*Note: I'm back! I know this fic has been inactive for months without a word from me, and I want to give you a real explanation of what happened. Between work stress and sheer exhaustion, I ran out of ideas. I hit a massive writer's block and had to stop publishing all my stories, including this one.
Now, even though I'm studying, I have more than enough time to write at least one chapter a day. That's why I've decided to resume all my fics. Yesterday I started with the To Love Ru one, and today it's Pokémon's turn. As for my writer's block, it's gone. These months off helped me come up with fresh ideas that are already noted down and ready to be developed. I apologize to everyone and hope you enjoy the story from here on out.
A few quick heads-ups:
The System: I'm aware the system is currently a bit clunky and poorly implemented. This will be fixed in about 20 chapters, so please bear with me.
Length & Quality: Around Chapter 100, the word count will jump from 1,300 to 2,000 words. The writing quality and overall depth will also improve significantly from that point onward, making the story much more engaging. If you find things a bit slow or confusing right now, please hang in there before deciding to drop it!
Update Schedule: I won't lie to you—I won't be posting daily. Expect a new chapter every 2 to 3 days at most.
Patreon & AI Art Rewards: I'll be launching a Patreon this week with 10 early-access chapters for every single one of my fics, this fic, my To love ru fic and my Doulou fic (this one is a translation so it's not mine) and in the future, my Miss Peregrine fic will be there too, but for now, there will be 3 fics. Since I can generate AI art, every subscriber will be able to make 3 image requests per week with specific descriptions:
Content: Primarily "waifus"—age doesn't matter as long as it isn't an extreme (too young or too old). I'd like to upload lolis too, I really don't mind but I don't know if patreon can ban me for that (tell me in the comments).
Customization: You choose the poses and the outfits. Fetishes are allowed, except for "weird" ones like tentacles, scat, or disgusting genres. Yuri is allowed but limited to two girls (the AI struggles with more, and it gets expensive/time-consuming to manage).
Delivery: You'll receive 1 to 5 images per request, depending on how the AI handles the prompt (usually at least 3 turn out great).
The price will be $5, which I think is fair given the content. I'm a bit short on cash right now, so I'd truly appreciate the support if you're able to subscribe. I'll share the link once the Patreon is live later this week.
Enjoy the chapter! Bye!
...
While Ash scaled the heights with Ivysaur's help, the atmosphere inside the mansion was deceptively serene.
Molly had grown tired of playing. She decided to settle down for a bit of television, flanked by her "father," Entei, and her "mother," Delia. They were watching the same news broadcast from earlier; the cameras were currently capturing Ash's gutsy ascent up the waterfall, his Ivysaur straining to assist him.
Just as it had unfolded in the movie, Ash's current struggle was being broadcast live. Thousands of viewers watched his display of raw courage—a feat only he and his three companions had dared to attempt. Everyone else stayed far away from the mansion, paralyzed by the fear of being turned into crystal.
Molly, Entei, and Delia watched the screen intently. However, the sight of the boy climbing the falls began to stir something deep within Delia's clouded mind. She stared at him as if he were someone vital to her existence.
"He looks so..." Delia murmured, her eyes locked on the screen.
Flickers of memory began to resurface. A strange warmth tugged at her heart as she watched the boy, though she couldn't quite place why. Who is he to me? she wondered. She had her daughter right there beside her, so why did this stranger feel so hauntingly familiar?
At that exact moment, Ash's foot slipped. He lost his balance, nearly plummeting from the cliffside.
The surge of pure maternal instinct—the raw terror of seeing her child in mortal danger—snapped the trance. Entei's hypnosis shattered instantly.
"Ash, get down from there this instant!" Delia snapped, her brow furrowed in genuine command.
Her love and concern had proven more powerful than the legendary beast's magic. Molly and Entei both turned to her, startled by the sudden change in her tone.
"Is something wrong, Mommy?" Molly asked, her voice laced with worry.
Entei narrowed his eyes, sensing a shift. But Delia was sharp; she realized immediately that showing her hand now would be a mistake. She forced her expression to soften, slipping back into her "role."
"No, it's nothing," she lied smoothly.
Though Entei remained suspicious for a heartbeat, he eventually looked away. Delia had reverted to her previous state so quickly that the beast assumed the hypnosis had only wavered for a second before taking hold again. He returned his gaze to the TV, unaware that the woman beside him was now completely herself and merely playing along.
"Is that a Pikachu on his back?" Molly asked, her eyes widening.
As always, Pikachu was perched on Ash's shoulder—his favorite spot in the world. Then, the camera panned to show his partner.
"He has an Ivysaur too! That boy must be a Pokémon Trainer, don't you think, Mommy?" Molly said, flashing a bright smile.
"Yes..." Delia nodded.
A Pokémon Trainer? Her son was the most talented Trainer in the world. He was destined for greatness; she had a gut feeling that his name would soon be known across the globe.
"I bet he has lots of other Pokémon. Right, Daddy?" Molly asked, looking up at Entei.
Daddy? Delia thought, though she kept the question locked away. If she spoke up now, Entei would know the spell was broken. For now, silence was her best weapon.
Back with Ash.
After a calculated "slip," I managed to reach the top of the waterfall without further incident. Yes, I tripped on purpose. It was a crucial plot point to wake my mother from her hypnosis, so I didn't have much choice but to make it look real. I have to admit, though—I almost actually fell.
"Thanks, Ivysaur. Take a good rest," I said, recalling him to his Poké Ball.
"Let's keep moving; we still have a long way to go," Celeste urged.
She was right. We couldn't afford to waste time if we wanted to reach our destination. We continued following the map until, a few minutes later, the Pokégear Lisa had given us began to chime.
"It's Professor Oak," I noted, seeing his name on the small screen.
"Answer it," Roxanne said.
I nodded and accepted the call.
"Ash! What on earth were you thinking, putting yourself in danger like that on those falls?" the Professor barked immediately.
"Sorry, Professor, but it was the only way to reach the mansion," I replied.
"Couldn't you have used a Flying-type to get there faster?" Talia chimed in from the background.
"If that were an option... why did you bother giving me a map?" I asked, genuinely confused.
"Don't be silly," Oak interrupted. "The Unown would go berserk if they saw a Pokémon flying toward the mansion. Do you want them to get impaled by rising crystals? The water route is the only viable path."
It turned out Oak was the one who had installed the map on Lisa's Pokégear, anticipating that crossing the crystal fields or flying would be impossible.
"Okay, okay! Calm down, I didn't know," Talia muttered. Oak hadn't even told her Ash was gone until minutes after he'd left; she didn't even know about the map installation.
"Ahem, I think we should get going," I cut in. We were burning daylight.
"Right. We'll talk later. For now, focus on getting your mother out of there," Oak agreed, his expression turning serious.
"And try not to get hurt, or Koharu and I will be devastated!" Talia exclaimed.
This MILF... I thought.
Suddenly, Skyler popped her head into the frame of the video call. "Wait! Ash, it's Skyler. Have you seen any Unown yet?"
"No, not yet," I told her.
"We almost forgot!" Talia said. "Ash, we've taken a deeper look at the data Skyler provided from the ruins you investigated yesterday. We think we've found the 'why' behind all of this."
I didn't remember this part of the movie very clearly, so I was actually curious. "What is it?"
"The Unown have the ability to read the minds of other life forms," Professor Oak explained.
"I see... I think I get the gist of it," I nodded.
"Furthermore, we believe they can create new realities by warping the world around them based on thoughts and dreams. They've likely tapped into Molly's mind. That crystal fortress is probably one of her wishes that the Unown have brought to life," Oak added.
It clicked. Now I remember! How could I have forgotten this conversation? I guess it's been too many years since I watched the movie.
"Right. Thanks for the heads-up, Professor," I said.
"Of course," he replied.
"And remember: be careful. There's no telling what the Unown are capable of once you're inside," Talia warned.
She hung up, and the three of us pushed on toward the mansion—at least until we hit a literal wall.
"Are you sure there isn't another way?" Celeste asked, staring at the obstacle.
"There is, but we'd have to trek across the open crystal," I replied.
"Then we'd better stick to this path," Roxanne decided.
Before us stood a small tower, completely encased in crystal. It was the exact same barrier Ash and his friends had to breach in the movie. There was only one way through.
"How do we break the crystal?" Roxanne asked.
"Remember how that bulldozer managed to crack it? It's not that durable. A solid Fire or Ground-type move should do the trick," Celeste noted.
"Then you're up, Charizard!" I shouted, releasing him from his ball.
"Char!" he roared, flames flickering from his maw.
"Charizard, blast through that crystal with Flamethrower!"
With a determined grunt, Charizard unleashed a searing stream of fire. Boosted by the Charcoal he was holding, the attack carved a massive hole in the crystal—wide enough for an adult to walk through comfortably. However...
"It closed," Celeste said, stunned.
"It can regenerate too?" Roxanne added.
"Looks like it. And the worst part is it knits back together so fast we'd never make it through in time," I confirmed. It was lightning-fast; even a sprint wouldn't get us to the other side.
"Great... so what's the plan?" Roxanne asked.
"Simple. Since Charizard's attack worked, we'll just do it again," I said.
"But we still won't have time to cross," Celeste pointed out.
"True. But... what if we don't give it time to regenerate?"
"What do you mean? How are we supposed to do that?" Roxanne tilted her head.
"We'll use Water-type Pokémon to keep the hole from closing. We'll dive right through their attacks; that should get us inside without a hitch," I explained.
It worked in the movie, so why wouldn't it work for us?
"It's crazy, but it might just work," Roxanne admitted.
"We don't exactly have a Plan B," Celeste added.
"Wartortle, I choose you!" I called out.
"Onix, your turn!" Roxanne followed suit.
Both Pokémon materialized, ready to get to work.
"Listen up. As soon as Charizard stops his Flamethrower, you two need to use your strongest Water-type moves to hold that opening. Any questions?"
Both Pokémon shook their heads; they knew exactly what was at stake.
"Roxanne, once you're through the hole, you'll need to recall Onix," I instructed.
"Huh? But if I do that, the opening won't stay big enough for you to get through," she argued.
"Exactly," Celeste chimed in. "I doubt Wartortle's attack alone is powerful enough to keep the gap wide enough for an adult."
"Pika-pi," Pikachu agreed, looking worried.
"Trust me. I believe in Wartortle, and I know he can pull this off," I said with a confident smirk.
Where did that confidence come from? Simple. If you thought I'd forgotten about my system's Gacha function, you're dead wrong. A while back, I dumped all my accumulated points and scored some seriously cool loot—including a Mystic Water and another Twisted Spoon, which I'd equipped to Wartortle and Mew during the flight to Johto.
[Actually, I was the one who used the Gacha for you. You completely forgot about it while you had a mountain of points sitting there unused.]
Ahem. Okay, fine. Maybe I forgot, but the point is I have a stockpile of new items and TMs that I won't hesitate to use later. For now, the Mystic Water on Wartortle should give his moves the extra kick needed to keep that crystal at bay.
"Very well, we trust you," Roxanne said with a nod. Although she had been hesitant at first, Ash was right; as his fiancée, trusting his judgment was only natural, and she was certain Celeste felt the same.
"Let's begin. Charizard, use Flamethrower!" I commanded.
With a powerful roar, Charizard unleashed a searing blast of fire that sliced through the crystal barrier with ease.
"Perfect. When I give the signal, stop the attack. That's when Wartortle and Onix take over," I instructed. Roxanne nodded, her focus sharpening as we prepared for the hand-off.
"Now!" I shouted.
Charizard ceased his flames and banked away, clearing the path for our next move.
"Wartortle, use Hydro Pump!" "Onix, Water Gun!" Roxanne cried out.
The twin torrents slammed into the opening just as the crystal began to knit itself back together.
"Now, jump into the stream!" I yelled.
Celeste didn't hesitate. She threw herself into the rushing water and was propelled straight through the breach. She hit the floor on the other side and scrambled to her feet, unharmed. "It worked!" she called out from within the tower.
Roxanne followed close behind, disappearing into the torrent and emerging safely on the other side.
"Pikachu, you're up," I said, looking at my partner. The little Pokémon looked at me with concern, but I just offered a confident grin. "Don't worry about me. I'll make it". Trusting me, Pikachu leapt into the water and joined the girls.
"Roxanne, recall Onix now!" I shouted.
"Got it! Onix, thanks for the help. Return!". A beam of red light cut through the churning water, striking Onix and pulling him back into his Poké Ball. I had to admit, the technology behind Poké Balls was staggering; even through the thick curtain of water, the recall functioned perfectly, though a more solid obstacle might have been a different story.
With Onix gone, the opening in the crystal shrank significantly. It was a narrow window, but I could still make it.
"Ready, Wartortle?" I asked, scooping my Pokémon into my arms. This was exactly how Ash had done it in the movie, and I had to believe it would work for me too. Wartortle managed a quick nod, his concentration entirely focused on maintaining the blast of water.
"Here goes nothing!".
I took off at a full sprint and dove through the shrinking gap a split second before the crystal sealed shut.
"God, that was close. A millisecond later and you wouldn't have made it," Celeste breathed, her eyes wide.
"Luck favors the bold," I replied, though secretly I was thanking the movie's script for the idea. I also realized I'd forgotten to mention that I recalled Charizard the moment he stepped aside; I hadn't left him behind.
Since we were all absolutely drenched, we had to take a few minutes to dry off. Thanks to the residual heat from Charizard's flames, we managed to get most of the moisture out of our clothes, though a damp chill remained.
I wish this were like the anime, where clothes magically dry in seconds, I sighed to myself.
[Admittedly, that would be a perk, but this is the real world. Here, if you get wet, you stay wet until nature takes its course,] the system chimed in.
I know, I know. But a guy can dream, right?.
[Indeed,] the system replied dryly.
Once we were reasonably dry, we pressed on toward the mansion with one goal in mind: rescuing my mother and Molly. I couldn't help but wonder if this story would have a happy ending like the film. There was a real chance Molly's father was gone forever and her mother was dead. If that turned out to be the case, I decided I'd ask my mom to adopt her. Better she stay with us than end up in an orphanage.
Our path soon brought us to something surreal: a set of crystal stairs that appeared to be floating in mid-air.
"That's strange," Celeste muttered.
"Are they... hovering?" Roxanne asked, her voice hushed with awe.
"Keep moving. We don't have time to stare," I urged. There was no point in getting hung up on this when I knew things were about to get even weirder.
The girls nodded, and we began to climb. But the moment my foot touched the first step, the world around us dissolved. The ground, the walls, everything vanished. All that remained were the stairs, suspended in a bottomless, silent void. We didn't even dare to look back; there was nothing behind us but an infinite abyss.
"What just happened?" Roxanne whispered, clutching the railing.
"It must be the Unown," Celeste said, remembering the Professor's warning. "Didn't he say they could warp reality?".
"Yeah, this is definitely their doing," I confirmed. "We have to keep going. We can't stay here". I stole a glance downward and felt a wave of vertigo wash over me. This was no place to linger.
"You're right. Let's move!" Celeste agreed.
The casual pace we'd kept earlier was gone. Haunted by the threat of falling into that endless dark, we ran up the remaining stairs as fast as our legs could carry us. When we finally reached the top, the scenery shifted once more.
The void was replaced by a breathtaking meadow. Flowers of every imaginable color stretched toward the horizon, filling the air with a scent so sweet and calming it made my head swim.
"It's beautiful..." Celeste whispered.
"Yeah... a shame it's just another illusion," Roxanne added, though she looked mesmerized.
"The realism is what's truly terrifying," I remarked. Whether the Unown had actually altered the physical world or were just projecting a perfect simulation, their power was staggering.
"Pika-pi," Pikachu agreed.
"This must be one of Molly's dreams brought to life," I said, looking out over the field.
Meanwhile, with Team Rocket...
True to their nature, Jessie, James, and Meowth had refused to give up on their attempt to infiltrate the mansion. Somehow, through sheer tenacity, they had managed to slip inside unnoticed. Honestly, if they dedicated themselves to espionage instead of Pokémon theft, they'd be world-class spies. It's a shame they chose the wrong career path.
Having stumbled into one of the mansion's many grand rooms, the trio stopped dead in their tracks. Before them, dozens of Unown were drifting in the air, flying in intricate, perfectly synchronized circles.
"By Arceus... what do we do now?" James whimpered, his eyes wide with fear.
"Are those... Pokémon?" Jessie asked, completely bewildered.
"They look like letters-nya," Meowth added, scratching his head. None of them had ever seen anything like the Unown before.
"Come on. If we're quiet, maybe they won't notice us," Jessie hissed. James and Meowth nodded quickly, and the three of them began to creep through the room, praying to stay invisible.
With Molly...
"That boy and his Pokémon must be inside the house by now," Molly said, her voice small.
"Do you wish for me to cast them out?" Entei asked.
"No. What I really want is to have a Pokémon battle with them, Mother... but I don't know if I can," Molly admitted.
"You can do anything you desire," Entei replied without a moment's hesitation.
"Do you really think so? That would be amazing, Mommy... to be a Pokémon Trainer. I can see it now..." Molly smiled. She leaned her head against Delia's lap and closed her eyes, lost in the fantasy.
As soon as her eyes drifted shut, Entei stood and vanished from the room.
Delia, who had been watching everything with a heavy heart, finally began to understand the full scope of the tragedy. Having lost both her parents, Molly had simply refused to accept reality. She had retreated into a world of her own making, fueled by the power of the Pokémon she called "Father".
In that moment, Delia made a vow. Since she has no family left... I will be her family. I'll adopt her and raise her myself. I'm sure Ash would be happy to have a younger sister as beautiful as Molly. She reached out and gently stroked the girl's soft brown hair.
But a major hurdle remained. She didn't know how to convince Molly that this fantasy was wrong and had to stop.
"There's only one way to make her see reason... Ash, I'm counting on you. I know you can fix this. I just know it," Delia whispered. She placed all her faith in her son and the girls with him; she knew they would find a way to return the mansion to normal so she could bring Molly home.
"For now, I can only wait and pray for your safety," Delia said, clasping her hands together.
While Delia reflected on the future, Entei was descending through the mansion at a breakneck pace. Suddenly, a figure began to materialize beside him. It was Molly.
"Daddy... what if I'm not old enough to have my own Pokémon?" she asked, climbing onto the great beast's back.
"You must believe that you are," Entei rumbled.
At his words, a blinding light erupted around the girl. It was a radiance so intense it would have blinded anyone nearby, though they were alone in the hall. As the light faded, Molly remained, but she was no longer an eight-year-old child. She stood tall, appearing to be a young woman of fifteen.
"I do believe, Daddy," she said with a confident smile.