Aether Paradise was a lot larger than I thought. From the other islands you can obviously see the giant white tower in the middle of the sea. However, when you are actually on the island do you actually get a good look at the building. It's big.
For good reason too. Inside there is this huge conservation of sorts with loads of different Pokemon. There is even a river and a lake for the water Pokemon that courses through the entire floor. The Pokemon here look pretty happy.
Gladion and some employee named Wicke walked us around the establishment and talked about how almost all of the Pokemon here were injured or sick in some way. The rest are Pokemon created by breeding.
Gladion told us to let our Pokemon out and run free so we did. Except Lana. I have no clue why but she just doesn't let her Pokemon out. The only Pokemon of hers I've seen was Primarina.
After we let our Pokemon out Gladion brought us to a lower level. He says no guests are allowed here.
Gladion's tone when he was talking about this island was jovial. However, it was less so down here. We entered a room and saw what looks to be abandoned research.
"This is where Silvally was born. Well, Type: Null. A couple of them were created and I took one when I left this place."
"Wait, Type: Null is a creation?" Caleb asked. I already knew this thanks to Carl's research.
He nodded. "Completely synthetic."
I was amazed and a little horrified by the admission. Pokemon being created is nothing new of course. Mewtwo is a man-made experiment gone very wrong. However, it doesn't mean that it's right. Gladion promises that they are no longer doing experiments like that here.
After milling about reading some of the research we head back up to the main lobby. After arriving an employee comes up to Gladion and whispers in his ear. Gladion looks annoyed and walks off. He orders Wicke to take us to our Pokemon and get them some food.
Sitting in the lounge area of this, um, paradise Caleb, Lana and I are watching the Pokemon play as we eat and drink some tea. As we watched our Pokemon play around, Caleb's Steenee evolved into Tsareena out of nowhere. It was just playing around with Oricorio and evolved.
It's kind of weird when Pokemon evolve. It can happen because of a stone or some other item. It can happen in the middle of a battle. Hell, it can just happen randomly when the Pokemon is having fun. I'll never understand what really makes a Pokemon click and just evolve but it's amazing.
Ms. Wicke is standing several feet away watching the Pokemon. She's an odd person, I find, but very sweet. Gladion says she's the only upper employee he trusts.
I decide to get up and talk to her.
"Cameron, how are you? Is everything to your liking?"
"Um yes. I just, uh, was wondering something."
"Yes, what is it?"
"How is Gladion normally?"
She looks at me with a scrunched face. "I'm not sure I know what you mean?"
I reiterated my question to ask how Gladion is everyday here. Is he happy or not? She took a while to respond as she thought about it.
"Hard to tell most of the time. He doesn't look happy nor sad usually. Sometimes he looks sad." There was a pause in her response. "He never looks happy. Well, except for today."
She smiled brightly at me and then looked down at my Pokemon playing in the man-made field. It felt good feeling responsible for Gladion seeming to be happy. It was also nice to see him wear the necklace I gave him.
Gladion and I may not exactly be friends but there is definitely a capacity for friendliness and trust between us. However, I do want him to be a friend and I want him to know that. If anything I know how it feels to not have your best friend there by your side and not knowing if you'll ever replace them.
Caleb has eased whatever pain I've had over not being in Hoenn with Carl. Speaking of which, Carl finished the rest of the gyms in Hoenn. Now he waits for the Tournament in 7 weeks. I really want to go but I have no clue if I'm going to finish everything here. I mean I should, but who knows.
Poni Island is next up and we'll be heading there tomorrow. Supposedly there is only 1 trial. From what I know the Island is pretty desolate. There is a port town but that's it. It's mostly an island for the Pokemon, which I think is a good idea. Although, it's sort of a missed opportunity. There is also something called the Battle Tree on the island. Caleb said it is similar to the Battle Tower in Hoenn and that caught my attention.
A loud alarm ruins my train of thought. Wicke looks around in a panic and mutters something under her breath.
She looks at me and tells me to get my Pokemon.
Just as I reach my Pokemon a loud explosion rips through the wall. A Pokemon come flying into the Conservation looking all distressed. That's when Gladion runs into the Conservation.
"Oh dear," Wicke says to herself.
The Pokemon is one I've never seen before. It's blackish with white um armbands. Actually I have no clue how to describe it. It's weird and ugly. However, there are sparks popping out of it so I assume it's an electric type. However, when I point my Pokedex towards it I don't get a reading.
This must be another one of those Ultra Beasts.
I look over at Gladion as he throws this black-ish ball. "Go Kartana!"
I point my Pokedex towards this one and same thing, no reading. Another Ultra Beast? This one looks vastly different than the other and is incredibly small.
Gladion orders Kartana to attack leading to a collision of attacks between the two Ultra Beasts. "That is one angry Xurkitree," I hear Lana say to Caleb.
So she knows the name of these Ultra Beasts.
This Xurkitree looks awfully pissed. It attacks with a fury of speed taking down Kartana. Silvally looks like it's ready to jump in but Gladion orders it to stand back. He looks at Ms. Wicke who reaches into her pocket and grabs a black Pokeball. It's one I've never seen before.
That's when something slams into the window from the outside. A dash of light makes it's way in front of Xurkitree.
"Holy shit, it's Tapu Lele!" Caleb exclaims.
Tapu Lele forms out of the light and stares at Xurkitree which charges for an attack. Tapu Lele dodges and levels Xurkitree with one attack. Gladion throws a black ball and captures Xurkitree.
Tapu Lele continues to stand in the middle of the Conservation but stares at Gladion. Gladion wavers a bit after looking at the Deity.
"Tapu Lele doesn't look happy, right?" I ask Caleb.
"No, and I think we just found out why Tapu Lele was staring at this island last month. Xurkitree must've been here all this time, along with other Ultra Beasts. It knew that."
I looked at Gladion with shock. I thought these beasts went back to where they come from. But it's clear they didn't. First Nihilego, then this Xurkitree, Gladion has Kartana, and Ms. Wicke has one. She has to. That is 4 Ultra Beasts.
When Tapu Lele leaves I decide to walk up to Gladion.
"What the hell was that all about?"
"It's nothing," he responds trying to downplay what just occurred.
"Gladion, don't lie. That was an Ultra Beast," I fire back.
He nods and sighs. "We were running experiments on these Ultra Beasts. 2 years ago a couple portals opened here in the middle of the night. We successfully captured them and decided to hold them for protection."
"And the experiments?"
I watched has his face contorted expressing more in a few seconds than he has since I've known him.
"I wanted to understand the biological make up of these beasts. These Pokeballs are a new kind of Pokeballs to hold these beast. They aren't perfect. The experimenting was to find how to make them perfect, like the Master Ball."
I shook my head.
"Cameron, this was never supposed to happen. We don't actively hurt them. Someone let it out."
I battled myself. The idea of doing experiments on Pokemon is controversial, but is what Gladion does any different than Kukui? Kukui has Pokemon battle each other. He likes to see how they respond.
But can I trust Gladion?
I look at his face and the necklace around him.
"Fine. So who do you think did it?"
He shrugged.
...
The entire island was ordered shut down and to be evacuated. Gladion was going to send us to Poni Island but we decided to stick around and help him clean. Some of the Pokemon were rattled from the incident and Caleb felt bad. Plus, there was quite a mess in the Conservation room.
So we stayed the entire evening and cleaned up the mess. Gladion was able to get a crew to repair the broken window with absolute ease. The damage within the building was a bit greater than I had originally realize.
Gladion said they'd have to be closed for at least a day and he seemed pretty upset over it.
After a long evening of work I was exhausted. Caleb and Lana too. Skitty joined the exhaustion crew also, but that's just cause he wasn't allowed to sleep with all the loud noise.
Gladion had ice cream delivered to the island for everyone. It was the least he could do according to him. After we ate I joined Gladion on the pier of the island.
"So are you going to keep experimenting on the Ultra Beasts?"
"Yes. But I promise I won't hurt them."
I sighed. "Okay, but show them compassion. Xurkitree didn't exactly seem to like you. Maybe try to change that. I think that will make your tests work out."
He looks at me, "So you are okay with all of this?"
I shook my head. "No, but I get it I guess. Just be better about it and when you are done be done, for good."
He nodded.
With that said, I wasn't exactly sure he'll take my advice and use it, but I was hopeful. After our conversation, Gladion got us on a boat and sent us to Poni Island.
I was eagerly awaiting the final trial of this Island Challenge. Then it's the last Kahuna and I'm set to compete in the Alola Pokemon League Tournament.