Chapter 174 Nightmare Begins Part 1

Back in the Night Club, Ash, Charlotte, and Aria are now at the Night Club, as they notice some friends talking to Taka.

Luna: I do... hope that you will keep at least somewhat quiet about all that you may have seen at the sanctum. There are many things I find comfort in forgetting. It is a bitter pill to be forced to swallow, to be reminded of such matters from outside oneself.

Ash nods, he still doesn't get the answers to Luna's Lukah identity, but he decides to ignore that for now. Then they also find Elias there.

Elias: My Lord... I see you have returned my Master's progeny to us after all... That your mercy and power would run even this deep... Truly... I am moved to tears of joy...

Charlotte: He's weird...

Ash: Talk about it.

Elias: Though, I also received a curious report recently. There was a blaze within the sanctum? And the entrance has been sealed? These events... Surely would not be related... Would they... My Lord? I had many personal affects in there. Memorabilia, personal writings, sermons and scripts, and tokens of history, both of the order and of my time with my dear former master... If that has all been lost... Please forgive me, my Lord. I have just remembered that I needed to inspect the quality of the stock back here... I believe I shall be inspecting and sampling it quite thoroughly for some time.

Then they find Taka relaxing on the seats while watching others dancing.

Taka: Oh hey, it's you. Man, I know you're always poking into things, and punching things that get in your way, but even I never expected what happened back there. No, I'm not even gonna ask. Just... thanks for breaking me out of that. You and Luna both. Y'know, I always thought it was some kind of weird dream. When we were kids, I mean. But.. you were really there, huh?

Ash: Thanks to Dialga, you know, the Time Pokemon.

Taka: Man, time stuff is weird. Anyway... thanks again. I'm glad I could be back. To see all this. The sanctum is better off burnt. There was history there, but true to Sirius' methods, it was only ever used to control people. There was religion there, but it stopped being something people chose to have faith in and started being something they were demanded to follow. We're better off leaving it behind. Make way for new growth, and all of that. The memories are the same.

Ash: I can tell.

Taka: Man, this place is loud. I don't really mind, though. I guess you're still running around dealing with those Anomalies, huh? Maybe I'll join you at some point.

Ash: That would be fun.

Taka: Say... I'm only guessing at this, but... You picked up my Chatot, didn't you? I wasn't sure what happened to it, after everything ...Is there any chance I could see the little guy?

Ash: Of course, I'll return it to you, just wait for me for a second.

Ash goes to the PC and takes the Chatot, and the Chatot is happy to see Taka back.

Taka: Ah, you kept him safe after all. Both of you did. Hey there, little guy. I missed you too. Thanks for looking after Ash for me. Hanging in there? Why don't you stick with Ash just a little longer? Don't worry, I won't be far. But my attention's due elsewhere besides battling, and they might still need your help. You already know you're in good hands. Both of you.

Then they decide to do another mission before it is going to get late. Cass is the one there as she greets them.

Cass: Oh hey, you're back. So you know how Agate was put entirely to sleep that one time?

Ash: Yeah, why?

Cass: Well, it's happened again! There's a buy-one-get-one-free sale on sleep. This one came with a free appetizer! Nightmares! City can't catch a break. On a presumably related note, another one of the tears in reality we keep sending you through has shown up on the north side of Iolia. Now, this isn't something I usually say, but you should really stock up and prep' yourself for this one in advance. You'll save yourself some trouble. Maybe make a back-up save or something. You know?

Charlotte: Back-up save? What is this about?

Cass: You don't. But do it anyway. Trust me on this.

Aria: I wonder what that means...

Ash: Maybe we should go to Iolia Valley to check it out.

The three of them head to the place, and they find the New World Door inside one of the caves. After getting inside the New World Gate, they see something that they aren't expecting to see.

Aria: What is that?

Ash: No...that's impossible! I thought I destroyed it!

A PULSE Hypno appears in front of them, much to their surprise, and it sends out a Golisopod, Swoobat, Aegislash, Rhyperior, and a Mega Banette to battle, as they are battling, they also start a conversation.

Charlotte: So that is what a PULSE Hypno looks like, the same one that put all Agate to sleep...

Aria: But what do you mean that you've destroyed it?

Ash: The PULSES are made by Eve and Team Meteor uses them to do bad things, like this Hypno has the ability to put a lot of people asleep, and it can even control others. I was being controlled by that Pokemon and I didn't know how, but I somehow 6 vs 36 and won.

Charlotte: Sounds like a powerful control if you ask me.

Then the PULSE Hypno keeps using Dark Void, much to their surprise.

Aria: What Type is that Hypno? How come it can use Dark Void?

Ash: That's a Psychic and Dark, Aria, you're a Bug Type user, you can do this.

Aria nods as she has Vivillon go for Bug Buzz and knocks the Hypno out. But just as the Hypno is destroyed, Ash, Charlotte, and Aria are surrounded by darkness as they all pass out. When they wake up again, they find themselves in a forest.

Aria: Where are we?

Ash: (Checks the Pokegear) Endgame? What does that even mean?

?: Hmph... It's about time you woke up. Certainly took your sweet time, didn't you?

They find a man in front of them, and he is wearing a black coat and he has black hair.

?: You must've had quite the misstep, ending up in such a desolate corner of the dream.

Charlotte: We're in a dream?

?: Oh, please. Don't look so alarmed. You being here was certainly no intention of mine. Unfortunately, upon seeing you, you're certainly not who I was looking for. How disappointing. In fact, if I had an interest in you, you would've been aware far longer ago. Well, that was a waste of time. Another day, another failure. It's been fun chatting. I'm sure you can find your way back home easily enough. Good luck with that.

As he is about to leave, he can see Ash, Charlotte, and Aria are staring at him.

?: Oh, come on. Don't look at me like that. It's not my fault you were dragged here, and it's certainly not my responsibility to send you back.

Just then, an Aipom appears and rushes towards the man.

?: Oh, Aipom... You're back. Everyone seems to take their time around here. Hmm? Something the matter? Oh, I see... You're hungry again. (Finds something in his pocket, but nothing) Ugh... Okay, look... I'm a fair man, so I can strike you a bargain. My Aipom clearly has an eye for a snack, and I certainly can't be bothered searching this dreary dystopia to satiate its... exquisite tastes. So, Trainers... You find some Nanab Berries for my Aipom; say... three of them, and I'll show you the way back home. Sound fair? It better, because I doubt you're getting home without me. I'll be waiting just a bit further up.

After that, the man and Aipom leave, and that leads them to a question, how are they going to find Nanab Berries around the area.

Charlotte: So what now?

Ash: Let's find those berries, I guess...

They decide to head west first, but after reaching a dead end, they find another PULSE Machine, but with Dr. Sigmund's body on it.

Aria: What the hell just happened to that guy?

Charlotte: Oh, it's that old geezer. Kinda say he deserves it for what he has done for our family.

Ash: But if that's here, that means...

They turn around to see the PULSE Mr. Mime. And it is not alone, there is also a PULSE Abra, PULSE Muk, PULSE Clawitzer, and PULSE Magnezone.

Ash: You got to be kidding me...1 PULSE is hard to beat, and now there are 5 of them? Just kill me already.

Charlotte: I must say Eve has some weird taste in creating those...

Aria: And it seems like we're also on a Glitch Field to battle.

Ash: Glitch Field?! How are we supposed to beat that Mr. Mime since it has the Wonder Guard and Fairy-Type doesn't exist!

Thanks to Tapu Koko, they manage to change the field into Electric Terrain, and then they can destroy the PULSE Mr. Mime with the Moonblast from Aria's Aromatisse, and the PULSE Abra has also defeated thanks to Charlotte's Charizard's Flamethrower. Pulse Clawitzer is trouble because its moves are Draco Meteor and Overheat, which raises its attack stats, but Ash has Tapu Koko uses Play Rough and knocks it out. PULSE Muk can change its type with the Protein Ability, but Greninja has been stoping the Pokemon by using Night Slash. As for the final PULSE Magnezone, Charlotte has Ninetales use Fire Blast to knock it out.

Charlotte: You're not joking. Those Pokemon sure are hard to fight.

Ash: At least we don't have to deal with them again.

They find a Nanab Berry after they are gone, and they realize there are two sets of PULSES waiting for them. After walking for a while, the next PULSE they find is the Camerupt.

Charlotte: What did they do to that Camerupt?! That's horrible!

Ash: Yeah, but come to think of it, I haven't battled this Pokemon before, Cal sabotaged it before I can battle it, and it is the only one that's alive.

But then the Camerupt goes for normal Pokemon: Whimsicott, Meowstic, Klefki, and Amoonguss. But much to their surprise, no matter how many times they try to hit the Pokemon, it just doesn't go down.

Aria: What is that guy made of? How come we can't defeat that Pokemon?

Ash: According to my Pokegear, that Camerupt has only 1 LP, and its ability is Sturdy.

Charlotte: Are you kidding me? That means we can only poison that Pokemon to defeat it.

Aria: And the other Pokemon are using Safeguard, how are we supposed to poison it?

Then they decide to defeat the other Pokemon first, and then they try to poison with Vivillon's Poison Powder, but the first one fails because Camerupt has Lum Berry, but the second time finally defeats the Pokemon.

Ash: This is equally worse than the other PULSES...

Charlotte: (Picks up the Nanab Berry) But there is one more.

And the final ones are PULSE Tangrowth, three different forms, PULSE Avalugg, and PULSE Swalot. They are giving them trouble because of the defenses and the Trick Room, they have been trying to stall as much time as they can, but they are also defeated by the group.

Ash: I guess that's all of them...

Charlotte: Ash, I can see why you are the Champion and the one who saved Reborn. They are sure a pain...

Aria: I agree. Let's hope we can get out of here as soon as possible.


And I'll end the chapter here, as you can see, Ash, Charlotte, and Aria are now in a nightmare because of this quest's Pokemon. I don't think I need to say which Pokemon it is, but trust me, battling all those PULSES again and one at a time is really painful. I hope you like this chapter.