Chapter 141 Radomus Return

Now they are back at the Night Club, with Ash, Serena, and Lillie together this time. Seacrest is the one standing in front of the counter and he has something for the Champion.

Seacrest: Greetings, Champion! The others are out monitoring for more Anomaly reports, but we've got one thing on the docket as is. According to a recent report, Vanhanen Castle might be haunted! Weren't you only just deployed there?

Ash: That's my Father's Castle! What do you mean it's haunted? We just got there and nothing bad happened.

Seacrest: And yet we've gotten an anonymous tip that some kind of Anomaly or legendary has sprung up residence within its halls again. A pale, ghostly shape billows through its halls, all but vanishing once seen. Near the arena, they said. Will you investigate?

Ash: I'm definitely going to investigate.

Seacrest: No better fellow for it! Godspeed you, champion. To the Vanhanen Arena!

After leaving the Night Club, the two girls are concerned for Ash.

Lillie: Do you think your father is back?

Serena: If that's the case, it will be good news, right?

Ash: We don't know, but we have to check it out as soon as possible.

After calling his mother, the four of them head to the Vanhanen Castle's Arena, and in the middle of the Arena, Gardevoir is standing there.

Delia: Gardevoir?

Gardevoir: lIGHTS! cAMERA! dRAMA!

Just then, the green portal appears again and Ash knows that it is Lin.

Lin: You really have to learn to stop taking anonymous tips. It's me every time. Just like everything else~ Me, me, me, me~ Just kidding~ But speaking of me, you got my gift before, right? Did you liiiiiiiiike it?

Ash: If you're talking about Samson, then I'm not...

Lin: I was really hoping you'd like it. I just thought- I was thinking- maybe you have the wrong idea of me. I mean, you might think I'm the villain here- and I GUESS that's true. But only because I wrote the story that way! I mean, c'mon, aren't villain characters always more fun? At least when they're not all "Power is all that matters. Fall before me!" You gotta understand, talking in that body was kinda hard; I had to keep it short and sweet! Well, by 'sweet' I mean 'intimidating' but you seem like enough of a battered wife to confuse the two. Anyway, nonono, you don't get it- because if anyone's to blame, you know who it is, right? The person who caused all of this... everything from the moment you arrived in this region...IT WAS ANNA!

Delia: You're lying! My daughter would never do this!

Lin: I just wanted to have fun! Well, you think about it. For a while. In the meantime, I brought you another present. And today's present- is buy one get one free!

Much to their surprise, they see Radomus appearing in front of them, but only he is glowing dark just like Samson.

Lin: You might just have to dust it off a bit first. My room is packed with this weird cosmic energy, and it seems to have an effect on people. It's, uhhhhhh... well, you'll see. But see, I even saved her daddy. Anna didn't do that, did she? I'll stop talking to myself now, but put on a good show for us! After all, we're always watching~

Then the portal leaves, and Ash and the others are taking deep breaths as they see the action between Gardevoir and Radomus.

Gardevoir: mASTER, iT'S sO gOOD tO sEE yOU aT lAST!

Radomus: ...InDeed, I'm SuRprised I SuRvived ThAt LaSt BlAst. BuT I FeAr ThAt My SpIrit MaY Be WoRse FoR ThE WeAr. I FeEl It UnTethered- An UnFettered DeSpair. WhEre Is My DaUghter? My SoN? My WiFe? I MuSt KnOw.

Gardevoir: nOTE hIS oTHer sON dOESN'T mATTER. nOT aS fAR aS hE sHOWS.

Radomus: WrOng- My HeArt LaCks No LoVe, NoR WoRry FoR PaInter, BuT He Is A CoNstant- A GiVen- My AnChor. ThE GiRls aNd SaTOshI ArE QuIte DiFferent- ThEir PoWers, No TrIck; EfFervescent, EvAnescent, AnD RaTher DrEamsick. My ZiNa AnD SaTOshI HaVE VaNished, BuT In ThE StArs, I CoUld SeE ThEM. FaNtasia's ThE SaMe; ShE MiGht As WeLl Be HeR.

Ash: Looks like Dad was thinking that we're dead... and he doesn't seem to care about Noel?

Delia: Let's hear everything first before we say something...

Gardevoir: yOU hAVE mE aLREADY! mUST yOU fIXATE oN tHEM?!

Radomus: YoUr ThOughts ArE My FeElings; JuSt a MeAns WiThout EnD. By PrOmise AnD NaTure, YoU've BeEn BoUnd To Me. ThE LoNging YoU KnOw Is HoW I FeEl AbOut Zi. It WoUld Be NeIther FaIr NoR ToO PrOper To ExPress It On YoU. YeT I CaNnot EsCape It; ThEre's SiMply NoThing To Do. My GuIlt Is A PrIson; ItS WaLls ArE My HoMe. ThAt ShE's No LoNger In ThIs WoRld Is No FaUlt BuT My OwN. HaD I NeVer JoIned MeTeor- WeLl, We'D NeVer HaVe MeT. BuT ShE'd StIll Be AmOng Us, As ThEre'd Be No ReAl ThReat. It WaS I WhO UnEarthed It, TwO TiMelines ReMoved: A WeApon FoR SoLaris- HiS PoWers ImProved. EaRthquakes WeRe OnE ThIng; ThEy're AlL MoSt ReCall. BuT ThE DaNger WaS GrEater- DiStortion BeAt AlL. EvEn ThIs StOry Is OnE ThAt ReMains SeCondhand. ZiNa SeAled OuR MeMories FoR ThE SaKe Of ThIs LaNd. I JuSt WaNt HeR BaCk. Is ThAt So MuCh To AsK?

Delia frowns, he still remembers her past self, but after that death, she lost her original powers, and Radomus is wanting to have her back.

Gardevoir: uNDOING tHE pAST iS nO sIMPLE tASK. bUT yOU cOULD sTILL sTAY wITH mE! i'LL bE aLL yOU nEED! I dON't cARE aBOUT eTHICS; i'M yOURS- gUARANTEED!

Radomus: YoU InSult Me By PrEssing. I WiLl NeVer LoVe YoU. BuT To FrEe YoU- To JoIn HeR... PeRhaps I'lL DiSappear ToO. It WoUld Be SiMplest. It CaN EnD In a FlAsh!

Gardevoir: dON'T yOU dARE tALK lIKE tHAT! dON'T dO sOMETHING sO rASH! iT'S tHIS mALIGNANT aURA- sO dREARY aND gAUCHE! bUT pERHAPS yOU cAN hELP uS- tHIS mALAISE cAN bE bROACHED!

Radomus: I SuPpose ThE PrEamble HaS EnDed; OvErdue Is ThE FiGht. BuT DeSpite ThE BoArd AnD OuR MoTes, ThIs Is NoT BlAck AnD WhIte.

Then much to their surprise, they see how Radomus and Gardevoir are trying to fight with each other, Gardevoir now being an Anomaly, she has the power to summon the other Pokemon to help.

Ash: What are we going to do now?

Delia: In their eyes, we aren't existing. However, we can't just sit back and do nothing. We have to join in the fight as well.

Their first Pokemon is Cloyster and Bisharp, and Ash decides to go with Landorus while Delia goes for Lunala. Both of them are trying to battle without gaining their attention, and it works since they are too focused on fighting each other. After both Closyter and Bisharp are defeated, their second Pokemon, much to their surprise, are Kartana and Aegislash. Ash decides to switch out to Entei to battle them, while Delia continues to use Lunala. Entei's Sacred Fire manages to defeat both of them after they damage each other.

Serena: Good thing Ash's father and Gardevoir are fighting each other...so Ash and Ms. Ketchum doesn't need to worry about losing their Pokemon in the battle.

Lillie: But I hope they didn't find out...

Their third Pokemon are Samurott and Tsareena, and Samurott is defeated by Tsareena with the Power Whip, but Ash also switches into Zapdos and defeats Samurott with the Thunder. The fourth Pokemon are Mega Lopunny and Diggersby. And Lopunny goes for High Jump Kick and defeats Diggersby, but Delia has Lunala use Psychic to defeat the Lopunny. The fifth Pokemon is Escavalier and Aggron, and both Steel Types clash at each other with the same strength, but they are also defeated by Moltres' Heat Wave. And the final two are Alakazam and Gardevoir, as they finally realize that they aren't alone. They try to attack the Lunala, but Lunala goes for Moongeist Beam, knocking the both Pokemon out of the battle.

Radomus: I SuPpose I Am Too quIck To let go of the responsibilities I'd leave behind here.

Gardevoir: mUCH aS i mIgHT pRefeR tO hAve you all to myself, we can't quite call it curtains yet.

Then the dark aura and the white aura surrounding the both are disappeared, and Ash and Delia rush towards Radomus.

Ash: Dad, are you okay?

Radomus: Satoshi...Zina...no, Ash and Delia. Forgive me that I have forgotten your existence again...

Delia: It's fine, Adam. All that matters is that you're back.

Radomus: To be given to neglect my duties yet again is beyond shameful. But I won't waste words on self-pity. Where is Anna?

Delia: Anna has been in a deep sleep for days. I was thinking maybe it might be dream sickness.

Radomus: Just asleep? Even unendingly- Then the Dreamsickness hasn't taken her entirely yet. But I must hurry. And Noel must feel I've abandoned him again.

Gardevoir: I'll explain all that, if you'll afford me the chance. It was my power that took you away. A power that I only ever intended to protect you with... But the machines had other plans; I felt as if they had erased my capacity for conscious thought altogether.

Ash: So the Gardevoir that Lin had...and the one we met at Victory Road...that was you the whole time?

Gardevoir: I heard you trying to reach out to me in Victory Road. I was... touched, but... All I could feel at the time was a great, numbing anger...No, I suppose even then, I was simply envious. But I am quite myself again, thanks in large part to Ash. I will make sure Noel knows you did not leave him by choice.

Radomus: Not this time. But I feel that I owe you apologies as well.

Gardevoir: Nope, I have no need of them! I do not want them, and you cannot make me accept them! I am well aware that my feelings are a reflection of your grief. But as your partner, I do not permit you to take responsibility for my emotions. They are my problem, and I will deal with them and serve by your side as I always have. There will be no further discussion on the matter. You have two sons and a daughter to look after and a cure to research! And for that matter, I'm sure I have no shortage of news to catch up on. If I slack off for too long then the next thing I know, the network will replace me with some cheap knock-off. "Mystery Mismagius" or "Rumor Roserade" or some other miserable alliterative mistake such as that. In fact, I do believe I should head there now to make sure they are not brewing felonies even as we speak. (Leaves)

Radomus: Ash, Delia, if you're going right back to the city, do you want us to just teleport you there?

Delia: That will be nice.

Radomus: Then let us be off at once. For another countless time, we owe you many thanks.


Then they are back in the Night Club, as they talk to more people there. The first one is Luna, who is happy to see Radomus back.

Luna: You have my sincerest thanks for having found my father as such. I am ever-heartened to have both of my parents back home safely in time for supper. Of course, it's not as if I was worried. There is no embarrassment or bluster here; Only faith. Neither time nor distance is a threat to ties that bind. And yet, it is nice to have them close at hand.

Ash: I know...they're also my parents and I would like them to be together as well.

Luna: Tell me, have you seen any place especially lovely on your travels? I would so love to hear! I've seen so many wonderful places, of course, but I am quite sure I can't have seen them all! It is a marvelous world out there. And out here, as well.

Ash: Your right.

Then Ash decide to have some drinks from Elias, as he is sitting at the bar.

Elias: My Lord! (Notices the stare from Ash) My apologies. Ash. Please, have a seat, if you have the time. I understand your time is valuable, and there is much still to do. But if ever you are in need of rest, or even want of it, this may be a good place to do so. If truth is bared, I have found it... a strangely good place to contemplate some things.

Ash: I see.

Then they also find Bennett inside the club as they talk to him.

Bennett: I've just been catching up on the news a bit, in between Anomalies. It's fascinating, actually. I do hope you've been keeping well. I know you're always trying to help everybody, and it's admirable.

Ash: Glad to hear from you.

Bennett: But please do remember to be careful, and put time aside to rest. I think that's something a few people here could stand to remember if truth be told. But especially when you go chasing after Anomalies as you have been. Just... Don't push yourself too hard.

Ash: Sure.

Then the last two are Radomus and Noel, who has just finished talking to each other.

Noel: Thanks for finding Radomus. I didn't like the terms we left on before. I can do better now.

Ash sighs a little, as he still calls his father by name, but he can't blame him after what he has heard back in the castle.

Radomus: Good day, Ash. Even if our last meeting was under... less than fortuitous circumstances. I do hope you will not hold it too much against me, though I of course would not, and could not, blame you if you did.

Ash: I won't blame you, my mother is feeling the same, you don't need to worry about it.

Radomus: I meant what I said, however. I will do everything within my power to find a way to make things right. For all of them. And in the meantime... It will be good to reconnect with Noel, and of course, the friends I had left behind in this world.

Ash: I hope you do, Dad.

Radomus:I must say, this is not my regular choice of music... Not entirely unknown, however. I believe I have heard this exact song once before, on Gardevoir's show. It's a bit remarkable, actually. Nonetheless, I believe I shall ask if Mr. Arclight takes requests. A brief change would not be at all unwelcome.

Ash smiles, and then they decide to take some rest before going out for another Legendary sidequest.


And here it is, Ash's father is back to the story, and Ash is now going to Tier 4 and there will be more amusing sidequests. I hope you like this chapter.