Chapter 32:
The Ultra Appearence
Location: Heahea City
"I can't wait for this!" Hau said. "Aether Paradise, seeing it for ourselves!"
"Be aware," I said. "There might be going on behind the scenes here."
"Well don't go snooping. Roto. We can't have you getting into trouble. Zzt zzt."
We walked to the dock where Faba was waiting in a fancy boat with a closed roof. He peeped his head out the window. "You ready to go?"
"Yeah!" Hau said.
"Oh, yeah," I said a little less enthusiastically.
Akala Island – Aether Paradise
The boat skimmed across the water. Hau was excited and I tried to show excitement, but deep down I knew that this trip was rubbing me the wrong way. I was clinging on to hope that maybe a Darkrai had visited Alola to play a trick on me, but the dream; it felt weirdly specific.
"There it is!" Hau said. "Aether Paradise!" We were coming up on a large building situated in the middle of the sea. There was a large-grey door coming from the ocean which slowly opened to let the boat in.
"We're here," I said. I wasn't sure whether or not I was going to find out today, but I really hoped I would.
Location: Aether Paradise
Inside, the walls were white. The boat stopped at a small docking station as an Aether Foundation member sent a bridge forward to let us jump back onto dry land. The place was fascinating.
"So thizz izz where the Aether Foundation get their jobzz done. Roto. How did they build thizz in the middle of the ocean? Zzt zzt."
"Alola!" Walking over to us was a woman with large-mauve coloured hair. She was wearing Aether Foundation attire, but with a pink dress underneath. She had round-pink glasses on.
"Ah, Wicke!" Faba said. "Great timing. As you can see, we have guests."
"Alola!" I said. "My name is Elliott. Me and my best friend Hau are taking on the Island Challenge."
"We've recently completed the Grand Trial on Akala Island," Hau followed.
"And I'm Rotom Dex, at your servizze. Roto."
Wicke gleamed. "So nice to see you all. Faba, may I give them a tour?"
"Pray, do!" Faba said. "And you know what? Excuse me!" Faba called to a male Aether Foundation member. "Please get a room ready for our guests. They will be spending the night here."
"Thanks," I said. "But we really would like to get to Ula'ula Island by the end of the day."
"Oh, I insist!" Faba said. "It's not everyday someone gets to sleep here."
I decided anymore objections would be risky, so I played along. "Okay, that seems fair."
"Shall we start out tour?" Wicke said.
Wicke took us to an elevator. She pressed a button, and the elevator went up a couple of floors.
"Where are you taking uzz? Roto."
"Here," Wicke replied. The doors opened to reveal a biome with white paths going over greenery and lakes. "Welcome to the Conservation Area, where we take in Pokémon that have trouble surviving in the wild."
We looked around and saw Pokémon in what their natural habitat would usually be. A Poliwhirl jumped up onto land and gave us a wave.
Poliwhirl (ニョロゾ)
#183
Water Type
Tadpole Pokémon
3'03" (1 m)
44.1 lbs (20 kg)
Its health suffers when its skin dries out, so be sure to moisturize it diligently.
Poliwag -Lv 25- Poliwhirl
"Did Team Skull injure these Pokémon?" I asked.
"That's a lot of the victims sadly," Wicke replied. "But it's our job as the Aether Foundation to nurse these Pokémon back to full health…"
My mind blanked out as Wicke was speaking. I looked around. The white paths, the greenery… then it hit me!
Lillie ran along the platforms under what seemed to be a glass biome. She looked desperate. She had her duffel bag with Nebby with her that she was holding onto for dear life.
Almost every corner she turned, there were Aether Foundation members.
"Give it here!" shouted a male member.
"Never!" Lillie yelled.
"This is the place," I said.
"What?" Wicke said.
I didn't even notice I had said that out loud. "Oh, I mean, look at this place! It's amazing!" I bent over to a closed off water section with Pokémon that had multiple blue legs that covered up its small-purple face.
Toxapex (ドヒドイデ)
#137
Poison/Water Type
Brutal Star Pokémon
2'04" (0.7 m)
32 lbs (14.5 kg)
"Toxapex crawls along the ocean floor on its 12 legs."
Speaking to use was a woman in a white dress. She had long blonde hair that covered part of her eye.
"Hey! Stop interrupting me! Roto!"
The woman smiled. "It leaves a trail of Corsola bits scattered in its wake."
"Can I at leazzt do the evolution?!" Rotom Dex shouted.
"Go ahead," the woman said.
Mareanie -Lv 38- Toxapex
"Everyone," Wicke said. "I want you to meet the head of the Aether Foundation, Lusamine."
Lusamine put her hand to her heart. "Alola. It is so nice to have you here."
Hau looked amazed. "Someone as young as you managed to create something like this? I'm impressed."
Lusamine laughed. "I'm flattered but… I'm 41 years old."
"41?! Roto! What kind of skin cream do you uzze to get that look? Zzt zzt!"
Lusamine looked over the Conservation Area at the Pokémon frolicking. "The poor Pokémon. Many mistreated by humans such as those brutes Team Skull."
"They make me sick," I replied, aware that she evaded Rotom Dex's question. I continued to look around. Having had that dream for two weeks straight, I had pretty much got every detail analysed. I even found the area where Nebby teleported Lillie away.
"Feel free to have a roam around," Lusamine said. "But please be noted that catching Pokémon is forbidden. If you even try, we will let the Alola region foundation know and you will be disqualified from the Island Challenge. Yes, I know you two are doing it."
I wasn't going to anyway, but it was nice to have the warning.
Whilst Hau went off to do his own thing, I went to check out the area where Lillie was teleported away. "What is going on here?" I asked. "What is the link between Lillie and the Aether Foundation?"
I saw the Corsola chatting to each other happily. This really seemed like the last place where something shady would be going on.
"Is something troubling you?"
I was suddenly greeted by four people. They were all dressed in white, but not like the Aether Foundation. They had weird glasses on and different features. They were dressed more like astronauts.
"My name is Dulce." This one was the tallest and had a streak of purple hair coming down from under the middle of his helmet.
"I'm Zossie!" said the shortest. She had orange hair coming down on braids.
"Greetings. I'm Soliera." This woman was the second tallest and had blue hair coming down.
"And I am Captain Phyco. We are the Ultra Recon Squad, and we research Ultra Wormholes."
"My friend Professor Burnet does that to," I said. "Where are you from?"
"Another dimension," said Soliera.
"Yeah!" Zossie replied. "It's so cool! We come from a city called Ultra Megaopolis!"
"And then we ended up here," Dulse said. "An Ultra Wormhole just opened up and… we were allowed to stay at the Aether Foundation."
Already I was a bit curious. An Ultra Wormhole just opening up? Didn't sound too frequent. As Lillie and Professor Burnet said, Ultra Wormholes opening are a rare occurrence, but if what I think I saw in Heahea City was one, then maybe there was a cause for concern.
"What about you?" Dulse asked.
"I'm Elliott. I'm taking on the Alola trials, and I'm doing very well at it."
"And I'm Rotom Dex! Roto!"
Phyco went up to Rotom Dex. "Interesting specimen aren't you."
"You bet! Zzt zzt!"
"And you?" he asked. "If you're taking on Alola's trials, then you must be a capable battler. Correct?"
"Correct!" I said. "Want me to show you?"
"Hold on! Roto!" Rotom Dex said. "Do you remember what Lusamine said? No Pokéballs!"
"Don't worry," said Soliera. "Trainer on Trainer battles are allowed."
"Yes," said Phyco. "So, let's get on with it."
Elliott Vs. Ultra Recon Squad Member Phyco
"Go Furfrou!" Out came a white-fluffy Pokémon with long ears and a black face.
Furfrou (トリミアン)
#030
Normal Type
Poodle Pokémon
3'11" (1.2 m)
61.7 lbs (28 kg)
There was an era when aristocrats would compete to see who could trim their Furfrou's fur into the most exquisite style.
Furfrou has no known evolutions.
"Go Torracat!" I shouted. "Use Double Kick!" Torracat kicked Furfrou in the face twice for Super Effective damage.
"Furfrou, Bite!" Furfrou bit down on Torracat.
"Okay Torracat, ready?" I put my hands in front of me, and Torracat raised its tail up. "Prepare for an ultra Z-Move! INFERNO OVERDRIVE!" Torracat fired a fire ball at Furfrou. It exploded upon impact. Thankfully, the surroundings of the paths had special barriers as to avoid any damage to the environment. Furfrou was down.
"Wow!" Zosie said. "You are so strong!"
Phyco recalled Furfrou. "Indeed."
Suddenly, Hau came running over. "Hey, Elliott. Something weird is going on."
I looked at Rotom Dex. "Let'zz go. Zzt."
"May we come?" asked the Ultra Recon Squad.
"I… don't see why not," I said. "Yeah, come on. It could be an Ultra Wormhole."
We all ran to an area where there was a big-white hole appearing in the air.
"That can't be!" I shouted. It was just like what we saw back at Heahea City.
"That's it!" Phyco said.
"An Ultra Wormhole!" Soliera replied. She immediately started getting out equipment.
"Thizz izz so weird. Roto."
"What do we do?" I asked. "Lusamine?" Lusamine however was too enveloped in the weirdness.
"Stay on guard guys," said Soliera. "We're… detecting life!"
We all gasped. From the Ultra Wormhole, came a clear… thing with multiple tentacles. It had no visible eyes, mouth or nose.
"Is that… a Pokémon?" I asked.
"It's not just a Pokémon!" Lusamine said. "It's… an ULTRA BEAST! This is what I have been waiting for!"
"I can't scan it! Roto! My date is completely blank!"
"Ultra-Beasts are Pokémon not from our world!" Zossie said. "It's so cool! We know about Pokémon being found in other regions, but these are Pokémon found in other dimensions!"
The Ultra Beast started coming down to me. "I think it's getting ready to attack," I said. "I'll catch it!"
"No!" Lusamine said. "Ultra Beast or not, Pokéballs are still banned! You should battle it to calm it down though!"
"I'll do just that!" I said. "What should we call it?"
"UB-01!" Lusamine said. "Symbiote!"
UB-01 suddenly let out a loud… roar? Well, I say that because it sounded like a wobbly sound that I had never heard before. "Stand back everyone!" I shouted.
Elliott Vs. UB-01
"Okay Trumbeak, go!" I shouted. UB-01 started off with a Headbutt. "Trumbeak, come back with Pluck!" Trumbeak stabbed UB-01 with its beak, but it wasn't very effective. It used another Headbutt, making Trumbeak flinch and then finishing it off with Venoshock.
"So, it can uzze Poizzon Type attackzz! Roto!"
"Gotcha!" I replied. "Torracat, go!" Out came my partner. The Pokémon then used Headbutt again. "Torracat, use Fire Fang!" Torracat chomped down with its fiery teeth, but it wasn't very effective. "So, Pluck and Fire Fang didn't do much… it must be a Rock Type! Okay Torracat, return!" I switched Torracat for Slowpoke who took a Headbutt. And another Headbutt. "Let's try this!" I put out my hands and Slowpoke put out its tail. "I don't care if you're from Ultra Space, you can't withstand the might of… HYDRO VORTEX!" Slowpoke swamped UB-01 in water, then swam around and round catching it in a whirlpool. It was Super Effective, almost knocking it out. However, one more Venoshock finished off Slowpoke.
"Yes!" Lusamine shouted. "Such power!"
"Lusamine?" I asked. "Is everything alright?" Deep down, I knew something was not.
"Just battle it!" Dulce said.
"Oh, yeah. Hariyama, go!" My large sumo wrestler entered. Nihilego used Venoshock. "Now use Vital Throw!" Hariyama took Nihilego and threw it, knocking it out.
After getting knocked out, the Ultra Beast slowly rose and floated back into the Ultra Wormhole, which sealed itself shut and disappeared into thin air.
"What just happened?" Hau asked.
"Whatever it was, we got plenty of info," said Phyco. "But how weird of an Ultra Wormhole to appear here so soon after opening in the same place, the one we went through. Lusamine, do you have anything to say?"
Lusamine however was completely dead in the face but smiling. Her fingers were twitching. "Perfect," she said. "This… is what I've been waiting for!"
"What is going on?" I asked.
"You see," Wicke replied. "Lusamine puts research into Ultra Energy in her free time. She has travelled around the world where Ultra Wormholes appear and constant exposure to Ultra Energy stopped her from aging."
"Wow," I said, as my stomach growled. "Well, I will say this; all this Ultra Wormhole gobbledegook can really work up an appetite!"
"Indeed!" Wicke said. "Let's have some lunch!"
Later that night, I talked to Hau about what happened during that day. We tried not to mention my concerns about the Aether Foundation just in case they were listening in on us.
"What was all that about today?" I asked.
"I don't know," Hau replied. "But it's amazing to think that Pokémon can live in other worlds. Like, I've heard of a Pokémon called Deoxys who came from Outer Space on a meteorite, but this is other dimensions we are talking about. Urgh, it's turning my brain to mush. Let's get some shut eye. We're off to Ula'ula Island first thing tomorrow!"
"You're right," I said, even if it was still hard to get my head around.
Rotom's Move Dex!
What the heck happened today? Roto! A Pokémon from another dimenzzion and we didn't even know it'zz Type! Well, did you know there wazz onzze a move which didn't have a Type but now doezz?
That move izz Curse!
Curse izz interezzting because the effectzz are different depending on the uzzers Type. If a Ghozzt Type usezz it, it layzz a Curse on the enemy. Roto! At the expenzze of half the uzzers HP, it makezz the oppozzing Pokémon lozze ¼ of it'zz health each turn. Zzt! But when a non-Ghozzt Type usezz it, it sacrifizzes Speed for Attack and Defense. Eventually, it wazz decided that the Typing be Ghost!
Ghost Typezz that can learn Curse include Gengar, Banette and Trevenant whilzzt non Ghost Typezz include Slowbro/Slowking, Torkoal and Pyukumuku!
Oh, and when you uzze Curse, that doezz NOT mean swear! Roto!