Alola! We're finally back! After what's felt like quite a hiatus, "The Challenge of a Lifetime" has returned for its final ten chapters! I'm so happy to get the opportunity to close this story out fairly soon! And at the same time, get a lot more done as we head into the end of the year.
Last time we left off, Erika won Alola's first-ever Pokémon League tournament! And after a well-earned celebration, along with getting to meet Tapu Koko again, another problem's arisen! Lillie's leaving! For what reason?!
Well, let's find out!
POKÉMON SUN & MOON
THE CHALLENGE OF A LIFETIME
Getting dressed as quickly as they could, the Ketchum twins bolted out of the door with Hau, hurrying down the street to the harbor. Ash, Mirajane, Leslie and Pikachu watched on worriedly at the trio. After hearing from the ponytailed boy about Lillie not only leaving the island, but Alola itself, Calvin and Erika couldn't help but wonder if that was what she wanted to tell them last night.
"We're almost there!" Hau pointed out as he turned the corner. At the marina of Hau'oli City, many people were already boarding the ferry. Standing at the dock were Lillie and Kukui, with the former clutching the straps of her backpack nervously.
"You know, Lillie…" the professor began, getting her attention as she looked over at him, "All those other regions are a long way from here," he pointed out with his hands at his hips, "Try not to let the jet lag hit you too hard," he advised.
"I won't," the blonde-haired girl assured, "Um, where's Professor Burnet?" she asked curiously.
"Huh…" Kukui sighed, "Well… she's…" he tried to say, "Burnet said she'd be too sad to watch you go off, but she's wishing you the best," he told her assuredly, "I know it's a lot to ask, but wouldja please forgive her this time?" he requested.
"Of course!" Lillie responded with a smile, "I would probably be too sad myself if I were in her shoes…" she inferred. The professor chuckled.
"She let me know that the loft upstairs is yours to use indefinitely," he pointed out, "So whenever you decide to come back, you've got yourself a place to stay!" he affirmed. The blonde-haired girl nodded.
"Last call for boarding!" the captain called out from the boarding ramp.
"Well… I guess this is goodbye…" Lillie realized, lowering her head somewhat. She wished that she had more time to spend with her friends, to tell them about what she was doing. But it was unfortunately too late for that.
"WAIT!" a trio of voices suddenly cried out, causing her to gasp with surprise as she turned, widening her eyes to find Hau, Calvin and Erika coming to a stop, trying to catch their breath. The latter was especially winded.
"Lillie…" she uttered, "Is this… what you wanted to tell us?" she presumed with her hands on her knees. The blonde-haired girl blinked in surprise, glancing away sadly for a moment.
"Yes…" she admitted in response, "I'm sorry…" she apologized, "But I've decided," she affirmed to the group, "I have to go," she added seriously, "To help my mother get better…" she mentioned, "but even more than that… to help myself get stronger," she said, "I depended upon all of you so much that I couldn't even help you myself…" she recalled.
"Lillie…" Calvin uttered.
"Of course I'm sad to leave Alola…" the blonde-haired girl confessed, "But… the thought of going to so many other places also fills my heart with excitement!" she added happily, "I'm going to become a real trainer, meet all kinds of Pokémon…" she continued, "And I'll travel all around the regions of the world, just like we did here on Alola for your island challenges!" she declared additionally.
"But… do you really have to go?" Erika asked as she stepped forward, trembling a little, "I mean…" she kept going, "will you be okay?" she inquired on. Lillie smiled.
"No matter what happens on my journey… I'll be okay," she assured in response, "Because of the smiles you shared with me," she mentioned, "You, Calvin, Hau, and everyone else we met…" she listed off, "Thank you all so much!" she exclaimed gratefully, "And that's why someday… I'll come back to Alola!" she vowed.
"But… but…" Hau stammered out as he approached, "I haven't even gotten to say any of the things I wanted to say to you!" he noted emphatically, "So… so…!" he tried to tell her, trembling as he clenched his fists, "Arrrghh!" he groaned loudly, "I'm gonna send you a letter!" he promised, "A really, really long one!" he added, "You'd better wait!" he insisted firmly.
"Hau…" Calvin uttered.
"I will, Hau," Lillie assured to the ponytailed boy, making him blink in surprise, "And please… take this," she said, walking over to hand him something. He took hold of the small box she gave him, opening it up. His eyes widened upon seeing that it was a yellow Z-Crystal with a black, lightning bolt-like symbol that had a squiggly end, similar to his Raichu's tail.
"An Aloraichium Z, huh?" Kukui noted curiously, "How'd you find that?" he inquired of the blonde-haired girl.
"It's a secret," she responded with a giggle, while Hau held the Z-Crystal in his hand, clutching it close to his chest as he whimpered a little. Lillie then went over to Erika, reaching into her bag.
"Lillie…" the Ketchum girl uttered, tears starting to prick her eyes.
"I know it might look a little worn, Erika," the blonde-haired girl noted, pulling out the item she was looking for, "but that's because this was once like a treasure to me," she mentioned, handing the Clefairy plush doll to her friend, "I'm sure your Clefable will like it," she added with a giggle. With that, the walls holding back the Ketchum girl's tears finally caved as she started bawling.
"LILLIEEEE!" she sobbed out, desperately trying to wipe her eyes with her left arm, holding the plush toy close to her chest. The blonde-haired girl blinked in surprise, but then smiled a little. She finally turned to Calvin, who blinked in surprise.
"I don't suppose you'd be willing to look after Nebby for me?" she presumed of him. He cracked a little smile.
"It's your Pokémon, Lillie," he noted in response, "I wouldn't want go on your journey without it," he added firmly. The blonde-haired girl smiled back, blushing a little.
"Then… consider this my gift to you," she decided, stepping closer. She leaned in and closed her eyes, planting but the softest kiss she could onto the Ketchum boy's right cheek. He blushed a little himself, while the others looked on in surprise. They watched Lillie step back, letting out a giggle. "I suppose this is goodbye now…" she realized.
"Lillie…" Hau and Erika whimpered out. Calvin was sad himself, but managed to smile. Moments later, the blonde-haired girl was aboard the ferry, which started to leave. She walked over to the stern, waving goodbye to her friends. Kukui waved back with the Ketchum boy as they ran to the edge of the dock, smiling all the while.
Hau and Erika still couldn't bring themselves to say goodbye, wallowing in their tears. A few moments later, the ship was out of sight, no longer visible to Calvin. He finally went ahead and tipped the brim of his cap over his eyes, trembling as tears rolled down his cheeks. The professor beside him placed his right hand atop his head.
"I know what it's like when you can't help but cry," he pointed out to him, "But you know…" he continued, "when you say goodbye to someone you love, you gotta show 'em that one last smile!" he noted with a grin.
"Yeah…" Calvin agreed, wiping his tears away. Hau and Erika finally managed to calm down, sniffling as Kukui and the Ketchum boy came over. The professor placed his hands onto his hips.
"Alright, let's all go home," he insisted, "We've got our families waiting for us, after all!" he mentioned with a smile. The three trial-goers managed to smile themselves. Though their friend had left, they were happy for her.
OPENING
Insert "Acacia" by BUMP OF CHICKEN
Opens with sparkles over a black screen before we catch a glimpse of Calvin and Erika. The two of them are walking down a set of old railroad tracks together. As they continue, they're followed by Litten, Popplio, Yungoos, Rockruff, Pikipek, Oricorio, Fomantis, Dewpider, Drifloon, Cubone, Magby, Bounsweet, Sandygast, Poliwag, Starbright as a Cleffa, Togedemaru, Sandshrew, Mimikyu, and Jangmo-o. Those of their Pokémon that can evolve do in flashes of light, hurrying after their trainers.
We get shots of the Ketchum twins during their various adventures, meeting their first Pokémon, going to the local school, taking part in the island challenge, and meeting all sorts of people. We pass by Ilima, Lana, Kiawe, Mallow, Sophocles, Acerola, and Mina, finishing with Ryuki shredding his guitar as his Kommo-o chimes his scales behind him. We also see Hala, Olivia, Nanu, and Hapu, each at their respective islands of Alola.
The opening continues with Calvin and Erika helping each other out, climbing mountains, traversing rivers, and crossing bridges as they keep on their path. All of a sudden, an Ultra Wormhole opens in front of them, much to their shock. A Nihilego pops out, attempting to ensnare them with its tentacles. However, it's knocked away by a Mudsdale, belonging to Paige as she shoots the twins a wink. They're joined by Hau, Pyrrha, and Trent, sending out their Pokémon to do battle as more Ultra Beasts pour out.
Nihilego fires off a Venoshock, which Trent's Skarmory blocks before Erika's Starbright strikes it back with a Meteor Mash. A Buzzwole blows Calvin's Incineroar and Paige's Electivire, only to suddenly get bombarded by Acrobatics from Pyrrha's Starlight. A Pheromosa kicks Hau's Raichu back, but he counters by having the Alolan Mouse Pokémon pull off the Stoked Sparksurfer Z-Move, which zaps the Ultra Beast fiercely.
We cut to a shot of Looker and Anabel together, who wave to the group of young trainers. We also get to see the members of the Ultra Recon Squad: Phyco, Soliera, Dulse, and Zossie, each with a Poipole as a partner. One of them flies about around Erika, playing with her Jangmo-o as she giggles.
Afterward, we see Calvin investigating a mysterious box he found, narrowing his eyes curiously. His Incineroar taps him on the shoulder, enticing him to turn around and gasp at the multitude of Meltan roaming about. His Tsareena picks one of them up, nuzzling her head against it lovingly.
We then watch Erika command her Primarina against Leslie's Serperior, as the two Pokémon whisk about each other before unleashing their respective attacks. Witnessing the battle from afar with sparkles in her eyes is Nemona, who clenches her fists determinedly. Meanwhile, Calvin approaches a large tree at Poni Island, only to meet Leon and Sonia. The former's black Charizard huffs as he steps forward, making the Ketchum boy smirk nervously.
The song winds down, with the twins heading on the path back to their vacation home. There, Pikachu calls out to them as Ash and Mirajane smile, waving happily. Calvin and Erika head back inside for the night, ready to head off for the next journey. As he's about to follow them, Pikachu takes notice of a red, crocodile-like Pokémon waddling by, sneezing a puff of fire.
Departures & Meetings!
"Mmmm…" Erika moaned dejectedly, staring at her plate of pancakes in front of her. Her older sister glanced over.
"Are you gonna eat those?" she inquired.
"Huh…" her little sister sighed, taking her fork and eating a pancake whole, sniffling a little.
"Oh, Erika…" Mirajane uttered worriedly, "I know that Lillie was really close with you and your brother…" she pointed out as she came over to embrace her youngest daughter.
"But if what she's doing needs to be done, then there's nothing we can do about it," Ash mentioned.
"I know…" Erika responded, swallowing her food, "Thanks…" she said gratefully.
"Maybe we'll meet Lillie again in Kanto someday!" Calvin suggested, eating his breakfast heartily, "Speaking of which, are we going back soon?" he asked of his parents, getting their attentions.
"Ah, well…" Mirajane started to say, giving off a nervous look.
"What's wrong?" Erika asked in concern.
"It's the Ultra Beasts that got loose during that whole fiasco with you two at Aether Paradise," her father answered to her confusion as she blinked, "There've been reports of them still wandering about Alola's islands ever since they got out of those Ultra Wormholes," he explained, remembering the one he and his eldest daughter had to face, "It's better if we clean up after ourselves, you know?" he told his children.
"Yeah, I get what you mean…" Calvin replied, remembering the Nihilego he and his friends had fought, both at Aether Paradise and in the Ultra Deep Sea.
"In that case, we're gonna have to get a whole lot stronger still!" Erika decided, gobbling up the rest of her pancakes swiftly before downing them with the help of the milk she drank, "So in that case…" she continued while standing up, as everyone looked at her in bewilderment, "battle us, Leslie!" she insisted of her older sister.
"Huh?" she uttered in surprise.
"Wait, what?" Calvin said, quite stunned himself.
"One of the things I wanted to do most after the Alola League was battle my big sister," Erika confessed, closing her hands into fists, "It'd be a waste not to take the chance, especially now!" she added determinedly.
"Erika…" Ash and Mirajane uttered out. Leslie took a moment before smiling, getting up from her seat at the table.
"Okay, Erika," she said, "Let's do it!" she insisted, much to her sister's delight as she smiled. Moments later, the two of them were standing in the backyard, several yards apart from each other. Both of them reading a single Poké Ball in their hands.
"Pika, peekah!" Pikachu squeaked excitedly.
"I wonder which Pokémon they'll be going with…" Mirajane said curiously.
"I guess we'll have to wait and see…" Ash presumed, folding his arms over his chest.
"Go!" both girls yelled, tossing their respective spherical containers forward. They popped open, with their lights individually shaping into form upon the ground as they shot out, dissipating to reveal Serpence and Primarina.
"Serr!" the Regal Pokémon hissed out, readying his tail.
"Pree!" the Soloist Pokémon yipped.
"A Grass-type against a Water-type…" Calvin noted aloud, only to blink upon realizing something, looking, "Hey, where's Rotom?" he asked.
"It's actually with Kukui right now," his father replied, "Apparently, he wanted to do some more move research based on your battles from the Lanakila Conference," he told his son.
"Primarina, you ready for this?" Erika inquired of her partner.
"Mah!" she responded with a nod.
"Don't think for a second we're going easy on you, Erika," Leslie remarked to her little sister, "You might've won the Lanakila Conference, but that's not all there is to being a Champion-ranked trainer," she pointed out, swiping her left thumb across her nose, "We'll happily show you just what that means!" she affirmed.
"Ser peer!" her Serperior exclaimed.
"Heh," Erika chuckled, "Icy Wind!" she ordered. Taking a deep breath of air, Primarina exhaled a chilling wind with blue sparkles.
"Serpence, Coil!" Leslie instructed with a swing of her left arm. The Regal Pokémon coiled his body, having a violet aura shroud himself before a reddish energy flowed up his form.
'That's the move it used to fight against Tapu Koko…' Erika remembered. The chilling wind washed over the Serperior, who winced. He glanced back to his trainer, who nodded.
"Iron Tail!" she commanded. The tail of the Regal Pokémon shined a silvery-white as he slithered forward.
"Primarina, Aqua Jet!" Erika shouted quickly, thrusting her right hand out. The Soloist Pokémon enveloped herself in a torrent of water, rocketing forward. Her foe swung his tail out, striking her at the same time she closed in. Ultimately, she wound up getting blown back as the water around her splashed apart.
"Whoa…" Calvin uttered in surprise. Meanwhile, his twin sister grimaced, seeing her partner push herself up. A bluish aura flowed down her form.
"So that Iron Tail lowered Primarina's defense…" Mirajane noted aloud, "It's a good counter to deal with Ice-types, too…" she mentioned.
"That's Leslie for you," her husband pointed out, "She's always thinking on her feet," he affirmed, seeing his eldest daughter grin, "Even if it looks like she's got a clear advantage, she wants to make sure she guarantees the victory," he told those around him.
"Primarina, you okay?" Erika inquired of the Soloist Pokémon, who shook her head.
"Mah," she replied as she nodded.
"Okay…" her trainer uttered, "then use Sparkling Aria!" she ordered, enticing Primarina to stand up upon her tail fins. Her ponytail came undone as she started to sing, forming a sparkling blue ball of water over the tip of her nose.
"Leaf Storm!" Leslie commanded. Leaping into the air, Serpence had multiple, green-glowing leaves appear around his body. He spun around, firing them off at his foe. In the meantime, she had the bubble over her nose burst into watery streaks, countering the leaves in small explosions.
"Now Aqua Jet!" Erika called out quickly. A torrent of water engulfed Primarina again as she zipped out, heading toward where her opponent was falling.
"Leaf Blade!" Leslie ordered. The Regal Pokémon made his tail shine a bright green as the leaves upon it sharpened. He swung it down onto his incoming foe, resulting in a powerful blast. Everyone braced themselves from the impact, as steam blew about wildly. Once it cleared, it revealed both Pokémon still standing. Primarina suddenly winced however, toppling over onto her left side.
"Ah, Primarina!" Erika cried out, running over to check on her. She groaned in pain.
"Whoa…" Calvin uttered, amazed by his older sister's strength, "That's how strong Les' Serperior is…?" he presumed with shaking eyes.
"She didn't win the Unova Region's Champions League for nothing, you know," Ash pointed out in response, making his son gulp.
"You okay, Primarina?" Erika asked of her downed partner, crouching down beside her as she sat up.
"Mah…" she moaned disappointedly. All of a sudden, she was hit on the head by a yellow, pear-shaped berry.
"That'll perk you up," Leslie assured as she approached alongside Serpence, "You two haven't battled together since the semifinals of the Alola League, right?" she noted in question, arching an eyebrow.
"Yeah…" her little sister responded with a nod, "I figured with moves like Icy Wind or Aqua Jet, we'd get an edge over you in terms of speed…" she confessed as she looked over at Primarina, who contently chewed her Sitrus Berry.
"That's what you need to work on, sis," Leslie pointed out, putting her hands onto her hips, "You have to think about what your opponent's Pokémon is capable of," she advised, "Rather than just thinking about the types of moves they should know, think about what moves they could use, whether to give a boost to themselves or lower your own Pokémon's defenses," she explained further.
"Huh," Erika uttered out, "So that's why you had Serperior use Iron Tail instead of something like Leaf Blade the first time…" she realized.
"It's not a strategy that always works, though," her older sister pointed out, crouching down to her eye level, "But sometimes, you gotta take risks," she said, "Otherwise, you won't get very far," she affirmed on with a grin.
"Right!" Erika responded, smiling widely.
"Spoken like a true Pokémon Master…" Mirajane remarked.
"Peekah, pika," Pikachu squeaked in agreement. Calvin lowered his gaze in thought.
'Is that what I need to start doing, too?' he wondered inwardly, clenching his fists. All of a sudden, the Mouse Pokémon's ears perked up.
"Pee?" he uttered in confusion, getting the attention the Ketchum family.
"What's the matter, Pikachu?" his trainer asked. He then hopped off of his shoulder, heading over to the front porch. There, he spotted someone standing at the door. It was a man who wore black penny loafers, brown suit pants, a white shirt with pink tie, a lighter brown vest, and an investigator coat. He had brown eyes, dark hair, wrinkle marks around his mouth, black eyebrows and an inquisitive look.
"Pika pee!" the Mouse Pokémon squeaked, getting his attention as he spotted him jumping onto the railing of the porch.
"Ah, looks like I was right!" the man realized with a smile. Those of the Ketchum family walked over, blinking in surprise to find the man at the porch.
"Mister Looker?!" Leslie exclaimed, widening her eyes.
"It's been quite a while, hasn't it?" the International Police member presumed, letting off a grin.
X
"We haven't seen you since you were trying to locate Ghetsis after Neo Team Plasma disbanded…" Mirajane noted, pouring Looker a cup of coffee at the kitchen table. He took a sip, sighing afterward.
"Unfortunately, we haven't had any breakthroughs on finding him," he admitted, "If we did, we would've contacted you," he mentioned, "That said…" he continued, "Ghetsis' reign over Team Plasma was shot after what Leslie did," he confirmed, "There's no way he'll be a problem now," he assured confidently.
"That's good…" the Unova Champion Master sighed out in relief. Calvin and Erika glanced to each other in concern.
"So what brings you to Alola, Looker?" Ash asked curiously.
"The Ultra Beasts," the International Police member answered, "Several of them escaped from the Ultra Wormholes that appeared around the islands," he mentioned, standing up from his seat with his coffee still in hand, "So many of them that we don't know their capabilities," he added grimly.
"The one my dad and I fought was really fast and strong," Leslie recalled, "But it didn't seem too keen on taking a hit or two…" she mentioned on, narrowing her eyes in thought.
"Hm," Looker hummed out, "In any case, I came here to help quell these Ultra Beasts," he told the family, "But I do need help," he admitted.
"Don't worry, Looker," Ash said as he stood up, "We'll help out however we can," he promised determinedly.
"Peekah," Pikachu agreed, hopping onto his shoulder.
"I appreciate the thought, Ash," the International Police member said with a smile, "But actually, I was hoping to enlist the services of your children here," he admitted, looking over to Calvin and Erika.
"Us?" they uttered simultaneously in surprise, while everyone else was just as shocked.
"You two have encountered Ultra Beasts before, fighting against them in fact," Looker pointed out, "Because of that, I think you're best suited to find and capture them," he mentioned.
"Wait, capture?" Calvin repeated out of confusion.
"You want to catch them?" Erika inquired. The International Police member nodded.
"It won't be just the two of you, I promise," he vowed, "Your friends from the island challenge, whom we are aware have battled the Ultra Beasts like you, will be joining you on this mission," he explained.
"So Hau, Pyrrha, Trent, and Paige…" Erika listed off.
"Hold on a second!" Leslie chimed in, getting their attentions, "Why not have me and my dad take part in the mission?" she questioned, "We've fought one of those Ultra Beasts…" she pointed out.
"Yeah, she's right," Ash confirmed.
"I'd like to save your services as our last resort," Looker told the pair, causing them to blink in surprise, "You're both strong trainers, that much is true," he noted, "And that's why I'd like you to be there to protect the people of Alola, while we handle subduing the Ultra Beasts," he added thoroughly, "If things come to it, we want to make sure we have the best defense possible against them," he affirmed.
"I see," Mirajane said in reply, "In that case, I trust you with my children," she decided, bowing her head politely to the International Police member.
"Mom?!" Leslie exclaimed in surprise.
"But… what about what happened before?" Calvin inquired of his mother, "I thought you were against us getting involved with the Ultra Beasts…" he pointed out in remembrance.
"That was before you and Erika proved you could take care of yourselves with your Pokémon," Mirajane responded, "Plus, you two wound up in the Alola League finals," she mentioned with a smile, "I'm sure something like this won't be a problem," she affirmed.
"Mom…" the twins uttered.
"Then I suppose it's settled," Looker concluded as he set his empty cup of coffee down onto the kitchen counter, "We'll discuss the details at our current base of operations on Route Three," he told the former trial-goers, heading to the door, "Please come as soon as you're ready," he advised in request before leaving. Calvin and Erika looked to each other in surprise.
"I guess he made some good points…" Leslie admitted, "Still, I can't help but be worried about you two getting in trouble…" she confessed on.
"We can handle it!" her little sister affirmed confidently with a pump of her fist.
"You helped give us a fair chance to keep going on our island challenge back then," Calvin pointed out, "So why not give us another to help Mister Looker out?" he inquired. The Unova Champion Master hummed, but then grinned.
"You two really are something else…" she muttered out. Her twin siblings grinned. A little while later, they walked through Hau'oli on their way to Route 3, about to embark along the dirt path.
"Hey!" a familiar voice called out, getting their attentions as they turned in surprise to find Pyrrha and Hau running over to them with Paige and Trent in tow.
"Whoa, Pyrrha!" Erika yelped in surprise before being tackled into a hug by her friend, laughing with her.
"What are you guys doing here?" Calvin inquired as his cousin approached.
"We got asked to help out with getting those Ultra Beasts!" he answered with clenched fists.
"Since each of us have experience with them, I'm not surprised," Paige commented.
"Still, we've only ever fought one kind…" Trent added, putting his right hand onto his chin. I wonder what others we're gonna be up against…" he said curiously.
"So Mister Looker visited you guys, too?" Calvin presumed.
"Mister… Looker?" Hau repeated in confusion.
"The person who came to us was a woman…" Paige pointed out, much to the surprise of the twins. Moments later, the six of them gathered at the nearby hotel.
"This is the place?" Erika inquired, arching an eyebrow.
"Guess there really wasn't time to make a base for themselves…" Trent assumed with his hands at his hips.
"Well, no point waiting!" Hau remarked, going up to the door and grabbing the doorknob, "Hello!" he greeted as he entered with his fellow former trial-goers to follow.
"Oh, you're here," Looker noted as he grinned. The Ketchum twins blinked in surprise to see another figure alongside him. It was a woman with shiny lilac-colored hair, purple eyes with small eyelashes, and thin eyebrows. Her hair was long and was tied into a ponytail with a black ribbon. Her outfit consisted of tight black skinny fit pants, matching black shoes, black gloves with gray bumps on them, and a black tie with a white shirt underneath. She also had a communicator in her left ear. She looked over at Calvin and Erika, widening her eyes slightly before smiling a little.
"Eyes just like their father…" she commented.
"You'll have to forgive how sudden our invitations to you were earlier," Looker advised of the group, "We wanted to meet with you all together at the soonest opportunity," he mentioned.
"So you're the Looker guy Eri and Cal met?" Hau presumed.
"Yes, that's correct," the detective replied, "I'm a member of the International Police," he added to the group, "As to the person beside me…" he continued as he gestured toward the lilac-haired woman.
"I'm his boss, technically," she confirmed, "My name is Anabel," she introduced.
'Anabel…?' Calvin repeated inwardly, 'I feel like I've heard that name before…' he noted to himself.
"I am also the head of a secret division of the International Police," she mentioned to the group, "We're the UB Task Force," she told them.
"UB?" Erika repeated in confusion.
"Short for Ultra Beast, right?" Trent guessed, earning a nod in response from Anabel.
"Now please forgive us for the sudden question…" Looker chimed in, getting the group's attention, "but it's true that each of you encountered and battled UB Symbiont, correct?" he presumed of them. They blinked out of confusion.
"Symbiont…?" Hau said, raising an eyebrow.
"I guess it must be a name for one of the Ultra Beasts, right?" Pyrrha assumed.
"In that case, it's probably Nihilego," Paige concluded, "If so, yeah, we've all battled them before," she confirmed to the International Police members, "In the Ultra Space, in fact," she added to their surprise.
"I see…" Anabel uttered.
"This seems to settle things, Chief," Looker pointed out, earning a nod in agreement from his superior.
"Listen," she advised of the group, taking on a serious tone as they tensed up, "Everything we are about to share with you is highly classified information," she told them, "We must ask that you keep everything you learn here amongst yourselves," she requested of the group, "The incident that Miss Lusamine Aether caused…" she continued, "Symbiont wasn't the only Ultra Beast to escape from the Ultra Wormholes that were temporarily opened," she confirmed to the group.
"We figured as much…" Trent grumbled out, getting her attention, "She did say that wormholes were opening up all over Alola," he noted in remembrance, folding his arms over his chest.
"Thankfully, those particular Ultra Wormholes have since closed," Looker pointed out, "But the Ultra Beasts that escaped from them are still lurking about, including another Symbiont," he mentioned to group.
"Wait, there's another Nihilego?!" Pyrrha exclaimed in shock.
"We gotta go stop it!" Calvin insisted.
"Just a moment," Anabel said before either of them could bolt for the door, causing them to stop, "You have to understand that the Ultra Beasts didn't come here willingly," she pointed out, "In fact, they were brought to Alola rather rudely thanks to the multiple Ultra Wormholes unleashed," she mentioned thoroughly.
"We expect them to be quite wary and combative," Looker added.
"So we've been tasked with three duties," his superior continued, holding up a trio of fingers on her right hand, "The first is to identify the ecology of these unidentified Ultra Beasts," she told the group.
"Ecology?" Erika uttered in confusion, arching an eyebrow.
"Like their habitat," Trent informed.
"The second is to look out for UBs and protect the people from any harm," Anabel kept going, "And the third… is to either protect the Ultra Beasts… or destroy them…" she finished to the group's collective shock. However, they knew just how dangerous the strange creatures were, especially with their experiences against Nihilego. It would be unwise to take them easy.
"If the Ultra Beasts are indeed the feared beings that look to wreak havoc and destruction upon our world, then the order from above is to erase them completely," Looker explained.
"That said, neither Looker nor I are looking to see that happen," his superior confirmed to the group of former trial-goers, "Even if they are Ultra Beasts, they're still living creatures," she pointed out, "We would like to protect and save them," she added.
"Save them?" Trent repeated, "How?" he inquired. The former Frontier Brain reached into her pocket, pulling out a set of unique Poké Balls. Erika and Calvin blinked in surprise, recognizing them immediately.
"Hey, that's the same kinda Poké Ball Miss Lusamine used to get Nihilego!" Hau remembered in shock.
"The Beast Ball, yes," Anabel confirmed with a nod, "We've enlisted the Aether Foundation to help us manufacture these distinct Poké Balls, which work very well on the Ultra Beasts as demonstrated by Lusamine's actions," she mentioned further, making Erika tense up a little. She didn't like thinking back to the Aether Foundation's president, especially after what she had subjected her own children to.
"The difficult part is going to be weakening them," Looker pointed out, "The police itself doesn't have the manpower needed to face off against the Ultra Beasts themselves," he told the group.
"And so, without any more pretense…" Anabel kept going, "we wish for the six of you, the top eight of Alola's trainers, to help us subdue and capture these Ultra Beasts," she requested, "We were hoping to enlist Gladion and Ryuki's services as well, but they're both dealing with other matters at this time," she mentioned to the group.
"I feel like Gladion would be a huge help here…" Paige whispered out, earning a nod of agreement from Pyrrha.
"Hau, Trent, Paige, Pyrrha…" the former Frontier Brain listed off, getting their attentions, "Calvin and Erika…" she continued, "we would like for you to join the Ultra Beast Task Force," she said, "I know it may not be my place to make these requests, especially after your recent encounters with the Ultra Beasts, but—"
"Are you kidding?" Hau chimed in, interjecting her, "Of course we're gonna help!" he declared as he pumped up his fists.
"I owe those Ultra Beasts a good beat-down after the last time," Paige added determinedly, "I'm in," she affirmed.
"Same!" Pyrrha exclaimed with a smile.
"If it helps make Alola safer, then I can't say no," Trent mentioned.
"All of you…" Anabel uttered in surprise.
"Mister Looker gave us most of the details beforehand, but we were onboard from the start," Calvin confirmed for himself and his twin sister.
"Protecting Alola's just another day for us!" she remarked, letting off a big grin. The former Frontier Brain widened her eyes slightly. She then laughed to the twins' confusion.
"You both really are just like your father," she noted, causing them to blink in surprise.
"Chief, I'm certain this group's more than ready to handle the task ahead…" Looker chimed in, getting his superior's attention.
"Yes, I know," she responded in realization, "It's only a formality, but I still need to test you to make sure you're ready to handle what's ahead," she told the group, "That said, I don't need to battle each of you," she mentioned to their surprise as they glanced to each other, "Perhaps Alola's first-ever Champion would like to take me on?" she offered.
"No, I'll go," Calvin decided, stepping out in front of Erika.
"Wh-? Cal?" she uttered in shock. The former Frontier Brain was surprised, but also saw the fire in her future opponent's eyes.
"Very well then," she said.
X
Moments later, Calvin and Anabel stood several yards apart from each other on the parking lot outside of the hotel, while the others watched on from afar. Paige looked back and forth nervously between the Ketchum boy and the International Police chief.
"I know Calvin's team is super strong…" she pointed out, "but I can't help but wonder just what kind of opponent Miss Anabel is…" she admitted with concern.
"What do you know about her, Mister Looker?" Hau asked, getting the detective's attention, "You work together, so you probably know all about her as a trainer," he noted.
"Hm," Looker huffed with a nod, "The chief's strong," he confirmed, "She was actually one of the seven Frontier Brains before deciding to come work for the International Police," he mentioned.
"Wait, as in the Battle Frontier?!" Trent exclaimed in question.
"They're some of the most elite trainers in the world!" Pyrrha pointed out in shock, "That's who Calvin's up against?!" she inquired with disbelief in her tone. Anabel readied a Poké Ball in her right hand.
"Come on out, my friend!" she called out, flinging the spherical container forward. It popped open, with its light shooting out and forming upon the ground, dissipating to reveal a Snorlax.
"Snorrr…" he yawned out.
"A Snorlax, huh?" Paige noted.
"It's a Normal-type, so Cal's got a few options…" Hau pointed out. The Ketchum boy readied a Poké Ball of his own, enlarging with a press of its button.
"Incineroar, you're up!" he called out, tossing the spherical container forward. As it burst open, its blue light spilled onto the ground, shaping into form and dissipating to reveal the Heel Pokémon.
"Sehh, rawr!" she roared, taking on a ready stance.
"Incineroar, hm?" Anabel said, letting off a grin, "Snorlax, get ready," she advised of the Sleeping Pokémon.
"Laxx," he responded with a nod.
"Incineroar, be careful," Calvin advised of his partner, getting her attention, "I know that a Snorlax can learn lots of different moves…" he mentioned nervously, clenching his fists, "Just keep on your toes, okay?" he requested of the Heel Pokémon. She flashed her trainer a grin, turning to her opponent.
"Rawrrr!" she roared in challenge, waving her right hand goadingly.
"Well, alright then…" Anabel said, "Snorlax, Crunch!" she ordered, swinging her left arm forward. The Sleeping Pokémon charged forward almost instantaneously, much to everyone's surprise. His teeth shined a bright white and sharpened as he attempted to chomp down on his target. She quickly threw her right arm up in defense, letting him bite it instead in a burst of smoke. She slid out from it, letting out a growl. A bluish light then flowed down her body.
"So that Crunch just lowered her defense…" Pyrrha noted aloud, making Erika blink in surprise, remembering how the same thing had happened earlier during her match against Leslie.
'Calvin…' she uttered inwardly with concern.
"Use Cross Chop!" her brother commanded. The Heel Pokémon's arms glowed a bright orange as she lunged out at her opponent.
"Protect!" Anabel instructed. Throwing his hands forward, Snorlax formed a turquoise barrier of light in front of himself, just before Incineroar swiped at him, striking the energy shield instead. She and her trainer both widened their eyes. "Now Body Slam!" the former Frontier Brain yelled. As his barrier came down, the Sleeping Pokémon charged forward and tackled his opponent, sending her tumbling back along the ground. She managed to bring herself to a stop as she clawed at the pavement, breathing heavily.
"Whoa…" Paige uttered.
"It looks like Snorlax has the whole match in his control…" Trent pointed out, while Erika tensed up, clenching her fists.
"Come on, Cal!" Hau cheered, "You got this!" he exclaimed.
"Darkest Lariat!" the Ketchum boy ordered. Getting to her feet, Incineroar made dark red flames erupt over her hands before spinning toward her foe.
"High Horsepower!" Anabel commanded. An orange aura shrouded Snorlax as he charged forward. He met his foe in a fierce collision, blowing them both back in an instant. They tumbled along the parking lot, both coming to a stop upon their stomachs.
"Incineroar, you okay?!" Calvin asked in concern. In a pained grunt, the Heel Pokémon stood back up, breathing heavily. Snorlax did the same, letting puffs of steam leave his nostrils.
"Body Slam!" his trainer ordered. The Sleeping Pokémon charged out at his opponent again, ready to land a full-body tackle like before.
"Cross Chop!" the Ketchum boy commanded, swinging his arms out. Gritting her teeth, Incineroar had her arms shine a bright orange as she crossed them over her head. She let her foe close in, swiping fiercely at him in an x-shaped pattern, blowing him back.
"Nice!" Pyrrha exclaimed.
"Yeah, you got him!" Hau affirmed excitedly.
"Now Darkest Lariat, Incineroar!" Calvin ordered on. The Heel Pokémon ran forward, making dark red flames erupt over her hands before spinning towards her foe.
"Laxxx…" he growled out.
"Protect!" his trainer advised. Sticking his hands out, the Sleeping Pokémon formed yet another turquoise energy barrier in front of himself. Incineroar spun into it, making sparks fly. Eventually, she stopped as she stumbled back, while the shield faded. "Now Body Slam!" Anabel commanded, thrusting her right hand out. Snorlax lunged forward, ramming into the Heel Pokémon before she could even think to regain her balance. They crashed against the ground in a flurry of dust. The former trial-goers watching all gasped.
"Incineroar!" Calvin cried out. The dust settled, with Snorlax standing back up. Incineroar lied upon the ground, grimacing with agony as sparks of electricity crackled around her.
"What happened?" Hau asked, blinking out of shock.
"That Body Slam must've paralyzed Incineroar…" Trent realized, narrowing his eyes.
"That didn't happen the first time, though…" Pyrrha recalled.
"Which is why she kept doing it…" Erika concluded, getting her attention, "She knew that at some point, the effect would kick in if she kept having Snorlax hit Incineroar with Body Slam," she noted on, remembering what Leslie had told her.
'Calvin… what are you gonna do?' she wondered inwardly.
"Rrrawwrr…" the Heel Pokémon groaned as she managed to get herself back onto her feet. She winced as the electricity sparked around her again.
"Hang in there, Incineroar!" her trainer cried out. Anabel smiled a little.
"You definitely showed a good effort," she affirmed with a nod, "But that said, we're not going to just roll over for you," she pointed out. At that moment, Snorlax had an orange aura burst to life around him, much to everyone's surprise.
"High Horsepower…!" Paige gasped out.
"But… she didn't even give an order!" Trent noted, quite surprised himself. The Sleeping Pokémon charged at his weakened foe, aiming to finish her off. Calvin grimaced, clenching his fists.
"Incineroar, Cross Chop!" he commanded quickly. Steeling herself in spite of her pain, the Heel Pokémon made her arms shine a bright orange. Snorlax was ready to slam into her, but somehow, she swiped at him just in the nick of time. The force of the blow sent her foe flying back before he crashed onto the ground in front of his trainer, who gasped as her eyes widened.
"No way…" Pyrrha uttered, just as shocked as the others around her.
"Now Blast Burn!" Calvin ordered as he pumped his right fist up. A fiery red aura burst to life around Incineroar, followed by her slamming her fists against the ground. Cracks started forming, with bright orange lights spewing out. The ground swelled underneath Snorlax, who stood up and gasped to find himself caught in the epicenter of the incoming attack. A huge explosion of red-orange erupted, completely engulfing him.
"Incredible…" Looker uttered out.
'Even when she resorted to her innate ability for the battle, Calvin was still able to overcome it,' he noted to himself, 'He really is his father's son…' he added inwardly. The smoke finally settled, revealed a groaning Snorlax lying upon the pavement as swirls were in his eyes. Anabel was quite shocked as her own eyes shook.
"Alright!" Hau exclaimed delightedly.
"Cal just beat a former Frontier Brain…" Paige noted with shaking eyes.
"Even if she was rusty, there's no way that's easy…" Trent added.
"Wow, that was something…" Pyrrha commented, sighing with relief, "Your brother's gotten a lot stronger since the Lanakila Conference, huh?" she noted to Erika.
"Yeah…" she responded with a nod, looking to her brother as he helped Incineroar stand up.
"Rahh…" she groaned with pain.
"Hey, take it easy," he advised, pulling out her Poké Ball, "You deserve a long rest after all that," he affirmed, returning her to the spherical container in a beam of red light. Anabel did the same for her Snorlax, letting off a smile.
"You're stronger than I thought you'd be," she admitted as she walked over, getting Calvin's attention, "But I guess I shouldn't be surprised, considering how well you did in the Alola League," she mentioned with a giggle. The Ketchum boy blushed a little, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.
"Hey, didn't your dad challenge all the Frontier Brains in the Kanto Region when he was younger?" Trent inquired of Erika, catching her attention.
"Oh yeah!" Hau chimed in, "Uncle Ash had a lot of tough battles, even ones where he lost on the first try!" he mentioned out of remembrance.
"You're right on the money," Anabel remarked as she approached alongside Calvin, "Ash actually lost to me once before beating me the second time around," she confessed.
"So you know our dad…" the Ketchum boy realized.
"Sort of…" the former Frontier Brain responded with a blush upon her cheeks, "I remember how scatterbrained and excitable he could be when we first met…" she mentioned in recollection. The twins blinked in surprise. "Anyways, that concludes the testing," she confirmed, "I see no problem at all with your skills, so I'm certain that you and your friends are more than capable of handling what's ahead," she decided, much to the group's delight, "I hope that we'll do fine work together," she added with a giggle.
"Alright!" Hau exclaimed as he jumped up excitedly, "Now let's go find those Ultra Beasts!" he insisted while clenching his fists.
"Hold on, dude…" Paige advised, "We don't even know where to look first…" she pointed out.
"And Calvin's probably gonna need some time to heal up Incineroar, right?" Pyrrha presumed, earning a nod in response from the Ketchum boy.
"You needn't worry right now," Anabel assured, "Looker and I will be investigating the Ultra Beasts while setting up a new base on Akala Island," she explained to the group, "In the meantime, I'd like for you to go and visit Aether Paradise," she requested, "The vice-chief of the Aether Foundation's Alolan branch will provide you with Beast Balls of your own to use," she told them.
"Oh, right," Erika said, "Other Poké Balls won't work as well…" she remembered.
"Well, let's get going!" Calvin insisted of his friends, earning nods in response before they hurried off to the city. Anabel watched on, smiling all the while. Looker did the same, though after a few moments, he frowned.
"We're going to have to tell them at some point," he pointed out.
"I know," the International Police chief responded, "It's just… I want this to all work out is all," she affirmed, earning a nod in reply from her colleague.
ENDING
Insert "Only Wanna Be With You" by Post Malone
Opens with Calvin and Erika traveling together along the dirt roads alongside their Pokémon. They arrive at a beach, setting up a space with their friends and family to have fun. Primarina, Araquanid and Poliwrath jump into the water, swimming about.
Erika wanders around the sand before coming across a Pyukumuku, curiously picking it up as Pyrrha and Trent approach. She squeezes the Sea Cucumber Pokémon, only for his organs to be spat out at her in the form of a fist, striking her in the face to everyone's shock. She winces, but decides to laugh it off.
Marowak trains with his enflamed bone, with Mimi mimicking him from behind. Incineroar, Tsareena and Gumshoos are playing with a beach ball. At one point, they accidentally knock it away, causing it to land onto the spikes of Sandslash, popping to their dismay. He blinks in confusion, unaware of what happened.
Calvin runs along the beach, being joined by a soaring Toucannon and a spinning Togedemaru. They come across an Alolan Exeggutor, who wags his head back and forth. Togedemaru accidently pricks his tail with his needle, angering him as he stomps after the trio, forcing them to run. Paige and Hau watch on, laughing heartily.
Lycanroc and Magmortar bask in the sunlight together. Lurantis tries to do the same, but is constantly getting a shade cast over her thanks to Drifblim. Even as she tries to get away, he still follows her, giggling all the while. Meanwhile, Starbright and Jangmo-o gather seashells along the shoreline, with the Scaly Pokémon hopping up and down like an excited puppy upon finding more.
Erika later builds a sandcastle with Palossand's likeness. He takes a look, getting so surprised that he accidentally knocks it over. His trainer sighs with a smile, patting him on his head. Calvin grabs himself a bottle of soda from a water cooler, only to find that the caps from each one of them are gone. He glances over and cracks a small smile at the Meltan attempting to get away, having ingested the bottle caps into its body. Tsareena picks it up in her hands, nuzzling against it affectionately.
Primarina and Erika splash water onto each other, giggling all the while. All of a sudden, blobs of blue paint splatter onto their faces as they blink in surprise. Erika sighs and smiles to see the Poipole floating about, spinning happily at its handiwork.
The song winds down, with the Ketchum twins watching the sun setting in the distance alongside their Pokémon. They look to each other and smile, happy that they went on the journey together.
END ENDING
And that wraps up the first part of the final arc, which'll be featuring the twins helping corral the Ultra Beasts alongside their friends! I'm also really excited to get into the other portions of this arc, which'll feature some fun battles and exciting characters, along with some heartfelt moments.
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this one, folks! I sure enjoyed writing it!