Chapter 195 Lights, Action, Drama Part 2

As they inspect the puzzle, Ash finds that there are four mirrors in the corner and a moveable mirror that faces southwest. In the middle of the puzzle, there is a crystal mirror that faces four directions, and four crystals.

Ash: What does that mean?

Lillie: Maybe those four Crystals in the corner need to be activated? I mean, the Crystal Key doesn't seem to work on them.

Serena: Should we talk to Luna about this?

Then they all head upstairs to find Luna.

Luna: If I were to relent in the face of trifling opposition such as this, I would not be the person I am today. Let us turn out the lights, and put this rest.

After the lights are off, Ash touches the crystal, and then two balls of light shoot north and east respectively.

Serena: What are those lights doing?

Ash: I see...maybe we can use the mirrors to move the lights to the crystals, then we can activate them!

Lillie: Sounds like a plan.

Then they also find Elias and asks him to return the light.

Elias: No weakness can abide by the light. I shall remind it of that.

After the lights are on, Ash, Serena, and Lillie move the moveable mirror and has Luna make the field dark, and then Ash activates the light and it lands on the Blue Crystal, making it activate. After that's done, they can walk through the Ice Bridge and get to the white sphere, making another Mirror appear.

Serra: That second mirror panel appeared when you activated that orb of light. Looks like there's gonna be more to this... With that second mirror, the lower-left crystal should now be usable ...But since each time you fire the lights, they seem to reset. So, you might need to find a way to activate more than one crystal at a time. That bottom right crystal is also reachable. It might behoove us to see what effect that has.

Then they have the Mirror that's facing Northwest, they decide to activate the bottom right one, which is the Purple Crystal, Ash, Serena, and Lillie also notice that in the darkness, there will be some sort of outline of the mirror after they push the mirror away, and after activating the purple crystal, the mirrors move back to their original spots. So they use the pattern to activate the Green Crystal and break the bushes on the way.

After that's done, they decide to try to activate blue and green at the same time, and with the two mirrors and the Purple Crystal, they manage to activate both of them, thus reaching the next white sphere and getting another mirror that faces northwest.

Serra: Another one on the table, huh? Makes it easier, I suppose. I noticed that door above lights up whenever you activate each crystal. I suspect by the end we'll have to light up all four at once. Maybe those strange lights left behind by the mirrors are the key...

Ash: Yeah...

Then they decide to activate both Red and Green at the same time, and with the help of the third mirror, they manage to activate all two of them and get to the third white sphere. But after they activate it, they find that the fourth mirror, which faces the southeast, is broken.

Serra: The... last mirror is broken. Of course it is. It would've been too easy otherwise, right? But there's no way we're going to be able to activate four crystals with only three mirrors. What even was the point of all of this? Every time we try, it's just a let down in the end. We shouldn't have wasted our time. Might as well go home. Stupid thing... Broken mirrors don't do anything for anyone. Why bother?

Ash: There has to be another way...we can't give up until it is over.

Serena: Do you have any more ideas?

Lillie: Maybe we can make a mirror for ourselves? But how?

While Lillie is thinking, she accidentally touches the crystal, and much to their surprise, the light bounces on Serra and then it changes direction, just like the mirror.

Serra: Uh. Did that light just... Did it just shoot through me? (Turns to Ash) Ash, this is going to be an odd request. But I definitely felt that just then. Use me as your last mirror. I... think I can redirect the light in any direction you want. Maybe this is still solvable.

Ash: Okay, Aunt Serra. Let's all do this together.

After managing to move the mirrors and even Serra, they manage to make all crystals to shine, and that causes the door to open.

Serra: That... did it then? (Notices the door) Oh, yes it did! The door is finally open! Perhaps I was giving up too early after all. It would be in character. You can take it from here, right? No doubt there's another Anomaly in there. I'll take a moment, and then I'll go see if I can get those two in the back to put down the proverbial guns. Sit it out and maybe talk like reasonable people. With any luck, by the time you're one Legendary richer, maybe at least two of us will be on terms that could reasonably constitute a happy family. I wouldn't hold my breath, but then, maybe I should.

Ash, Serena, and Lillie nod as they rush through the door, and much to their surprise, not only there is a Necrozma with the Anomaly light, but there is also a giant meteor. Lin's portal also comes.

Lin: You found the meteor, you found the meteor~ That hunk o' space junk was my back porch for god knows how long! Well, I guess I know how long, which is accurate either way! In fact, would you believe that this is the very same spot that we played at before? Meteor hasn't moved an inch, cross my heart and hope fern dies! It looks a little different now, but I'm happy with what I've done with the place! Unlimited power isn't so bad, see? We can make neat things! I even based it on its real-world equivalent! Not that that place exists anymore. Oops. Anyway, my real body is obviously long gone from here, but that's fine~ So, let's talk shop. I was thinking, this is a prism pokémon, right? So we gotta have some kind of light shenanigans. What if- and hear me out- RAINBOWS.

Just then, the lights in the room are glowing in different colors, like that in the nightclub.

Lin: What do you think, awesome, or awesome?

Ash: You basically didn't give me a choice. But I have to admit that it sure is awesome.

Lin: Awesome. So I thought it might be a fun fight...but it's also kinda effort. I dunno, am I feeling up to a rainbow fight, or do we just stick with boring crystal cavern?

Lillie: Is she giving us a choice to pick a terrain for the Anomaly fight?

Serena: If that's the case, then I pick Rainbow.

Lin: heck yeah, rainbows! Necrozma said gay rights. Well, I said gay rights, but necrozma has to live with that. That makes me better than some governments! Anyway, rainbow rave party fight, go!

Then they have to fight the Anomaly, which summons Solgaleo, Lunala, and 4 Necrozma, with one of them having the Z Move Light that Burns the Sky, which also changes the Rainbow field back to the Crystal Cavern. Ash, Serena, and Lillie manage to do their hard work and defeat all six of them in the end, and thus capturing Necrozma in the end. Before leaving, they also find some Pheromosa around the area and captures it.

Ash's New Capture in Citae Prisma: Pheromosa (Fishing), Necrozma (Event)

After they're done, they find Luna, Elias, and Serra at the gate.

Serra: Looks like it went well. We're ready to go as well. And we'll be behaving, correct?

Luna: One could argue that 'behaving' encompasses an infinite number of actions one might undertake... But your meaning is understood and kindly respected, so long as our choices are understood and respected in turn.

Elias: I suppose this is the part where we each go around and restate what we've learned from the ordeal? Very well. I understand that, whatever revelations I may have, it is far from my place to play missionary. To impose personal beliefs onto others, even for their perceived benefit, is indeed a lack of respect. I must trust that my daughter knows what she needs to do better than I do, even if her thinking so was a product of my mistakes.

Luna: I understand rather well what you said about escaping responsibility via deference, but you are overreaching if you assume you are responsible entirely for my feelings. Is it not possible that some of us simply and genuinely want to support others?

Elias: In somnitas veritas. I would be a poor example of the Lord if I were to deny it.

Serra: Great... And uh, where do we stand as far as the whole parent thing? Can we stop pretending that doesn't exist?

Luna: (Glares at Elias) I acknowledge you as my father, but you are not family. Do you understand?

Elias: ...Plainly.

Luna: Good. Perhaps someday that can change. (Leaves)

Elias: I pray it will be so. Uncommon is the wound that time does not heal. And yet, time is insufficient. Responsibility is called for. (Leaves)

Serra: Well, I'd say all in all it went rather well! The Anomaly was dealt with, those two are speaking, and nobody is dead! And I've realized I have magic mirror powers or something. Probably not; I assume it's just this world. But then, until somebody proves otherwise, maybe it doesn't hurt to believe. In fact, it feels kind of nice. (Leaves)

And they are back at the Night Club, as they are going to ask for the others.

Luna: I have made it plainly clear I would rather forget my biological father entirely. And what a distasteful word- "biological"- I'm sure there are innocuous uses of it yet, but I struggle to associate it with science over personal irritation. It is always used in cases of trying to assert truths of some matter or another that one cannot truly know. Nevertheless, I come to doubt the ethics of my ignorance. Perhaps for the sake of another person, I can demonstrate undeserved tolerance. But he will want more from me than I wish to offer him. Just how far should one go for something like that... Is a parent's duty not to his child? Then he may demonstrate it, and I will place my limits accordingly.

Ash: I see...I respect your choice, Luna.

Elias: Ah, my child has taken one step into the light. This, too, is your doing, isn't it, my Lord?

Ash: Perhaps...

Taka: Luna told me that she made some degree of peace with Elias. I'm happy for her. I won't have the chance to do that, so I'm glad that she is taking the opportunity she's been given. Neither of us wants to return to the way things are, but acceptance of the past is a necessary step on the path of prevention.

Serena: You're right about that.

Serra: That... sure was something, huh? I'm... still not sure how to feel about it. I've been working on embracing positivity more for a while now, and... that was kind of inspiring, back there, honestly. To let the light flow through me. Literally. But at the same time, I know how ridiculous that sounds. It makes me feel like some kind of hippie, putting it that way. But it's kind of hard to phrase it any other way. I don't know. It's a work in progress. But I feel like I'm getting there. It's getting easier to see the good in things, anyway. It's a nice feeling. Even with how much of a debacle that whole thing with Necrozma was, I'm very glad I was there

Ash: That is great hearing from you, Aunt Serra.

Serra: Just, do me a favor? Don't let Delia or Radomus know I said all that. I've got a feeling that your father could be pretty damn smug when he's right about something, and I don't feel like finding out just how smug.

Ash nods, and then they also find Bennett there.

Bennett: These days, Mother seems to be... Lighter? Perhaps it is nice to believe that we, even as people, never stop growing either.

After that's done, Ash and the others are back at the house.

Serena: So how many Zygarde Cells do you have right now?

Ash: 70...we still need 30 more...but I think that the only ones we haven't caught are Xerneas, Yveltal, and Arceus...

Lillie: I wonder how are we going to find the remaining 30...


And I hope you like this chapter, and we're about to finish the story. I was planning on writing five more chapters before the rest will be the epilogue. The next chapter will be back to the XYZ Quest.