Chapter 83 – Return to the Centurion

Akala Island, Alola Region…

A maniacal grin spread across the Chairman's face as he lowered the binoculars, he'd been using to watch the scene above Aether Paradise unfold.

"It seems like we're not the only parties interested in the blinding one," he mused to himself. "But let's see how many of our friends are as prepared as we are."

He turned back into the room, where his underling Oleana continued to work at a computer. Complex readings and numbers flashing across a screen.

"Incredible.," she said as she felt his gaze fall upon her, but without taking her eyes off her screen. "The readings are exactly as modelling predicted. Right down to particle super positioning. We can even predict where Necrozma will appear with ninety-seven percent probability factor."

Rose moved closer to the computer to see the readouts for himself. "Unfortunately, it still seems to be giving us a reading that covers nearly half of the Alola Region. The estimate zone covers nearly the whole of Ula' Ula Island and the surrounding ocean…Including."

"Right above Aether Foundation." Oleana finished his sentence for him. "We have creature right where we want it."

"Best make sure the teams are in place."

"Agreed."

Oleana pressed some keys on her console. On a much larger monitor hanging on a wall, the picture of a man in a white and red outfit wearing a dark pair of shades over his eyes, like a visor. A C shaped insignia of some kind was imprinted on the right shoulder of his jacked.

"Chairman Rose Sir!"

"The instruments are all predicting an appearance is imminent," said Rose curtly to the man on the screen. "I trust the equipment is in place…It's Simon, correct?"

"Yes sir," he replied. "And it's Cody sir, not Simon."

"My mistake."

"The equipment is in place and my team are ready to mobilise. As long as it appears within the target area, we'll get in."

"Oh, you need not worry about that." Oleana interjected, her voice stern. "My program is accurate to a ninety-seventh percentile."

"Yes sir, my apologise sir," said Cody, his tone somewhat apologetic and a slight crease forming in his forehead. The ghost of apprehension.

The Chairman stepped in to diffuse the tension. "Good luck to you and your team Cody. We'll relay you the signal to indicate when the beast will appear. Remember. I need it alive. Injure it if you must, but it must not perish."

"Understood sir." Cody gave a salute before the screen went black.

[Pokémon]

Meanwhile in the world of Ultra Megalopolis…Well, high above it at least…

Ashachu shuddered and pressed himself closer to Charizard's neck. For the second time that day he was back in a place that he prayed he would never return to. First it had been Team Flare's bunker, with its white concrete walls and cylindrical chamber bathed in red light. Now it was the centurion.

Sterile metal walls filled with complex computer and other equipment that his mousey little brain couldn't comprehend. Windows that opened on to a seemingly unending blackness broken only by tiny pinpricks of light. Like stars, but they didn't twinkle. And the ground that didn't feel exactly solid beneath his paws (or in this case, Charizard's claws).

As though it might fall away leaving him to float in an endless void at any moment…

"Welcome aboard," announced Koraidon with everybody gathered on the flight deck. "The D-Team took control of the Centurion during the Ultra Recon Squad's invasion. It's taken years for the Alakazam guild to fully understand it's secrets. It's powered by aura. The life force of a Pokémon. Without that, it won't operate."

"There were six Eevee's powering it," Zamazenta continued for him. "The machine lost power and once we had rescued them from inside."

Hunter coxed his head and frowned. "Eevee's."

"The last of the last of the aura Eevee's," said Koraidon sadly. "From another world. They were special powerful Pokémon in the world the Ultra Recon Squad came from. Sadly, they died. Four hadn't survived the journey and were dead when we found them. The other two died shortly after that. One almost immediately after being pulled out of the machine, the other back on earth."

"Aura Eevee's," Ashachu repeated under his breath.

"Sooo…What's powering it now," asked a nervous Dragonite.

Salamence gave a wicked grin and answered, "come and see…"

Another shock waiting for Ashachu as Koraidon and his team led him Charizard, Dragonite, Axew, Geyser and Hunter to a circular room with stark white walls and a series of six glass cases inclined against the wall. He recognised it at once…it had been in one of these cases where he had lost his tail to Aliana.

"This is the input node," said Koraidon dryly, gesturing to the cases with his claw. "These tanks hold their inhabitants in a hibernation status to enable their aura to be drained. Like living batteries."

"This s where we found the Eevee's," Zamazenta.

"Oh sheesh, I remember this place," said Hunter wrinkling his nose. He walked up to one of the glass cases. "Yeah…OH MY ARCEUS!" He leapt backwards in shock when he saw what was inside. He tripped and landed on his tail. "That's an…"

"As you can see," said Salamence a wide grin spreading across his muzzle. "We found some substitutes."

"Ultra-Beasts," Geyser replied in a low voice and with a frown. He took a tentative step forward to get a better look.

There was a different one in every tank; Nihilego, Buzzwole, Xurkitree, Kartana, Nagandel and Blacephalon.

Hunter propped himself up on his paws, but instead of getting back to his paws, just gaped at the tank containing Blacephalon. "H-how did you get them in there?"

Koraidon grimaced ."They fought for the Ultra Recon Squad. They kept them in balls the way Pokémon trainers do in your world. It took everything we had to defeat them, but eventually we won."

"But even with the Ultra Recon Squad defeated, they were still dangerous," continued Zamazenta. "This one can take off its head and make it exploded." She placed a paw on Blacephalon's tank, before moving along to the tank holding Kartana. "And this one's entire body is sharper than a thousand cut attacks." Finally, she tapped on Nagandel's cell. "And this one is toxic. The Centurion keeps them in a cryogenic state and drains their energy. It's the only way we can hold them."

They were interrupted at that moment by a retching sound. Everybody turned around to see Ashachu double over and vomit, a mixture of bile and Nagandel jelly spewing out and dropping over Charizard. His paws and forearms were covered in it. Ashachu raised his head and saw everyone looking at him.

"Ashachu," said a concerned Dragonite with a cox of the head.

Ashachu said nothing. He couldn't stay in this chamber any longer. He turned and slid down Charizard's tail and dashed out the room.

Everything after that was a blur and the next thing, he knew he was being cradled in Charizard's arms in the flight deck. The giant lizard was gently rubbing him across the chest and belly with his free claws. Ashachu shut his eyes and breathed in through his nose. He still felt queasy, but at least nothing more was coming up. His ears twitched as he listened to the sounds of conversation going on around him.

"Okay then Geyser," said Koraidon placing a claw on the Dewott's shoulder. "This is where we need you!"

"Open an ultra-wormhole back to your world," added Zamazenta.

Geyser bit his lip and drummed his claws together. "But…I-I-I don't know how to open a wormhole. Besides I can't control where it will lead."

Koraidon squeezed his shoulder a little tighter. "You can. You're strong than you know. But even if you don't know it. Every time you've opened an ultra-wormhole it's led you where you needed to go. You brought your friends were. Away from danger, and to the place they needed to be. Out of all the parts of the vast Ultra-Space you could have ended up, you came to us, the Pokémon who could help you. And now you're going to lead us, where we need to be…for you see."

Koraidon bowed his head, so his muzzle was close to the Dewott's pointy ear and whispered something. Ashachu and the others couldn't hear what he was saying. But whatever it was, it made Geyser's eyes widen in surprise and he looked up at Koraidon.

"You mean…"

"Yes." Koraidon smiled at him and nodded. "You just need to listen to you heart Geyser." He moved his claw to Geyser's chest. "It will show you the way."

"This is crazy," exclaimed a suddenly angry Hunter, throwing his paws into the air, before shoving Koraidon out of the way and putting both paws on Geyser's shoulders. "Geyser…You can't trust these Pokémon. We know nothing about them."

"Hunter," murmured a surprised Geyser.

"Everything you use your power it wipes you out. I can see it in you know, you're exhausted. If you keep doing this. If you let them use, you like this…You're going to get yourself hurt." He whimpered the last sentence.

"Hunter…" Geyser put his arms around the Riolu and hugged him. He gave him a tender lick on the side of his muzzle, licking away the single tear that had fallen. "You're sweet."

Hunter hesitated for a moment, before hugging Geyser back, and pressing his muzzle into the Dewott's shoulder. Ashachu lifted his head and glanced down. He couldn't explain why, but the sight of the two Pokémon embracing disgusted him. He felt a surge of rage like a bolt of lightning in his heart.

"You mean a lot to me Hunter…But I think I have to do this…"

"Well given that it's entirely your fault that we're trapped here," growled Ashachu. "Yes Geyser, I'd say it is your responsibility to find us a way home!"

Hunter looked over his shoulder to see Ashachu glowering at them both from his position in Charizard's arms. He glared at him back, and at the same time pushed Geyser away.

"Wow Hunter. Otter boy's really stolen your heart hasn't he. Never knew you were that easy."

"Fuck off Ashachu," barked Hunter.

"What is your problem," added Geyser shaking his head.

Ashachu shrugged, in an exaggerated, mocking fashion. "I don't know, you are hatching maybe. If it weren't for that, none of us would have ended up here!"

Charizard chuckled, smirking while Geyser went red in the face.

The Dewott threw his paws up in the air and shouted sarcastically, "Wow, sorry Ashachu for being born. Asshole!"

"Now come on guys," Koraidon interjected. "There's no need for this."

"Yeah, you can't start fighting now," added Dragonite.

Ashachu ignored them both and continued to glower at Geyser and Hunter. "You got us suck here. You opened the wormhole and brought us here, and it didn't kill you. So, I don't see any reason for you not to take us back. It's your fault. You got us separated from our trainer."

Geyser's eyes narrowed. "You'd rather be back in our world, trapped in the Aether Foundation with Team Skull?"

"I can take down those Team Skull cunts. I'm the aura Pikachu remember," roared Ashachu. "You're just a useless overgrown Wooper who just happened to swallow a Cosmog. Everybody can see that what you're doing in acting all weak is to make Hunter feel sorry, so you can get into his slit."

Another chuckled from Charizard, while Dragonite frowned and cried, "Hey Ashy. That's not a very nice thing to say."

It got worse. "But it looks like he's stolen your heart, Hunter like he steals the boyfriends of another Pokémon. Chari was right. What a piece of shit you are!"

If the unfolding scene had been described to Hunter a few months ago, the Riolu would have found it incomprehensible. Incomprehensible how much he hated the Pikachu glowering at him. The electric rodent who had once been his best friend and lover. Rage boiled him like magma inside a Camerupt. He wanted to tear Ashachu apart.

"Fuck you, you little yellow fuck," he swore. "How dare you speak to Geyser that way. Your own half-brother." He pointed his paw angrily at Ashachu. "You speak to him like that again, and I'll pull your ears off."

Geyser put a paw on Hunter's shoulder. "Just leave it Hunter, he's not worth it."

Hunter shook his head. "After everything we had together. All the love we shared. I can't believe you turned out to be such a cunt Ashachu! Maybe Blade's right, Charizard is your Shadow."

"Go fuck yourself, Hunter," said Ashachu. "And you, Geyser. Go fucking ultra-wormhole opened. Stop trying to get Hunter to fuck you."

"Humph…" Geyser snorted. He glared at Ashachu with a look of murder on his face but ultimately didn't retort, not wanting to make the situation worse.

Unfortunately, Ashachu had different feelings. "It would be better for everyone if you died doing it too…"

The fight that followed happened in blink of an eye. On moment the four Pokémon, Ashachu, Charizard, Hunter and Geyser were all glaring at each other. In a split second later they had disappeared in a blurred ball of claws, teeth, electricity, fire, and dust. It wasn't clearly who had thrown the first punch or attack. The sound of angry growls, roars, squeaks, threats, and pejoratives echoed through the chamber.

"Hey, break it up guys!"

Dragonite, Koraidon and Salamence, being the largest Pokémon present (save for Rayquaza), all intervened to break up the fight, while Axew and Zamazenta looked on in shock and disgust (especially in Axew's case).

Dragonite pulled Hunter and Geyser out of the tussle, holding each of the smaller furry Pokémon by the scruffs of their necks. Koraidon threw himself onto Charizard, pinning him down – even though his whole weight was on the Flame Pokémon, it was taking his every effort to keep Charizard in place. Salamence picked up Ashachu by his tail.

"Pika Pikachu…"

The mouse was left dangling, swinging his paws like fists, and crying out an assortment of squeaks and cries.

"That's enough," Koraidon cried, his voice strained by the effort of holding Charizard down. "We all need to work together if we're going to stop the Ultra Recon squad and rescue your trainer's, so no fighting."

"This is rescue team," said Zamazenta, angrily and bitterly. "We don't have any room for your petty sibling rivalries or relationship dramas. You will learn to work together, or there will be consequences. The guild has strict rules about fighting between team mates, and they will be enforced against you."

"Hey, no offence, buddy," roared and angry Charizard from beneath Koraidon. "But can you get the hell off me."

"Koraidon, I think these Pokémon should be punished," Zamazenta added, looking at the team leader. "The Pikachu and the Riolu especially…"

Ashachu fell limp in Salamence's mouth at these words, a sense of regret shame creeping up on him. He glanced at Geyser and Hunter, still being held by Dragonite, and then looked away. Had he really meant to say the things he had. Deep down probably not really. He couldn't explain where his sudden anger had come from. It had just flared all of a sudden.