Chapter 178 Lumi's Cure
Ash and Mars are now at the Night Club, and they find Zero there panicking at the counter.
Zero: Ash, I'm glad you showed up now. I don't know what's gotten into her all of a sudden, but Eve's getting ideas again. She's trying to build the PULSE again. And she's going on about finally making the cure...
Ash: I think I've heard about that.
Zero: I don't think I gotta explain why I'm concerned right now. For obvious reasons, I don't wanna go anywhere near all that, but I'm worried. Do you think you could check in on them for me?
Ash: Of course.
Zero: A thousand thanks. Eve told me she needs some particular ingredients for her theorized cure, so she's been looking for them in New World zones. The latest one popped up in Seacrest's own garden. I'm surprised the old coot didn't have a heart attack on the spot when he heard. Guess there might still be time though... Anyway, Eve was just rushing off to that one when she mentioned having completed the redesign. Start there. And... maybe hurry.
Ash and Mars then rush towards the Seacrest's Garden, and there is a New World Portal opening. But just as they get inside, they find the place filled with poison waters and wastes.
Mars: What kind of place are we in?
Ash: (Checks the Poke Gear) It says that we're in Idyll of Pestilence...but we should try to find Eve and Lumi fast.
After trying to get their way through the place, they find Eve and Lumi with a machine in front of them.
Eve: Your timing is as impeccable as always, Ash.
Before Ash can say anything, Lumi rushes toward Ash and begs him.
Lumi: Please do something! Something's gotten into her and she won't listen to me at all! I feel like this is a really, really, really bad idea to even be trying again! You KNOW what happened last time! I don't understand why you won't listen!
Eve: And you know what's at stake here. I have a new tactic. That Flora girl knew what she was talking about. Please do not get in my way.
Lumi: Ash, are you really going to let her do this?!
Ash: Eve, are you sure it is a good idea? I mean, what if that Flora girl is lying? I mean, she lied to me a lot of times when we were together.
Lumi: (Smiles) Th-thank you...
Eve: Your concern is understandable. However, Lumi cannot afford to let you stop me.
Lumi: Isn't that my right to decide?! Don't I get a say in this?!
Eve: ...While I obviously cannot say 'no' to that, neither can I simply do nothing. I will not stand down. No matter what gets in the way... You, or my sister, or the very forces of time and nature themselves... I am not going to let her go. Do your worst to take her from me. The world always has.
Then Ash is surprised that he has to battle Eve to stop her. Eve is using Alakazam first, and Ash goes for Greninia to battle, and after being hit by Dazzling Gleam, it reveals to be Zoroark, but Zoroark finishes it with the Night Daze. The second Pokemon is Porygon-Z, and it goes for the Z Move Z Conversation, raises all the stats, and also changes into Electric Type, it defeats Zoroark with Thunderbolt, so Ash goes for Nidoking to battle. Nidoking is hit by Psychic after it changes into Psychic Type with Conversion, but Porygon-Z is defeated by Megahorn.
The third Pokemon is Espeon, much to their surprise, and Espeon goes for Calm Mind and Psychic to knock out Nidoking, so Ash goes for Gengar, using Hypnosis to get Espeon to sleep, and then finishes it with a Nightmare and Shadow Ball. The fourth Pokemon is Sigilyph, and Gengar is defeated by Sigilyph's Cosmic Power and Stored Power. Ash goes for Darkrai next, using Dark Void and its ability to make Sigilyph fall asleep and take damage, and then knocks it out with Shadow Punch. The fifth Pokemon is Mega Metagross, and it goes for Hammer Arm, but Darkrai takes the hit and goes for the same tactic to defeat the Pokemon.
Eve: Are you sure this is what you need to be doing?
The final Pokemon is Latios, and it defeats Darkrai with Dazzling Gleam. Ash goes for Latias and Mega Evolving the Pokemon, and Latias finishes Latios with Dragon Pulse.
Eve: Tch. Just where are your priorities?
Lumi: Please, I don't want you to sacrifice yourself for me anymore!
Eve: And just what do you expect me to do? Sit here, forget everything I've studied- everything I've learned for this specific purpose, and lose you too? Do you think I could live with myself after that?
Lumi: (Lowers her head) I'm- I'm sorry... I'll just, um... (Runs away with tears in her eyes)
Eve: No, wait- (Sees Lumi leaving) Ugh. (Looks back at the machine and the direction Lumi is running) There's too much to be done already, and obviously, I need to go talk to her now too. Ash, can I ask for your help again, even after all this? This New World environment is exactly what I've been waiting for- for a number of reasons. The first reason is that I've confirmed that multiple Shaymin live here. I'll explain the rest later, but I need you to collect several of them. Let's say five in total should do. If you can bring them back here, that should be adequate. I'll go... talk to her. We'll come to an understanding, don't worry. (Rushes away) Back soon- Five Shaymin! Please!
Ash and Mars look at each other, and they are surprised by what they've heard.
Ash: I have to find 5 Shaymin? They are here in this world?
Mars: But I didn't see one...maybe they are hiding?
Then they decide to find the Shaymins, the first one is just close to them, and it is disguised as a rock.
Shaymin: Hi Ash! I've been waiting for you!
Ash: Shaymin? So you're here as well...
Shaymin: I came here to find a lot of Shaymin, and I saw that machine and I was scared, so I tried to become a rock, aren't you grateful?
Mars: This Shaymin is weird.
Ash: I know. (Turns to Shaymin) Shaymin, I would need you to go to the machine, since it is going to help my friend get better. Don't worry, it won't hurt you.
Shaymin: If you say so. (Walks to the machine)
Ash: Thank you, Shaymin. Now all I need is four more Shaymin, do you know where they are?
Shaymin: They're like me, hiding from this machine. But I'm not going to move, so you find them.
Ash and Mars sweatdrop at the Shaymin, so they just quickly leave and find the Pokemon. They head northeast first as they find a lot of jumping rocks.
Mars: This is really hard...
Ash: But we still have to move.
After jumping past them, they find a White Sphere, Ash activates it, but he doesn't know what is going on, so they continue forward to find a jumping flower and it bounces them to another platform where the Shaymin is hiding.
After getting the second Shaymin to the machine, they head to the northwest corner and there are a lot of bouncing flowers. After jumping on the right ones, they manage to get to the place where Shaymin is.
Mars: All that bouncing is making me dizzy.
Ash: I have to agree with that.
After the third one is back to the machine, they find themselves in a maze. They have to navigate through it to get to the fourth Shaymin. And the last one is at the end of the mushroom maze where they can activate the mushroom to switch the flowers or trees.
Eve: I see you've found all five of them. Your help is irreplaceable as always; thank you. As for Lumi, she'll be fine. She's agreed to cooperate, but as a precautionary compromise, she'll be waiting elsewhere until the very moment we need her. For now, we can continue. Our next step will be to remove the anomalous energy around these Shaymin. My opinion is that this energy is something like leftover, junk material from the generation of these worlds and their Pokémon. It appears to collect around the most powerful figures in these worlds like debris falling into a planet's orbit. Depending on the amount of leftover material, it may or may not form into a proper aura, but even when it doesn't-
Just then, five of the Shaymin start to glow, and the original Shaymin is panicking, but he can't move because of the light.
Shaymin: What is going on?
Ash: Anomaly...that's why you're here to help us, right?
Shaymin: Father didn't tell me about this!
Eve: It doesn't mean it's not there. Here, I've linked the energies of all five of the Shaymin with each other to accentuate the anomalous energy and develop it into a tangible form. This will allow us to deal with it directly in the usual way. You know, witless violence and all that. By purging the aura ahead of time, we'll be preventing any unexpected interferences. I'd like to take no chances, thank you. Now, I believe that violence is your specialty, so I'd like to ask you again to help with the honors. Allow me to heal your party now as an apology for before...
Then Ash, Mars, and Eve decide to deal with the Anomaly light, they summon Klefki, Registeel, Cresselia, Scrafty, Roserade, Naganadel with the Devastating Drake, Mega Venusaur, Dragalge, Skarmory, Scizor, Mega Steelix, and Shaymin with Skye forms. After that's done, all five Shaymins' glow is faded.
Eve: Good. Now, it nearly happened in that battle, but... In order to do this properly, we're going to need to transform this whole area. I'm going to coordinate a five-fold Seed Flare attack to purify the entire space. Then we can get what we need. (Turns to the Shaymin) All right, Shaymin. Don't fail me now. Seed Flare!
Just then, the 5 Shaymin start to glow and the three of them are forced to cover their eyes. After opening them again, they find that the whole field changed, it is not like a wasteland but rather a garden.
Eve: Well, this looks promising. But we won't know for sure until the next step. We're going to need five Gracidea flowers next. If my research is right, they should spawn in an environment just like this one. (Notices one) ...Ah, no. Make that four. (Picks the Gracidea Flower) Just like this one. Perhaps since these flowers are connected to Shaymin, you'll find them near where the Shaymin first appeared. (Puts the flower in the machine) So four more Gracidea flowers then. Could I ask you to go look for them? I'll keep an eye on the Shaymin here while I keep working.
Ash: Leave this to us.
The paths are similar to the ones they have been before, only that they also find some things along the way, like Soul Dew, and an Ultra Beast Kartana. Once they get all four of them, they rush back to the machine.
Eve: Perfect. Using these samples, I should have enough material to synthetically cross-pollinate and produce an entire proper garden in this environment. This would normally take a while, but as long as Lumi is in stable condition, there's no need to rush. We can take our time making sure the compounds we need develop properly ...And she's going to be okay.
?: WHAT IN THE FRESH FIRES OF FUCK IS THIS?!
Eve: ...Pardon?
Much to Ash's displeasure, Ms. Craudburry comes to the garden, and Ash knows that she is going to cause problems.
Craudburry: What in CARNATIONS are all these GARBAGE plants doing here?!
Eve: Uh... They grew here? Sorry, who are you?
Craudburry: The name's IGNOSIA CRAUDBURRY, simpleton! Now wipe that MORONIC look off your SLACK-JAWED face this instant or I'll SLAP you STUPID myself! I was just out MINDING MY OWN BUSINESS on what was supposed to be a PEACEFUL WALK, when I noticed that HULKING GATE OF LIGHT sitting in Seacrest's STINKING garden. If I'd known he was growing some kind of OCCULTIST DEVIL PORTAL there, I would've never quit salting his earth with PISS and DUNGWATER! UNAUTHORIZED OCCULTIST DEVIL PORTALS ARE CLEAR VIOLATIONS OF THE CITY BUILDING CODE! I should've KNOWN that LILY-LIVERED, good-for-nothing SMARMOSAUR would be out here RAISING RUCKUS again. I bet he's just doing this to get back at me...
Eve: You know the old man?
Craudburry: Oh, I KNEW him all right! Back in the day, I had ol' Seacrest WRAPPED around my FINGER. Wrapped around a few other things too, if you catch my drift~ But then he RIPPED OUT MY HEART and SHAT ON IT.
Eve: Yeah, I'm sorry I asked. Look, we're kind of in the middle of something here. Would you mind stepping aside and letting us finish?
Craudburry: Oh, dearie, well why didn't you just say so? Because, as a matter of fact, I WOULD mind! If you think ol' Craudburry's just gonna STAND ASIDE and let you practice your ARCANE DEVIL MAGIC, well then, HONEY, you got a BIG SHIT coming! I'm gonna RAZE this entire PUTRID GARDEN back down to the GODDAMNED DEVIL STONE it's grown from! And once I'm done, I'll TORCH the whole place until the only thing left is the SMOLDERING REMAINS of your HOPES and DEVIL-SUMMONING DREAMS. RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR...
Eve: ...Right, so... So much for taking our time growing things. It looks like we're going to have to find a way to grow the compounds we need while dealing with this menace. You must be familiar with the Flower Garden field effect, right? You'll need to find a way to take her on, and specifically end the battle at the maximum stage of growth. This was not an expected obstacle, but I'm afraid I'll have to count on you once more.
Ash and Mars nod as they face the Craudburry.
Craudburry: FIRE, SCOURGE and DUNGWATER! I'll BURN this DEVIL HOUSE to OBLIVION and back again no matter how many times it takes!
Then they have Mars' Castform using the weather to make the plant grows while trying to defeat Craudburry, and after she's defeated, the Flower Garden also goes to stage 5.
Eve: There! We've got the level of growth we needed!
Craudburry: Rrrrrrrr... RRRRRRRRRRR... RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR...
Much to their surprise, Craudburry disappears from their sight.
Eve: Did she just... No, on second thought, I'm not going to ask any more questions about anything that just transpired.
Lumi: Eve?! (Rushes in) Eve, are you okay?! I heard that noise- what happened?!
Eve: No, everything's okay; there's no need for concern... Weren't you going to be waiting elsewhere?
Lumi: ...I was worried, okay? (Notices Shaymin) Oh! Hi there, cuties! (The 5 Shaymin greets the girl) They're really okay?
Eve: No mutations, no restraints, no harm. That Flora girl had some decent theories. I'm sure she has a bright future ahead of her. Though personally, I'm surprised the Shaymin haven't just wandered off.
Lumi: Maybe they know we need their help! Thank you all for your support! (Shaymin nod in agreement)
Eve: So, you seem... better.
Lumi: I'm sorry for how I reacted before. I was thinking about it and I realized that maybe the thing I'm most uncomfortable with is having you do all the work for me. I know what happens to me affects you too, but this is my body. And, I don't want to have to just sit around and be saved by you all the time! So! I've decided that I'm not going to accept any cure you make!
Eve: Um, what-
Lumi: I'm going to make it myself!
Eve: ...Ah.
Lumi: You can show me how and you can help, but I'm going to be the one to actually make it. I'm going to cure myself. Okay?
Eve: ...Hm. It hasn't even been that long since we were separated, but you really have grown up fast. Understood. I'll teach you everything. The Shaymin have already done their part. Let's let them go, and then we can begin. This may take some time though...
Lumi: That's okay! I think, soon, I'll have all the time in the world.
Then Ash and the others decide to leave Eve and Lumi to make the medicine, and Shaymin also walks toward Ash.
Shaymin: Are you grateful for Shaymin? I was the one who asked them to stay.
Ash: I'm grateful, Shaymin. How about we get back to the Night Club?
The others nod as Ash captures the Shaymin and leaves for Night Club.
Ash's New Capture in Idyll of Panaceance: Kartana (Grass), Shaymin (Event)
But before that can happen, they also hear Lin's voice once more.
Lin: WOW, did you just make that windy old bag EXPLODE? I mean, like, sure, all this wholesome niceness is enough to make your heart soar, but I'm pretty sure if this sickly-sweet positivity goes on any further, mine is going to jettison straight from my ribcage and leave me bleeding out on the ground, kind of like that old lady? I mean, speaking of hearts soaring, I think I can see hers shooting off into the void from here! You know you basically just killed someone, right?
Ash: So what? Maybe I really wanted to kill her.
Lin: Are you really going to try and rationalize around that just because she yelled at you once or twice? "but it's not like I meant for that to happen!" "I didn't have a choice, you're being unfair!" Tell yourself that if you want, but you definitely had a choice. You didn't HAVE to beat craudburry like that. No one was MAKING you finish the quest. You just decided it was worth it because you liked one person better than the other. But what's wrong with that? Everyone does it. If no one was willing to make sacrifices, we'd all still be banging flint on stone in a cave somewhere. so don't worry, I understand. I'm on your side here, obviously. After all, who do you think made this world to even have enough things for a cure in the first place? Maybe I wanted to save lumi too. Anna never did that. You're welcome~
Ash and Mars sigh as they quickly leave the place, hoping that Lin is going to give them a small silence.
And here is a new chapter for the new quest, this time it is Shaymin, and Eve is going to make a cure for Lumi's sickness, and I hope you like this chapter.
