Would seem last chapter wasn't very popular considering how few or slowly people gave me reviews on it. Always makes me wonder if there was something I did wrong in the chapter when that happens…Anyway, time for Chapter 10!
Chapter 10
A Darkness
All it had known was captivity.
Captive to its darkness. Captive to its light. Captive to its other side. Captive to those creatures that were absent prior and walked on two legs. Freedom was a luxury.
After that, all it had known was pain. Yet pain did not deter it. Surely not all of these creatures were so callous. Surely some of them would be kind. But for so long, no matter how much it had cried, no one came to its rescue. No one came to its friend's rescue. It was, and had been, so utterly alone.
Then came the one in white. It spoke of so many things when it had found them. And it had spilled so many liquids to the floor that the captive one could not understand just what that foreign substance was. But it listened…listened to the white one on two legs speak of how closed in it was. Somehow, inside the little one's heart…it felt like breaking.
Yes, it could remember thinking, there is kindness here, too.
Then it was free. The white one had pulled it away from captivity, and for the first time, it could breathe. Could cry. Could call for its other half, no matter how much that vestigial power was slipping away. So it did.
Because it knew. It knew of what could come so long as they were separated. That there was light, more than darkness. And seeing the white one cry, it knew in its heart of hearts: it did not want this world to suffer the same fate. That was the only reason it struggled to flee that sack of cloth.
It was drawn to help the two-legged ones such as the blue one, the pink one, the yellow ones…and the white one, of course, who had given it a name. Treated it with more love than it could have imagined. So it would flee, because it was curious, and because it knew of something that could help. Something that shared its inherent, natural power. Something that could connect their bonds.
That was all that was on its mind as it rested there, listening to its companions speak of resting and "dating". Watching the blue one and the pink one go off together to presumably do some strange mating ritual that involved their mouths touching. It cried out at twilight, only to have the white one sing a song, a song that it had probably once cried out in its pain. A tonal inflection it had hoped to use to get home, but did not carry the power to do so any longer.
So, as twilight faded into night, it slipped out once again, bounding along the empty streets and past the lights. There was more power nearby. More that it was attracted to. It cried out, the tinkling cry attracting those notes that could free its brethren and bring it home. The notes that would save this place. So it ran towards it, heedless of the shadow that was ever pursuing it.
For Nebby loved this world too much to run from it any longer.
"Ah, what a battle!"
Olivia lifted her gaze to see Mallow spread out on the couch in her sitting room, her legs stretched out. Kiawe was watching the green-haired girl, sipping on a drink. The Kahuna shook her head and turned her attention back to the papers in front of her. A frown slipped upon her face. The phone call about the stolen shipment of Buginium-Z was an annoyance she really didn't want to have to deal with, but the papers before her all but screamed that she was going to have to.
"It was a good one. What did you think of Ash, Olivia?" Kiawe asked, his deeper voice drawing the woman's attention. She looked up and leaned back, placing a nail on her chin as she contemplated how to answer.
"He's a good trainer," was her most simplistic answer. It also seemed to be the kind of answer that Kiawe didn't want to hear. To give herself more time, Olivia flicked through her papers. Team Skull was becoming more of a nuisance lately. Not that they hadn't always been, though their activities seemed to have increased. They were more bold, something Olivia disliked. She wouldn't have had a problem with it normally, but Buginium-Z was harder to come by than most basic Z-Crystals. "Not that they have Z-Rings anyway, so it's worthless…"
"What's that, Miss Olivia?" Mallow asked, sitting up and glancing at her.
"Ah, nothing," Olivia chuckled out with a sultry tone. She reached up, running a hand through her hair as she gave thought to the trainers that were sleeping above in her large spare room. No doubt all of them were out like a light after the day's intense battle. In particular, she considered Ash. He had given her a very striking and intense battle. Her earlier statement held: he was a very skilled trainer.
Something was missing, though. She, herself, couldn't put her finger on what it was, usually leaving that for more skilled and wiser individuals than herself, like Hala and Nanu (whenever the rather apathetic Kahuna actually felt like giving wisdom). Still, there had to be something to the fact that he had a Z-Ring on his wrist, and yet she was the first Kahuna he had defeated. Propping her legs up, Olivia emitted a sigh.
"You asked my own opinion, Kiawe. What's yours?" she decided to ask, turning the question around. Kiawe placed his cup down.
"A strong trainer with great conviction," Kiawe stated simply. Both were points she could agree with. "He's fiercely loyal, and willing to reach a consensus more than anyone. He doesn't let others sway him, either. No matter the cheers during our battle, he never faltered."
"I second Kiawe's opinion," Mallow stated. "You know my trial, Miss Olivia: he worked perfectly with his fellow trial-goer to pull out a victory."
"And he has perseverance." The final answer came from Lana, who was pushing the door open and entering into the room. Olivia's eyebrow shot up, observing the bluenette as she quietly shut the door. It seemed that the girl's sisters had finally managed to fall asleep back at their home. Regardless, Olivia was glad that they were all here now. There was much to discuss between the four of them. "He continued on through the trial no matter how difficult it was. It was impressive."
"Kahuna material, you think?" was Olivia's immediate question after hearing all of their opinions. The three captains in the room all stopped whatever new movements they were making in order to look at her.
"Olivia, you're the only Kahuna of Akala Island," Kiawe stated sharply. Olivia couldn't help but chuckle at that one. Her gaze traveled to the Z-Ring on her wrist, its composition so much like her captains'. In truth, all the other Z-Rings that her Grand Trial winners and captains wore were more replicas than the real deal, all things considered.
"But I wasn't always," Olivia stated candidly. "I was…chosen."
"By Tapu Lele," was Lana's sharp response. Olivia nodded, her mind fixed in the past a moment, remembering that day. She chuckled again.
"The Kahuna is always chosen by the Tapu," Olivia began to say. "It's a sign of our relationship with the islands around us. Tapu Koko, god of conflict; Tapu Lele, god of life; Tapu Bulu, god of abundance; Tapu Fini, god of hope. Each represents an important aspect in our lives that we grow and nurture within ourselves and each other. The Z-Ring is a symbol of that choice, and by proxy, we pass it down to those who defeat us, such as yourselves."
"But Ash didn't," was Kiawe's quick observation. "He didn't defeat Hala, right? Yet he has a Z-Ring. Why?"
"If what Hala said is true, that boy was chosen by Tapu Koko, itself," Olivia stated sharply. Mallow sat up, placing her hands on her bare knees. Looking insistently at Olivia, she asked the most important question that could have been asked.
"Is that why you called us here?" The question was deserving of only one answer: a nod. "So, there is a threat coming to Alola?"
"I'd have thought that obvious, Mals," Kiawe brushed off, folding his arms with his ever-surly expression. Olivia always found it so cute how he acted tough. "After what happened in Heahea City, could anyone deny that something is about to happen in Alola? I mean, Pokémon running amok in the streets, portals in the sky, and now we have confirmation that a guardian deity has chosen a trainer and given them a Z-Ring."
"Just like with Miss Olivia," Lana said softly. Her captains' heads turned again towards the Kahuna, clearly settling in to the serious mood that was now pervading the room. "You received your Z-Ring six years ago, right?"
"I did," Olivia admitted, swinging her legs over. "Well, I received this Z-Ring. I had already been completing my trials at the time when I felt a calling from within the Ruins of Life. That's when Tapu Lele gave me the Z-Ring and I was named as Kahuna of Akala. The same happened with Hala…or rather, he was already chosen, and chosen again. Nanu was chosen as well, though the man hardly cares for it."
"And Poni Island?" Kiawe asked.
The question left an utterly sour taste in her mouth. Olivia stood, glancing at the wall and a picture of the first shipment of stones she'd ever worked with. It was a brief second, but the Kahuna considered not answering Kiawe's question. The memory was still too raw. Huffing a sigh, however, she decided that it was best not to keep them in the dark. That could only worsen things. "How much do the three of you know about six years ago?"
"Nothing."
"Not much."
"Zilch." The answers were, of course, predictable. Olivia, herself, still felt as though she knew very little about the events that had catapulted her into the role of Kahuna. She knew more than others, certainly, but not enough to ever say she'd had a full grasp on the entire picture. Giving another sigh, Olivia turned around, cocking her hips as she held her elbow and put a finger to her chin.
"The way the Kahunas are chosen always seems to be by random chance, because the guardian deities are flighty individuals," Olivia began to tell them, considering how best to impart her knowledge. "This is what all the people of Alola are told, but it isn't quite true. The Tapus do not choose their proxies by chance, nor do they do so whenever it well suits them. They do so when a changing of the era is approaching for Alola, perhaps even the world.
"Six years ago, that was exactly what happened. The Tapus chose their Kahunas; those they felt could weather the changing age. Not that it seemed like much of one to the rest of the citizenry, with how quiet it was…but for those of us who were chosen, it changed everything." Olivia paused here, closing her eyes and thinking back to the events that were so firmly cemented in her mind. "I was young and naïve. I thought I was something great, surrounded by those big shots: Hala, Nanu, Koa. They were all so skilled…
"Then the darkness came."
"The darkness?" Kiawe asked, his tone dipping lower with seriousness. Olivia's eyes remained closed, and she could see it happening all over again. Her brash recklessness, how ill-equipped she was. How Nanu flew into a gleeful rage while Hala held back things…and of Koa…
"We have no idea to this day what it was. Only that it emerged from a portal, similar to the one in Heahea City, but more like it was buried in the ground," she answered the boy. "It poured out, unsubstantiated, like an ominous haze. Perhaps something else came with it, attempting to break free…I don't know. But the Kahunas assembled, four strong, the Tapus' chosen ones; champions. In that old temple on Ula'ula, the darkness struck and we battled it."
"You won, though, right?" Mallow asked. She seemed the most concerned out of the three, looking rather tense on her seat as she asked her question.
"At a price…" was the wistful response. "Koa perished. His life was extinguished by that darkness. Since then, Tapu Fini never chose a successor. His granddaughter took his place, but she's a Kahuna in name only. We lost him in that war against the great darkness, pushing it back into its portal on the day the stars attempted to be in perfect order…"
"I'm sorry," Lana apologized meekly. Olivia shook her head, as if wanting to tell them it wasn't a burden they had to hold on to. That day had done more harm than good, Olivia realized. Even though the three before her were nothing but children at the time, not even old enough to start on their own pilgrimage, they could have surely noticed the effects. The way the darkness veiled the region, covering up the moon and stars.
"After the event, there was talk of numerous disasters that had happened, like fishing boats wrecked at sea or some other nonsense," Olivia decided to conclude for them. "As a newly chosen Kahuna, I felt so helpless. I raged, wondering why Tapu Lele had chosen me…when I realized the reason for which it had chosen me. I used that to help repair myself and vow to protect the islands I so loved. We returned to peace shortly after…though that peace was obviously short-lived."
"Did you ever find out what caused it all?" Kiawe asked, his face scrunched up.
"No. There was never a sign, and when peace returned, we felt no need to look further." Olivia walked back over to her desk, sitting down upon her chair in thought. Some of her papers shifted, revealing the sheet that spoke about Aether Foundation surveys in the area near the Ruins of Life. It reminded her of how the just budding Foundation, at the time, had helped to pick up the broken pieces…while also coming into conflict with Team Skull. Now that she really thought about it, that happened to be about the time Kukui became a prominent figure, along with the former Ali'i ka Leilani, Akela, who had disappeared from the public eye very soon after.
"Then history is repeating itself," Kiawe commented gruffly. "The guardian deities are getting ready for war again, choosing their warriors to head into battle. They're just starting earlier, I would hope."
"Yes…" Olivia moved her papers aside and looked to her captains. "I asked you here to inform you of all of this. Keep your eyes open. We have no idea who the other Tapus are choosing, but whatever is about to happen in Alola, it will be some rough waters ahead, and we need to stand on firm ground. Can you do this? Protect and guard our islands?"
"Like you need to ask, Miss Olivia," Mallow assured her confidently. That was enough for Olivia and she sat back. The memory still stung, much as she tried to hide it, but knowing that such fine young children had grown up even after the veil of darkness, she felt hope for the future. Now, she only hoped that Ash wouldn't break under the same pressure that she did. Mallow started yawning. "Ah, I'm tired…and the parents are expecting me back early tomorrow."
"I'll fly you there," Kiawe assured her, standing and stretching all of his limbs. Mallow appeared to blush a little at the offer and Olivia leaned forward on her desk.
"Careful, Kiawe, or your flames of passion for the farmer's daughter might be more than you can handle," she teased the boy she'd grown so familiar with over the years. Kiawe's mouth dropped and he backed up, grabbing Mallow by the wrist before Olivia could embarrass them further. Deciding to mortify the boy even further, Olivia sent a wink in his direction, making him dash out the door. Lana remained, watching after them carefully.
"I think they're together," she stated, chuckling a little. Olivia leaned forward a bit, allowing the smile to come back on to her face after the heavy discussion.
"Do inform me when the wedding is, Lana." The bluenette captain smiled and nodded before exiting the room. With the place now silent, Olivia sat back, glancing over to her screen. On what felt like a whim, she reached over and pressed the call button, waiting to see if the man on the other end would pick up. After a couple rings, she figured it would be a lost cause, until the screen finally went bright.
"What do you want, Olivia?" asked a scratchy and rough voice. The man on the screen appeared to be eating something from a bowl with a pair of chopsticks, though Olivia had no idea what.
"You're doing well, Nanu…"
"I'm doing hungry right now, and you're interrupting," Nanu responded. Olivia shook her head. The man was just as much a grouch as ever. It was a far contrast to the girl that quickly seemed to interrupt their conversation.
"Is that Olly?" Nanu cringed, waving off at the camera to allow the girl that was there to shove her face in. Her purple hair almost seemed to take up the screen for a moment before her bright eyes were shimmering at Olivia. "Sorry, Olly. Uncle Nani is grouchy because he spent so much time hunting down some mean Team Skull guys today."
"I'm grumpy because you're here, Acerola."
"Aw, you don't mean that, uncle!" Acerola stated, backing away to give Nanu a much needed hug. Olivia couldn't help herself from laughing at their interactions. Those two always seemed to be a riot when they were in the room together. "I'm a sweet little princess! You know you love me!"
"You're a princess, if royalty was still a thing. I don't give a damn about that, though. Let me eat in peace!"
"You two are always the same: Acerola the chipper one while Nanu does nothing but battle Team Skull all day. Making any headway on Po Town, then?" Nanu didn't answer, preferring to eat his food. The apathetic man continued to ignore her on the whole. For having once been a police officer, he seemed to care little for helping others. "I'll take that as a negative."
"Why are you calling, Olivia?"
"I had a Grand Trial challenger today." Nanu scoffed at that one, like he could care less. Whether it was his general apathy or because of something else, Olivia had never quite figured out. "I think you'd find him interesting, Nanu. Stubborn, head against the wall."
"Reminds me of you, Uncle Nani," Acerola spoke. It certainly seemed to have done so for him, as well, because even though Nanu didn't stop his general movements of eating, his eyes seemed to alight with some slight spark of interest, and the corners of his lips turned up. What he had interpreted from her words was obvious. "But does that mean new friends will be coming to Ula'ula soon?"
"I'd imagine so," came Olivia's response. Acerola threw her hands into the air with a cheer, but Nanu said nothing, swallowing his food. "Also…you heard about Heahea, I'm sure. No doubt Hala will be calling soon."
"Let him. I've got my own plans and 'meetings'. " Nanu finished chewing and placed his bowl down, rolling over to the screen and staring in with his usual lined eyes of exhaustion. He watched her for a moment. "See you, Olivia."
"Yeah, bye, Olly!" The screen went dark suddenly after that. It was just like Nanu to cut the conversation off with little other discussion. Olivia frowned and sat back. She reached up to rub her eyes, some of the exhaustion for the day setting in. At this point, she just wanted to take a nice hot bath and relax. She stood to do so.
And then a crashing sound filled the air, straight from the entrance to the shop.
Serena seemed to awaken in the late hours of the night, though she wasn't altogether sure of why she had. Stretching on her bed, she sat up, hearing the faint sounds of the ocean around Konikoni City. It had been wonderful of Olivia to put them up for the night. Giving off a yawn, the honey blonde rubbed her eyes, trying to figure out what had woken her up so suddenly. She considered returning to sleep, but found herself wide awake, like some music in her head that was keeping her up. Haunting and familiar, but too faint to really think it was anything more than her head humming with sudden awareness.
She swung her legs over the side of the bed and looked to Ash, laying on his stomach across from her as he lightly snored. He'd had quite the battle today, though he had seemed a little strange after winning it. Nothing considered bad, just odd. By the time their evening date in the little park had been complete, he seemed perfectly fine and fell asleep soon after. Sighing out contentedly, Serena reached down to her tablet, pulling up the information about the Hano Ceremony that would be held in two days. She wondered if they'd be able to make it on time. Suddenly, Lillie stirred on the bed next to her.
"Serena…?" the girl asked. Blue eyes met green in the darkness of the room and Serena held a soft finger to her lips. "Sorry…"
"It's okay," she whispered in return. Bonnie suddenly turned over in her bed, muttering something about a Bonnie-Dedenne, to which Dedenne flopped off the bed, hitting the floor but continuing to sleep soundly. "Couldn't sleep. You?"
"Oh, I don't know," Lillie responded softly. She, too, kicked her legs over to look at Serena as the two girls sat there. "Thinking about Ash's battle today. He was very impressive. So strong."
"He was, wasn't he?" Serena giggled out lightly. Lillie had really taken to enjoying Ash's battles as much as she had. If anything, the girl also feared for his chances of victory far more than she did, as well.
"I wish I could be that strong," Lillie admitted in the silence. "Sometimes, I think if I was…I'd have been able to…hold on."
"Hold on?" Serena questioned. The blonde didn't answer, staring blankly at the crisscrossed patterns on the bedsheets before heaving a sigh and clenching her fists.
"Well, I'll hold on to this!" she stated defiantly. Serena wasn't sure exactly who she was speaking to, but when Lillie turned her determined green eyes upon her, Serena felt she didn't need to know. "I'm not going to give up until the very end!"
"That's the spirit," Serena said, leaning over and hugging Lillie. As she did so, her foot moved, causing the bag with Nebby inside it to shift. There was no noise from within; a strange concept, given how verbal Nebby was whenever something happened to him. Lillie found it odd as well, and both girls looked towards the bag, leaning down to peer inside.
"Oh, not again…" Lillie suddenly lamented, louder than she meant to. At the very least, it was loud enough to wake Ash, who rolled off of his stomach and onto the floor with a crash.
"What's going on? Who's there?" he cried blearily, springing to his feet like he was ready for any sort of fight that was at hand. Serena was too busy looking around the room to answer him right away. There was no sign of their elusive little puff cloud anywhere in the room. Lillie stood, clearly close to panicking.
"Lillie, it's okay," Serena said right away. She, too, rose to her feet, grabbing the girl's shoulders. "We'll find him."
"Find…?" Ash asked. A light bulb seemed to go on in his head. Out of all the companions with them, there was really only one who could go missing, and he had clearly figured out what it was. "Nebby disappeared again? !"
"I don't think he's in the room, either," Serena pointed out. To that statement, Ash appeared rather contemplative, tapping at his folded arms in thought.
"Maybe he…" Ash thought aloud. "Maybe he went towards the ruins? I remember this morning, he was looking…"
"Of course!" Lillie exclaimed. She quickly whipped around, grabbing her dress and throwing it on over her pajamas without a second thought. "Nebby has always been interested in the ruins, so maybe he went towards the Ruins of Life. They're close by, ri-"
A sudden crashing noise interrupted Lillie's discovery. Any attempt they might have been keeping to remain silent had now come to a brisk end. Clemont shot out of bed, Pikachu awoke with a slight spark while Bonnie fell off, nearly crushing Dedenne. Rotom was the only one not waking up, powered down to get some rest. Ash was already on the move, with Serena following after him, grabbing for some of her pokeballs.
They banged the door open, racing for the stairs that led to the lower floor. Not that there was very far to go in order to see just what the commotion was: the front wall of the shop was broken into, and four Pokémon were scuttling about, grabbing about as many stones as they could. Through the wall was something all too familiar, though.
"Team Rocket!" Ash yelled. Sure enough, floating in their somewhat iconic Meowth balloon, were the dangerous trio (or quartet…Serena wasn't sure how much Wobbuffet counted). The one thing that did surprise Serena, however, was Ash's next question. "Where have you guys been?"
"Seriously, twerp?" Jessie demanded. "We see each other for the first time in weeks and that's what you ask us."
"I'm so used to you coming after Pikachu, yeah," Ash commented, folding his arms. Pikachu appeared to consider this option and nodded, agreeing with his trainer. Serena wanted to roll her eyes at the notion of this, considering that the villains before them were actually doing their usual routine and thieving, but it was really a non-issue in the grand scheme of things.
"Well, tonight we're doing something different!" James countered, pressing a button on a device in his hand. From the bottom and sides of the balloon extended claws, reaching for all the stones they could get their hands on. Some of them flew about the place, making Pikachu hop on to Ash's head, just in case a Thunder Stone was being flung at him.
"Tink of it as a Team Rocket special! Three for one at da Konikoni Stone Store!" Meowth cackled out. Wobbuffet rejoined him with his own cry. Serena shook her head. They really did never learn.
"You're incorrigible!" she snapped, tossing her pokeball out. "Sandshrew, let's take care of them!"
"When did the twerpette get a new Pokémon?" Jessie asked. Serena didn't care for answering her question. Sandshrew was in front, clearly not quite understanding what was going on before him, but still looking ready for his own battle.
"Use Rapid Spin!" Sandshrew listened to her and immediately began to spin, riding down the stairs and slamming through the door that separated them from the front of the store. She knew she'd have to apologize for it later, but Serena was fine with the current result as Sandshrew slammed into Inkay, sending it against the wall.
"Hey! No one hurts Inkay like that! Crabrawler, let's pay them back!" James called, now sounding all business. So was his Crabrawler, clearly looking unhappy about Inkay being hurt in such a way. For the time they had spent away, it seemed like Team Rocket and all their Pokémon were like one big happy family.
"In…Inkay…"
"Brawla!" Crabrawler snapped, like he was promising revenge. His claws opened, a black sphere, completely void of any other color, formed and he fired it out. Serena glared a bit, but pointed her finger forward.
"Let's try it, Sandshrew! Ice Ball!" Sandshrew waddled forward and reared back. A small chunk of ice seemed to form, but it wasn't very much. Still, Sandshrew hurled it at Crabrawler, only for Stufful to come in and intercept it. The Payback fired.
"Pikachu, use Iron Tail!" Pikachu leapt from Ash's head, spinning around with Iron Tail and cutting through the sphere before giving an uppercut on Crabrawler, crashing it right into Inkay.
"No! Not Crabrawler!" James cried, looking like he had tears in his eyes. Jessie rolled hers.
"Oh, stand aside James! Gourgeist, Dark Pulse! Stufful, Hidden Power!" Ash ran past Serena, jumping down to the bottom stair level with a fierce look. Sandshrew looked over to her, as if questioning what to do.
"Lycanroc, Rock Slide!" Olivia's voice was quickly a welcome one. There was a loud howl, and suddenly a cascade of rocks filled the store, slamming into Gourgeist and Stufful, while breaking the claws that were attempting to grab the bevy of stones. Team Rocket's Pokémon were knocked out in an instant. Serena turned to see the striking Kahuna, no longer looking flirty or anything close to that, but like a fierce queen, prepared to do battle. "Who are you, and why are you in my shop?"
"She doesn't know who we are…" James said, flicking his hair with a smug expression.
"Maybe we should educate her on the beautiful ones like ourselves," Jessie concurred. She opened her mouth with a slight cackle. "Prepare for-"
"You know what? I don't care," Olivia snapped. Jessie closed her mouth, but instead of indignant, she actually looked frightened, clasping on to James. It was like she, too, sensed the kind of power that Olivia wielded…especially when she caught sight of the Z-Ring. "I'll send you flying to Ula'ula…"
"Well, ya see, we was plannin' to go dere anyway," Meowth attempted to negotiate sheepishly. The logic certainly didn't get them off the hook. "Guys, I tink we forgot our new numba one rule…"
"No Z-Rings?" Jessie asked worriedly.
"Wobba Wobbuffet…"
"Sorry, no time to waste!" Lillie's voice suddenly called. Serena turned around, pressing herself against the wall just in time for Lillie and Komala to come blasting through. Stufful appeared to be stirring in the momentary pause where everyone but the two that were fleeing did nothing but stare. Stufful seemed to crawl towards a loose stone, but Komala acted with a simple point from Lillie, smashing into it with Wood Hammer. Soon, the blonde girl was through the hole in the wall and dashing along the streets.
"Serena, go! We'll catch up!" Ash yelled. Serena nodded, and she leapt down the flight of stairs. At the top, Clemont had emerged, carrying all of their bags and clothes, a sleepy Bonnie going after them. Sandshrew began spinning like a top, joining her as she ran through the wall. Jessie appeared to recover.
"Hey, you can't just leave like that! We're in the middle of a heist here!" she snapped. Serena ignored her, jumping over the debris as best she could.
"Shut it, thieves!" Olivia snapped. Lycanroc was stalking forward, making all of Team Rocket's Pokémon cower with fear. Their trainers were doing the same.
"Maybe we should have headed for Ula'ula in the first place…" James suggested, and Serena could practically hear the sweat falling from him.
"But then we'd miss the chance to get all these stones and gather information and steal Pikachu…" Jessie said, though she trailed off at the end, clearly realizing the folly of what she was saying.
"Pretty sure we gathered enough info, Jess. You're a betta Performer than ya are a villainess," Meowth said.
"So true! For all the time I spent beautifying myself, we've learned enough from that grungy lab to bring my beauty to Ula'ula." Jessie certainly sounded just as vain as ever, making Serena roll her eyes. Her feet hurt on the road without any shoes and she stopped, turning back in time to see and hear the end result as Olivia and Ash called for their attacks from Lycanroc and Pikachu.
"Well, I'm glad you think so…" James lamented sadly. Then the Thunderbolt and Rock Slide hit. The balloon exploded, raining the stolen stones down upon all of them as they were blasted away towards the swirling ocean. "Because we're blasting off again!"
"Wobbuffet!" Serena watched them disappear into twinkles in the sky. It had been so long since they'd run into them, she'd almost forgotten what it felt like. Knowing that they'd be heading to Ula'ula for whatever reason just made her feel the whole encounter was even more pointless…other than knowing the villainous group was still lurking somewhere in Alola.
"Why can't things just be peaceful?" she sighed out and she picked up her pace again, running in the direction that Lillie had dashed. It almost felt like Team Rocket had pursued them to Konikoni just to remind them that they were there; like they didn't have enough problems. In a sense, she supposed it could have been a comfort to them, knowing that their eternal pursuers were back on the trail again. If history had taught them anything as well, having them around was always a boon in case Team Skull decided to attack en masse like at Iki Town. "Guess we should be grateful for them…"
"When they're not stealing Pikachu, they're all right. I'm glad they're doing okay," Ash's cheerful voice said from next to her. He was carrying his normal clothes, along with hers, which he handed to her. "After Heahea, anything could have been possible. They might be thieves, but…they're still kinda friends."
"Pi Pichu…" Pikachu agreed. Sure enough, they'd fought together so many times, it was hard to consider them anything but.
"Now, let's catch up with Lillie and find Nebby." Serena liked that idea. Stopping for just a second, she grabbed her skirt from Ash and brought it up her legs. Her shirt could wait for later, since she wanted to delay no longer. Ash was slipping his vest on over his pajamas, though he seemed to not bother with his shorts. Or maybe it was just that he was staring at her for whatever reason. Either way, once her skirt and shoes were on, she was ready to chase after Lillie.
"Let's go," Serena said confidently. She took out her pokeball and quickly returned Sandshrew. "Thank you Sandshrew, you did very well for your first battle."
"Shrew!"
"Hey, guys!" Clemont's sudden shout drew the couple's attention, forcing them to direct their gaze back to the sound of clopping hooves. Two Tauros were barreling down the stretch of the town that led out. One of them was empty, but the other had Olivia, and a very flustered Clemont and Bonnie atop of him. "What's going on?"
"Lillie ran off after Nebby," Ash called. "We think they're heading to the Ruins of Life."
"The ruins?" Olivia asked. Somehow, she looked slightly concerned to Serena, or perhaps it was really just pensive. "Hop on, you two. The Tauros will get you there in no time."
"Got it." Ash grabbed onto Serena's hand, like he was the one prepared to hop on and guide the Tauros, but Serena stopped him. She took the initiative, herself. He clearly understood, letting her do her thing as the daughter of a Rhyhorn Racer. This was much easier, and in no time, they were atop the Tauros, charging their way out of Konikoni City. They'd yet to run into Lillie, which could only mean she was well ahead of the group.
"What's Nebby?" Olivia asked as their mounts drew side by side.
"It's…uh…" Serena was unsure how to respond. They knew very little about the puff cloud, themselves, but more than that, they had kept him a secret so long, they weren't sure how to share. Still, Olivia was likely someone to be trusted. "It's a little Pokémon, I think, that's been traveling with us. Lillie took him away from some bad people, so we've been keeping him safe."
"Team Skull?" Olivia asked, but none of them had the information to answer that. It was doubtful that even Lillie did. "Well, they've been on the prowl more lately. The Aether Foundation is fine, and they're out by the ruins, but this wouldn't be the first time the two organizations would have come into conflict with one another."
"You think Team Skull could go after Nebby, then…" Clemont noted, gripping tightly around Olivia. Bonnie seemed to be waking up, even if Dedenne was not, reveling in the joy of riding on the Tauros. Serena looked ahead and could see they were approaching the graveyard.
"It's possible. Anything rare and valuable, those thugs are always looking to get their hands on," Olivia snapped vehemently. "You all know Aether treats the Pokémon that Skull abducts, right? Well, that means, if Aether has dispatched to the Ruins of Life, it's almost a guarantee that Team Skull has been nearby."
"So they might still be there," Ash concluded. It felt like a long shot in Serena's mind, but they'd had far more random occurrences during their journey. Not to mention that Team Skull seemed to treat every place they came to as though it was their home. She wouldn't be surprised if they were trying to abduct the guardian deity, or lying in wait to spring a trap for those grieving souls at the graveyard.
"There she is," Serena breathed, gaining Ash's attention. Despite the speed they were moving at, Lillie really had seemed to have gotten far ahead by running alone, fueled by the fire of determination, though she looked positively tuckered out, nearly collapsed to her knees. Serena charged towards her as more sounds began to fill the air, like some sort of battle.
"Lillie, grab on!" Ash called, extending his hand towards the girl. She looked up with relief and reached over to grab on to him. In seconds, and with a surprising show of strength that made his biceps bulge, he'd pulled her up and on to the Tauros. "Don't do that again! We were worried!"
"Pika Pikachu!" Pikachu agreed, scolding the blonde. Serena would have laughed if the situation wasn't so serious and Nebby wasn't still missing; he sounded just like a chastising father.
"I'm sorry, I just…Nebby doesn't know many moves to defend himself and…" Lillie stammered out, looking ashamed, from what Serena could see. Ash sighed.
"I get it," he said, reaching back to pat her shoulder. "But don't make us worry so much next time."
"If Nebby would stay in the bag, she wouldn't have to," Clemont huffed out. Serena agreed with that, looking up as the road began to curve into a hill. She still had seen no sign of Nebby, and the sounds of whatever battle was going on drew closer. "Honestly, Squishy seems like a well-behaved child compared to Nebby."
"That's because Squishy is strong!" Bonnie cheered out, seemingly oblivious of the plight they were facing.
A shudder suddenly passed down Serena's neck, that same musical lyric passing through her, now louder, closer. In her mind, it overwhelmed any other sound, but the others were acting like they didn't hear it at all…except for Olivia. Serena turned her blue eyes on the woman with surprise, locking eyes with the Kahuna, who stared at her curiously.
"Peeeeeeeew!" Nebby's sharp and shrill cry interrupted the air between all of them, snapping Serena away from the lyrical melody. She gripped for Braixen's pokeball as they rounded the corner, bringing directly into view the quarry they were chasing.
"Nebby!" Lillie shouted. Her cry attracted Nebby's attention, who turned to her with a worried, yet joyful, expression. It also attracted the attention of the others there: three members of the Aether Foundation, based on their uniforms, a few Skull grunts, and…
"Well, this is unexpected," drawled Plumeria. It wasn't hard to recognize her, even under the veil of night, from her shockingly bright pink hair. "Those brats are here…and they brought a Kahuna with them."
"Braixen, Psyshock!" Serena called, tossing her pokeball as Tauros skidded to a sudden stop. Braixen emerged, her branch already glowing purple before she sent it soaring. The psychic energy split into three beams, aiming for the collection of Zubat and Golbat that were surrounding Nebby.
"Kahuna Olivia!" cried one of the Aether members, as if overjoyed to see her. Ash leapt off the back of their Tauros while Olivia didn't even move, Lycanroc appearing all on its own. "We're glad you're here!"
"Yes, I can see that," Olivia stated, staring down at Plumeria. The woman with heavily lidded eyes regarded Olivia for a second before her eyes seemed to shift to Clemont, Luxray now standing in front. The Psyshock made contact, blasting away the Zubat. However, Nebby remained petrified while Plumeria began to smirk and scoff. "So…I was wondering how the foolish individuals in Team Skull could manage to coordinate a heist of Buginium-Z shipments. Guess I have my answer, now."
"Z-Crystals are hard to come by," Plumeria mocked her sardonically, before pointing backwards. "Quite honestly, the boys are in need of a power up. You see how much they struggle without someone like myself or the boss around."
"Miss Olivia, do you know Plumeria?" Clemont asked. He was walking forward, fiddling with something on his bag as Luxray stalked silently. No one was making a move, like a genuine standoff. Ash came to Serena's side while Lillie also did, Komala out on the ground like they were ready to battle.
"I've heard of her," Olivia admitted. Plumeria's eyes flashed, as though flattered that she had been heard of. Serena and Braixen shifted their body weight, wondering when the signal for battle would be fired. "Just a little something from my predecessor, though. And the title: 'The Flower of Skull'. A pretty name for such a vulgar woman. Why have you come here?"
"As if you're one to talk," Plumeria stated with her usual smirk. The tension still hung in the air, and Serena felt her breath slow, staring out over to the door behind the location of the fracas. She could feel the sharp power emanating from there, trickling out in the water that seemed to flow from the rocks surrounding it. "Rumors tell that you're quite the woman, playing around with men."
"All a persona," Olivia waved off. "Now answer my question, before I make you answer."
"Big Sis, what do we do?" asked one of the Skull grunts in the midst of the standoff. Plumeria gave no heed to any of them, flicking her hair a little bit as she once more sighed. Serena's eyes slid away from the door, and on to Clemont, whose Aipom Arm seemed to be flopping on the grass. Her eyes lit up, and she nudged her boyfriend, clearly getting the message of what Clemont was attempting to do. Had it not been so tense, he likely would have said the future was now, thanks to science.
"I so hate complications…" Plumeria finally said resignedly. "This was supposed to be simple, the boss said. Go south and get something special, he said. The next time that little brat gives us tips, I'm going to punch him in the mouth."
"Big Sis!" Plumeria closed her eyes. Serena watched her; the woman's next move would decide the flow of everything from here on. Her words echoed in her head, about how they'd been "tipped". The meeting here wasn't coincidence. In fact, Serena had to wonder if they'd been lying in wait for Nebby the entire time; it seemed like something Team Skull would do to get their hands on rare Pokémon. "Tell us what to do, yo!"
"Yeah! Don't leave us hangin'!"
"Of course not…" Plumeria finally said, her eyes snapping open. "We came here for the ore inside the cave and to steal Z-Crystals from some hapless Aether puppets that keep getting in our way. I don't think we want to leave without results."
"That's why we can always count on our big sis!"
"Clemont, now!" Ash shouted. As he did so, Pikachu and Luxray both charged forward, calling electricity around them. Pikachu let a Thunderbolt rip into the encroaching and surrounding Pokémon while Luxray slammed through them. The various Zubat and other Pokémon sprawled on the grass, twitching.
Everything suddenly jumped into chaos around them. Pikachu landed on the ground as Plumeria's Crobat flew at him, swinging an Iron Tail up at Ash's command. Serena also stepped forward, her voice lost amidst the cries from Olivia and the Aether employees. Braixen had heard her, sending a roaring Flamethrower over to a pair of Raticate that were with the enemy before them. Nebby remained unmoving, clearly unsure of what he was doing. Plumeria walked forward, her intimidating Salazzle surrounded by the grunts' gang of Salandit, their tongues wagging.
"Hey, no hurting Pokémon! Parabolic Charge!" Bonnie called. The Skull grunts tossed more pokeballs into the air, calling out another flock of Zubat.
"K-Komala, use Yawn!" Lillie commanded with a slight stutter to her voice as she did so. From his position on the ground, Komala opened his mouth wide, a large bubble forming before it fired out, hitting the newly called upon Zubat and causing them to drop to the ground.
"Flamethrower," Plumeria demanded calmly. Salazzle dropped to all fours, and from her mouth came a torrent of flame that threatened to consume all those who opposed her. Meanwhile, she walked closer to Nebby just as Serena noticed the hand of Clemont's Aipom Arm right next to him. She just needed to buy a little bit of time.
"Use Fire Blast!"
"Pikachu, Electro Ball!" Ash called next to her. Both Braixen and Pikachu snapped into defensive action, chucking out a crackling orb of electricity while Braixen turned her wand on Salazzle and sent the five-pronged star of fire. All three attacks met in the center. An explosion resulted from the collision. Lillie nearly flew backwards, grabbed by Ash, as the Aether employees and Skull grunts seemed unable to stand their ground. Olivia and Clemont were on the move as well while Dedenne was busy sending shocks over the angrily clicking Raticate.
"Lycanroc, Rock Slide!"
"Luxray, Swift!" Clemont called. The rocks appeared over Salazzle while Luxray whipped around and sent the stars sailing at the towering foe. Salazzle was slammed by the stars first, though showed little reaction compared to the powerful Rock Slide that began to batter its body seconds later. Serena snapped her gaze to the hand as it safely clasped around Nebby. "Got him!"
"Pew!" Nebby called, clearly grateful for the save. Clemont pressed a button and his arm began to retract, pulling Nebby right towards him. Plumeria noticed this, and changed direction. She was also moving faster, just as Nebby was about to come into the inventor's arms. Lillie ran for him, clearly worried. Plumeria was almost upon him.
"Clemont, look out!" Serena screamed. The inventor turned, seeing the striking woman approaching him. His Aipom Arm snapped back, he dropped Nebby and held his hands up like he was prepared to fight. Only he wasn't Ash. Sure, he had fought in high-tension situations before, but never against an opponent bearing down at him. He punched, had his fist moved aside, and was subsequently socked across the face, knocking him flat onto the ground.
Lillie ran for Nebby as Plumeria turned to do the same. It was a clear race, one that Serena wished to help with. Olivia and Bonnie were helping Clemont up as Salazzle appeared to start recovering from the blistering blow Lycanroc had delivered.
"Braixen," Serena called, ready to order a Hidden Power that would stop Plumeria in her tracks. Her fellow grunts weren't getting up, and it looked like the battle was stuck between the rest of them as Clemont recovered, his glasses cracked a little bit.
Leleeeeeeee! The cry sounded out, freezing Serena in her place. It was familiar; she knew she'd heard it before, sometime earlier. Plumeria was suddenly held in place by a light pinkish-blue glow around her body. She wasn't the only one. Both her grunts and their Pokémon were held by the glow, like some sort of restraint against them. Nebby, sensing his freedom from the pursuing Plumeria, began bounding off for the ruins.
Then came the wind, almost like a hurricane as it blasted from the doorway. Ash grabbed on to Serena and Lillie, holding them both. Braixen moved in front of Serena to protect her, but Pikachu was blown away, even after sticking his tail into the ground. Ash lunged for him, but in the process took himself and Lillie to the ground. Serena steadied herself against Braixen.
"Crap…" Plumeria grunted out, down in a crouch on the ground, clearly unable to move. "Boss is not gonna be happy about this…"
"Big Sis…we can't move…" one of the Skull grunts cried out. The woman rolled her eyes.
"Yes, I know that," she snapped. Her head turned, about the only part that could actually move through it all and she glared at Olivia. "This is an unexpected interference, Kahuna Olivia. Next time, Team Skull will get the very stones we came for."
"I'll be waiting, then," Olivia said, glaring at the woman. It almost felt like two savage beauties, about to square off against one another in epic battle, except for the fact that Plumeria already seemed ready to flee. Whether she had achieved what she came here for, or simply didn't care, was of little importance.
"Tch…boys, let's go!" Crobat suddenly soared out of nowhere, along with a group of Golbat, doing their best to remain unaffected by the wind blasting out. They grabbed ahold of the Team Skull members and lifted them off the ground, leaving behind sparkling stones that they had seemed to be holding in their shirts. Just little chunks, not enough to do anything with, but enough to make Serena recognize them as pieces of a Z-Ring. She wondered if, perhaps, they had come from the ruins ahead…where Nebby was going…
"Nebby…" she breathed. Plumeria cast another scathing look back at the group and then fled, soaring out over the ocean with her stiffened form. As soon as Team Skull was gone, the wind ceased, though far too many of their own group were sprawled out on the ground, straining to get up. This was most evident in Clemont, who didn't even seem to be making the effort. Olivia, however, was glaring at the sparkling stones upon the ground.
"Those incessant thieves…" she growled. Lycanroc bounded over to the stones, scraping them up with its own angered expression. "Do they have no shame? Sully the Tapu's shrine, did they? For trinkets, no doubt…"
"Kahuna Olivia!" groaned out one of the Aether employees some distance back, struggling to get to his feet. "Is…is everything all right?"
"As fine as it can be…" Olivia's voice trailed off in Serena's ears. The honey blonde was too busy staring at where Nebby had gone; the same place that the music was coming from. Olivia was speaking, something about increasing security and how Team Skull were a bunch of fools for inviting the Tapu's wrath for stones that were useless without a "ringsmith". None of that mattered to her. Her feet were moving on their own, going after Nebby. She was the only one that could, she felt. "Serena!"
Olivia's call went unheeded but for a single glance back to the woman. They locked eyes for all of a second, the Kahuna's gaze knowing and understanding. It hadn't been coincidence that they were here. Serena was sure of that. It was like a call that had led her to this very place and allowed, out of all of them, only her to enter in. Putting her gaze back forward, she entered the ruins, her hands ghosting over the smooth surface, glistening with water. She could see the sparkling remnants, the reason that Plumeria must have come to this place, with some chunks broken away, barely visible in the night sky.
Her footsteps echoed, drawing closer as the music grew louder, before soon becoming replaced with vocals. There was a conversation, and it hurt her head to hear, making her grip at it as she approached what looked to be a room. Her hands pressed against the smooth surface while she leaned against it, and she looked up. Nebby was there, before a Pokémon with pink hair and a cap. There was no doubt, perhaps because it looked familiar, that this was Tapu Lele.
…must! was the call from what seemed to be Nebby. It was fragmented, broken and disjointed in every way. It…coming!
Well aware, was the response from the one above him, sounding feminine in tone. We have…our move. Proxies…of the past. The song! They must play the song!
And then…the Sovereign! Serena's eyes shot open, the ache in her head being relieved for a moment to try and understand the things Nebby was saying. It was just like with Tapu Koko, she realized, the little one beseeching Tapu Lele for whatever purposes it needed. Shifting her body weight, Serena took in a shuddering breath.
"Nebby…" she gasped out, pushing forward. "You can't…run off like that. Lillie worries, you know?"
"Pew…" Nebby said softly, sadly, his conversation with Tapu Lele finished. Serena stepped forward, hoping to reach for him when the guardian deity of Akala suddenly vanished. It took only a second, but it reappeared right in front of her. Her eyes stared into the guardian deity's turquoise ones, like it was staring to the very depth of her soul.
Yes…this will do. This compassion…Spread your wings, darling…
"What…?" Serena couldn't believe what she was hearing inside her head. Tapu Lele floated backwards, its body cloaked with that blue and pink glow. Around her, the entire ruin shuddered, the walls rattling and causing a frightful racket. Chunks of the sparkling stones dislodged from the walls, swirling around in that psychic haze. They mixed and melded together, and with it were other stones from the wall, looking like volcanic rock. More pieces flew out from behind Serena, and she had to wonder if they were the ones Team Skull had attempted to abscond with.
A moment of clarity and understanding assailed Serena. A moment of recognition. The same had happened to Ash, only Tapu Koko had simply taken the stone from Hala rather than from the area. The stones all mixed together, soon shining with a brilliant and blinding light. Then Serena reached out, as if trying to grasp it while the light slid upon her hand and wrist. She could feel the heated stones and the coolness of it all.
Then she gasped.
Life. A baby was crying, its umbilical cord being cut as it was handed to its mother. Love. Two people, intertwined in a soft embrace all too intimate, appeared before her eyes. It would have embarrassed her, but the scene was fleeting. Beauty. There were many faces, each more beautiful than the last, growing with poise and dignity. Aging. An elderly couple, sitting together, holding the wisdom behind them in their eyes. Serena gripped at the stone, feeling her nails digging into its smooth surface. Smiles…
The visions suddenly faded with the last word and Serena could breathe again. She lifted her hand shakily, noticing the Z-Ring that now rested upon it. The composition of it was closer to Olivia's and Kiawe's than it was to Ash's, yet it felt completely right, sitting there on her wrist. Her head now lifted more to Tapu Lele, and the guardian deity spoke once again.
The world is in danger. Show it your love and compassion. Just as the Conflicted One displayed his willingness to follow into danger, you must show your willingness to love.
It made sudden sense why Tapu Koko had not used the material of its own ruins, yet there were still so many questions. She opened her mouth, hoping to ask them, hoping to keep herself from fading as her knees gave out beneath her from the earlier visions. Yet Tapu Lele vanished, and she fell to the ground, hearing its final words spoken.
The time is near for hate to turn to love…so share it with all who need it, my Living One.
Then Serena was gone.
Author's Note: This has to have been the most plot-heavy chapter in a while. Not that they aren't always, but this was more plot-driven than character or battle-driven. The opening was something different to try, in order to give a certain look inside the mind. But the part with Olivia and the captains was very important! Obviously, something big happened six years ago in Alola! And now something else is happening! On top of this, Team Skull seems to be going after Z-Crystals and the materials to make Z-Rings! (Lots of exclamations!).
Beyond this, Clemont just got sucker punched (which won't sit well for him), and Serena got a Z-Ring from Tapu Lele, which, as we all know, typically is the role for choosing Kahunas. What does this mean for our heroes? Finally, TRio makes their first appearance in a while, simply to remind you that they are still around. More on them later. Hope you enjoyed this plot heavy chapter.
Before hopping off, I'm thanking everyone for all their words: Demon Shadow5000 for following; and a really huge one to Armorshippingfan, Tenzalucard123, AdvancedAlto, Leaflame, FantasyLover88, Cottonmouth25, ultimateCCC, Nina the Fangirl, potat lasaro, The Wind God of the Leaf, Omegaz, David Wilsberg, jlogan2748, AmourshippingCanon, aliensinnoh, CommanderAwesome3 and 1 guest for reviewing! Things are ramping up now and the story's shifting ever towards a different moment. Please stick around! Until then, Review, and Dare to Be Silly.