Earth formed under Luna's feet. Her head spun, feeling like it was filled with helium. She blinked her eyes open slowly, allowing them to adjust to the low light.
"Everyone okay?" Gladion asked, squeezing Luna's hand.
Jagged black stones formed a massive tunnel structure around them. Dimly glowing crystals of all colors were scattered between the inky darkness, reflecting brilliantly off the mirrored surfaces. There was no visible beginning or end to the cave.
"Wow," Lillie said softly. "I never expected it to be so beautiful." She stepped forward gingerly, letting go of Luna's hand.
"It really is beautiful," Gladion agreed. "But the air is so heavy. It feels like there's a Snorlax sitting on my chest."
Luna swallowed a lump in her throat as she found her reflection in the craggy stones. "I don't like this place," she whispered, clutching Gladion's hand tightly and pulling him closer. His fingers intertwined with hers, and he stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. Lunala chirped behind them.
"Will you show us the way, Nebby?" Lillie asked.
Lunala nodded, directing them where to move. They followed the Pokemon's directions as it stayed behind, though Luna was wary of each step she took. Her heart raced in her chest, wondering how she managed to continue breathing the thick air.
"What are you so afraid of?" Gladion asked quietly.
She inhaled deeply, trying to calm herself. "The unknown."
The group walked for a few minutes before a low murmuring echoed off the walls of the tunnel. Luna's fist clenched around Gladion's.
"What was that?" she panicked.
He gave her a gentle squeeze back. "Don't know."
The murmurs turned to cackling, then soft mumbles again. The voice grew louder as they progressed through the cave. Lillie scanned all around, looking for the source. A human figure lay on the ground behind a rock close by.
"Wait, that's-" Gladion started. He let go of Luna's hand and rushed to kneel next to the figure, curled into a fetal position. Luna and Lillie followed.
Guzma gripped his snowy hair in his fists, mumbling nonsensical words to himself. He rocked back and forth in constant motion.
"Guzma? What's wrong?" Gladion asked with urgency.
Only then realizing he was there, Guzma recoiled. He began to hyperventilate.
"Kid," he breathed.
"What is wrong?" Gladion gripped the man's shoulders roughly.
He shook his head, eyes wide and hands shaking.
"She's... She's insane! To let that thing take hold of her..." he stammered, eyes darting around wildly.
"Who, Lusamine?"
Guzma nodded. "That beast... It controls your entire mind. Your every thought... I still feel it. I feel it inside my brain!" He began thrashing and clawing at his head, sputtering nonsense.
"Guzma, relax! Take deep breaths. The beast ins't controlling you anymore." Gladion held the man's arms, trying to calm him.
Guzma shook his head violently. "No... No... I feel it... It left something in my brain, I can still feel it!"
Luna was on the verge of turning tail and running away as hard as she could. What could this creature have done to Lusamine? Had she gone insane, too? She did not want to stick around to find out.
"Tell me how I can help you," Gladion said in a calm voice.
Guzma stared at his own trembling hands. "Get me out of this place. I can't take it anymore. It's been years..."
"Years?" Lillie asked, dumbfounded. "Mister Guzma, it's only been a couple of days."
He slowly looked up towards her, shaking his head.
A pit formed in Luna's stomach. What exactly were they dealing with? These Ultra Beasts clearly had powers and abilities no other Pokemon could possess. Fear began to consume her, and she fought the urge to scream.
Gladion rose from the ground and turned back to the girls. "We need to find Mom. Who knows what that beast has done to her. We'll come back for you soon, Guzma."
The man nodded his head and wrapped his arms around his knees. He began to rock nervously and began mumbling nonsense again. His entire body convulsed in fear.
It took all Luna's strength to make her legs move. Crippled by terror, she watched Gladion's back as he walked a few steps ahead of her. She attempted to shut out everything around her, focusing only on following his lean form and putting one foot in front of the next.
Familiar, haunting chirps filled the air around them, sending a shiver down Luna's spine. I know that cry, she thought, breaking her concentration on Gladion. The noise grew louder with each step. The Ultra Beast was near.
Lusamine sat on a rounded stone in the center of the pathway, her back turned. Around her were countless beasts, their tentacles swaying in the nonexistent breeze. As the trio approached, the beasts chirped angrily and floated high off the ground. The woman turned around slowly, a tiny smile on her face. She silently tilted her head and placed a hand under her chin, staring intently at her children.
"True paradise... A world where nothing exists but the love between me and Nihilego," Lusamine said coldly. "So beautiful... Yet you continue to pester me."
"Nihilego? Mother," Lillie approached her with caution. "Are you okay?"
Taken aback, Lusamine chuckled. "I could never ask for anything better. Look at this beautiful world! Nothing could make me happier."
Gladion stood beside his sister, shaking his head. "This place isn't right."
She scoffed. "You want me to go back to that world. Is that why you came here? Even you aren't that stupid! This is my place. I belong in this world, and it belongs to me."
Lillie stomped her foot. "You always do this! You're always thinking of no one but yourself!"
Her mother laughed in her face. "And why shouldn't I? I can finally live in a world with only the things that I love. I don't care if you're my children or not." She rose from her place on the rock and took a step closer to them. "I don't care if you were loyal or not. I don't care if you're the rarest Pokemon in the world or not! You aren't beautiful enough for my world, and I don't need you!" she roared at them, venom in her voice.
Lillie's hands balled into tight fists and she puffed up her chest. She stormed right into Lusamine's face.
"I am so sick of you, Mother! Children are not just precious things that belong to their parents! And Pokemon are not just things that a trainer can do whatever they want to! We are living creatures! We are not objects for you to collect! You can't just throw us away if you get bored! You are a horrible person, and a horrible mother!"
Luna's eyes grew wide at Lillie's boldness, but a surge of pride came over her as well.
Lusamine's eyes narrowed. "I'm horrible? How am I any less horrible than your little friend there? What does she do with a Pokemon she can't use? She removes it from her party, of course! And that's exactly what I have done."
Gladion took another step beside his sister. "You can't treat people like that! And that's no justification for torturing Pokemon like Null and Cosmog! Don't you see that?"
"I will never forgive you for stealing from me." She shook her head, piercing them with her eyes. "You two no longer serve me purpose. It's such a shame, too. When you were little, you used to follow my every word without question. Even you were beautiful to me then. But then you changed. You became ugly. Ever since you left me, and you met that hateful Luna, you both have defied me!"
"She's got nothing to do with this!" Gladion shouted. "Luna has been better to me in three days than you ever were in my entire life!"
"Enough!" Lusamine screamed. "With Nihilego's power, I will show you just how wrong you were to come here!"
She tossed out a blue and gold Pokeball Luna did not recognize, and from it burst another Ultra Beast. It chirred as it floated through the air around Lusamine. She outstretched her arms, and the heavy silence was shattered by a chorus of piercing cries. A sinister smile began to spread over her face.
"Mom! Please stop this!" Lillie cried.
"This is insanity!" Gladion joined.
The woman's eyes closed as Nihilego began to take hold of her. Its tentacles latched onto her with tiny spines. Her body fell limp and her skin started to turn a sickly lavender as the Ultra Beast grew in size. Its transparent body developed dark patches as it lifted Lusamine gently into the air. She was completely enveloped by the creature as it hovered over the trio. Her hair turned black as she fused with Nihilego, becoming a grotesque mutation of herself. Lillie screamed, and Gladion clutched her in his arms.
Lusamine's eyes shot open, and she grinned malevolently. Her maniacal laugh was muffled by the beast's body around her, creating a haunting echo.
Every muscle in Luna's body tensed. She could not move. She could not breathe. Her heart quivered in her chest as the horrifying hybrid stared straight through her.
"I will destroy you!" she wailed, the gelatinous body around her distorting her voice. Two Pokeballs opened up, revealing a Clefable and Lilligant. The faces of the normally adorable Pokemon were contorted into hostile grimaces.
Luna remained frozen as she recalled the family picture Gladion had shown her. In it, he had been holding a baby Cleffa. Was this the very same Pokemon?
His face, both hurt and shocked, answered her question. Gladion took a few steps back and sent out his Crobat.
"How dare you turn that Clefable against me!" he cried out. "Luna, I'm going to need your help. I don't think I can beat her on my own," he said with importance.
She remained frozen, terrified by the beast as its arm-like tentacles pendulated back and forth.
"Luna!" he called.
"I..." she stammered, hands trembling uncontrollably.
Gladion stormed up to her and took her face gently in his hands.
"Listen to me. I know you're scared, but don't let this fear consume you. I can't do this on my own. I need you."
His voice was soft and encouraging, though urgent and serious. Gladion's emerald eyes burned into her, searching for a way to make her come back to her senses through the terror. She met his gaze, feeling drawn into it like a magnet. Focusing on his kind touch and handsome features, Luna begged her mind to release the fear.
"Please," he pleaded, stroking her cheek.
She took a deep breath and steeled herself. "Let's go."
Gladion smiled and nodded curtly. Luna sent forth her Salazzle alongside Crobat.
The pair of trainers immediately fell into synch with one another. Though they had the clear type advantage, Lusamine's Pokemon fed off her enhanced power and energy, making them extremely difficult to defeat. With great effort and strategy, her Lilligant fell and was replaced with Milotic.
Gladion and Luna battled valiantly, but struggled with their opponent's improved power. After a lengthy and hard-fought battle, they were down to only Silvally and Decidueye versus Lusamine's Bewear.
"Your Bewear has nothing that can even touch my Decidueye!" Luna shouted confidently. "My ghost is immune! You lose this battle!"
The woman grew visibly enraged and continued her assault against Silvally. Attentive and quick on his feet, Gladion's Pokemon dodged every incoming attack.
"Silvally, Hyper Beam the Ultra Beast!" Gladion cried.
With a great roar, Silvally unleashed a powerful burst of energy at Lusamine. Bullseye.
"Yes! Nice job, buddy!"
The dust cleared, revealing a furious and unscathed Lusamine. She screamed in anger. "Bewear, Hammer Arm!"
It was a direct hit. Silvally stumbled, trying to stay on his feet. He fell to a knee and hung his head. Gladion did the same.
"Damn it! Silvally!" The Pokemon returned to its Pokeball as Gladion slammed his fist on the ground.
Fear began to creep up Luna's back. She knew she could defeat Bewear, but Decidueye was not made to be a beast hunter like Silvally was. All of her other Pokemon had fallen already. Lusamine was untouchable.
Just as panic started to set it, Lillie shouted at the top of her lungs from behind her.
"Lunala! We need your help!"
From the tunnel came a melodic screech as Lunala shot through the darkness. Appearing almost instantly above them, it began to glow brightly, turning from rich violet to pure white light. An incredible beam erupted from the legendary Pokemon and struck Lusamine.
Wild chirps and cries from the countless Nihilego filled the air as Luna was blinded by the brilliant light. As the glow faded, the screeches did as well. The fusion beast was no more.
Lusamine lay alone on the ground, no longer mutated by the beast. Her hair was blonde once again and her skin returned to its natural tone. Luna quickly recalled her Pokemon and followed Lillie and Gladion over to her.
"Mom!" Lillie ran to her side, kneeling over her.
The woman's eyes slid open with great effort. She blinked and looked around, confused and disoriented.
"Can you hear me?" Gladion knelt on the other side of his mother as Luna stood close behind.
Lusamine stared up at them, a kind smile slowly gracing her face.
"My... My children," she whispered. She softly brushed Gladion's bangs out of his eyes and cradled his cheek, doing the same to Lillie. "My beautiful, beautiful children."
