13.Ash's Rikoto Story

Chapter 85 Day Care Elite Four Battle

After returning to Sario Town, Ash and Alice meet up with Nora, the second Elite Four member of the Rikoto Region. Nora, with her keen eyes and calm demeanor, greets them warmly.

Ash wastes no time and asks, "Nora, can we have our Elite Four battle now?"

Nora shakes her head gently. "I'm afraid you'll have to wait for a bit," she replies. "As a detective for environmental accidents, there's something I need to investigate first." She gestures toward a nearby pillar. "I need you two to place the five stones there. It's part of what I'm looking into."

Ash and Alice exchange confused glances but decide to follow Nora's instructions. They carefully place the five stones at the pillar, just as she asked. As soon as they do, a gate begins to creak open in front of them.

Alice, startled, asks, "Is that supposed to happen?"

Nora nods but adds, "Without the Chaos Crystal and the Order Crystal, Solaran and Lunaro won't appear. But this is unexpected..." She steps forward, her curiosity piqued. "Let's head inside and see what's going on."

As Ash, Alice, and Nora step through the gate, they find themselves in a world that seems entirely blank—vast, empty, and devoid of anything recognizable. The void stretches endlessly, leaving them in stunned silence.

Ash, glancing around, frowns. "Where... are we? There's nothing here."

Alice hugs her arms, feeling uneasy. "It's like we're standing in... nowhere."

Nora narrows her eyes, scanning the blank expanse. "This can't be right. There has to be something we're missing."

Before they can speculate further, a figure materializes before them, cutting through the emptiness. It is no other than Cellance, the Balance Pokémon—the very being they once worked with to stop the battle between Solaran and Lunaro.

"Cellance? Are we in Cellance's Dimension?" Nora asks, her voice filled with curiosity. "This is interesting."

Ash, looking thoughtful, reaches into his bag and pulls out the Balance Crystal. "Maybe it's because we still have this?"

Just then, a calm yet powerful voice resonates around them. "I see you still have the Crystal. I have been waiting for you, Prince of the Sun, Princess of the Moon."

Alice smiles warmly at the familiar presence. "It's so nice to see you again, Cellance. Thank you for your help during the battle with Team Solar and Team Lunar."

Cellance's form hovers gracefully before them, its serene energy filling the blank space. "It is I who must thank you, Ash and Alice," Cellance replies. "It was your strength that empowered me to stop the conflict between Solaran and Lunaro."

The Balance Pokémon pauses for a moment before continuing, "Now, I wish to lend you my power, to aid you further on your journey. Will you accept me as part of your team?"

Ash smiles, holding out a Pokéball. "We'd be honored, Cellance."

With a nod of understanding, Cellance enters the Pokéball, and with that, the bond between them is sealed.

Cellance: The Balance Pokemon: Normal and Psychic Type. Folklore speaks of a figure born from the clash of Solaran and Lunaro, one who controls the duo's power to bring balance to society. Such being is Cellance.

Just as Cellance is captured, the dimension around them begins to fade, and a powerful force starts pulling Ash, Alice, and Nora out of the hole. They barely have time to react before they're swept up, hurtling back into reality.

Meanwhile, May and Kiawe arrive at Sario Town, both of them looking tense. "Damn it... we haven't heard from Mallow since... don't tell me they've captured her," Kiawe mutters, clenching his fists.