Pokémon Radiant Sun
Howdy!
Here we are with another update. My apologies on the delay. Got the second round of my COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, which kept me from updating on time. Add on some mental health struggles and you've got a nice ol' delay on your hands.
Meanwhile, on the brighter side of things, not much else has happened aside from me visiting the Pokémon Center in Shibuya again. It's pretty amazing, even if the stuff there is overpriced. I plan on checking out some of the other ones in Japan while I'm over here. But I'm rambling again.
That being said, shoutout to those who reviewed since the last update, which includes Shine375 (great to see you again!), Oragonking, Madame Rodoshe, Anonymous viewer, two Guest reviewers and fatwhiteguy. I appreciate the feedback and support, you wonderful people!
Enjoy!
Chapter 123: No Turning Back
Kanto Region
Celadon City
Many Years Ago...
"Flamethrower!"
"Padma, dodge and use Slash!"
Damien bounded forward with a determined growl and released a spray of flames at the Persian as it slid under the hellfire and slashed Damien deeply, scoring a critical hit that made the Houndoom snarl in pain before firing off a Dark Pulse that blasted away Padma, with the Persian flying backwards and hitting the pavement with a thud. The Classy Cat Pokémon slowly rose to its feet, just in time for a Flamethrower to hit it directly in the side, knocking it out.
"Well, that's that, Miss Laura." Ashton said to his opponent, a rather pretty woman around his age with tanned skin. Her brown hair was tied into a ponytail and she wore a simple T-shirt and jeans with hiking boots.
"Yep. That Houndoom of yours is something else. He took down half of my team on his own!" The woman that would one day become Laura Smiles grinned at Ashton cheekily, returning her Persian with a shrug.
The wandering Trainer had encountered Ashton Aupuni in a parking lot on Celadon City with Damien after having afternoon tea with Erika and, thinking she found a wealthy businessman who didn't know anything about battling, challenged Ashton on the spot. What followed was a ten minute showdown that resulted in Ashton doing a clean-sweep of Laura's much less experienced team. While she wasn't bad at all and tripped Ashton up once or twice, he had years of experience over someone who had only recently begun to travel the region.
"Damien's been through a lot with me." Ashton remarked as the canine barked in response, sitting down and looking rather pleased with himself. Mainly because he had gotten to battle several Trainers today and won handily.
"So he's your Partner then? Padma is mine. She's been with me since I was a little girl." Laura said as she looked down at the Poké Ball with a fond smile. She looked back up at Ashton with some confusion in her eyes. "I'm surprised that one of you stuffy CEO types is such a good Trainer. I'm not amazing by any means, but I'm no slouch. You wiped the floor with me."
"Don't always judge based on appearance. I'm a former Champion, of sorts, and Damien is probably strong enough to defeat the at least half Elite Four in this region on his own." Ashton remarked honestly, a smile of pride on his face. Laura's eyes went wide in surprise. The statement was said with completely sincerity, and the woman could tell Ashton meant every word.
"That's wild...you two must have some crazy stories then." Laura remarked, smiling slightly wider as Ashton shrugged.
"I've got a lot of stories. Most of them are horrifying, but I've got a lot of fun ones. It helps that I've been traveling a lot in the past few years." Ashton explained with a small laugh, rubbing the back of his head. "It's weird. I sometimes forget how much my life has changed since leaving home."
"Ooh. What kind of stories? I've never been out of Kanto for more than a week at a time, and that's just on vacation to Johto." Laura asked, earning a look from Ashton.
"Nonya."
"Nonya?"
"Nonya business." Ashton replied, feeling rather clever with himself. Tommy had taught him that one, and he had always wanted to say something like that to someone. Laura frowned before putting her hands on her hips.
"No one likes rude people, Mr. Ash." Laura chided the man, who narrowed his eyes slightly before realizing she was somewhat correct. He didn't have to humor her, but he also didn't need to be unnecessarily rude. "Besides, there's nothing wrong with Pokémon Trainers sharing stories. How about this? I'll make a deal with you. You tell me how you met Damien, and I'll tell you the story of my secret tattoo."
"...secret tattoo?" Ashton asked slowly, his eyes widening at the possibilities before shaking his head slightly. "No! I don't have time for something like this. I've got a meeting in an hour and this is the only time I'm going to have to get food until I'm done with work. I really don't have time for stupid crap like that."
"Wow, no one's ever turned down that story before. Still, you could be a little less rude, you know?" Laura said hotly, stepping forward and pointing a finger at Ashton, who growled in annoyance but kept his anger in check.
"If I buy you lunch and say sorry, will you stop complaining?" Ashton asked pointedly, causing Laura to blink several times in response. She had never lost a battle and then immediately been treated to lunch before. At least, not since Ollie had gone off to become a member of the International Police.
"I absolutely will! Ooh, there's a pizza café a few blocks away that's perfect for a quick lunch! Plus we can swap stories!" Laura said excitedly, bouncing up and down slightly in a way that made Ashton avert his eyes, lest they go somewhere...inappropriate.
Soon enough the two were enjoying a lunch together, where Ashton found out just how much of a social butterfly the woman was, striking up conversations with everyone and smiling the entire time. It was...interesting, to say the least. Even more so when the two Trainers began to chat about themselves. Ashton was interested on her perspective when it came to the world at large, and ended up giving the woman his cell number when they parted ways after eating.
By the end of the month Laura had become his unofficial traveling companion whenever Ashton travelled the roads or explored certain areas in Kanto. Ashton wasn't sure how or why this happened, but he also didn't complain either.
Ashton never did find out about Laura's secret tattoo, though.
At least, not until much later in life, once the two Trainers were much closer.
Present
Route 13
"You had me worried sick!"
"Sorry, sorry. I've been busy. And trying to recover."
Demi crossed her arms, fuming as Gladion collapsed onto the sofa in the hotel room he was now staying in. While slightly more comfortable than the one he was used to being on Akala Island, it was also more expensive. He'd run out of money completely in two weeks. Despite that, Gladion relished the much softer bed and the room that smelled faintly of flowers for the time being.
However, all of this was necessary. Team Skull knew where he had been staying, and he didn't want to risk Guzma or anyone else from that gang coming after him. Not now that he knew that the Aether Foundation had Team Skull in their back pocket.
Gladion had only found out this by stumbling upon a supply delivery to Po Town, delivered by a man in a nondescript truck. However, Gladion recognized the man from the Aether Paradise as one of the attendants at the mansion. Even worse, the man had mentioned President Lusamine by name. Guzma in return praised the President for her kindness and loudly boasted how, with her help, Team Skull would be truly feared in Alola.
Gladion made the decision to leave then, and mentioned this to Demi. Bone Unit 71 then found out, and from that point on things spiraled out of control and eventually he found himself fighting off the Bone Brothers.
Gladion still wasn't entirely sure why Guzma stepped in to save him. Was it pity? His sense of morality? Or maybe to save his own skin, considering who he really worked for. Despite her insanity, Gladion had a feeling his mother wouldn't forgive Team Skull murdering him under Guzma's watch.
"You could have at least called…" Demi muttered, walking into the room and setting her bag on the ground. Zoroark let out a friendly yip which made Demi cross the room and hug the large wolf before turning to Gladion.
"I could have, yeah...Didn't want to bother anyone during this crap. Miss Wicke would've had a fit if she saw what Team Skull did to me and cut Guzma's balls off herself." Gladion remarked, causing Demi to give her a look of surprise. "She can be very intimidating sometimes."
"Do you need anything? Seriously, you look like crap, dude." Demi asked, visibly concerned as Gladion shut his eyes and sighed deeply. "Maybe some ice?"
"I'm good for now. I need to think and plan. Team Skull is after Cosmog now...and those two friends of yours know something about it." Gladion remarked, causing Demi to shrug.
"I actually know a bit more about that and probably what they know, but didn't you say that you don't want me to tell you about Cosmog even if I did know something?" Demi asked Gladion, who nodded.
"Yep. The less people who know about Cosmog's location, including me, the better. I need to get stronger so that I can confront my mother before it becomes an issue." Gladion decided, sitting up on his bed. "Can I still count on you, Demi?"
"Of course! What else are friends for?" Demi said brightly, doing a small fist-pump. Gladion nodded, sighing softly in relief.
"Good. We'll get back to training in a day or two. Thankfully Kahuna Nanu is still cool, so he was alright with submitting me to the hospital and helping me get set on the road to recovery. So long as I take things easy for a few weeks, I'll be right as rain." Gladion explained to Demi, who nodded in agreement.
"I'm still with Team Skull, but if they're gonna keep doing crap like that, I might leave! That was...horrible." Demi shuddered, thinking back to how badly Gladion was hurt by the Bone Brothers. "Those thugs have everyone terrified."
Gladion scowled, thinking back to that day. "Guzma keeps them around because they're stronger than most of the riff-raff that's in Team Skull. No offense."
"None taken. Most of Team Skull doesn't think much of training. Bone Unit 71 only does it because I keep tricking them into actually investing in their Pokémon." Demi remarked, grinning at Gladion. "I actually think Torch might evolve any day now!"
Gladion's expression lightened, with the teen nodding at her. "Then you haven't been skimping out on his training while I was out. Good. I'll train with you using Zoroark and Golbat and see how Torch does."
"I wonder if I can get away with burning the Bone Brothers and saying it was an accident." Demi mused with a smirk, thought Gladion gave her a stern look.
"Don't. Those bozos are dangerous. Guzma has them do his more serious crimes, unlike the intimidation and threats that most of Team Skull does. And attempted kidnapping, even if those cases usually get sorted out." Gladion responded, his tone becoming serious. "They're dangerous, and even if it's to get payback on my behalf, I'd rather you not get hurt trying to fight them."
"Aww! Are you actually getting worried for my safety?" Demi beamed as Gladion rolled his eyes, flopping down on his bed with a sigh.
"Sometimes I really do miss being totally on my own all the time." Gladion brooded internally before he felt something crash down onto the bed beside him, followed by the sound of Demi giggling as he sat up with a surprised yelp.
Type: Null and the rest of the Pokemon watched in with amusement as the two Trainers bickered on the bed, culminating in Demi smacking Gladion hard enough with a pillow to knock him onto the floor of the hotel room.
"After everything he's been through, he deserves moments like these." Type: Null thought as Gladion rolled to his feet with a stunned expression, just in time to catch a pillow to the face for his troubles. The teen collapsed onto the ground while Demi stood up on the bed and began to dance with a silly grin on her face.
Several Hours Later…
"Oh hey, it's one of those things!"
"Things?"
"Yeah, the water things! The ones you find in the desert. I think it starts with an 'O'?"
"Come on Hau, use your words."
"Shuddap."
Sun and Hau reached the oasis of Route 13, which was definitely an odd spot. In the center of the area was an area of crystal clear water with several Pokémon swimming within it, with lush plants growing around the edge of the ledge around it. Mobile homes rested among the rocky outcroppings around them.
To the north was a Trial Guide with a Poliwhirl, who informed the two children that they had to conquer the Ghost Trial in order to pass the area. Sun knew that within the desert lay the Ruins of Abundance, a location Lillie wanted to explore to hopefully get more information on Nebby, so he noted it for later.
Sun also noted the location of another Zygarde Cell, and even found a Moon Stone lying on the ground as he and Hau explored the area and conversed with some of the locals. To their displeasure, they encountered several members of Team Skull lurking around, which Sun managed to scare off by having Oliver do his thing. Inflicting horror upon those who deserved it definitely put the Dartrix in a much better mood. With that being done, the duo continued on their way towards where the next Trial awaited them.
Eventually the two children began to notice the area around them began showing greater signs of life, especially with vegetation and plant life, and saw that a storm cloud was brewing just overhead.
"Bzzzt! We're nearing the Tapu Village! This place izzzz infamous in Alola as a place that was struck down by the fury of Tapu Bulu. It'zzzz said that the near-constant rainstorms that this area experiences are a result of a curse." Rotom Dex explained as Sun and Hau both opened umbrellas, taking precautions as the light drizzle that had come over them began to intensify.
"But not the Curse of Abundance. Maybe Tapu Bulu can influence the weather to an extent?" Sun thought aloud, causing Hau to shrug.
"Po Town rains most of the months out of the year. Wouldn't be surprised if that was true. Still…" Hau trailed off, seeing the ruins of what looked like the remnants of a house nearby. Sun spotted a Pokémon Center not too far up the road then, and inwardly sighed in relief. "Tapu Bulu did a number on this place, huh? Nothing but the PMC for miles, it looks like."
"For such a lazy god, Tapu Bulu sure does have a bad temper." Rotom Dex laughed, causing Sun to frown. Hau then let out a noise of excitement and dashed ahead to a path beside the Pokémon Center where two construction workers were talking.
"Phew...Look, Sun!" Hau called, glancing to the path before looking to his friend. "Seems like we're almost to the Aether House, where the Captain is supposed to be, yeah?"
"Yep. Acerola said she'd be waiting for us there." Sun agreed, nodding at his friend. Hau then noticed the people beside him and decided to get excited about that instead.
"Hey, look! Construction workers! That must be what Kukui was talking about!" Hau called out, grinning from ear-to-ear. "So they're really making a Pokémon League up on top of Mount Lanakila…"
"Looks like it. He showed me it while on our way to the Electric Trial. It looked pretty amazing." Sun replied, grinning as he looked up at the snowy peaks above.
"The Professor told me that the Pokémon Leagues in other regions have four crazy-strong Trainers in them called the Elite Four!" Hau remarked, earning a nod from Sun.
"The Elite Four are the final challenge a Trainer is supposed to face before facing down the region's Champion. They're supposed to be the best of the best. They're also protectors of the region, an extension of the will of the Champion. They're on-call 24/7 to respond to challengers." Sun explained to a slightly surprised Hau.
"Wow. That sounded like something out of a movie!" Hau remarked giddily, earning a sad smile from his best friend.
"Dad explained the system to me once. He was the Kanto League Champion for a short while. Before he realized how much influence the Champion of a single region has on worldwide politics and gave it up to pursue other options for world peace." Sun explained, shaking his head slightly. "I think I'm putting together bits of pieces of the whole story in my head, after hearing some of it from his point of view."
"True...I kinda feel sorry for you Dad, in a way. He's a complete jerk, but I don't know if I can really blame him for being so jaded." Hau remarked, crossing his arms.
"Just because he went through a lot of bad things doesn't excuse what he's done." Sun said quietly, yet firmly as he turned his gaze back towards the mountain that towered above them.
Hau laughed nervously as he put his hands on his hips. He attempted to change the topic by saying, "The Elite Four and our Island Kahunas...I wonder which ones are stronger! I can't wait to find out!"
Sun smiled at his friend's attempt to lighten the conversation, and chatted with him briefly about how certain Kahunas would do in battle against various Elite Four members. Sun asked Hau about the Kahuna of Ula'ula Island, earning a surprised look in response.
"Wait, you don't know who the Kahuna is?" Hau asked, stunned by this. He knew for a fact that Sun had met the Kahuna of this island multiple times now.
"Nope. No one's ever told me their name. I met Hala and Olivia almost right away after arriving on their respective islands. I have no idea who the Kahuna is here. Is it someone I know?" Sun asked Hau, who opened his mouth to speak, but then shook his head.
"You know what? Nah. I'm not telling you. It'll be more fun later." Hau remarked with a grin as Sun rolled his eyes, wincing slightly at the flash of lightning in the sky and the rumble of thunder a few miles away.
"Let's duck into the Pokémon Center for a bit." Sun suggested to Hau, shivering slightly. While the rainfall was a welcome respite from the oppressive heat of Alola, that didn't mean he liked getting wet. On top of that, the temperature had dropped considerably by the time that they had exited the desert proper. Sun wondered if he'd have to wear a jacket for the first time since coming to Alola.
Sun and Hau quickly got their Pokémon healed and Sun went to get a drink. He was cheerily greeted by the barista and ordered a cup of Tapu Cocoa, taking a seat close to the counter while he dried himself off with a towel. The barista kept up a running conversation while all of this went on.
"This Tapu Cocoa is our specialty here. By the way, did you know the English word "taboo" may have its origins here in Alola? But I'm actually too lazy to check whether that's true or not, though." The barista admitted with a sheepish grin as he prepared the beverage, making Sun chuckle.
"The pun is pretty amazing." Sun agreed as the man added a little whipped cream to the top of the steaming hot beverage.
"I think so too! You know, I get a strange man in here sometimes. Loudmouth, real annoying sometimes too. Scares everyone else in the building. But he loves Tapu Cocoa and actually gives me a decent tip if I add a little extra milk to it." The barista explained, causing Sun to hum thoughtfully.
"I wonder if it's someone I know." Sun mused before shrugging. It wasn't anything he really needed to think about. Sun was also handed a Sweet Heart and some Poké Beans, the former of which he split with Hau and the latter he shared with his team. He was happy to learn that even Alastor enjoyed Poké Beans.
The rain had diminished somewhat by the time the duo had exited the Pokémon Center, and Sun and Hau continued on their trek to the Aether House. Sun made note of the strange black sand on the stormy beach below that was visible below and accessible via a soaked path.
The next section of the Tapu Village was a cliffside that allowed them to battle some of the local Pokémon hiding in the grass. Sun called out Finn and had him fight them, since he had an advantage in the rain. Hau checked the forecast for weather on his phone and noted that the weather would get cold enough for it to snow, with hail in particular being forecasted in a few days.
While training with Finn, Sun spotted a few Alolan Vulpix and even an Absol, which he knew were rather rare. However, the one that he spotted skillfully dodged Finn's Brick Break and fled the scene, which the boy found disappointing.
After another half hour of walking, the weather cleared up a little more and a large facility became visible. Considering the color scheme of the place, and that there wasn't much more to the Tapu Village according to Rotom, Sun assumed it was their destination.
"That looks like it could be the Aether House." Hau pointed out, his hands behind his head.
"Aether House? Izzz it part of the Aether Foundation? 'Cuzzzz I'll eat my 'Dex if its not!" Rotom chimed in from beside Sun under the umbrella. Sun looked down at the sign right at the foot of the steps and began to read.
"'Where Pokémon and people huddle together.'" Sun read aloud, taking in the rather large and somewhat intimidating building. Much like everything else the Aether Paradise built, the place itself was large and rather grand-looking. A large white building with a durable fence, marble steps leading up to the facility and something that looked completely state-of-the-art. Sun could only wonder what the inside was like, so he walked up the steps and entered the building proper.
Sun entered what looked like a waiting area, complete with a receptionist's counter. The room was immaculately cleaned, and definitely lived up to the name "Aether House". The sigil of the Aether Foundation was hanging from the wall right above the counter and the walls had a color scheme of white, light blue and dark brown panels. Several white and gold doors led to other areas in the building.
"Wait up, Sun!" Hau called as he followed Sun into the building. He then glanced around, bemused. "So, this is the Aether House, eh?"
"Dude, the sign just said...Never mind." Sun sighed, smiling at Hau as the boy gave him a wide grin. "I wonder where everyone is. They did say that they'd be here, right?"
"Strangers!"
Sun and Hau jumped at the sudden voice and turned around. Just then, two children burst into the room with a Yungoos at their heels, a determined expression on both of their faces. Sun and Hau both took a step back as the girl pointed at them and yelled, "This means battle!"
"What? Why!?" Hau yelped, trying to reason with the children. Sun was simply too bewildered to even think of a response.
The boy stepped forward, raising a fist into the air. "We'll protect our home when Acerola's away! Elekid, come on!"
"Yungoos, get 'em!" the girl called as he Yungoos suddenly flew at Hau's face, causing him to fall onto the floor. Sun called out Oliver, who joined them all in watching as Hau tried to fight off a Yungoos that was currently trying to claw out his eyes.
"Should we...help him?" Rotom Dex asked as Hau rolled around on the ground, covering his face so that the Yungoos couldn't claw his eyes out. As it was, the small Pokémon was definitely getting some good scratches in.
"Rotom Dex, I want you to record Hau getting mauled. It's for science." Sun instructed the device before turning to face the boy. "By the way, I'm Sun. What's your name?"
"I'm Hunter, and this is Kylee! We're going to kick your butts!" the young boy called, grinning as Hau finally threw off the Yungoos and called out Duke, the Alolan Raichu.
"Alright...that sucked. Let's do this!" Hau called to his Raichu as he looked at his Trainer's scratched face in confusion before shrugging.
"Oliver, try not to scare the kid too much." Sun said to the Dartrix as he took flight, hovering beside Sun. The boy was just grateful that the lobby of the Aether House was large enough for something like this.
"I promise nothing."
"Rotom, help me out." Sun asked the device, who beeped merrily and floated beside Sun with the appropriate entry.
"Elekid. The Electric Pokémon. When it's in a house, electrical outlets serve as its baby bottles. It sucks down electricity. This Pokémon is constantly fighting with Togedemaru that try to steal its electricity. It's a pretty even match." Rotom explained as Oliver ruffled his wings.
"Elekid use Light Screen!" Hunter called to his Elekid, who held out his hands as a shimmering light blue barrier flickered into existence around him.
"Oliver, use Pluck!" Sun called as Oliver shot towards the other Pokémon and easily passed through the barrier, slamming hard into the Elekid and sending him flying across the room, much to the surprise of Hunter.
"H-how'd that happen? I put up a shield?" Hunter stammered, completely surprised by this.
"An easy way to get around a barrier or power-up is to target what wasn't covered. So in this case, Light Screen protected you against Special Attacks, so I used a Physical Attack." Sun explained to Hunter as the boy recovered from his surprise.
"Alright! Thunder Punch!" Hunter called to his Elekid, causing the Pokémon to hold out his hands as electricity crackled to life. Oliver let out a piercing screech that made the Elekid hesitate, and even made Kylee and her Yungoos look over at them.
"Like I said, I won't promise not to scare anyone." Oliver said as Sun face-palmed, sighing into his hand.
"Just use Razor Leaf."
Oliver hooted with delight before releasing a wave of spinning leaves as Elekid kicked off of the ground to take the fight to Oliver. However, as the wave of attacks proved to be too much for the Electric Pokémon and he fell backwards towards the floor and crashed down hard, fainting. Sun looked over at Hau in time to see Duke knock out the Yungoos with a Thunderbolt. Kylee ran over to her Pokémon and healed it with a Revive she pulled out of her pocket.
Hunter stomped his feet angrily, huffing as he returned his fallen Elekid. "You, you! I tried really hard! I am a kid, you know!"
"Phew…" Hau sighed, keeping the Yungoos at bay with his foot. Considering how he had defeated it soundly with Duke, it was pretty easy to do that. "So I won, yeah? Then why's this little fellow still gnawing on me?"
"Grrrssssss!" the Yungoos hissed in response, not really answering Hau's question.
"~I'm ba-a-ack, everybody!~" sang a familiar voice, with Acerola skipping into the building holding two bags filled with groceries. She then burst into giggles as she walked past them all and set her bags on the counter. "Looks like I finished up my shopping spree right on time! You've already met everyone?"
"Oh yeah, we met all right...in battle, anyway." Hau remarked dryly, still trying to keep the Yungoos from eating him alive. "But...Hey, where's Lillie?"
"I left her with Hapu." Acerola explained, laughing a little. "She's taken the poor girl out for some sight-seeing around the Tapu Village. Lillie's been doing so much work lately between her research and that little...thing, Sun has her researching." Acerola gave Sun a pointed look, causing him to flush slightly.
"What thing?" Hau asked, confused.
"I asked Lillie to research something for me. I'll explain later." Sun responded, turning back to Acerola. "So when is she coming back?"
"They should be coming soon." Acerola said dismissively as she made her way into the kitchen and began putting away groceries. Hunter and Kylee rushed forward to help, and Sun and Hau pitched in too.
"This is a lot of stuff. Do you guys all just stay here?'' Hau asked with a laugh as he began to help unload everything. Acerola had been carrying more than the boys had thought, as the ground was covered in grocery bags. Sun assumed she had used an item capsule or two to contain the rest of the items until they could be put away.
"Everybody lives together with Pokémon here at Aether House." Hunter explained to Sun as he helped put away the milk in the fridge.
"The Aether Fun-day-shun pays for everything!" Kylee chirped as her Yungoos cried out happily in her arms.
While the older Trainers sorted out the groceries, Acerola explained what exactly the Aether House was. In short, it was the largest of the research facilities the Aether Foundation operated in Alola. It served as a testing area, base of operations, a research hub and more for Aether personnel on Alola. However, President Lusamine had also created the facility in mind to help those less fortunate in Alola and the Aether House also doubled as an orphanage, and this extended to orphans like Hunter, Kylee, and Acerola.
The Aether Foundation allowed the orphans to be taught, cared for and raised in the facility. Acerola had grown up in this house and had taken on the role as caretaker to the children, proudly boasting that she had helped many children recently get adopted. As of now, Hunter and Kylee were the only remaining orphans at the facility. The area consisted of several playrooms, a fully-stocked kitchen, several bathrooms and even a small heated swimming pool downstairs.
"An Oranguru named Headmaster is in charge of the facility in the absence of the Aether Foundation members that usually run this place. Between me and him, this place runs like a well-oiled machine." Acerola smirked, placing her hands on her chest.
"Acerola is the best!" Kylee and Hunter cheered, running to the girl in question and hugging her. Acerola burst into giggles, hugging the two children back. Sun smiled at the adorable display, though that did make him curious. Sun asked where the Aether Foundation members who usually ran the facility were at right now.
"They were actually all recalled to the Aether Paradise just yesterday. Apparently something big is going down and they need everyone." Acerola explained, shrugging. "They might not be able to come back to this building for a few months."
"Wow, that's serious...I hope Miss Lusamine is okay." Hau muttered, crossing his arms as they finished putting the rest of the food and supplies away. Acerola, who knew more than what she was telling them, remanded silent. Once they had moved back into the lobby, Acerola turned to Sun and smirked cattily, placing her hands on her hips.
"So why don't we get those Trials done first? You did know I'm the Captain, right?" Acerola reminded Sun, who smiled right back at her.
"Wait, what!?" Hau yelped out suddenly, causing everyone to look at him in sheer bewilderment.
Sun frowned and asked, "Hau, we've been over this. How are you surprised?"
"Hey man, I don't tell you how to live your life."
"I...You...Huh?"
"My Trial takes place at the abandoned site where the supermarket used to be. I'll wait out front of the Aether House to show you the way, if you'd like!" Acerola chirped, clearly excited to get the Trial underway and ignoring Hau's attempt to bamboozle Sun.
"I guess we can get it started now. Hau, you wanna come with?" Sun asked his friend, who shook his head with a smile.
"Nah, you go have fun. These ankle biters are starting to grow on me. I think I might hang out for a while. It's kinda soothing, you know?" Hau said as he picked up Kylee's Yungoos, which was now curled up peacefully in his arms.
"Yay! Yungoos made a friend!" the girl cheered, making Sun and Acerola smile fondly at the scene.
"Let me take care of a thing or two and I'll meet up with you in a few minutes. Shoo, shoo!" Acerola said cheerfully to Sun, who smiled and rolled his eyes and he walked out of the door-
And felt his heart drop.
"What do you think you're doing!? Stop it! Stop it right now!" Lillie shouted as a large member of Team Skull advanced towards her, eyes narrowed in annoyance. The girl was standing at the bottom of the steps, fear in her eyes as the thug cornered her.
"For real, girl!? Your bag was moving! Right in front of my eyes! And I'm just supposed to ignore that!?" the teen demanded, taking a step as he extended a hand towards Lillie.
"If you've got some rare Pokémon in there, I'm gonna have to take it and make some cash! Even if it's not that rare of a Pokémon, I bet I could still get paid, yo." The Team Skull Grunt chuckled darkly as he advanced towards Lillie, who took a step back with a soft whimper, moving the bag away from the young man. He called out his Drowzee, which leered at the girl as its eyes glowed blue.
"Now, hand over the bag. I'd hate for Drowzee here to hurt that pretty little face!" The Grunt laughed as Lillie felt the psychic power grip Nebby's bag and pull it towards the thug.
"GET AWAY FROM HER!"
The Team Skull Grunt blinked in surprise before he was shoved violently backwards, stumbling a few steps before regaining his footing. He looked back towards his supposedly easy target and found an angry Sun glaring him down, calling out Oliver as the Dartrix took flight.
"Sun!" Lillie cried out, a joyous smile on her face. The Team Skull Grunt scowled underneath his bandanna as Drowzee released his hold on Nebby's bag and focused his attention on Oliver, who looked at Lillie and then glared down at the teen, landing on the ground.
"You will not harm them." Oliver said coldly, his eyes taking on a wild gleam to them that made the Drowzee take a step back in surprise.
"So long as I'm here, none of you idiots are going to lay a finger on her!" Sun shouted angrily as the Grunt laughed, clearly not caring about the words a 12-year old were saying.
"Oh, so we're following that script, are we? A Trainer dashes forward to save the girl, huh?" The Grunt remarked, crossing his arms.
"You Team Skull jerks never learn your lesson!" Sun yelled as Oliver flared his wings, prepared to throw down. "Bring it!"
"I'm not gonna let you be the hero in this scene!" the Team Skull Grunt called, pointing forward. "Poison Gas on all of them!"
"Oliver, us Leafage to block!" Sun called as Oliver launched himself into the air with a flap of his wings, flapping them hard enough to release a whirlwind of leaves that collided with the cloud of hazardous gas, cancelling out the attack.
"Meditate, yo! Then hit 'em with a Pound!" The Team Skull member ordered his Drowzee, who shut his eyes and focused. Sun wasn't going to give them the chance to regroup.
"Fury Attack!" Sun commanded Oliver, with the bird shooting forward as his beak glowed white. He then proceeded to violently peck at the Drowzee four times with his beak before being blasted away by a Confusion.
"Razor Leaf! Finish it off!" Sun ordered Oliver as the bird landed on the ground, glaring at the teen and his Pokémon before flapping his wings hard enough for a massive wave of leaves to slice at Drowzee, knocking it out.
"This result...what's up with that!?" the Grunt yelped as he threw down a wad of bills onto the ground. He then returned his Drowzee, sighing in annoyance. "When I saw that adorable Drowzee, that was enough for me! Later!"
"Oh no you don't!" Oliver hissed, flapping hard with his wings to allow himself to catch up with the teen that was sprinting down the path.
"Oliver! Stop!" Sun shouted, causing the bird to halt in midair. He looked back at Sun, who stared him down, and then at the fleeing back of the coward that had accosted Lillie. Oliver sighed and flew back down to Sun, landing on the ground with his head down.
"Sorry…" Oliver murmured, only for Sun to pat him on the head.
"I totally get it. I was mad too. But we beat him, and he's running away. No reason to tear him limb from limb." Sun said with a laugh as he turned around to face Lillie, who was calming down a frightened Nebby in the bag.
"Phew...Thank you, Sun…" Lillie said gratefully, a soft smile on her face. "I just wanted to go for a stroll on my own, to see what it must feel like to be a Trainer...So Hapu and I went our separate ways...but then Nebby tried to get out of my bag…" Lillie explained quietly, shaking her head.
"Pew pew!" came the indignant reply from the said bag.
"Didn't you! Go on, you little troublemaker...You'd better thank Sun and Oliver, too!" Lillie said as she pulled out the Cosmog from the bag, causing Sun to laugh as the puffball flew up to his face to nuzzle him before flying down to do the same to Oliver, who smiled at the display of affection.
"You're welcome, little one. You really should listen to your mother, though." Oliver said to Nebby, who looked at Oliver for a moment before nodding and flying up to Lillie, cooing softly as it rubbed against her outstretched hand. Lillie tried to keep her expression stern, but it turned to a loving smile as she hugged Nebby.
"Pew!" Nebby cried out joyfully, content that it was both safe and out of the dreaded bag.
"I get that you're trying not to be a burden on others, Lillie, but you know it's dangerous around here. Especially since Po Town isn't all that far away. Team Skull is more dangerous than ever." Sun said to his friend, who frowned and looked away from Sun.
"I...I'm tired of always having to be protected by everyone, Sun. I'm so weak, and I don't want to be. Not anymore. I want to be more independent. Like you! Like Hau, and Hapu and Acerola! You're all so strong! And confidant!...And then there's me." Lillie trailed off, shaking slightly.
"We can work on that. But for now, with Cipher and Team Skull prowling around, you really should try and be more careful." Sun warned his friend, who sighed softly and remained silent for a few seconds before nodding.
"You're right. I'm sorry, Sun." Lillie mumbled, ashamed of herself.
"Nothing to apologize over. I'm just glad you're okay." Sun said with a happy grin, stepping forward to hug Lillie and Nebby. The Cosmog wriggled happily between the two humans it trusted the most in this world, and Oliver smiled at the heartwarming display.
"I have to protect them...All of them. Sun, Lillie, and Nebby too. I have to do better." Oliver thought, a determined gleam coming to his eyes as the two children separated. Lillie then gasped, snapping her fingers as she remembered something.
"Oh, and...um. When I was out shopping, I kept thinking about how I wanted to be some help to you during your Island Challenge...and then I saw these." Lillie blushed as she dug into her bag and handed Sun a small plastic bag containing five fancy black Poké Balls.
"Wow, Luxury Balls. Thanks Lillie! These are kinda expensive, aren't they?" Sun asked as he accepted the gift, grateful for Lillie's thoughtfulness.
"I bought them without even thinking!" Lillie exclaimed, clearly flustered as her blush deepened. Sun hugged her again, laughing at how embarrassed she was.
"Oh! Lillie!"
Sun and Lillie separated quickly, with Sun now sporting a blush as Acerola sprinted down the steps, concern on her face. She looked serious, however, and said, "I heard the sounds of fighting. What's the matter?"
"Team Skull. I managed to step them before they did anything though." Sun explained to Acerola, who released a sigh of relief, though she turned a concerned eye towards her younger friend.
"You look all worn out! Do you want to rest at Aether House awhile?" Acerola offered to Lillie, who seemed surprised for a moment. She smiled and nodded after thinking about it.
"Oh, Acerola...Thank you! I think I might take you up on that." Lillie said gratefully as Acerola fist-pumped. To their surprise, Acerola ran ahead, bouncing up and down the path.
"And you, Sun! We can reach my Trial Site from the Tapu Village. Come on, follow me!" Acerola said merrily as she bounded down the path, only to stop when Sun didn't follow.
"I think, considering recent events, I should hang around for a while before jumping into it. I'm worried about Lillie, and giving my team a few days to rest up and prepare for the Trial might be a good idea too." Sun explained to the Captain as she walked towards Sun, looking rather disappointed that her friend had reconsidered doing the Trial today.
"Sun, you don't have to postpone your Trial because of me." Lillie said quietly, frowning at her crush. Sun shook his head, looking towards the Aether House.
"It's not just you, Lillie, but…" Sun trailed off, trying to explain how he felt about what was happening. Acerola beat him to it.
"I totally get what he's saying. Team Skull has him worried, as well as all of the other stuff that happened a few weeks back. A lot has happened since you guys first arrived on this island all those weeks ago." Acerola remarked, bouncing slightly on her feet.
"Sorry…" Lillie mumbled, looking down at the ground. She felt so foolish. Not only did she run off on her own, resulting in Sun having to save her from Team Skull, but she was getting frustrated that Sun wanted to stay with her for a few days to make sure she was safe in a dangerous area.
"I just wish...I was strong enough on my own. Nebby can't battle and I'm no Trainer." Lillie said quietly, which made Sun grin in response.
"Well, how about this? Me and my team stay here a few days to keep an eye on things. We'll train a bit and strategize for whatever nonsense Acerola has planned for her Trial-"
"Hey!"
"-and during that time, we can train you and Nebby!" Sun suggested, which made Lillie's eyes go wide.
"R-really? You think that Nebby can do that? Or that...I can?" Lillie asked Sun, doubt creeping into her voice. Sun surprised her by walking forward and hugging her and Nebby, grinning widely.
"Of course! We'll get the training montage ready to go!" Sun laughed as Lillie giggled in his arms, feeling better already. Acerola debated taking a picture to blackmail them with later, but this diabolical thought was cast aside when Hau sprinted out of the Aether House clutching his phone, an expression of absolute horror on his face.
"Sun, your Dad captured Tapu Lele and attacked a bunch of people! And...a-and the entirety of the Aether Paradise has gone into lockdown!" Hau shouted as he made his way down the steps, his voice thick with horror.
"WHAT!?" Sun, Lillie and Acerola shouted in unison as they ran towards Hau.
"And Tutu...Tutu said that Kahuna Olivia thinks Borlath is going after President Lusamine next!" Hau said in a shaky voice, unable to comprehend what had been done. The boy looked like he genuinely had no idea what to do with the news he had received, so great was his distress.
Little did they know all things were about to get so much worse.
Meanwhile…
Aether Paradise
"Ma'am, the facility is secure."
"Excellent work, Faba...Let's see Ash try to enter the Paradise now."
Lusamine stood on the second floor of the compound, looking down at the empty dock down below. Security swarmed the Paradise, with several squads of Pokémon prowling the hallways and even the central compound that housed the Main Elevator and the Cargo Bay. Lusamine stood at the railing on the edge of the second floor, in thought.
"How goes the search for my lost flower?" Lusamine asked Faba, who winced.
"Ma'am, with all due respect we have bigger issues to contend with than your daught-" Faba tried to say, only for Lusamine to give him a cold look. There was nothing within the look but anger that ran as cold as ice. Faba took a step back in surprise, unnerved by the glare.
"Branch Chief Faba, we are at the cusp of changing the world as we know it. If we succeed in reaching the Ultra Space, then whatever Cipher has planned is moot." Lusamine scolded Faba, who slowly nodded in response.
"If you say so, ma'am. But with Regigigas, Shadow Perfect Kyurem, and who knows what else under his belt, we shouldn't underestimate such a foe." Faba warned the President, who didn't seem phased by this.
"Ashton couldn't hope to stand against the power of the Ultra Beasts...they would crush him and Cipher with ease." Lusamine scoffed, shaking her head. Beside her, she heard the two Aether workers that had been with her suddenly gasp in surprise.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that, President Lusamine," spoke a familiar voice behind her. Lusamine whirled around in time to see Amber Fontaine lunge forward, a dagger in each hand as she tore apart the two Aether Foundation members with ease, causing Faba to shout as the two men were cut down before their eyes.
Amber grinned maniacally at the two of them as another squad of APT members charged forward, calling out their Pokémon as Amber laughed, tossing a Poké Ball into the air. It exploded in a shower of light, revealing a massive yellow bird that had a shadowy aura around it.
"Is...is that a Zapdos!?" one of the Aether Protection Team members asked, taking a step back as Amber's Xatu teleported in beside it. Amber's smile turned darker, malice gleaming in her eyes as she prepared to do what she did best, with Shadow Zapdos screeching overhead. The entire building shuddered as the lights to the entire compound began to flicker as the power of the Legendary Bird began to assert itself.
"POWER...SYSTEMS...OFFLINE. EMERGENCY SYSTEMS, ACTIVATED. LOCKDOWN PROTOCOLS...DEACTIVATED." An automated voice warned everyone as Lusamine grit her teeth in frustration. While she had no idea how Amber had snuck into the facility while security was at its peak, now that the lockdown procedure had been deactivated due to the power overload, there was nothing stopping Amber from calling for reinforcements. There were several systems set in place to stop intruders from sneaking in via Teleport, and Shadow Sneak'ing to the Paradise from offshore was impossible. It would likely take months to fix the lockdown protocol completely, which certainly didn't help things considering one of the deadliest Trainers on the planet was about to strike them down.
"Attack her!" Faba commanded his underlings, who instructed their Pokémon to release a wave of attacks at Amber Fontaine. The Cipher Admin's expression became serious as she suddenly sprinted forward, leaping over several Pokémon attacks and weaving in and out of the wave of Pokémon before lashing out at the Trainers, dispatching them quickly with a series of brutal kicks and jabs, their protective gear no much for the state-of-the-art armor Fontaine wore.
Meanwhile, Shadow Zapdos cried out as lightning surged around its body, letting out a fearsome screech of fury and released a wave of black lightning into the air, only for Avis the Xatu to teleport into the air and use Psychic on the move, sending it towards the horde of Pokémon. The storm struck them all hard and fast, augmented by Avis' powers to do even more damage. To Faba's horror, he watched the Pokémon and the APT members drop within a matter of mere seconds.
"H-how…" Faba rasped, having only dodged the wave of lightning thanks to a timely teleport from his trusty Hypno.
"It really wasn't that hard. Your defenses are good, but I'm still...well, me." Amber shrugged, not even sounding the slightest bit smug about it. "I've been infiltrating bases and killing people for over ten years now. I've gotten pretty good at it."
"And you'll pay for every one of them...I'll never forgive you for what you did to my colleagues in Orre!" Faba snarled at the assassin, who simply replied with a smile. Faba placed a hand to his temple and said, "All available personnel, come to the 2nd floor of the main facility! There's been a-"
Amber was suddenly in front of Faba, having moved faster than he imagined possible in the mere seconds he had been speaking. Avis teleported in front of Faba's Hypno and hit it point-blank with a Shadow Ball, and then slammed into it with an Aerial Ace. Not to be outdone, Amber ducked a wild swing from Faba and kicked him as hard as she could in the chest, sending him flying backwards into the air before crashing hard onto the ground.
"Y-you...bitch!" Faba spat as he and his Hypno struggled to their feet. Faba coughed repeatedly, clutching his chest and feeling intense pain. "Yep...she definitely broke a rib there. Or four."
"You are not welcome here, Fontaine. Leave now!" Lusamine shouted as the assassin rolled her eyes at the demand, her eyes going back and forth between Lusamine and Faba. Mohn's Partner growled softly, his tails swishing gently behind him as the old Ninetales prepared to defend the Aether President. Lusamine calmed the Ninetales as she placed a hand on Fiaro's head, allowing her to use the Fox Pokémon's telepathy to touch Faba's mind.
"Faba! Secure the Ultra Spheres! Bring them all here!" Lusamine mentally shouted to Faba, who looked alarmed at what he was being told to do. "Just trust me! We're going to ensure Cipher never even thinks of coming to the Aether Paradise again!"
"O-of course Miss President, right away." Faba said with his mind as he placed a hand on his Hypno and teleported from sight, leaving Lusamine and the remaining APT members alone with Amber Fontaine.
"Whatever he's doing, it won't stop us. You have been busy, Madam President. Though you should know better than to try to stand against us." Amber remarked, twirling the knives in her hands. "It's fun finally letting loose again."
"As if I would let you run amok in my Paradise!" Lusamine snarled, calling out her Clefable. Cipher's Angel of Death offered Lusamine a cruel smile before gesturing with her hand, with Borlath stepping out of her shadow while holding the hand of Zorro the Greninja. Borlath stepped forward, looking at Lusamine in person for the first time in years. Lusamine did the same, taking in the sight of the boy who had grown up...and become a monster.
"He looks...tired." Lusamine noted with a twinge of sadness, noting the rings around Ashton's eyes and the darkness in his black eyes, showing the despair within. But then Lusamine remembered what she was working towards, and hardened her heart. This wasn't the same traumatized boy that she had nurtured into a strong Trainer. This was a man hellbent on saving the world from itself, and would do whatever it took to achieve peace.
It was such a shame that her own ambitions were so much greater. It was one thing to desire the entire world to change its ways.
It was quite another to dream of ascending into the depths of the infinite...And save those who dwelled beyond this miserable little planet.
"Ashton...Good to see you again." Lusamine said carefully, her smile gentle even as she considered the best way to kill the man who she had once safeguarded alongside her husband. She wondered for a moment what Mohn would think of all of this-
"No! Focus. Focus on getting Ashton out of my way, so that I focus on what really matters. I won't let him stop me from reaching the Ultra Space! I have to save them all!" Lusamine thought frantically as she crossed her arms. As this happened, dozens of Aether Foundation members began to surround the two leaders of Cipher. Borlath snapped his fingers and a platoon of Cipher Soldiers materialized beside him and Amber, armed to the teeth.
"You really don't want to have this fight, Lusa…" Borlath said as he unclipped a Poké Ball that Lusamine recognized, even after all of these years, and called out Damien. The Houndoom froze upon seeing Lusamine, his expression somber.
"I...I'm so sorry." Damien said quietly, shutting his eyes as Borlath placed a hand upon his head.
"Don't be." Borlath said quietly enough for Lusamine not to hear, but he raised his voice to say, "As much as I'd love to give you a hug and share a cup of tea together, I think we're beyond that right now."
"You have no one to blame for that but yourself. This facility is under lockdown, and you and your forces are not welcome here, Ash. Now leave. For the sake of what remains of our friendship, Ashton...Begone." Lusamine said to her longtime friend, now enemy. It was a tragic thing, some part of Lusamine thought, before her sadness was replaced by anger.
"Not happening. I want to know what's going on. I've turned a blind eye to your operation thus far, but I've learned enough to understand that what you're doing is not only a threat to my own plans...But to the world as a whole." Borlath said as he gestured to his Mega Crown and as Damien growled softly. "Don't make me hurt you, Lusa...What happened?"
Lusamine grit her teeth, knowing full well that Damien alone could decimate most of the Aether Foundation staff. That Houndoom was Ashton's was always his strongest Pokémon, and Ashton had never slacked on his Pokémon's training over the years. She knew that if her old friend could take down a Tapu, then Damien was still in top form. She had heard what Borlath had done to the Guardian Deity of Akala Island. That was simply on his own power.
With the might of Cipher and the Legendaries still under his control? Crushing Aether would be simple for him no matter what forces she brought to bear.
"What happened, Ash? What happened was that I lost everything!" Lusamine shouted, stepping forward, her voice breaking. "Mohn died in an experiment gone wrong, and then...No."
"No?" Borlath questioned as Lusamine took a shaky breath...before she became as calm and poised as ever. Borlath's eyes widened slightly as a bright red vein suddenly flickered across Lusamine's face for a brief moment before vanishing, making him wonder if he was simply seeing things.
"You don't deserve an explanation. You don't deserve anything from me! Not after what you've done. How dare you come here, you miserable fool!" Lusamine spat, her voice cold and dripping with venom. "I've struggled to keep everything together after my husband vanished into the Ultra Space! Lillie and Gladion had to grow up without their father while I handled the Aether Paradise on my own! But along the way, I realized just how….tantalizing the thought of there being another world out there is."
"Can you imagine the possibilities? This world is so...boring. Painfully dull, with terrible people running amok. Evil scurries throughout the land, Ash, and there's nothing we can do about it. But if there was another world out there, within our reach? Filled with amazing, beautiful creatures waiting to be saved?" Lusamine asked, her gaze becoming distant as Borlath's expression hardened.
"So, what? Your plan is to abandon this world and go to the Ultra Space? That's why you need your asset, right? Cosmog." Borlath summarized, his eyes darkening to red. "That sweet little girl is the only thing stopping you from causing interdimensional chaos, isn't she?"
"Yes, that is correct. If it weren't for that little brat, I would've-" Lusamine tried to say, but Borlath cut her off.
"The stories alone about the Ultra Beasts I heard growing up were horrific, Lusa. You don't know what kind of power you're playing with!" Borlath shouted, causing Lusamine to narrow her eyes in anger.
"This world is disgusting, Ash! You're living proof!" Lusamine barked at the Cipher Master, who shut his eyes, nodding in acknowledgement.
"I've become a complete monster over the past few years. What I've done is unforgivable." Borlath said quietly, opening his eyes and revealing two eyes as black as night. "That's why I'm capturing the Tapu, Lusa. I know what to do to make things right. All I need is to bring the Tapu together, for the first time in hundreds of years."
"What insane plan have you come up with now?" Lusamine asked, hoping that by asking she could stall for more time.
Borlath gave her a twisted smile and said, "Nice try, but I don't plan on revealing my hand quite yet. Nothing will stop me from making the Tapu submit to my will. Before long, I will be dead and the world will be at peace. As it should be. I'm a blight on this world, always have been. Dear Dad was right about me all along in the end, I suppose."
Lusamine glared at her former protégé, with some part of her wanting to shout at Ashton for daring to believe one word of what Ano Aupuni believed. On the other, she wanted Ashton to hurt for daring to get involved in her scheme.
"Your father was a bastard, and you're an idiot. Did you really think you could get the world to stop being so terrible? People will scheme, plot, and generally just ruin other people's lives for the sake of their own ambitions." Lusamine said to Borlath, who responded with a soft sigh.
"It shouldn't have to be that way though, Lusa. We have people in charge of protecting others who are weaker and more vulnerable. Politicians and authority figures who pledged themselves to the service of others. And yet all of them continue to allow such horrible acts to continually occur." Borlath shook his head in disgust of it all. "I had to take action. If the Pokémon League wasn't able to stand up to the evil in this world, then I would make them. I would do whatever it took to safeguard the future of this world. To protect the future of my son."
"Yes, yes, you're certainly the prime candidate for father of the year. It's a shame you did all of this for Sun. I'd understand your motivations better if it was for yourself or for power. But to keep doing this for a child that hates you is...just stupid, to be completely honest with you." Lusamine admitted, shrugging to herself.
"I did it because he deserved better than what I grew up with! You know everything Ano did to me, Lusa! Sun deserved better than that!" Borlath shouted, anger dipping into his voice. "Our children deserve that kind of future! I gave Sun everything he could have ever wanted!"
"And yet he still turned against you." Lusamine said quietly, causing Borlath to flinch. "My own children were like that as well, Ash. My little flowers began to rebel as they started growing up. Gladion became obstinate and fled after stealing one of the Type: Null Prototypes in an attempt to stop my plans. Lillie ran off with Cosmog in some misguided gambit to save the creature's life from my plans. You really can't rely on children being anything else than a migraine, Ash."
"Becoming a father was the greatest achievement of my life, Lusamine. And I still love Sun, even if he disregarded everything I've ever told him and cast me aside like everyone else." Borlath responded bitterly, his eyes taking on a dark red tinge. "But your situation is one entirely of your own making, like mine."
"If those ungrateful little brats simply kept to themselves in our Paradise like good children, I could have easily breached the Ultra Space by now! And they'll pay for shunning my love!" Lusamine shouted back at Borlath, who's eyes narrowed sharply.
"It's no small wonder that Lillie sounded terrified when I spoke to her the other day. You've lost it. After the shit you've been saying, you're the one who doesn't have the right to lecture me about being a bad parent!" Borlath shouted to Lusamine, who grinned at Borlath in response.
"Trust me, I'm well aware of the company my daughter has been keeping. Your child shines as bright as a star, now that he's able to follow his dreams. You really are quite pathetic, you know. You lecture me on thinking about my children's feelings when you've never once considered how Sun felt in that. I suppose we're both hypocrites, eh?" Lusamine remarked, her dark smile returning.
"Your husband would be ashamed of you...Laura hates what I became, and rightfully so, but you act like your actions are more justified than mine because what? You've got less of a body count? He'd be so disappointed in you. In both of us." Borlath said quietly to the President of the Aether Foundation, who opened her mouth to speak, but frozen when she realized something.
"Wait...what was his name?" Lusamine wondered, blinking once or twice. Trying to even think about her husband, the father of her children, became difficult for her. "It started with an M? My husband. I've forgotten his name. How odd...why can't I remember?"
Borlath looked at Lusamine with horror in his now-white eyes. "You...you f-forgot about...what happened to you?"
It was at that moment that Faba teleported into the area with six other APT members, each of them carrying a glass sphere the size of a basketball. The Branch Chief scowled at Borlath as he handed the Ultra Sphere to Lusamine, who stared down at the whirling mass of energy contained within. It weighed about two or three pounds in her hand, but was the size of a basketball.
The key to reaching the Ultra Space.
"It's fine...This will scare Ashton away. I only need to track down that miserable wretch of a daughter of mine and get back Cosmog. Then I'll have everything I need to finally save them all. All the energy I need to reach my dreams. So, with that being said…'' Lusamine whispered to herself as she smiled, an expression that made Borlath's blood run cold.
"Allow me to show you...The strength of my true children." Lusamine called to Cipher as, in unison, the Aether Foundation members that carried the other Ultra Spheres raised them into the air. As one, they threw the energy balls at the ground with all of their strength and shattered the Ultra Spheres. The strange mist-like energy began to drift upward into the air in swirling wisps before vanishing into thin air.
Borlath quirked an eyebrow in confusion at this sudden development, but then Damien suddenly let out a small whine. The Cipher Master looked down at his Partner and saw Damien was visibly distressed.
"Ashton, this was a mistake." Damien said in a low voice, crouching low as Avis began to shake uncontrollably in the air.
"Something is coming. The very fabric of reality is tearing itself apart!" Avis warned them as the air in front of them began to distort wildly, an intense pressure suddenly enveloping the room. Borlath looked wildly around the room as six small rifts of light tore through the air, glowing a faint white color. He turned his gaze to Lusamine, and was shocked at the look of sheer joy on her face as every single one of the rifts suddenly tore open, expanding rapidly as a massive glowing vortex opened into the Aether Foundation, kicking up a fierce wind as the pressure increased five-fold.
"What...are these!?" Amber demanded as she put away her knives and pulled out her shotgun, readying it for use. Borlath grunted as a shockwave of force blasted Cipher backwards, and Lusamine's laughter rang through the air.
"These are Ultra Wormholes. They are the single link our world has with the Ultra Space." Lusamine explained with a twisted grin on her face, gesturing wildly with her arms. "Long have they been a part of Alola's rich past, these rifts are a gateway to a realm of wondrous beings. And those beings answer my call."
"Come, my darling Nihilego!" Lusamine cried out as each of the six rifts shimmered for a brief moment. Then, to the horror of the two Cipher leaders, something began to emerge from the depths of the Ultra Wormholes. A strange white creature slipped out of each of the strange portals, and soon Cipher was staring at a strange-looking jellyfish-like monster that seemed to give off a foreboding aura. More and more of the creatures began to slip out of the portals, and upon entering their dimension the Ultra Beasts began to shudder and cry out, flickering in and out of reality itself.
"What...what the actual fuck?" Amber said in complete shock as the now dozens of Ultra Beasts hug in the air, drifting ominously. The other Cipher members were visibly rattled by the appearance of the Ultra Beasts, and Borlath's expression was grim.
"Welcome, my darling beasts!" Lusamine cried out, holding out her arms in front of herself as a tear of joy trailed down her cheek.
"BRRRRRRRRRR!" screamed the dozens of Ultra Beasts as they continued to flicker in and out of existence around them, shaking the entire facility with the force of their scream. Damien snarled at the monsters as they slowly began to advance towards Borlath and Amber.
"So this is what Lillie was so afraid of. I can feel their power. It's incredible." Borlath breathed, eyeing the jellyfish-like Pokémon with horror. He could feel a sense of wrongness in the air. Likely, a sense of alarm that the fabric of space had been torn apart by Lusamine's mad scheme tonight.
Borlath continued to stare up at the dozens of Ultra Beasts that radiated an otherworldly power as Lusamine began to laugh. Borlath looked at her as his eyes flashed red with anger.
"So...this is what your scheme is. You think I'll let you get away with this?" Borlath said as Damien crouched low, snarling at Lusamine.
"Is this so wrong, Ash? That these wonderful creatures get to be free from their hell? They just want freedom! Safe from the dangers that lurk behind them!" Lusamine shouted as one of the Nihilego drifted downwards behind Lusamine, raising a tentacle towards her. Lusamine grabbed it with a loving expression, smiling softly.
"Yes, my dears...Your mother is here. I will save all of you, with my love." Lusamine purred as the creature cooed, the toxic sludge dripping from the monster not bothering her in the slightest.
"Miss Lusamine! Stay away from that thing!"
Lusamine's eyes drifted over to the form of Miss Wicke, who was staring at her in horror from the sidelines. Lusamine's gaze narrowed at the assistant Branch Chief, cursing herself for forgetting that Wicke had been included in her order to recall all Aether Foundation members. Unfortunately for the purple-haired woman, the sound of her shout drew the attention of one of the Ultra Beasts, causing it to float closer to her.
Wicke noticed this and let out a scream, taking several steps back as the monsters above began to move through the air, drifting closer to the ground. Some of them even let out battle cries, their bodies erupting with a harsh red aura that reminded Ashton of Z-Power. He watched as Wicke tried to flee, only for her legs to completely give out on her. Borlath didn't blame her at all. This was all horrific, even after everything he had seen and done.
"To summon an army of monsters like these and think you're doing the world a favor...No, more like not caring who lives or dies so long as her goal is reached. That's what I became. Which means...Lusa's become a monster like me. Oh god, did I ruin her, like I ruin everything else in my life?" Borlath lamented, his eyes darkening with sorrow.
"Wicke!" Lusamine called out, surprised that one of her Ultra Beasts would try and attack one of her charges without her command. Lusamine realized her control over them, in this world, was still limited. Wicke shrieked as the nearest Ultra Beast drifted downwards, cooing eerily as it raised its tentacles and descended down towards her-
"NO!"
Lusamine, Borlath, Amber and everyone else were surprised when a familiar flash of light blasted through the room. A shining burst of flames suddenly struck the Nihilego from the side, tearing through the creature completely and causing it to fall slowly to the ground, disintegrating as it did so.
Everyone turned their heads towards the source of the shout, which happened to be a Aether Foundation member who had removed his cap and twirled a very familiar hand-cannon in his hands as he walked forward, a cold smile on his face.
"It's not a party without the Dashing Rogue of Hoenn, now is it?" Dawson asked as he charged up another shot of Justice. "Wicke, you alright?"
"Uh...yes! I think so!" Wicke responded, shaking slightly as she tried to keep control of her almost overwhelming fear.
"Get back and away from these things. I think it's time someone tried to talk some sense into these idiots." Dawson growled, stepping forward until he was in between Lusamine and Borlath.
"Dawson...You're alive!" Borlath said with some relief, grinning as his eyes flickered yellow.
"So we had a rat after all. Naturally. And Wicke knew of this. I should have taken care of her before things got so far out of hand." Lusamine thought, glaring at the woman who had been a dear friend to the family for many years now. She was now a liability and a risk, not to mention disloyal for allowing Dawson to remain within their ranks.
"No! You both stop this shit. Right. Fucking. Now!" Dawson shouted, his gun turning to Borlath and Lusamine both in turn. The tip of Justice glowed brightly, showing Dawson's clear intent to attack should either one of the Trainers step out of line.
"I have had enough! The both of you are being complete idiots about this! Do you have any idea how much damage your plans will cause? How can you be this selfish!?" Dawson demanded the two of them, with Lusamine barking a laugh.
"Rather hypocritical of you, Cipher Admin Dawson. Not too long ago you tortured a Champion because of her actions many years ago. Little Jamie wouldn't have approved of those actions, would he?" Lusamine countered, which simply made Dawson grin.
"Joke's on you, President Lusamine. I know I'm a bastard. But I also know when I've made a mistake. And I want to fix that mistake now, by getting you both to shelve the insanity and stop." Dawson said, looking at Borlath. "I'm doing what I should have done months ago, even if it cost me my life. Putting my foot down and saying enough is enough."
"Lusamine, you're delusional as hell and you're willing to risk an extraterrestrial invasion of super-powerful Pokémon just because you want to be with those things? Do you not realize how much destruction this shit could cause? How awful just their presence feels?" Dawson shouted at the Aether President, who didn't seem the slightest bit phased at the man desperately trying to get through to her. Dawson raised his voice, extending his words to the two Trainers with a literal army at their beck-and-call.
"Think of everyone else who's been hurt because of this shit! The innocents! The children! Your children, damn it! Think of Sun! Of Lillie and Gladion! Of the parents who've lost children because of your schemes, and the children who have suffered because of the family they've lost!" Dawson shouted desperately at Lusamine and Borlath, the latter of whom stared at his Admin with a gaze of sorrow. Dawson held Borlath's gaze for a few moments, his expression fierce.
"Damn it, man, I know you've been through hell! And this world deserves the kind of revolution you're pushing, but this ain't it, Borlath. This isn't what justice is...Please. Just stop. We can fix this. We can make things right. But we have to stop." Dawson said firmly to Borlath, with the Cipher Master remaining silent. Dawson turned his fury to Lusamine.
The Aether President offered Dawson a lovely smile and said, "Well spoken, Admin Dawson. But I'll save you the effort. There is nothing you, Borlath, Wicke, Gladion or Lillie can do to change my mind. I will save the Ultra Beasts. Whatever they desire, I will make happen. After all, a mother does what's best for her children." Lusamine remarked as Dawson shifted his aim to the Aether President.
"At least Borlath has the balls to at least be ashamed of what he's done. I know what the Aether Foundation has been hiding. The experiments. What you did to Cosmog. Faba's records aren't quite as hidden as he thinks." Dawson said as he twirled Justice in his hand, scowling at the Aether President.
Lusamine simply gave him a flat look. "If you think someone who used to be one of my closest friends couldn't talk me out of saving the Ultra Beasts and that you can, then you're the delusional one. I've had enough of this farce."
"Kill him!" Lusamine snapped her fingers, and the Nihilego suddenly swooped down, shifting in and out of reality as they did so. Dawson swore loudly as he took aim and fired Justice again and again, trying to keep the now swarming Ultra Beasts at bay, but they were too numerous and powerful.
"Damien!" Borlath called for the Houndoom, who bounded forward, only for three of the Nihilego to swoop forward and screech at the canine. Damien responded with a torrent of flames that made the monsters cry out in pain and move away, but even more began to swoop down. Avis, Zorro and Shadow Zapdos began to launch attacks at the Nihilego as they descended from above, obeying the command of the woman who sought their release.
Meanwhile, Dawson was visibly struggling against the tide of monsters, which were much stronger than he thought they were. A fully-charged shot from Justice could disintegrate one of them. Dawson didn't have the luxury of charging another shot, so the quicker partially-charged blasts from the hand-cannon only kept them at bay.
Lusamine grinned and gestured with her hand, causing one of the smaller Ultra Beasts to silently slink behind Dawson and lash out, grabbing his left hand with one of its tentacles. Dawson screamed as the tentacle tried crushing his hand completely, and Dawson felt a sharp headache began to form the moment he felt the toxic sludge from the Ultra Beast's tentacles touch his skin.
Lusamine enjoyed watching Cipher struggle against the horde of Ultra Beasts, but knew this couldn't last much longer. Even now, the Nihilego were drifting in and out of reality. The Ultra Sphere could only call them forth from the Ultra Space for a few minutes, even with so much of Cosmog's energy at their disposal.
Lusamine felt a pang in her heart as the beasts began to vanish one by one with coos and screeches. However, she did smile warmly as the beast currently struggling with Dawson suddenly flew into the air with the Cipher Admin dangling from one of its tentacles before flying into one of the Ultra Wormholes.
"Dawson!" Borlath shouted as the man screamed in terror before the sound was suddenly cut off. All around them, the Nihilego were vanishing one by one, with the six Ultra Wormholes shutting down all around them. Within the span of another minute, the room was back the way it was before, save for the poison coating the floor.
"Where is he!?" Borlath demanded, earning a careless shrug from Lusamine.
"Maybe sharing a hug with my husband in the Ultra Space. Or perhaps he's dead. Either way, I don't care!" Lusamine said breezily, grinning at Borlath and Amber.
"That was...horrifying. Those monsters are immensely powerful. Lusamine's a far greater threat than I could have ever considered. Now I understand, Lillie. You have a very good reason to be terrified of your mother's power." Borlath thought as Lusamine chuckled to herself.
"Now then...I can recall my lovely Beasts at any time now. Would you perhaps like to walk away, Borlath? Or shall we die together, within the depths of another dimension as my darlings ravage Alola?" Lusamine purred, her gaze becoming sharper as she raised her final Ultra Sphere into the air. Borlath stared at Lusamine for several moments, still horrified and shocked that Dawson had been dragged into the Ultra Space.
"Fall back…" Borlath muttered, earning a shocked look from Amber.
"Say what?" The assassin asked, stunned that such a command was coming from Borlath. In turn Borlath grabbed her arm, never breaking his gaze from President Lusamine.
"Fall back!" Borlath snarled, grabbing Damien's Poké Ball and returning the surprised Houndoom. "I won't risk losing myself to whatever the hell those things are...Not when we're so close to changing the world. To making things right."
"What about Dawson?" Amber asked, surprised. Borlath grit his teeth, lowering his head.
"Mohn was lost to the Ultra Space years ago. We never heard from him again. I don't see how Dawson can escape from the same fate." Borlath muttered, his voice thick with regret. Yet more blood was on his hands.
"This just means I was correct. The only way to make things right is to remove myself from the picture." Borlath thought bitterly as Lusamine handed the Ultra Sphere off to Faba and clapped her hands together.
"So wonderful of you to finally see sense. Do leave my darling children out of whatever mess you plan on making in Alola, would you? I'd hate for Lillie or Gladion to get hurt...Before they return to me what is rightfully mine." Lusamine said coldly, stepping forward as she flung the toxic liquid off of her hand carelessly, her smile never leaving her face.
"Damn it, Lusa...To think how the tables would turn like this. She's worse than I thought…" Borlath thought before looking at Amber and nodding as the assassin returned her Shadow Zapdos.
"You won't get away with this, Lusa. One way or another, your scheme will come crashing down all around you. I promise you this." Borlath said to Lusamine, his eyes flickering to black.
"Lillie can't hide forever. And what could you possibly do? No one trusts you, and you're so mentally unstable these days that you'll simply make things worse!" Lusamine laughed, gesturing with her hand. "Now go. Leave my Paradise and never return. Or I'll unleash my beasts again, and this time I'll have them destroy everything."
Borlath scowled as he placed a hand on Avis the Xatu, glaring down Lusamine. He then shut his eyes, sighing softly. "Farewell, Lusa. And I'm sorry."
Borlath and Amber teleported on the spot, with the squad of Cipher members fleeing as well. Lusamine walked over to the railing to see many of them leap into the water or hop onto Flying-types, which Lusamine thought was odd. She decided not to pay it any more thought and turned to the workers around her.
"Well, back to work everyone! Get to fixing the systems, as well as finding my little flower and our asset." Lusamine said firmly to the assembled group, earning a round of hearty cheers. All the while, Faba glanced around the room nonplussed at how the entire organization was back to normal. None of them were the slightest bit bothered by what had happened. It was eerie. As Faba began to dwell on that, Lusamine placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Faba, I need you on the front lines. Do whatever you have to in order to keep Cipher distracted. You're the only one clever enough to keep an eye out for Lillie and outwit Borlath at the same time." Lusamine said to the man, who stared at her in surprise. "Help me make the Ultra Space project a reality. And you will have the recognition you deserve...As well as the revenge you've been seeking."
"I...Well, you are a convincing woman, Madam President. I will begin my search anew and report back soon." Faba said slowly with a respectful bow, though inwardly Faba was cheering.
"Very well...If these bastards want a war, then we'll give them one!" Faba thought, a dark smile coming to his lips. "Let's see how that monster feels about hundreds of Ultra Beasts tearing apart everything he ever cared about! I'll become a national hero! Adored for ages to come!"
"Come, Branch Chief Faba. We have work to do." President Lusamine said quietly, her expression darkening. She walked past the horrified form of Wicke, who was watching the spot where her friend had been dragged into the Ultra Space by what Lusamine had called the Nihilego. As Lusamine and Faba walked over to the exit that led back to the mansion, the Aether Foundation President looked back at Miss Wicke and offered her former friend a terrible smile before turning her head forward once more.
Nothing would stop Lusamine from reaching the Ultra Space. Not Lillie. Not Gladion. Not Wicke. Not Cipher.
And certainly not Ashton Aupuni. Or Borlath, for that matter.
Meanwhile…
"Where...what the hell is this?"
Dawson pushed himself up off of the ground, which twisted and shifted beneath him, and took stock of the area he now found himself in. It was like a dark undersea cavern, except with a bizarre otherworldly ambiance that made the man shudder. Odd sounds echoed around him, and Dawson knew that he had to find a way out of there.
"L-last I remember...That monster grabbed me. Now I'm here…" Dawson muttered as he tried to stand, only for his left hand to suddenly spasm in pain. Dawson yelled out as he looked down at his hand, which was now turning bright green in color with eerie red veins flowing through it.
"That's where that thing grabbed me...It was poisonous. This is bad. This shit could kill me within minutes if it spreads, I bet." Dawson grunted as he drew Justice, which had thankfully survived the trip through the Ultra Wormhole. He looked down to see that his four Poké Balls were still on his person.
"As much as I wish they weren't here with me...At least I won't die alone in the depths of wherever this place is." Dawson thought to himself before he heard a familiar shriek. Dawson staggered upright, flicking his hand in an effort to get rid of the rest of the poisonous residue before wiping off the remainder on his uniform. He limped down the path, but it wasn't long before he encountered one of the creatures that had abducted him.
"Brr-rr-rr!" the monster crooned, drifting lower to the ground as poison dripped down from its tentacles. Dawson grit his teeth as more and more of the Ultra Beasts flickered into existence around him, with the man watching the monsters grow in number by the moment. After a few moments, the Dashing Rogue of Hoenn allowed himself a hollow laugh as he adjusted the brim of his cap. A somber grin graced the features of Dawson, as he realized that this was the end.
"Alright then…" The Cipher Admin...or rather, former Cipher Admin tossed aside his cap and raised his hand-cannon at the massive jellyfish-like creature that floated ominously overhead, shrieking. "Let's dance, you bastards!"
The Ultra Beasts descended onto Dawson as he charged up Justice, the weapon becoming a beacon of light within the mournful cavern. With a defiant smile on his face, Dawson made his final stand within the depths of the Ultra Space.
Not gonna lie, the thought of being trapped alone in the Ultra Space with the Nihilego, while poisoned by their neurotoxins, sounds absolutely horrifying.
Next time: Lillie trains with Sun and tries to be independent, Red has some Alola shenanigans, and Borlath loses all hope.
Q & A
From: Guest
Was I the only one that got chills down their spine at "The Light That Burns The Sky"?
Nope. It's an amazing song that fits the epic moment. Ultra Necrozma deserved a theme that fantastic.
From: fatwhiteguy
I think I've asked this before and you may have answered it, but why does it hurt Damien so much to mega evolve? It does hurt the pokemon during the transformation, but if they have a strong bond with their trainer it takes away the pain and based off their interactions they have a strong bond!
I haven't explained it in depth, but I will be explaining that soon. I have dropped some hints that it's not entirely related to Mega Houndoom's power being so intense that it hurts itself. Keep that fact in mind!
And that's another update down. Feel free to review and leave feedback on the chapter if you've enjoyed reading it. And as always, favorite and/or follow the story if you want to get updates, and if you want to ask a question do so in the review section below. Discord invites are available if you PM me on this site.
Take care and stay awesome!
Until next time, FlygonNick out!