Chapter 166 Memories from Sadness Part 4
Ash stares at the girl beside him, and he also heard what Anna just called her. He can't believe that his partner in the battle is Shade himself...or herself? He is getting confused, but he has the battle to fight. For some reason, in this battle, Noel and Anna can't see him, but he can fight against their Pokemon, sometimes they are saying something to Euphie like how did she manage to defeat their Pokemon, and Euphie just tries to explain that it is her shadow that does the work.
Their teams are just like before, only that Noel and Anna each have a Meloetta in this battle. And they also have Mega Audino and Mega Diancie to help them out. But Euphie and Ash manage to defeat both of them in the end.
Anna: Oh, I didn't see you at first!
Noel: Anna, what?
Anna: Huh. Okay, I understand everything now!
Charlotte: All right, all losers clear out on stage right. It's our turn now.
Euphie: I'm sorry?
Charlotte: You heard me. Heal up quick; I want in on the action. Laura, you in?
Laura: I wouldn't mind a chance to participate.
Charlotte: Great. Ante up and all aboard! Round 2 is comin' at you!
Then Noel and Anna switch out and Charlotte and Laura are now on the field.
Laura: Just like we've practiced, then?
Charlotte: And then some. Burn bright, baby!
Both of them are surprised that they are going to fight one more time with Charlotte and Laura, so they decide to heal their Pokemon and battle them, like usual, Charlotte and Laura can't see him, but Ash can feel that Anna is staring at him for some reason, maybe she can see him, but he doesn't want to know the truth.
Laura has a Magearna and a Celebi on her team, while Charlotte is using both Fire and Dragon Types with Moltres and Victini on the team, even though they have Legendary Pokemon, Ash and Euphie manage to beat them in the end.
Charlotte: Boo.
Laura: That was a stunning display.
Just then, they hear clapping as they notice a girl with green hair and nasty clothes sitting at the corner watching their battle.
Lin: Wowwwww, you guys are really strong.
Laura: Lin? When did you get here?
Ash widens his eyes, the girl is Lin's true form? But then again it is in the past, nobody would realize that the girl here would become the one who kidnapped Arceus' offspring and open the New World.
Lin: Ohhhh... some time between "we're all league professionals here!" and that EMBARRASSING loss. Come ON, two gym leaders and two elite four members lost to captain :| back to back?
Euphie: Child, you're going to have several regrets if you keep talking.
Lin: ACK- COUGH- COUGH! Can't- breathe ! Choking... on edginess... ! The only thing SCARY about you is how CRINGEY you are. Like, come on, you can only walk around hating everyone for so long before it gets SUPER tiring. "But ohhh nooo, the thing I hate most is myself!" Well excuuuuuuse me, princess, I didn't mean to offend your delicate little sensibilities...
Charlotte: (Feeling a little annoyed) What are you doing here?
Lin: I wanted to play too! You guys are ALWAYS excluding me, and I, for one, think that's unfair!
Charlotte: Well, maybe if you weren't such a little shit...
Noel: We're sparring as members of the league. You don't even have any Pokémon. We can't really include you here.
Lin: "yOu dOn'T eVeN hAvE anY pOkéMoN-" I stole twelve from the orderlies this morning. Shut up.
Anna: Lin, you can't just steal people's Pokémon!
Lin: Uhhhhh sure I can. I just did. Duh.
Anna: But that's wrong!
Lin: So is being a delusional attention whore, but people still like you for some reason. And what are you gonna do, tell on me?
Laura: Yes, the staff need to know where their partner Pokémon is.
Lin: I didn't WANT to steal them, but Charlotte snuck a cigarette in and said that she'd give me another burn if I didn't steal them just like she said!
Charlotte: That's ridiculous. They won't even give me any.
Lin: That's why you steal them. Double duh. Like this one here, see? (Takes out a cigarette and burns her arm)
Laura: Lin, what are you doing...?
Lin: Ngggh- ...there. So, who do you think they're gonna believe, huh? The girl with the burn mark, or the one with the history of arson? "But sir doctor sir, she burned herself!" LOL, but why would she do that? "Doctor, they're lying!" "They're all just ganging up on me because I found out they were using the arena without permission...!" "I was so uncomfortable because I didn't wanna lie for them but they made me swear not to tell!"
Ash can't believe that Lin is such a prankster, and no wonder all the other four dislike her.
Lin: So? Pretty convincing, if I say so myself. What do you think the odds are they believe you guys? I'd say it's a toss-up, and that's more than enough for me.
Euphie: What do you want, Lin?
Lin: See, people only ask what I want AFTER I give them a reason to. But it's not like I'm offended or anything. I appreciate honesty. The rest of you are all busy fooling yourselves with social courtesies, kindness, and the generalized lie that rules in society benefit the individuals...I know you get it, right? Aren't the rules getting in the way of what you want? Hey, I've been working on my forgeries lately. Wanna see if I can get you a letter?
Euphie: Just how much did you overhear...
Lin: I was hiding in the library next to the office the whole time, sooooooooooooooo... everything?
Laura: Lin, you have to respect others' privacy!
Lin: Oh my GOD. We already did this. "Lin, you have to do this!" No, I don't. "Lin, you can't do that!" Yes, I can. What about this relationship don't you get. Now shut up so we can stop going in circles. Now, where were we? Well, I forgot. And I'm bored of monologuing while you all look at me with stupid faces. The point is, ready or not, fight me!
All Lin has are 5 Togekiss, Chansey, Audino, 2 Clefable, Blissey, Electivire, and Alakazam, much to the displeasure of Ash and Euphie, and they are not that strong, so Ash and Euphie manage to defeat all of them with ease.
Lin: Oh, whatever. (Recalls Pokemon) Wow, the staff's pokémon suck.
Laura: Maybe you just have a lot left to learn about battling, and playing nice with others, for that matter...
Lin: Don't you have individual hairs on your head to go count or something? Oh, by the way, I spit in your shampoo this morning.
Laura: You're lying...
Lin: Am I? Strawberry blossom anti-frizz, the cap was angled slightly to the left?
Laura widens her eyes and quickly rushes out of the battlefield.
Charlotte: You know, if you're going to get me in trouble for burning you anyway... I may as well have the pleasure of doing it myself for real, right?
Noel: Charlotte, don't. That'll just make it worse.
Lin: Cigarette's still there on the ground. Wanna burn the orphanage down and kill your sister while you're at it?
Charlotte: (Tries to punch Lin, but is restrained by Noel) That's it-
Anna: That's enough, you two! You've had your fun, Lin. Please go.
Lin: (Sighs and walks towards Euphie) If you ever want that forgery...
Euphie: I'm not interested.
Lin: Ooookayyyy~ cuz the doctor's never gonna give you what you want, you know. He doesn't respect people like you.
Euphie: I don't think you'd know what respect is if it slapped you across the face. And for the record, it might.
Lin: Geez! I was just trying to help! Well, I'll keep an "I told you so" saved for you. Let me know when you want it! Bye-bye!
Then Lin also quickly rushes off, with Euphie also leaving the hall.
After everything, Ash and Pikachu are finally back in the New World, with Euphie standing in front of them.
Euphie: I don't know what I expected. This is her twisted world. She's still pulling the strings. And either way, I don't want to be here. Not like this. That- what you saw, was a bad memory. But it led to the twins and I became closer. And eventually, when they had to make a difficult decision, I was all too happy to be their martyr. A wish to save the world- Something like that is impossible. Not without sacrifice. I never cared for this body anyway, and I'm sure it's only been returned to me for the sake of some cruel play in Lin's game. I don't accept that. I'm going back in. Going back to sleep. Going back to dream. You know me by my dream. For something I was supposed to be losing, I got more out of it than I ever expected. Ethereal guardianship- still the power to make a difference, and none of the dysphoria... Also, let's be real- It's great for fucking with people. You should hear the challengers when they come into the gym for the first time. Or was that you, too, back then? It all blurs together. But better a delicious delirium than an agonizing ad nauseum, no? I'll see you again sometime, maybe even with a smile on my face.
Then Ash and Pikachu see the girl walk into the orphanage, and they are just confused, but they decide to head back to the Night Club and think about it.
Back in the Night Club, he is surprised to find Shade there, or maybe Euphie in her dream state.
Shade: Fortune favors the forsaken, but few find the forsaken to be such forever.
Ash: Okay...
Then after nothing is left to do, he decides to head back home, only to find that the Alola Gang are there, Mallow, Kiawe, Sophocles, and Lana.
Ash: What are you guys doing here?
Mallow: We are here because we want to say sorry.
Kiawe: Lillie has opened up to us and brought us here so we can apologize.
Ash: (Sighs) It has been a long day, but I am not going to hold any grudges against you guys. So I assume that you guys are taking a vacation here in Reborn?
Sophocles: Yes, and we are also seeing if we can find some rare Pokemon to capture. I heard that the shinies here are different.
Delia: So how is your day, Ash? Stop another one of the Anomalies?
Ash: Mom, weren't you there when I do it?
Delia: I did? Because I clearly don't remember anything.
Ash knows that his mother is lying, she was the one who shows him the memories of Sigmund Connal, and Shade as well. But he decides to brush it off, and then they decide to talk with each other about the Anomalies stuff.
And this is the new chapter, after Tier 5, I have decided to let Ash forgive the traitors in the past by having them come to the region and apologize, since what happened here causes Ash to change into a person who doesn't want to hold any grudges. I hope you like this chapter and we'll be having a new request in the next chapter, and we'll be seeing someone back as well.
