32. Ash's Reborn Story

Chapter 183 Belrose Problem Part 1

After taking a rest, Ash and Clair go to the Night Club next day. Victoria is there, but she is still trying to processing about what happened yesterday.

Victoria: I wonder how much I've missed out on. Between trying so hard to keep everyone together, trying so hard to be like Kiki, to keep the Reborn League running, to do everything right- perfectly... All along, it would've been better just to trust me and enjoy it, right? Well, no lesson is truly learned easily. Even lectures are just scaffolds for our experience. I'm grateful to have made it through mine.

Then they also find Eve and Lumi at the tables.

Eve: About the Shaymin cure... It's going... Well. I'm still not entirely sure how to understand it. Just... relieved.

Lumi: Now that we've come this far, I'm starting to have thoughts! Dangerous thoughts! Thoughts like, what kind of things do I want to do in the future? Before I always kinda held myself back from thinking about those things. Because, if I never get the chance to do it, well... I dunno! Now that I'm saying it out loud, isn't that kind of silly? I mean, I may as well at least have thought about it before! Maybe I'll go traveling someday! I wanna see all the different regions! Nowhere too hot though, okay?

Ash: I know a few that are not that hot.

Then they also find Cal at the area.

Cal: Maybe it's a misguided judgment, but... I still want to believe it was the right thing to do. Uh, I mean, to pass that report onto the Nightclub. I mean, you've seen just how much she's been pressuring herself with trying to live up to Kiki, rather than... I hadn't expected the little guy to... well, you know. I've... been thinking about it a lot. Keep waiting for guilt over causing her even more trouble to sink back in. I mean, it's all I felt about her for the longest time. I think I'm... admittedly just grateful that it went well enough in the end... Not that it couldn't have handled the situation a bit more nicely, pushing her as hard as it did. But I'm glad it could be there to help her see that she's been enough all along.

Ash nods and they head to the counter, this time the one's there is Aster.

Aster: New mission, boss. This one comes as a request for backup from Bennett. The Belrose sisters trucked off to the Mirage Tower out in Tourmaline for some good, old-fashioned family bonding time... Or at least as old-fashioned as hunting Legendaries in New World space can be. But some he-said, she-said- Apparently, Laura had some concerns about the other two getting moody. Not entirely sure what was up with them, but he wanted someone to go check on them to make sure nothing was getting out of hand. Bennett would go himself, but from the sound of it, Saphira's still deciding whether or not she's gonna throw him off of however many buildings. But I'm sure there'd be no problem with you going. You in?

Ash: So we're going to the Mirage Tower again...just great.

Clair: You mean the one in the Tourmaline Desert? I think I heard Lillie say something about you finding Manaphy there.

Ash: I wonder what kind of Legendary Pokemon is this time...

Aster: I'll let him know. I'm sure he'll be grateful. Path forward's in the Mirage Tower. You know how to get there, right?

When Ash and Clair use the same method to get to the Mirage Tower, they find Laura on the first floor.

Laura: Bennett, I told you-! (Turns around to see Ash and Clair) Oh, Ash and Clair... My apologies...Perhaps. Bennett sent you, didn't he? It's not as if that's a bad thing, but this was supposed to be a family outing... And as you can see, the whole family is here, happy and smiling!