Musical Inspiration for this chapter

https/youtu.be/M7lQsy-4k-E

"I can't believe I regret bringing Ark." Gladion muttered.

"Then it's a good thing we're here." Ark's voice said, coming from the broken wall. "Pikachu use Iron Tail!"

Pikachu leapt straight through the dust cloud, slamming into the Kommo-o, knocking it backwards, giving Gladion an opening.

"Ark, what are you doing here!" Lillie exclaimed.

"We're here to help." Ark said, rushing in.

"We?" Gladion asked. "I told you this is a family issue."

"And we're Lillie's other family!" Mallow shouted. "Rowlet use Grass Pledge!"

"Popplio use Water Pledge!" Lana called out.

Rowlet flew into the cave, holding Popplio in his talons, creating a swampy area engulfing all of the smaller dragons in the attack.

"Mallow! Lana!" Lillie cheered, seeing her friends rush in. "Look out!"

The Scizor charged in, it's claws extended, heading right for all three girls. With their Pokemon in the battlefield, they were caught off guard.

"Charizard use Flamethrower!" Kiawe shouted.

Charizard burst into the cave, engulfing Scizor in flames, then pushing him away from the girls.

"Ark, we need that disc to clear the path!" Lillie called out, pointing at the pink disc behind Kommo-o.

"I'm on it!" Sophocles said. "Charjabug use String Shot!"

Charjabug gripped onto Sophocles's arm, launching a string of silk at the disk, only for Kommo-o and Noivern to stop it easily.

"Ark, we need a clear path." Sophocles called out.

"Pikachu use Thunderbolt on Noivern!" Ark said.

"Silvally use Crush Claw on Kommo-o!" Gladion called out.

Pikachu sent a blast of electricity at Noivern knocking it away as Silvally preoccupied Kommo-o long enough for Charjabug to grab the disc.

"Now give it to Silvally!" Gladion shouted.

"Alright, no need to rush me!" Sophocles said.

"Now with the mystical power of the dragon slayers, Silvally become a Fairy type! Use Multi Attack!" Gladion shouted.

"Pikachu use Thunderbolt!"

"Charizard use Flamethrower!"

The three attack's launched off at the large and powerful Pokemon, causing the smaller gathered Pokemon to scatter in fear as all three attacks combined in an explosion.

"Guys look!" Rotomdex exclaimed.

"The Temple of the Moone, it's right up ahead!" Lillie cheered.

"No, not that, that!" Rotomdex exclaimed as three bluish green crystals dropped from the ceiling into Ark, Kiawe, and Gladion's outstretched hands. "I was right, that was a Totem!"

"But all three of them?" Ark asked, looking at the crystal. "And why'd we all get the same crystal?"

"It's the fabled Dragonium Z." Gladion said. "Only truly gifted trainers are rumored to earn them."

"But Scizor is a Bug and Steel type, why'd Kiawe get one?" Mallow pointed out.

"Maybe because of his Charizard and Turtonator?" Sophocles wondered.

"It doesn't matter, thank you for your help but we'll handle this from here." Gladion said sternly.

"No." Ark said. "Lusamine was my mother too, and I made my call, but now I'm here to fix it."

"She is not your mother!" Gladion argued.

"ENOGUH!" Lillie shouted. "You can say you don't want them here, but I do! It's why I brought a tracker!" Lillie said, holding up a small device. "I have just as much of a say in this as anyone!"

"Lillie, you need to understand." Gladion said, only to get interrupted.

"No Gladion, you need to understand! Father disappeared, and then mother became obsessed with her work, and then you ran away. Finally Ark went to live in a cave! I have watched my entire family walk out one by one! You do not get to say who should be here! Neither of you do! So stop acting like little kids already!" Lillie shouted through tears.

"She's right. Our argument is kind of childish." Ark admitted.

"I never asked for you to be my brother." Gladion relented, holding out a hand.

"That's the great part about family, you don't always get a choice." Ark said, shaking Gladion's hand. "Now let's go save Mother."

A few minutes later

"So does anyone know how we're going to save her from here?" Lana asked, as they stared at the giant stone monument.

"What I've learned is that this flute will summon Solgaleo." Gladion said. "We can ask them to take us to our Mother."

'TWEEET'

"You have no idea what you're doing do you?" Ark deadpanned.

"Oh, I'm sorry that I didn't pick up flute lessons while researching cures for Lillie!" Gladion argued.

"Just, watch." Ark said. "Hobbes taught me a few years back."

Ark played a melody on the flute that echoed throughout the canyon, to where even the two professors could hear the music.

"Nothing." Ark sighed, "And I followed the notes and everything."

"Notes?" Kiawe asked.

"Those on the ground in front of me." Ark said. "They're written really weird, like there's a second part though."

"But we only have one flute." Mallow said worriedly.

"KOKOKO!"

A yellow blur flew past all the trainers, stopping right in front of Ark and Pikachu.

"Tapu Koko!" Ark exclaimed.

"Koko!" Tapu Koko cheered, pulling at Ark's Z Ring.

"My Z Ring, why do you want it?" Ark asked, taking it off.

"Ark, are you sure that's a good idea?" Lana asked.

"He did give it to me originally, I doubt he'd take it away now." Ark said.

"Guys look, I can see Tapu Lele!" Kiawe cheered.

"And over there I think that's Tapu Bulu!" Lillie said excitedly.

"And Tapu Fini too!" Lana said happily as the island guardians closed in on the group.

"KoKo KoKo!" Tapu Koko chanted, swinging back and forth before tossing Ark's Z Ring to Tapu Lele.

"Lelele Lelele!" Tapu Lele sand, spinning around before tossing it once more, now to Tapu Bulu.

"Bu Lu Bu Lu!" Tapu Bulu chanted, bouncing up and down, tossing Ark's Z Ring again, now over to Tapu Fini.

"Fininini Fininini!" Tapu Fini giggled, twirling about, splashing water about from her, before passing it back to Tapu Koko.

"What are they doing?" Mallow asked.

"It looks like they're playing with it." Sophocles said.

"Because why wouldn't they try to help out." Gladion groaned. "You couldn't summon anything useful?"

"Hold on, just because we don't know what they're doing doesn't mean they aren't helping." Ark pointed out.

"KoKoKo!" Tapu Koko said, flying back down spinning between the three Aether Children, then holding out a black Z Ring to Ark.

"It looks different." Ark commented, putting it back on. "Look at these marks, they definitely weren't here before."

"Okay, so your Z Ring got a new design, what about mother!?" Gladion reminded.

"Tapu Koko, you asked Ark to watch over Nebby, and well he hasn't moved since this happened and our mother has been kidnapped." Lillie said.

"KOKO!" Tapu Koko cried out.

"Finininini." Tapu Fini giggled flying down to Lillie, and holding out a purple flute for her.

"Another flute?" Lillie asked.

"Ark did say that there were two sets of notes, do you know how to play?" Mallow asked.

"Of course, I took those same lessons." Lillie said.

"KoKo!" Tapu Koko called out, placing the unmoving Nebby in the center of the Altar, pushing Gladion out of the way.

"Bulu." Tapu Bulu said, nudging Ark over to a sun symbol.

"Fini." Tapu Fini said, directing Lillie to a moon one.

"Ready Lillie?" Ark asked.

"Ready. On three." Lillie said. "One."

"Two." Ark responded.

Professors Kukui and Burnett had just made it to where the large battle had happened when music flowed through t the canyon once more, pools of light erupted from where Ark and Lillie were standing, flowing through the altar and surrounding Nebby. The trail of orange and trail of purple swirled around each other, closing in on Nebby as he was engulfed in light.

"Incredible!" Rotomdex exclaimed, watching it unfold.

"What's happening?!" Lana asked, as Kiawe's Charizard grabbed Popplio and Rowlet.

"They're summoning something!" Sophocles shouted.

"NALA!" A cry erupted as the songs came to an end.

"Lunala." Gladion said in awe.

"Is that Nebby?" Lillie asked walking up to Lunala.

"Nala." Lunala said, wrapping it's wings around Ark and Lillie excitedly.

"Yeah, I think this is Nebby." Ark commented with a laugh.

"Nebby, we really need your help, mother was taken through an Ultra Wormhole, can you help us find her?" Lillie asked.

"Nala!" Lunala cheered, spinning into the air, dropping a purple Z Crystal with two extra diamonds, one on each side.

"Ark, I think this is why Tapu Koko upgraded your Z Ring." Lillie said, picking up the crystal.

"Right. Okay guys, no turning back after this, whos with me?" Ark asked.

"Can't let you have all the glory." Gladion commented.

"I'm coming along, if anything happened to you, I'd have no one to train with." Kiawe commented.

"We're coming too." Mallow and Lana said.

"If we get into trouble you'll need all three pledges." Lana reminded.

"Well don't leave me all alone." Sophocles said, clambering onto Lunala.

"Wait for me, there's so much research to be found!" Rotomdex exclaimed, flying into Ark's bag.

"Alright Nebby, lets do this! Open a wormhole with Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom!" Ark called out.

Lunala let out a cry, firing a ring of purple orbs at the altar, opening an Ultra Wormhole and flying straight in.

"KIDS!" Professor Kukui cried out, watching his entire class disappear just as he and Professor Burnett made it up to the altar. "Be careful."

Current Z Crystal Standings

Ark: 6 Crystals

Electric

Normal

Fighting

Fire

Dragon

Lunalium

Everyone Else: 5 Crystals

Kiawe-Fire

Kiawe-Dragon

Sophocles-Bug

Lana-Water

Mallow-Grass