Chapter 70: Gathering the Team Together
Ash and Lillie walked arm in arm, enjoying the Alolan spring weather. After a week of cold, rainy weather, it was nice to be able to get out and enjoy it, and each other.
"This is nice. Its been a while since we've been able to just enjoy a day out like this."
"Ash, its only been a week."
"Yeah, a week stuck inside not being able to enjoy this beautiful region!"
Lillie rolled her eyes at her boyfriend's behavior. She loved him, but sometimes his antics got to be a bit much.
"You can be such a pest sometimes, you know that?"
"Yeah, but I'm your pest."
"Psst, you two. Over here."
The young couple turned to see a man dressed from head to toe in a heavy trench coat, lurking out from behind a tree. They were leery of him, but when he showed them his Global Police Badge they were a bit more willing to trust him. Cautiously, they approached him.
"Who are you?"
"No time to explain. Here, take these and be at the Akala Island Motel at 3:00 today. And don't let anyone know where you're going."
"But-"
"Just go!"
With that, the agent ducked out of sight, leaving Ash and Lillie utterly confused. Opening the envelopes they had been handed, they found a sheet of paper containing some kind of encrypted message.
"I don't know, this seems kind of sketchy."
"Maybe, but if its the global police we should at least check it out."
Agreeing, Ash and Lillie took the ferry to Akala and headed towards Route 8. They found a burly man waiting for them.
"Invitations, please."
Ash and Lillie held up the messages they had received. Once he had confirmed it wasn't a fake, he stepped aside to let them pass.
"Room number 8. The others are already there waiting for you."
"Others?"
"All will be explained soon."
Sharing a nervous look, the two made their way into the room. Crammed into the tiny space, they found Illima, Gladion, Brock, Misty, Max, May, Dawn, Iris and Cilan all waiting for them.
"Guys, what's going on?"
"I don't know, Ash, but this whole situation has an aroma of mystery about it."
"Allow us to explain."
Everyone turned to find Looker and Anabel making their way into the room, squeezing their way into the center.
"As you all may have heard, or in some cases experienced, a few months ago Alola was besieged by strange creatures from an alternate dimension. These creatures, known as Ultra Beasts, were luckily driven back by the Kahunas and the Guardian deities, and for the moment it seemed everything was back to normal. Until now."
Anabel nodded to Looker, who took over, setting up a holographic map on the floor. It was a map of the Alola region, with various markers on the map flashing red.
"Over the last month, various sightings of these Beasts have sprung up. Fortunately, they have been isolated incidents that our agents have been able to cover up without incident. However, their frequency has increased in just the last week alone, with new sightings popping up almost daily. And its not just 1 anymore, now its three or four at a time. Our agents are doing their best, but they're being overwhelmed and overworked."
The group nodded in silent understanding, but there was one question on all of their minds. It wasn't long until Max asked it.
"So why do you need us?"
"The 11 of you have all faced great danger in the past and come out on top. Criminal organizations, rampaging Pokémon, natural disasters, you've all faced grave danger to protect the world we live in. That's why we know you are the perfect candidates for the team we're putting together. A team to capture, rehabilitate, and return these Ultra Beasts back to where they belong before they cause irreversible damage to the Alola region."
Their audience fell silent, taking this all in. Ash, Lillie, and Illima had dealt with Ultra Beasts before, and had barely escaped intact. But actively going on the offensive against them?
Anabel took their silence as uncertainty and took the lead once more.
"I know we're asking a lot of you. But I promise, this is all for the greater good. I've seen first hand just how much damage these things can do if left unchecked. And if we don't stop them now, then Alola will only be the beginning. I promise, I wouldn't ask this of you if I didn't think you could handle it."
Ash was the first to step up.
"I'm in. I've seen with my own two eyes just how much destruction these Ultra Beasts can cause, and I won't let that happen here!"
Illima nodded, stepping forward.
"I'll do anything to protect my home. If that means taking the fight to them, then so be it."
Gladion was the next to agree, stepping forward with his fists clenched.
"Those monsters nearly destroyed my family. I'll make them pay!"
Brock was the next to step forward.
"I'll do it, for all the Pokemon of Alola. And for all the pretty girls!"
Ash, Misty, May, Max, and Dawn all let out a groan, all too used to Brock's antics. Misty was the next to accept.
"Can't let you boys have all the fun, can I?"
May and Max stepped forward next.
"I may have only been a trainer for a few months, but that doesn't mean I can't fight as well. I'm in!"
"If Max is in, then so am I."
Dawn was next, brushing the hair out of her face.
"Those Ultra Beasts won't know what hit them!"
Cilan thought for a minute, but he too joined the fray.
"I'll serve those Ultra Beasts up a healthy serving of defeat!"
Iris strode forward confidently, not willing to back down.
"As a dragon master, I accept the mission! Right, Axew?"
"Xew, Axew!"
All eyes fell on Lillie, the last person still standing back. Lillie thought for a long hard minute, before she too joined the circle.
"I may still be a rookie trainer, but I won't let those monsters hurt anyone else! Count me in!"
Anabel nodded before she and Looker handed out a communicator to each and everyone of them.
"Hold onto these. We'll contact you when there's an Ultra Beast sighting. Good luck all of you."
The eleven of them nodded before going their separate ways. One thing was for sure, they had a long journey ahead of them.
