Chapter 162 Flornia's Feelings

For the next quest, Ash and Aria are heading to the Night Club, and Nyu is the one there waiting for them.

Nyu: Haihaihai~ Recently, there've been some reports of multiple Pikachu swimming underwater within Ametrine Mountain. They're probably not hurting anything there, but it's a Pikachu, so someone should probably go check on them~ One person already went... Um, what's her face, with the glasses~ But since there's more than one Pikachu, it probably makes sense to send more than one human! D'you wanna go too?

Ash: If you're talking about Rini, I can help her.

Nyu: I'm sure you're in for a spicy adventure! It'll be somewhere underwater in the greater Ametrine area- I think someone said something about looking for Ametrine B1F? Probably? Or maybe not. Even Pikachu has to breathe sometimes. And remember, when in doubt: Eat it!

Aria: (Turns to Ash) So that's how you started the quest?

Ash: Yeah. So we're heading to Ametrine Mountain, let's go there.

After searching the mountain for a while, they finally find the New World Gate underwater, much to their displeasure. But just as they come out, they realize that they are not in the New World.

Aria: Wow...what is this place?

Ash: According to my Pokegear, this is an Unexplored Territory. But for some reason...this place reminds me a lot of Alto Mare...

Aria: You mean the place in Johto Region? I heard the Water Races there.

They notice two Pokemon up ahead, and Florinia is also there. Ash realizes that the two Pokemon are Latias and Latios, but they are also glowing like they're affected by Anomaly Lights.

Florinia: Your timing is most opportune, Ash. I've been chasing these two around for a while now... I believe they're both getting fatigued by now. The present moment yet proves ideal to finish the task once and for all. Will you join me?

Ash: Aria and I can join you as well.

But before they can battle, Latias rushes toward Ash and nuzzle him, much to his surprise.

Aria: You know this Latias, Ash?

Ash: I know, but what are you doing here? And why did you have that glow?

Latias shrugs, but she looks at the Latios, and she is trying to say something like her brother has returned and she was staying here with him. And Ash realizes that the New World also brings Latias' brother back, but both of them are affected by the light. Latios also notices Ash and gives him a nod.

Ash: Latias, Latios, as much as I like to have you back, we have to get rid of your light first. Try to summon the Pokemon to fight us.

The two nod as they send out 12 Pokemon: For Latias, there are Cobalion, Terrakion, Talonflame, Excadrill, Zapdos, and another Latias. For Latios, there are Aerodactyl, Tyranitar, Rhyperior, Decidueye, Typhlosion, and another Latios.

Aria: Is that really normal? How come there are more Legendary Pokemon she was capable of summoning?

Florinia: The lights are Anomaly lights, they are capable of summoning Pokemon from the New World. In the new world, Legendary Pokemon are common as normal Pokemon, but they are also weaker.

Then they are also delighted to see Florinia has a Kartana and a Virizion on her team to help out in the battle, and after some struggle, they manage to defeat all 12 Pokemon.

Florinia: Initial trial complete. Let's proceed to the next phase... of ...Hm?

Just then, much to their surprise, Latios and Florinia are glowing with a dark aura.

Ash: Rini? What's going on?

Florinia: ? I don'T want tO- feEl- - X? X7'F 5MJH K5XMK 7S Y=F+ 7+5FR X VG R ? 5 G#GH...

Just then, both of them disappear, much to the shock of everyone present.

Latias: We have to find them quickly! The human's repressed emotions have corrupted the unnatural energy around Latios and caused it to go haywire and affect her, too! If we act quickly, we can save them both! Follow me!

Ash and Aria nod as they follow Latias, and they find a white sphere beside them.

Latias: Ash, and other girl.

Aria: My name is Aria.

Latias: Okay, nice to know, Aria. Fragments of that other human should be scattered around this place! Until she learns to accept these different parts of herself, there's no way we'll be able to rescue her or Latios! You have to help her! Find her, and find a way to help her understand the emotions she's disconnected herself from! You can understand me because of my power, but in order to get through to her, you'll have to speak the language of emotions too! If you look around this place, you can surely find some hints as to how to translate from one to the other! Remember, when you're trying to understand emotions, the key is to stop, wait, and pay attention!

Then they check through the white spheres around the area, and they manage to get a set of words from the alphabet order, and they count that there are 24 letters, without the "Q" and "Z".

Aria: So what's wrong with Rini? I mean, she was always talking like a robot...

Ash: Because of a bad past. Maybe this will be the time we can show her how to feel emotions.

There are also a lot of Florinia in the area, and each of them represents an emotion for Florinia.

Florinia: The patient displays accelerated breathing, quickened nervous reaction, and impaired cognitive functioning. Additional symptoms include tensing of the muscles, furrowing of the brow, additional pressure exerted on the jaw, and a predisposition to clenched fists. The subject describes a non-literal burning sensation within her chest and has difficulty focusing on tasks unrelated to the source stimuli.

Ash: I think you're feeling Anger. Now we need to do is switch to the letters that we found.

Aria: That means "gmkra"

Florinia: Very well. Diagnosis acknowledged. The subject is afflicted with "Anger". This writer observes this "Anger" may yet be a defensible survival skill, providing impetus for the subject to remove herself from and challenge unfavorable circumstances. Studies show that repression of anger may produce negative effects such as chronic pain, digestive issues, and tension headaches. Suppression of this survival mechanism may yet be inadvisable due to its motivating effects and adverse psychosomatic consequences under suppression. The subject may have residual anger towards past associates for mistreatment and subsequent abandonment. This is... perhaps, acceptable.

And just like that, she's gone.

Ash: I guess that is one of her personalities...maybe if we collect more, we can get her back to a normal person.

Aria: Then let's do it.

After searching for a while, they manage to get inside one of the houses, and everything is white inside, another Florinia's personality is in front of them.

Florinia: The subject appears given to periodically covering her face with her hands. She avoids eye contact, and is frequently found looking down. The subject describes feeling an intense weight in her stomach and appears to fixate on past events with a particular focus on what she could have done differently. The patient also appears, as a result of the affliction, to be especially given to apologizing and attempting to make amends for a perceived trespass.

Aria: That might be Guilt...if we change the letters..."k=xj7"

Florinia: An intriguing hypothesis. Subject's symptoms do appear to match a diagnosis of "Guilt". Acknowledged. The subject's personal history suggests a traumatic incident that she believes she may be personally responsible for. Whether or not this belief is justified, it appears to be maladapted. Untreated, an affliction of "Guilt" may complicate into a syndrome of "Shame." This speaker will consider how to best prevent such an affliction from becoming malignant. Until then, the diagnosis of "Guilt" will yet suffice for treatment.

The third Florinia personality is in front of a tree watching the sea, and it is only accessible by Surf.

Florinia: The patient reports a consistent sinking feeling within their chest cavity. No foreign objects or weights could be identified. The patient exerts a proclivity to look downward, and movements and energy both appear to be inhibited to varying degrees. The subject has been observed as occasionally producing moisture from their eyes or sharp exhalation of unusual strength.

Ash: That's Sorrow..."f5aa5#"

Florinia: ...Indeed. Diagnosis acknowledged. The subject is afflicted with "Sorrow". Defined as "a feeling of distress caused by loss, disappointment or misfortune"... While initially regarded as improbable that the subject should have any rational cause to adopt this afflict in lament, it is perhaps reasonable nonetheless. Rationality may yet be unequal to the task of making judgments of value that will be beneficial to the subject. The patient's history does indicate a veritable record of loss and disappointment, with particular regard to former social circles and interpersonal comfort. Very well, we shall begin treatment for "Sorrow" posthaste.

As they can find no more Florinia in the area, they manage to open the gate and head to the next part.

Latias: Ash, Aria! It's working! By helping her understand what she's feeling, we've moved even deeper into her heart! But it's truly a shame... Why has she only acknowledged negative emotions so far?!

Ash: I don't know, let's hope she will have positive emotions right now.

They find the fourth Florinia personality at the plaza looking down at the buildings.

Florinia: The subject appears to be suffering an especially irrational affliction now... She reports feeling much lighter than normal, though all metrics indicate her body weight is unchanged. The corners of her lips have forcibly been turned upwards, and her body appears to move with uncharacteristic looseness. At its most extreme, the patient is even prone to involuntarily emitting a cacophonous sound, disruptive to respiratory functions. Even the best scientists in the field have yet to ascertain the evolutionary purpose of this bizarre phenomenon. What could have happened...?

Aria: You're feeling joy. "% 5h"

Florinia: "Joy"? Impossible. No- improbable. I suppose for the sake of proper treatment, we must rule nothing out... But how could the subject have been exposed to and infected with "Joy"...? This is- a disaster. I- We must seek help at once.

Ash and Aria are confused as to why Florinia can't feel joy, but they know that it is a positive emotion, and they must find more of them. The fifth one is on top of the building.

Florinia: The patient appears to be wholely consumed by a new syndrome. Her pupils have dilated, and she appears to need to lean forward at all times as if pulled in by something. The patient reports single-minded purposes- a proclivity to dedicate herself entirely to and be possessed of a given task. Most regrettably, the specifics of said task seem to be out of her control- or else this affliction might have been a fortuitous development for productivity.

Ash: That's Passion. "ygffx5m"

Florinia: ...Indeed? The patient has been diagnosed with "Passion"... A double-edged sword. On one hand, even whimsically applied to the random subjects to which this "Passion" seems to append itself, it can prove a useful tool in many circumstances. Statistics indicate that following "Passion" may result in an overwhelmingly significant number of benefits, ranging from production to personal health. However, it would be more ideal where a different individual is afflicted with this "Passion". For this subject, in particular, to have developed it is a severe risk. We shall consider the safest way to proceed.

After the fifth one is gone, Latias has called them as the new path has opened.

Latias: I have achieved confusion! She finally unlocked some positive emotions, but she doesn't seem happy about it at all!? How could this be!?

Ash: Maybe she's scared. But we'll try to help her.

Then they quickly head to the garden and find the sixth personality.

Florinia: We have discovered yet another complication within the patient... Yet, perhaps it is unwise of us to continue asking for your assistance in diagnostics. The Discovery of emotions like "Anger", "Guilt", and "Sorrow" can be argued to have been unavoidable. However, these new discoveries- "Joy" and "Passion"- create veritable jeopardy. Were others aware of what stimuli might cause the patient to experience "Joy" and "Passion," it would produce leverage with which others could control her. This speaker does not believe we should identify any further emotions, least of all the ones in this new complication, most immediately responsible for these feelings of apprehension about continuing. She is altogether too vulnerable to risk proceeding.

Aria: Because you're scared. You have fear. "?rga" And that's why we are not going to leave you alone.

Florinia: ... For what purpose do you refuse to heed this speaker's warning? The suggested diagnosis is, perhaps, irrefutable... It is monumentally easier to express negative emotions rather than positive ones, as positive ones produce embarrassment as a result of "Fear". However, it is likely that this "Fear" is a root cause of many other problematic developments...Perhaps it is because of "Fear" that this patient felt it necessary to disconnect from these emotions in the first place. A necessary emotion for survival- she attempted to keep herself safe by removing the very emotions that were perceived to be the source of the problem. It is an effectual course of action, provided the original diagnosis of precipitating factors was accurate- But the cost of severance may yet have been too high. If "Fear" has kept the patient from expressing other emotional afflictions, that must be the source of everything. However, there is one more qualm therein...

Ash: (After Florinia disappears) So there is the last one...

Then they head outside and find Latias again.

Latias: You're almost there! Give her the final push!

And they find the real Florinia on the edge of the cliff, watching the sea.

Florinia: The logical fallacy inherent: Due to the subject's "Fear", she decided to repress various other emotional afflictions within herself. However, the presence of "Fear" in and of itself belies one more, deeper, base desire. An effective mechanism for survival, to be sure- but where emotions are all, themselves, tools for survival, the suppression of them remains veritably maladaptive. It is thus reasoned that the priority granted to "Fear" which permitted it to supersede all others and thus dissociate them from the subject must not have been a simple matter of survival. Given the circumstances, perhaps social pressure or need instead- But that would be...

Ash: That will be Love!

Aria: That's right! "j5tr"

Florinia: ... "Love." All of this- everything was hidden because this subject wanted- B-because I wanted- To be loved. Not in the twisted way that Amy asked of Tania. I didn't want that from her. I just wanted us- All of us- To stay together as friends. Acceptance, Belonging, That kind of love. It was always feelings getting in the way. Amy's depression. Tania's resentment. Julie's... whatever it is that makes her drawn exclusively to disasters. My weakness. I thought if- I wasn't letting myself get so pulled down by my emotions, If I hadn't burned Tania with them- And I knew it was a burden, but what else was I supposed to do? Maybe everything could have been all right. In hindsight, it was naive. It would never have worked. Tania's burden was Amy. I didn't help, but it wasn't me who pushed her to the breaking point. And I chose to internalize it. Maybe it was easier to internalize it than to accept that the situation was helpless. Control groups exist specifically to dissolve illusions of false control, but we don't have that luxury for our own social circles. In the end, I cut off my emotions- the things that told me I should want to feel love- for the sake of earning it. A devil's deal. It was stupid. It was so, so stupid...

Ash: Rini...

Florinia: Sorry, Ash and Aria. I should go. I have to process all this. I feel guilty that you've been drawn into my emotional conflicts for this long already, but relief that I've at least acknowledged them. Maybe doing so is all that is necessary. Farewell for now. (Walks, but stops) And thank you. Though I would prefer it if you didn't share what happened here with the others... It will probably be important for me to do so myself.

After Florinia leaves, Latias and Latios also arrive.

Latias: You have done it! And now Latios is here too! Thank you for going along with our game and helping the other human!

Aria: Game? What do you mean by that?

Latias: To be honest, Latios was never corrupted! We were just playing a trick to encourage you to help that girl! Being trapped in those energy fields, what you call Anomalies, is kind of like living in a dream! But we couldn't wake up! After you freed us from them, we felt a deep disturbance within that human! So as thanks, we wanted to free her as well! With my emotional senses, Latios's illusions, and you talk her through it, I think she'll be just fine! We'll be happy to go with you now too! Let's go on an adventure!

Ash: (Smiles) Though it is nice to see you two again...and this Altomare-looking place...I like it a lot.

Then they decide to capture both Latias and Latios in the Poke Ball.

Ash's New Capture in Unexplored Territory: Latias, Latios (Event)

But just before they can leave, Lin's portal appears again.

Lin: Well, wasn't that nice? Everyone's getting their own little therapy session. And you know this wouldn't have happened without me. Would it hurt really hurt you to show a little gratitude? Say thank you.

Ash: Really? You try to corrupt Latias and Latios with anomaly light and you expect us to thank you?

Lin: Are you feeling clever for that? I mean, I GUESS it's kind of funny, so I'll allow it, this time. But you're on thin ice.

And they are teleported back to the Ametrine Mountain B1F.

Aria: That was weird...

Ash: Let's ignore it for now. Let's go back.


And this is the Latios and Latias chapter, Ash and Aria helped Florinia with her emotions. I hope you like this chapter and the next chapter will be an interesting one as well.