Probably the last of my heavy exposition chapters ahead and then it's full-force excitement, but this one is still pretty important. That said, it is time for Chapter 12.
Chapter 12
An Other
"How…how did you find me?" Serena had to take a moment. She thought she had prepared herself for this; for seeing the face and hearing the voice of the man that had twisted her life and, more importantly, Ash's life. Of course, they likely weren't the same person, but she couldn't trust that quite yet, not while she was looking at that face and listening to his asked question. She couldn't answer at first, and Ash gripped her tighter. At the same time, Bonnie drew closer to Clemont while Greninja went on the defensive. Lillie and Rotom, both, still looked highly confused.
"I…" Serena tried to speak, but found that she couldn't. Her hands were shaking, memories flashing before her, just as they had in the Ruins of Hope. Only these weren't forced, merely being instinctive. Her fingers curled inward, forming a fist that no one failed to notice. Especially, there was Ash, who reached his hand over to grip her own hand and calm her. Before them, her father also noticed, eyes flicking downward.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound demanding," Michael, or her father…or whoever he was, spoke. "I'm just…surprised."
"So are we," Clemont said. He and Bonnie were moving closer to Ash and Serena now, like they were closing ranks against the face of the one that was their enemy. The man's brow furrowed in interest and confusion, like he could understand why they were regarding him with disdain. Rather, that kind of expression lasted only for a moment.
"I suppose I could imagine," he spoke, reaching up to run his hand through his longer hair, or at least longer than the other Michael's. There was no source of amusement on his features, but he did seem a little pensive with the way his eyes were flicking over occasionally. "This is…unexpected."
"And very awkward. Pleasure to meet you, Rotom is Rotom!" Rotom interrupted, clearly not realizing just what was occurring before them. Her father blinked a little and leaned in towards the floating Pokédex, examining it with scrunched eyes as he scratched at his beard.
"Fascinating…I wasn't aware that technology had come to such an age that a Pokémon could inhabit a Pokédex," he said. His hand tentatively reached forward, like he was going to grab hold of Rotom. Serena's body tensed, and he suddenly stopped, watching her. It took a moment, but he sighed. "Right, sorry. Years in the wilderness, only stepping into cities to send letters on occasion can leave one a little ignorant to the state of technology…and other things…like family."
"Family," Serena breathed. What was she supposed to say? She could only think of Ash's rather awkward reunion with his own father, only it was the reverse in this case. She had been the one to seek him out. Ash squeezed her hand again, and now she felt Bonnie grabbing the other side, squeezing that hand. Lillie also turned back, giving her an encouraging smile. Even Greninja seemed to nod his head, the biggest amount of encouragement she'd get from the stoic frog. That was enough for Serena; she wasn't going to squander a chance she'd created when Lillie had all but lost her parents. "I…needed to see you."
"Oh?" he responded, quirking an eyebrow. Whatever surprise he did hold, though, he quickly wiped away for a stern expression to replace it. Serena felt that maybe he knew this wasn't some social call, or a search for a happy reunion. In fact, from the way their body languages were, they may as well have been pretending to not be family at all. "Well, there must be a reason, then. In the same way, there must be a reason you're all so on edge with me. I don't bite. Promise."
"Forgive us if we can't take you at your word," Clemont admitted, still holding fast to a defiant Bonnie. Michael, her father, surveyed the inventor closely with a slightly disturbed reaction adorning his face. "We've met you before."
"Well, a different you," Serena said, finding some courage and confidence in her voice, now. She wasn't going to run away from this. "And that's sort of why I came looking for you. I…Sorry, but I'm not looking for some family reunion."
"I wouldn't have dreamed of it," the man said, putting his hands in his pockets. The more Serena looked, the less she saw of Michael; there was too much of a warmth to him that the other one simply didn't have, even in his moments of playing pretend. Even in the darkness of night that surrounded the Lake of the Moone, she could also see something that the other Michael lacked entirely: love. Years apart, never having even met the man, yet her father was staring at her with a sense of pride and care. It was the same way she supposed Jack Ketchum had felt for his child. "It is nice to see my daughter grown, though. I hadn't even known you were on an adventure until recently."
"It's a recent thing," Serena answered. Their conversation felt rather stilted and awkward, but Serena supposed that was the only way for it to truly come off in the first place. Any other way would have been strange, after everything. "Um…so…anyway…"
"Right, you sought me out for something. Is it to do with the Day of Stars?" Serena blinked, just as Ash let go of her. She knew they weren't the only ones surprised by the man's statements. Lillie, however, was the first to say something.
"You know about that?" she asked. Michael turned his head to her and nodded, taking his hands and putting them behind his head with a small sigh.
"I've been preparing for it for months," he answered. Serena swallowed; she supposed that no matter what version it was, both Michaels were incredibly cunning, overall. He noticed this and sighed again. "Look, Serena, I can tell you're uncomfortable around me."
"You…could say that," Serena said. She still didn't know how to broach the topic that was all too clearly on their minds. Part of her thought that she might have needed more ample time to prepare than shortly before all of this. Ash once more placed a hand on her shoulder in comfort. "But, it's not because you're my dad or anything. Trust me. I was the one that searched for you, so…"
"Understood, but seeing your deadbeat dad probably can't be pleasant," the man answered. He looked off to the side, like he was considering his words. "Not that I meant to be away but…guess I have problems. Would offer an apology, but it seems too little, too late, now."
"I don't think Serena would hold it against you," Ash spoke up in the absence of her own voice. It helped to ease just a little bit of the awkwardness surrounding them. "Not like she's the only one in this group who didn't have their dad around."
"Mm," her father replied, accepting Ash's response while looking him over. For some reason, Serena actually felt a little nervous, as though it was like every other girl, with her father checking over her boyfriend before potentially delivering a chastising warning. Of course, she wasn't just like every other girl, and nor was her relationship with Ash or her father. "Then, why are you all looking at me like I'm going to try and kill you?"
"Because you're-"
"Bonnie!" Clemont scolded his sister, placing a hand over her mouth. Ash let go of Serena and stepped forward towards the man. She realized it must have been difficult: her own father had the same exact face as the one who had ultimately ended his father's life. He could have hated the man for that, yet Ash seemed to stare him in the eyes without any hint of rage.
"You really don't know?" he asked. Her father tilted his head and then shook it. At this, Ash shook his own head and looked at Pikachu, both seeming to draw strength from one another. "The you from another world killed my dad."
"Another…me?" he said, looking almost confused. However, after a moment, his eyes seemed to lighten up as realization hit. "Tell me everything…Ah, but not here."
"Why?" Lillie asked, hitching her bag. She was clearly ready to listen, despite her own questioning. Michael (Serena really wished she had something else to call him by) looked at Lillie, and then pointed at the small black portal.
"Away from prying eyes. I came to check on it for the evening, since it's been acting restless as the Day draws near," he explained. Serena was surprised a little, but at the same time, there was elation. Elation that finding her father was seeming to have been a very good idea, after all. Ash and Clemont seemed to share the sentiment. "I'm going to guess that's what you came to see me about, though I'd no idea you were working with it in mind."
"Something like that," Serena laughed out, easing more of that gripping tension inside her. He nodded.
"Well, I'd love to hear, and tell, just not here. It's too close, too much to be overheard by it," the man responded, turning around and aiming for a set of stairs that was perpendicular to the one they had walked up. Serena's eyes narrowed. It? The man stopped. "Oh, and if it's too uncomfortable for you to look at me as 'Michael', just call me Y. It's a pseudonym I've been using for many years now to hide my identity. Just don't ask the reason: more of a childish fantasy than anything, ha ha."
At least that made things easier on Serena, and she began to follow after her father, down the set of stairs. Clemont and Bonnie were still clearly tensed by the sight of the man, but Dedenne undoubtedly gave Bonnie courage, because she stopped her body shaking and made sure to come and stand next to Serena as they walked after Y. Greninja remained on high alert until they seemed to finally be out of the zone of the small portal. No one talked a moment, veiled in the darkness of night, and Serena took the chance to examine the space they were traversing. These stairs looked all too similar to the other side they had walked up, if perhaps replete with more vines than expected. It also looked to lead to a more natural road. Y (which Serena decided she would call her father, for ease and separation) turned sharply down a path, and Serena looked to see that there was a fire ahead, as if at campsite. It reminded her of when she felt she'd been watched here a month ago.
"So…this other me," Y began, sounding all too serious, "tell me more about what happened. I've been so busy in my explorations that I've been out of much contact for years. I'll still send letters to Grace, but even that's become less frequent as of late."
"You correspond with mom?" Serena asked, not having expected that. Y didn't answer right away, almost looking embarrassed, wearing a similar blush as herself when Ash said something romantic.
"Ah, yeah. I can be a hopeless romantic sometimes," the man admitted. It hurt inside Serena's heart a little. Perhaps it was his smile, but she felt more that even if she didn't know her father all that well, he was a version that Michael could have been…if he hadn't become an omnicidal maniac who cared about nothing and no one, even his own daughter. "I know it's easier to pick up a phone and call but…I tend to get lost in things. I don't even collect letters from Grace anymore, so I, uh, wasn't aware you'd left home until I saw you performing in the Heahea Ceremony."
"Yeah, that one," Serena almost laughed out. Y stopped here, and he looked back at her. He gazed over her figure, smiling a little.
"I'll admit, I was a little worried, though I tried to convince myself that it couldn't be you. Same for when I could have sworn I saw you here a little over a month ago," he told her, scratching the top of his head a bit. "Though, I can see you clearly now, and it sets my mind at ease. Years ago, Grace used to talk about how fragile you were, almost, until you met a boy in Kanto. Should I take the guess that that was you, Ash Ketchum?"
"Uh…you know me?" Ash asked, pointing to himself with surprise.
"I've been in the wilderness, not living under a rock," Y laughed out. He glanced between the two of them now, once more in that scrutinizing mode. "Though I think you're more than a boy from Kanto to my daughter, now. Am I to be expecting grandchildren soon?"
"Say wha-?"
"Just a little joke!" he exclaimed at the bright red looks on their faces. Bonnie seemed to find it all more amusing than anyone else there. Even Rotom appreciated it, calling it a great prank. However, Y easily restored the sense of tension with a sigh. "All that said, you're not a fragile flower…you fought in Heahea, didn't you?"
"I did," Serena said, reaching a hand up to her chest. Looking at her father, even in the dark night, she could see a couple emotions in his eyes as they reflected the lake in their irises: pride, worry, happiness, sadness and just a tinge of regret. "And that incident has led to now."
"I see…I would guess, then, that my 'other self' was behind it…or is?" Y asked. He was starting to move again, like it was now imperative that they were to continue along the path to what was likely his campsite. Serena's gaze flew out to the lake that surrounded the ruins they were leaving. It was certainly a beautiful sight, reflecting the full glory of the celestial heavens that were above them. She pursed her lips as Ash began to answer.
"Yes," he said simply. "He was…I don't even know how to explain it. Do you know, Pikachu?" Pikachu just shrugged, himself also unable to come up with the words, and in turn looked to Greninja, who seemed disappointed to also not have an answer.
"Michael was…he was a very cold man," Serena answered her father.
"A real meanie! He kidnapped me and Dedenne and…and…" Bonnie couldn't seem to get the words out, twisting at her hands almost angrily. Y slowed, watching her desperation with concern. Serena actually felt like crying at that; perhaps it was an act, but she had the feeling it was real. Knowing that so much could have been avoided if he had been like this, that Reeree wouldn't have had to die, maybe even her Ash…it drove a stake through her heart. "Well, we've gotten stronger! We won't let anyone kidnap us again!"
"Michael was a vile man," Clemont spoke sharply, and perhaps a little too harshly, given that Y brought a complete halt to his steps. They still hadn't completed the journey around the lake to the campsite, but that didn't matter in the face of the truth coming out. Maybe it was a little harsh, but Serena knew they had to share it if they were going to impress how urgent and out of necessity their visit was. "He didn't care about anyone or anything. He used people, twisted their pain, all for himself and what he wanted."
"And what did he want?"
"For everyone on this world to die," was Ash's cold answer. Y offered no reaction at that, or if he did, he was masking it better than most. "He believed that if this world died, his would be safe."
"A ludicrous notion…" the man stated, making Serena's eyebrows fly upwards into her hair. "Though, I would imagine he had some sort of reasoning behind it…we always do."
"Some ancient documents he found," Clemont instructed him. Y nodded, like that would about do it, and his feet began to pick up again. He seemed to be thinking, scratching at the beard on his chin.
"If I would take a guess…happened shortly after Serena was born?" Serena nodded with Ash at the question, and she noticed the spark of recognition in her father's eyes. "Yeah, I could see it. At the time, I was looking for some ancient ruins to prove a theory on multiple universes or some such thing…lost on me now, it's been so long. Anyway, something must have happened because there was a cave in. I barely got out alive and never saw what was beyond. Disappointed, I moved onward. You guys have seen Reflection Cave?"
"What's Reflection Cave?" Lillie asked, almost like she was feeling a little left out of the conversation at this point. Her puffed out cheeks seemed to indicate as much to Serena, at least.
"Ooh, we know! That's where the mirror version of us was, right?"
"Exactly, young lady!" Y pointed out with a little wink. "I looked into little stuff like that, and then, one day, I stumbled on Alola. Thought it was chance, though now it might have been fate. This was…roughly five years ago now, and boy was there a lot to explore and examine; enough to cut me off from most of civilization for years. Maybe that's why I didn't hear about my counterpart…I'd imagine you've all been hurt terribly by him."
"We have," was Serena's terse response. He looked back at her, and their similar-looking eyes met. There was a protectiveness, mixed in with the resignation, there. "But…we've moved on. We've pushed past the pain, all of us. It still hurts sometimes, but we wouldn't be us without it."
"When did my daughter become such a grown-up?" Y laughed out. Serena couldn't laugh with him, especially at seeing Lillie's concerned face. She had to have been thinking about her own mother, and the events that had happened to change so much of their lives in the end. Y eventually realized this and frowned. "Anyway, I know saying it won't convince you, but I am not that Michael. Perhaps, if I had been pushed in his direction, I may have given myself to his methods, but…instead, I played the long game. Though, it sounds like he's been doing much the same in Alola, as well."
"From beyond the grave, too," Ash sighed out. Y offered a nod to accept that as finally the campsite arrived before them. Stepping in, it was like stepping into a whole different world. There was a single tent, yet along with it were numerous makeshift desks and other canopies overhead. Some papers were strewn about the area, like it was in a constant state of dishevelment whenever Y was around. There was also a large box that was gleaming with a silver glow.
"Are those…Z-Crystals? !" Clemont exclaimed, running into the camp and up to the box. Without waiting for Y's response, he pulled out one of the shining items, revealing what looked like a Steelium-Z. "It was you! You were the one to…"
"Yes, I was," the man responded, though he looked a little distracted. Finally, he seemed to see what he wanted. "There you are, Hydreigon. Everything good here?"
"Drei…" the Brutal Pokémon growled out, floating into view. It was another confirmation that he was simply a different Michael. Y nodded, and then proceeded further into his camp to pull out some large buckets, turning them over so they could seem to act as seats for them all.
"You'll have to forgive the impromptu seats. I'm not used to visitors, obviously," he said, pulling up a chair for himself. The others all sat upon the buckets provided while Rotom floated to take a picture of Hydreigon and Greninja remained on standby, scanning the area. The three-headed dragon looked amused, but did nothing to stop the Pokédex. "To answer your question, Clemont, was it? Yes, a few months ago, I was researching connections for the growing darkness between the Altar of the Sunne and here, the Lake of the Moone, where I discovered about Z-Crystals, the items for Z-Rings and their connection with the power from the Ultra Space. Left a little clue behind, though your reaction tells me you figured it all out."
"But I don't get it," Ash said, leaning forward. "If you've been researching all of this, why not step forward earlier? You could have been real helpful in the battle against DARC."
"DARC?" Y asked, looking nonplussed. None of them decided to answer, considering the point was relatively moot. "Well, truth be told, I just don't like being in the spotlight. Difference between us, huh?"
"If you want to look at it that way," Serena said, chuckling nervously. She was feeling more at ease with him now, even if there was still some awkwardness there from the suddenness of the meeting. Y breathed in and then exhaled loudly.
"Anyway, I've spent a lot of time here, mostly, monitoring the space at the abandoned temple for the last five years. Sometimes I'll travel off to other areas, like the ruins of the guardian deities, or into cities to send a letter, watch news reports, but I genuinely am not very aware of the goings on in the world. Only knew about you because of letters from Grace back in the day and a report on your Top Four placement in the Sinnoh League, Ash. I might have heard about something in Kalos some months ago, too, but I was already too entrenched here by then," Y was certainly throwing a lot of information at them, but Ash seemed fine with it. Serena was keeping up as well, even if Bonnie was bored and poking at Hydreigon, who seemed to like the attention.
"But, if you were studying the Ultra Space, why not team up with the researchers in Heahea?" Lillie asked, holding a finger in the air in thought. "Or even the observers at Mount Hokulani?"
"Because I wasn't examining that in particular," Y told them, crossing his legs. "Though…I won't say I didn't have my effects. You said my counterpart was cunning and manipulative, yes? Well, I can't say I lack all of those traits. I could tell from what happened here at the Lake of the Moone six years ago that a great conflict was being cultivated in Alola, though I wasn't aware of all its contents. I set my own plan in motion, though. I…er…may have mentioned some things to that observatory about the portals beyond, and the moving celestial patterns, at least when I drew the connections between them. Can't say I was much successful, and I did it in a way that those involved would never know I was involved. But like I said, I was looking into other worlds and things and the Ultra Space topped the list after the disaster six years ago."
"Six years…that's when my mother started to change…" Lillie said, now clasping her hands and pursing her lips. Y glanced at her, but his own eyes mostly remained between Ash and Serena. He sniffled a bit and moved his jaw before speaking once again.
"So, can we ask the honest question here, before getting to the heart of the matter?" Y asked, making everyone look at him seriously. The air felt heavier now, any more motions of reunion off the table in light of what was soon approaching Alola. "You tracked me down because you need information and no other reason. Can't imagine why you would think of me, so those are the questions: why, and how?"
"Well, the how and the why are easy enough," Serena breathed out, putting herself into a calming state so she could continue to converse effectively. "After we learned that Michael was the one behind Lusamine's actions concerning the Ultra Space, I thought…well, I thought that maybe the two of you went down similar paths, and that…maybe you could help. It seemed silly at first, but the more Lillie and I searched, the more obvious it became that we were right."
"The people of Seafolk Village had heard of someone looking into the altar," Lillie explained. Y watched her carefully as she did so. "So, we got some information on the person, which we figured was you, because they said he looked a lot like Serena."
"You eventually drew the connection between the altar and the lake, then?"
"Eventually," Serena admitted. "Not at first, and even when we did, there was never a guarantee you'd be there. So, we started searching near trial sites, just to be safe, including other abandoned places. We even got some help from Samson Oak and spent time at the library in Malie City when the rumors reached us of a fire by the Lake of the Moone, which I recalled from our visit here a month ago. In the end, I waited to see you, though, because…well, I wanted Ash with me."
"Oh," Ash said. Pikachu was nodding on his shoulder, though Ash remained tense as Y looked over him one more time, clearly approving of him. Eventually, though, her father stood and began pacing, like he wasn't sure what to say to her. It couldn't have been easy.
"Hmm…where do I start, then?" he questioned, stroking his beard, occasionally tucking his rather lengthy honey blond hair behind his ear. It reminded Serena of something she would do; something she'd actually picked up from her mother during Rhyhorn Racing. Serena looked up at him, blinking a little. "Well, you clearly came here to get some answers as to what this other Michael may have done, yes? I think I might have some from my own special research. Maybe counterparts are drawn together like magnets if they've been to the same spaces or something."
"I could certainly believe that, opposites attracting and all," Clemont commented. Serena nodded with his agreement; they had met their own counterparts that had come to their world and invariably interacted with them, after all. Perhaps that had even been part of the reason Paul had come to take part in the battle on their side, now. Y stopped stroking his beard.
"Then let's kick it off with six years ago. You say this is when your mother, Lusamine, began changing?" Lillie nodded, but didn't say any more. "Yes, that makes sense. No doubt you've heard by now of the crisis that Alola faced six years ago. A great portal of darkness erupted from this very spot, actually. It sent the whole region into a tizzy. The seas were disturbed, and there were avalanches, sandstorms, all manner of disaster. At the time, I'd yet to come to Alola, but researching what I was researching, I eventually found that it was directly linked to a portal to the Ultra Space that was opened at the ruins here, so closely tied to the celestial beings that are Alola's legendary Pokémon."
"Natural disasters, huh?" Ash asked, though his mind was already looking to be rather confused, judging by his face. Serena just patted him on the shoulder to tell him not to worry too much about the finer details. She doubted they would matter much anyway. "Hau said his parents died six years ago in a fishing accident…could they be connected?"
"Likely," was Y's response. "From what I understand, it left devastation in its wake. Many people lost their lives, though I don't believe the people ever knew what had truly caused it, mostly thanks to the Kahunas that were chosen by the guardian deities at the time making their stands here at this very spot, fighting the darkness."
"But how did the darkness open up?" Rotom asked, clearly intrigued by the conversation now. Serena wondered if it was really just interested in more about the Ultra Space. Y regarded the machine a moment before answering.
"My guess, and it's an educated one given my studies," Y continued on. He seemed to grow tired of pacing, for he sat back down and clasped his hands together. "You've heard of the Sun and Moon Flutes?"
"Boy, have we ever!" Bonnie said, jumping back into the circle. The young girl seemed to have now improved her mood around Y. At her words, Serena reached into her own bag and pulled out both flutes, including the broken Moon Flute. Y regarded them with his eyes, but didn't offer to take them at all. He just used it to continue on with his guesses.
"Okay, the flutes share…special properties with the Z-Rings, especially those in particular that are given through the guardian deities, and only those. It seems confusing, but what happened in the distant past, I'd imagine, was that the Ultra Space was formed from the remnants of broken worlds. How the beasts came into existence, I believe, is unimportant, so much as what they live off now: destruction. I believe that in order to protect the worlds, with their champions, the guardian deities sealed off the Ultra Space by creating and using the flutes. That was in ancient times."
"That would explain why they resonate with the power of those particular Z-Rings," Clemont pointed out. Ash's face was scrunched up, but he still seemed to be following.
"So, you've witnessed the phenomenon, then…" Y commented. Serena watched her father, feeling more elation with every word that he was speaking. "You guys are making this way easier to explain then, ha ha…"
"Well, it was a lot of trial and error," Ash admitted. Pikachu seemed slightly bored with the exchange, slipping into Ash's lap while Dedenne snored away in Bonnie's pouch next to a lethargic Squishy and attentive Bluey. Greninja appeared to still be keeping watch.
"That's what all of this is. I'm sure that's exactly what this other Michael did, as well," Serena's father followed up with. At his words, he pointed forward to the flutes in Serena's hands. "I believe, given the name of this place, he took the Moon Flute to these ruins and played it with the intention of opening a portal to the Ultra Space. I can't say he succeeded, but given the state of the stars that day, almost converging, he made something happen."
"This darkness?" Lillie questioned. To this, Y nodded and he sighed before shifting his finger to point solely at the Moon Flute.
"Thing is, those flutes were meant to be used together, and it was for that reason that it likely broke." Serena had to stop herself from frowning vehemently; Michael had a singular way of ruining everything in their life, whether he had planned it that way from the beginning or not. Clemont looked pensive, obviously trying to figure it out the quickest, out of all of them. "Regardless, it made the darkness escape, one that was only beaten back by the Kahunas of the time. That otherworldliness was a borderline, though, that when crossed, it signaled the eroding of lines between our world and the Ultra Space, which the Tapus had kept so heavily sealed and entrusted to the Champions over the eras."
"In the end," Clemont mused, "Gary and Burnet's research was right. The Ultra Space must be comprised of so many other worlds that have been destroyed, and now that the other portals were sealed, it weakened any overlapping seals on the Ultra Space within, which is what will make it wrench open now."
"You have a solid grasp of it, Clemont," Y spoke. Clemont appeared taken aback, but his lips went into a thin line, still trying to think one or two steps ahead. Serena just felt elated that finding her father hadn't simply been an exercise in futility. She also thought at rapid speed about the Moon Flute, how it had broken from undue strain. The Sun Flute had likely been spared at the altar thanks to their Z-Power, and Michael had likely returned the Moon Flute to where he'd found it because he knew it would be useless. Perhaps he hadn't planned it, but he'd made things a lot more complicated to stop.
"Okay, but what about this whole darkness thing? I mean, just 'cause Michael went and opened these things didn't mean anything at the time, right?" Ash asked. Y looked at him before shifting his gaze around to take them all in. His fingers began to tap on his knee.
"Honestly, I think that darkness is everything," Y explained to them. "Whatever it was, it hasn't appeared in any of the other portals that have opened. Not at Resolution Cave, and not in Heahea. That it came forth here and at all, it must be at the core of everything, but lacks the energy to be substantiated…at least, in our world. Perhaps, in time, it could accrue enough energy to do so, and that may be what Lusamine is trying to do. If she can make the chasm split wide open, the Ultra Beasts may gorge on this world until the Ultra Space is full."
"But…what's this dark thing?" Bonnie asked, her eyes glaring ahead. Above her, Rotom was trying to calculate what was being mentioned, making rapid fire guesses on its screen.
"No idea, just that it's the crux of the Ultra Space without the Celestial Beasts to maintain it," was the answer. Serena suddenly slid her gaze over to Lillie, the familiar phrase of the Celestial Beast echoing in her head. Memory of the great lion atop the Altar of the Sunne engaged within her mind. Things were making much more sense. "If you want me to guess, I'd imagine that it is the void of space from stars, reflecting their light…like a husk of the legendary Pokémon that Alola once revered."
"You mean Nebby," Lillie spoke. Before Y could ask just what Nebby was, Lillie had slung her bag around and pulled out the still inert form of the creature that was like family to them. "He was once a little Cosmog until my mother drained him of power to open the Ultra Space."
"Fascinating…so this must be a cocoon-like form?"
"You've seen Nebby before?" Ash asked. Y looked up, clearly thinking on how best to answer the question.
"I've seen a Cosmog, through the portal at the ruins here," was his response. Lillie's gaze snapped up, as well, like she recognized the words spoken. They all did (unless one counted a still confused Bonnie and Rotom). Nebby had told them all about freeing its counterpart, and now those words and understanding were being made plain. "I believe it's held prisoner by the darkness, and the only way to get it out…"
"…is with the flutes," Clemont finished, huffing a sigh out. "Of course. We use both the flutes here to open a portal inside, just as we would at the altar, pull the other Cosmog out, take it to the altar and then their power will return enough to escort us inside the Ultra Space to take out Lusamine and Guzma."
"It's a great plan, Clemont!" Ash said jubilantly, though he then rubbed the back of his head. "Uh…but…the problem is the flutes."
"More than that, the second you open a portal here, the darkness will try to take Cosmog back. We could hold it off, but you'd need to get as far away as fast as you could," Y assured them. Serena now stood, as did Ash. To no one's surprise, Lillie did the same, looking positively fierce.
"That doesn't matter!" Serena snapped loudly. "Now isn't the time for us to worry about ourselves when the whole world is at stake. Michael obviously set things in motion to destroy everything that we love in this world. He awoke the darkness that tried to take Nebby for its own power; he manipulated Lusamine, who controlled Guzma, and then he even prevented our efforts from succeeding on the preemptive strike. No more! I'm not standing by and letting him ruin any more lives! We will save everyone, including Nebby."
"The only question is how," Lillie said emphatically. "That's the real reason we came to you. How do we save Nebby and get to my mother?"
Y looked up from his place on his chair, staring at all of them and their looks of utmost determination. Behind her, Serena heard Clemont stand, as well, while Bonnie drew closer to her brother, looking just as fierce as the rest of them. Rotom floated into the ring of firelight, but didn't say anything, given the gravity of the situation, all while Greninja faced forward towards their group in support. As Y continued to watch them, like he was searching all of their intentions, his Hydreigon floated back towards him, one of the heads picking at a loose berry on the ground. There was silence, except for the wind over the water and the crackling of the fire. Eventually, he started laughing.
"You kids are too much," he said, every syllable laced with chuckles. "Sorry, I guess I can't really call you children. Not when you came to me. If only my generation was as proactive as yours. Maybe things would be different, yeah?"
"Well, in the end you guys are still the ones finding all the answers," Clemont admitted. "We just seem to be doing the leg work." Serena couldn't really disagree with that, but she knew that Clemont's research project with Gary was what had made the original attempt at a preemptive strike possible in the first place. Her father seemed to share these sentiments.
"Nah, you all are the ones to look up to. Sure, we find some info, but you guys put it together and do the necessary work to save everyone. Meanwhile, I've been parked by a lake, secluded from all the goings on in the world," Y admitted with what looked like a sense of shame. He sighed. "Well, guess the time has come for me to step away from the moon and into the sun. Or is that too cheesy?"
"And I thought Rotom's attempts at practical jokes were bad…" Bonnie commented as she slapped a hand to her forehead.
"Bzzt! What is Bonnie saying? ! Rotom's pranks are things of legend! Legend! Rotom has even recorded some now, for posterity, and added them to Rotom's backup data drive to live ever on!"
"I'm still trying to find its whipped cream prank that it played on Hau and me, so I can delete it," Clemont sighed out. That caused an elated chuckle to travel through the group, no more so than Y, who seemed to be enjoying human contact after so long. That made Serena happy, even if she didn't say it out loud. She knew Ash could tell, though: she was glad her own father wasn't as cold and unfeeling as Reeree's had been.
"So, the Day of Stars is almost upon us, huh?" Y finally spoke, coming to stand now. He approached Lillie and Nebby, sending a questioning look to the blonde. She nodded, allowing him to extend a hand and touch it. He frowned for a second, but continued to examine Nebby's motionless form. He started to nod at a point and then turned away, towards one of his tables. Serena's eyes watched him carefully as he began flicking through papers, like he wanted to find a specific one.
"How much do you all know about the connection between Cosmog, er…Nebby and the flutes? Just those two," came his question as he settled on a particular stack papers. Shortly after, he began leafing through it.
"Well," Lillie chose to answer for them, tapping her chin in thought. As she did so, she was balancing Nebby with her other arm, which Serena found to be impressive. "We know they're connected, because with the Z-Rings from the Tapus and the Sun Flute, we were able to talk with him."
"Yes, yes," Y said, agreeing with their statement. Or maybe he wasn't even paying attention. Serena didn't know. "Aha! Here we are!"
He whipped around, having taken out a small length of parchment, old and yellowed from years and use. It looked to be taken from a book, thanks to its ripped edges, but he was unfurling it before them, allowing them all to lean in and look at it. Serena peered closely, noticing there were all different sorts of illustrations on the parchment. They appeared to mostly be things that looked vague, if one wasn't aware of the true meaning behind them all. Pictures of the flutes, and a cloud, then followed up with a lion, a bat and what looked like a separated dark splotch. More importantly were pictures of what was probably the Lake of the Moone in its heyday. There also were other symbols around it, and swirls, that vaguely reminded Serena of the Tapus.
"Okay, so I told you that the flutes were made to seal off the Ultra Space in ancient times using the power of the Tapus," Y explained, pointing to one of the diagrams. Ash and Pikachu looked a little clueless regarding it, but kept listening anyway, nodding their heads. Rotom was recording everything. "Your Z-Rings, from your explanation, are made with the same properties and power, and considering they resonate with Nebby's power, I'd imagine they can do two things: restore it to its full power as the legendary Pokémon of Alola from ancient times, and open a way into the Ultra Space.
"The second of those two things, though, should be done here first. You'll want to grab the other Cosmog, then get to the altar. Should work there. This area is too broken and watched by the darkness to make that remotely successful here."
"What about the Moon Flute, then?" Serena asked of him. To that, he slid his finger further down until it was showing a picture of the two altars, surrounded by the swirls that represented the Tapus.
"The flutes seem to have been made using the Tapu's power, so it stands to reason they can be restored using that same power converging on a single spot." Here, Y tapped the parchment even quicker. Clemont was nodding rapidly while Bonnie and Ash's heads were tilted in confusion. "In other words, to restore the Moon Flute that was made here, we must have it here and pour the power of the guardian deities into this very spot. Play both the flutes, open the portal, pull Cosmog out…"
"And we know the rest," Clemont confirmed. He seemed pensive in his statement however, breathing in and nodding. "We'll have to be ready, and I'd imagine the only way the Tapus could know what to do and where to act, is if their champions beseech them, or something like that."
"That makes things tight," Ash now said, folding his arms and sighing. "Getting attacked, splitting up and needing to make it back to the altar before the Ultra Beasts could do too much damage…"
"We can do it!" Bonnie piped in. Dedenne and Squishy joined her in praising that sense of initiative. "Clemont and I can handle things here while you guys see to the Tapus!"
"I suppose I could aid in that as well. I've been monitoring the portal here to make sure it wouldn't burst too wide, so I'm well aware of the damage that could be caused, especially on the Day of Stars," Y said. Serena looked up at him, eyes wide at his statement. He grinned at her. "Well, I'd be a pretty poor excuse for a father if my own daughter asked for help and I didn't give it. So…you can count on me. Oh, but best to do all that preliminary stuff before the portals rupture."
"Th…thanks," Serena uttered. She felt a heat on her face, or maybe it was warmth at knowing her father wasn't a wicked man. Ash placed an arm around her, as if to comfort her or reassure her decision. They heard a clattering and saw that Y had placed a bag on the table, beginning to stuff it full. "Uh…what are you doing?"
"Packing up?" he stated with light confusion. They all stared at him, and he looked a little embarrassed. "Er…no? Aren't we going to battle?"
"Someone's eager to fight," Bonnie said slyly. Serena could only giggle underneath her hand, which caused her father to smile. In turn, that smile made all of the others do so, as well, making her heart soar.
"Well, you all seemed to talk like you were preparing for some big final battle, and you'd be meeting up…wherever you're meeting up."
"We are, but not right away," Ash said, stepping forward and away from Serena. He held a hand out, like he was fully connecting the bridge between them and accepting the assistance that her father could give. He seemed to like that, reaching out and taking her boyfriend's hand. "We're definitely meeting at Mount Lanakila, but not for the battle."
"It'll be time for the Hope Leilani and the first ever Alola League!" Lillie cried out excitedly. Serena could feel the waves of enthusiasm coming from her. Ash and her father separated hands while her boyfriend threw his behind his head.
"Totally…though there's a promise I have to keep, so I won't be heading there right away," Ash stated. Serena looked at him, the only one of their group not staring in surprise. She had a very distinct feeling that she knew which promise he wanted to keep, and it was certain to be an exciting one. Greninja appeared to sense and know what it was, as well, as he and Pikachu shared a determined look between each other. "Once I've done that, though, we'll be heading there so Serena can become the Ali'i ka Leilani and I can win the League."
"Sounds exciting," Y laughed out with great mirth. "Then…if you don't mind, I'd love to watch you in the Hope Leilani. Only if you don't mind, of course."
"Oh, no, it's fine," Serena said, waving her hands in front of her face with a smile. "I…I'll look forward to having you there."
"You might want to avoid Lionel and Aidan, though," Clemont chuckled out. Ash, Serena and Bonnie both nodded while Pikachu and Dedenne emulated their trainers. Lillie looked to Rotom and both gave up on trying to understand all the nuances of these particular reunions and relationships. "I don't think they'd want to see Michael's face, even if you're trying to help us. Leave relaying the information to us."
"Just to make sure…" Bonnie said, sidling up with a suspicious expression under lidded eyes, "why are you helping us?"
"Because I love this world," was Y's immediate answer, heartfelt in every word. He shifted his gaze over to Serena and smiled. "It's the world my daughter and wife live in, after all. Don't need a better reason than that. Plus…if my other self was as bad as you all say, I guess I should try to 'atone' and clean up some of his mess, no?"
"Well, whatever it is, glad to have you on our side instead of against us," Ash admitted, now rubbing the back of his head. Pikachu laughed a little and snuggled right in on his shoulder. Y nodded, hitching his now full bag on his shoulders.
"Well, then, I can leave you with all that information to be shared for the battle ahead," he said with a sharp jerk of his head. "The Day of Stars is almost here…my years of research can pay off. I'll go on ahead to Mount Lanakila, then. I'll be watching you there. You should take care of yourselves in the meantime, understood?"
"Not a problem," Lillie said with a brilliant smile.
"We always look after each other," Serena said, a soft smile playing gracefully on her features. "That's what family does, right?" Y didn't seem taken aback, but he returned the smile.
"Right. Guess I'll see you there, then, Serena," he said. With those words, he turned around. Hydreigon quickly floated to his side as the duo began to walk away, leaving their little family behind in his campsite. Serena wasn't sure she was ready to think of him as a father yet, but her hesitancy caused her to step forward, just enough to hear his words of pride. "Grace, you raised one heck of a girl…I can't wait to see her perform, and I hope you're watching, too. Maybe I'll even send you a letter…"
That made Serena grin. She didn't need or want her father's validation, but getting it was the final proof: he may have had Michael's face and voice, but he was not, and never would be, Michael himself. Ash approached, putting an arm around her again. "Well, everything okay?"
"Yeah. Just have to get in touch with the others now that we can finally do what we need to," Serena said. She turned around, touching a hand to his chest and leaned in to kiss him softly. The others (except for Bonnie) turned away from it. Then she told him what she felt so deeply that it was ready to burst. "I'm happy again."
Author's Note: A shorter chapter this time around, but considering the amount of detail that was filled in here, I think that's okay. Any longer would have glutted the story, in my opinion. So, as it stands now, I've pretty much filled you in on all of the lore there is to fill except for a few things. Next up, however, is something that's been brewing a long time, and I'm sure that you can guess just what it is…I hope. Other than that, I hope I portrayed everything well, given the past events and current events and what is to come. Please let me know if I did!
Also, before hopping off this time around, I need to thank the people that have made this story fantastic: Quinn4827 and sileaf for following; and a really great thanks from the heart to Amourshiper35, Omegaz, FantasyLover88, Cottonmouth25, AdvancedAlto, DrafteeDragon, ultimateCCC, The Aura Gardian, Alexandria Prime, thatsmybusiness43, Vivian Gray, Tenzalucard123, Gehatik, aliensinnoh, ChE clarinetist, potat lasaro, WaterStar45, AmourshippingCanon, XDiamondX90, TheShapeH31, jlogan2748 and 1 guest for reviewing! We're almost to some of the big stuff of this finale, so please continue on! Until then, please Review and Dare to Be Silly.