Chapter 169 Cain and Diancie
A new day has arisen, and both Ash, Lumi, and Yancy are now at the Night Club ready for the next mission. Aster is the one there as he greets them.
Aster: We got a mission, boss. You remember Aegir Cave- where you and Bennett found that Victini? Turns out there might be more to it. There's a pretty big energy reading from somewhere deep beneath that cave. We need someone to go down there and check it out. You that someone?
Ash: That sounds interesting, we can go there.
Lumi: Ageir Cave sounds like a fun place, I want to check it out.
Yancy: It sounds interesting as well.
Aster: Copy that, boss. You got this! Remember, the way to that cave is through the west end of Victory Road. Bit forward, through the New World, and then you're there. Once you're in the cave, I suggest looking for the lowest point possible. Might even be underwater. You can do it, boss!
Then the three of them head to the Aegir Cave, and they dive underwater to find a small cave, and just as they get out of it, they find themselves in a cave that is filled with purple color.
Yancy: Everywhere here is purple... This is amazing.
Lumi: Eve should come and see this as well.
Ash smiles as he remembers earlier that he was only just bringing Yancy here, but Lumi insists that she wants to come with Ash on this journey, despite her health problems are still there. It takes some time for them to persuade Eve to let them go. They find the Prison Bottle in the area, much to their surprise, and after surfing down the Waterfall, they are getting deeper into the Aegir Cave, much to their surprise.
Ash: We're really deep underground...
Yancy: But there sure are a lot of Pokemon to check out.
Lumi: And rocks too. I wonder what kind of Legendary Pokemon we can find here.
Ash: Maybe we should climb the ladders and find out the truth.
After climbing the ladders, they finally find the New World Gate at the end of the path, once they get inside, they are now in the New World. Ash notices something on the ground and picks it up.
Lumi: What is it, Ash?
Yancy: That looks like an earring.
Ash: I recognize this earring. This is Cain's earrings! Does that mean Cain is somewhere near here?
Yancy: Who's Cain?
Lumi: I know him when I was still in Zero's mind. He was Ash's rival of some sort, and the former Poison Leader until his sister takes over.
Lin: Awh, you can't leave yet. (The portal appears) I'm still getting your present ready! Can't you at least be patient with it? Ughhhh I didn't even have a chance to wrap it! You know, it wouldn't hurt you to show some more gratitude. Obviously, you have the entire world to strut around and they'll all pander to you and stroke your ego cuz, you know, that's just what you do with champions I guess. But YOU should remember who got you there. I mean, pay no attention to the plot armor behind the curtain. Who do you think MADE it so you could win in the first place? You didn't HAVE to get any critical hits. And isn't it CONVENIENT that every area you prance through just happens to have a way out? Who do you think put all those light shards around for you?
Ash: So you want me to thank you for everything that you've done? Even saving my Dad but forcing him to become Umbral?
Lin: Huh? I'm not saying everything you've done has been worthless or whatever. I'm just saying, a little appreciation would be nice. Even this. Here I am finding YOUR friends- So don't forget, I've done more for you than Anna ever has.
Just then, much to the three's surprise, Cain is now in front of them, and the Umbral energy is surrounding him.
Cain: Heyyyyy, you're... hiDeOus, reALly.
And much to their surprise, Cain just runs past them like he's invisible.
Cain: DoN't tOuCH mE. (Leaves)
Ash: Wait, Cain! (Chases after him)
Lumi: (Turns to Yancy) Should we go after him?
Yancy: We might as well.
As they get out of the portal, they find Cain breaking the crystals and running forward.
Cain: DoN't folLow mE. (Heads downstairs)
Ash: Just hold on a second, Cain!
They continue to chase until they are on the lower level, and Cain is standing in front of the crystals.
Cain: It wAsn'T a dIfFiculT reQuesT. BaCK oFf. PeOple aRe uGlY. YoU'Re nO eXcePtIoN. I'm eVen leSs oF oNE. AlL thE comMitMenTs- eXpecTatIons, PerSonaL, proFesIonal, inTimaTe, JuSt tO liVE... I didN't asK foR aLL thAt. (Leaves)
Lumi: Sounds like he's in a lot of pain...
Ash: The Void is a terrible place. I can tell.
They go to the lower level once more and find Cain again.
Cain: ...AnD you'Re sTiLl heRe. Do yOu thInk tHis iS eAsy? RunNing frOm eVeryOne and eVeryThing- BuT eAsier tHan sTayIng. LoNgEr yoU stAy, the lOngEr peOple eXpect yOu tO. I dOn't WanT my eVerY aCtIon to bE a dEciSioN. I juSt waNt to BE. WiTh or wiThouT oTherS. JusT leT me BE.
Then they continue to chase as they go lower and lower.
Cain: ...Hahh... As exPected from You, Ash, You've goT qUite soMe eNdurAnce~ ...DiD yOu tHinK I'D saY soMethIng liKe tHaT?
Ash: I don't know, maybe you would in the past.
Cain: Not liKe I cOulD bLamE yOu fOr exPecTinG it wHen I'vE plAyeD to iT so mUch mYseLf. HuMor is tHe eAsieSt waY to dEfleCt frOm a sERioUs conCerN. BuT I'm neArlY spEnt hEre, sO I'lL asK oNe mORe tIme- ThOugh yOu oBviOuslY wOn'T liSten- LeaVe mE aloNe. EveN I knOw I caN't rUn foREveR.
Then they continue to chase until they almost reach the deepest part.
Cain: ...UgGhHhH... Hh- ThiS is eXhaUstIng- anD it'S noT liKe we'Ve eVen goNE thaT fAr- I gUesS thAt's eXpecTed- CuZ no mAtTEr hOw fAr I gO, I caN't ouTruN mYsELf... So, Ash... YoU'rE heRe tO drAg me baCK kIcKinG anD scReaMing, hUh. ThEn mAke me sCreaM, cUtiE~ I waSn'T kiDdiNg wHen I saId peOple arE uGLy. AbSoluTely rEpulSivE, evEry iNch of thEm, WhEn yoU stOp to tHinK aBouT it. ThaT's thE tErriFyiNg pArt- thAt it'S diFferEnt whEn yoU sTop tO thInk. So tRy noT to tHiNk- weLl, I tRy- And SomEtimeS thAt jUst mAkes It woRsE. ThInk aBout aNything eXcept PiNK CrYStals. BuT in RunNing frOm thE thOughT, thAt's AlL thErE is. I learNed RunNinG diDn'T woRk a LonG tiMe Ago.
Ash: What do you mean? Cain, just calm down and talk to us about everything.
Cain: He foUnd me- My sTep-faTher. I cOuldN't uNderStanD iT- WhY wouLd mY moTheR geT reMarRied aFter alReadY diVorcing oNce? WhY to SomEonE likE hiM- Who snApped if wE eveN so MucH aS looKed aT hiM witH thE wRonG exPression- If we WerE laTe- unCleaN- inAdeQuaTe. WhY hiM- I asKed mY mOm OnCe. ShE toLd mE, ShE neEdeD hiM. EvEryonE has NeEDS. FoOd, waTer, shElter- AnD thOuGh I wouLdn'T unDerstanD unTil I was oLder, sHe saiD, theRe was oNe moRe NeED: InTImaCy. I HATeD thaT. I stiLL dO. MoSt oF alL, I haTeD thAt shE waS riGhT. I beGan tO uNdeRstaNd- EvERyonE seeMed sO... aTtrActIve. PeOple weRe CuTe. BuT whEn yOu SToP to tHiNk- WhAt's CuTe? WhEn alL we ReaLLy aRe iS a sAck oF mEat, bOneS and eLectRiCiTy. AnD mY brAiN caN mAKe mE finD thAt CuTE?! WhAt tHe HeLL? It'S DIsGuSTING! InSIDE and OUT! PeOplE- EleCtrIcitY- IntImAcy- anD ME! It'S aLL aBsoLUTeLY ReVOLTinG! GeT iT ouT of My SIGhT! GeT it ALL oUT of MY SiGHT!
Lumi: Is he going nuts?
Ash: The only way to save Cain is to beat him in the battle. That Umbral Energy is worse. I saw how my Dad got affected by it, and if I can destroy that energy by battling him, then so be it.
Cain goes for Alolan Sandslash as his first Pokemon, and Ash goes for Salazzle to battle. Sandslash goes for Aurora Veil, raising the defenses, Salazzle goes for Flamethrower, and it manages to knock the Pokemon out after two times. The second Pokemon is Klefki, and Ash continues with Salazzle, Klefki goes for Thunder Wave to make it paralyzed, but Ash has Salazzle use Toxic, with the Corrosion ability, it manages to poison the Steel Type Pokemon And Klefki is defeated by Sludge Wave.
The third Pokemon is Magearna, much to Ash's surprise, and Ash decides to switch to Gliscor to battle. Gliscor goes for Earthquake to deal a lot of damage, but Magearna also deals a lot of damage by using Flash Cannon and Aurora Beam. But Gliscor goes for Fire Fang and knocks it out. The fourth Pokemon is Lucario, with the Choice Band, it locks into Dark Pulse, with the help of Dark Crystal Cavern. Ash switches to his own Lucario to battle and knocks it out with Aura Sphere.
The fifth Pokemon is Mawile, and both of them Mega Evolve, but Lucario defeats Mawile with the Bone Rush.
Cain: DisGustIng, diSGustINg, DiSGUSTiNG! (Sends out Primarina)
Ash goes for Pikachu to battle the Pokemon, and Primarina is defeated by the Thunderbolt from the mouse Pokemon.
Cain: If I had to go down, I'm glad it was-
Cain falls to the ground, and the Umbral Energy is gone.
Lumi: Is he alright?
Ash: Don't worry, he's just out cold. Lumi, can you take care of him for now, Yancy and I will check inside this cave.
Lumi nods as both Ash and Yancy enter the cave, and they hear Lin's voice again.
Lin: *cough cough (Throws in the Healing Shard) poof. ...Wait hold on, I don't like that sound. Let me try this one. (Healing Shard gone and reappears with a different sound effect) Muuuuch better. (After Ash uses the shard) Oh, what can I say? Except you're welcome!
Much to their surprise, in front of them is Diancie, who is holding an Aegislash, but the Aegislash is looking different.
Diancie: Greetings, Ash! Do you like my new friend? (Waves the Aegislash) It is so cool.
Ash: Diancie, it is good to see you, but...have you noticed that you're glowing? Like an Anomaly?
Diancie: Isn't that supposed to make me strong?
Ash: It is not normal. We have to get rid of that. And what is that Aegislash? It looks different.
Yancy: I'm confused, Ash. Do you know this Pokemon?
Ash: Yeah, this is Diancie, we met in Kalos. (Turns back to Diancie) Can you summon any Pokemon with your power?
Diancie: Let me try it. (Tries to do the Anomaly summon, but only another Diancie). Wow. There is another me!
Ash: And we have to defeat it...I guess also your Sword as well.
Then Ash and Yancy go for Probopass and Lucario to battle the two Pokemon, and Diancie also Mega Evolve to give them a hard time, but after a while, both the weird-looking Aegislash and Mega Diancie are defeated.
Diancie: And I was just having a new friend...but I guess they don't belong to this world after all. (Turns to Ash) Father asks me to assist you, that's why I'm here. He also asks me to give you this.
Diancie shows the Griseous Orb, which is for Giratina, Ash doesn't know why Arceus is giving her the item, but he just takes it and puts it away. After they're done, they find Cain and Lumi.
Cain: Oh, there you are... I thought you were here, but when I woke up- Uhhhh, by the way, where's here? Haha...
Ash: We're in Aegir Cave.
Cain: My memory's kinda fuzzy... Sayyyy, I didn't happen to... I don't know... say a whole bunch of weird and edgy stuff, did I?
Ash: You actually did.
Cain: ...Cool... I guess I'm still wrestling with some stuff I thought I had behind me. Not the fun kind of wrestling either, as you can guess. Wellll, there I go deflecting with jokes again~ But I'll be fine- just fine~ If you're lost, havE nO doUbT- Aggh- I- Ugh- Okay, no singing- Choked on void aura- or whatever that is- Ugh...
Lumi: Are you really fine?
Cain: I'm okay- all good! Uhhhh, so hey, quick question- where are we? Wait! What about Anna? I was just looking for her- And Team Meteor!
Ash: Team Meteor is no more. Solaris, Sirius, dead, Lin, in the void, your sister saved, Anna was in deep sleep and hasn't woken up in our house.
Cain: O-oh, it's over, isn't it? I guess I was really out of the action for a while, huh. But maybe I should just be happy to be back. I'm gonna need some time for all that... Meanwhile, what do you say we get out of here? Wherever... here... is.
Yancy: I guess there's no reason to stay here.
Cain: Then we ride off into the sunset together! Away, fair and noble Ash ~!
Yancy and Lumi are chuckling while Ash groans as they all head back to the Night Club.
Here is a new chapter, and as you can see, Cain is back in the Reborn Region from the Void. I hope you like this chapter and the next chapter will be the last mission of Tier 5.
