Chapter 167 Molten Mountain Problem

Ash, Victoria, and Acerola are now at the Night Club, as it is time for them to have another new mission. They find Archer at the counter as they ask him for the details.

Archer: Emergency for you, ace. Apparently something's going down in Ametrine Mountain. And by "going down in Ametrine Mountain," I mean "Ametrine Mountain itself is going down," if we don't do something.

Ash: What do you mean by that?

Archer: The mountain is melting from the inside out. We think something spawned in there. You'll have to do some swimming to get to the very center of the mountain but look for an icy area. Or a formerly icy area, perhaps. It may even be connected to Celestinine. Apparently, the damage is worst there. Good luck.

Victoria: The Ametrine Mountain is melting? Do you think it is another Anomaly?

Ash: Let me think...I have Moltres, Entei, Victini, Volcanion...I think I've got it...it might be Heatran.

Acerola: Then let's go there as soon as possible.

The fastest way to get to Celestine Mountain is by flying to Amaria's gym and then surfing through the Basement. Ash remembers that B3F has a giant ice structure. After getting there, they manage to arrive at Ametrine Core, even though they are in a snowy cave, they feel hot inside.

Victoria: No kidding...this place is too hot...

Acerola: Yeah, I feel like I'm going to melt...

As they move forward, they find Cal there, so they've decided to greet him.

Cal: (Surprised) Oh, Ash, Victoria... You startled me. But if you're here... That's good. I couldn't ask for better backup. As you heard, the mountain is slowly melting from the inside out. Just now, I saw our culprit... A Heatran has spawned in here.

Ash: I knew it...so it really is Heatran.

Cal: Just our luck. This is only going to get worse as it goes on... Let's not waste time!

After getting further inside, they can see some places have normal water, hot springs, and even lava.

Victoria: So where is that Heatran, Cal?

Cal: Heatran moved up through that exit...

Acerola: (Notices the Lava) But with that lava in the way... (Notice the Hot Springs) And that boiling water... I don't think any Pokémon could safely surf across it.

Cal: Ugh... What can we do? My Fire Types aren't helpful at all here when the place is already melting down.

?: Shoulda came prepared, oaf-for-brains.

Ash and Cal freeze as they see Blake walking toward them.

Blake: Sup?

Cal: Blake, let's not do this right now. We're kind of in the middle of something.

Blake: No shit. And here I thought you two were just having a hot spring double date.

Victoria: Me and him? (Points at Cal) I am not going to be his date!

Blake: Chillax. I'm here to help. You just sit back and let your ol' big brother take care of this.

Cal: And what do you gain from this?

Blake: (Thinks for a second before talking) So, look. I know I may have been involved in a plot to, you know, starve our entire city or whatever. Believe me, I know saying that that wasn't very cool of me would be the understatement of the century. And I'm not gonna suddenly claim that I've grown an entire heart and found altruistic nirvana-like you have, but if the mountain goes down, so does the city we were raised in. I may have been under the eco-terrorist group, but even they just wanted the people out- not the whole damn thing to collapse. I still call that place home, even though I don't sleep a wink without thinking about how I don't deserve to anymore. So can we spare me having to deliver an entire guilt-laden monologue?

Just then, they feel a shake on the ground, and they realize that they do have not much time left.

Blake: Or at least put it off until AFTER we stop the entire place from coming down? You need Ice Types; I've got them. Let's stop butting heads for two seconds and solve the goddamn problem. All right?

Cal: Fine. (Turns to Ash and the others) You three are running the show. We'll wait in the center for your word, and one of us can either heat up or cool down the room as necessary to help you move through it. You just let us know.

Blake: I'll get us started on that sweet, sweet cooperation... That's the whole hero shebang, right?

Cal: Don't get comfortable. I still don't trust you.

Blake: So then... you might say that I'm on thin ice?

Cal sighs as he walks toward Blake and gives him a hit on the shoulder.

Blake: Ow. All right, all right; I deserved that...

As the brothers are doing so, Ash notices a Blue Crystal and he sighs, knowing that it is another one of the crystal puzzles. He knows very well that Blue Crystal either creates a blue bridge or makes some stepping stones in the lava, so they activate it.

Victoria: That guy was Cal's brother, right? He was also with Team Meteor. Are you sure we can trust him?

Ash: We have no other choice. We don't have much time to argue that. Besides, you seem to be no problem trusting Cal right now.

Victoria: Don't get me wrong, I still don't trust him, not after he had Solaris killed Kiki.

After Cal has Magmortar heat up the place, they also find some Red Crystals, which manage to destroy some of the ice in the way. And Blake is using Walrein to freeze everything, so they can activate Blue Crystals and Rock Smash some rocks.

After they manage to get through the lava, they get to the next cave.

Blake: More of the same, huh.

Cal: I don't think it can have gone too much further... Or at least I hope not.

Blake: Hey, does something smell weird to you? ...Tsk, normally I'd toss in a line like "And I don't mean Cal" here, but I'm pretty sure at least one of you will just dunk me into a lava pool if I do.

Cal: I'll overlook your implying it anyway. What you're smelling is probably some form of volcanic gas.

Blake: Dude, take it outside if you're gonna rip one. (Noticing the death stares from the others) All right, all right, thin ice, lava pools- I get it! Drop the death glare, bro! I know I'm in the doghouse here, but you gotta understand, it's just hard to not make fun of you sometimes. And I don't mean that as a personal insult. I'm saying it's not you; it's me. And sometimes you. Shit, I did it again.

Cal: Anyway, if you'll let me continue, I recall hearing a story somewhere about how Ametrine used to be a volcano as well. If it's just been dormant all this time, and Heatran wakes it up...

Blake: You don't gotta finish that thought. No way that's happening. Let's hop to it, bro. Start us off!

Cal: Understood.

After solving another set of puzzles, Ash, Victoria, and Acerola are now heading down the ladder with Cal and Blake following suit.

Blake: Ugh, it really stinks down here...

Cal: The mountain is actively emitting toxic gas here. Try not to breathe too much of it if you can help it.

Blake: You really picked the worst type.

Cal: I'm not too happy about it myself.

The shaking is getting stronger and stronger, much to their surprise.

Blake: Hello, what fresh hell now?!

Cal: The mountain must be melting to a point of no return!

Blake: Don't think so! Walrein, keep a lid on it! (Turns to Ash and the others) You guys are gonna need to find that Heatran on the double; I don't know how long we can hold this! And I'll be damned if I go soft to the hero's side just to lose it all now!

Cal: (Sends out three Magcargo and a Medicham) Looks like the locals aren't too happy about that move... Medicham! (Turns to Ash and the others) We've got your back- you just keep the mountain stable!

Blake: Don't have to tell me twice. This is our home in the first place, fuckers! You wanna burn it down?! I've had just about goddamn enough of that! Chin up, head high- don't flinch when he hits you. Told me that every time he swung. And while you were out there crying about it, whining like the sniveling brat you were, I stopped flinching. Started swinging instead. That was the safest way. Not anymore! I'm taking a stand and making cringe speeches while doing it! You with me, bro?!

Cal: I'm with you.

Ash: Then we'll go find Heatran.

Cal: It has to be close!

Blake: And when you do- Don't flinch.

Ash and the others manage to get to Heatran, and it is in the Anomaly light, when it roars, it summons six Pokemon, the first one being Tyranitar, and they realize that the field is the Corrosive Mist Field, so they have to be careful. After Tyranitar is defeated by Victoria's Mienshao, the second Pokemon is Excadrill, and Excadrill is defeated by Acerola's Palossand.

The third Pokemon is Primarina, and Pikachu has that Pokemon out of battle. Much to their surprise, the fourth Pokemon is Zygarde, but Acerola has it covered by sending out Froslass and deals an Ice Type move to knock it out. The fifth Pokemon is Charizard, and it becomes Mega Charizard X, Victoria has Kommo-o defeat the Pokemon with the Z Move Clangorus Soulblaze. And the final one is Heatran, Ash has Donphan uses Earthquake to knock it out.

With the six Pokemon defeated, Ash quickly throws the Reborn Ball and captures the Heatran in the end, and that's when the quake stops.

Ash's New Capture in Ametrine Core: Heatran (Event)

Cal: Seems like everything's settled then. Thanks for your help as always.

Ash: No problem. Glad that we captured the Heatran.

Blake: Uggggh, is it always like this with you guys? "Thank you for your assistance. We hope this experience has been mutually beneficial and blahblahblah-" Bro, we just fought an erupting volcano and won! That was sick!

Cal: That isn't entirely accurate for a number of reasons, but... Yeah, it was all right.

Blake: Just "all right,"- Well, sorryyyyy, next time we'll have to go fight two volcanoes at once, blindfolded, with our pants off. Maybe then you can at least crack a smile.

Cal: Okay, okay, I get the point. It's difficult to just let myself feel things sometimes.

Blake: What, they didn't teach you all that in hippie zen school?

Cal: I still had a lot to learn when...

Blake: Riiiight, the whole Sensei thing.

Victoria: Don't you dare...

Blake: Well, chin up. I'll be your teacher now.

Cal: You still have a lot to learn too.

Blake: Cold! But you're right, so you can be my teacher too. That's how learning works, right? Pretty sure I saw that on a poster once. Look, I'm new to this whole 'trying to be a good guy' thing. Work with me here?

Cal: Yeah. I can do that.

Blake: Great, truce! Then I'd call this a big win. No mountains melted into oblivion, nobody had to dunk me into a lava pool... Just good, clean hero work. Or something. Anyway, I'm leaving before I acquire stage four bronchitis from this smoke. Dunno if it goes that high, but I don't wanna find out. You guys comin'?

Cal: Sure thing.

Blake: Then consider this popsicle stand blown. Deuces.


After getting back to the Night Club, Blake is now also staying for some while with Cal.

Blake: Yo. Been a bit, huh? Before the Ametrine stuff, I mean. That was pretty awesome. Don't get me wrong, if that thing shows up again I'm freezing its ass, but... It was kinda fun. Anyway, I'm just chillin'. Still not sure if that whole "playing a hero" thing is my style, but it does beat the alternative.

Ash: Glad to hear that.

Blake: I do have to thank you for one thing- Bringing Terra back. She's my Call of Shooting partner. It's been lame, trying to find randos to play with. It's nice to get back to beating the noobs with someone who knows what they're doing. Yo, fam, you should totally try playing! If you ever do, let me know.

Ash: I will consider.

Cal: It's nice to be able to breathe, a bit. Honestly, since Blake's been back around, it's felt kind of... weird. Not bad, just... Before everything with Heatran, the last few times we saw each other we were at odds. And even before that, he just always insisted that he didn't care. I... probably shouldn't have believed him, in hindsight, but that's in the past now. It's just... bizarre. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. But in his own way, I really do think he wants to help now. And as weird as it is... I'm glad.

Ash and the others nod as they all head back home to rest.


And this is the Heatran Chapter, as you can see, Blake will be hanging out with the others in the Night Club as well. I hope you like this chapter and the next chapter will be a new request.