Chapter 176 Nightmare Begins Part 3

Ash, Charlotte, and Aria are now at the Water Treatment Center since they can't find anybody, so they quickly rush there and finds another Portal.

Charlotte: Is that a New World Portal? Here in the Water Treatment Center?

Ash: Let's check it out.

After they get inside the Portal, they find themselves back at Beryl Ward Bridge.

Aria: What the hell is going on?

Ash notices a man standing in front of them, and the man has Umbral Energy with him. That is Heather's Father, Corey.

Corey: The view of the desert is just wonderful, don't you think?

Ash: (Shocked) How? I thought you were dead!

Corey: It's been a while, Ash. Is Heather well? Are you well? Ah, but this must be very confusing for you. Come, enjoy the view with me; I'll explain what's going on.

Aria: Ash, you know this guy?

Ash: This is Corey, Heather's birth father, but he committed suicide...

Charlotte: So that guy is Heather's father, huh?

Corey: I died. But Shade ensured a small part of me still remained. Not enough to be meaningful, of course, but... Well, many things that meant nothing began to mean a lot with the creation of the New World. And here I am. I've been watching you explore the New World, you know. Helping Pokémon, and even helping people. I keep just missing you, though. I've been trying to track you down, so after all this time... After all this time, I can finally... Apologize.

Ash doesn't know what to say, Corey is trying to apologize to him. Even though he is glad, but the Umbral Energy is making this weird.

Corey: I said some hurtful things to you in my darkest hour. Know that you aren't responsible for my actions and choices. I needed to say that.

Ash: You don't need to worry about that, I forgive you...

Corey: So, I hear you met my wife? Elena, the Skyspectre. She was my world, and the day I lost her, my world ended. But... losing one's own life brings a sense of clarity. Even if all I have are memories of her, I'm still the luckiest man to have ever lived. She was just unstoppable. Whether it was battling, or just her day-to-day life, she could do anything she wanted. She's the reason I love this view. She had a rather macabre sense of humor, you see. We'd often come out here for dates. At the mildest inconvenience, she'd jump off the bridge, only to fly back up on her Salamence moments later. If there were any particularly concerned onlookers, she'd even send up a Ghost Type first just to freak them out. I'm pretty sure that's the entire reason she chose Ghost as her second type. She really was just... perfect.

All three of them are hearing Corey's dialogue, and they don't know how to respond.

Aria: I guess he really loves his wife...but what happened to her?

Ash: Died, for the same reason as Charlotte's parents.

Charlotte: Seriously, I was trying to forget everything and you just have to remind me again. At least it was not my fault that our parents were killed.

Corey: I could talk forever about how wonderful she was. About how much I miss her. But I'll have plenty of time to reminisce later. Elena was so... unfailingly hopeful for the future. And I think I finally see it. Reborn is healing. The people of Reborn are healing. And the region has the finest Champion it ever has. I can't help but wonder, though... She was always so certain that I would be the next Champion. Perhaps I would have been! I was quite talented, you know. At least, I was before she... Well, before I gave up trying. But I've had time to try again while wandering the New World. Not very long, of course, but... Elena always compared me to those child Champions of other regions. The ones who get their first Pokémon and are Champion a week later. With how quickly I picked up battling, she was convinced I could've been that for Reborn if I started a decade or two earlier. But better late than never, right? The future of Reborn is bright with you at the helm, Ash. But she believed in me so much... It would be a disservice to her to not believe in myself at least as much. I think we are long overdue for a fight. A fair fight. One where I'm not filled with despair. Or rage. Or murderous intent. One where I try... Where I remember the love for battle I had forgotten. So bring it on, Champion Ash. Let's see if you would've been able to take the title from me if I had've gotten it first!

Ash can't believe he is going to fight Corey again, and he goes for Nidoqueen first. Ash goes for Feraligatr first and has it use Earthquake to start it out, Nidoqueen also goes for Stealth Rock to set up the field, and it goes for Sludge Wave to deal a lot of damage. In the end, Nidoqueen is defeated by Waterfall. The second Pokemon is Crobat, and it goes for Tailwind to raise the speed, and then it defeats Feraligatr with Brave Bird. Ash goes for Togedemaru next and has it use Zing Zap to defeat the Pokemon.

The third Pokemon is Dragalge, and it goes for Z Move Devasting Drake to defeat the Mouse Pokemon, so Ash goes for Reuniclus, using Trick Room to boost the speed, and then defeats the Pokemon with the Psychic attack. The fourth Pokemon is Toxicroak, and it defeats Reuniclus with Sucker Punch after it goes for Psychic, and Ash goes for Gothitelle next and uses Shattered Psyche to defeat the Pokemon. The fifth Pokemon is Toxapex, and with the Baneful Bunker, it blocks Gothitelle's Psyshock, and it goes for Scald to make Gothitelle burn, but Gothitelle still defeats the Pokemon with another Psychic. The final Pokemon is Skuntank, and it goes for Swagger to make Gothitelle confused and knock it out with Sucker Punch. Ash goes for Gliscor and uses Earthquake to knock it out.

Corey: Brilliant! But don't get comfortable. By the time I have all the badges to challenge you officially, I'll be at least twice as good! (Starting to feel weird) Wait, no, I... What's happening? I don't want to go back to-

Just then, Corey's Umbral Energy is gone, and he just turns back to the cold and unforgiving one.

Corey: Ash. When did you get here? Did you come to kill me again? Did you want a repeat show? Take another swing at poisoning my daughter's mind against me? Or perhaps you just wanted to show up and make a terrorist group get desperate and sloppy again?

Charlotte: Hold on, old man, you weren't talking like that before.

Corey: Things were more dangerous for everyone because of you. Everything you touch turns toxic. Truly, a fitting Champion for this region.

Ash: What are you talking about?

Corey: Ace. Solaris. Me. People died because Meteor got desperate. Animals are most dangerous when they're cornered. Make no mistake, their deaths- and the countless others Meteor caused- are your fault. And you could traipse through the New World and find every single one of them if you wanted. But nothing would change. Their blood will always be on your hands. I am naught but poison to those around me. But you are poison to everything. And I will make sure you never have the satisfaction of saving everyone. You'll never get to pat yourself on the back for that.

Charlotte: Hey, old man. Are you blaming Ash for trying to save the world from Team Meteor?

Aria: That sounds pretty rude!

Then Corey jumps onto the Beryl Bridge once again and he tries to commit suicide once more.

Corey: Because one will still always be gone. And it will always be your fault. Elena, my darling... I came here every day... Hoping I'd see you fly up on that Salamence once more... But I know you can't come back to me. But perhaps... I can come back to you...? I wanted to go chasing the horizon with you one more time... Fly a little faster, darling... Just a little more, and I'd swear we could reach out and touch the moon.

As Corey jumps off, their visions become black again. When they open their eyes, they find themselves in front of Grandview Station, and Adrienn has been trying to wake them up.

Adrienn: Thank goodness, you're alive... I just found you passed out here...

Charlotte: How did we manage to get here? (Holds her head with small pain)

Adrienn: It seems like that last excursion gave you some trouble? Like you were stuck in some kind of bad dream still... To be honest, I'm always a little bit worried that something will happen to either of us again. Something like falling forward another decade, or disappearing as you did before... I can't even express how relieved I am to see you back again. Take whatever time you need to rest. This region needs its Champion in shipshape! If you're all right, I should hurry back to the Nightclub though. I was only meant to be taking a brief walk to clear my head before returning to business. As always, please let me know if there's anything you require. You have mine and all of the region's fullest support behind you, as any good Champion should.

After that, Adrienn leaves, and the three of them are looking at each other.

Ash: Do you think...maybe we are still trapped in that nightmare made by Darkrai or that Shiv guy?

Charlotte: I swear...I'm going to burn him alive if that's true...

Aria: So where should we go next?

Ash: Let's go to the Night Club first, maybe we can find some answers there.

Ash, Charlotte, and Aria nod as they all head to the Night Club, but much to their surprise, instead of Arclight, Lin is at the DJ booth.

Lin: Welcome, Ash.

Adrienn: (Surprised) What are you doing here? We've already- Ash has already defeated you!

Lin: You were quite generous to show that boy here. I thank you for that, since he, in turn, showed me.

Ash: Not the same words back in Titania's gym...

Adrienn: What are you talking about?!

Lin: He is beyond incompetent, but his victim act must be quite compelling. Everyone is so quick to give in to crocodile tears, but when they come to the jaws of the beast, they act surprised. Isn't that right?

Just then, much to their horror, a Hydreigon suddenly rushes at Adrienn, and bites xyr head off just like how it does to Ame.

Aria: (Horrified) Is xe dead? Is this some sort of joke?

Ash: Don't be fooled...We're still in a nightmare, that's all. What Lin was doing was just a reminder of what happened in the past.

Charlotte: Ash's right, like we would believe everything happening right now.

Then the Hydreigon suddenly rushes towards them, and they are blacked out once more.


And as you can see, Ash, Charlotte, and Aria are still trapped in the nightmare, but Ash manages to get a rematch with Corey, even though it is just a dream. What is going to happen to them? The next chapter will be the final chapter of this sidequest, and Ash is going to battle someone who has been trying to manipulate their nightmares, along with the Anomaly.