For the past five years, the same scene, the same nightmare haunted her dreams. Not even once did the memory cease to replay in her head, and every time she cried alone - afraid that the same thing would happen while she was away.

Moon did not try her hand on other regional Leagues out of fun or desire for a prestigious title. She could not care less about throwing the Champion title away from the other regions or becoming a Hall Famer out of her refusal to take the title. All of it was preparation for her return to the region that captured her heart.

She admitted she does not always have a good head on her shoulders – she is known for unpredictability and flair for mischief and surprises – and she would not defend that her actions were the best. If what she was doing was wrong, the Tapus would have thrown her back to Kanto and never let her set foot on Alola ever again. But they did not. They trusted her because they knew this was the only way to prepare for the worst to come. They did not prepare for what was expected, but for the worst. Moon, for her part, tried her best to deliver.

Crouched behind the crates in the docks of Aether Paradise, Moon was reminded of the first time she infiltrated the artificial structure with Hau and Gladion. Though now is not the second time, considering she had entered the same place many times under the guise of Sun, it might as well be, given that this is not the Alola she came from. The world that she went to using Solgaleo's Ultra Aura homing ability was no stranger to her. She has visited this world a few times, and this third version of Alola only worsens with each visit.

Her last memory of this place was a world veiled purple and red, typically of those villains' lair in cheap action films she had watched whenever she gets bored in her scholarly studies back in Sinnoh. The lone Ultra Wormhole that swirled above Aether Paradise has grown a lot bigger - it almost encompassed half of the region. Gone were the fires and thick clouds of smoke as the Aether employees and Team Skull tore through homes and buildings as this world plunged into chaos. There were no longer people screaming and running as many Ultra Beasts ravaged the land and made themselves a home here.

What was left was a ghost region - devoid of festive sounds and life that once thrived on its surface. She wondered if many have managed to evacuate to other regions or if they were spared from Lusamine's grand dream of 'paradise'. She doubted it – she has seen many taken by the Ultra Beasts and many more who have lost their lives fighting back, some of which she has known for years in her homeworld.

When she and Solgaleo arrived at the Altar of the Sunne, situated in Poni Island rather than in Ula'ula Island like in her world, she was glad that she changed attire before going to Ultra Space. Her disguise as Sun was clear-cut to blend in the darkened sky or hide from any eyes that might be on the lookout. She opted for the same ensemble that she made Zoroark copy whenever the Illusion Pokémon transformed into her likeness and changed her team's lineup for good measure. While her black clothes will definitely make her stand out once she infiltrated Aether Paradise, she never planned to come and go completely out of sight. She wanted to knock some people out in the get-go. Sneaking be damned.

Moon did not find either Shiron or Guzma within the confines of the island. Considering how time works differently here than her homeworld (which she found out the hard way years back), it is safe to assume someone else has gotten to them first. She did not need to guess who they might be. She recalled back Solgaleo to its Pokéball and searched the island for a possible way to get to Aether Paradise undetected. Fortunately, she found a ship bound to the artificial island and squeezed her way inside a crate full of stolen Ghost Z-Crystals before any of the Aether employees noticed.

Moon ducked as a couple of Aether researchers in full suits passed by her hiding spot. Her hands itched for her bow that she found in the Altar of the Sunne but reminded herself that she had no arrows to use. Once the coast of clear, she climbed the lift and scanned the master keycard she had stolen or borrowed from the other Lusamine the day prior. The lift shuddered before descending to the labs. If there is anything she learned in infiltrating Aether Paradise many times, the labs doubled as a prison (or a dungeon, if we are talking about Lusamine).

Once the lift stopped, she pried two Pokéballs from her belt and called out the two Silvally she brought with her. A certain blond gave the first one while the other was turned over to her by the twin Champions of Galar. She quickly became friends with Victor and Gloria in the short time she was in the region, who both promised to keep its existence a secret. The Synthetic Pokémon plodded at her side as they sniffed around and took in their surroundings.

"Stick close to me," Moon told them. "And alert me if someone is close."

One of the Silvally chirruped, and Moon led the fray towards the set of automatic doors at the right. The change in lighting was as dramatic as Wallace's vocabulary when she challenged the Water-type Gym in Hoenn. Her eyes had to adjust from the sudden transition from dazzling light to blinding dark as they trudged the metallic walkway. Their footsteps made sounds of THUNK! THUNK! loud enough to alert anyone in the vicinity.

Welp, there goes the element of surprise. Moon thought bitterly as an employee noticed her. Before the man could alert the others, she commanded one of the Silvally to knock him out. They dragged the unconscious body inside one of the laboratories and locked him inside for good measure. They cannot have anyone snitching on them this early. They peered to the viewing windows of the dimly lit lab, making sure that the coast was clear before entering.

There were cages of various sizes stacked in each lab at one corner, and every time she saw them, her blood began to boil. Moon could feel the eyes of the confined Pokémon as she and the two Silvally entered the room. She wanted to free them immediately, but undoing the electronic locks one-by-one will take time, and letting them out will cause a commotion. She planned to get to the control room to unlock them all at once after she rescues Shiron and clears a safe route for them to escape. She muttered an apology as they left the room, promising she would get back to them in no time.

Moon was starting to lose hope in finding the Alolan Vulpix when she stumbled upon two familiar black-clad figures near the end. The Ultra Team Skull grunts were standing guard in front of a particular lab. That alone was of interest to Moon – she was right that the Aether Foundation took Ultra Team Skull - but it was not what made her blood froze in her veins. The grunts were standing in a way that is not Team Skull-y. Instead, they were standing upright like marble statues in Kalos.

The usual ruckus they were known for was not there. Instead, they were so silent that one might mistake them as dead. The worst part, however, was what was on their heads. Two Nihilego were lying on the top of their heads, like oversized, blobby bathing caps. Their tentacles were draped across their shoulders, covering their backs completely. The grunts' gaze was blank, their minds and wills taken over by the addicting venom of UB-01 Symbiont.

The image of the creature born from the merging of Lusamine and Nihilego flashed in Moon's mind. Her heart hammered in her chest as the panic started to set in. She stepped back into the corner and sank to the ground. Her hand shakily reached for the leg pouch strapped on her right thigh. It is okay. She reminded herself. She got the antidote Bill gave her. Six of them. It will be alright. The Silvally that Gladion gave her sensed her unease and nudged its forehead against her side to comfort her. Moon closed her eyes and counted in her mind just like how Miss Anabel taught her. Once her breathing evened out, she patted Silvally to thank it and turned to survey the scene.

They can distract them, but Moon does not think it would last long. After a bit of deliberation, she turned to the Silvally. "Listen, both of you. I'll deal with Team Skull while you go for the Nihilego. If we separate them, they will be incapacitated, and I can catch them."

The two Silvally nodded, and Moon hauled herself to her feet. At her signal, they burst out of their hiding spot and rushed towards the grunts. The two hosts perked up in their direction and reached out to their Pokéballs. Before they could call out their Pokémon, the Silvally knocked the Pokéballs out of their grasp with a well-timed Air Slash. Moon closed the distance and grabbed the arm of one of the grunts. She kneed him on the stomach, and one of the Silvally pounced at the attached Nihilego with a Crush Claw. The Synthetic Pokémon pulled back, forcing the Ultra Beast away from its host. Moon pulled out a Beast Ball from her pocket and threw it at the Parasite Pokémon before ducking out of the other grunt's reach. The click of a successful capture reached her ears as she sidestepped to avoid her opponent's fist. She leaped away as the Nihilego tried to sting her with its tentacles.

With the host's back turned from the other Silvally, Moon threw the Steel Memory with a practiced aim, and the Synthetic Pokémon slammed at the Nihilego with a Multi-Attack. The Ultra Beast peeled away from its human host and tried to escape, but Silvally grabbed one of its tentacles with its maw and pulled it down to the ground. The other Silvally pressed it against the floor with a Crush Claw and Moon threw another Beast Ball. The Beast Ball tilted thrice before three stars popped above it.

Moon waited with bated breath, listening for any sound of reinforcements. Once she was sure they were on the clear, she let out a humorless chuckle. Guess she has to thank Miss Anabel for training her to the bone for five years. The Silvally retrieved the Beast Balls while Moon busied herself dragging the grunts to a more secluded area. She glanced at the cameras in the area and confirmed that they were still off. The Rotom that Anabel trained and lent her is doing its job well with messing the video feeds. She gestured for the two Silvally to follow her and entered the lab.

She expected more cages with captured Pokémon for experimentation but only found a lone white cage placed on a testing table. The size was barely a fourth of a Silvally, and she could not see anything inside it from her spot by the door. She rounded the desk, cautiously peeking at the interior of the cage, just in case a berserk Pokémon was inside it.

"Shiron?"

The white mound curled inside twitched, and ears perked up at the name. Big, baby blue eyes peered at her from within the darkness, and Moon felt the thorn on her chest disappear. She crossed the distance and leaned on the table. A weak whimper escaped from the poor Pokémon, and Moon did not know whether to feel sad or happy that the bastards had not done anything to Lillie's partner.

"Shiron," Moon called out in a gentle voice, hoping it would calm down the Alolan Vulpix enough for her to see the Pokemon well. "It's me. Moon. Do you remember me?"

The answer came out as a soft whine. Moon pulled back her right sleeve and presented the Z-Power Ring on her wrist. She hoped that Shiron could still remember her scent and recognize her. She repeatedly sprayed herself with a weird-smelling perfume daily to hide her natural scent during the months she disguised as her temporary alter ego. Looker explained that many species of Pokémon have a powerful olfactory memory, and if a Pokémon she were familiar with recognized her, it would compromise her position.

At least, it did not smell like an old man's odor. Moon thought offhandedly. She watched and waited as Shiron scooted forward cautiously and sniffed at a distance.

"Kyu…?" Shiron's ears twitched and perked up, and she slowly peered at Moon's face. The black-haired girl smiled warmly at her. Recognition lit up in those blue eyes as Shiron bounced on her paws with renewed energy. "KYU!"

Moon let out a soft chuckle. "It's good to see you too, Shiron." Her fingers reached out from behind bars to press against the Alolan Vulpix's toe beans. "Hold on. I'll get you out of there."

She inspected the lock – Thank the Tapus! It is not electronic – and called out for one of the Silvally to break it with Crush Claw. The metal grill swung open, and Shiron immediately leaped into her arms and rubbed against her cheek with much glee her tiny body could muster. "I'm glad you're okay," Moon mumbled against the soft, white fur of the Fox Pokémon. Her fingers rubbed soothing circles on her back. "I'll bring you back to Lillie. I promise."

"Kyu!"

Moon felt something nudged at her back, and she turned to see the Silvally from Galar tilting its head pointedly to the computer. She walked towards it and noticed that the screen was on. She gently dropped Shiron on the desk as she looked at what was displayed on the screen. It was a report; no, it is more like a series of blog entries composed by someone whose ego was bigger than a Wailord. Moon has an inkling of who it might be, and she is not looking forward to reading it. The entries were similar to the ones she had read a long time ago, and she skipped them with the glee of a prisoner who got parole. She skimmed some which are unfamiliar to her until she reached less Faba-like entries dated five years ago. All were under the same title Project Ultra and were typed by an unnamed author.


Date: March 14, XXXX

The Ultra Beast, Cosmoem, left by the first successful attempt to open an Ultra Wormhole, has yet to prove useful again. We found out that this creature evolves into Legendary Beast in ancient folklores and can easily open more Ultra Wormholes. We experimented to find a way to evolve it but failed.


Date: May 16, XXXX

The scouts we sent to the other side of the Ultra Wormhole reported finding another world opposite ours. This world we now dubbed as World Alpha is devoid of light, contrasting our bright Alola. However, there is a glimmer of light in that world. The scouts found that this world harbors the Legendary Beasts spoken in our legends and a unique Ultra beast known as Necrozma. The latter no longer lives atop a tower built to house it, but our scouts brought back what seemed to be remnants of this Ultra Beast.


Date: September 5, XXXX

A new development has brought astounding results. The Necrozma remnants brought from World Alpha, now known as Ultra Megapolls, are similar to Z-Crystals. However, compared to the crystals found here in Alola, these remnants contain an opposite Ultra Aura reading. Experimentation is underway under the President's orders.


Date: October 5, XXXX

Experiments on the remnants yielded satisfactory results. The crystals were fashioned similar to the Z-Crystals and are used on Pokémon subjects. The effects include heightened physical senses and bodily functions and enhanced combat power and defense. The downside is that the subjects are listening less to orders over time. The President wants to immediately proceed to the next step: using these remnants on Ultra Beasts.


Date: October 29, XXXX

The results of the following experiments were found different. While benefitting greatly from the power of the remnants, the Ultra Beasts were found to retain complete obedience compared to the subjects from our world. Further experimentations are underway to discover the extent of these newly discovered Z-Crystals and the possibility of harnessing their power to quell the locals' uprising. The title Project Ultra has now been reassigned for this purpose.


Moon felt bile crawling up her throat. The summarized reports were sickening already, but the fact that these all happened on the same year she first found the parallel world was tearing at her whole being. If I discovered this world earlier than I did, would things be different? Shiron let out a worried coo, and Moon shook her head. There is no use thinking about what-ifs. This is now. Now is what I should focus on. She loosened her grip on the mouse and scrolled to what seemed to be the last entry.


Date: February 1, XXXX

Kukui, my love, if you read this, know that it is my fault. I don't know how I managed to break free from Nihilego's grasp, but I have a little time left. The venom of the Ultra Beast has already spread in my body, and there is no cure for it. Please take care of Lei. Make sure he eats healthy. Read him his favorite bedtime stories every night and teach him how to become a great Pokémon Trainer like you are. Tell him I'm sorry that I could not hold him again in my arms, that I could no longer be there to watch him grow. I love you both. Every second I spent with both of you was the happiest moment in my life. I'm sorry, and I love you. My Kukui. My Lei.

- Burnet


I bet someone's going to kill Lusamine for this.