Alola readers! Brav is here and back with yet another chapter! Still in the thick of it with Aether Paradise to where we finally get to see the Ultra Beasts summoned and the ensuing confrontation.

Now before I get started, this chapter comes with a particular warning having somewhat graphic depictions of blood, torture and intentional pain inflicted. You have been warned. This particular part had me conflicted when I first wrote this to several different renditions. However it will set up a couple other things down the road.

Without further ado.

Lillie could only stare in muted horror as Lusamine staunchly set an unconscious Elio in the chair opposite her.

"You…you hurt him!"

Lusamine gave her a furious glare, but her tone kept even. "Another consequence of your actions. Simply return Cosmog to me or convince it to come out of hiding…and then you and your friends who have cut an unnecessary swath through my Paradise…may leave."

The young girl shook her head. "No! I won't!"

"So…this is the person you told me I would have no idea who I was against? He is such a frail thing." Lusamine's fingers traced the boy's cheek that made her shiver. "And such a waste of talent in a trainer. Associating with someone as low as you. How incredibly disappointing."

Heavy shuffling footsteps made Lillie look behind as the massive pokemon that had made short work of Elio had stepped into the light. She recognized it.

Soffie was only a small stufful that she constantly had played with when she and Gladion were children. Unlike many of its kind, she had shown tremendous care when playing around with the children, as a simple swipe of a limb had enough power to snap bones. Lusamine had always told them to be extremely careful and avoid touching Soffie when playing around with her, which they did diligently.

Staring back at the pokemon she used to chase all through the courtyard gardens, it felt as if it was just as alien as the Ultra Beasts her mother sought to summon. The bewear's black beady eyes stared back at her unblinking, containing neither pity, rage or empathy. That raw strength from a small stufful was only augmented further when it had evolved. Now much more affectionate than its baby evolution; a bewear could crush a human being with virtually no effort and send pokemon flying that were many times its size. Layers and layers of thick bristly fur protected it from most physical attacks. Elio's attempt earlier to stab it with his small knife likely came nowhere close to piercing its actual skin.

"And this is all your fault." Lusamine was now tightening plastic ties to Elio's wrists and ankles. Within moments, the boy was completely immobilized to the chair. "He could have had everything."

"Everything?"

"Yes everything." Lusamine traced Elio's cheek again. "Ever since he visited the Paradise, I've wanted to know more about someone with the talent that he has. Much more than his gullible friend Hau. A star basketball player whose career was derailed by injury. A big wonder of why himself and his mother would move here by themselves of all places. Family drama perhaps?" Her gaze turned towards Lillie, who shrunk back in her own chair with restraints. "At least his circumstances weren't that of his doing."

Another pang of fear twisted Lillie's stomach. "What…what are you going to do to him?"

"Force the truth of course. Reveal where the Cosmog is hiding…or lure it out. It matters not. You and this boy will suffer until it is in my rightful possession once more."

"You'll hurt it." Lillie said firmly. "You'll hurt it again."

She saw no sign of empathy in her mother's eyes. "There is no other way to bring in my beautiful beast."

"And if there was…you'd still hurt Nebby! I heard Mister Faba talking to you, how delighted he sounded when he was describing the pain! I couldn't stand by and watch! He would have never stopped…and neither would you!"

"It's just a pokemon. There are so many that you never see that suffer just like it, whether it be from starvation, disease, predators or even the wanton abuse that so many trainers still do to this day. Why that one?"

"It doesn't make it any less guilty." Lillie said. "Nebby just wants to find a way back home and the only thing you want to do is to torture it to create some wormhole."

"And what do you expect you to do with it dear daughter?" Lillie flinched at the scornful jab. "You don't have the strength of a trainer, let alone one to cause change."

A groan interrupted anything further as Elio stirred. His head leaned down as his hands tried to rub his head on the spot where he had hit the wall when Soffie had flung him. He seemed to sense something was wrong a moment later when his eyes flew open and he glanced side to side, gasping at the plastic ties binding his wrists to the arms of the ornate chair.

"Ah look who's finally awake." Lusamine's seductive voice seemed to echo off the walls as she stood up and strode back to Elio's side. "You are quite the deep sleeper."

"Huh?" Elio's expression indicated puzzlement and Lillie almost thought he could be suffering from amnesia.

If he is…that's bad. What if he doesn't remember anything?

"It's been quite a while since we last met." Lusamine touched his arm. "Such a shame that now it's under the most unpleasant circumstances."

Elio glanced down, seeing his poke balls still attached to his belt. Automatically his mind went to try and grab one, but his eyes went wide once again when he saw that they were again bound.

"Nah uh," Lusamine waggled a slender finger in front of him. "I can't have you playing a gallant hero while I lack something that Lillie here has stolen from me?"

"Lady, you're crazy." Elio said flatly. His voice felt back to normal and Lillie almost sighed out loud at hearing him go right to his snarky smartass self. The first words out of him felt natural and she almost wanted to openly cheer him on…even if it was her mother.

"Crazy is a bit of an overstatement is it not?"

"I don't think so. You've got me bound here…I'm honestly more curious than anything." Elio didn't laugh, instead let a small sneer escape. He finally looked across, eyes widening again at seeing Lillie.

"Lillie! Are you hurt?"

"Hi Elio," she softly said in trying to avoid her mother's piercing stare above. "I'm okay."

Good. To think they would lay a finger on her.

"And Nebby?"

"Nebby's gone Elio. I…set it free."

So it's hiding somewhere in the Paradise?

"Oh how sweet." Lusamine wasn't going to be ignored any longer. "The two of you know one another after all. A talented trainer such as yourself Elio and you go associating with someone as horrible as her? I'm disappointed once again."

She said that before. Elio glared daggers at her. "What? How can you say something like that?!"

"Because she has done nothing for me! Lillie is nothing but a mere annoyance that I should've rid myself of long ago!"

"I don't need your approval Mother!" Lillie cried, fighting back the tears threatening to spill. "Or you permission! I will save Nebby!"

"Mother?" At Elio's quiet question, Lillie gasped.

I just told him that we're family…how can this get worse?

Lusamine sneered back at them. "Oh my, you do say such incomprehensible things. Calling me mother…I have no children! Certainly not any that run away from their home and reject my love!"

Elio's eyes twitched in anger as Lusamine reared back her arm, delivering a loud slap across Lillie's jaw. The girl keeled over as far as her restraints allowed and as a fresh wave of tears threatened to spill.

"Leave her alone!" He shouted before his mind even registered what he said.

Lusamine instead calmly turned her attention away from her daughter to him. He was pretty sure he saw a hint of amusement flicker behind her rather bland expression.

That's it. Keep her attention away from Lillie and Nebby.

"You. Child. You have NO right to tell me how to discipline my child…Elio Northstar." The tall blonde couldn't help a dark chuckle that made both teenagers shiver. "I know all about you…ever since you caught my attention when you visited Aether Paradise for the first time…when you asked those questions I never thought you would have asked. Questions that your ordinary trainer should not be asking."

She crossed over to his side, her gait of swaying hips almost mesmerizing until she leaned down, putting her hands on her knees so that she was eye level at him. Her face was close enough that he could see the air exhaled from his nose rustling a few imperfect strands of hair from the top of her head.

This time Elio felt the tiniest bit of sweat begin to bead on his face. Lusamine's gaze made him feel even more uneasy.

"Such a handsome face." Her hand reached up and again a few fingertips traced the curve of his jawline. He could only stare at her, unblinking as if hypnotized and entranced by a siren. Her hand went to his left shoulder, gently grabbing the end of the sleeve and rolling it up. Lips curled up in a smile as she touched the deltoid muscle. "And quite the impressive physique. I can only imagine what someone like you would look like in ten or so years."

"So tell me Lillie, Elio…either one of you. How will you save that pokemon? It's already far too gone to be worth saving. So far, you've failed to convince me to listen to you. The only thing you've ever done on your own is steal someone else's research material!"

"Stole it?" Elio couldn't help himself yet again and an uneasy feeling like stones encircling his heart formed in his chest. "You stole Nebby?"

Lillie couldn't bear to look at him sitting across from her and she hung her head down, trying to ignore Lusamine's smug aura. Her mother was absolutely relishing in the guilt revelation.

"Y-yes." She stammered, not bothering to do anything to the tears dripping from her eyes. "Nebby…Nebby was experimented on…Faba and…Mother stressed it. Caused it so much pain and suffering. I had to do something. I couldn't stand by and watch it suffer any more!"

"Such a selfish thought. You're not beautiful enough for my world. Not anymore."

"It's not selfish!" Lillie shouted back. The act of defiance had caught Lusamine off guard and for a moment he saw her flinch. "I'm not being foolish or selfish! I'm asking you to listen Mother! Don't sacrifice Nebby for the beast's sake!"

"You open that Ultra Wormhole, it dies." Elio added. "There has to be another way without hurting it."

Lusamine sighed as she pondered that for a moment and walked out of the room. The moment she was out of sight, Elio was in motion grunting as he worked the restraints on his wrists. It seemed that she was a bit careless when tying him down with his right arm, just loose enough for another finger to fit. Problem was that his hand was still too big to yank out. So he instead wriggled back and forth, still looking at the poke balls sitting on the belt tantalizingly within his reach. At the same time, he tried to awkwardly stand, torquing his hip so that the arm of his chair could snag and knock a poke ball loose.

"Come on," he whispered, hearing footsteps in the hallway. Lusamine was coming back.

Elio sat back down, glaring at Lusamine as she made her way over and backhanded him across the jaw. The wet smack reverberated in the room and Lillie gasped in horror.

"That's enough of your little escape game." Lusamine hissed. "I will see to it that it does not go unpunished."

Elio was literally panting and his tongue tasted fresh blood from a rupture on his lower lip where his teeth had cut into.

Oh great. That's gonna turn into a canker sore.

"I've decided I don't have time for this after all." Lusamine glared down at them and rounded on Lillie. "Where is Cosmog?! I am not above making more people suffer and I'll wait as long as it takes."

"Hold on I thought you said you don't have time for this," Elio started, opening his mouth only to receive another vicious slap across the mouth. He gasped, blinking and groaning in pain.

Feel like I just got rattata tailed by a towel.

Lusamine's voice was laden with venom. "My my, you have quite the mouth on you. Tell me, do you talk back to your own mother in the same way? Perhaps I'll need to do something about that."

She crossed over and Elio glanced up to see that she had brought over a black dish towel on the dresser with a curved knife and a freshly washed orange.

"But first a snack. I can't possibly do this on an empty stomach." Lusamine wiped the blade on the towel and made several clean cuts into the fruit, plucking a wedge and biting into the interior. She wiped off excess juice on her chin with a napkin and stopped, glancing at the teens.

"Oh where are my manners?" She picked up two more slices and approached, holding one out for each. "By all means. Eat up."

Lillie frowned and shook her head. Elio stared at the food in front before slowly leaning forward and biting. More juice dripped out onto his shirt and he ignored the sweet taste.

Before he spat it out. The empty rind hit Lusamine in the stomach and she gasped at the sudden action.

Her expression changed instantly, but amazingly all the fury was still smothered. "Very well. We shall get down to business. Lillie here rejects my love and you there reject my hospitality."

"Five stars." Elio deadpanned. "Would never come back."

Lusamine ignored his jab and slowly picked up the knife, admiring its fine finished blade and now stood behind Elio. The boy watched, that same fear washing over him like a wave of water.

"I think I'll ask you again. One last time to be civil. Then the next will be much less pleasant." Lusamine's eyes practically drilled into the girl and she couldn't help shrink back into her chair.

"Where is Cosmog?"

Lillie shrunk back into her chair again. Elio watched as she had rapidly begun to lose her composure. Somehow he felt a dreaded pit in his stomach in anticipation.

"Don't tell her anything." He finally said. His body began to shake as she brandished the knife and moved closer, running the back of the blade across his bare shoulder.

"Mother! What are you doing?!"

"Doing what needs to be done," Lusamine's tone was rather uninterested. Elio tensed, his breathing increased. Slowly she turned the knife over, now the razor sharp edge digging harshly into his skin. He made no sound, but his teeth were firmly grit and his hands balled into fists. His eyes glared at her and then turned to Lillie as if he was seeking her support.

"No! Please stop! Don't do this!"

As if that had spurred her, Lusamine turned the knife to cut straight into Elio's shoulder. The boy winced, resisting for just a moment before he let out a pained cry, straining through his teeth. Tears stung his eyes as he felt the wound burn from the citrus juice that was still on the metal edge. The cut was barely bigger than any of the others he had suffered from accidents, yet he had never felt this type of physical pain before.

Elio knew his threshold. His injury that derailed any prospective basketball career. The surgery when he went under the knife and the months of therapy that had followed. He made a full recovery, but losing that much time had cost him in the end.

This was a different type of pain. Inflicted voluntarily against his will by someone who knew where to cut and how deep.

This isn't pain. It's torture.

"Mother stop!" Lillie cried as Elio started to struggle against his restraints. "Please! Stop hurting him!"

"You want this to stop?" Lusamine demanded. "Then give up the Cosmog now! You have the power to end this!"

To her surprise, it was Elio that had spoken up through choked cries of pain. "Don't tell her anything."

"Elio, I can't. I can't watch you like this!"

"Don't tell her anything!" He repeated, firmer this time and bared a wicked grin at Lusamine despite his situation. "You're wasting your time."

"Am I?" Lusamine's eyes flickered like ice. "I'm not the one spilling blood."

Elio had refused to glance down, but he felt a moistness on his sleeve, finally seeing out of the corner of his eye that dark crimson blood…his blood was trickling down his elbow, staining the chair's arm.

"Any second now, my friends are gonna come on in here and you're gonna be in for it." Elio let out a laugh, something Lillie considered unusual. "And then…that little Cosmog that your entire organization that sees everything on this godforsaken place at all times which you can't even find!"

He let out a sharp growl as Lusamine slapped him in the jaw again and the knife made another careful cut, this one connecting off the first. Elio struggled, once again trying his best to resist the pain and not cry out, but Lillie's heart dropped at seeing the display. He was rapidly losing.

Please Elio…please be okay.

"You're running out of time," Elio's breathing became harder and he seemed more ignorant of the bleeding. "So maybe feel free to call it quits or fuck yourself in the process."

Fuck…fuck that hurts. Just make it stop!

Lusamine's expression remained unchanged as she made another cut and another. Every one seemed to draw more blood that Lillie felt herself unable to look. She struggled against her restraints, screaming for her mother to stop this mindless sadism. Elio's resolve remained strong despite waning and his defiant refusal to cry out had clearly irritated the Aether Foundation President.

Do your worst lady. It's not like I can have a more fucked up day!

Elio was literally panting heavily as sweat slicked the top of his shirt. Lusamine frowned at the lack of progress she was getting.

As the unbearable pain continued to flare in his shoulder, he tried to find a bright spot, focus on something (anything) else. This was nothing like when he had seen movies of characters getting interrogated or tortured at all. It was way worse.

Through the pain, he racked his head. Trying to find something…anything to take his mind off the pain. Automatically, his eyes drifted to Lillie, who was already wracked to the core and trembling at the sheer horror. Her head was to the side, no longer controlling the flow of tears that dripped from her eyes as her begging cries for her mother to stop his torture were starting to blend together in common hysteria.

There. A tiny bright spot where he remembered swimming with her in the water off Akala Island. Where the heat was nearly unbearable and they had gone snorkeling to see the big diversity of water pokemon swimming. It was incredible and he hung onto that memory. The luvdisc swam in between them. The time where she mischievously pushed him overboard and he followed suit to return the favor.

If only he could cling to that memory like a lifeline until this arduousness was over. Whatever happens. Do not look at it.

His eyes remained set on her, even as the rest of his resolve withered away bit by bit. The happy memories of their time together slipped into the inky blackness and the first pained cry of anguish escaped from his lips.

Lillie had lost track of how much she had begged and cried for her mother to stop, but her pleas seemed to fall on deaf ears. Lusamine was unfazed, continuing to the work the knife digging into Elio's shoulder as he strained, making hisses of pain and groans, but he never cried out until it just became too much for him.

The blood had now run down his arm and dripped onto the floor, a stark contrast to an otherwise spotless tile. She had never seen that much blood out of a person. Elio's scream had faded into those same pained whimpers before descending into silence as Lusamine finally drew the knife back. The blade, handle and her hands were slick with his dark crimson blood as she admired her brutal handiwork.

"That is the result of this nonsense." Lusamine spoke acidly. Lillie wasn't sure if that was directed at her or Elio. "Even the hardest of trainers can have their strongest of resolves shattered with just one simple tool."

Her mother crossed over to her dresser, meticulously opening the towel and placing the knife directly in the center, folding the left side over the right. She would later wash it in a specific way when she was done.

"I could set you both stranded in the middle of this ruthless ocean. Suffer through starvation and dehydration in a place abundant with water. But no…I decided I would be a bit more benevolent today since the minor inconvenience to me summoning my sweet beast can be easily remedied."

Lillie had been too stunned to reply. She tilted her head up, seeing the shock from the whole ordeal had caused Elio to droopily list his head down.

The catchy ringtone caught her off guard. Lusamine's face brightened, almost to the point where she had no sign of doing something so grim had the blood not stained her hand.

"Ah I am waiting for that." She picked it up and held it to her ear. "Yes?"

Her instantaneous shift in tone of voice to a curt business one made Lillie shiver.

"Oh excellent. Send it to my collection at once."

She hung up and spun around to face the teens. Her smile was toothy and cruel.

"Oh you are in for such a delightful treat. So I will let you have a front row seat to allow me to summon my sweet beast. Then you may leave."

And never return?

"My associates have found the elusive Cosmog and easily recaptured it. How trivial it was once we didn't have an entire chain of islands to search."

"Mother please," Lillie sniffed, her own resolve was also withered away from seeing the pain inflicted on her best friend. "Please. I beg you! Don't open the wormhole for that beast's sake! Cosmog is going to die if you do!"

"Yes. Yes it probably will. Because I'm going to use its power to open one whether it wants to or not."

Lusamine sighed and looked around the room. She crossed over, waving her hand as she approached a long mirror at the end. Lillie gasped as it seemed to fade into thin air as if it were a ghost pokemon.

What?! I never knew that was there!

There was a small glowing green pad at the bottom, whatever illusion of a mirror that was in front had concealed the glow and showed no sign of a hidden chamber there at all. She wondered if it was physical.

A stifled laugh stopped her before she could take her leave. Elio had finally stirred awake and his head lolled about. His arms tightened, having reduced the bleeding to an occasional trickle.

"Y'know." He muttered softly. "I could reeeeallly use a Kantoan crepe right now. Blueberries with cream cheese…drizzled in dark chocolate."

"I'll let you tend to your delusional friend." Lusamine sneered. "Try not to let him bleed out."

"That's a big big big mistake." Elio said. Though he seemed to be drifting in and out of consciousness, his eyes remained sharply on Lusamine's retreating form. "What you did. You…you made this personal for me now. Better hope that beast protects you from me."

To his credit, Lusamine had actually stopped. Lillie's own words when she was bound had echoed in her head.

"He has no idea what he's up against."

"Neither do you."

For once, her cool veneer slipped and she silently stalked over, reaching out and yanking on the boy's hair. He gasped and strained, but still bound and unable to do anything.

"I'll be back for you later. We can see how much more you can bleed then."

Lusamine released him and gave a curt wave before stepping onto the warp pad. It flashed and she disappeared in an instant.

"Lillie."

She perked up at Elio whispering her name. Again she wasn't sure how much time had passed, but the only thing that mattered right now was him.

"Elio,"

"W-why?"

The question ripped at her heart.

"Why did you do this?"

I had no choice…this…this is all my fault. All of this is my fault. I was the one who created this mess in the first place. Now I've lost Nebby, my mother and Elio. I got him hurt…

Here he was still, a gallant trainer who had come to her aid when no rescue seemed possible. He had fought and fought his entire way through the Paradise just to get to her and now here he was, bleeding out of his arm in a horrific pattern of scars that her mother had spent gouging into his shoulder. All of that reduced to a shambling, bloodied mess.

"I'm so sorry Elio." It would be the first of many apologies that she knew would never make up for the brutal suffering he had to endure.

The sound of the door unlocking broke the moment as footsteps were heard. Two boys suddenly appeared in the door and ran forward.

"Gladion?"

The tall blond stopped, gasping at the sight.

"Lillie!" He reached into his pocket and flipped open a black and red switchblade, easily cutting through her zipties. As soon as she was free, she had practically flung herself into his arms, burying her face into his black jacket and crying. Gladion didn't care what anyone else was going to think at that moment when he hugged her back and held her close.

"Glad…I'm so sorry…I'm so sorry!"

"Uh guys?" Hau's voice brought a little bit of clarity as he knelt in front of Elio. "This is kind of urgent."

Gladion blanched as he saw the horrific display of the boy's mutilated arm. The blood had since dried, caking on and taking a rusty red color as if he had been afflicted with a disgusting eczema. The chair's arm was still soaked dark and Gladion was fairly sure he had never seen that much out of one person.

Suddenly all the other scars he claimed to have didn't matter as much.

"By the tapu," Hau was visibly pale himself. "What…what in the world happened?"

"It's my fault," Lillie sighed. "It's all my stupid fault. Elio came to rescue me…and then Mo…Lusamine tortured him…like he was Nebby too!"

Gladion worked on the restraints with his own knife, again easily cutting through with the sharp blade. His hands shook. The person cut before him fearlessly stood before Guzma, Faba and didn't even bat an eye when asked to take on the entire Aether Foundation.

The fact he was reduced to nothing but a sniveling bloody mess. Defeated. Not like this.

The blade broke the ties and Elio slumped over, no longer being held up.

"Sun!" Hau caught him, laying his hands on the boy's chest. "Sun are you okay?!"

"No he's not!" Lillie cried. "He's bleeding!"

Gladion cursed under his breath, lifting Elio's sleeve. The amount of blood bubbling from the inflicted cuts had soaked his entire side of the shirt with a dark crimson as some from the lighter shade.

"He's not?" He stuck a finger on the boy's jugular, nodding in silent thanks that he still felt a pulse.

"He isn't dead. But that much blood loss means he could go into shock."

"I got wipes." Hau opened a box from his bag. "They're antiseptic. We can at least get him cleaned up."

"Okay. Be careful." Gladion turned to Elio, who continued to droop in a daze. "I don't know if you can hear me…but this might hurt."

While Hau held up his sleeve, he began to dab away, cleaning layers and layers and immediately soaking the wipe. Elio hissed in pain as Gladion touched one of the open cuts, but Hau and Lillie squeezed his hands in trying to keep him calm.

"Hau," they heard him whisper. He finally blinked and lifted his head to look at the others above him. "You…you guys are here."

"We're here brah," Hau tried to look cheerful at least a little. "You're safe."

"Fuck…did she really?"

Hau and Lillie looked down, gasping in horror. Gladion had finally cleared the majority of the blood from Elio's wounds, leaving a crisscross of angry red streaks that looked like random slashes and lacerations on his shoulder. The bleeding was now reduced to where some bandages could be applied.

Except the cuts weren't random. The lines connected together, none of them joining with always a small gap of skin between the ends. It started at the bottom, spreading out and making jagged lines.

"No," Lillie gasped when she saw it.

Lusamine had carved the signet of the Aether Foundation into his shoulder. The mark struck out just as much as it might have been as if she branded it with a hot iron.

She had stated with that, that he had been ultimately bested by the Foundation on the worst it had to offer. It was like he was their property. Her property.

Mother…how could you do this?

"Sip." Hau cautioned and Lillie looked over to see Elio gently nursing a bottle of water, forcing himself to take measured drinks to not get cramps. "There you go."

"Lusamine?" He asked.

"The portal." Lillie pointed. "Behind the mirror."

"There's a portal behind the mirror?" Gladion couldn't contain his surprise. "And we've never noticed it?"

"Lusamine. She has Nebby. We need to stop her." Elio finally said as he wiped his lips. Slowly he began to move and flex his limbs, grimacing in constant pain from the acid burning in his shoulder. He helped Hau apply a set of bandages, but the deep cuts were definitely going to be leaving long-lasting scars that would still be visible even after the scabs would eventually shed.

Fuck. That shit fucking hurts.

"You're in no position to do anything," Gladion told him. "We need you."

"I'm fine," Elio waved him off after the last of the bandages were applied. He tried to blink back the darkness in his vision. "We need to go…stop Lusamine…can't lose Nebby."

He stepped forward, but as he moved his shoulders he felt the cuts explode in searing pain and grunted, doubling over.

"Elio!" Lillie rushed to his side, grabbing his good shoulder to try and keep him up. "Elio are you okay?"

The pain kept itself ingrained in his mind as he willed himself to stand. He had to keep going. For his own sake. For Lillie's.

For Nebby.

He had to keep going.

Lusamine's back was to them as they arrived into a massive chamber that had a ceiling that had to be at least thirty feet in height. She worked tirelessly, watching displays and keeping a close eye on the small box suppressor that lay at the side of the desk.

Her frustration was all but gone now that the little pokemon had been swiftly recaptured and brought to her immediately. All that remained was the little brats that had thrown wrenches time and time again in her plans to come and see the full magnitude of her majestic beasts as well as that of their ultimate failure.

The device would emit an electric pulse on the cosmog, slowly increasing in intensity until it was subjected to enough pain that it would forcibly open an Ultra Wormhole where the beasts would be waiting. Faba had managed to extract data on its errant teleporting during the early phases, so a fiber mesh lined the inside of the box like a Faraday cage to block the psychic energy signals that the pokemon of the same type would use to transcend planes in the species that had the innate ability to teleport. She was more or less bored of the scientific verbatim he had given when explaining its function, just the fact that once the cosmog was recaptured, it would be placed in there with nowhere to escape unless it opened a Wormhole.

Footsteps sounded behind her and she stepped to face her adversaries with a smile on her face. Elio was at the front, clutching his left shoulder with his free arm and glaring daggers at her. Lillie was behind him with Gladion and Hau flanking her on either side protectively.

"Ah, hurry. Come this way." She reached out to the children, curling a finger in a seductive beckon. "I am so glad you are all here to see this."

"Mother please!" Lusamine resisted the urge to roll her eyes at another one of her daughter's useless pleas. "Don't do this!"

Elio saw that the entire floor opened up past the teleportation pad, extending and widening just before Lusamine. Large monoliths lined up perfectly on either side of the chamber platform, each having a wide crystallized material with something encased inside.

What is this place? He took a closer look at one of the displays, feeling like there was some unspeakable dread once he found out.

The intuition was correct. He felt his own stomach flip as he made out the red electric sacs, yellowish fur and pointed black tipped ears.

A pikachu?! Frozen?

"What do you think?" As if the Aether President's smile couldn't get more creepy or unnerving. Elio felt another shiver through his burning animosity. "My private collection. Precious souls…preserved here for eternity."

"You're sick lady." Elio snarled as Lillie and Gladion gasped behind him.

"How…how could you?"

"With love dear. What love that you and your dear brother tossed aside as if it was worthless. That love is now towards something else…my beautiful beast, just waiting to enter this world and be free!"

"Where is Nebby?" Elio demanded, a little more forceful this time. He stepped forward, good arm reaching for Quria's poke ball.

Lusamine waggled a condescending finger at him. "Still got that fiery spirit I see. Perhaps your other shoulder could use some knife work once I'm done with this pokemon. But you won't. One step closer and I'll kill that pathetic cosmog!"

To her credit, the boy halted. But he wasn't done.

Call her bluff.

"You wouldn't."

"Please by all means try me." Lusamine gestured to the box suppressor and typed in a command. The device hummed to life with lights flashing on the side as powerful jolts of electrical energy surged within.

"A shame it's had to be soundproofed," Elio heard her say. "All the frustration in its annoying cry was far worth it to hear the anguish."

His anger flared even as the suppressor powered down.

Please save your strength Nebby. I'm going to get you out of this.

"My beautiful beast would feel nothing but fear, confusion and fury arriving in a world like this. It will need to express itself, not in the small cases like my other precious babies. The first two I can explain," she slid her fingers through her perfect blonde hair. "But the last one…the fury. I think I will let it express that fury upon the Alola region!"

"Are you crazy?!" Gladion shouted from behind them. "Will you listen to me for once?"

Elio wasn't really sure if any of their reasoning was getting to the Aether President. Certainly not after she gouged his shoulder. Force was looking like a more attractive option.

"Ah look. Sweet Hau, so you came too. And Gladion," her eyes scrutinized him and now seeing them both in the same room, Elio could make the family resemblance between the three. "Must you always be so untidy? That is not what I taught you."

"Well maybe reconsider," Gladion growled. "The beasts running wild are going to cause nothing but trouble for everyone."

"Is that so?"

"You're going to hurt so many people Mother."

Lusamine stopped at Lillie's words. A myriad of emotions began to flicker across her face as she actually had contemplated her words.

"Do the right thing."

But she couldn't. Not when she was this close. Years of waiting and planning, just a proverbial twist of the key away. It was as if she could hear the beasts calling to her from their own dimension across the Ultra Wormhole.

"I can't," Lusamine's posture relaxed. "I can't stop. Not here. Not now."

Her eyebrows furrowed and she looked back at the teens with a renewed rage. "The daughter who stole the cosmog and the son who stole Type: Null from me. You truly expect me to listen to what machinations you might have! Neither of you have any right to ask for my attention now! All I gave you both was all the love that I ever had! What did you do with it?" She made a fist as if crushing something in her grip. "Destroyed it! Threw it into the void like it meant nothing! You two have no regard for any gratitude!"

Hau gasped behind them. Elio realized that he had yet to say a word. "Hold on a second. Daughter? Son? Mother? You're all family? That's sooooo messed up!"

"Perhaps we once were sweet Hau. But those wretches beside you have left me. But that doesn't matter. They've chosen their path."

She turned around and strode to the terminals beside the suppressor box.

"And now I have chosen mine. I just managed to open a Wormhole briefly from the gasses the last time we experimented on cosmog. The possibilities now that I have its entire body! How many wormholes I can tear open! How many sweet beasts will come to me?!"

"Nebby could die! It used so much of its power when we escaped," Lillie said. "I just want to see it back home. But if you use too much of its power,"

"That's exactly what I plan to do. Use up all of its power. If it dies, then there's no avoiding that. And you won't stop me. You don't have the power, nor the nerve to."

Lillie shrunk back, staring at the ground. Elio saw her and somehow he hated it, hated the fact that despite her conviction and effort, her desperation to save her friend and someone she loved…her own mother was unwilling to listen to reason.

She shoved Lillie aside like a devalued possession and caused him just as much physical pain. The scar burned, pushing him to his limit as it threatened to overtake his thought process.

Lusamine activated the suppressor box despite their protests and smiled.

Soon, her efforts would all come to fruition.

The box hummed down, much to her dismay. It was as if the device had failed to cause Nebby enough stress and pain to forcibly create a wormhole like it had intended.

"Oh…little cosmog." Lusamine waggled a finger. "You're quite the resistant one. What could it be? Toughness living in the outside world? Could it be…love? For Lillie? No…it can't be. Their love is misplaced."

Then the box glowed, slowly at first before the glare was too harsh for anyone to look at. Lusamine gasped as it surrounded itself with brilliant blue energy and drifted into the sky. The teens could only watch in horror as it began to expand like having a mind of its own. Its center opened like a flower before flowing inward and emitting fraying lattice patterns. The noise crackled, an invasive assault on all of their senses.

Lusamine's smile grew bigger as a shape began to emerge from within the middle. She was closest to the anomaly, yet showed no sign of fear or tension, staring into the middle, mesmerized by some hypnotic allure.

Both Elio and Lillie took a step back. He looked over at her as she stared at the the same Ultra Beast he had first encountered at the Paradise while it descended from the rift. She was transfixed with the same fear he had seen her with when he was having his arm sliced open.

"Elio…please. That thing. I can't do this. I'm scared."

His eyes met hers and he knew that it was his task to protect her. Protect her from her own mother. From the horrible beast that she summoned. Though the fear threatened to grip him in those icy tendrils when it attempted to attack him, he refused to back down. More so in his state of drifting in and out of consciousness.

Whatever I do, I can't lose here.

It had been a rather calm and peaceful night on Melemele Island as Kahuna Hala Kealoha walked along the Mahalo Trail. Though his schedule had been packed with meetings with Hau'oli officials as well as his duties to Island Challengers, he found a measure of tranquility in a rare opportunity to stroll the dark sacred trail that led up to the Ruins of Conflict.

The bridge was still out of service and he had forbid anyone from traveling there without his permission, so he was not surprised to find himself alone. With only the sound of the wind and rushing water, it was an ideal place for him to sit and briefly meditate.

Building materials were stacked close to the edge of the cliffside where he had recently approved of a far sturdier bridge design to span the gorge between the trail and the ruin entrance. It was long off from being completed, but the improved strength would mean it'd be less susceptible to breaking from an errant pokemon attack. Whatever the reason his own father, the previous kahuna of Melemele hadn't addressed the issue of the deteriorating bridge was beyond him.

A low rumble that sounded like thunder rolled across the sky, breaking him out of his own thoughts and looking up. Hala couldn't see the clouds exact, but easily spotted a front of them moving across by the winking out of stars above as it swiftly glided overhead like it was black oil over clear water.

It wasn't uncommon for squalls of rain showers to show up unexpectedly, but the nature of how fast the clouds had moved along with their ominous rumbling had put his own senses on alert. There was something disturbing and he wondered what it could be.

A sudden glow from the tempest caught his attention. He couldn't see the entirety, but there was a flash of light just over the horizon towards the ruins. It remained for thirty seconds before shimmering out.

An alarm in Hala's mind immediately blared. Something was most definitely amiss.

He glanced at his surroundings, not able to shake the feeling that he was being watched.

The thing appeared to lunge out of nowhere, straight from the shadows quick enough that his spry reflexes were almost too slow. Hala's heavy frame hit the dirt as a lightning kick sliced through air where he once stood.

Adrenaline jolted his joints as he sprung up onto his feet, poke ball in hand to confront the unexpected threat.

The creature was unlike anything he had seen before. It had long wiry limbs and a primarily white and gray body. Its joints were colored gold and it had large eyes that gave the kahuna a haughty look.

Hala was not intimidated and he shifted his stance, ready to move again if it dared to attack. He only could hope that his reflexes would be able to evade it a second time.

The creature watched his movements, the long antennae that protruded from its head wiggling in the slight breeze.

It struck again, blindingly fast and Hala didn't even have time to react or even blink in spite of his renowned reflexes. His luck appeared in a boom of an impact, hitting the creature's extended leg before it could get within three feet of Hala's form. A familiar screech and sparkling electric shell was all he needed to know of his savior.

Tapu Koko split its shell and spun around, arms outstretched to glare at its opponent. The creature appeared uninterested, but nonetheless hunched down in a position to crouch and lunge.

"Did you come here as a guardian? Or just to battle?"

Up in the sky, he noticed another streak of light that rapidly changed course and headed northwest.

Could it be the protecting goddess of Poni Island? Could the other island be under attack from these dangerous creatures?

He had to warn the others, the kahunas and the cities. The weight of the situation pressed on his shoulders.

But he also couldn't leave his guardian partner to deal with the threat alone. While they'd keep the pokemon busy, he'd get the issue of a shelter in place order out.

The creature lunged towards Tapu Koko, who quickly closed its shell and rolled out of the way to unleash a gigantic thunderbolt. It in turn, stopped with a single foot on the ground and completely changed direction, chasing the retreating guardian deity down. Despite holding its own, he knew that he had to help.

Two pokemon were tossed out to his aid, a massive hariyama that immediately fixated its gaze on the mysterious creature and a lithe lucario who took up a support stance behind his trainer.

Tapu guide me. Hala patted the pendant around his neck and pulled out his cell phone.

"You see? My wonderful beasts coming all to Alola! Such grand," Lusamine spread her arms out in triumph. "Akala! Poni! Heh, even on Melemele Island!"

"It actually worked Madame Prez! The experiment was a success huh? Time to catch the Ultra Beast to beat down all these annoying upstarts!"

The teens whirled around to see that Guzma had let himself in, sauntering behind. He let out a low whistle, seeing the jellyfish creature floating idly just at the mouth of the wormhole. It screeched, causing everyone to have their teeth set on edge.

"What a joyous sound." Lusamine was basking in its appearance. "Now Guzma. Quiet those children for me. I don't want to hear from them."

"Of course." He chuckled darkly and looked directly at Elio. "We've got some unfinished business."

Lusamine produced a poke ball in her hand, unlike any other that he had ever seen. It had blue and white lattice patterns the same like the wormholes and four gold ridges that went across its surface, giving it mounts to stand upright instead of rolling freely.

"The beast ball, the fruition of our research to specialize in capturing Ultra Beasts." She clicked the ball's arming mechanism. "The first…of many."

She threw the ball. It sailed in the air spinning towards the floating creature.

Before another thrown poke ball struck it and knocked it off course. Lusamine's expression turned into surprise as the beast ball was knocked down, plunging into the surrounding water with a definite splash. The poke ball that intercepted it instead registered the Ultra Beast, quickly confining it inside and settling on the floor. It wobbled once before the seal broke off and the creature floated up above them, screeching angrily.

"How?!" Lusamine's horrified expression turned to fury as her eyes drifted to Elio, the one who had thrown the ball. "How could you?"

"You've made your choice," he told her. "I'm making mine. I'm not letting you capture that thing."

She laughed, another chill inducing one up his spine. "Oh please. Lillie told me I have no idea what I'm up against and she couldn't have been more predictable."

Tapu guide me. Elio brushed a finger on his Tapu Koko pendant. "Care to try your theory?"

"I'll stop the beast!" Sensing the other boy wasn't backing down from the fight, Gladion threw out Null, who took a protective stance in front of his trainer and eyed the creature warily. "My partner Null was born to be a beast killer!"

"Still with that monster Gladion? You cannot hope to be serious."

He ignored her jab. "Hau! Take Guzma! Elio, the president! If we lose, Alola is going to be flooded with beasts!"

Lusamine shook her head at Gladion's declaration. "What a disappointment. To think you are all so small-minded. And to think I'd have to do some of this dirty work myself. Well then…Elio, looks like I'll have to silence you first."

To Lillie's horror, her mother had a poke ball in hand, ready to challenge him to an unsanctioned battle.

"It's time I finish what I started anyway."

And that wraps things up. The next one is the long awaited battle with Lusamine which I am particularly excited to get to! More is on the way, including the battle and the group plotting their next moves to even Wicke and how she knows Elio's father somehow. I hope this was still an enjoyable chapter nonetheless.

As always, mahalo for reading and reviewing. You give my writing purpose.

Brav