The rescue gang have reached Aether Paradise in the dead of night, Gladion's Team Skull boat parked at the docks.
"Aether Paradise's harbor. We made it this far without running into any trouble. But I don't like how quiet it is. We all need to be alert at all times."
"But why would Lillie be here at Aether Paradise?" Hau asked. Gladion simply turned away.
"She just will be."
"Argh, this guy." Hau was not appreciating his secretiveness right now. "Fine, so what do we do now?"
"We'll take the elevator. It's risky, but it's the only way to get from floor to floor."
"You don't have a plan!"
"Shut up!" The blonde teen hissed. "This is a stealth operation. If you can't say something quietly, then don't say anything you Loudred." Hau grumbled from being called a Loudred as he crossed his arms. Rotom came out.
"Thizzz atmozzzhere... it feelzzz completely different from when we last came to Aether Paradise. Be careful everybody." Making sure that they used boxes to hide themselves, the teenagers sneaked around Aether staff until they reached the elevator. Gladion tried to press a button for the subfloor but it didn't work.
"Hmph, just as I thought."
"What?" Hau asked.
"Looks like outsiders can't use the main elevator to reach the lower levels. I was afraid this might happen but still... what a pain. We don't have a choice. We have to go up." Pressing the button for the main floor, the teens went up a level, which is where they met Faba.
"I, Edward Faba, am the Aether Branch Chief. The only one in the world, I'm irreplaceable. And here you come back... uninvited?"
"Like you don't know." Gladion retorted. "You of all people should know everything that happens in the Aether Foundation. Isn't that right, high-and-might Branch Chief?"
"Hee hee hee! Look at you... living out in the world hasn't been kind, has it? But I'm still not telling you anything! And you of all people should understand why... Gladion."
"Ash, you know why being a trainer is so great?"
"Why?"
"Because when you're battling, it doesn't matter if you're a kid or an adult. Everyone's equal in Pokemon battle." Faba simply laughed at Gladion's proclamation.
"Oh ho! Is that right? Is that what you think? So you wish to battle me? Branch Chief Faba? The man who is called Aether Paradise's last line of defense is to battle a mere child?!"
"I'm not the same person who left Faba. Bring out your Pokemon already."
"Hmph, so be it! Hypno, go!" However, as soon as he brought out his Pokemon, Gladion ordered,
"Zoroark, Night Slash!" Sending out his Illusion Fox Pokemon, the dark type attacked with purple glowing claws so fast, Hypno couldn't even react before being slammed into a wall, sliding down with a groan.
"A-already?!" Faba gasped as he saw his Pokemon having been defeated instantly. Turning back to Gladion, he yelped when Zoroark held Night Slash glowing claws to his face. "Aiyee! How could this be? By a mere child..."
"My age has nothing to do with my skill. You know what what I'm here for Faba." Trying to recompose himself, Faba looked displeased as he conceded defeat.
"In-indeed. The world truly hasn't been kind to you, has it? Look how hard it has made you. If you're looking for Cosmog, I suppose it might be downstairs."
"What do you do down there?" Hau asked, to which Faba shrugged.
"Experiments to reach a world different from Alola. That's what I've been told, yes."
"We're in a hurry Faba. A lift down would be nice." Gladion pressed.
"Why not? This is an act of kindness I can do for you thanks to my position as Branch Chief." Taking a card from his pocket he swiped it through the module which dinged.
"Let's go." Gladion said as he nodded to Zoroark, whom backed away from Faba towards its master, and when the emo pressed a button, they went down two floors. What they didn't see after going down was Faba smirking. Upon reaching the floor, Gladion looked around. "Everything looks the same. I guess it's only been two years though."
"Wow, it's like a secret hideout!" Hau was impressed, but Misty reminded him,
"We need to keep focus Hau. We can't be distracted."
"I guess it's better than freezing from fear or nerves." Gladion sighed with a closed eye and smile.
"Yeah. So where do we go now?" Hau asked the leader of this operation.
"We go down that hallway to our right. Me and Misty will check the first lab while you two go down to the second lab further down the hall."
"Why do you get the first lab? And how do you know everything here?"
"Just focus Hau. Think you can do that? We can't trust Faba. I'm sure he already told half the foundation about us."
"You didn't answer my question. I know what it is. Nerves, eh? I reckon you're more afraid to be here than any one of us, huh Gladion?"
"Hau, we can't afford to fight amongst ourselves here." Misty quietly scolded the native boy. "Lillie must be scared than all of us. Let's just get this over with."
"And that's why Misty's coming with me." Gladion stated. "She's the least annoying of you three."
"Hey!" Hau took offense to that.
"Come on Hau, we don't have time." Ash took hold of his friend's collar and dragged him towards the hall.
"Wha-Ash! Come on!" Hau complained. When they tried going down that hall though, three masked employees stood in their way.
"Intruder spotted! We shall protect our labs!" They then sent out an Alonan Muk, Magneton and Porygon 2.
"Hawlucha, I choose you!"
"Incineroar, let's go!"
"Go Staryu, my steady!" With their super strong Pokemon, it didn't take long to overpower the staff of the Aether Foundation.
"So it appears we have lost. But don't think it'll be easy from here on out. If you kids want to find Cosmog, you'll have to beat everyone here. Cosmog is the key to Ultra Wormholes after all."
"How?" Hau inquired.
"That's for you to find out on your own." The three went past them to get to the elevator.
"Right. Misty and I will check the front lab. You two go to the back as discussed." Hau rolled his eyes but this time obliged as he followed Ash to the second lab. Bringing out his Pikachu while they were at it, the two trainers and five Pokemon stepped up to the lab sneakily, nodding, and Ash opened the door so Pikachu could run inside.
"Thunderwave!" Hau ordered.
"Pikachuuuu!" The electric Mouse Pokemon yelled as two people were shocked and then fell to the ground. Heading in where they saw two twitching employees, one of them questioned the situation.
"Ki-kids? Wha-what are you doing here?! Don't touch anything!"
"This is important research!"
"We don't need your research. We're just looking for Cosmog." Ash told them.
"That's the same thing!" The woman complained.
"Then where's Lillie?!" Hau yelled.
"We're not going to help you. You're not getting anything from us." The man told them.
"Alright then." Ash shrugged as he nodded to Hawlucha. The wrestling Pokemon went and chopped at their necks, rendering them unconscious but otherwise fine.
"I'll check out these walls. You check the computer. Maybe we'll find a clue!" Hau suggested. Ash nodded again as he went and sat down at the computer and read what was currently on screen.
"Aether Report: Cosmog. Cosmog is hypothesized to be a type of Ultra Beast that hails from another dimension. A dimension that we have named Ultra Space. When placed under sufficient stress, it reveals the power to create and open Ultra Wormholes in order to escape from its suffering. We are now working on a device that will allow us to manipulate the Ultra Wormholes created when Cosmog is under extreme stress."
"That's terrible!" Hau gapsed. "They can't treat Nebby like that! And also, Nebby might be an Ultra Beast?! We should tell Gladion about this!" Heading out of the lab, Ash and his Pokemon followed and met up with him and Misty.
"Did you find anything?" The blonde teen questioned.
"We learned a bit about Ne- I mean Cosmog. Like it might be an Ultra Beast capable of opening Ultra Wormholes if put under tons of stress. Likely to run away."
"Was that why she ran away with Cosmog?" Gladion wondered as he placed a hand on his chin, contemplating. "She always was too nice."
"We didn't find either of them down here, and it looks like you didn't either, so this floor was a dead end." Misty pointed out.
"Yeah, Faba knew that."
"Not that it matters." Ash said. "We've been doing pretty good holding them off, so as long as we keep our momentum and stride up, we'll find the two in no time."
"Yeah, teamwork!" Hau cheered. "Might as well see it to the end together!" Gladion merely sighed as he went to the elevator.
"Hmm, I wish there was a more effective way to find Lillie, but it seems like brute force is the only thing we have as a plan of attack."
"Yeah, it's like one of those superheroes in the movies said." Ash chuckled. "He said, "I have a plan: Attack."
"Oh yeah I love Lairon Man!" Hau laughed. "Those movies are so awesome!" As they went to the elevator Misty added,
"Yeah I always sort of associated myself with Black Ariados. She's such a cool spy."
"Captain Unova fan here. And here I thought you had a thing against bug types." Ash chuckled.
"It's the actual Pokemon I'm afraid of!" The redhead defended herself. "I don't mind people in cosplay as much and even then the costume may be creepy depending on the Pokemon!" After a moment of silence, the three started laughing at this welcome moment of levity. They soon met up with Gladion whom took them to the first floor. Three employees tried to ambush them there, but they were handled with before they even had chances to send out their Pokemon.
"You know, we aren't friends, but I am glad the three of you are here." Gladion admitted. "I remember what you said at the Battle Royal Dome that day Hau. About how people can help achieve more if they do something together. Looks like maybe you were right." The native boy just laughed.
"Young master." Riley Wicke greeted them, especially Gladion as she approached. Hau looked back and forth between him and her before gasping,
"Wait, what do you mean young master?!"
"It's been a long time. Hello you three. Let me heal your Pokemon who need it." Checking each of their Pokemon, Gladion asked her,
"What happened to Lillie? Do you know anything?" The woman frowned as she responded,
"I... imagine that she is with the president."
"Then that's where we're going. That's all we need to know."
"The president? That's Miss Lusamine, right?" Hau remembered. "She's a really nice person, so I'm sure she'll listen to us if we explain everything." Gladion was the one this time to particularly frown.
"Yeah, she is real nice... as long as you mean nothing to her." The others felt dread from what that could mean.
"But I'm afraid the doors have been locked." Wicke told them.
"Again?!" Hau gasped again.
"That won't stop us. Follow me." Gladion ran to where he knew where Lillie would be, followed by the rest of the others. The way though was blocked by Faba with three men next to him.
"My my... what naughty children. You should just lay your heavy heads down."
'Hey, we're not babies!" Misty remarked with annoyance.
"Regardless, I could see every action you would take. I knew you would eventually try to reach the president. And that is why! I knew I could ambush you all in front of the mansion where the president remains, and remedy my previous failure! The only reason I let you down the lower levels was to buy time and gather more staff to stop you all!"
"Wow, you're so nice!" Hau complimented Faba, which confused everyone, including the Branch Chief, though he just simply laughed it off.
"W-well... of course... I am such a wonderful Branch Chief after all!"
"We didn't even ask where the president was, and you just confirmed it for us! So the president is up ahead, huh? Thanks, now we know where to find Lillie and Cosmog!" Ash and Misty chuckled while Gladion smirked.
"What?!" Faba then realized his grave mistake. "E-enough! You lot! Teach these children a lesson!" However, despite having backup, the employees had no chance, especially when Ash brought out Mudsdale to handle an Electabuzz, Magmar, Manectric and Houndoom. This allowed all the other Pokemon to focus on any other ones opposing them. Faba soon found himself trapped by many Pokemon, scared for his life.
"We're going to save Lillie now. You don't mind, right?!" Hau said with a smile, but sounded forebodingly threatening at the same time. Faba grimaced before handing the key over. "Thanks Mr. Faba! You've been a big help!"
"Ugh, this is why... this is why I can't bring myself to like children." The man stated. However, what stood on the other side that shocked all but Gladion was that a bunch of Team Skull members were hanging about here, with Guzma at the end in front of the mansion.
"Ah, there's a lot of them here!" Misty gasped.
"There must be like an uku billion Team Skull thugs in this place! So the foundation really was working together with Team Skull?! That's like way too mind blowing right now!"
"Then let's just push on threw!" Ash suggested as he jumped onto Mudsdale. "Get on!" Once they were on, Ash ordered, "High Horsepower!" Glowing, the Draft Horse Pokemon charged, taking a lot of grunts off guard as they were bashed away screaming by the 1 ton horse. Their Pokemon followed, beating back anything trying to hinder their progress. They reached Gladion just as Zoroak lost to Golisopod.
"Alright Guzma, you better let us pass, or we're going to bring out every Pokemon we have in our arsenal just to make you step aside." Ash warned. "We're not playing around so we can save Lillie." Knowing he wasn't lying, Guzma smirked as he returned his Golisopod.
"Looks like I've got no choice. One guy facing four trainers with nearly full and healthy teams? I know when the odds are too much, even for destruction in human form. Y'know, I kind of liked you, kid. Leaving home like that trying to get stronger. You had some real guts. Going so far as to take over Team Skull. And rejecting your own mother?! That was impressive!" Gladion just looked away with a conflicted face as Guzma stepped aside.
"Go on through then." He and the other trainers and their Pokemon entered the mansion. And the first people to greet them inside was the Ultra Recon Squad.
"It has been a while since we've last met." Captain Phyco greeted them. "I do not know if you have learned anything more about the Blinding One, but it seems we might now have the means of doing what we came to do. If a Pokemon caught in a Pokeball can be made to obey the orders of the one who catches it, then we should be able to control Necrozma! Pokemon that are caught are loyal to the trainers who hold them. It should be the same for Necrozma. So we will need you to leave us in peace so that we may do our job."
"You're wrong!" Ash called them out. "Pokemon are loyal because trainers prove they are worthy of such devotion! A Pokemon won't be loyal if it hates its owner."
"Captain Phyco, they only seem to be concerned for Cosmog's safety." Soliera told her superior. "And they are able to use Z-Moves, the power of the Blinding One."
"Are you suggesting that we rely on children?" He asked incredulously. "To stand against the wild fury of Necrozma? Is it not kinder to them to stop them here, rather than send them against that thing?!"
"Hmm." Thinking about it, Soliera nodded as she stepped forth.
"I will battle you with my Poipole."
"Alright, but this is ultimately going to go real bad for you." Ash shrugged.
"Go, Poipole!" As soon as she summoned her Pokemon, Ash pointed towards the door and ordered,
"High Horsepower!" Again glowing, the ground type began to rear up.
"Use Poison Jab!" The needle on the top of its head began to glow purple, and tried to attack its opponent, but Mudsdale was so strong and heavy with her super effective move, the tiny beast cried out as she was bashed aside, smacking into Soliera's head, thus knocking her down with a pained grunt. Mudsdale smashed through the door, leaving the two recon squad members behind.
"Gah! Our expertise when it comes to Pokemon battling are so terribly insufficient!" Captain Phyco complained.
Lillie stood in front of her mother, not backing down even though her mom had both an intimidating height and power advantage. The stare off was inturrupted when Mudsdale barged into the room, stopping to let the trainers off.
"Lillie!" They all called out to her, the two females of the room surprised by their abrupt arrival.
"Gladion?!" The blonde girl was shocked to see her brother along with the rest of her friends.
"Ah, it's you three. It hasn't been a long while since we last saw each other, right?"
"You all came?!" Lillie uttered. "You all actually came to help me?"
"Of course. Team Skull took you from us." Ash answered. "We weren't going to let that slide." Tears streaked down Lillie's cheecks as she mumbled while lowing her head,
"Thank you... thank you."
"So you're all familiar with each other?" Lusamine asked. "Gifted trainers like them, and they bother with someone like you? How disappointing."
"I don't need your approval mother! Or your permisson! I will save Cosmog!"
"My, you do say such incomprehensible things." Her mother shook her head while shrugging. "Calling me mother? I don't have any children! Certainly not any wretched children who would run off and reject my love!" Lillie appeared shattered by that, and her friends gasped from such a proclamation. "So tell me how you will save that Pokemon? What can you do Lillie? You failed to convince me to listen to you. You don't even have the strength of a trainer. The only thing you've done on your own is steal someone else's research material!" Lillie lowered her head while Gladion snarled as he clenched his hands into fists. Lusamine turned away from her daughter, walking to a mirror. "It's so terribly unattractive. But know that my fathomless love will save even someone like you... when I protect this world from darkness!"
"Protect this world? Mother... what are you trying to do?! Is that why you want Nebby? Is that what you would sacrifice Cosmog for?"
"That's right. I will force Cosmog to use its power, and it may very well die. But if it will save the world for all of my beloved Pokemon, then that is what I will do." Pressing a button, the mirror disappeared to show a single person warp panel. "Lillie, I will be using the Cosmog you stole for a great purpose. You have kept it safe until now, and for that... I thank you." With one last grin, she disappeared in a flash.
"Mother! Ash... I really am happy you and everyone else came to save me... but... but I... I want to save Nebby, but I don't know what I should really do!" Lillie fell to the floor on her knees, crying as she hugged herself. Ash stooped down and hugged her close, which resulted in both Gladion widening his eyes and Lillie becoming quiet.
"Don't worry. I'll save Cosmog. I promise." Standing up, Ash went to the teleporter, and followed Lusamine, along with his Pokemon. Once Ash was in the same room as Lusamine, along with his Pokemon, Lillie, Misty, Hau, Gladion and all of their Pokemon since they can't be returned due to the pokeballs being empty and thus jammed, the group looked around.
"What... what is this place?" Lillie asked, growing nervous.
"If you want to see, you'd better hurry! This way!" The Aether president called up ahead. Stepping up to Lusamine, the president of a company, a mother, she was surrounded by rectangles of ice. "What do you think? It's my private collection. My precious babies. They will all be preserved for eternity here.
"My god." Misty uttered, he eyes wide with horror.
"This can't be..." Hau shuddered.
"No." Gladion was aghast with what he saw. Lillie and Ash were left speechless as they saw Pokemon... frozen in a cryogenic freeze! A slowpoke, a Pyukumuku, a Pikachu and others. Lillie shook her head in disbelief.
"But if the light is stolen from this world, then I won't be able to love my babies any longer. So I will open the Ultra Wormhole and take on the Pokemon that would steal our light! I will capture even poor Necrozma!"
"Lusamine, please." Gladion spoke up, his fists shaking as he looked down. "Don't open the Ultra Wormhole! We can't lose anyone else! Not like we lost father!"
"Do you think I've forgotten?! As if I could forget what happened that day. I hate the Ultra Wormholes from the depths of my being. But that is why I will be the one to go! I will not let anyone stop me! Not even my own daughter and son!"
"Wait, they're your children?!" Hau realized... well after everyone else already got the clue if they didn't already. "Wait, you're all a family?!"
"You must be the slowest person when it comes to realizing something." Gladion growled in irritation.
"Perhaps we once were, sweet Hau. But those wretches beside you left me." She turned against them. "But I will still save them. With all the endless love of the president of the Aether Foundation, as someone tasked with the protection of all Pokemon, I was able to open the Ultra Wormhole using just the gases we extracted from Cosmog when it was in Aether Paradise, wasn't I? And now I have Cosmog itself inside this crate here. If I use its whole body, I should be able to control the Ultra Wormhole."
"Please... stop..." Lillie begged. "If Nebby isn't... if you make it use up so much of its power, you don't understand what will happen! Like when we ran away from Paradise, it couldn't even more for ages after that. If you use too much of its power it could die!" The president lowered her head, her eyes closed.
"I... I am Lusamine Hartley." Going to a control panel, she pressed some buttons and the machine activated. Nebby cried out from inside the crate just before an Ultra Wormhole began to form. Everyone was tense, except for Lusamine whom was smiling in anticipation, but she lost it when the hole failed to form and went away. The president shook her head.
"Oh? You're trying to resist, aren't you Cosmog? But why? For Lillie's sake, perhaps? How gallant of you. You love Lillie, don't you?" Looking down to her children, their mother giggled. "Perhaps Gladion and Lillie have both grown up a bit since leaving Aether." Her face then went from warm to ice cold in an instant. "But I still won't allow them to interfere with this. If I am going to protect the Pokemon of Alola, I must go through with the Ultra Wormhole and meet this Necrozma! I will open the way. No matter what. I'll ensure it can't resist any further!" Guzma entered the picture, but nobody else acknowledged him as they were all in shock of this. Lillie was constantly shaking her head while Gladion stepped up.
"Mother, if you disappear too-"
"Oh, now you worry for me? Fine Gladion. I will do what I must to put your worries to rest. By demonstrating my strength in battle. Ash." The trainer flinched upon being called out. "Yes, you. You will battle me. Your progress of everyone has been the most impressive. If I can defeat even you, then that should silence any objections of my goals."
"Ash, be careful." Misty told her friend, concerned for him. He gulped.
"I know."
"Alright then, let's get this over with. Clefable, go!" She sent out a pink winged star shaped, fairy like Pokemon.
"Mudsdale, you're up!" Walking in between Ash and Clefable, the battle has begun.
"Clefable, use Moonblast!
"Use Heavy Slam!" Since she knew she couldn't outpace the attack, the Draft Horse Pokemon braced herself as Clefable charged up a pink orb of fairy energy, and threw it at Mudsdale which exploded upon impact. However, a glow could be seen through the smoke, and galloping out of the smoke came a powerful horse surrounded by a silver aura. Clefable was surprised to see the Pokemon withstand her attack so easily, so she didn't have time to get out of the way and got crushed by the 1 ton Draft Horse, screaming from the sheer weight on her.
"Clefable, come here!" Lusamine recalled her fairy type, whom had to crawl over behind her. The president then growled. "Tsareena, go!" A bipedal, plant like Pokemon was brought out, looking like a purple and white dominatrix with wide hips, long legs and green hair.
"Mudsdale, come back! Hawlucha, it's your turn!" Returning to Ash's side, the Wrestling Pokemon went forth and flexed to show he was ready.
"Stomp Hawlucha down!"
"Acrobatics!" It was a good thing Ash said only that, for if he said anything, Hawlucha wouldn't have had the time to evade the incoming foot of the Fruit Pokemon.
"Trop Kick!" Actually being able to keep up with where the fighting/flying type is, she jumped up into the air, and delivered a strong kick that countered an incoming fist from Hawlucha, petals from the Trop Kick being blown away. However, the strong physical strength of the Wrestling Pokemon along with using a super effective move gave Tsareena moderate discomfort as she hissed with pain.
"Grab hold and use flying press!"
"Hawlucha!" The Wrestling Pokemon shouted as he grabbed her leg to draw the grass type close, and hugged her as they started to go down with a spinning piledriver. Lusamine was not expecting that as the two Pokemon slammed into the floor so hard it broke apart. With Tsareena defeated, Hawlucha placed a foot on her body, smiling and flexing in his victory. Picking up Tsareena, he threw her off the battle field.
"Grr, return!" Lusamine growled. "Lopunny, go!" Sending out a humanoid rabbit with another pair of strong legs along with big ears, each trainer ordered,
"Thunder Punch!"
"Flying Press!" Hawlucha was again the faster to leap up, but Lopunny wasn't too far behind as she charged up a fist with crackling electricity, and when the two eventually collided, the clash of energy between the two created an explosion. Both Pokemon fell to the ground hard on their sides or backs, struggling to get up from being dealt a lot of damage on both sides and groaning in pain.
"Ice Punch!"
"Brick Break!" Once they got up, their respective left hands glowed white and bright blue respectively. And within a flash, their fists collided again with another shock wave from the power they had before another explosion enveloped them. The two Pokemon flew towards their trainers, crashing onto their backs totally knocked out. Ash went to Hawlucha, and picked him up. "You did great Hawlucha. You deserve a good rest." His Pokemon nodded with a hum as he was placed with the others.
"Bewear, go!" Lusamine sent out the same black and pink bear that martial artist from a short while ago had. Ash nodded to himself.
"Mudsdale, let's try to beat this one." Clopping to the spot she should be, Ash ordered,
"High Horsepower!"
"Double-Edge!" The president demanded. Glowing with white energy before charging with a white trail, the Strong Arm Pokemon put all she had into her current attack just as Mudsdale was doing, galloping with her own respective energy. However, as mighty as she was, Bewear's strength was on a whole other level as she rammed into the ground type with such force it completely negated the Draft Horse's momentum and caused the Pokemon to spit saliva as she was in so much pain. Flying back a bit before smashing into the ground, Ash looked down as his partner and sighed.
"Thank you. You've done a good job. Rest up with the others." Snorting in defeat, Mudsdale hobbled over to the others, nearly at the point of collapse until she was out of the way. "Primarina, I choose you!"
"Double-Edge, again!" Even while suffering recoil damage, the normal/fighting type made another charge, bashing herself into Ash's water starter. She screamed as her hair came loose and tumbled across the ground until she was nearly at Ash's feet. However, Primarina was not done as the water/fairy type pushed herself up out of will, and a blue aura surrounded her.
"That's Torrent." Misty recognized it. "Ash, do it now!"
"Okay. It's time Primarina!" Ash counted on his Pokemon as he began to perform a Z-Move with his Pokemon. "Hydro Vortex!"
"Thrash." Lusamine calmly ordered, thinking that they wouldn't complete in time. But Primarina was determined, and singing a chilling note, she shot forward like she was using Aqua Jet, and managed to not only catch Bewear mid attack, but overwhelm the Pokemon as she got caught in the Hydro Vortex until it exploded outward. Bewear crashed into the floor, defeated while Primarina and Ash stood, victorious.
"Hmph, get over here." Lusamine pointed to the back where her defeated Pokemon rested, which is where Bewear crawled to.
"You are indeed strong, Ash. But your luck has ran out. Milotic, go!" The president finally summoned a beautiful water type snake with a colorful tail and a cream colored main body. "With this Pokemon, now you absolutely can't beat me. I'll show you. Rain Dance!" Humming a note, Milotic started to conjure up some rain by making clouds appear and droplets began to fall.
"Come on Primarina, this is our chance! Sparkling Aria!" Singing in her harmonious voice, the Soloist Pokemon formed an especially big ball of water which she launched towards Milotic. Lunging forward like a spear, Milotic pierced through the ball and came out out it mostly okay.
"Hyper Beam." Opening her mouth to gather orbs of energy gathering into one main orb, the Tender Pokemon fired a truly powerful blast that Primarina was simply too tired to get out of the way, resulting in a massive explosion against Ash's starter.
"Wait, Primarina is already really weak. Why not go for a Hydro Pump or something?" Hau wondered.
"Because she wants to prove a point." Misty started to explain. "She's so confident Milotic will beat the rest of Ash's team that she's willing to power up his Pokemon for his next turn and let him have a free one right after that. Then she'll use recover to make whatever damage he's done irrelevant. She's giving him advantages to show even with them Milotic is unstoppable."
"That's pretty scary." Hau gulped.
"Just like a businesswoman." Gladion shook his head. "If something is in her way, then she'll crush it without pulling any punches. Her heart now is cold and empty, despite being a good mother before." Once Ash made sure Primarina was carefully sidelined to rest up, Ash sent out a Pokemon none of them were expecting.
"Charjabug, I choose you!" All of his friends wondered why he went with Charjabug. Sure, it has a type advantage but it's so much weaker to Milotic it would seem absurd to win in this situation.
"Oh my, now how are you going to win with that little bug there?" Lusamine laughed, until he said in response,
"Thunder." Now, the move is good and powerful, but its accuracy is left to be desired... that is unless it's raining, which it is now. Everyone gasped as the little bug/electric type shot a charge of lightning into the clouds, until it started to rumble and soon a similar bolt crashed down on Milotic, screaming with how much that hurt.
"What! You'll pay for that!" The Tender Pokemon tried to move, but a crackle of electricity stopped her. "Paralysis?!"
"Yeah! Lusamine, it's about time I show you you do not mess with me and my friends! Thunder!" Sending another attack into the clouds, it didn't take long before Milotic was hit by another lightning bolt, howling in agony by the attack until she couldn't take it anymore and fell, both her and Lusamine Hartley defeated.
"Woo! That's how you do it!" Hau cheered at the success of his friend.
"You did it Ash!" Misty celebrated along with her Eevee.
"Eevee!"
"We won Charjabug! You really came through!" Ash laughed as he picked up his Battery Pokemon which began to chatter in response.
"Wow." Gladion was taken aback how he managed to turn a situation that would feel like certain defeat into victory. Ash has come a long way from where he began. Even Lillie could see that as her lips trembled before becoming a smile. Guzma was stupefied. He for sure believed that he was the strongest in Alola, but even he felt that Lusamine was a woman not to be trifled with when he first met her. Someone to take seriously if one doesn't want to be crushed under her heel. And yet this upstart from a different region beat essentially his own boss. But the person who was shocked most of all was Lusamine. At first, she stood there motionless. Then her hands turned into shaking fists, slowly bringing them up while her face contorted with fury and shame.
"You..." She snarled. "How... how can you be so awful?!" While her rage was evident, the president was able to regain her composure and smirked, hiding her mouth behind a hand. "Hehehe, oh Ash, you really are strong. You should carry on with your island challenge. Perhaps I've made you feel uneasy about my ability to handle this task? I will be fine. I won't be alone. Guzma, with me." Realizing he was being summoned forth, the Team Skull leader walked up to her.
"Yes, ma'am."
"I am off to capture Necrozma."
"Wait, let me go!" Gladion spoke up out of desperation. My partner Null was born to be a beast killer! I've trained it all this time to be able to battle on the other side of that Ultra Wormhole!" However, Lusamine was having none of that as she picked up Nebby's crate and turned away from him.
"You're a sweet boy. But do not worry. You can leave it all to my hands! Children would be all the much happier... if they'd only listened to the adults around them." Activating the crate, Cosmog's power was fully utilized to open an Ultra Wormhole, complete and ready to take someone to the other side. Lusamine let herself be absorbed into the bright light along with her Pokemon while Guzma ran and jumped in, before the portal closed.
"Mo-Mommy!" Lillie screamed as she collapsed onto her knees, crying at the loss of her mother. "Why?!" As she wallowed in despair, Ash went to the crate to check and see if Nebby was alright.
"Nebby, are you-whoa."
"What is it?" Gladion inquired. Ash showed his friends that from the crate was no longer a Cosmog, but another creature. It was now a translucent, dark-blue orb with a starscape pattern set in a golden shell-like structure. It had a sleeping face in the center. "It changed form, and it's not moving." The emo teen observed. With that said, Gladion went to leave. "Come on, let's get out of here. There's no more use of this place."
"Ri-right." Lillie nodded with a tear stained face as Ash gave her what used to be Cosmog and placed it in her bag. One by one, all of them left the room of frozen Pokemon.
I'm so glad you're all unharmed." Miss Wicke sighed. "Thank goodness." She was in the process of healing Ash's Pokemon while they were in Lusamine's bedroom.
"Maybe. But there is still a ton we have to do. There's the president and Guzma who both disappeared into the Ultra Wormhole. Not to mention Cosmog and why it stopped moving. Even if she is... like that... Lusamine is still our mother. We can't just leave her in some unknown world on her own, even if it is to capture Necrozma. And if she doesn't come back..."
"The words we just heard, is that the true?" Captain Phyco questioned as he and Soliera entered the room. "Lusamine... what kind of human is she?! She acted so kind and caring, and yet beneath the surface, she thought of none but herself?!"
"Was this all for her own selfish satisfaction?" Soliera sounded confused. "Or did she simply feel too much responsibility to take everything upon herself to fix? What was she thinking? What an incomprehensible individual. Though that is as much as we heard."
"In truth, we are not strong. We have not needed to be. We use technology to resolve any problem that arises in our lives. That is why we have discussed finding some human we can send through to our world to battle with Pokemon on our behalf. Good night everyone."
"Everyone said their own respective goodnights, with Wicke ushering Ash's Pokemon along to be healed. Ash was the last as he said,
"I'm sorry you... lost your mom out in Ultra Space. I wish I could help."
"Thank you Ash. But don't you worry. The fact you came to save me and Cosmog assures me that I'm never going to be alone. You three are my best friends. Especially you... Ash." She admitted with blushing cheeks before turning her face away.
"Alright. Goodnight Lillie." Finally, Ash left Lillie to be alone, whom looked into her bag to see unknowingly its evolution, Cosmoem.
"What was that?!" Gladion spoke up. "You were going to send someone to your world? Do you know any other way to open an Ultra Wormhole?!"
"The alter on Poni Island. The Pokemon that appears there is known as the beast that calls the moon."
"We borrowed such a brute's power ourselves to come here to Alola." Soliera explained.
"But to think that those two people hope to capture Necrozma on their own. Do the people of this world truly have so much confidence in their strength in Pokemon battle?"
"Yeah!" Hau answered. "We even have Pokemon Champions which are the strongest in their region and some of the strongest in the whole world! To them, Pokemon battles are their life! Recent ones have even been known to save the world!"
"Fascinating." Physco remarked.
"If Necrozma awakens, it will hunger for light. And it will descend upon Alola to take it." Soliera warned them. "We've already told you how Necrozma took all our natural light, so imagine that here."
"We know that the darkness that once fell upon Alola was driven back with light. That is what the old legends and myths tell us. But in all our investigations, we still have not learned what that light was exactly. With this relevation, we shall have to leave and resume our investigation, now with Lusamine in mind." Phyco and Soliera left the room after doing the incorrect Alola hand sign.
"Miss Lillie, if you and your friends would like to get some rest first, I have prepared a few beds in the staff's residential quarters."
"We'll take you up on that." Gladion accepted.
"Yeah, I'm beat." Hau yawned and stretched.
"I didn't do much and I still feel mentally exhausted." Misty agreed while Eevee yawned.
"I... I think I'll stay in here." Lillie said as she turned and walked away from her friends. "I want to try and understand what it is my mother might have been thinking.
A/N: Wow, that has to rank up there for almost the longest Pokemon chapter I've written, right alongside my Ash Platinum chapter involving Ash and friends storming up Mount Coronet, battling Cyrus and the whole Distortion World thing. At least now it's finally done.