Calem's Alola Adventure

Chapter 15

By: Gandire

Hau's question is forgotten as the wall sized doors slide apart. Behind it appears Faba with an army of Aether Foundation employees and scientists. Behind them is another set of doors of equal size. "That's far enough for all of you. The lot of you really are naughty children. You should have just laid your heavy heads down. But I knew that you would struggle onward- I could see through every action you would take."

Calem glances towards the ceiling. "Probably helps having all those security cameras."

Lana, despite giggling, hushes him. Faba ignores the interruption, "I knew you would try to reach the president."

Mahina says, "She has Lillie and Nebby! Any idiot should be able to figure out our end goal!"

Faba still presses forward with his speech, "That is why I knew I would be able to ambush you here and remedy my previous failure. The only reason I let you on the lower floors was to buy time to gather the resources to stop you."

Acerola says, "Wouldn't sinking our ship have been easier? You must have seen us before we were anywhere near Aether Paradise."

Many of the Aether employees glance towards Faba at the remark. Faba ignores them and says, "Now, allow me to reiterate. This is the end of the line for you."

Hau says, "So, uh, Mr. Faba, do you have the key to the president's room?"

Faba chuckles and pats his coat pocket. "Indeed! I have it right here."

Hau laughs and says, "So… if you'd just stayed hidden, we would've been stuck here anyway, right? Or, actually, you could have just left the island."

Faba's eye's pop out of their sockets as he screams, "What?"

Serena holds out her hands with a sigh. "This guy is dumber than Team Flare's grunts…"

Faba clears his throat, "E-enough, you lot! Everyone, teach these children a lesson."

Hau, Mahina, Lana, and Acerola step forward. Lana says to everyone else, "I get the feeling we're going to need your strength after this. Rest up and leave the fight to us."

Raichu, Ribombee, Araquanid, and Dhelmise charge ahead to take on the Aether Foundation pokemon. After a few minutes, Calem turns to Gladion, "This is a waste of time. Do any of your pokemon know thief?"

Gladion's frown deepens as he understand Calem's intent. He pulls out a pokeball and Sneasel appears on his shoulder. The two nod at each other and the dark pokemon vanishes. He reappears a minute later with the key.

Acerola notices they have the key and informs Lana, Hau, and Mahina. Lana and Hau call their back pokemon and join the Calem, Gladion, and Serena away from the battle. Lana says, "We'll go with you. Let's hurry while they're distracted here."

Gladion says, "What about Acerola and Mahina?"

Hau chuckles as he says, "We've thinned out their numbers pretty good. They'll be fine on their own."

Lana shakes her head and clenches her fists. "Don't worry. They will catch up once they finish here. There's no doubt about it! The Aether Foundation has numbers, but that's it."

Gladion grits his teeth, but says, "Fine, let's go."

The doors behind Faba slide open. He turns around in shock to see Calem, Serena, Gladion, Lana, and Hau slipping through. He taps his pocket, but finds the key missing. "How can this be? I'm being lead around by mere children!" He tries to send some people after them, but Snorlax blocks their way.

Mahina's voice echoes as the door shuts, "Body slam!"

The courtyard beyond the door is filled with Team Skull thugs. Guzma is at the opposite end in front of the entrance to a small mansion. Gladion runs unobstructed past all the thugs to confront him. His shout of "What are you doing here?" can be heard from where the Calem and his group stand.

Guzma looks down at Gladion with a haughty grin and laughs.

Hau looks at all the Team Skull thugs in shock. "I can't believe it. The Aether Foundation really is working with these thugs! I can't stand here. I'm gonna kick them out!"

Lana steps forward with a pokeball in hand. "I'll fight, too. Calem, Serena, please. I understand you want to fight, but hold on just a bit longer. My fisherman's intuition is telling me there's going to be a huge match just beyond those doors."

Gladion calls back his Sneasel and Golbat by the time everyone else catches up to him. He falls to his knees with a growl, "So I'm still not strong enough. All those days I struggled on my own… it was all for nothing? Is that it?"

Guzma chuckles and says, "The hated boss who beats you down and beats you down and never lets up… Yeah. Big bad Guzma is here!" To everyone else, he says, "I did that spoiled little brat a favor and crushed him. Yeah, that was me. Y'know, I kinda liked you, kid. Leaving home like that and wanting to get stronger and stronger. You had some real guts. Going as far as coming over to Team Skull and rejecting your own mother? That was impressive." Guzma laughs and adds, "And now it's your turn! You little misfits keep getting up in my grill, like a cloud of smoke that I can't brush away. It's time I put out your fire at the source!"

Calem says, "Not yet, Guzma! Gladion, get up. You lost the first round, so what? You still have more pokemon at your side, right?"

Serena says, "Mizzy is correct! We will not be able to advance any further if you give up now."

Guzma laughs and says, "Hey, hey, hey! He just lost and you want him to fight again!"

Calem stares Guzma down with steady determination. "Friends encourage each other when they're down. That's something everyone knows. Consider it something else we don't have in common!"

Serena says, "Gladion, on your feet! Lillie and Nebby are in danger. Are you giving up on them?"

Hau and Lana both say, "Gladion!"

Gladion relaxes as he breathes out. "The power of friendship… huh? Not bad… actually, it feels pretty good." He grabs a pokeball from his waist as he stands up, "Type: Null!"

Guzma laughs and says, "Alright, round two! Beat him down, Golisopod!"

Gladion says, "Crush claw!" Type: Null glows as it lunges forward with its attack. The helmet covering its face melts off and vanishes, freeing the fin on its head. "Let's go, Silvally!"

Golisopod deflects the attack and retaliates with "Razor shell!" Silvally ducks underneath the attack and rams a headbutt into Golisopod. The water pokemon staggers back which Silvally takes advantage of with "Multi-attack!"

Golisopod falls over, but rolls onto his feet. He thrusts his two armored arms forward and fires "Pin missile!" Silvally knocks the attack away with razor wind and dashes towards Golisopod again. The water pokemon tries to catch the normal pokemon, but is too slow. Silvally bites down on Golisopod's side with thunder fang.

Golisopod staggers around in pain, but uses his arms to pry Silvally loose. The normal pokemon eventually releases Golisopod only to unleash "Tri-attack" from point blank.

Golisopod staggers, but regains its balance after a few steps and retaliates with "Liquidation!" Silvally takes the hit and repels it. Silvally then roars and ends the match with "Multi-attack!"

Guzma says, "I was supposed to smash you again!" He grabs his head and says, "Guzma! What is wrong with you?" He then steps to the side with a click of his tongue, "Looks like I got no choice. Go on… go through." He glares are everyone, but doesn't say anything more.

Gladion walks towards the door, "I'm going to save Lillie and Cosmog." Calem, Serena, Lana, and Hau follow him into mansion. He and Silvally falter within the lobby. While leaning against his partner, he says, "I- I just need a moment." He forces a grin, "I'll catch up as soon as I can, the rest of you go on ahead."

With Hau staying behind as well, Calem nods. He says, "We'll be waiting," and leads the way past the lobby and through the central doors to find the master bedroom. Inside, Lillie is pleading with Lusamine.

Lusamine notices her guests and says, "Ah, it's been a while since I've last seen you two, Calem, Lana. Serena, the Final Champion of Kalos, so good to meet you as well."

Lillie turns around saying, "Wha? Calem, Serena, Lana! Yo- you came? All of you actually came to help me?"

Serena says, "Of course we would come!"

Calem points behind himself and says, "Acerola, Mahina, Hau, and another guy are here too."

Lillie's face brightens as she says, "Really? Thank you… Thank you!"

Lusamine hums to herself and nods, "So all of you do know each other… Gifted young trainers actually bother with someone like you…" she glances towards the door way, "and, another one was it? Do you mean, him?" She looks back to Lillie and shakes her head. "How disappointing."

Lillie turns to face Lusamine. "I don't need your approval, Mother! Or your permission! I will save Cosmog!"

Lusamine says, "My… You do say such incomprehensible things. Calling me mother? I don't have any children!" Anger fills her face as she grits her teeth, "Certainly not any wretched children who would run off and reject my love! So tell me how you'll 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 ever done on your own is steal someone else's research material!" As Lillie drops her head in defeat, Lusamine turns her back to everyone, "You're not beautiful enough for my world… but fine. Since you're here anyway, you can watch me summon my sweet beast. And then… you can leave."

Lillie says, "I'm not being foolish or selfish… I am asking you to listen, Mother! Do not sacrifice Cosmog for that beast's sake! If you open the ultra wormhole, Cosmog will… Cosmog will die!"

Lusamine steps towards a mirror on the wall. As she fiddles around with a panel at its side, she says, "You're right… it probably will die. Because I'm going to force it to use its power whether it wants to or not!" The mirror slides up into the wall to reveal a glowing floor panel behind it. Lusamine turns to face everyone as she steps onto it. "Maybe if you had been a real daughter to me, I would have listened to you…" Then, with a "Too bad," she vanishes.

Lillie turns and looks at everyone, "Calem, Serena, Lana, thank you so much for coming. But… but… I have to be selfish again. I have to ask you one more time… Please… Help me! Help Nebby! We have to save Nebby!"

Lana sighs and walks forward, "Lillie, why do you think we came all the way here in the first place? Of course we're going to help you!"

Calem steps towards the teleporter, "Exactly, now come on. We have to rescue Nebby!" Lillie nods as he disappears from the room.

Calem reappears in a secret laboratory surrounded by water. Statues of pokemon preserved in cubes decorate the room. The sight of it churns his stomach and covers his mouth. Memories of the death and destruction he saw after the fall of Kalos flood his mind. He'll vomit if he spends too much time in there. Everyone else appears one at a time as he forces himself to step forward.

Lana and Lillie gasp as they look around. Lana says, "Wh- what is this place…?"

Lillie calls out to her mother in the center of the room. Lusamine smiles at everyone and with a gesture, says, "Hurry. This way." As they get closer, Lusamine adds, "What do you think? It's my private collection. My precious babies… They will all be preserved for eternity here." She ignores everyone shock and says, "But my poor beast… What confusion, what rage must it feel, arriving in this strange world? It would not be right to confine its feelings in such a small case as these ones…"

Rage laces Calem's tone. "But it's okay for these pokemon here? This is disgusting!"

Lusamine smiles at Calem and says, "I think I'll let it release its fury upon Alola."

Calem's mind flashes through all the people he's met on his journey. Kakuna Hala with his stomach burst open impaled on a fence post with Tauros's head by his feet, Kakuna Oliva's decapitated body dyeing a nearby pool of water red, Professor Kukui limbless with his lifeless head being picked at by murkrow. Calem's tone is empty as he reaches for his black pokeball. "No, you won't."

Serena grabs his hand and says, "Mizzy, get a hold of yourself! I understand how you feel, but if you do-"

Calem rips his hand away from her grasp, "Shut up! There's no way you understand!" He reaches for the pokeball again, "This ends here and now!"

Serena, knowing she can't overpower Calem, tackles him. He kicks her aside only for Chesnaugh to attack him. The pokemon keeps him away from his own pokeballs. While he struggles to stay out of the grass pokemon's reach, Serena shoots Lana a look pleading for help.

Lana doesn't understanding the situation, but from Calem's cold expression, realizes that he can't be allowed to continue. He'll regret it if he does. The way Calem was when they first met flashes through her mind. His sullen and semi-lifeless eyes motivate her into dashing forward and pouncing on him. She wraps her arms around him and holds his head to keep it from colliding against the marble floor. "Calem, stop, please!"

Serena jumps on top of them before Calem can throw Lana off. While Lana holds him, she works to keep his hands away from the black pokeball. "Mizzy, get ahold of yourself! We can stop Lusamine, but not like that!"

"Let go of me!" Calem fights to break free. With a roar, he braces himself to break free and goes limp upon failing. He then braces himself again only to go limp. Each attempt is weaker than the previous one. Each roar filled with less rage and more despair. The anger that drives him melts into grief. After failing to force the Lana and Serena off himself once more, all strength and purpose fade from his body. He trembles and speaks a low voice that might break out in tears, "I'm sorry… Everyone… So sorry…"

Lana, noticing something changed, looks up. Tears flow down the side of Calem's face. Not knowing what to do, she changes from holding him down into hugging him.

Hau, Gladion, Mahina, and Acerola appear in turn from the teleporter. With Lusamine standing in the center of the room, she's the first one they notice.

Hau says, "Mrs. Lusamine!" He notices Lillie as he runs forward and adds, "Whoa-ho! And Lillie! Man, I'm so glad to see you're OK!"

Lusamine says, "Ah, sweet Hau. So you came, too?"

Hau looks around at all the preserved pokemon and says, "Actually, what is this place? It's creepy."

Serena releases Calem and stands. She glances towards him, but he just mutters the same names, "Greninja, Charizard, Lucario, Agislash, Tyrantrum…" to himself. For his sake, she needs to end this, and get him some place else. She says, "Hau, do you remember our discussion about good people committing horrible atrocities? Here is another example."

Hau looks towards Serena and then notices Calem and Lana behind her. Lana kneels next to Calem while calling out his name, but he lays lifeless on the ground. As Acerola and Mahina run over to them, he says, "What happened here?"

Hau's question remains unanswered as Lusamine says, "Hmph. Gladion, must you be so untidy?"

Gladion walks forward and says, "Will you listen to me at least? You mustn't open the ultra wormhole. You cannot let the beasts run wild!"

Lusamine looks at both Gladion and Lillie only to grit her teeth. "The daughter who stole my Cosmog from me and the son who took my Type: Null! All I ever did was give you two all the love I had, and all you did was betray me! You have no right to ask for my attention now!"

Hau looks at the three of them in turn, "What? Daughter? Son? Wait! You all are a family?"

Lusamine says, "Perhaps once we were… Sweet Hau. But those wretches beside you left me." She shakes her head, "But it doesn't matter now. None of that matters now!" Lusamine walks towards the back of the room, "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?"

A small black cube-like device in the back shakes with a "Pew!"

Lilly gasps with horror as Lusamine continues, "But now I have Cosmog itself inside this crate here… If I use its entire body, how many ultra wormholes will I be able to open? How many sweet beasts will come to me then?"

Lillie shakes her head, "Please… Stop… If Nebby isn't- If you make it use up too much of its power… you don't understand what will happen! Like when we ran away from the Paradise… it couldn't move for ages after that… If you use too much of its power, it will die!"

Calem, upon hearing Lillie's pleas, slowly sits up. He almost falls back down, but Lana catches him and helps him up. He takes a breath and forces himself to speak. His voice is horse. "She- she doesn't care, Lillie. You hav- have to stop her."

As Lillie looks towards Calem, Lusamine holds up the black cube, "Watch… I will open the ultra wormhole for you… Come to me, my sweet beast!"

Gladion runs forward to stop her, but is too late.

Electric blue particles of light emit from the box as Nebby cries out in pain. A blue sphere flies up and opens a tunnel on the ceiling from which emerges the jellyfish ultra beast. It chirps as it rubs its tentacles together and looks around.

Lusamine admires the ultra beast and says, "You see! All over Alola!" A weak "P..ew…" comes from the cube Lusamine tossed aside. She looks at it with disgust, "Ugh… Must you be so noisy, even inside there? What an annoying pokemon. The only thing I need from you is your power!" She rests her chin on a hand and says, "But I will admit… it looks like that power has served me well. There should be plenty of beautiful beasts appearing all around Alola as we speak! Akala, Poni… enough for each island." Ecstasy fills her face as she laughs.

Lusamine sighs as the ultra beast chirps once more. "My sweet beast."

Guzma and Faba appear from the teleporter. Guzma says, "Madam Prez… the experiment was a success, huh? Looks like it's time to catch this wicked Ultra Beast to beat down these annoying upstarts!"

Lusamine says, "You're right… Guzma, Faba, quiet those children for me. I don't want to hear from them again."

Gladion resumes his charge and stops before the floating jellyfish. "I'll stop the beast! My partner Silvally was born to be a beast killer! Hau, Lana, you take Guzma and Faba! Serena! Stop the president! If we fail here, Alola will be flooded with beasts!"

Mahina and Acerola try join in, but Gladion says, "No, you two are already exhausted. Just rest up for now. Getting us here was the plan, after all!"

Calem gets up and forces himself to Serena's side. His gait is unsteady and he stumbles a few times. His tone is sullen, but he forces himself to say, "I was one of those brought here, too."

Concern fills Serena's face. Calem's face is devoid of color. He looks like he'll fall over at any moment. "Mizzy, are you sure?"

Calem looks over Lusamine and says, "I am not going to sit around moping forever. Besides, she's strong. I'll be leaving my back to you."

Serena shakes her head with a, "How reckless…" and gives him a smile. She reaches for the key-stone on her necklace while saying, "Together, then. Let's show her the legacy of Kalos."

A/N: Cliffhanger! I debated over placing the fight now or later. Considering the chapter length, I decided for later. But wait, it gets worse. I'm going to be busy next week. A friend is coming to visit so I'm going be a Louisiana tour guide. It'll be great if you ignore the fact that I don't really know anything about this state. O-well, it'll work out.

So, what did you all think? Calem broke down and right when he was doing so well too. Maybe some of you saw that coming? I hope you all like it. More than that, I hope none of you feel as though it was too off or clichéd. More than that, there's clearly something with that black pokeball? Any guesses as to who's inside. I'm kinda disappointed no one has bothered to guess since it was first unveiled…

On another note, I have a sight, American Faux, we I host translations of a Japanese Light Novel, Isekai Mahou wa Okureteru. That translates into The Other World's Magic is too far Behind! As some of you might be able to tell, it's a story about a person transported to another world. Well, my translations start at chapter 25, the beginning is on skythewood's website. Actually, I might have said this alraedy… Can't remember… Anyway, please, check it out if you're at all interested.

And that's enough of my shameless advertising. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter.

Thanks for reading, and leave a review,

Gandire