Chapter 77 – Ashy, Chari and Hunter in the ultra-space of absurdity

Am I dreaming…

Am I dead…

Where am I…

These were the few thoughts Ashachu's feeble mind could process as it struggled to comprehend his surroundings. He had a fuzzy memory of the Aether Paradise, of people dressed in strange outfits, of Chari and Lucario restrained, and of her…

Even thought it had only been a moment ago, it felt like another lifetime in this place… Referring to here as a place seemed wrong as that implied a fixed location. Wherever he was now felt like several places at the same time. As though he were seeing multiple things at the same time.

If this place had to be described, Ashachu would have said it was an empty blue void where the only physical presence were rings – portals to other worlds. But that implied form and structure, which this placed did not have. Instead, all of the worlds seemed to press together on him at the same time. He could see a bare rocky baren landscape, a waterfall cascading into a shallow pool, a sheer cliff face.

There was no gravity, not seeming up or down or solid ground. The only thing beneath Ashachu's paws was the back of a large furry winged creature, whom he clung too for dear life. The creature was taking him through this strange place, though he did not know its name nor why it permitted him to ride its back. All Ashachu knew was that he had to hold on!

As well as seeing them, he could feel the other words as well. A lush green jungle with strange trees and thick warm air, a hot desert where the sun seared his fur, a world ravaged by a constant electric storm that made his fur stand on end, a dense forest that was cool and shady and a world of craters.

He was only capable of doing one thing, aside from holding on. A loud scream of "Piiikaaaa," poured from his maw, though he couldn't hear it. Did sound even exist here….

[Pokémon]

Meanwhile, back in Aether Paradise…

"Device active in three…two…one…"

Ash felt a lurch in his stomach as the countdown ended, and the red lights continued to flash on and off. He wanted to shut his eyes and now see what was about to happen, but he forced himself to look into the eyes of his three Pokémon, the fear on their faces burning into his soul.

"S-sorry," he mouthed, though no sound came out of his mouth.

"Device Activated…"

The hissing, clicking sound of hydraulics echoed through the cavern and four platforms rose up alongside the walkway, two on either side. Sitting on top of the platforms were cylindrical devices; one red, one blue, one green and one yellow.

Cameron swore under his breath at the sight of them. "Oh shit."

The affect was instantaneous; Flygon, Zoroark and Zacian let out a cry or howl of anguish, blowing their heads and closing their eyes as if struck by terrible pains in their head, then a split second later their bodies went ridged as they stood upright and raised their heads as if standing to attention.

As the same time, they each opened their eyes…Which had turned a dark blood red…

[Pokémon]

Finally, Ashachu could feel solid ground beneath him once again. It was cold and metallic, pressing hard under his back, but still it was solid. Nor could he feel the sensations of a thousand worlds on his fur. Whatever had happened, wherever they had been, it was over now.

Or so he hoped!

Tentatively he opened his eyes. They were met with an inky black sky and the outlines of the tops of what he assumed were buildings. Had they landed in some type of city? He took a breath. The air was cold and made him shiver. It had only just dawned on him how cold it was.

"Is everybody okay," came a familiar, but unwelcome, voice from overhead.

This was followed by a much more welcome voice uttering in concern, "Ashy."

Two strong claws scooped his body up and cradled him against their owner's chest. "Charizard," he cooed with relief. He buried his head in Charizard's chest and gripped the warm scales with his paws.

"Alright you lousy otter," Charizard growled. "What in the distortion world is this place and how did we get here."

This place was, as Ashachu had first thought, a city. Though it was unlike any city they had ventured too before. Everything surrounding them seemed to be made of a cold black metal, or metallic substance. Surrounding them were buildings; giant skyscraper rising high as the eye could see, styled as to resemble crystals.

And in the distance, a large tower rose, higher than all the others. A cylindrical poll, ending with a round UFO like object at the top. It was dark in this city. The sky was jet black, as though it were night-time, but there were no stars and no moon to illuminate the sky as there was back at home.

The only source of light came from neon strips in the road beneath their paws, and along the walls of the buildings.

"I-I don't know," said Geyser. "I don't know what happened. My mind's a bit blurry. It was like – some weird instinct." The Dewott rubbed his temples with his paws.

Behind him, hovering just above his head, was the spiralling portal of an ultra-wormhole. A strange grid like vortex of flashing colours, spinning around and around. As he gazed at it, it clicked in Ashachu's mind. Had they just fallen out of it.

"Oh Arceus…What in the distortion world I have been snorting this time." One more Pokémon had made it through the ultra-wormhole with them. Dragonite, who had been lying on the floor beside Charizard, had awoken, clambered to his claws, and was staring blinking at the crystal-like buildings. "Seriously, I gotta stop doing Pokénip…Why did I let Flygon talk me into that, again!"

"You're not on Pokénip," Geyser growled. "We've travelled across dimensions. We're in the Ultra Space."

Charizard glared at him. "So, you do know where we are!"

Geyser shook his head. "I said we're in the Ultra Space. I can't say what part we're in. I'm part Cosmog, remember. I can open ultra-wormholes. Portals to other dimensions." He sighed and stared down at his paws. "I just can't control it."

"So, you mean you can't get us back to Ash."

Geyser shook his head.

Charizard snorted. "Well, you're just a useless Pokémon then, aren't you."

A look of fury contorted Geyser's face and he let out a little growl. Dragonite stepped in between the two holding up both his claws in a calming manner. "Come now everybody, there's no need for that. Deep breaths."

Geyser immediately relaxed, though Charizard turned his ire to Dragonite. "Save the kind-heartedness for a lost boat," he snarled. "That little shit has it coming."

Dragonite coxed his head, giving Charizard a sad look. "He's also the only one of us who can open a wormhole and get us home. We can't be fighting with each other. You need to chill out, Flamey."

Although Ashachu really wanted to see his boyfriend tear Geyser a new one, he reluctantly decided Dragonite had a point. He rubbed his head against Charizard's chest and whispered, "Dragonite's right. We can't afford to fight with each other now."

Charizard seemed to calm down, the expression on his face softening as he looked down at Ashachu. "Fine," he growled. "But never call me Flamey again!"

"Yeah, listen to your boyfriend," muttered Geyser.

The snarl immediately returned to Charizard's face as he raised his head to Geyser and snapped, "What was that?"

"Stop it, both of you!" wailed Dragonite.

They were interpreted at that moment however, but a soft muffled voice saying, "guy's I'm starting to feel a little light headed. What's going on. Can I come out yet?"

Ashachu blinked a couple of times, wondering what in the distortion world was going on. The voice sounded as though it were coming from Charizard, though he wasn't moving his jaws, and it didn't sound like him. Then he remembered, "Hunter!"

Charizard glanced down at his stomach and scowled. "Aren't you Charizard shit yet."

"Fuck you, you fake dragon piece of shit."

"You're the only one here who's about to be a piece of shit!"

"Alright," cried Dragonite, exasperated at having to quell yet another argument. "Let's come to our senses. If we're going to survive, we need to work together. Now the first things we ought to do is find out where we are and find food. Can we at least try that?"

[Pokémon]

"Here you go," said Geyser holding up a bowl. "You said you wanted food."

The bowl was full of what appeared to be blocks of a gelatinous substance that quivered as he held it. They were coloured dark purple colour and looked distinctly unappetising. Nevertheless, Geyser stuck his paw into the bowl and shoved one into his maw.

"What the hell are they," Charizard growled.

"Poipole jelly," Geyser replied, his voice a little muffled by the contents of his maw. "That's the Gabite said."

"The Gabite?"

"The one in that building." He pointed over at one of the crystalline black skyscrapers.

Dragonite frowned and coxed his head. "I really wouldn't be wandering into buildings alone Geyser. There could be anything in there."

Geyser shrugged. "You told me to find food."

"No way am I eating that," growled Charizard, wrinkling his nose. "We have no idea what it is or what it's going to do to us."

Dragonite took the bowl off Geyser and sniffed at it. "It smells fine. Better than starvation. You human bred Pokémon need to learn to trust your instincts more!" Like Geyser, he took one of the cubes and swallowed. "Hmmm not bad."

"Hang on, if there are Pokémon in the buildings, then why aren't there any out here," asked Ashachu.

Geyser shrugged. "Beats me. Let's go in and ask. They're pretty friendly in there."

Dragonite frowned and bite his lip. "I don't want to get into a situation I can't escape."

"Trust me their fine," said Geyser with a wave of his paw.

It was at that moment that Charizard turned and wandered away, something having caught his eye.

"Hey, where are you going?" Dragonite called as he rounded a building and headed down an alleyway between two buildings. "Come back. We should stay together. Ugh, does anybody listen to me! Charizard wait up…"

What had lured Charizard was in the forecourt of a large square building, lower and less pointed than the others. And in the middle of the forecourt was a large statue of…

"Okay, why am I a fucking statue," Chari growled.

"Oh, come on," said Ashachu. "That could be any Charizard."

It did have an uncanny likeness though, being almost exactly the same size and build as the real Charizard, with its head and tail held high and its wings outstretched, jaws slightly apart. The only difference between this Charizard and the real one seemed to be that it was made entirely of the same metal substance as the rest of the city.

It stood on a plinth just a little shorter than Charizard himself, with a plague in the centre, which read….

"In loving memory of Charizard," Ashachu read aloud. "Who gave his life in the fight against Lysander, to save his family in friends. Your spirit shall live on in the hearts of those who loved you and those you saved. Rest in power… What does that mean?"

Charizard shivered, a cold chill running down his spine. "This place is starting to give me the creeps."

"Wow," said Dragonite as he and Geyser caught up to them. "You're famous around here buddy!"

"What's going on," barked Hunter. "I want to see."

Then suddenly the forecourt filled with a white light, which illuminate the Charizard statute and casting a shadow over them. The front door of the square building had flow open and a tall figure was standing in the threshold.

"Well hello Charizard. Geyser. I did wonder whether we'd be seeing here."

"T-That voice," gasped Ashachu as Charizard's eyes widened and his jaw dropped, and Geyser and Dragonite each did doubletakes.

"It can't be!"

The creature stepped out from the threshold and strode over towards them. As he grew closer, they could see he was a humanoid Pokémon, cover from head to paw in a fuzzy yellow fur with black stripes and a long tail sprouting from his back. His features were cat like, with a short muzzle and pointy ears.

"Welcome to Ultra Megaopolis."

[Pokémon]

Aether Paradise…

"Flygon… Zacian… Zoroark…" Ash's heart thumped in his chest and his breath rose up before him as he watched his three now hypnotised Pokémon. He knew what was happening, having seen this before.

"EM Waves," whispered Cameron. "That must be what those devices are for."

"It must be a defensive mechanism the Aether Foundation uses in case the Pokémon become too difficult to control," said Ash. He grimaced and looked at Flygon. "C-Can you guys hear me?"

There was no response from any of the Pokémon. They all stood ridged to attention as if awaiting instruction from some invisible slave-master.

"If you can hear me, you have to fight it! You can't let them control you," Ash cried out desperately. "Uhhh…" He remembered he had been able to snap Pikachu out of it through the power of their bond before. He could try that again. "Zoroark what about Axew. Flygon think about Dragonite. Zacian…You don't need another villain controlling you."

Again, there was no response. Ash wasn't even sure if they were able to hear him. He swallowed and approached Flygon tentatively. "C'mon guys," he said, reaching out to brush the dragon's face with his hand.

"Ash, I wouldn't," warned Cameron but too late.

Flygon Snarled and shoved Ash hard in the chest with his two claws. Ash flew violently backwards, falling to the ground with a great clash.

"Ash!" cried Cameron in horror. He quickly helped Ash to his feet, bending down, grabbing hold of him by the armpit and pulling him back up.

Ash winced at the searing pain in his tailbone. It hurt to move, and he realised that it was going to leave a bruise. Still, that was the least of his concern at the moment, and he gritted his teeth and fought against the pain as he racked his brain to think what next to do.

He racked his brain trying to think what to do, though nothing sprung to mind. They were alone and vulnerable down here, with three hypnotised Pokémon that could be commanded to attack at any moment and didn't seem to be hearing or responding to his voice.

And then Cameron whispered to him urgently, "Ash, we have to destroy those machines." He pointed at the Gigaremo Units, the tall cylindrical letter box like devices on the plinths. Around the material.

"What," Ash replied, his eyes going wide. "How, we can't reach them."

"I know but it's the only way," said Cameron. "Perhaps we could find something!"

Ash knew he was right. It was the only thing that made sense. He cast his eyes around looking for something that could be used to reach or attack the terrible machines. But he saw nothing, except the Pokémon.

"I have an idea," said Ash. "But I don't know if it'll work."

He never got an opportunity to put his plan into action. At that moment the tiles undeath his feet started to glow and the world around him begun to disappear. He barely had time to call out, "CAMERON!"

[Pokémon]

Ultra-Megalopolis…

Ashachu placed his paw on the window, as he stared out in disbelief. High up in the building, he had a near flying type view of the city below; A seeming mass of black crystals stretching as far as the eye could see under black starless skies. The only source of light a neon glow from the street below, which gave the crystal-like buildings an eerie glow.

"Please little, help yourself," came a voice from behind, nearly making him jump. Ashachu spun around to see the strange cat like Pokémon standing behind him, gesturing to a long table covered in a bizarre looking array of what Ashachu believed was probably food.

Though it was only the context that gave Ashachu that impression , as nothing on their able looked appetising or, in some cases, edible. There were plates of what looked like severed tentacles, severed spikes, prickly looking fruit that seemed to be made of metal, and more of those squares of greyish jelly Geyser had been eating.

Dragonite and Geyser were already digging in, while Charizard hung back (though that could also be because a certain Riolu was spoiling his appetite).

"C'mon, you guys got to try this," said Geyser, who was chewing on a tentacle, fragments of it flying everywhere as he spoke. The sight put Ashachu off.

Instead, he focused on the cat like Pokémon. "W-Who are you? Which Pokémon are you?"

"I'm Zeraora," the cat like creature replied. "Leader of the Zeraora guild."

Ashachu wasn't sure which of the first two questions Zeraora had answered. Ashachu couldn't quite put his paw on it, but his voice was familiar.

"And this is Ultra Megalopolis." The Pokémon frowned coxing his head. "I'm surprised you haven't heard of us. From which world do you come from."

Ashachu closed an eye his right ear drooping. "Okay, what! Pretend I don't know any of that. What is this place."

"You've never heard from Ultra Megaopolis," said Zeraora puzzled. "Hmmm, I wondered." He bit his lip for a moment before continuing. "Well, if you don't this is the centre of the ultra-space. And we oversee the adventure and rescue guilds of known ultra-space!" his frown deepened. "How did you get here. You're obviously not from here!"

"We came through an ultra-wormhole," Ashachu replied. He was starting to feel a little uneasy and wondered how much he should tell this Pokémon.

"That was me," exclaimed Geyser, raising a paw, his maw still full of whatever it was he was eating.

Zeraora turned to face him raising an eyebrow. "Really. A Dewott with the power to open ultra-wormholes. Interesting."

"Look this is all very interesting and nice," growled Charizard. "But we need to find a way back to our trainer. You mentioned something about ultra-holes, or some load a crap. How do we get out of here."

Zeraora's face fell, and he sighed. "Well, I know who you are!"

"We don't really know how we got here," said Dragonite. "We were captured and there were these people in helmets and white jumpsuits. Had this strange Pokémon with them. Head like a disco ball and…"

"Wait." Zeraora's eyes widened, and he spun to look at Dragonite. "The Ultra Recon Squad. The Ultra Recon Squad in your world?"

"Is that what they're called," asked Dragonite unsure.

Charizard rolled his eyes. "Can you stop with the outer spacey look and give us some real answers."

"If the Ultra Recon Squad were after you in your world, then they will follow you here," said Zeraora. "Which means…I'm sorry."

"Sorry," repeated Ashachu his heart suddenly racing. He had about feeling about what was happening.

Zeraora raised his paw and snapped two fingers together. The doors to the room burst open and a group of large insectoid Pokémon, as tall as Charizard or Dragonite marched into the room. Ashachu recognised what they were.

"Genesect," he gasped. The others all jumped in alarm.

"Arrest them…"