The so-called "Beast Ball" actually worked. After an intense battle with the curiously resilient Nihilego, ending with Sun throwing one of the ten specialized capsules. Three shakes and a sigh of relief later, the pokémon trainer stood outside of the tunnel it had taken up residence in, studying the strange device and creature inside. He tossed it forward experimentally, summoning the alien being's presence.

It was remarkably strange. The Rotom Dex was certain it was closest to a dual Rock- and Poison-type, but it fought more like a Psychic-type when the first one appeared in the Aether Foundation. Its body was nearly transparent, with the texture of polished glass. It had no facial features whatsoever, but Sun decided that the shorter appendages marked the "front" of the creature, since that was the part that stayed toward him. "So," he began, "you're an Ultra Beast?"

Nihilego made a few subtle moves as a cry - almost a moan - but otherwise remained still. "Do you... understand me? What I'm saying?" It didn't really answer, not in any meaningful way. It shook momentarily but didn't make any other sounds.

The grass nearby rustled. From the undergrowth darted a Rattata, ready to attack the unwelcome intruders. "Nihilego, get -!" Faster than Sun could respond, the Ultra Beast expelled a splash of corrosive poison, swiftly and effectively scaring the small rodent away. "...back..." The two looked at each other. "That was Acid Splash."

"Bzzt!" Rotom chirped. "I told you it wazzz Poison-typed!"

"What else can you do?" Sun asked, his 11-year-old curiosity kicking in. Nihilego passed over the tall grass, stirring up a Yungoos and inciting it to attack. Sun watched with morbid fascination as the clearly more powerful creature summoned bolts of energy from a small gem it materialized. "Power Gem!"

"And Rock-type. Bzz!"

Finally tired of being sniped at, Sun lifted the Dex to eye level. "I'll have you know, Vespiquen can learn Power Gem too!"

"Who'zzz the Pokédex here? I know Vespiquen can learn it, but that'zzz a special case!"

"And I guess Acerola's Mismagius is another 'special case?' "

"Yes."

As this went on, Sun's Tsareena, Alraune, let itself out - as it tended to when they stopped to rest. It immediately began to inspect the Ultra Beast they had just gone to the trouble of catching. Nihilego seemed just as curious about the Grass-type pokémon, never "looking" away from it as Alraune circled it. "Tsaa?" Nihilego gave no response beyond a brief shake.

Another Rattata jumped out of the grass, ramming into the unsuspecting pokémon with a Quick Attack. This, however, served only to annoy the Tsareena before she retaliated with a hard Trop Kick, sending the creature scurrying back. It didn't take long after that for more to show up, surrounding the group and cutting Sun and Rotom's argument short. "We'll finish this later," the trainer offered, stowing the device. "Alraune, are you okay to fight?"

"Tsaree!" Alraune nodded in confirmation as Nihilego retreated back behind Sun.

"Alright, then; Razor Leaf!"

The battle was on. A flurry of leaves exploded in all directions from Alraune, dropping over half the rodents and scaring them off. "This izzz obscene!" Rotom cried. "What'zzz with all the Rattata?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. Alraune, Teeter Dance!" As the Tsareena entered into an arrhythmic series of motions, Sun felt the UB behind him shudder. He glanced back reflexively, hoping to assure it would be fine.

With the rest of the Ratatta confused, dazed, or otherwise incapacitated, the swarm quickly dispersed back into the grass. Sun breathed a sigh of relief. "Glad that's over..."

"Tsaa..." Alraune agreed.

As was customary at this point, Sun pulled out his Refresh Kit from his bag and approached his pokémon. He pulled out the brush and began to dust off the sand and dirt that had collected somehow on Alraune's leaves and various appendages. The Grass-type hummed in contentment afterward, and Sun produced two heart-shaped beans from a tin in the kit. The Tsareena accepted one, munching on it as its trainer popped the other into his mouth.

A thought occurred to him. He turned and faced Nihilego, who looked on with its "head" cocked to one side. He selected another Pokébean from the tin, offering it to the creature. "You want one?" he asked, unsure. "Ultra Beasts eat, right?" As he held the treat out, a second thought occurred: Nihilego didn't have a mouth. He hadn't thought about it until this moment, and had simply assumed many things about it. Still, though, he held the bean out, waiting for the UB to accept or decline.

Nihilego seemed to lean in, as though it were studying the common treat. Then, with little warning, it enveloped the Pokébean with the short tentacles on its front. Sun watched as it made its way into the UB's "hat" (it looked quite like a hat, anyway) before quickly dissolving into nothing. The Ultra Beast twirled, chirping and moaning in what the young trainer could only guess was approval. "You liked that?" Experimentally, he picked out another bean, and the process repeated itself. "I guess Ultra Beasts aren't much different from pokémon after all."

Without thinking, he began to rub the top of Nihilego's "hat". The UB froze, but settled fast into the treatment. He decided to feed it one more bean, then packed the kit away. "Alraune, Nihilego, come back please," he said, more a request than a command. The pokémon obliged, returning to its ball. Nihilego, though, was a bit more apprehensive. "It's alright," Sun assured. "It's just so I can protect you on our way back." He held up the Beast Ball he'd used to catch the Ultra Beast. "You don't have to if you don't want to, but we might see more trouble if you don't."

After a moment, Nihilego hesitantly gave what could loosely be described as a nod, and returned to the capsule. Sun smiled. It was maybe the strangest thing he'd ever seen, but he felt like he and Nihilego would get along fine.