Chapter 3 – Beasts

It had all happened so fast. One second, Ash was charging through shallow water to reach a panicking Pikachu on the shore. The next, a stalactite was reaching down and grabbing him. Except it wasn't really a stalactite, obviously – the long, stretchy neck that was hoisting him into the air was nothing like stone, pliable and warm and slimy as it slithered over and around his torso. Ash recoiled at the thing's repulsive texture and kicked his legs in futile struggle, the only parts of his body still unrestrained.

"PIKACHU!" he bellowed even as the Ultra Beast's coils squeezed him tighter.

A streak of white light appeared in answer to his plight, zigzagging as it bounced between spires of rock before launching itself into the air. Pikachu rammed his Quick Attack home with a ferocious cry, striking the Ultra Beast's neck hard enough for Ash to feel the force rippling through its skin. But the creature only grunted in response, and yanked Ash higher. Now he was close enough to see its body at last – a grotesque, pale mass crouched in shadow amidst the stalactites.

"Again, Pikachu…!" Ash wheezed, his chest straining against the pressure. "Give it an… Iron Tail!"

"Pika!" the Electric-type's reply was charged with fury as he leapt high once more. Glowing with energy, his tail flashed in the darkness like a shooting star as he spun once, twice, three times before falling back to Earth. Three consecutive blows smashed against the beast's neck with a chorus of SMACKs, and this time it groaned lowly and loosened its grip. It wasn't much, but Ash deemed it good enough, using his form-fitting costume to his advantage and wriggling himself out.

SPLASH! The cold water was a shock to his body, and he gasped out loud as he scrambled for dry land. He climbed onto the cave floor on all fours before standing up, dripping and shivering, and Pikachu cannoned into his chest with an ecstatic squeal. With a laugh, Ash hugged his partner tight, heart-pounding fear easily turning into giddy relief.

But celebrations would have to wait. With an even louder splash than his, the Ultra Beast fell from the roof to land in the waters below. As it picked itself up, Ash whirled around to finally get his first good look at it, and it was far from a pretty sight. A bloated ball of glistening white flesh standing on two stunted legs, the thing was massive, almost the size of a Lugia even with its hunchbacked posture. As it rose from the water, it spread a pair of stubby wings for balance while a thin, useless tail flicked behind it. But it was the head that made Ash balk – as its neck retracted to a more normal-looking length, the featureless stump at the end was anything but normal. It dipped this eerie head low to the ground and swung it back and forth, snuffling loudly with unseen nostrils.

"It's not as big as the Ultra Beast that attacked Hau'oli, but still pretty big," Ash noted aloud. His eyes narrowed and a thrill coursed through him as the creature advanced, the familiar thrill that always foreshadowed a battle to come. "Doesn't look like it's gonna let us run. You up for a fight, Pikachu?"

"Pika, Pikachu!" Pikachu declared, leaping forth to strike a combat-ready stance in front of his Trainer. The Ultra Beast reacted to his challenge by jerking its head in his direction, and it growled, only now revealing its mouth. Bright red gums opened wide like a bloody gash against its white skin, displaying dull and crooked teeth.

If Ash felt a chill run down his spine he didn't notice it, instead throwing his arm out as he gave the first command. "Quick Attack, Pikachu! Confuse it!"

Light blazed around Pikachu's form as he took off, blurring into little more than a dazzling streak that darted around the Ultra Beast's legs. Compared to Pikachu, the Ultra Beast seemed to move in slow motion as it turned left and right in an unhurried manner, unable to keep up.

"Now Iron Tail!" Ash ordered, and Pikachu broke off to swing his tail like an axe into the creature's thigh. All the momentum he'd built up was released as a shockwave at the point of impact, and he used the recoil to jump back and land neatly on his feet.

But despite the power of Pikachu's attack, the Ultra Beast's only response was to freeze, seemingly in surprise. It did not stagger or even growl in pain, merely adjusted itself to face the now-stationary Pikachu anew. Then in a burst of speed comparable to Pikachu's own, its neck hurtled out in a whip-like motion, its mouth open wide. Only by reflex was Pikachu able to dodge the surprise attack, and the beast's teeth tasted dirt in his place.

"Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled, sensing an opportunity.

"Pikaaaaa… CHUUUUUUUU!" the Electric-type shrieked, his cheeks sparking before he unleashed his most powerful attack. The lightning bolt that poured from his body lanced at his enormous target, straight and true as an arrow – but the Ultra Beast raised its head with a sniff and then hunkered down, its tail burrowing into a crack in the rock. The Thunderbolt struck without doing damage, traveling down the appendage and diffusing into the earth.

Ash and Pikachu shared identical appalled expressions and took a step back, both shocked by the beast's resilience. "You've gotta be kidding! Ultra Beasts sure are strong…" Ash grumbled. And its ability to shrug off damage wasn't even the most baffling part – rather, it was how it always knew where Pikachu was, even without sight. He observed the creature now with a seasoned Trainer's eye, taking its every move to heart. It raised itself off the ground, though its head remained low, sweeping over the ground while it snuffled like a Swinub. Yes, just like a Swinub, heading for the scent of water…

The scent! Ash grinned to himself, the thing's weakness figured out. If it was looking for Pikachu's scent, he could take advantage and lure it into a trap. He glanced over to the pond, where thick stalagmites emerged from under the surface. His grin widened as a strategy came to mind.

"Head to the pond, Pikachu!" he called out. "Make sure it follows you!"

"Pika!" With a shake of his tail, Pikachu bounded away as if to flee, moving in zigzags to keep his progress slow. The beast took the bait, sensing its opponent trying to escape and lumbering after him. Ash took off as well, running to the edge of the pond out of the way of the beast's path. Its heavy footfalls slapped against the wet stone floor before plunging into the water, white foam erupting skywards with each step.

"That's it! Now jump straight up!" Ash shouted with a triumphant smirk, ready to spring his trap.

The Ultra Beast caught up to Pikachu and lunged forward with a growl, its neck lashing out yet again toward Pikachu's scent. But Pikachu was faster, using his tail like a springboard to sail above its head… which smashed into the stalagmites they had led it to. There was a solid THUD, an impact that rattled the stones, and only now did the creature display pain by staggering back with a disoriented moan.

"Thunderbolt!" Ash gave the order, confident that this would finish it.

Suspended in midair far above it, Pikachu shrieked his battle cry and sent a lightning bolt down to nail it in its glistening back. The Ultra Beast, standing in water and too dazed to protect itself, vanished in a bright flash and billowing cloud of steam, its moan blending with the electrical explosion before being lost to silence. Pikachu landed in front of Ash, and both stared at the haze, unblinking and breathing hard as they waited for a discernable trace of movement, any sign that the battle would continue.

Pokemon and Trainer took an uneasy step back as blue light sparked from within the steam. The Ultra Beast came back into focus, stalking out of the dissipating curtain with its skin unmarred. As Ash and Pikachu looked on in horror, it showed its teeth in what could only be described as a satisfied smirk, and electricity began to crackle over its form.

"An Electric-type?! You've gotta be kiddin'!" Ash blurted, and then dove to the side with a yell as the sparking creature charged with surprising speed, its bulk separating him and Pikachu. "Watch out for its Volt Tackle, then hit it with Quick Attack!"

"Pi-KA!" Pikachu snarled, streaking out of the Ultra Beast's way before launching himself into its side as it stumbled to a halt. Far from being knocked off balance, though, the beast swung its head around to bat Pikachu aside. The Mouse Pokemon managed to land on his feet, only to be forced to move aside once more as electrical orbs flew from the Ultra Beast's mouth. Instead of exploding on contact, the projectiles landed and traveled along the moist ground, forcing the startled Pikachu to dodge again the projectiles that snaked after him like heat-seeking Pin Missiles.

"Shock Wave too…?" Ash grimaced and wracked his brain for a strategy that might work. "Use Electro Web on the orbs, then one on the Ultra Beast!"

"Pikapika chupi!" the Electric-type cried, using his tail to generate and fling a crackling net at the incoming Shock Wave. His Electro Web engulfed the orbs and canceled them out, yellow combining with blue before exploding in a burst of smoke. Without skipping a beat, he launched a second Electro Web at the Ultra Beast itself, this one big enough to cover it and pin it down.

The creature's growls became louder with its building anger, and blue light flashed from between the Electro Web's golden threads. This time, the yellow glow was swallowed entirely, disintegrating under the power of the Discharge it cloaked itself in. Ash had to cover his face as the Ultra Beast's harsh radiance seared his eyes. The Electro Web gone, the beast's aura shrank to nothing but leftover sparks, and Ash prepared to call another attack – only for the creature to give a tremendous shudder as its Discharge blazed back to life. The cavern lit up blue, tendrils of lightning spearing from the beast's body in all directions.

"Thunderbolt!" Ash screamed as one bolt sizzled toward Pikachu.

"CHUUUUUUU!" Pikachu's own electricity surged out like a warm yellow beacon amidst the searing blue. The two attacks met, pushing back and forth before canceling out with a blinding flash, white being painted over the clashing colors.

The cavern dimmed back to normal, and Ash's sight returned. He almost wished it hadn't, as the sight before him was not encouraging: Pikachu, standing upright in a defensive stance, his labored breathing and slumped posture showing his exhaustion. Ash gritted his teeth, his confidence slipping. He'd seen his partner pushed to the limit and still come out on top countless times before. Yet this wasn't a friendly battle or a League final. This was a dangerous Ultra Beast, and one that had driven even his most reliable Pokemon to the brink of defeat without suffering a scratch. It still stood tall, looking more powerful than ever as sparks continued to skitter along its skin.

No matter what Pikachu and I throw at this thing, it doesn't get hurt! Ash thought, frustration building over a core of worry. The brief skirmish they'd had with their first Ultra Beast, Buzzwole, played unbidden through his head – Pikachu had gotten smacked aside then, too. Are they all this strong? Can regular Pokemon even damage them?

He shook his head. Thinking alone didn't win battles, and doubt would only make them lose momentum.

But before he could act, the Ultra Beast extended its neck again and screeched.

Worse than any Hyper Voice he'd heard before, the unearthly assault blasted his ears and overpowered all thought, every agonizing second like spikes being driven further into his skull. The Ultra Beast's scream defied description as it rampaged freely through his head – all Ash could think was NOISE as he dropped to his knees, clamping his hands as tightly as possible over his ears to little effect. Through squinted eyes he could see Pikachu curled up on the floor nearby, rendered immobile by the incomprehensible pain surely wracking his delicate senses.

Pikachu! Ash moved his mouth to shout, but no sound escaped. If it did, he couldn't tell – the beast was closing its mouth, but the aftermath of its screech continued ringing in his ears. Though even rendered deaf, Ash's thoughts lingered not for a moment on his own condition. Rather, the object of his focus, his only concern, lay just out of reach. Pikachu…!

With shaky limbs, he began to crawl toward his fallen partner, every step a marathon. After every loss, Ash had always made his dearest friend a priority, rushing to comfort him and ensure his safety before anything else. Multiple times, he'd gone so far as to throw his own life away to be there for Pikachu. And now was no different – the Ultra Beast's shadow fell over him, and he forced his legs to move, hurling himself forward to sweep Pikachu up in his arms. He rolled along the ground and onto his feet, gritting his teeth in a defiant snarl at the beast that now reared up, preparing its final attack.

Ash tightened his hold on his motionless partner and stood his ground. There was no plan, no thought of escape. He wasn't going to let Pikachu go, no matter what…!

Wind whipped through the cave, a freezing gust laden with wet snow that slammed into Ash, pushing him with a shout out of the Ultra Beast's path. He fell onto his back, holding Pikachu tighter against his chest as the chill swept past him and rose up to create a blizzard that engulfed the creature. Through the obscuring veil, he saw it turn in confusion, unhurt but bewildered by the lashing gusts.

Pikachu stirred in Ash's arms, immediately snapping his attention away from the strange miracle. "Pikachu! Are you okay, buddy?" he cried out in delight, and this time he could hear himself, the words distant but audible.

An unearthly wail pierced through the muffling fog that filled his ears. Another frigid gust lashed him without mercy as a winged shape swooped past, trailing snow as it circled the Ultra Beast, weaving a prison of wind and ice. With a sweep of its scalloped wing, the new Ultra Beast swirled upwards into a hover above its enemy, revealing itself to be bird-like with yellow eyes glaring from either side of a cruel beak. Ash watched in awe as it spun itself around, stirring the wind around it to form icicles that rained down upon the trapped Ultra Beast, slashing at its thin skin. He heard it scream distantly as rivulets of blood were drawn across its flanks.

Then, astonishingly, the faint trace of a spoken word and a movement just above the Ice-and-Flying-type made Ash look closer. Astonishingly, riding atop the Ultra Beast's back was a person, clad in armor and raising a gauntleted arm. To Ash's increasing fascination, the flying Ultra Beast folded its wings at the figure's signal and corkscrewed down at its target, a cloak of snow swirling in its wake. It spun through the air above the pale Ultra Beast, spreading a thick coat of frost over its wounded back.

It looked as though Ash's assailant had had enough. It broke through the frigid winds at an awkward run and unfurled its own stumpy wings, dragging its bulk into the air with a mighty lurch. It flapped unsteadily to the very back of the cave, where it disappeared into a cleft in the wall.

An immense relief fell upon Ash, his muscles relaxing and body slumping to lay flat against the ground. He did nothing at first, only listened as his gasps slowed and his ears finally cleared.

"Hey, Pikachu," he spoke up, suddenly remembering the Mouse Pokemon clutched in his arms. "How're you feeling?

Pikachu blinked blearily up at him, an exhausted smile manifesting. "Pika… Pikapi…" he murmured, the soft tone warming Ash's heart and causing tears to gather at the corners of his eyes.

A loud, clanking thud alerted Ash to the presence of another. He sat up, and Pikachu squirmed into an upright position in his grasp, to properly address their approaching savior. The armored figure appeared to be an adult from his height, wearing a combination of conventional steel and blue tassels that resembled the petal-like wings of the Ultra Beast he rode – the ones on his back even looked like a short cape. The similarity to his mount was enhanced further by his helmet, which featured a beak-shaped visor and a pair of crests.

The Ultra Beast itself loomed close behind its Trainer (Because he is kind of a Pokemon Trainer, right? Ash reasoned as he watched the two), its talons scratching at the floor with each step. Though its general shape and especially head were avian, it had no feathers – rather, its skin looked slippery-smooth, its wings and fin-like crests reminding Ash of a Mantine. Sapphire-blue on top and snow-white on the bottom, this strange bird-fish hybrid lashed its serpentine tail as it glared warily at such strangers to its domain.

"Lucky I came by when I did," the man commented, the words leaving his visor with a tinny echo. He was surprisingly casual as he went on, "Lady and I were patrolling this area when we saw this bright flash of light from the cave entrance. We followed it, and just in time to drive off that Khezu. You must have been desperate if you were using flash bombs on it, every hunter knows that won't work on… a…"

He paused, and Ash could tell the eyes behind the helmet were widening with surprise. "Wait, you're not a hunter," he stated. "And you're certainly not a Rider, either. So… you can't be a civilian, right? There's no way a traveler got this far into the Frost Islands without… no, you are!"

Ash flinched at the sudden angry tone as the man leaned authoritatively forward, pushing up his visor to reveal a youthful yet stern face. "Have you lost your mind?! This is a well-known restricted zone that's crawling with monsters, or don't you know better than that? For a civilian to wander all the way into the Frost Islands without even a winter coat is unbelievably stupid! And a kid, at that! If I hadn't come along when I did, that Khezu would've swallowed you alive! And where did you come from, anyway?!"

"Well, y'see…" Ash got to his feet, chuckling as embarrassment rose to the surface at what he was about to admit. "This is gonna sound super strange, but I'm from another world and I dunno how to get back."

The man said nothing, his scrunched brow clearing as confusion replaced outrage.

"See, me and my friends were fighting this super-big Ultra Beast that showed up through the Wormhole," Ash explained, moving his hands to mime the events as he talked. "It started breathing fire and almost destroyed our city, like this! Then we tried to push it back into the Wormhole, but BAM! Something went wrong and we fell in with it, and it whooshed us all here! Pikachu and me woke up alone, and we were lookin' for the others when that thing attacked, and that's when you showed up!" He gave the man a grin, as big and wide as he could so his gratitude would shine through.

"But man, that thing was scary," he added, dropping the grin as he recalled the impossible battle. "I'm a pretty good Trainer, and Pikachu's way strong, but we couldn't make a mark on it! Guess that's what Ultra Beasts are like, huh…"

"Pika, pika," Pikachu assured him, patting his arm.

He looked back at the man, finished his explanation and ready for a response. Obviously, a guy from Ultra Space would have some idea of what to do, right? But the seconds continued to tick by, and the man gave no reply. Stunned silence thickened the air as the man continued to stare at Ash, disbelief written over every inch of his face.

"You're obviously insane," the man said, crossing his arms. "And even so, I get the feeling you're not making this story up. You, uh… you mentioned coming here with others?"

"Yeah!" Ash nodded. "Mallow, Kiawe, and Sophocles all fell through with me. You wouldn't happen to know where they are, would ya?"

"Sorry, but no. You're the only stranger I've seen wandering around out here," he answered, shaking his head.

A pang of disappointment hit Ash, and he hung his head. "Oh," he said, the sobering message sinking in. The Ultra Wormhole must have separated them somehow. Which meant that Kiawe and the rest were likely all alone as well, maybe with their Pokemon, maybe without, which wouldn't make much difference if they encountered one of the ferocious creatures inhabiting this world…

Then with a sudden epiphany, a sense of excitement brought Ash's starry eyes back up to face the Ultra Beast Trainer. "Hey, maybe you can help us out! It'll be a lot easier to find 'em in Ultra Space if we have a person from Ultra Space backing us up! What do you think, Pikachu?"

"Pika Pikachu!" the Electric-type squeaked happily, bounding up onto Ash's shoulders and raising a paw to greet their new friend. "Pi pika Pikachu!"

Now the Ultra Beast Trainer's eyes darted from Ash to Pikachu and back again, looking at a loss for words. "I don't think… I don't…" he tried to protest, then let out a sigh and shrugged, relenting. "Fine. I suppose the least I can do is bring you to my village. Usually outsiders aren't welcome, but for you… you're weird enough to be an exception. No offense."

"Nah, it's fine!" Ash laughed, and he rubbed his nose with a playful grin. "I guess I would be weird to someone from a different world, huh?"

Shaking his head with something like resignation, the Ultra Beast Trainer swung himself onto his car-sized companion. "Come on, behind me. Don't tick Lady off, though – Legiana can be aggressive."

His attention drawn back to the tame Ultra Beast, Ash approached with the same giddy feeling he always did when being introduced to a new Pokemon. Even standing still it was so fierce and awesome! "So it's called a Legiana, huh?" he asked, the words spilling out in a breathless rush. He ran up to glide a hand over its smooth skin, oohing with wonder. "It was so cool how it moved through the air like that! And the way it –"

The Legiana – Lady – squawked harshly and swung around to snap at him, and Ash pulled back by reflex. With another sigh, the Ultra Beast Trainer offered his hand to him, and he was smoothly pulled aboard. The saddle, designed for a single rider, dug into his rear, but he didn't complain. His attention, and admiration, was on Lady's spreading wings and the smaller fins that flared under its crests and the base of its tail. The Ultra Beast didn't so much as take off as let itself be carried upwards by the winds stirring around it, and only once its many membranes had caught the updraft did it fly forward. A swift movement carried them out of the illuminated cavern, plunging them into the darkness of the tunnel that led to the surface.

"I don't usually travel with strangers," the man remarked, looking over his shoulder to meet Ash's eye. "I go by Boreus. What's your name, kid?"

"Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town!" Ash replied, the introduction coming to him almost automatically. "And this is Pikachu!"

"Pikachu!" his partner agreed. Boreus gave them a nod, then faced forward as distant daylight began to brighten the tunnel.

Sunlight and bitter winds greeted them as Lady flew from the cave mouth and took to the skies with its piercing wail, inspiring Ash to squint as his skin met open air. The familiar sensation of flying atop a winged mount coaxed his eyes back open, to take in the sights that lay under the overcast skies. The landscape spread out below like an icy mosaic; what Boreus had called the Frost Islands were in fact a collection of hills and plateaus framed by a system of rivers and lakes, their waters almost black against their snow-covered surroundings.

The longer Ash looked at this amalgamation of equal parts land and water, the more alien it seemed. From far above, the dark lakes seemed still and glassy, and some of the landmarks invited closer inspection – scattered amongst the maze of snow-covered rock were the largest bones Ash had ever seen, ancient remains of creatures so mighty that they now shaped the land itself. No wonder it was so bleak out here, he realized. The higher Lady flew, the farther he and Pikachu could see, and the emptier the land appeared: a frozen tomb for beasts on a scale he couldn't even imagine.

Suddenly, this new land wasn't quite as exciting as he'd believed.

There are people here, and Pokemon… sorta… that they work together with, Ash thought. He determinedly squashed the building feeling of dread deep in his gut. No matter what kinds of Ultra Beasts live here, or how spooky the land looks. This world has Pokemon Trainers in it, so that means it can't be bad.

Right?

"Togedemaru, slow doooown!"

Sophocles stumbled to a halt, placing a hand on the wall whose length he'd followed in pursuit of his distracted Pokemon. His body didn't have the processing power to move any farther. All he could do was pant and watch as Togedemaru veered left to disappear through an opening in the artificial structure. The small part of him that wasn't preoccupied with exhaustion felt a rare frustration at the Pokemon he called partner. Did she have to go running off every time he let his mind wander? She'd already gotten spooked twice by the native fauna last time she wandered away! Wasn't that enough of a lesson for her?

Or maybe the lesson's for me, to not keep getting distracted by scientific curiosities, Sophocles realized, letting out a mournful sigh. It's not like I can collect any data, anyway…

He stood up and smacked his cheeks a couple of times, getting into serious mode. Forgetting his fascination with the man-made structure, he tried to renew his hurried pace after Togedemaru. To his dismay, his exhaustion returned swiftly, after only a few paces of jogging. He made it to the spot where he'd last seen his Pokemon, bending over to grasp his knees while he filled his aching lungs with life-giving air.

"Togedemaruuuuuu!" he moaned, though of course the object of his frustration wasn't around to hear it. "I don't care how new and exciting you think this place is! It's super scary and we need to stick together for… safety…"

His complaint trailed away into stunned silence as he turned in the direction Togedemaru had gone. What he'd assumed was a mere gap in the wall was far more than that: a great wooden archway towered fifteen – no, twenty – feet above Sophocles' head. He goggled up at the grand structure with an open-mouthed gape, his head spinning from both its scale and what its existence implied. This was no crumbling failure that spoke of centuries of ruin – it was a gateway, an invitation to come and wonder at whatever lay beyond. Reinforcing this hypothesis was a stone path leading onwards, the intentions behind its construction obvious despite the weeds that disguised it.

"What is this place?" Sophocles found himself questioning aloud.

The path continued toward a second wall standing just ahead, complete with its own archway, identical to the first, that framed the entrance to an abandoned courtyard. Sophocles' eyes widened, incredulous, as he came to a stop in front of what could only be a temple, like the ones he'd seen in TV programs about ancient Kanto. Moss and lichen grew freely over the building, yet it still stood solemnly amidst the further signs of long-gone civilization – stone lanterns whose chambers were cold, an ornate bridge arcing over a sluggish moat. A breathtaking mountain range formed a striking backdrop, completing an image so haunting and lonely that Sophocles dared not disturb it with a spoken word.

That courtesy did not extend to his eyes, though, which darted all over the place to absorb every detail. While it was far from the programming and engineering projects that usually stoked his passion, this was a revolutionary discovery, jam-packed with data just begging to be analyzed. It wasn't just a confirmation of his suspicions about this world being inhabited, but an endless sea of questions he had no answers to. Oh, if only he'd brought his data with him because by the tapu this was killing him.

"It's not just a wall built for practical purposes, but a site of cultural significance!" The words spilled out, a tide unable to be held back for any longer. "This means that the people who inhabited Ultra Space were more complex than we could've imagined. They had an entire society, a way of life, rituals and customs like we do in Alola! If only Kiawe could see this, he's much better with that kind of stuff than me. I could get all kinds of hard data from this place – ooh, I wonder what composition of wood and stone they used as raw materials? – but the cultural implications would be hard to guess with just figures and… wait, Togedemaru?"

Indeed, a strong odor and the familiar sound of squeaking turned Sophocles' head toward the old temple's entrance, where Togedemaru reappeared with a wide smile and a bounce in her step. "De, toge togede!" she cried, so enthralled by the ruins' promises of adventure and mystery.

"So that's where you were," Sophocles smiled, crossing the shrine's moat so he could pick up the Roly-Poly Pokemon. "It is really cool, isn't it? I wish we could explore more."

"Demaru?" Togedemaru wondered with a disappointed frown why they couldn't stay longer.

"You can play all you want with Pikachu, once we get back home," he said, firm this time. "We still have to find our friends, remember?"

If we can, he couldn't help but think, shivering as a breeze stirred the courtyard. The longer he stood here, the more the stillness nagged at him. It was… creepy, like a ghost story where the daylight peace would fall away with the emergence of restless spirits at night.

Fortunately, the mention of Pikachu seemed to convince Togedemaru, who chirped in understanding and bounced out of Sophocles' grasp. Once she was hooked onto his belt, her favorite spot to be carried, he bobbed his head in a satisfied nod and strode out of the courtyard. Every step back down the path made him feel a little better, knowing that he was leaving the lonely temple to its eternal solitude. He drew a deep breath of fresh mountain air, filling his body with invigorating…

…fear as a shadow passed over the ground just ahead of him.

The Ultra Beast! Sophocles screamed to himself as he wrenched his neck skyward, just in time to glimpse a wingtip disappearing behind a nearby tree. It wasn't enough to discern any details, but more than enough to flood him with waves of panic. The one that attacked Hau'oli! It came through the Wormhole with me! I was the last thing it saw and now it's come looking for me so it can finish –

"Togede! Toge maru!" Togedemaru's shrill cry cut through the fear that clouded Sophocles' mind, and he looked down to meet her eyes' urgent gleam. Still attached to his waist, she was turning herself around the best she can, trying to point at something. But what? There was nothing around except rocks, and plants, and cliffs, and…

"The temple?" he asked, incredulously, and Togedemaru nodded. "But why do we need to go back to –"

On the other side of the wall, a dull thud struck Sophocles' ears like a Thunder Wave, inspiring a similarly paralyzing jolt of terror. That was the beast landing, wasn't it? And the soft scratching noises… those were its clawed footsteps. Were they getting closer? Then the most awful noise of all, a deep throaty chirp, surely curling from between its horrible jaws…

Sophocles snapped out of his terrified reverie and bolted toward the courtyard, all reservations about being a disturbance thrown out the window. It was self-preservation that motivated him so, his feet flying over the weed-choked path without so much as a gasp of exhaustion. Not once did he look back, and before he knew it the temple doors yawned open as if in welcome before him. He ducked past the doorway and into the dim shadows that pervaded the chamber, clutching Togedemaru tight to his chest as he crouched amidst uneven floorboards and fallen timbers.

For once, Sophocles saw the darkness of the temple's innards as a haven. He curled up with Togedemaru, envisioning the shadows as a protective blanket that would keep him hidden. Taking steadying lungfuls of mold-smelling air, he willed his shaking hands to settle and his racing heart to calm. Even the slightest noise would disturb the long-abandoned chamber's heavy silence.

It'll be fine it'll be fine it'll be fine it'll be fine… Sophocles chanted, mouthing the words to himself. Keeping hidden was a program he could run.

Outside, the sounds of the beast's approach grew louder. Sophocles pressed his eye to a thin gap in the wall he huddled against, peering into the courtyard just in time to see it stalk through the archway. It wasn't the draconic Ultra Beast whose destructive power had terrified him so, but that was small comfort as his discerning eye likened its height to three men standing on each others' shoulders. It was a Skarmory-like creature, its long legs taking careful strides as its neck arced in search of something – Of me, he gulped – with ominous grace. The only splashes of color against its white-grey scales were its orange parasol of a crest and red-tipped wing feathers, which looked thin and sharp as though cut from paper.

"Maru…" Togedemaru whimpered, close to his ear.

"Shhh," he tried to soothe her, hiding his alarm. "Don't worry. We're going to be okay…"

Thankfully, the Electric-and-Steel-type stopped making noise, but the look of discomfort never left her face as she went back to rubbing at her fur. Sophocles really couldn't blame her. Whatever it was that'd sprayed her, its stench was resilient, still strong enough to burn his nostrils. The reason he hadn't smelled it outside was probably the wind, carrying it away from his nose and off into –

Oh no. Sophocles stilled, his blood turning to ice water. There was a variable he hadn't taken into account, threatening a total system crash. If… if the smell has been there all this time… it can smell Togedemaru. It's here for us…

He leaned in for a second peek through the slit, and he saw a poisonous yellow sclera staring right back.

A guttural squawk and the splintering of wood shattered the quiet tension as the Ultra Beast tore through the wall, its beak a deadly spear that ripped out an opening for its head to shove through. Sophocles shrieked and bounded to his feet, stumbling over floorboards that creaked and snapped under his weight as he floundered backwards, no plan of escape except to GET AWAY. The avian Ultra Beast's eyes shone yellow in the dim chamber while its crest flared open, a corona of furious scarlet accentuating its glare. It cawed at the sight of its prey getting away and doubled its assault, huge sections of wall falling away with every lunge.

An enormous CREEEAAAAK shuddered through the temple, forcing Sophocles to look up in horror at the possibility of a second grisly fate. Dust fell from the rafters and the walls seemed to tremble, the lament of straining wood growing louder by the second. Sophocles glanced around desperately for a way out, even as sunlight flooded the room from the ever-widening gap the Ultra Beast was making. The clatter of falling planks drew Sophocles' attention to the entryway, still intact and yet several treacherous meters away.

Escape that way! But the beast is that way! Indecision locked Sophocles in place, too much uncertainty in the data keeping him from a conclusion. Can we get out? Where will we run? What's the greatest probability of escape?! I don't have the data to –

"Togede! Togede!" Togedemaru cried, just as the creaking escalated to a deafening groan.

"THIS WAY!" Sophocles shouted, his fear of being crushed outmatching that of being eaten. He broke for the exit, shouldering aside the tumbling debris before clearing the threshold with the biggest leap he'd ever taken. He struck the ground painfully, his yell being drowned out by the temple's ultimate collapse. Dust filled the air, stinging his eyes, but he got onto his feet all the same – the threat had not passed and there was no time to lose.

"Come on, Togedemaru!" he yelled out, squinting through welling tears and flinging himself forwards at a bumbling pace toward the archway. But his hastiness blinded him to any obstacles that lay in his path, and his foot caught on a brick that protruded unevenly from the stone bridge. His flight was over as soon as it begun, ending with a scream and a splash as he tumbled into the moat.

Sophocles sat up in the stagnant water and immediately forgot his miserable state when he noticed that Togedemaru had slipped from his fingers. Before he could shout for her, a low chuckle emanated from the settling ruins, and the Ultra Beast leapt out with a slash of its wings. It landed, claws clutching the edge of the moat as it stood over him with its wings and crest draped over its body, a demonic parasol trapping him in its shadow. He tried to call out, but he managed only a strangled squeak in the face of his impending doom.

The bird-creature flared its wings and pulled its neck back in preparation to strike, and only then did Sophocles find his voice. "T-T-TOGEDEMARU!"

From over his head sailed a comet of lightning with a curled sphere at its core. Togedemaru crashed into the Ultra Beast's head, her Zing Zap driving it back, and then dropped back into her Trainer's arms. She looked up at him with a cheerful cry, reassuring him enough that a wobbly smile could stretch over his face.

"Oh, T-Togedemaru, you're the b-best!" he sniffled, already clambering out of the moat while the Ultra Beast was distracted. Hearing its annoyed clucks close behind him prompted his legs to move faster, shaking off the tiredness that was already threatening to set in. Escaping was a bugged program, but it was still running! He only needed to reach the archway, waiting for him up ahead…

Except now there was a person there.

Sophocles was so surprised that he instinctively ground to a halt, confusion mixing with panic to bring him to an uncertain standstill. It was an unexpected new factor thrown into the calculation of his escape, an unknown variable he didn't know the value of. Was this person friend or foe? Were they here to help, or to block his progress? Was it better to trust a dubious figure in armor or take his chances with –

The Ultra Beast landed with a crash of its talons into the earth behind him, knocking Sophocles onto his back. Its beak parted with a hideous chuckling chirp, spreading its wings and flaring its crown as though to cut off his last glimpse of the sky. He clutched Togedemaru close, blubbering in fear, utterly convinced that this would be his end.

But blades of sunlight seared themselves into Sophocles' vision, driving the beast's shadow away and restoring the light of day. Blinking away crescent-shaped sunspots, he beheld with stupefied disbelief the sight in front of him: the mysterious stranger, adorned with white armor in stunning facsimile of a mythical Galarian knight, wielding a katana-like blade against the winged creature thrice their size.

Its cruel gaze now upon the newcomer, the Ultra Beast lofted into the air with a squawk and then let itself drop, its beak poised to stab. Sophocles' heart leapt into his mouth, but the knight deftly evaded, twirling aside with a sweeping motion of the leg. As the avian's beak plunged into the dirt, they rushed forward to swing their blade. Sun again flashed over steel, seemingly alerting the Ultra Beast that sidestepped the blade's arc.

"Not getting away that easily, you big turkey!" a brash, feminine voice taunted from behind the knight's visor. She lunged again, blade pointed in a forward jab, and the beast jumped skyward, the sides of its beak trailing smoke as it coughed out fireballs that rained over the ground.

All the while, Sophocles sat rooted to the ground, frozen with fear that was less for his own life and more for the knight's.

But she never hesitated for a second, rolling aside to dodge another fireball and drawing a spherical object from a pouch on her belt. She threw the object not at the Ultra Beast, but at the ground in front of her, and a brilliant burst of light knocked the blinded beast out of the air. With a yell, she charged its fallen form, a slash of her sword taking a feather from its wing and a second attack cutting across its tail. Enraged by the injuries, the Ultra Beast struck out with its talons, but the knight darted away from its maddened tap dance and came back with a full-body spin, building momentum for the tip of her sword to slice across its scaly leg. It reeled backwards, its squawk like sandpaper against Sophocles' trembling bones, and the knight charged as though sensing opportunity in its weakness. The great bird folded its crown and lunged for its foe, the sharp end of its crest primed to skewer her.

"L-Look o-out!" Sophocles felt the urge to cry.

He blinked just as they made contact, and thus missed the final blow. The knight and Ultra Beast dashed past each other, one neatly slipping her blade back into its sheath, and the other collapsing into a crumpled heap, its crest split in two. It didn't rise again.

Several seconds ticked past as Sophocles struggled to process what had just transpired, but when it finally sank in, the tension left him like the air from an opened balloon, leaving nothing behind but tingling numbness. His arms and legs felt limp as he flopped onto his back, too tired to even keep hold of Togedemaru as he weakly sobbed out his relief. The ground felt like a mattress, the sky a pleasantly cool blanket. He wanted to lay here forever.

"I'm n-never… g-getting up… again… T-Togede… maru…" he moaned, making no effort to stifle his sobs.

A shadow fell over him, this one postured with one hand on its hip and the other outstretched invitingly. "Is that a formal request to be dragged all the way back to camp?"

His head rolling slightly toward the mirthful voice, Sophocles found himself staring up at the visor that obscured his rescuer's face. He somehow managed to lift his arm, allowing her to pull him back into a standing position. She reached up and took off her helmet, revealing curly black hair and blue eyes that matched her uplifting grin.

"So how about it? Is Tsurutori awesome, or is she awesome?" the knight asked, and wagged a finger in Sophocles' face when he opened his mouth. "No, no, there's no need for thanks. That Aknosom was small fry anyway – fought enough of 'em to build a full set of armor." She swept an arm over her torso indicatively, inviting Sophocles to admire said armor. The helmet had a beak-like protrusion on the visor, and the waistpiece was a skirt of long, dangling sheets, resembling the feathers of the avian Ultra Beast to an uncanny degree.

He looked back at the Ultra Beast's body. The only movement was from a breeze that stirred its feathers. Its head had lolled to one side, revealing a wound that cut cleanly across its eye and down its neck. Sophocles stared in morbid fascination. Had… had she done that? Was it really…?

When he turned around to ask, he froze at Tsurutori's now-serious expression. "You're just a kid!" she said in self-realization. "And I've never seen you back at… What exactly are you doing here, huh?"

Flinching, Sophocles' tongue tripped over random syllables as he tried to find an answer that might satisfy the intimidating woman. As he stammered, his mind scrambled for a solution to this problem. His first instinct was to confess everything to his savior, that he was lost and his home was a world away and the Ultra Wormhole was his only hope – but no! Nonono, was he insane?! She would certainly think so if he babbled to her about Alola and Pokemon and cross-dimensional travel!

What if I told her, but just the basics? he thought, beads of sweat starting to slide down the back of his neck. No mention of anything that'd sound crazy, only the believable stuff about wanting to get home? But what if she asks where I'm from? Could I convince her I have amnesia? That might work! Wait, no, what abou–

"Well?" Tsurutori interrupted, folding her arms.

Sophocles jumped back, cringing. "I'm sorry I'm sorry please don't hurt me!" he blurted. "It's j-just that I'm lost a-and I d-don't know where h-home is and m-my f-friends are out th-there s-somewhere and I w-want to f-find them b-but I d-don't h-have any d-data…!"

He trailed off, sniffling pathetically as a fresh wave of tears poured down his cheeks. Togedemaru nuzzled against his leg and made a sympathetic noise. Tsurutori's expression softened into a mix of pity and bemusement.

"Data…?" she repeated, tilting her head in thought. "Are you… a scholar, maybe?"

Wiping his face, Sophocles looked up at her and gave a hopefully convincing "… Yes?"

"And you mentioned others… You were traveling in a group?" Tsurutori asked. When Sophocles nodded, she bent down to kneel at his eye level. "Do you know where you got separated? I might be able to track where your colleagues went. Won't be too hard to find a traveling caravan… unless, uh, were you guys on foot when it happened?"

She was too close now and asking a lot of questions, making Sophocles fidget and stare at his shoes to avoid conversing face-to-face. "S-Sorry, um… I r-really d-don't know anything. Honest. Th-This whole area is… is…"

He couldn't finish his mumbled answer, his dry throat instead giving up a choked whimper. Every word out of his mouth made him feel smaller, a crushing sense of helplessness pressing upon him the longer he spoke aloud. Thinking about his dilemma was one thing – talking about even the vaguest details was bringing on a dawning epiphany of how bleak it really was.

He was stranded in another world… a world filled with horrifying monsters. His friends were somewhere out there, facing unknown danger.

He was alone.

"Togede, togedemaru," his partner moaned. She toddled away from Sophocles and instead clutched at Tsurutori's boot, pleading with watery eyes for the woman's help. At first stricken with surprise as she noticed the Pokemon for the first time, she shook it off and reached out to place a firm, gauntleted hand on Sophocles' shoulder.

"Okay, here's what we're going to do," the knight told him. "My settlement is in the mountains nearby. I'm going to take you there, and you'll be safe. The Guild might be able to help you find your companions. Does that sound good?"

Swallowing against the lump in his throat, Sophocles gave a single, wordless nod. He allowed Tsurutori to take his hand and lead him out of the courtyard, a heavy silence between them. Left behind was the solemn shrine, watching in melancholy farewell as its visitors left as quiet as the grave it had become.

AN:

Addressing the Gammoth in the room right off the bat: no, Pokemon battles aren't going to cut it against the monsters of Monster Hunter. From a writing standpoint, it makes a more compelling story if the protagonists are forced to adapt to this new world instead of throwing their Pokemon at every problem. Aside from that, though, Monster Hunter's closer adherence to real-world biology and physics puts even the Legendary-slaying Pikachu at a disadvantage – with his Electric-type moves rendered moot, he has no way of doing meaningful damage to a foe hundreds of times his size and mass. Because Pikachu being "nerfed" is somewhat of a sore spot for most fans, I want to stress that I'm not trying to portray him as weak – the lifeforms in this world simply play with different rules.

Of course, I wasn't going to leave Ash and Sophocles to fend for themselves in the wild. This chapter highlights the existence of two separate factions that inhabit this world – the Riders, which we've met before with Mallow, and the hunters. I wanted the biggest difference between the two to be made apparent from the get-go, and so I had them appear in similar situations with a different solution to the problem each.

Boreus and Tsurutori are both OCs, as most of the Monster Hunter cast are going to be. For reference, they're wearing the Legiana and Aknosom armor sets from Monster Hunter World and Rise, respectively.

I hope the endings of this chapters' two perspectives left you with the intended feelings of uncertainty and despair. Thank you for all the reviews you've left so far – I love reading your thoughts and ideas, so please keep them coming!

Next time: Hunters