Alola, everyone! After a long wait from three straight chapters of "Omni Force: JUSTICE", we're finally back to "The Challenge of a Lifetime"! After this chapter, there's going to be a brand new opening and ending for the story's next arc, along with a preview for the next arc of "Omni Force: JUSTICE"!
I'm really excited to do another tournament arc ever since one of my previous Pokémon stories that… I wasn't really proud of. And with the story of Sun & Moon to add to it, I've got a lot to work with.
So buckle on up! It's time for us to get back into this story!
POKÉMON SUN & MOON
THE CHALLENGE OF A LIFETIME
"Hoo…" Calvin exhaled in amazement as he stared up at the towering Hano Grand Resort hotel building, "This is where Erika's been staying?" he wondered aloud.
'How the heck did she even afford to stay here?!' he inwardly asked. But he shook his head, disregarding the situation as he let out a deep breath and smiled. 'I'm caught up with you now, Erika,' he stated firmly through his thoughts. Confidence was all over his face as he entered the hotel… only to end up suddenly tripping on something.
"WAH!" he yelped before falling flat on his face, "Ow…" he mumbled out in pain.
'Now I know how Miss Olivia feels…' he realized.
"Oh, sorry about that!" a familiar voice apologized, causing him to blink in surprise as he lifted his head to see his twin sister approaching alongside Hau, "Wait… Cal?!" she exclaimed out of shock.
"Heh, heh…" he chuckled sheepishly, "Hey sis," he greeted. He turned to see what had tripped him, being none other than Sandygast.
"G-Gassuuu…" he apologized as his beady eyes started tearing up. Moments later, he was positioned at his trainer's feet as she sat on a couch beside her ponytailed cousin. They had just listened to Calvin tell them about his grand trial rematch and the training he went through to prepare for it.
"So both Cubone and Bounsweet evolved!" Hau noted, "Nice!" he complimented with a toothy smile.
"And you met Tapu Lele!" Erika mentioned in remembrance, "I think that's pretty special, too!" she added as she pumped her fists.
"Yeah," Calvin agreed, nodding to her, "Oh, right," he said, digging into his left shorts' pocket, "Olivia wanted me to give this to you," he told her, pulling out the Lycanium Z.
"A… Z-Crystal?" Erika said, taking it into her hands. It had an unusual shape, along with the imprinted image looking like a Lycanroc.
"Oh, that's a Lycanium Z!" Hau pointed out.
"Lycanium?" his female cousin repeated in confusion.
"Yeah!" he responded, "There's a few Z-Crystals specific to a certain species of Pokémon," he told her, "That one's for a Lycanroc of any form!" he mentioned as he looked at the gem in Erika's hands.
"Whoa, really?!" she exclaimed excitedly, "Well, let's test it out!" she suggested, taking the Rockium Z off of the Z-Ring and placing it in a case she had prepared. She then tried to put the Lycanium Z on… only to find that it wasn't staying in place as it clattered onto the floor.
"G-Gassu?" Sandygast stuttered in confusion. His trainer picked up the crystal and tried fitting it again… but it didn't stick still.
"It won't… fit!" she grunted out, gritting her teeth and growling angrily in frustration.
"Um…" Calvin uttered, catching her attention, "I don't think your Z-Ring's ready for it…" he pointed out sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head.
"What do you-?" Erika stopped her question as she noticed her brother's Z-Power Ring. And the indentation it had seemed to be a perfect fit for the Lycanium Z. She pouted, puffing out her cheeks.
"Is there something else you wanna give me?" she inquired to Calvin, who blinked in confusion.
"Huh?" he uttered out. All of a sudden, his twin sister grabbed him by his left arm.
"Give me your Z-Ring!" she demanded as she started yanking him over.
"What?! No!" he yelled back, "Tapu Koko gave this to me, remember?!" he pointed out in question.
"It gave me mine, too!" Erika retorted, "I'm sure it won't mind if I use yours!" she assured, "Besides, you can have mine!" she mentioned as a suggestion.
"Cut it out, Erika!" Calvin begged, "The only reason my Z-Ring's like that is because Tapu Lele did something to it!" he pointed out.
"Gassuuu…" Sandygast uttered worriedly, looking back and forth at the bickering twins. Hau just had a small smile on his face as he chuckled.
'It's been a while since I saw them go at each other like this…' he noted inwardly, 'But…' he continued through his thoughts, watching as Erika tried to tug Calvin's Z-Power Ring off of his arm, 'it's much better than not seeing them at all,' he said to himself.
"Hey, there they are!" a familiar voice called out, catching their attentions as the twins stopped bickering to look over towards the entrance. Waving to them was Pyrrha, who was with Paige and Trent. They all gasped excitedly with smiles. Moments later, Sandygast was nervously peeking out from behind the couch at the group of six trial-goers.
"So you got invited to this Aether Paradise place, too?" Erika inquired to the three new arrivals.
"Yeah," Trent replied, "I actually helped one of their members out with some research on Charjabug," he told the group.
"I met up with their agency in Heahea after I beat the trial in Lush Jungle," Pyrrha chimed in, "When I heard about the tournament, I just had to participate!" she exclaimed excitedly.
"Same here," Paige added, "I just got into Konikoni when I finally heard about it, too…" she mentioned while rubbing the back of her head sheepishly.
"So you two haven't taken the grand trial yet?" Calvin guessed, receiving a pair of head shakes in response from the two girls.
"I have," Trent chimed in, catching their attentions, "And it wasn't as easy as I thought it'd be…" he admitted in addition.
"Really?" Hau inquired, "I figured a guy like you would have a match like that in the bag!" he pointed out with a grin, "'Specially since you got that Frogadier on your team!" he added.
"Heh," Trent chuckled, "You'd think so…" he muttered out, "Olivia mentioned how some girl swept her team clean, even after all the damage her Pokémon took," he told the group, glancing over at Erika, "That's something not everyone can do," he pointed out to her. She sheepishly blushed, giggling as she rubbed the back of her head.
"Oh come on…" she complained while smiling, "It's not that big of a deal…" she claimed.
"It totally sounds like one though!" Pyrrha argued with a smile, "You're probably the top trainer on the island challenge right now!" she mentioned warmly.
"Erika'zzz come quite a long way!" Rotom buzzed as it floated over to the group of trial-goers, "I think she'zzz got a great zzzhot at winning the tournament!" it added with confidence.
"Uh, heh, heh…" Erika nervously laughed as she grinned.
"We'll see about that…" Trent retorted while smirking.
"By the way…" Hau began, chiming into the conversation, "where's that alien guy who told you about the tournament in the first place?" he asked his female cousin. She opened her mouth to answer and…
"Why, I am that 'alien guy' you're speaking of!" Faba suddenly exclaimed as he was standing by the group of trial-goers, much to their surprise as they gasped, "No, I mean… ahem…" he coughed, clearing his throat, "I am the Aether Foundation's Branch Chief, the esteemed Faba!" he boasted in introduction, "And may I assume that these are all of your friends, Miss Erika?" he inquired to the Ketchum girl.
"Yeah!" she replied with a nod.
"Wonderful!" the scientist exclaimed, "Now that you're all gathered here, I'd like to tell you about this amazing opportunity!" he offered to them.
"Uh, we already know about it…" Trent pointed out.
"Yeah, it's why we're here!" Hau added with a big smile.
"Uh…" Faba uttered, somewhat dumbfounded.
"Sorry 'bout that," a familiar voice apologized, catching their attentions as they looked to see Milo and Selene approach, "Chief's always gotta act high and mighty…" the former pointed out, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.
"Hmph," Faba huffed, cross with his subordinate.
"Milo! Selene!" Erika exclaimed as she shot onto her feet.
"Hello," the female Aether Foundation employee greeted robotically with a small wave of her right hand, "I see that you have associated yourself with a Sandygast," she pointed out, noticing the Sand Heap Pokémon cowering behind his trainer's feet, shaking nervously.
"G-G-Gassuuu…" he stuttered, very uncomfortable with so many people around him. Selene squatted herself down to his eye level. She stared at him intently as he started to sweat.
"He's cute," she suddenly said, much to his surprise as he blinked, seeing her stand up, "The tournament's going to start tomorrow, so we're gonna take anyone who wants to come," she explained to the group of trial-goers.
"Awesome!" Pyrrha exclaimed as she pumped her fists.
"We'll be departing shortly, of course," Faba chimed in as he rubbed his hands together, "Come," he beckoned with a wave of his right arm, "I'll lead you to our ship," he promised them.
"Wow, thanks Mister Alien Guy!" Hau said in gratitude.
"Oh, it's no— WAIT, MY NAME IS FABA!" the Aether Branch Chief suddenly shouted, interjecting himself out of frustration.
"Haha!" Milo laughed. Moments later, the six trial-goers were being led towards the hotel entrance. Erika had returned Sandygast to his Poké Ball beforehand, with Rotom floating beside her as they headed towards the doors. However, they spotted another pair of familiar figures entering the building. This time, it was Kukui and Olivia.
"Professor Kukui!" Calvin exclaimed in surprise.
"And Miss Olivia?" his twin sister said out of confusion.
"What are you doing here?" Hau asked as they both approached.
"We came to see you off before the big tournament starts!" Kukui responded, placing his hand atop the ponytailed boy's head and rubbing it as he giggled, "You've all been through a lot to get halfway through your island challenges," he pointed out to the group, "Though some of you haven't finished here on Akala yet…" he noted, glancing over at Pyrrha and Paige. They sheepishly chuckled in response.
"So even the island kahuna has come to see these children off," Faba chimed in.
"Of course!" Olivia replied, "I treat them as if they were my own children," she told him, "Not that I've ever had any myself…" she mentioned, "I haven't even married anyone," she finished, causing some of the trial-goers to blink in surprise.
"Really?" Erika inquired, arching an eyebrow. The kahuna giggled.
"You sound surprised, Erika," she pointed out.
"Well… yeah…" the pigtailed trial-goer admitted in reply, "I mean, I figured a lady pretty as you would have guys all over her…" she mentioned rather bluntly to everyone's surprise.
"That'zzz really rude, Erika!" Rotom buzzed angrily.
"No, it's fine!" Olivia assured with another giggle, "Honestly, I should start looking for a boyfriend…" she admitted sheepishly, putting her hand onto her right cheek.
"Oh, by the way…" Erika started to say, pulling out the Lycanium-Z she'd been given, "I don't think I can use this yet, so…" she pointed out, about to hand it back to the kahuna. However, she closed her hand with both of hers.
"You will someday," she promised, "So hold onto that," she advised with a smile. Erika blinked in surprise before grinning back, giving off a nod. As the professor and the kahuna continued their sendoffs, Faba looked on curiously, stroking his goatee with his right hand.
'So she's not with Kukui at this moment…' he inwardly noted, 'Perhaps they've met up…' he inferred.
"All right, we're ready!" Paige cried out eagerly.
"Yeah, let's hit the water!" Hau exclaimed as he pumped his right fist up.
"Very well then…" Faba grumbled out with a sigh, "This is why I cannot stand children sometimes…" he muttered quietly. As he, the Aether Foundation employees and the trial-goers exited, Kukui stared on at them with narrowed eyes.
"I suppose it's for the best that Lillie's with Burnet," Olivia commented, catching his attention, "But those people are going to find her eventually," she pointed out to him, "Do you really think going to Ula'ula is the best course of action for her?" she inquired. The professor adjusted his cap, pulling it down slightly by its brim.
"She needs to find a way to get that Cosmog home," he pointed out, "Or at least somewhere far away from their reach…" he added as a suggestion.
"I just hope she'll be okay…" Olivia admitted out of worry.
OPENING
"High Hopes" by Panic! At the Disco
0:00 – 0:10 = Opens with Calvin and Erika getting their hats and shoes on before stepping outside a Pokémon Center to start their days on Akala Island.
0:11 – 0:34 = Continues with the twins running down a pathway, being joined by Hau, Paige, Pyrrha, and Trent as their respective starter Pokémon run alongside them. Meanwhile, Ash and Mirajane are out on the front porch of their vacation home with Pikachu, hoping for the best of their kids.
0:35 – 0:45 = Shows Calvin with Torracat, Gumshoos, Trumbeak, and Araquanid resting beneath a shady tree, with the Fire Cat Pokémon sleeping contently on her trainer's lap. Cubone is off to the side shattering rocks with his bone until Araquanid traps him in a Spider Web out of annoyance. Bounsweet bounces over and pushes Torracat away, fighting her for Calvin's affection.
0:46 – 0:57 = Cuts to Erika training with Brionne and Lycanroc, while Fomantis is asleep on the sunny grass. It's only when Drifblim decides to float over her that she wakes up, mad that the Balloon Pokémon is blocking out the sunlight. Meanwhile, Oricorio is dancing off to the side as Magby watches in wonder.
0:58 – 1:10 = We see Calvin and Erika entering the Battle Royal Dome, awing the spectacle before they're introduced to the Masked Royal, who Calvin fawns over while Erika instantly recognizes him as Kukui in disguise, giving off a blank look.
1:11 – 1:33 = Calvin commands Torracat as she jumps into the ring, attacking Gladion's Null with Fire Fang. Erika's Brionne uses Aqua Jet to knock back Paige's Combusken into the ropes, followed by blasting her with Bubble Beam. Hau's Pikachu and Trent's Frogadier race each other with Quick Attack before they use Electro Ball and Water Pulse respectively, colliding their attacks with each other in a fierce explosion.
1:35 – 1:44 = Continues with Calvin and Erika going along and visiting the landmarks of Akala, seeing the Paniola Ranch, Brooklet Hill, Wela Volcano Park, the Lush Jungle, Konikoni City, the Ruins of Life, and the Hano Grand Resort. But as they journey on, Calvin notices that his sister is getting further ahead of him.
1:45 – 1:55 = Erika is then approached by Plumeria, whose Salandit climbs up her shoulder before they both smirk at her deviously.
1:56 – 2:18 = We then cut to scenes of Lana fishing at Brooklet Hill with her Araquanid, Kiawe overseeing his trial site atop Wela Volcano with his Alolan Marowak, and Mallow picking out ingredients alongside her Steenee. The scene changes to show Olivia and her Midnight Lycanroc turning around and grinning at the Ketchum twins, being a wall for them to overcome.
2:19 – 2:42 = Erika sends out her Brionne in rainy weather to face a Wishiwashi in his schooling form, while Calvin has Trumbeak use Pluck on a Lurantis.
2:43 – 3:12 – The opening closes off with the Ketchum twins standing with their respective teams, smiling at each other, though Torracat and Brionne scoff and look away. We then get a glimpse of Lillie and Nebby at the Ruins of Life, a scene of Tapu Lele floating about excitedly, and finally a scene featuring the Aether Foundation with Faba, Wicke, and Lusamine.
Living in Aether's Paradise!
The Aether Foundation's boat sped through the waters as Milo piloted it through the Alolan sea. All six of the trial-goers aboard were out at the bow, viewing the splendor of the ocean as they noticed some Mantyke splashing in and out of the water, swimming beside the boat.
"Wow, those guys are fast!" Erika exclaimed as she and Pyrrha watched.
"Mantyke, the Kite Pokémon," Rotom buzzed, catching their attentions as they looked over to see it have an image of the Water/Flying-type upon its screen, "Mantyke are friendly toward people and will approach boats closely. The patterns on their backs differ depending on their habitat," it explained thoroughly.
"Maaahh!" one of them squeaked in greeting as he splashed up and waved to the girls at the railing.
"Aw, that's so cute~!" Pyrrha squealed with delight, while Erika giggled happily.
"I wonder if Aether Paradise has any Mantine Surfing!" Hau excitedly chimed in.
"Ha!" Milo laughed as he ventured over to the group, having the boat engage its autopilot function, "That'd actually make it a pretty fun attraction, wouldn't it?" he inquired, "But I think we're gonna stick with the Aether Tournament for now," he affirmed.
"So what's the tournament even for anyways?" Trent questioned curiously.
"And what does the winner get?" Paige asked on.
"Well, it's to honor the one-year anniversary of the Aether Foundation's founding and construction of Aether Paradise!" Milo thoroughly replied, "We worked hard to make that artificial stadium in just a couple months!" he mentioned to Calvin and Hau's surprise as they blinked and widened their eyes.
"What do you mean by artificial?" Trent wondered aloud, tilting his head to the side out of confusion.
"I think that means the stadium was man-made," the ponytailed boy of the group responded.
"Not just the stadium," Milo chimed in, "Aether Paradise itself is a man-made marvel dedicated to studying the many Pokémon found here in Alola," he explained, pulling out a Great Ball from his Belt and enlarging it, "In fact…" he continued, lightly tossing it as it popped open, with its light coming down and forming upon the deck, dissipating to reveal his Larvitar.
"Larr!" he squeaked in greeting.
"We found out that Larvitar here and others started living in Diglett's Cave around a couple weeks ago," his trainer told the trial-goers.
"Whoa, cool!" Hau exclaimed.
"They moved all the way out here?" Calvin inquired, arching an eyebrow, "But… how?" he asked on.
"Who knows?" Milo responded with a shrug, "They've made themselves a home, so I'm not one to go against nature," he pointed out, going over and crouching down to rub the Rock Skin Pokémon's head.
"Larrr…" he cooed happily at his trainer's affection.
"So what about the grand prize again?" Paige chimed in, desiring an answer to her question now.
"Well, that's-"
"Milo, you're talking too much," Selene interjected robotically to his surprise as he yelped.
"Don't scare me like that, Selene!" he insisted of his coworker. She glanced over at him with a blank stare.
"Let them find out what the grand prize is for themselves," she advised as a retort, "It's no fun that way," she pointed out.
"Heh," Paige chuckled, "She's got a good point," she admitted with a grin.
"Anyways, we're almost there," the female Aether Foundation employee told the trial-goers, "See it?" she asked of them, enticing them to all look ahead.
"Whoa!" Erika yelped in surprise, running up to the bow of the boat to see what lied ahead. Floating massively on the water was a white complex with the Aether Foundation's symbol upon it. It was a wide structure, consisting of various buildings, including what seemed like a mansion at the back. Though Erika only caught a small glimpse of it.
"All right, children!" Faba called out, catching their attentions as they saw him approach and clap his hands together, "Once we arrive at the port, we'll have someone escort you to register for the event," he told them, "Do be grateful, mind you!" he advised seriously, "It's not every day that children like yourselves get an opportunity like this…" he pointed out, stroking his goatee smugly.
"We will," Calvin assured in response, bowing to him, "Thanks, Mister Faba!" he said out of gratitude.
"Hm-hm!" the Aether Branch Chief chuckled contently at the gratefulness of the Ketchum boy. Moments later, the boat was docked at the port as the trial-goers all hopped off.
"Land ahoy!" Hau exclaimed, raising his fists up excitedly.
"Isn't it 'land ashore'?" Paige inquired curiously as she put her hands onto her hips.
"Ah, who cares…" Trent grumbled, "We're finally here, and that's that," he pointed out with a smile.
"And we're gonna get to see just how far each of us has come!" Erika concluded in addition as she balled her right hand into a fist.
"We better get registered first though," her brother pointed out.
"Follow us, please," Selene implored of the group, enticing them to walk behind her, Milo, and Faba as they ventured towards what looked like a triangular opening in the floor.
"Now where could that woman be…?" Faba muttered in question, having a cross look upon his face. Just then, a platform started coming down, acting as a lift as a few people were upon it. A couple of them were Aether Foundation employees, who were carrying crates down towards the dockyard. Another was a woman with yellow eyes and purple hair. She wore a pink sweater bearing the symbol of Aether Foundation as a part of a white outfit with yellow outlined pockets and white boots with yellow heels. Her boots and outfit had yellow diamond-shaped decorations. She also wore a pair of pink-framed glasses.
"Oh, hello Faba!" she greeted kindly upon noticing the Branch Chief, "How was your research trip to Akala?" she asked him.
"That's Branch Chief Faba to you, Wicke!" he retorted, "As my assistant, I'd expect you to remember your place…" he pointed out with narrowed eyes.
"Huh…" Milo groaned, palming his face with his gloved left hand, while Selene rolled her eyes.
"Oh, I certainly do, Branch Chief sir," Wicke assured with a carefree smile.
"That lady's really forgiving…" Pyrrha whispered.
"I'd punch his lights out…" Paige quietly admitted.
"Well, I suppose I'll let you take things from here…" Faba noted to the assistant, "Where is the president by chance?" he asked curiously.
"She's in the conservatory at the moment," Wicke replied, "Do you wish to speak with her?" she guessed.
"Not at the moment," her superior replied with a wave of his hand, "I'll… speak with her later," he decided, "Until then, I'll leave these children with you," he said, walking off, "Come along you two," he beckoned to Milo and Selene.
"Yes, Mister Branch Chief…" the responded simultaneously, sounding exasperated. The man of the two turned back towards the trial-goers.
"Guess we'll be seeing each other again tomorrow!" he told them excitedly. Calvin blinked.
"Wait… you're gonna be in the tournament?" he inquired, receiving a nod in response.
"I am, too," Selene chimed in, "I'm looking forward to getting the chance to see what the trial-goers are made of," she added robotically, though she did let off a small smile.
"We can't wait!" Erika mentioned as she grinned. The two Aether Foundation employees waved goodbye before getting aboard the lift with Faba, heading downwards.
"I wonder how strong those two are…" Paige whispered curiously.
"We'll have to wait and see, I guess…" Trent grumbled in response with a shrug.
"It's nice to meet all of you!" Wicke greeted, getting their attentions, "As you probably overheard from our esteemed Branch Chief, my name is Wicke," she introduced, "I'm designated as his assistant," she mentioned to them.
"Uh… 'esteemed'?" Erika repeated out of confusion, arching an eyebrow, "He sounded like a total jerk…" she noted.
"Erika, that'zzz rude!" Rotom buzzed in an upset tone.
"Oh, that's just how the Branch Chief is," Wicke assured, waving her hand in a placating manner, "Anyways, welcome to Aether Paradise!" she greeted again, "I trust that your trip in was comfortable, Erika?" she asked of the pigtailed girl. She blinked twice.
"You know my name?!" she exclaimed in surprise, taken aback by the revelation.
"Of course," the assistant responded, keeping a bright smile on her face, "I know Calvin, Hau, Trent, Pyrrha, and Paige as well," she listed off, surprising them as well, "The Aether Foundation employees who've met you each told me wonderful stories about your help," she mentioned.
"Oh, so that's how…" Hau realized.
"Glad we don't have to waste introductions…" Calvin admitted with a chuckle. Hearing that, Wicke giggled.
"Now why don't we get you all registered for the tournament?" she suggested as the lift arrived at the docks again. A few moments later, the six trial-goers and the assistant disembarked the elevator at the entrance floor. "Here we are!" the guide of the group pointed out as she led them to a nearby service counter, where a blonde-haired woman dressed in an Aether Foundation outfit stood up.
"Hello!" she greeted, "Are you all here to register for the Aether Tournament?" she inquired of them. They all nodded. "Well, I'll need to scan each of your Trainer Passports," she instructed, holding her hand out. Trent was the first to gift her his passport, which she quickly scanned. A holographic screen projected over the counter, showing his passport photo. All of a sudden, a port next to the scanner printed out a keycard with the same photograph upon it. The receptionist handed it off to him.
"What is this for?" he inquired curiously, arching an eyebrow.
"It's a keycard that grants you access to some of the facilities on Aether Paradise, such as the dockyard, the room you'll be staying in, and the Manalo Stadium lockers," she explained thoroughly in response.
"In spite of you being honored guests, we do have to keep up security standards…" Wicke pointed out.
"Well, that makes sense," Pyrrha noted. She and the others got their keycards afterwards, holding them in their hands.
"So where are our rooms?" Paige asked.
"I'll be showing you to them later," Wicke assured in reply, "But first, I'd like for you to come with me to the conservatory," she insisted of them. Erika blinked.
'Isn't that where the foundation president is?' she inquired to herself. The group ventured back onto the elevator and let it take them upwards to the second floor of the building.
"Whoa…" Hau uttered out once they arrived and disembarked from the lift. Aside from the conservatory's vast expansion of lush greenery, there was plenty of water for the Pokémon swimming about contently. Including that, there were plenty of pathways for people to walk along.
"Look at all this…" Paige pointed out, sounding amazed.
"Yeah…" Pyrrha agreed as her head slowly went left to right to scan the area.
"Grrryyyyy…" a voice moaned out, catching Erika's attention as she looked over to see what it was. She immediately grimaced to find a pair of Grimer nearby, though they weren't like the ones she remembered seeing. They had green bodies with a line of yellow sludge along their lower lips that extended around behind their heads, a bright blue tongue, and a small black space behind their eyes. They also had two blunt 'teeth' each in their upper jaws, which looked like crystals.
"Are those… Alolan Grimer?" Calvin guessed, pointing towards the pair of Sludge Pokémon.
"That's correct," Wicke replied with a nod, "On Alola, Grimer are Poison and Dark-types," she told him, "Would anyone care to explain more?" she offered of those in the group.
"I can, zzt!" Rotom buzzed in response, bringing up an image of the Alolan Sludge Pokémon upon its screen, "Grimer, the Sludge Pokémon," it started to explain, "The crystals on Grimer's body are lumps of toxins. If one falls off, lethal poisons leak out. Brought to Alola to solve the garbage problem, Grimer seems to relish any and all kinds of trash," it explained thoroughly.
"They… eat garbage?" Erika asked with a nervous tilt of her head.
"Mm-hmm!" Wicke responded with a nod.
"Um… ew…" the Ketchum girl uttered out, shuddering with disgust.
"But at least they help keep the environment clean!" Pyrrha pointed out, though it didn't seem to help her friend as she still seemed grossed out.
"So is the conservatory meant to house Pokémon that have been hurt in the wild?" Trent asked Wicke, receiving a nod in reply.
"And Pokémon that have been left abused by their trainers," she pointed out, walking over to the railing to observe some Alolan Diglett burying about the grassy area, while a Staryu and a Starmie swam by in the water.
"I know my dad's had his fair share of Pokémon who've been abused by other trainers…" Calvin noted to the assistant, catching her attention as he walked up to her, "And he's made sure they're treated right," he added assuredly. Wicke smiled.
"The conservatory's purpose is meant to rehabilitate the injured Pokémon to a point where they can be safely released back into the wild," she explained.
"What about giving them to trainers to take care of?" Pyrrha inquired curiously as a suggestion.
"Well, that's a bit too fast for some of the Pokémon, I'd imagine…" Wicke replied, "Especially if they've been abused by a previous trainer," she added, "It's part of the reason we have a signal broadcast in the conservatory to prevent trainers from capturing any Pokémon within," she told them.
"But… what about the Pokémon we have on hand?" Erika asked.
"Oh, those Poké Balls you have will work just fine!" the Aether Foundation assistant assured in response, "In fact, why let some of your Pokémon roam about?" she suggested.
"Sounds like a plan!" Hau exclaimed, quickly grabbing a Poké Ball off of his belt and enlarging it, "Come on out, Raichu!" he beckoned as he tossed it up into the air. It popped open, and the light that spilled forth from it formed in midair. As it dissipated, it revealed the Alolan Mouse Pokémon as he surfed down the air while riding his tail.
"Ryy, ryyy!" he squeaked in greeting.
"Raichu has an Alolan Form?" Calvin questioned out of shock as he blinked.
"Yep!" his cousin replied as he nuzzled his head against the Alolan Mouse Pokémon, "And he's even more awesome than before!" he added.
"Ryy!" Raichu yelled as a sign of agreement.
"You know, I think I'll bring out one of my partners, too!" Pyrrha decided, reaching down to grab a Poké Ball from her bag.
"Same!" Paige exclaimed as she grabbed one off of her belt. Trent and the Ketchum twins each followed suit, enlarging the spherical containers before tossing them into the air. They popped open, with their lights forming upon the ground to reveal an Ariados, a Medicham, a Greninja, Marowak, and Magby.
"Areee…" the Long Leg Pokémon chittered as he crawled over to Pyrrha, who giggled.
"So your Spinarak evolved?" Erika inquired, receiving a nod in response from her rival.
"Spinner here's the very reason we won our trial in Lush Jungle, along with Cinder's help!" she pointed out.
"Arreeeee…" the Ariados chittered, blushing a little out of flattery.
"And both of your Pokémon evolved, too…" Calvin noted to Paige and Trent.
"We're not the same trainers you saw back at the Battle Royal Stadium," the former of the two pointed out, "And we're gonna prove that in this tournament!" she vowed firmly as she pumped her fists.
"Cham!" Medicham voiced in agreement, mimicking her trainer's pose.
"Heh," Trent chuckled as he crossed his arms, "We'll see…" he remarked.
"Neen jah," Greninja croaked, leaning back against the railing in boredom.
"Oh, so you two have the Alolan Forms of both Raichu and Marowak!" Wicke excitedly noted to Calvin and Hau, getting their attentions, "We've been researching the climatology of Alola to determine if that's a factor in their alterations from their Kantonian counterparts!" she explained to them.
"Uh… cool! I think…" Calvin responded, unsure if he was able to make sense of what the Aether Foundation assistant was saying. As the group mingled about with their Pokémon, Rotom suddenly took notice of a familiar walking along the pathway nearby, being none other than Selene.
"Mizzz ZZZelene!" it buzzed excitedly as its eyes sparkled, floating off. Erika overheard and saw it depart.
"Hey, Rotodex!" she called out, "Wait for us!" she yelled, jogging off after it.
"M-Mag bee!" Magby stuttered, quickly following his trainer. The Pokédex had floated quite far ahead, fixated on meeting with the female Aether Foundation Employee as it turned a corner. However, it came to a stop once it reached a clearing, blinking in surprise.
"Huh…!" Erika breathed out upon arriving, a little exhausted as she put her hands onto her knees, "What'd you take off for, Rotodex?" she wondered curiously while Magby came over. The Pokédex didn't respond, much to her confusion. She looked to see what it was looking at… and blinked in surprise as well. Standing ahead of them was a woman having blonde long hair with silver streaks and green eyes. She wore a white dress with a diamond badge upon it at the chest, black and white leggings, and boots of the same color, with green soles. Her boots themselves had a medium-height yellow heel to them. For some reason, Erika looked at those green eyes with curiosity. What did they remind her of?
"Miss President?" a voice chimed in, catching the woman's attention as she looked over to see Selene approach with a Corsola in her arms.
"Oh, Selene!" she exclaimed in greeting, "How is Korra doing today?" she asked, referring to the Coral Pokémon the Aether Foundation Employee was holding.
"She's doing much better now," Selene told her, "All of her branches have regrown like you said they would," she mentioned robotically while letting off a small smile.
"That's wonderful!" the blonde woman exclaimed, "Are you thinking about releasing her back into the Melemele Sea?" she inquired curiously.
"Korrr!" the Corsola squeaked out, wriggling in her trainer's arms as a sign of defiance.
"I believe she wants to stay with me," Selene concluded to the Aether Foundation president.
"Well, that's her decision!" she pointed out, "You've taken good care of her, Selene," she noted, placing her hands onto her hips, "I have no doubt you two will be a wonderful pair," she assured with a smile.
"Thank you," the employee replied with gratitude. Just then, she took notice of Erika watching from afar with Rotom and Magby. "Erika?" she uttered in surprise, causing the blonde-haired woman to turn around to see the pigtailed trial-goer there. She immediately shivered.
"Um… sorry!" she quickly apologized, "I didn't mean to eavesdrop!" she yelled in claim, bowing to the two. However, the president of the foundation chuckled, putting her right hand over her mouth.
"There's no need to be sorry, child," she assured as a response, "Would you like to hear more?" she inferred.
"S-Sure!" Erika stuttered in reply as she jogged over, "Who are you, by the way?" she asked curiously.
"This is Miss Lusamine Aether, one of the Aether Foundation's founders and its current president," Selene introduced for her superior. The Ketchum girl blinked three times.
"P-President?!" she stammered out in shock. The blonde-haired woman giggled again.
"You're surprised?" she inquired curiously.
"Uh… kinda…" Erika admitted as a reply.
'She looks so young to be a president… let alone a founder…' she noted to herself.
"Hey, Eri!" a familiar voice called out, catching their attentions as they looked to see Calvin and Hau jogging towards them, with Marowak and Raichu respectively following their trainers. As they approached, they both blinked in surprise to see Lusamine.
"Hello there!" she greeted warmly, "You must be part of the group of trial-goers taking part in tomorrow's tournament, correct?" she guessed.
"Uh, yeah, we are…" Calvin nervously responded as he blushed a little. Lusamine was quite an attractive person in his eyes. Even more so than Olivia in his mind. "My name's Calvin," he introduced.
"And I'm his cousin, Hau!" the ponytailed boy chimed in as he wrapped his right arm around his relative's shoulders and pulled him close, "That's Erika, his twin sister!" he mentioned, pointing at the pigtailed girl.
"Heh…" she chuckled out, "Guess I should've introduced myself sooner…" she admitted, sheepishly rubbing the back of her head.
"No, it's quite alright," Lusamine assured, "Anyways, my name is Lusamine," she introduced, placing her right hand over her chest. She then noticed Wicke and the other trial-goers venture over.
"Miss President!" the assistant greeted. After sharing more introductions, the president stood out in front of the group.
"Almost a year ago, my husband and I founded this place in order to conserve and protect the Pokémon who'd been left in hardship, whether in the wild or by abuse from their trainers," she explained to the group, "I've had the goal of creating a utopia for those poor Pokémon…" she admitted, "And I'm willing to be like a mother for them during the times ahead," she added firmly. The trial-goers let out impressed gasps as they smiled.
"Wow, Miss Lusamine!" Hau exclaimed, folding his arms behind his head, "It sounds like you've done a lot already in just a year!" he pointed out, "I mean… you're not that much older than us!" he mentioned with a chuckle. At that, Lusamine blushed a little as she giggled.
"Oh, you sweet boy!" she remarked, "I'm already a little over forty!" she told him. Each of the trial-goers except for Hau blinked in astonishment at the revelation. Meanwhile…
"You are?" the ponytailed boy inquired curiously. There was an awkward silence as Lusamine had a firm look on her face. And when it finally dawned on Hau… "WAIT, WHAT?!" he exclaimed in disbelief as he stumbled back a step.
"Ryyy…" Raichu sighed, shaking his head. The Aether Foundation president giggled again.
"The right style does wonders, you know!" she pointed out to the ponytailed boy. At that moment, Pyrrha grabbed him by his right wrist in both of her hands, holding it tight.
"And you should never judge a woman by her looks…" she added with an ominous smile. Hau started to sweat a little.
"Um… Pyrrha?" he uttered out, "You're hurting my wrist…" he noted, grimacing from her firm grip. Erika looked on at the scene and let a drop of sweat trickle down her head.
'Glad I didn't end up being the one who said it…' she inwardly admitted.
"You know, Hau…" Lusamine continued, catching the ponytailed trial-goer's attention as he winced from the pain he was enduring, "your style seems to be a bit wanting, doesn't it?" she guessed to his surprise, "I'll have to come and help you pick out a smashing outfit sometime!" she offered.
"L-Like what you wear?" he stuttered back in question, "Well… I don't if anyone could pull off something like that…" he admitted, "Except maybe Eri or Lillie…" he noted, glancing off to the side. Hearing that caused Lusamine, Wicke and Selene to all blink in surprise. And Erika noticed their reactions. However, the Aether Foundation president quickly composed herself as she placed her hands onto her hips.
"Don't you worry," she assured suddenly, catching the group's attention, "You should just leave everything up to me," she insisted, "Trust me, children would all be much happier if they only listened to the adults around them," she mentioned thoroughly. Erika shook her head afterwards, doing a double-take. The way Lusamine's tone had changed was… odd.
"Well, we're glad to know that you're willing to help Pokémon in need," Trent chimed in thankfully.
"It's my pleasure to help," the Aether Foundation president responded, "Like I said, I want to be a mother to all those poor Pokémon," she pointed out to the group, "Even those in far-off regions or other worlds," she added. Calvin blinked in surprise upon hearing the latter category. He recalled the crack in the sky he saw just above Heahea after leaving the Dimensional Research Lab.
'Other worlds…' he repeated through his thoughts, 'Does that mean the Aether Foundation's researching the Ultra Beasts, too?' he inferred, putting his hand onto his chin.
"Incidentally, my Corsola here was a victim of attacks in the wildlife," Selene chimed in, catching his attention as he was snapped away from his thoughts, "Her name's Korra," she added.
"Korrr!" the Coral Pokémon squeaked in greeting.
"Wow, like the Omni Force member!" Pyrrha noted as she leaned closer to get a better look, "That's so cute!" she mentioned with a giggle.
"So what happened to her?" Paige asked.
"She was attacked by a group of Mareanie in the Melemele Sea," Selene robotically replied, "They nearly took all of her coral branches…" she pointed out, rubbing one of the pieces upon Korra's back.
"That's awful…" Pyrrha pointed out sadly.
"Mareanie, huh?" Erika uttered, arching an eyebrow, "Hey, Rotodex-?"
"You can leave it to me, zzt!" the Pokédex immediately buzzed, guessing its user question. It pulled up an image upon its screen, being that of a creature with a purple, stalk-like body and head. She had blue eyes with yellow pupils and sclera, and three pointed teeth. The body consisted of two sections, the top of which was slightly smaller and overlapped the lower. On top of her head is a starfish-like collection of ten tentacles. All of the tentacles reached the ground, except for the one directly in front, which was shorter and left her face exposed. The tentacles were light blue and covered in purple spines. On top of her head was a purple area with a collection of spikes with a larger, yellow spine in the center.
"Korrsaa!" the Corsola yelped in fright upon seeing the image, burying her face into her trainer's chest as she whimpered.
"It's okay, Korra," Selene reassured, petting the Coral Pokémon gently atop her head, "It's just a picture," she pointed out. Seeing her reaction made some of the trial-goers exchange worried looks.
"Mareanie, the Brutal Star Pokémon," Rotom began, "They're found crawling on beaches and seafloors. The coral that grows on Corsola's head is as good as a five-star banquet to these Pokémon. Aside from their heads, their body parts regenerate quickly if they're cut off. After a good night's sleep, a Mareanie is back to normal," it explained thoroughly.
"No wonder Corsola's so scared…" Calvin noted out of concern.
"Korrr…" Korra whimpered in Selene's arms before looking up to see the reassuring small smile on her face.
"Are you finished?" she asked. Shaking her head, the Coral Pokémon quickly recomposed herself and grinned back.
"Korr!" she exclaimed happily.
"Wow, what a turnaround!" Pyrrha complimented, giggling with Selene.
"Korra isn't the only Pokémon who's been through a lot," Lusamine chimed in, "All the Pokémon here are being given the utmost care and attention they require in order to fully rehabilitate," she explained to the trial-goers, "So I do hope that if you find Pokémon that've been abused, you raise them with the same kind of care you would for your other Pokémon," she advised.
"We will!" Hau promised with a big grin.
"Oh, look at the time…" Wicke said as she noticed that it was already 5:37 P.M. on her watch, "Let's escort you all to where you'll be staying for the night," she insisted, leading the trial-goers back down the pathway towards the elevator.
"Thanks for meeting us, Miss Lusamine!" Pyrrha cried out in gratitude as she waved farewell to the Aether Foundation president. She waved back.
"Good luck in the tournament!" she yelled. Erika glanced back at her curiously. Calvin did, too. Something about the way she looked… and those striking green eyes… reminded them of someone.
'She did seem surprised when Hau brought her name up…' Erika noted inwardly, 'But… that's probably just a coincidence,' she affirmed to herself as she walked after her fellow trial-goers. Once they were out of sight, Lusamine let off a small frown.
"So…" she began, "they know Lillie…" she realized, putting her hand onto her chin.
"Miss President?" Selene uttered, sounding somewhat worried.
"Find the Branch Chief," she advised to her subordinate, who blinked in surprise, "We need to discuss our next course of action in finding her…" she pointed out.
"Yes, ma'am," Selene replied as she jogged off with Corsola in hand. The Aether Foundation president leaned against the fencing, glancing back at the group of Fomantis lurking in the shrubbery.
"Soon… I'll have even more beautiful creatures in this paradise…" she vowed, letting off a small smile.
X
A while passed before the six trial-goers were finally brought to their rooms to stay for the night. The girls were grouped together in one, while the boys stayed in another. After having a wholesome buffet dinner and some time to wash up, they went back to their rooms to prepare for bed.
"Mmmm…!" Pyrrha moaned as she stretched up her arms together, "Ah…" she exhaled in relief, bringing them down.
"Guess you're lookin' for that good night's sleep…" Paige pointed out, causing her to giggle.
"Everyone'll want that for tomorrow!" Pyrrha noted while stretching her legs, "We've all gotta be in tip-top shape for the battles ahead!" she stated with a pump of her fists.
"I hear that," Paige agreed, also preparing to do some stretches of her own before going to bed, "Hey Eri, you wanna join in?" she offered, turning to the Ketchum girl. To her surprise though, Erika was lying on her bed with a spaced out look on her face. She was lost in thought over meeting Lusamine earlier, so much so that she had barely eaten anything during dinner, despite getting a full plate of food for herself.
"Erika?" Pyrrha uttered in confusion, noticing how spaced out her friend seemed. She still didn't respond.
"ERIKA!" Rotom suddenly buzzed, causing her to immediately jolt up from her bed.
"Wh-What?!" she stammered in shock.
"You kinda spaced out there…" Paige pointed out, putting her hands onto her hips.
"Everything okay?" Pyrrha wondered out of concern. Erika glanced off to the side for a moment, thinking of how to respond.
"I guess… I'm just wondering about how Miss Lusamine's able to do everything she does for the Aether Foundation…" she admitted in reply, "It's obviously a lot of work…" she noted.
"Yeah…" Paige agreed.
"And to do it all in just under a year, too…" Rotom mentioned, sounding very impressed.
"So why the tournament?" Pyrrha asked, catching their attentions, "Seems a little backwards for an organization focused on conserving and protecting Pokémon…" she pointed out, scratching at her right cheek.
"That's true…" Paige admitted as she put her hand onto her chin.
"I think it's just to give people more of a reason to come here," Erika chimed in as an answer, making the other two girls perk up in surprise, "And the Pokémon in the conservatory can see how fun and exciting battling can be!" she added excitedly.
"That'zzz also true!" Rotom buzzed with agreement.
"Guess that means we'll really have to do our best," Paige realized.
"Mm-hmm!" Pyrrha concurred as she nodded. Erika was ecstatic about tomorrow's tournament… but she couldn't help but shake the feeling that Lusamine knew something about Lillie.
'I guess I can try to find out later…' she noted to herself, lying down on her bed. Meanwhile, Calvin and the boys were about ready to go to sleep themselves.
"So you two still haven't evolved your starters to their final stages yet, huh?" Trent inquired, folding his arms behind his head.
"Yeah, but Dartrix and Torracat are close for sure!" Hau responded, "And once they do evolve, we'll see if your Greninja's tough enough to take 'em!" he added eagerly in challenge.
"All right then…" Trent responded, accepting the proposal as he sat up. As they mingled and talked, Calvin yawned upon his bed. After such a long day, he was more than ready to fall asleep. Still, he did wonder about what Lusamine had said earlier.
'If Ultra Beasts are part of the Aether Foundation's studies, maybe there's a way we can find out where they are,' he suggested to himself. However, he decided to let go of the issue for now. He knew it wasn't the right time, especially with the tournament starting tomorrow…
X
Out on the Heahea Beach as the stars shined overhead, a barefoot Lillie trudged along after an eager Nebby, who was floating about excitedly.
"Pewpew!" it squeaked happily. The blonde-haired girl smiled at the Cosmog, glad that it was enjoying itself. But at the same time, she knew that it was dangerous for it to be roaming about so casually. Especially if people were around…
"So you actually showed up tonight," a familiar voice chimed in, causing her to gasp in surprise.
"Pew?" Nebby squeaked. Walking towards them was none other than Gladion with his Zorua mounted upon his right shoulder.
"Oh, Gladion…" Lillie exhaled with relief, "Don't scare me like that…" she insisted. He let out a sigh.
"You shouldn't let Cosmog wander about," he advised back to her, "What if something happens to it?" he inferred.
"Nebby won't get hurt," she affirmed in response, "I swore I wouldn't let it the day I left," she mentioned, gripping the strap of her duffel bag tightly.
"If you say so…" Gladion grumbled as a response. The hatted girl glanced down somberly afterwards.
"It's been over six months since we've talked face-to-face…" she pointed out to him, making him perk up in surprise, "And three since I finally left that hell…" she mentioned as she started trembling.
"Hey, Lillie-"
"Why did you leave me there all by myself?!" she suddenly shouted in question, interjecting him as he flinched in surprise, while Zorua hopped off of his shoulder.
"Huh…" he sighed, "There isn't a day I don't regret leaving you behind…" he admitted, "It was just… I needed to get Null away before it could suffer something worse," he told her.
"Well, why not rescue Nebby back then, too?!" Lillie asked emphatically.
"Sis," Gladion began, causing her to blink in surprise, "I didn't know she had Cosmog," he pointed out, "And neither did you…" he mentioned, causing her to glance away in shame.
"I'm sorry for shouting at you…" she apologized.
"It's okay," Gladion assured, "Anyways, are you heading to Ula'ula next?" he guessed.
"Mm-hmm," his sister responded with a nod, "I hope that I'll be able to find the answers I need there…" she added as she looked over at Nebby, who was happily playing with Zorua.
"Well, I'll be around there, too," her brother told her, "Just stay out of trouble," he insisted. Lillie let off a small smile.
"I'll try," she promised.
ENDING
"Cascade" by Unlimits
0:00 – 0:11 = Opens with Calvin and Erika as children, playing together in their shared room while a happy Leslie watches. She starts to reminisce about all the good times she's had before her siblings arrived…
0:12 – 0:18 = Cuts to various scenes of the landmarks in Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, Alola, and Galar.
0:19 – 0:31 = We continue with Leslie receiving a Snivy as her first Pokémon from her parents, followed by being wished off as she decided to travel to Unova. There, she battles her new rival, Hugh, and his Tepig.
0:32 – 0:47 = Leslie is walking down a pathway with Snivy following her, but the scene constantly changes with Riolu, Magnemite, Magby, Sandile, and Spheal appearing beside her, evolving into their final forms. Leslie then comes to a stop as she spots Team Plasma's ship overhead, taking on a serious expression in preparation for battle.
0:48 – 1:01 = Cuts to her Walrein using Ice Beam to freeze up some of Team Plasma's Pokémon aboard the ship, followed by Magnezone discharging bolts of electricity. Magmortar blasts back a Weavile with a stream of flames, while Lucario fights hand-to-hand with an Absol before blowing him away with an Aura Sphere. We then see Leslie go up against Black Kyurem and Ghetsis with Serperior and Krookodile by her side. She smiles confidently, commanding them into battle as they lunge out at Kyurem.
1:02 – 1:07 = What follows is a scene of Calvin and Erika excitedly being escorted into a stadium by their parents to watch their big sister's battle for the Unova Championship.
1:08 – 1:19 = As Iris and Leslie take their respective positions on the large battlefield, the Ketchum girl adjusts her visor and gives off a wave to her parents. She then takes out a Poké Ball and fires it onto the field.
1:20 – 1:30 = Cut to today where Leslie sees her brother and sister battling in a stadium, smiling happily out of how proud she is of them…
END ENDING
And with that, we're ready to start the next arc of the story! The tournament's going to feature some surprise faces along with a brand new opening and ending! I'm really looking forward to getting to it!
But for now, it's time to announce that as of this chapter's posting, I'm going to be starting a brand new job! So here's the deal going forward. I'll be posting a chapter every other Friday unless something comes up. In the weeks where I won't post a chapter, I'll be taking three to four short requests.
In the weeks I do post a chapter, I'll be working on writing/editing, so there'll be no requests taken. Thank you so much for understanding, and I'm looking forward to writing more for you guys in the future! See you all later!