Chapter 157 Trainer from Aevium Part 2
Now Ash and the others are in Labradorra City, and they are at the place where the PULSE Clawitzer was.
Flora: Okay, this one's in a lot better shape, although... That laser attachment is weird. Might ruin some things, but I can't complain. Listen, this is gonna take some time. Please standby. (Checks the PULSE and finds something wrong) Huh? Ash, have you seen the Pokémon that was placed within this PULSE?
Ash: It was killed, after it lost the battle.
Flora: I see... So this was home for a Clawitzer at a certain point in time. The laser attachment here is perfectly suited for Clawitzer's giant claw. I assume the energy from this machine allowed Clawitzer to blast out gigantic beams of laser energy? The amount of power needed to do that would surely put the Pokémon in agony. Without a doubt. Disgusting. Humans deserve whatever comes their way, but Pokémon are innocent. And just look what it was forced to do. (Turns around) Would you just take a look at this place? Just completely thrashed and trashed, and thrown all away into nothing. Does that not disturb you? The people in power of this region were powerless to do anything about it. They just sat there and watched as this city crumbled, because that's all their weak asses could do. (Turns back to Ash and the others) But I'm not going to bore you with that. After all, you know where all of these PULSE machines have been. Hah, I don't even need a verbal response for this one. Your eyes have said it all in one flash. Um, well... I'm done here, okay. The laser attachment added too many different variables that aren't helpful to me. So... Ash, would you please bring me to another one? Pretty please?
Ash: Sure, there's another one.
Flora: Yay! Ash! You're my hero! Okay, well, where is the next PULSE?
Ash: It was just under the city, LCCC.
Flora: Hm... So there are two in this area then? If the one here has an attachment, then it's pretty likely that the other one would have one as well... But I guess it can't hurt to check. Okay, Ash, take me to the next machine.
After getting to the next machine, they find that the LCCC is dark, and Sigmund's body is still there as it stinks.
Serena: What was that smell?
Ash: Don't tell me that the officials... (Notices the PULSE and Sigmund's body) Of course...
Flora: Ash. It smells down here. Like, I'm not talking about sewer stink or stuff like that. I'm talking about rotting. (Notices the body) Oh, that's why. There's a dead body in this PULSE. Decaying. This is fascinating. I thought PULSE machines could only have Pokémon inside of them. Although considering the state of this person, I don't think the outcome of being put into a PULSE machine was... Beneficial? Why do the PULSE machines have to hurt whatever's inside? Hmph. Well, this PULSE doesn't have an attachment...Technically. But I don't really wanna get my hands dirty with some corpse. Don't you people know how to clean up your dead bodies? Or what?
Victoria: Are you not afraid?
Flora: Afraid of what? A dead body? Oh please, you remind me of Florin. That's my brother, by the way, but that's not important. Of course, I'm not scared of a dead body. It's just a clump of decaying garbage. (Notices their weird expressions) Oh, um... I mean... It's scary! Tee...hee!
Serena: You really don't need to act...
Flora: I'm bored. I wasn't doing a good job of keeping up that cutesy facade in this region anyway. It's easier back home because everything is so bright and cheery that it seeps into your brain. But here? I have a little trouble keeping a smile. I'm sure you can understand. Let's do this over again. My name is Flora Grevillea. I'm a student at Axis High University, and I'm here because I want to learn how to make a PULSE machine. But I have no intention of creating a machine that will harm the innocent. Back home there are certain people who trample over the weak. Those of "lower" status. I'm bored of sitting around and watching those in power push around the weak. I'm going to be the difference. Listen, I'm done here. Can we leave now?
Ash: Sure.
After Flora leaves, Victoria turns to Ash after seeing the body.
Victoria: Isn't that the guy who kidnapped Shelly and the others?
Ash: It turns out that Lin was also from the same orphanage as those girls and Noel...and she kills him because of that.
After that, they decide to stop talking about Sigmund as they get out of the LCCC.
Flora: If only I could take a look at a living PULSE specimen... I should have enough data and references with what I've salvaged. I just need one that's still alive so I can see what's causing the mutative physical stress... So, where is it? A living PULSE. If there even is one living.
Victoria: Is there even one living? I mean, you basically killed all 10 PULSES.
Ash: I think there is one living, but it is impossible to reach there.
Flora: Don't do it. Don't piss me off now. Just after I'm so close to the end. We had a deal! You show me where the devices are, and I tell you about Magearna! So, what, you won't tell me because you don't want me to make my own PULSE? Hah, are you that much of a coward? Hahahahahahah! Don't fuck with me, Ash. You're going to tell me where this last PULSE is right now.
Ash: And if I don't?
Flora: I've lost my patience with you. If you won't cooperate, then I'm just going to have to beat the information out of you. Come then, Ash. Let's see if you can defend yourself against me.
She sends out Tsareena first, and Ash goes for Charizard to battle, after learning that she's a Grass Type trainer, he decides to use Charizard to sweep her team. Tsareena manages to hit with Play Rough, but Charizard goes for Heat Wave and knocks it out. The second Pokemon is Ferrothorn, and it is also defeated by Charizard. The third Pokemon is Heat Form Rotom, and Ash switches to Infernape to battle this one, and defeats the Pokemon after taking the Thunder attack.
The fourth one is a weird-looking Mismagius, and Ash is surprised since he has never seen a Mismagius like that before.
Victoria: What happened to that Mismagius?
Serena: It might be some sort of regional form?
Ash: Judging by the looks of the Pokemon...it must be a Grass and Ghost Type...if that's the case, I'll go with Honchkrow.
Honchkrow goes for Sucker Punch and defeats it before it could go for Power Whip. The fifth Pokemon is Roserade, and it is also defeated by Air Slash of Honchkrow.
Flora: Okay, hold on. What's going on here? Am I losing?
The final Pokemon is Venusaur and she Mega Evolved the Pokemon, but Ash switches back to Charizard and Mega Evolve it, defeating it with the Heat Wave.
Flora: Huh? You're a lot stronger than you look, you know that? Now don't I look like a fool. I lost, and there's no use beating around the bush. So, I'm out of here. I'll find the info I need elsewhere. Just like you'll have to find someone else to tell you about Magearna. (Turns to leave, but has a call) Flora speaking. Jenkel, stop talking so fast I can't understand you. No, I didn't buy any more canned ravioli. That stuff is disgusting. Just cook yourself something with the- Huh? You've got a lead on someone who may know a thing or two about PULSE machines?
Ash is surprised that the caller for Flora knows Eve, and whoever that is, it is telling Flora to go to Ametrine City.
Flora: So she lives in Ametrine City, right? An old house... Good to know. Thank you Dr. Jenkel. Oh, and one last thing. If I come home to a messy kitchen, then you'll have a lot more to clean up than rank pasta sauce.
Then they see the girl leave.
Victoria: Should we go to Ametrine and warn Eve?
Ash: I think we should, let's go.
Then they quickly get to Ametrine Mountain, and much to their surprise, Flora is already there as Eve is showing her the PULSE Machine.
Flora: Ohhh, so that's how that works... (Points at another part of the machine) And... What's this part for?
Eve: Without that, the voltage doesn't come through at the right frequency. It wasn't the best solution, but circumstances were... desperate.
Flora: You really designed all this yourself? That's so incredible! And you can't be more than a few years older than me, right?
Eve: Not much, I'm... sure. (Notices Ash and the others) Oh, Ash, Serena, Victoria. I'm surprised to see you here. It seems that she's doing a paper on this kind of machinery for school, and had some questions. (Notices the face that Flora is making) But it seems you four have already met.
Flora: Haha, what, no! That's totally ridiculous! I've never seen this person in my life! Also, just wondering, do you usually let strangers walk into your house unannounced? That seems a little unsafe, perhaps? It might be good to invest in a lock, or at least start setting proper boundaries! You could start now.
Ash: Excuse me? Are you forgetting that you dragged us around and told us that you wanted to build your own PULSE Machine? And we also had a battle before!
Eve: All right, one of you is going to need to tell me what's really going on here.
Flora: Okay, so I might've bumped into Ash and those two, and we might've talked a little bit about PULSEs already... But he totally got the wrong idea about me!
Eve: And what idea would that be?
Flora: ...Well, Ash seemed to think that I wanted to do something like building my own, and of course that's nonsense! Haha! Especially with how much stress it puts on the Pokémon...
Eve: And you don't want to build one.
Flora: Of course not! My interest is purely academic!
Eve: That's why you've been sketching down the schematics when you thought I wasn't looking.
Flora: J-just for education purposes! Haha! (Notices that she's backed into the corner after the glares) Forget it. This was going so well, and then you just HAD to come along and ruin it, Ash, Serena, and Victoria. Yeah, I'm going to build my own. What's a washed-up Champion and a second-rate engineer like you going to do about it?
Eve: I'm sure I can think of a thing or two.
Flora: Oh, please. You can't even stop your machines from hurting your own Pokémon. Or will you say it was negligence rather than incompetence? You're the worst kind of person. Scum like you doesn't deserve to hold technology like this.
Eve: (Frowns) I did not wish the subjects to come to any harm, but I was not afforded a choice.
Flora: Incompetence, then. And excuses. I'm not interested. Obviously, you have the Champion wrapped around your finger, but do the local authorities know it was you who was responsible for all the damage? I think they might be interested in hearing about that. So unless you want them to find out, you're going to shoo Ash away, and tell me what I want to know.
Eve: Do you really believe you can fix the subject physical stress issue?
Flora: Do I "believe" I can? What is this, some feel-good family education crap? I'm GOING to fix it. Unlike some people, I actually care. Besides, this region's technology is practically stone age. If you saw what we're used to back where I'm from, you wouldn't even know what to think of it. All I need is a living example to confirm, and I've practically cracked it.
Eve: If you're confident that you can solve it, I'll cooperate with you.
Flora: It's not an "if". Glad to hear we have a deal. Anyway, Ash, it looks like you're not needed here, so goodbye!
Eve: Actually, that's incorrect. We'll be needing Ash's help from the outset.
Flora: Excuse me?
Ash: (Knows what Eve means) You said you wanted a living PULSE specimen. There's one left.
Eve: It was somehow completed without my knowledge.
Flora: Hmph. Maybe I should've found whoever did that instead...
Serena: Good luck. She's gone now.
Flora: (Groans) Tch. So where is it?
Ash: The Champion's room.
Flora: (Stares at Ash) You're kidding, right? That's a joke.
Serena: Oh yeah? I can prove that Ash isn't lying. I also saw one there.
Victoria: There is one?
Serena: I forgot you didn't watch the news, but there is one, and that's why Ash disappeared.
Flora: Fine. Then I'm going to Charous Hall. That's where the Pokémon League is in this miserable region, right? Meet me there and our deal for Magearna is back on. But you better not fuck this up for me. Got it? (Leaves)
Eve: She seems pleasant. I recognize that this is an unideal situation, but...(Frowns) Lumi's clock is still ticking. If there's something we can do to further her odds, then I'll do it. No questions asked. Just this once, I'm asking you to do the same. Please help Flora, Ash. For Lumi's sake.
Ash: (Widens his eyes) You don't need to tell me, I'll definitely save Lumi.
Then the three of them leave Eve and Lumi's house as they head to the Charous Hall.
And here is a new chapter, as you can see, Flora had lost to Ash in a battle, and then they are now going to the Charous Hall, which means rematch against Elite Four...I hope you like this chapter.
