Pokémon Radiant Sun
Howdy folks. Let's dive right into this so I can get back to playing Tears of the Kingdom.
All in all, not much to report aside from the fact that the next chapter after this one is gonna be hype as hell.
However this chapter is going to be something different. In fact, this chapter doesn't feature any members of the main cast at all! More on that in about ten seconds, because I don't want to spoil the fun.
So let's get on with the show. Shoutout to the legends who reviewed since the last update, which includes Oragonking, sondragon66, BraviaryScout, Anasazi Darkmoon and a new reviewer that goes by Roman Scum. Thanks for everything, you all rule.
Enjoy.
Chapter 158: Ballad of the Beasts
"You have to know what you stand for, not just what you stand against."- Laurie Halse Anderson, Speak.
Meanwhile…
Mahalo Trail
"~Dooot doo doo just a Kahuna on a stroll to the laguna…~
Kahuna Hala sang quietly as he walked down the Mahalo Trail, refreshed from his secret soak in one of the few hidden hot springs on Melemele Island that hadn't become a tourist trap. Only Kukui and a certain past student of his knew where this particular place was.
And that was only because Guzma and Johnny had snuck out after dark to follow the Kahuna in secret while Hala was heading to the spring. After that, it was hardly a secret anymore, but Hala had managed to convince the two children to keep it quiet.
Hala reflected with sadness upon the fate of his former pupil, who had been ensnared in tragedy and heartbreak from an early point in his life. How the Kahuna wished that he could find a way to make things right between himself and Guzma. A boy who had tremendous talent, waylaid by misfortune and a temperament borne from abuse.
Perhaps someday the stars would align-
"Wait, this disturbance I feel…" Hala murmured, glancing around the clearing before looking skyward and seeing the billowing storm clouds spreading across Alola, blotting out the setting sun and casting the land in shadow. It was then that Hala's head snapped up and he saw something flying through the air right towards him. A Pokémon that Hala had never seen before.
It reminded Hala of a bright red mosquito, except that it was absolutely massive in size and covered in muscles with two enormous and powerful arms. It flipped in midair and crash-landed on the ground in front of Hala, throwing apart its arms with a wild roar.
Hala was blasted backwards a few steps, but chuckled under his breath. "Oh, this one's a rare visitor!"
The strange creature stared Hala down, with the old man returning the glare without fear. "You have come before the Island Kahuna!"
The monster growled softly before punching its fists together, but before Hala could respond he noticed a yellow spark in the distance soaring towards them. With a grunt he braced himself as the familiar form of Tapu Koko crashed down between himself the strange Pokémon, letting out a battle cry before emerging from its shell.
"Did you come here as a Guardian or just to battle?" Hala asked the God of Conflict, who didn't respond as it stared down the creature before them. Hala then noticed several other glowing sparks racing through the sky. Pink. Red. Purple.
Hala shuddered as a terrible thought occurred to him. He had heard the stories of monsters coming from beyond to attack Alola and tear it apart. Mighty beasts with terrible powers, considered unstoppable in the tales of old.
"The other islands must surely be facing the same threat. I'm counting on you, my comrades…" Hala muttered to himself before turning back towards Tapu Koko, calling out his trusty Machamp. "As Kahuna of this island, I, Hala, will support you!"
Tapu Koko nodded in response, shifting into a fighting stance before lunging at the Buzzwole before them with a battle cry. The creature that Hala realized was one of the fabled Ultra Beasts responded by kicking off of the ground with tremendous force, rushing forward to meet the Guardian Deity of Melemele Island in a fight to the death.
Tapu Koko spun around and deflected the punch with its armored arm, allowing the God of Conflict to knock the massive bug off-balance and deliver a Shock Wave that zapped the Ultra Beast, annoying it further. Buzzwole whirled around and lashed out with a Hammer Arm, knocking away Tapu Koko…only for the Tapu to rush forward in a fiery aura and slam into the Ultra Beast with colossal force using Brave Bird.
The Ultra Beast reeled, shrieking in pain as it staggered back as Tapu Koko fired off a swift barrage of electrical attacks. Buzzwole then dashed forward, striking the Tapu with Lunge and sending it tumbling into the dirt with a yelp. Buzzwole grabbed Tapu Koko off of the ground and slammed it down hard into the dirt before throwing it hard across the path.
Buzzwole had no time to revel in knocking down the Guardian Deity, as Machamp was now upon it with a powerful Cross Chop that the Buzzwole barely managed to block. It retaliated by glowing bright red and punching Machamp hard in the chest with Counter, forcing Hala's Pokémon to crash down hard into the dirt alongside Tapu Koko. Both Pokémon slowly rose as Buzzwole let out a roar.
"Heh…Is that all? You'll have to try a little bit harder than that!" Hala boomed as the two Pokémon exchanged a brief glance with one another before nodding in unison, rushing towards the invader that had come to their world and preparing for the showdown of a lifetime.
Meanwhile…
Hau'oli City
"What…what the hell?" Zinnia whispered as the sky ripped apart, casting the city in a strange light. Down below, several Cipher members were unconscious on the ground, with the Cipher leader who had been commanding the Shadow Zapdos held in handcuffs. Various Trainers and civilians alike were pointing at the sky in wonder as the strange rift slowly grew in size.
"This reminds me of something Mohn told me about. A dream he had once." Wes remarked, frowning as Pyrrha and Leon both scowled at the otherworldly sight. That was when Wes spotted it, a jellyfish-like Pokémon that slipped out of the rift and drifted down towards them.
"This gives me a bad feeling, Wes. I don't like this." Leon growled softly, electricity bristling through his fur. Pyrrha nodded beside her teammate, stepping in front of Wes as her stick ignited.
"Me too. This doesn't feel right." Pyrrha remarked, aiming her burning stick at a strange creature as it slowly descended to the street. It cooed softly, dripping purple liquid onto the ground from its tentacles.
"Wait a sec! That's…that's an Ultra Beast!" Zinnia shouted, taking a step back. Zygarde shifted protectively in front of her as more of the jellyfish began to slowly slip out of the portal. Soon there were more than a dozen of them floating in the sky.
"I vaguely remember Sun mentioning them to me before. Aren't they alien Pokémon from other dimensions?" Wes asked, preparing himself for battle.
"Yes. They're Pokémon from other worlds brought here by the Ultra Wormholes, and are incredibly dangerous. The Tapu have been defending Alola from them for hundreds of years. Tapu Lele's battled them before over the centuries whenever there's an Ultra Wormhole that opens in Alola!" Zinnia explained with gritted teeth, readying another Poké Ball as the dozen or so Nihilego shrieked in unison. "We have to protect the people from them, Wes. This jellyfish one is freaky! Its poison will mess you up, just like Sun's Dartrix once got messed up!"
"Noted. Alright, let's…Wait. Mohn. Where did Mohn go off to!?" Wes asked, looking around and not seeing his amnesiac friend around at all. Wes then forced himself to look forward as the horde of otherworldly jellyfish began to rush them, causing the people on the street to shriek in fear, though several brave Trainers began issuing attacks on the strange otherworldly invaders. Dozens were taken down within seconds by the mighty Ultra Beasts, who coated the streets with their poison and glowing boulders summoned from nowhere.
"Brace yourselves everyone!" Zygarde shouted to the others, power thrumming through the Legendary dragon as it coiled back, growling softly. Zinnia and Wes stood their ground against the horde of Ultra Beasts, with Zygarde launching itself into the air and firing off an enormous Dragon Pulse upon the Ultra Beasts.
Pokémon Trainer School
"Run! Get inside the school!" Laura Smiles shouted to the terrified children as they fled from the jellyfish creature that had been attacking the school, summoned forth by the Ultra Wormhole that had opened near the school. Beside her was Jace the Pidgeot, alongside her Tangrowth and Blastoise who were both sporting injuries from the rampaging monster.
The teacher had heard about the attack on the Aether Paradise from her son, so she recognized the jellyfish monster that slipped out of the portal right away as an Ultra Beast. Sun had been quite thorough in his breakdown of battling the monster, so Laura was quite sure about what she was dealing with.
However, she was particularly concerned by the sheer size of the creature. Its main body was larger than a Snorlax and it was shrugging off most of the attacks that her team sent its way with ease. The Ultra Beast slowly extended its tentacles out towards the building, but Laura wasn't going to let that happen.
"Get away from them!" Laura shouted as Jace the Pidgeot sped past her, slamming hard into the massive monster with Aerial Ace and causing it to recoil in pain. For a brief moment.
The Nihilego retaliated by drifting to the ground and summoning an onslaught of glowing boulders before hurling them at Laura and her team. Laura's Blastoise turned around and shielded Laura with its body, but the same could not be said for Jace the Pidgeot and Tangrowth, who were bombarded by the strange Pokémon.
"Smeargle, use Fire Blast!"
The Ultra Beast roared in agony as a flaming star exploded against its side, causing it to drop in midair. Laura looked beside her and saw that Ilima had rejoined her, with Smeargle leaping down from a window above them and landing on the ground. Laura swiftly healed her badly hurt Pokémon while Ilima took point and had his Smeargle attack with Power Whip, further driving the beast away from the school.
"This one is a tough opponent." Ilima remarked as the enormous Nihilego drifted in front of them, hissing in anger at them.
"Sun told me about the Ultra Beast he fought at the Aether Paradise. His description is exactly like this thing, except this one seems much bigger than the one he described. Maybe it's older?" Laura wondered aloud, her tone a mixture of curiosity and dread.
"Whatever it is, this thing needs to be subdued. I hate to be the sort of person who attacks something he doesn't understand, but those Ultra Wormholes have a bad history and if what you say about Sun's encounter with it before is accurate, then we don't want this thing anywhere near us." The Normal-type Captain said as he eyed the creature with a wary expression.
"Ilima, I'm going to hit it hard. Protect us while we're recharging." Laura instructed the Captain before pointing forward. "Hit it with a Hydro Cannon!"
Blastoise aimed its cannons downwards with a thunk and braced itself before releasing a monumentally huge torrent of water at the abnormally large Nihilego. The Ultra Beast shrieked in agony, getting blasted into the wall of the nearby wall and destroying it, falling over into the street. Blastoise groaned and began to recharge, with Smeargle leaping in front of it and lashing out with a Hydro Pump that added even more pain to the situation.
However, the Ultra Beast rose once more, shaking slightly as it called forth another barrage of glowing rocks and hurled them at the schoolhouse and the two Trainers defending it. Ilima had Smeargle throw up a Protect to shield them, but that only served to infuriate the enormous Nihilego further.
"How is this thing so powerful?" Laura breathed, inwardly praying that wherever Sun was currently, he was safe. She had a terrible feeling that he was mixed up in this mess somehow.
That was when the Nihilego suddenly thrust out its tentacles, summoning several glowing rocks and charging up a Power Gem before blasting the schoolhouse repeatedly, shrieking loudly as the sounds of children screaming rang out. Ilima had Smeargle attack with Power Whip, only for his Partner to be blasted as well by the attack.
And then a voice shouted above the chaos. "Well that just won't do!"
The Ultra Beast whirled around in time to get struck with a Hyper Beam, courtesy of a Stoutland leaping forward and blasting it with the powerful attack. It drifted backwards, stunned as a middle-aged blond-haired man walked past the rampaging monster without fear and walked up to the two Trainers, a concerned look on his face. Meanwhile the large dog was frantically attacking the Ultra Beast with repeated Take Downs, stunning it and keeping it from lashing out.
"Are you two alright? I saw a big portal open up in the city where me and my friends were, but I also saw one open up back here. I had a bad feeling about it, so I went to check it out." The man explained as he adjusted his hat, wearing a good-natured smile as he considered the creature thoughtfully. "It's the oddest thing, too. That weird Pokémon seems familiar to me."
"Fascinating! But, er, we should deal with it first and ask questions later. It's quite dangerous, sir." Ilima said to the man, earning a nod of understanding in response. The man then noticed Laura staring at him strangely, as if unsure what to make of the man.
"My name is Mohn. I'm a friend, so don't worry ma'am." Mohn said, giving Laura Smiles a friendly thumbs up. He then looked away from the woman, not seeing the look of surprise on her face as well as recognition. "Now, let's hold off these jerks so the kids won't have to be scared anymore."
"You're a life-saver, Mister Mohn." Ilima said gratefully as Smeargle readied itself to attack. The enormous Nihilego shrieked furiously at them, but the three Trainers were ready to fight.
Brooklet Hill
"What is this thing!?" Mallow shouted as she returned her unconscious Tsareena, leaping back to avoid a deadly lance of lightning as it struck the ground. Behind her Lana stood protectively in front of the Trial-goer who had already been knocked out by the Ultra Beast. Sarah and Harper, Lana's little twin sisters, huddled behind their sister with open terror in their eyes.
The strange creature loomed above them, resembling a mess of power cords that had stood up on their own. Its head was a crackling spark, and the humans could feel the terrible hum of power radiating from the Ultra Beast. It hovered just above the surface of the water, a terrible red aura radiating around it that reminded Lana very much of Totem Araquanid and the night it lost control of itself.
"It's just like in Professor Burnet's stories. Lillie and Sun will freak out when they find out about this." Mallow muttered, calling out a Leafeon. "But first thing's first, we gotta deal with it!"
"It's really powerful, though. Mallow, you should run and get help! I'll hold it off!" Lana called to her best friend, even as the Ultra Beast raised its hands for another attack.
"Not a chance." Mallow offered a fierce grin, sending out her Shiinotic as well. "You and me against the world, Lana!"
Lana rolled her eyes, but smiled back as she sent out her Araquanid and a Vaporeon, her only two remaining Pokémon. Xurkitree hummed with deadly intent, lightning crackling around its body before lashing out with a Thunderbolt, striking her Pokémon and forcing Mallow to dodge by throwing herself to the ground. Leafeon and Shiinotic both attacked with Energy Ball and Moonblast respectively, blasting the Ultra Beast back further.
Xurkitree's head then began to glow bright red, and Leafeon swayed on its feet before falling asleep where it stood. Mallow gasped in surprise, but was even more caught off guard when the Ultra Beast attacked with Zap Cannon, knocking out her prone Leafeon out cold and serving to blast Mallow herself from the sheer force of the attack.
"Mallow!" Lana screamed as her friend crashed through the trees and out of sight. Shiintoic cried out in distress, only for a Thunderbolt to lash out from the Ultra Beast and knock it out.
Xurkitree released a haunting shriek that rose and fell in pitch, sending a crackle of lightning down onto the water's surface. Lana glanced back at her little sisters, both terrified out of their minds at the strange and powerful alien that had come from the sky. Lana's own fear grew as she realized the Ultra Beast was laughing at them.
Lana took a shaky breath and forced away her fears. Her little sisters were counting on her, and she'd be damned if this monster got anywhere near them.
"Liquidation! Hydro Pump!" Lana shouted, taking command of the situation. Araquanid lunged towards the Ultra Beast, slamming into it with its water-infused legs with enough force to knock it backwards across the water. Vaporeon's Hydro Pump then crashed into it, forcing it to stagger back under the force of the deluge.
Lana then thrust out her hand, calling upon Z-Power and using her Araquanid to channel Hydro Pump into Hydro Vortex. Summoning the massive whirling mass of water and sending it at the Ultra Beast was enough to slow it down further, causing it to stop attacking and focus more on dodging their frantic waves of attacks.
"It's slowing down. Washua! Get it!" Lana shouted out, hoping that her Totem Pokémon would hear her cry. Xurkitree shuddered, shaking its head before summoning a sphere of electricity within its hands and sending it towards Lana and the twins. Vaporeon and Araquanid both blasted the attack with Hydro Pump, causing it to explode, but the Ultra Beast surprised Lana by lashing out with a deadly Discharge, which knocked out her Vaporeon and caused the red aura to explode outwards around the Ultra Beast yet again.
"It's getting stronger and stronger…every time it knocks out one of our Pokémon it gets a power boost!" Lana realized as she clenched her fists, realizing how bad the situation was. Lana then noticed that the Ultra Beast had stopped attacking, and was currently holding a hand against its own head.
The Ultra Beast groaned softly, swaying across the water's surface and shambling towards them, its body crackling ominously. Sarah and Harper whimpered fearfully as Lana's Araquanid braced themselves for more fighting.
That was when the water's surface exploded, and the Totem Wishiwashu rose up from the depths and swallowed Xurkitree whole. Lana gasped as the Totem Pokémon of Brooklet Hill dove back into the depths of the lake, and suddenly there was nothing but the quiet sound of water trickling around them.
"Is…is it over?" Sarah asked timidly, peeking out from behind her big sister. Lana frowned, unsure of whether or not to give a definitive answer on that. Washua had been one of her strongest Pokémon before she made him become a Totem Pokémon.
"Washua's super strong! No way could he lose to that mean Pokémon!" Harper called out, managing a smile now that the danger had seemingly passed.
"Maybe? I've never actually known too much about Wishiwashi internally. Maybe being underwater will finally knock out that strange creature-" Lana began to say, only for a small shiver to roll through her and force her to stop speaking. It was then that she noticed that the lake was now glowing…and then her blood ran cold.
The soft crackle of electricity could be seen along the surface of the water, and that was when Lana realized what was wrong.
"No. No no no! WASHUA!" Lana screamed as the entirety of the lake became filled with deadly amounts of electricity. Both Sarah and Harper gasped in horror as the lake shined brightly, with the outlines of the Pokémon down below visible. The Ultra Beast could be seen as hundreds of Wishiwashi dispersed around the monster from the rift.
Several moments later, Xurkitree broke through the water's surface and rose into the air, trembling with pain and rage as it glared down at the Trial Captain.
And then one by one, the dead Wishiwashi began to slowly float to the surface.
Konikoni City
Kiawe grit his teeth as his Alolan Marowak frantically tried to hit the strange Pokémon that had come from the Ultra Wormhole. Around him dozens of people and Pokémon lay unconscious or worse on the ground, taken down by the fast and powerful creature that had escaped from the rift. It was a strange bipedal bug-like Pokémon with a white body and a haughty posture and long powerful legs that toppled everything in its path with ease.
The Fire Captain had been the first Trainer to tackle the monster to not be immediately defeated, but he knew he wouldn't be able to win out. This thing was strong and it was fast, able to dodge most of everything he sent at it.
"Arcanine, hit it with a Fire Blast! We have to draw it away from here!" Kiawe barked out as he hopped atop the dog, returning Alolan Marowak just before the Ultra Beast could deliver another brutal kick. Marowak suddenly vanishing caused the creature to look around in confusion, allowing Arcanine to strike it with the powerful Fire-type move. The Ultra Beast screamed in pain, falling to one knee and nearly toppling over. It then slowly turned towards Kiawe with an expression of absolute loathing.
"Alright…we pissed it off. Now run!" Kiawe commanded his Arcanine, who swiftly charged down the road. Just like Kiawe hoped, the Ultra Beast gave chase to the Captain and ignored the civilians in its fury. To Kiawe's horror, he noticed the Ultra Beast swiftly gaining on them.
"Faster! Use Extreme Speed!" Kiawe urged his Arcanine as it bounded down the road, putting on an extra burst of speed and just barely staying ahead of the furious Ultra Beast as it tried to leap forward to deliver a devastating kick that obliterated the road beneath it.
Finally they exited the city proper and were out on the route, which allowed Kiawe to suddenly face the Ultra Beast and retaliate with a Flame Charge, which the monster was not expecting.
Pheromosa tumbled backwards with a pained cry as Kiawe's Arcanine slammed into her, but quickly pushed itself up with an even angrier look on its face. It crouched, prepared to attack again, only for a shower of rocks to suddenly drop down from above and bury it. Kiawe turned to his right and saw Olivia walking towards him, a floating Probopass behind her.
"Sorry I'm late. Thank you for drawing it away from the city, Kiawe." The Kahuna of Akala Island said gratefully as she stopped next to the Fire Captain. "I'll take it from here."
"Be careful, Miss Olivia. That thing is strong and fast." Kiawe warned the Kahuna, who smirked before holding out a hand.
"I'll be the judge of that. Probopass, use Power Gem!" Olivia shouted as the pile of boulders suddenly exploded outwards, revealing a furious Ultra Beast that was now glaring them down. Probopass fired its attack, but to the Kahuna's surprise Pheromosa leapt over the beams and delivered a High Jump Kick directly to Probopass, knocking it backwards with a cry of pain.
"Stone Edge!" Olivia barked as her Probopass righted itself. Despite a visible crack running down its face now from the strength of the blow it had received, Probopass obeyed its Trainer's orders and sent a spear of rock at Pheromosa, knocking it away with a pained yell.
"Flamethrower, double-time!" Kiawe barked as he sent out his Alolan Marowak, who joined Arcanine and blasted the Ultra Beast with flames. Pheromosa staggered under the power of the flames scorching its body, but then its head snapped up and it darted out of the fire.
Dodging several Power Gems, the Ultra Beast struck Arcanine with an almighty snarl, kicking it hard enough in the chest to audibly crack something and knock it out cold. Marowak struck it with a Shadow Bone, but Pheromosa retaliated with a brutal Lunge attack, rushing forward and delivering a shining kick to the Ghost-type and knocking it out with relative ease.
Pheromosa was knocked skyward by yet another Stone Edge, crying out in pain as Probopass took advantage of it being distracted. However, to the surprise of them all, Pheromosa suddenly exploded with a violent red aura that made the air itself shiver. Defying gravity, it hung there in midair as it shook its head as if to clear it.
The Ultra Beast then looked down at the humans and their Pokémon, growling softly before suddenly zooming down to earth with a speed that they could barely follow, colliding with Probopass and sending it crashing to the ground hard enough to generate a shockwave of raw force, knocking Kiawe and Olivia to the ground.
The furious monster shrieked as its aura exploded outwards yet again, causing the earth beneath it to crumple under the sheer power being unleashed by the Ultra Beast. It then turned its baleful gaze to the humans as they struggled to their feet. However, before the creature could even take a step forward, a whirlwind of pink scales suddenly smashed into the ground in front of it, halting it in its tracks.
A flicker of pink light then descended from the sky and struck the ground, fading away moments later to reveal the familiar form of Tapu Lele. The Alolan God of Life floated off of the ground, staring down Pheromosa with a curious expression.
"May I have some fun too?" Tapu Lele asked her Kahuna, holding out a hand and summoning a whirling sphere of scales within its palm. It also sent out scales to the unconscious Pokémon and the two humans, healing them all instantly. The strange bug-like Ultra Beast hissed in anger at the intruding Tapu for healing its defeated foes, causing the Tapu to laugh in response
"I know you are, but what am I?" Tapu Lele taunted as Olivia returned her Probopass, smiling at the Tapu who had come to back her up. She then turned to Kiawe, who was staring at the Tapu in amazement.
"Kiawe, use your Charizard to fly around the region! Check Trial Sites, major towns and cities and lend a hand where you can. See if you can find Mallow and Lana! Last I checked they were doing a Trial today at Brooklet Hill!" Olivia said to the Fire-type specialist, who nodded and called out his Charizard and was soon flying off into the distance.
The Ultra Beast watched Kiawe fly away and spread its wings, crouching low as if preparing to pounce into the air. Tapu Lele chose that moment to strike, lashing out with a blast of Psychic that sent the Ultra Beast skidding backwards. It opened its mouth and released a loud blast of sound that rushed towards Tapu Lele, only for a stone column to erupt out of the earth and intercept the Bug Buzz. Tapu Lele looked surprised for a moment before glancing at her Kahuna, who was now joined by her trusty Lycanroc.
"Let us stand as one." Olivia intoned as her Lycanroc nodded at the Tapu, getting into a fighting stance as Pheromosa suddenly jumped onto the Stone Edge, glaring down at them hatefully.
The God of Life giggled within their minds before bracing themself as the furious monster that had attacked the city was now furious. It let out a soft hiss before suddenly leaping towards them, spinning around to deliver a deadly kick.
Ruins of Hope
"Hoo…Well, now that we got our weekly prayer out of the way, what should we do now, Rolf?" Hapu asked her Mudsdale as she exited the Ruins, with her trusty Mudsdale clopping beside her. The horse neighed softly, causing Hapu to laugh and pat his side.
"Alrighty, we'll see if Grammy feels like making some candied apples tonight, you little rascal." Hapu remarked fondly before a strange hum filled the air. Hapu looked skyward, her eyes going wide as she witnessed a sight that many others had also seen that day.
The sky had been torn open. Ethereal light shone down on Hapu and Rolf, who watched in awe as a strange gateway flickered into existence. Hapu vaguely recalled Lillie mentioning something that looked like this, once or twice. Ultra Wormholes she had called them.
And then, a small little Pokémon tumbled out of the rift. It resembled a thin piece of paper with a human-like body, almost like an armored soldier. Its body gleamed in the setting sun, which struck Hapu as odd. It drifted down to the ground, gibbering to itself in a manner that Hapu nearly understood as human speech.
It then spun around, effortlessly slicing through solid stone by merely brushing its arms against it. Rolf snorted in alarm as the Ultra Beast let out a sharp shrieking sound, slashing its arms outward.
"Whoa! Looks like this one isn't playing around!" Hapu yelped as a menacing red aura suddenly exploded around the Ultra Beast, who got into a battle stance. Rolf the Mudsdale snorted softly, moving protectively in front of Hapu. It was then that Hapu shuddered, and noticed that a pale blue mist was rolling in from the ocean.
"What is that thing…Is it really an Ultra Beast?" Hapu wondered aloud, eyeing the creature warily. "Like all those old stories. Has one come to the Ruins of Hope?"
"Indeed it has, my child. And now the task of protecting this sacred place falls to you." A hauntingly familiar man's voice spoke to Hapu. A voice she hadn't heard since she was a little girl.
Hapu slowly turned around and was shocked to see a small old man with wrinkled and tanned skin staring at her from within the mist, leaning against his walking stick. He was balding, but his white tufts of hair pointed upwards almost amusingly.
"Grandpa Sofu?" Hapu whispered as the old man adjusted his cane, tapping it twice on the ground. He offered a kindly smile to the girl, shaking his head. The small and wrinkled old man coughed then, trying to straighten his hunched back before he spoke once again in a voice that Hapu hadn't heard since the night her beloved grandfather and the former Kahuna of Poni Island had died.
"Not quite, my child. Simply an echo of your heart made manifest. But I can tell you that my old Kahuna is watching you now, so very proud of his little girl." Kahuna Sofu spoke kindly to his granddaughter, who took in the words with tears in her eyes. "You have been preparing for this day for a long time. Now you face a test, Hapu 'Aukai. The God of Hope is ready to see if you are worthy to take the mantle."
"Test?" Hapu asked, her voice a whisper.
"I have watched and waited for years, hoping someone would come along and prove themselves worthy. None came forth…And then I turned my gaze to you, the wanderer who sought to grow. To honor the legacy of her family and safeguard these islands. Now I wish to see the strength of your soul." The old man, wreathed in mist, spoke to the young woman, who didn't quite understand what was going on.
Kahuna Sofu then let out a soft chuckle, snapping his fingers lightly in a manner that almost made the nostalgia unbearable for Hapu. Her grandfather had always done that as a habit to keep himself from going off into tangents. She never thought she'd see it again "Now then, will you assist me? This intruder is strong, and I don't think I can defeat them on my own."
And then, within the swirling mist, Hapu saw it.
A strange blue, purple, white and black-colored creature that looked as if it was half-inside of a clam shell but radiated a fierce power. Its eyes stared down at Hapu, who didn't know how to respond to the presence of something that she almost recognized. Thankfully the apparition of her grandfather spoke again, drawing her attention back to the situation at hand.
"We must make our stand. Should this one escape, it will unintentionally cause much damage to the Island of Poni. We must force it to retreat." Sofu spoke to Hapu, who snapped out of her daze and focused on the Ultra Beast, who was bristling and preparing to attack.
"O-of course!" Hapu said as she pointed at the Ultra Beast, with her Mudsdale clopping forward. The Kartana released a sharp cry before swiping its arms through the air. Instantly, the nearby rocks tumbled apart, effortlessly slashed by the mere movement of the Ultra Beast. Hapu called for Mudsdale to attack with High Horsepower, with the Ultra Beast rushing forward to meet the visitor from another world head-on in a clash of wills.
The specter of Kahuna Sofu, conjured by the powers of Tapu Fini, watched on as the girl battled the strange Ultra Beast. Silently watching…and considering a very important decision.
Hokulani Observatory
Molayne cried out as he was blasted backwards by the sheer force of the Ultra Beast's launch into the air, flames bursting from its arms as it soared through the air. Sophocles grimaced from where he was clutching onto his cousin's Metagross for dear life, but stared up at the flying Ultra Beast with an awed expression.
The former Trial Captain then struck something metallic as he tumbled through the air, and a pained glance backwards showed Molayne that his Skarmory had caught him. The man braced himself against his Pokémon while staring at the strange creature that had been called forth from the Ultra Space.
"We've got to deal with this thing…agh, with how many Ultra Wormholes have opened over Alola, w-we need to help somehow." Molayne groaned as he stepped forward, rejoining Sophocles. The boy looked at his older cousin with concern, but then looked upwards and saw the Ultra Beast descending from the sky.
Celesteela then aimed its arms at them, charging up two Flash Cannons with an ominous groaning sound escaping it. It fired off the attacks, forcing Molayne to call for Metagross to block the attacks with Psychic. The wall of psychic force struck the two beams, barely holding them off before the attacks exploded in midair. Sophocles glanced down at his phone, which was currently beeping wildly as the young Captain pointed it at Celesteela.
"Energy readings are off the charts. This one is really strong, Big Mo. I can call my Totem to help us out, but I'm worried about dragging more Pokémon into this fight." Sophocles said worriedly, looking at his cousin for answers.
Molayne didn't have any, as he had never battled or gotten a chance to study the Ultra Beasts before. He regretted not asking that Sun boy more about his experiences with the one he encountered at the Aether Paradise. Kukui or Burnet would have had more answers, but with the comms down across the region, the former Captain realized he would simply have to make due.
"It's fine, Soffy. But I need you to get inside the Observatory and protect everyone inside. I'll hold this thing off." Molayne said as he pointed forward, shouting, "Aerial Ace! Psychic!"
Skarmory dashed forward, colliding with the Ultra Beast and barely doing any damage to it. Metagross' Psychic fared better, but only served to make the creature more angry. Meanwhile, Sophocles looked at his older cousin with a surprise, shocked at his suggestion.
"Not a chance! How can I help other people if I take the easy way out? Big Mo, you've stuck with me all this time and kept trying to teach me all these lessons about how to be responsible. How to really be a Trial Captain if I don't protect the people most important to me?" Sophocles demanded, causing the older Trainer to simply stare at him in surprise. With a pang of guilt, Molayne realized the truth of the boy's words.
"He's right…I've been protecting him just as much as I've been teaching him. Being a Captain isn't about privilege and being strong. It's about honoring the traditions of Alola and safeguarding others as countless others have in the past." Molayne thought to himself, but was snapped out of his thoughts when Sophocles stepped in front of him with a determined glare.
"Togedamaru, use Discharge!" Sophocles shouted as his Partner let out a joyful shout before releasing a wide blast of electricity that struck Celesteela. The Ultra Beast twitched violently, a loud groan emitting from the creature as it thrashed in midair.
"Well, that got a reaction out of it." Molayne murmured, wondering exactly what the creature's typing was. Whatever it happened to be, Electric-type attacks hit it hard. Molayne then noticed his cousin staring up at the Ultra Beast, his expression one of grim determination…but he was trembling. Sophocles knees were shaking too, and that was when Molayne realized that the boy was scared. Terrified, even.
But he was determined to stand his ground.
"When did my baby cousin grow up? Heh. All the time I spent with him, I never realized that he was slowly learning some of the best lessons a Trial Captain can embody." Molayne thought as he walked forward, patting the boy on the head as he rejoined his side.
"You know what, Soffy? I think you've got a point. Let's show this sucker not to mess with us Captains!" Molayne said to his cousin, unable to help the proud grin on his face. Sophocles smiled back at his older cousin, and then the duo turned forward again to face the furious Celesteela as it descended from above.
Malie Garden
Acerola didn't know what was worse.
The fact that the sky had ripped open, dropping an Ultra Beast into Malie Garden…or the fact that her carefully-planned dinner with the kids was ruined.
The Ghost Captain had surprised the children with a fun night-time picnic, since the children were still upset about the Team Skull attack and Lillie getting kidnapped. Malie Garden was a lovely place at night with a calming atmosphere. It would help calm their nerves while Sun and his friends mounted a rescue mission to Aether Paradise to save them.
However, now she was staring down something that was the stuff of nightmares. A massive dragon-like monster with tough ebony skin and an enormous mouth that was eating everything in its path, devouring trees, structures and even Pokémon as it rampaged through the garden. What truly stuck out, however, was the jagged white scar along the side of its body.
Acerola had immediately begun to battle the monster, but she was horrified to learn that her ghosts were a terrible match-up against the Ultra Beast, which had been able to knock out most of her team with relative ease while doing little damage to the Ultra Beast in return.
"What are you…And why are you here?" Acerola whispered as she sent out her Gengar, who grinned at the monster ahead of them. "If Ghost-type moves have no effect…then use Focus Blast!"
Gengar laughed, charging up a sparkling sphere of energy and firing it into the open mouth of the Ultra Beast. The attack exploded inside of the Ultra Beast, who let out a shriek of agony that rocked the entire garden and caused the children cowering behind Acerola to cry in fear. Acerola glanced at them with concern before suddenly running forward, calling for her Gengar to attack with an Ice Punch to distract the monster and lure it away from the kids.
However, she was surprised when the attack caused the monstrous creature to scream in pain, stomping down hard onto the ground and knocking Gengar to the ground with Stomping Tantrum. The entire garden shook with the force of the Ultra Beast's fury, compounded further when it began firing off random Dragon Rage attacks into the Garden. The monster then turned towards Hunter and Kylee, who were both screaming in terror.
"NO! Gengar, save them!" Acerola screamed as her Pokémon dove into the shadows, quickly snatching Hunter and Kylee and dragging them to safety. However…
That allowed the Ultra Beast to turn its attention to Acerola, who gasped upon realizing what she had done and effectively left herself defenseless against the monster. The Ultra Beast charged up a Dragon Rage as Acerola grabbed a Poké Ball, but she was too slow to stop the attack that struck her directly, sending the girl flying across the garden and into a charred smoking heap on the ground twenty meters away.
The Ultra Beast roared as it stomped towards the unconscious Trial Captain, its arms snatching anything and everything in its path to toss within its endless gullet. However when it was about ten meters away, an Alolan Persian suddenly leapt out from the shadows and slammed into it. White smoke surrounded the Ultra Beast as the Persian glowed bright pink, rapidly attacking it and causing the Ultra Beast to roar in pain at the attack.
Meanwhile, a man slowly walked out of the shadows nearby and knelt down next to the unmoving Acerola. Nanu checked the girl's pulse and, satisfied that she was at least alright for the time being, picked her up in his arms gingerly before turning to face the Ultra Beast. The monster had thrown Madame Meow across the Garden and struck her with a Dragon Rage, but was now turning to face down the human holding its next victim in his arms. A human that seemed almost familiar to it.
Nanu's sharp red eyes drifted to the long white scar along the length of the monster's side. His gaze narrowed and the Kahuna nodded, as if realizing that something had been confirmed. Acerola groaned weakly in his arms, drawing his attention for a moment before he looked up at the monster looming in front of him.
"So, we meet again. UB-05 Glutton…also known as Guzzlord." Nanu said quietly to the monstrous dragon as it screamed at the Kahuna, even as he held Acerola in his arms and his Alolan Persian sped back over to his side. It was at that moment Gengar had returned, wearing a horrified expression. And not because of the Ultra Beast. But rather the annoyed look on Nanu's face that Gengar knew meant the Kahuna was not happy in the slightest.
"You may not remember, Guzzlord. But many years ago you killed a dear friend of mine. She managed to put that scratch on your side there before she passed away, so that's how I know it's you." Nanu remarked casually to the monster, uncaring if it could actually understand him. "Her name was Jessica. Did you know that? She loved seashells and cheap ramen. Always teased me about my love of cats. Sweet girl, though. She had a Starmie as a partner."
Guzzlord screamed at Nanu in response, causing the man's expression to darken, his crimson eyes narrowing with annoyance as he felt his pulse quicken. His iron-clad restraint was currently being tested by the monster standing before him.
"And now….You've hurt someone that's too good to be associated with a miserable wretch like myself." Nanu said quietly to the monster that growled back at him. Nanu glanced down at the girl entrusted to his care, someone he had repeatedly treated like dirt in the past and constantly brushed aside…
And yet Acerola adored and loved him anyway. Nanu was her Uncle, and up until now he had never truly appreciated the weight behind that honorary title. How much he meant to the girl who always faced him with a bright smile.
But now? Now that she had been put in harm's way, sacrificing herself for the sake of others against an unwinnable opponent? Nanu realized something unpleasant and decided some introspection was in order.
And so the Kahuna exhaled deeply and allowed his emotions to wash past the walls of apathy he had built up over the better part of his life. The walls that had allowed him to cope with a lifetime of mistakes without succumbing to despair. And what he felt surprised him.
Because he was furious. White-hot anger flowed through his veins, and his sudden scowl matched that of his Persian who was openly growling at the Guzzlord that had killed a friend of theirs so many years ago.
"Take Acerola to safety. Protect her." Nanu instructed the Gengar, gently depositing the Trial Captain onto the ground beside her Gengar. "Don't leave her side until she's awake. Ensure she gets medical attention."
Gengar nodded and placed a hand on Acerola's head and dragged the girl into the shadows, something it was able to do without the use of a move due to its own innate abilities. Nanu then turned his gaze back to the Ultra Beast, who was currently charging up a Dragon Rage. Nanu rolled his eyes and began walking towards the monster, slipping into his shadow to avoid the attack and reappearing behind the Ultra Beast. Nanu stepped forward, with Princess the Sableye peering out from behind Nanu. The Dragon Rage struck the ground and exploded violently, with Guzzlord letting out a confused growl.
"Sloppy. You've grown careless in your time away from this world, Guzzlord. Madame Meow, use Play Rough and then hit it with Power Gem." Nanu growled as he drew a side arm, aiming it at the Ultra Beast as it whirled around and lunged at him, only for Madame Meow to strike it with Play Rough, causing it to roar in agony. It swung around, trying to attack with its glowing arms but the Alolan Persian leapt out of the way with ease as a white smoke cloud surrounded the abomination.
"I'm sorry, does it look like I care about what you feel?" Nanu asked the monstrous Pokémon as furiously tried to attack the Alolan Persian, who effortlessly evaded the Ultra Beast and began peppering it with Power Gem blasts. Guzzlord then spun around, ignoring Madame Meow completely and rushing at Nanu himself, who stood his ground and emptied the entire clip of his pistol at the Ultra Beast. All eight shots struck the monster, embedding themselves within its thick skin and causing faint trickles of bright green fluid to drip down its face while also enraging it further.
And then the wind began to howl…
Nanu's eyes widened fractionally as a red and black blur slammed into the Ultra Beast, sending it flying backwards with a howl of pain. The new arrival let out a bellow similar to that of a bull before soaring towards the stunned Ultra Beast with glowing green arms.
The Kahuna of Ula'ula Island watched on with surprise as Tapu Bulu began to pummel the Ultra Beast with its arms, battering it with roars of fury before rearing back and ramming into Guzzlord with Megahorn. The attack struck the monster with the force of a truck, sending it hurtling backwards across Malie Garden. Nanu winced at the sound of Guzzlord's furious screech of pain as it was sent crashing into the nearby stream, where two bleeding holes were present on its chest. Tapu Bulu snorted before turning to its Kahuna, nodding to him. Nanu snapped out of his surprise and scowled at the God of Abundance.
"Stay out of this." Nanu spat at Tapu Bulu, who was stunned at the loathing in its Kahuna's voice. "Go save someone else who needs the help. This fucker is mine."
Nanu then casually held up his wrist, the Darkinium-Z slotted into the armband shining brightly. That was when twisting bands of light erupted from the Z-Ring, warping the shape of the band until it was jet-black instead of white. Nanu grit his teeth as he felt a surge of raw power erupt from the device, flowing from him into Madame Meow.
But he also felt the connection with his Pokémon, and felt what Madame Meow did. The fear of seeing this monster from the past. The fresh grief that had returned from Jessica's death over ten years ago at the hands of Guzzlord. And the absolute seething fury that this monster had dared to try and kill Acerola.
Nanu and Madame Meow were one. United in their fury against the desecrator who had returned to their world and harmed someone precious to them.
Tapu Bulu softly gasped as the power of Radiance burst forth, casting Malie Garden in the righteous light of the true power of the Tapu. Nanu inhaled deeply as the power thrummed through him, taking stock of this new development and sensation of being one with his longtime Partner. He then regarded Guzzlord, snorting with derision at the Ultra Beast that had stopped rampaging and was now staring at him almost warily as it climbed out from the stream, panting now.
"Are you afraid, Guzzlord?" Nanu asked with a wolfish smile, stepping forward in a casual way, with Madame Meow wreathed in a light so bright that Guzzlord struggled to look directly at its opponent. The monster gave a soft growl, backing away from Nanu and his Pokémon and almost stepping back into the water behind it. Nanu nodded, satisfied with that response as Madame Meow purred with savage delight.
"Good. Then I'll be sure to drag this one out, slow and painful." Nanu said merrily as he slowly held up his hand in an exaggerated motion, swiping it through the air several times before suddenly stopping, his hand pointing off to the side.
And then Kahuna Nanu slowly drew his thumb across his throat, even as a swirling jet-black torrent of darkness swallowed his Alolan Persian, transforming her into a tangle of twisting shadows, with two enormous claws erupting from the eerily quiet shadowy mass. Tapu Bulu suddenly became aware of the fact that all sound had been drained from the area. Malie Garden had become totally and completely silent.
The writhing mass of pure hell continued to billow greater and greater, with Guzzlord slowly backing away with terror in its confused eyes as a terrifying sense of calm continued to settle heavier and heavier over the Garden. Tapu Bulu shivered in horror as it realized that its Kahuna had finally decided to take his job seriously. And as a result, did what none of the Tapu could ever make the Ultra Beasts do in over several hundred years of combat.
Make them feel fear.
"When you get down to hell, Guzzlord, let them know that I'll see them soon enough!" Nanu cackled softly, a hint of madness coming to his eyes as his evil grin widened. The Radiance pouring from the Kahuna was blinding, burning like a righteous star as the darkness swirling around them all grew. "Channel Foul Play…and use SILENCING SHADOW SLASH!"
That was when darkness fell upon Malie Garden…and then Guzzlord screamed.
NEXT TIME: Lusamine vs. Sun
This next chapter is it folks. The chapter we've all been waiting for. The climax of the Aether Arc is here at long last and I cannot wait for you all to see it.
Q & A
From: Roman Scum
Alright, I need to ask/beg about this. When the time comes, are you gonna go the canon route with Mother beast Lusamine, or are you do right by the concept and have her throw hands with Sun's team?
Por qué no los dos?
Kidding aside, I've got some badass plans for the final showdown with Lusamine in the Ultra Space. Yes, I will be adhering to the games and there will be a proper battle. But I'll be heavily expanding on that battle and adding some of my own personal touches to the fight…as well as what happens afterward.
Especially what happens afterward, actually, since it's probably one of the final truly badass moments I have left to write in the story post-Aether Paradise.
From: Sondragon66
Once again, a great chapter, And with one chapter comes another couple questions, I'm honestly fine with either one, But considering that you did not include those Alien guys or whatever, i'm going to assume, your going to continue the story in the regular Sun and Moon plot, And not Ultra sun and moon, However, is there a chance for said Ultra sun or moon content, like Necrozma, Or something, Though i'm have my doubts how that's going to work considering how far the story has come now
Also, What's your top 3 Favorite Pokémon games?
1. Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky (Best story, fun gameplay and I personally adore the Mystery Dungeon series)
2. Pokémon Sun and Moon (Great story, great characters and what started this amazing journey and my most successful story on this site)
3. Pokémon Legends Arceus (Fantastic game from beginning to end and a breath of fresh air in a franchise like this, especially considering the fight with the true villain of the game and the superboss fight that follows.
Honorable mention is Pokémon Black, White, Black 2/White for simply being an amazing generation of games with great characters, an amazing soundtrack and inspiring many of my ideas and just being a barrel of fun.
As for your question, I'm staying loyal to this being a Pokémon Sun story. I was debating doing a post-story exploring some of the elements explored in US/UM, but I think it's unlikely that I'll keep the story going after that point. I did actually have some of the Ultra Recon Squad appear way back as a cameo of sorts when I had Sun and his friends battle Necrozma (due to some MissingNo. shenanigans) but that's probably as far as I'll go. I may make some more references here and there, but I don't think doing anything more is in the cards at this point.
Now then, I'm gonna go play Zelda. In the meantime, please Review, Favorite and/or Follow the story to show your support and stay updated with the story and my nonsense. I also have a Discord server and I answer questions in the review section below!
Take care and stay awesome!
Until next time, FlygonNick out!
