fairness. You want privilege. You want control.

Fern: Is that so fucking wrong?!

Lin: It is the nature of humans to grasp at that which they cannot have.

Florinia: Nature infrequently produces suitable social environments for peace.

Fern: What good is "peace" if the routine it's settled into is shit?

Titania: You're still acting like you're the sole determinant of whether it is or not. Make no mistake, boy, the world is fucked sideways. But what you and I see as sideways is upright to another. And what we deem upright may be what breaks a third. You have no right to assume that your view is the correct one just because it's yours.

Lin: Our right is our power. It is a power that none can overthrow.

Titania: That's exactly what tyranny is.

Fern: We're doing this for everyone, not just us!

Titania: You literally already went on a rant about how it's just for yourself.

Fern: It's both. We can do it because no one can stop us!

Ash: Yet you were already defeated in battle.

Fern: As if that matters.

Serena: Then what matters, huh?

Fern: That we're on the top. And you can't reach us.

Titania: Wanna bet? (Walks toward Fern and gives him a slap on the face, causing him to fall to the ground)

Florinia: Titania-

Fern: (Holds his face) M-my face... What the fuck?!

Titania: Where's that power?

Fern: Ugh- L-Lin...

Florinia: This is not necessary...

Titania: Do you still insist you should decide everything on that merit alone?

Fern: Lin... D-do... something...

Lin: No. (Leaves)

Ash: (Sighs) Blake is right, she wants to win, but she intends to win alone.

Fern: Hah- Are y-you fucking kidding me?! After everything... This... is what I-

Lillie: Yes. This is what you get.

Titania: So how about you make like a vacuum cleaner, And suck it up. (Turns to Florinia) Sorry about your brother, But, also, not sorry. I originally came up here to just check on you, but I think I've done enough damage. We'll talk later. Okay?

Florinia: (Nods) Understood.

After Titania leaves, Florinia tries to check Fern's wound.

Florinia: Show me.

Fern: Tch. As if I- (Florinia touches the wound) Ow! Stop that!

Florinia: This is it?

Fern: What's that supposed to mean, huh?

Florinia: It is only a scratch.

Fern: Yeah, on my FACE. What if it scars?!

Florinia: If appearance is your primary anxiety, you require no further concern. But you will be coming with me. Is this understood?

Fern: Ugh- That bitch walked out on me, so it's not like I have a reason not to. The rest of the team's fallen to shit anyways. Let's fucking go.

Florinia: Very well. (Turns to Ash and the others) Ash, the rest will be in your hands.

Ash: No problem. I'll defeat Lin.

Fern: Hey... I know I have no place to say this... But give Lin one from me too.

Florinia: Your bitterness does not exonerate you.

Fern: I don't expect it to...

Florinia: Nevertheless, Farewell, Ash, Serena, Lillie. (Leaves)

After getting outside of Victory Road, they finally see a Pokemon Center beside the Leauge Building.

Ash: We've made it!

Serena: Finally...all those hiking made me tired...

Lillie: (Notices the Field Note) And look, Ash.

Ash notices the Field Note and he picks it up.

Ash: This is the last one! The New World Field?

Field Note 35 New World:

"From darkness, from stardust, from memories of eons passed and visions yet to come..." Multitype or RKS System randomly select a new type each turn. Speed x0.75 when grounded. Airborne Pokemon defenses x0.9. Prevents all generated Weather and generated fields. Dark attacks boost x1.5. Aeroblast, Aurora Beam, Blue Flare, Bolt Strike, Continental Crush, Core Enforcer, Crush Grip, Dazzling Gleam, Diamond Storm, Dragon Ascent, Earth Power, Eruption, Flash Cannon, Fleur Cannon, Freeze Shock, Fusion Bolt, Fusion Flare, Genesis Supernova, Ice Burn, Judgment, Land's Wrath, Luster Purge, Magma Storm, Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom, Mind Blown, Mirror Shot, Mist Ball, Moongeist Beam, Multi Attack, Oblivion Wing, Origin Pulse, Photon Geyser, Plasma Fists, Power Gem, Precipice Blades, Prismatic Laser, Psycho Boost, Psystrike, Relic Song, Roar of Time, Sacred Fire, Sacred Sword, Searing Shot, Searing Sunraze Smash, Secret Sword, Seed Flare, Shadow Force, Signal Beam, Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike, Spectral Thief, Steam Eruption, Sunsteel Strike, Technoblast, Thousand Arrows, Thousand Waves, V-Create boost x1.5. Ancient Power, Black Hole Eclipse, Comet Punch, Draco Meteor, Future Sight, Hyperspace Fury, Hyperspace Hole, Meteor Mash, Moonblast, Spacial Rend, Swift, Vacuum Wave boost x2. Bulldoze, Earthquake, and Magnitude decrease x0.25. Fissure fails. Doom Desire boost x4 + Fire Type. Heart Swap + Pain Split effect. Victory Star damage boost x1.5. Dark Void's Accuracy:85%. Lunar Dance + boost all stats. Trick Room, Magic Room, Wonder Room last 8 turns. Cosmic Power and Flash effect amplify. Moonlight recovery:75. Becomes Starlight Arena when Geomancy is used, or when Gravity is used for as long as Gravity lasts. Nature's Madness damage: 75. Shadow Shield reduces damage of Super effective hits by 0.75. Nature power becomes Spcial Rend. Camouflage becomes random Type. Secret Power lowers all stats. The Magical Seed boosts all stats, but makes the user recharge.

Lillie: That's all 37 Field Effects...that sure is a lot of them. I would want to research all of them.

Ash: I know you can, but for now, let's take a rest, and tomorrow, we'll face the Elite Four and Lin...


And this is the end of Victory Road, Fern won't appear until Post Game, which is actually not far from here. All the Team Meteor members are either dead or left, the only one left is Lin. I hope you like this chapter and we'll be starting the Elite Four battle in the next chapter.