Chapter 130 Meteor Champion Battle
Ash and Lin are teleported to the front of the Reborn Gate, and because of the four keys in Ash's pocket, the gate glows and it opens.
Lin: You were a fool to come to me with those. But then, they were fools to entrust you with them. Let us proceed. Our final destination still awaits. And you are not excused.
Just then, a force causes Ash to be dragged into the gate, and Lin just walks into it.
Lin: Had that person been competent enough to correctly complete the PULSE Abra themselves, this could have been ended a long time ago. But by the time we had the connection necessary to do it ourselves, we no longer wanted to. Such is life's eternal ennui. But soon, we will be free. Make no mistake; we know well what we've been. All villains walk a path of self-righteousness. All villains die on a path of self-interest. To me, this is neither.
Then they are now in front of the Citae Astre, the same place where Ash has to fight the Ditto-Arceus thanks to Elias.
Lin: No doubt you have questions. You deserve answers. But for you, whose memories are as empty as your dialogue, you will get none. The world could not still turn if every adult stopped to explain each of their actions to each of their children, let alone to their dolls.
Then they are forced to step into the building.
Lin: First, understand, Ash, Mine is the power of a God. But not just any God- Mine is but a child. As it has grown, so have I. But none grow fast enough to protect themselves. Not even when they need it most.
Ash realizes that she means that Arceus' offspring is giving her the powers of God, and that's why she could abuse the power to do such evil things as killing people. Then he is forced to step into the Emerald door and do the Light and Dark puzzle again.
Lin: One thing all know: Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Any man who thinks himself exempt from this is his own example of its truth. At heart, all are dark. Remember it well.
Ash notices that the statues are Oddish, Gloom, Vileplume, and Bellossom.
Oddish: "Gloom speaks nothing but lies, however, Bellossom is pure as light."
Gloom says: "Oddish is young and innocent, but Vileplume knows nothing but deceit."
Vileplume says: "Bellossom strayed far from the path of light, but Gloom remains truthful as ever"
Bellossom says: "Oddish has been wrapped within darkness, but Vileplume yet speaks only the truth."
Ash knows the answer for this one, the answer is that all of them are lying. So he continues further and hears Lin's voice again.
Lin: Among those corrupt, dictators and villains are simply the easiest to rally against. But is not the same true for a single girl's parent? Is not a father or caretaker absolute above their ward? But who cares for her? Too few, too far. And nobody ever truly helps.
And when he continues forward, there is only one door left for them to go, and that is Sapphire.
Lin: Make no mistake, I know what I am. I know what we are. We are the mother who murders their child. This world is broken. The world is crying. The world is us. It's time to sing us to sleep.
And much to Ash's surprise, the statues are all the Eeveelutions, but everything they said is Light without the Dark option. And at the end of the room is the final PULSE Dex.
PULSE 11 Arceus: Normal Type. Ability: Multitype. World is deception. World is in pain. World should remake. World is competition. World is destruction. World is mistake. World is attack. World is unloved. World is mistake...
After that, they finally arrive at the gate to the new world.
Lin: This door was opened with the seal outside. With it, the New World has been tethered to the old. What needed to be done, has been. Bridges, like boundaries, are made to be crossed. Some go much too far. Even a wildfire knows when it is time to burn out. I knew it was mine long ago. (Steps forward) Once upon a time, a little girl was trapped here. Her only company was an old, forgotten meteor. Great company it was, for still it housed the seed of a God. Like her own, she raised it. Like its own, it blessed her. Soon, there were few limits to what she could do. Absolute power is a toy as dangerous as it is boring. Games are no fun without an opponent. Lucky then, that there was one. You will end this game, or prove it meaningless. The next step into this world belongs to you. You will take it because you need know what happens next.
Ash glares at Lin as he steps into the door, and he realizes that he's standing on an asteroid. Lin is standing on another one as she stares down at him.
Lin: Welcome, To the death of the old world, And the birth of a new one. This is a place I know all too well, Though it did not look like this before I arrived. Here, in this sacred womb... I will be the abortion. Absolute corruption must always be answered, must it not? Then answer me, once, finally, and for all! Arceus!
Then Ash sees the Arceus' offspring appear behind her, and the Pokemon seems to be hollow.
Lin: Imprisoned here for eons forgotten... Your long wait is finally over, child. With the power imbued in this tainted stone, I grant you the fate you never once deserved!
Just then, Lin throws the PULSE Machine on Arceus, causing the baby Arceus to transform into a PULSE, much to Ash's horror and surprise.
Lin: And so, down to the very core of your being, You are mine. Now, and for forever. Understand now, Majesty... Magnificence... Power... I have them all. You've done well so far. But now... It's time for it all to end.
Ash grits his teeth as Lin finally sends out her own team, the first Pokemon is Mismagius, and Ash sends out Garchomp to battle. Garchomp goes for Crunch, but Mismagius goes for Dazzling Gleam to deal a lot of damage, Garchomp manages to stay still as he goes for another Crunch, defeating the Mismagius.
The second Pokemon is Honchkrow, Ash decides to switch to Pikachu for this battle. Honchkrow keeps using Sucker Punch, but Ash has Pikachu use Thunder Wave to stop it from happening, and then Lin has Honchkrow uses the Z Move: Black Hole Eclipse, but Ash has Pikachu use Gigavolt Havoc to negate it, just like his battle with Nanu. And in the end, Pikachu uses Thunderbolt, defeating the Honchkrow.
The third Pokemon, much to Ash's surprise, is the Ultra Beast Celesteela, so Ash switches out to Charizard for this Pokemon, and Charizard goes for Heat Wave, dealing a lot of damage, but Celesteela goes for Leech Seed to plant on Charizard, and it goes for Flash Cannon, but Charizard uses Flamethrower to negate it, and with Ash's beliefs, it goes for Thunder Punch and Fire Punch at the same time, knocking the Pokemon out.
The fourth Pokemon is Hydreigon, the same one that Lin used to kill Ame. And Ash switches out to Lucario to battle this one. Lucario goes for Dazzling Gleam to give a lot of damage, and with the New World Field helping out, the Dark Pulse from Hydreigon also deals a lot of damage to Lucario. But Lucario eventually knocks the Hydreigon out with the Flash Cannon and Dazzling Gleam at the same time, creating a giant beam to knock it out.
Clefable is Lin's fifth Pokemon, and it goes for Cosmic Power to boost the Special Defenses. Ash decides to switch to Sceptile for this battle, but it gets hit by the Fire Blast. And when Sceptile lands a Poison Jab to deal a lot of damage, it just uses Soft-Boiled to recover, but thankfully, Sceptile manages to poison the Clefable, and then it uses Leaf Blade to knock it out.
Lin: Smile now. This means nothing. Little more than your ever-fleeting mirth will ever come to you.
Then the PULSE Arceus is the final Pokemon, with the ability Multitype and the continuous Moonlight and Judgement, Pikachu, Charizard, Sceptile, Lucario, and even Garchomp are knocked out in the end, Greninja is the only Pokemon left, but it is struggling even though Ash has already activated the Bond Phenomenon.
Ash: Is this the end of me...
Ash closes his eyes as Arceus goes for another Judgement, but Ash hears the voice from Arceus.
Arceus: Ash...I can feel the pain of my son...
Ash: How can I save him? With that pain, he defeated my five Pokemon, and Greninja was about to lose as well...
Arceus: You should never give up until it is over, that's why I'll give you special powers with Greninja. Now please save my kin.
Just then, Greninja glows and it goes for Night Slash on Arceus, causing it to get a lot of damage because of the field. Ash can't believe that Arceus is giving Greninja the power boost, and he decides to use the power wisely, and when the foe Arceus changes into Fire Type, Ash knows that it is the chance as he has Greninja goes for the Mega Shuriken, knocking the Pokemon out.
Lin: (No emotion) I've waited for so long. Others have come. I brushed them aside. I felt nothing. Not pity. Not remorse. Not pride. All I've ever had was the power to hinder dreams. That's all anyone has ever had. This is no life for me to live, But I have lost, And I am lost. So go. Savor it. Claim your prize. And I will remain the shell of the person I once was to suffer ever on ...my puppet.
Just then, Ash gasps as he sees what happened to Lin, it was just like Shade's vision, but Ash realizes why there is no blood in Lin...because all this time, he has been a puppet. And the Arceus also disappears, much to Ash's shock. All that's left is the voice of Lin, who is laughing at Ash.
Lin: Just look at the stupid look on your face! Did the big brave hero reallllly think he's done? (Laughs) Well, he's RIGHT! Ohhh but what's going on? What a confusing ending? And what a BORING villain! Pedantic dialogue can only take you so far in life, am I right?! What kind of antagonist hardly talks about her own motivations or background and then goes and LETS you defeat her?! The kind that's not over yet.
Ash: So this must be the true Lin...where the hell is she...
Lin: But awwwwwwhhhh, you're so CUTE, standing up there like you already won, waving your toy sword around like some kind of plastic knight!
Ash shivers as he hears the laughter, and Lin seems to be mocking him.
Lin: Hey, you know what's funny? You. (Laughs again) Oh, the look on your stupid face! I just wish you could see it like I can. Honestly, this whole deal is almost worth it just for that face. You don't even have a plan now! you just walked into the middle of nowhere- LITERAL nowhere- with no way of ever getting back! Couldn't be better if I had written it myself. Oh, wait. But hey, since you're here, I've got some fun facts for you! Did you know that there's only oxygen in this world because I want there to be? That's RIGHT! Did you know that I could kill you at any moment just by creating an empty vacuum around you? That's RIGHT!
Ash knows feels angrier at the comment from Lin, but he can't do anything, and he can only pray that Arceus saves him.
Lin: Buuuuut I won't. You know why, right? It's because you're just too much fun! Don't let it go to your head, okay~? Instead, let's keep playing more and more and more and more and more and more and more and more and MORE! It'll be so much more fun now that I don't have to keep that stupid puppet up all the time~ You know that I only made her as a tool to set me free after I got trapped in here, right? All that stuff about remaking the world and yadda yadda was just to trick team meteor into helping me open the seal! Thanks for your help by the way.
The more she talks, the more Ash feels helpless as he really wants to get out of this place.
Lin: But now that it's open... I don't even want to leave~ And you CAN'T MAKE ME! When someone makes you go to your room, you hate it, right? But it's only because you HAVE to be there. And you know what? I think my room is pretty nice. it's like a whole new world in here! PLUS I don't have to keep spouting all that cryptic edgy nonsense. Did you really think I was serious? "Absolute corruption must always be answered and blah blah blah-" Yeah, RIGHT! Someone who was actually corrupted would never say that, RIGHT?! The whole thing is so tautologically contradictory- don't tell me you actually bought it! So you get it, right? We'll keep playing forever and ever and ever... After all, this isn't a world where bad things can happen. Isn't that great? All you have to do is keep playing with me. Come find the real me, okay? We'll have a sleepover! When you're ready. But you'll never be ready. I'll never let you be ready. I'm gonna eat all the pizza by myself. The game won't ever end, RIGHT? So for now... How about we just call it nap time? We can play later. I'll be waiting~ Forever, and ever. Because you, too, belong to me.
Just then, it is like Arceus hears Ash's call, Greninja, Pikachu, and Ash suddenly glow, and then they are teleported out of this world.
Arceus: This is what I can do for you right now...Ash, I'm counting on you to save my son...
And here are the Ending credits. There are two different endings, and I chose the Lin Route because I want her to be alive in my story. And as you can see, the real Lin is just a little girl and the one we battled is not. But Ash's journey in Reborn is not finished yet. The next chapter will be the start of the Post Game.
